Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-12-12
A DIVIDED HOUSEHOLD.
From the Republic.

By Rev. C. n. BI-AcKALI., d. d.
From the Republic.
In the family of Jacob were pro.
duced the usual fruits of a divided
household. Leah was hated and she
had good reason to know the fact
leaionsies and heart burnings filled
the days. yet there were acknowl.
edged blessings also. BY the birth
OF Reuben, the first son, Leah hoped
u win ths love Of Jacob. Then fol.
lowed Simeon, whom she devoutly
received as the gift of Jehovah.
When Levi came, she said Now
this time will my husband be joined
unto me, because | have borne him
three sons. Upon Judah's arrival
she said: "This time will | praise
Jehovah. =" Thus in Leah, love for
Jacob and worship of Jehovah were
blended.
Rachel was envious and petulant.
and her words stirred the indigna-
tion of Jacob. The incident that fol
lowed must be read in the light OF
their time and not be judged by
standards of the Twentieth Century.
Dan, and Naphtali, and Cad, and
Issacher, and Zebulun, and Joseph
successively called Jacob father.
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
BY thrift and strict attention to
everyday duty on the part of Jacob.
the possessions of Laban were might
lily increased; withal, Jacob desired
independence. But Laban preferred
to retain Jacob, because he could
truly say: Jehovah hath blessed
me for thy sake" The immediate
outcome was fresh bargain. The
measures taken were precisely those
OF a shrewd man who counts himself
always as number one. to be looked
after and profited every time and all
the time. Laban and Jacob were
smart, and both schemed warily. Ii
was a clear case of diamond cut dia-
mond.
PROFIT COMES TO JACOB
Then the conditions were reversed,
and stiii the profit aud the increase
came to Jacob. Meanwhile his fam
lily was distinctly separated from
that of Laban, Jacob being essenti-
ally his own master, yet in close
business relations with Laban. Je-
hovah had spoken to Jacob and said
Return to the land of thy nativity. =
And now his wives took a hand in
the family affairs, with a terrible ar
raignment of their father: rs there
any portion or inheritance for us in
our fathers house? Are we not ac-
counted by him as foreigners? For
he hath sold US, and quite devoured
our money. Now then.
whatsoever God hath said unto thee,
do" 1t was high time for a change,
as strife was almost certain.
CLANDEsTINE FLIGHT.
Laban is away, busily engaged in
sheep-shearing, and will not return
for several days. There is a hasty
gathering up of all the possessions
of Jacob, his wives, his eleven sons.
his numerous servants, his cattle
and sheep, his camels, his household
goods, and all personal belongings
never word being sent to Laban
concerning the departure. The final
destination is Beersheba, Isaac s
home. Jacob is now strong and rich
he takes what is clearly his own,
though Laban S sons deny his right.
But Rachel is the special sinner OF
the group, for she steals the terra
phim that belong to her fathers
household.
Now these little images of rude.
human shape are held sacred as Civ
ers of prosperity and guardians OF
the home; the offense of stealing the
teraphim is therefore no trifiing mat
ter, and it may cost the whole family
dear, but Rachel thinks little of that
possibility, and perhaps cares less.
as the caravan moves on, crossing
the river Euphrates and heading
toward Mount Gilead.
AN ANGRY PURSUIT.
Three days pass. Word comes to
Laban concerning the fight of ia
cob. He discovers the loss of his
teraphim. Calling together some
tribesmen. he starts in hot pursuit,
on the seventh day reaching Jacob
in Gilead, where he had camped.
But for a warning received by La
ban in a night vision, il had now
gone i'll with Jacob. A sharp colo
guy displaces fight, in which ia
cob shows his strength and manli-
ness, and Laban his hypocrisy and
meanness.
Mere vaporing words were those
Of Laban, in claiming that had Jacob
mentioned his desire to leave, be