The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-14
><%< < < < < < < < < v - < JACOB A PRINCE WITH GOD. Y
 (Gen. xxxii: 1-32)

f'ontext-After his vision at Bethel.
 studied last week, Jacob resumed s mt
 Rachel at the well where she cam" to
 water the sheep. Brought home 10 La Ian her fathert Jacob serreu , ur.ee,t t
 years for his two ,yrisse wsss; of I the concu-
 pines and the children the dlssen5i9n.s y. and deueits. reveals the spirit. Of the ire of that time, and will repay carsiui s stuny
 as showing the institutions ana GUS customs ms of the patriarchal system. JacoD $ inc crossing wealth excited the Jealousy or
 Lsbans sons. and various contrdets were made in the interest of peace. But sep araticn ultimately became necessary.
 With numerous household and With large possessions Jacob left Haran. me departure was made secretly, ieast. as was justly supposed. Laban would oppose 1t. Today's lesson covers an incident III the homeward journey of Jac0o.
 from his father-in-law. amieably effected at last, did not remove all rear froS the mind of Jacob. He remembered that twenty or more years before TOT mess of pottage he had purchased his brother s birthright, that the brother was greatly offended, and that his life had been pre- served only by flight tGen. xxvii' A-fSl return the long G-cherished enmity might provoke strife. Still he had been chosen as the divine channel of blessing 10 the sured. It was therefore with great com fort that he beheld company or angels, whom fe called Gods host sent to be his escort dfcb. i. 1D, as afterward appea@reo @ couraged by this manifestation Jacoo adopted prudential measure. He sent. messengers before him with instructions Esau lived, and to tell of his wealth and prosperity, probably to convince Esau that he no longer needed the fathers / Anxiey-(versss to 8. After travelling hundreds of miles to Edon the servants delivered the message and returned With the startling intelligence that Esau was coming to meet his brother. and that with him there were four hundred men. Jacobs mind was filled with serious apprehen- sion concerning the purpose of this visit. He had reason to fear that the company would be hostile. The old score might be avenged in blood His life might be sac rihced, his focks and herds taken as spoil; and his family made s,s slaves. ,,s.-N But
 With that ready grasping of the situation
 which was so characteristic Of him In all
 his career he proved equal to the emer-
 gency. He arranged his household in two bands each apparently complete in it. self, probably recognizing Leah as the center of one and Rachel of the other,
 with speciai care for the latter. Verse 11.) In this way he expected that at least one of the companies would be saved even though the other was lost. It was better to save part than nothing.
 Prayer Oversees to 12)-Two forces may be employed in promoting mans welfare. the one human, the other Di-
 vine. Some depend wholly upon the the first, first. man will invoke both. Sc. it was with Jacob. Having exercised his own best wisdom in a strategic attempt to avert
 the possible evil which Esau might at tempt, he sought God in prayer (Psalm l:15.1 The form of that prayer is re-
 markable. considering, the time and cir
 The one request was deliverance from the hand of Esau (Psalm lix:1, 9, a di- rect interposition for personal security.
 a eS retn ea to hs 9poe eo9ns
 xxvlii:i6.) But in the same connection
 he, disclaims all personal worth. asking
 this. favor on the sole ground of Gods goodness, and he begins with the cove
 nant idea of God. the God of Abraham
 and of Isaac.
 Present Cverses 13 to ls.)-There are two
 ways by. which an adversary may be pre-
 vented from an evil course, his action
 may be overcome by superior force, or
 upon the power of God for the first Ja- cob resolved to attempt the second. He selected the, shortest and surest way in- to make him gift (Prov. xviii:16l. He selected out of his flocks and herds near ly 600 head of stock of nine different
 kinds and arranged them in as many
 space between drove and drove. The en-
 tire valuation at a low price in our time
 would be nearly five thousand dollars,
 This splendid gift was to be sent on in
 advance. to meet Esau. It was expected
 that wha tever ermity may have remain.
 cd it would ali depart as the benevolence or the donor appeared. It was a most happy method If conciliating a brother of changing any evil design that may
 have been in his heart.
 Strategy.-(Verses r to 29.l-Jacob also resolved to arrange his gift in way
 to produce the best possible effect. 1t should appear to Esau in sections, nine
 In number. and each section should he personally and graciously presented by
 those having 1t in charge. In this way | the good Influence would be exerted nine
 times, with intervals for reflection. The accumulating impression must be very
 great and toward the end the heart could
 certainly not resist the kindly feelings
 that would be awakened. Moreover each
 servant on presenting the gift was in-
 Jacob is bChind us." Here was pro- l fession of humility or subordinatiOn ir the title assumed a virtual surrender of | any superiority that may have been ac-
 quired by the pottage transaction, (Gen., xxv. 32), and profession of interest as | indicated in the approach. These joined | With the henevolence were intended to | appease Esau if he was angry and pre-
 pare for, the meeting to follow:
 Wrestling. -(Verses 24 to 29.)-These | preliminaries being arranged the process | sion moved over the brook Jabbok into
 the country. of Ammonltes in the follow
 ing order: First, the present to Esau. next | the remainder of the flocks and herds, afterward the two families. But Jacob | tarrted alone on the north side of the | brook. He seemed to feel that there was crisis in his history, that he needed himself some preparation before entering upon it. Many another man has come up to point where he found 1t necessary
 to withdraw into solitude. Matt, xiv. g
 All night he engaged In prayer; Rehei did not come to hls troubled spirit. As IT in bodily form some supernaturaI De- ing, supposed tn have been the Lord,
 wrestled with him Jacob sought hless-
 ing which the other did not grant at first but he held steadily to his plea until the
 answer came. That night of struggle De , gan the new era in Jacobs life. The victory gained was siEnalized by new
 name. Israel, which was thereafter borne by him and his posterty - Memoral-(Verses 30 to S2). All great events if indeed any are strictly trlNlaI
 are worthy to be kept in rememnrance
 They belong to posterity and help to transmit and perpctuatc the influences that surround them. This night of praEe-
 was commemorated in two ways i,nS nS
 place where it occurred was called
 by Jacob himself who felt that he had seen God. From generation to genera ! ten that name, marking certain locdti ty, told the story of the wrestling patrl-
 arch to all who heard 1t. The event ,',ai Was also proclaimed by personal innEnIty | that led to q national observance ne
 wrestling Jacobs thigh was for a hna | put out of joint and he halted aS ne | walked from ihe place. Wheret9rt t,e i,,, | Israelites forever after refrain"d II on | eating the thigh thus testifying [" aIl | their faith in what had occurred. The l man of mighty prayer was therefore re- | membered by double memorial. ,, - | Refiections-As with Jacob so wltn us
 the severest trials result from former l transgressions. Prudent precautions are | consistent with God. We may not I'SS n,eeS