The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR TOMORROW
BY ,. F. GIL BERT, u. D.,

in upon the soul impressions of the tangible world in such variety as quite to obscure the spiritual world that lies back of all When for brief time the God revealed himself. and the spiritual Is seen to be real. men are filled with fear and reverence. Such experiences are of incalculabe value. as they tend to restore the normal relations between soul and body. (Rom. viii,6) That was therefore an occasion of far-reaching in- fiuence in the life of Jacob. When he awakened in the morning 1t was evident that the vision and message had pro- duced a salutary effect. He was rever- ently afraid, convinced that he had been in the presence of God. that he had ignorantly presumed to slumber in such a holy spot that in fact his couch had been the house of God and the very gate of heaven. He had learned what many never learn. that the Lords presence alone renders d place sacred.
 Pillar. (Verses IS and 19) The effect of the vision was not altogether emotional. Jacob was emphatically, man of action. markable event in bis history by erect ing monument that might mark the spot and so become holy to him in all after time. And so the stone which had served as inflow was set up as a pillar. Upon the top of it oil was poured, as an emblem of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. 1t was believed at that time that by this ceremony the stone became Jg remnant of superstition handed down from remote time. There is a foolish tradition that this stone was afterwards brought to Jerusalem, carried thence to Spain, afterward to Ireland, thence to Scotland, that on it the kings of Scot land were crowned. kdward I 1t Is claim ed had 1t brought to " estminster, and there this stone, called Jacobs pillar and Jacobs pillow, Is now placed under the chair on which the king sits when he is crowned. Jacob further signslized the event by giving name to the locality calling it Bethel, or Literally house of God.
 Vow-(verses 20 and 21) The most elc- Vating spiritual experiences begin in the intellect mad proceed thence to the emo are completed only by affecting the viii. | Whatever one may think or feel he rises 1 to highest dignity when he resolves, and when by such resolve he determines his own conduct Jacob now passed into the volitional state. and made a vow, d | promise. or oath, of live-long loyalty to | God. The Lord shall be my Gcd," was ms self-imposed pledge 6Ruth i, -,) vol. untary conservation. But this was not | ln the best form. It was made condi- uonal upon the faithfulness of God to Ills promises just made. If God would prosper him. and bring him back in safety then the vew should hold an im- pllcation that otherwise It would be null and void. This bartering mcrhod l or Jacob. (Gen. xXY 29-34) Sadly out of | place here 1t was after all better than m l vow at all. Much Is to be learned he Tore an unconditional corsecration would
 Tithe- -(Verse 22) The seIsfih and dick 1 erlng spirit of Jacob appears further in his allusions to property. He promised 70 give back to God the tenth of all that God gave to him, ten per cent on the Divine investment. This has a decidedly mercenary aspect There is too much of the quid pro quo about 1t, q sort of plety SaItogetner too common even in our day. Many prize religion as one of the eonvenlences of life, a means to an end. The uthing system was afterward in- troduced into the Mosaic economy (Lev. xvii, S0) as a method of supporting the 1 priesthood, and God complained of his | people because they did not meet this requirement. (Mal. fiji. Sl And vet 1t was not nof,ti Tn any wise proof of high spirit uaIlty, but directly the opposite Tith- ing is not to be practiced under the gos- l pei. The followers of Christ must re. gard all their property as his and them selves as stewards. (Rom. xii, D Our giv- ! ing must not be by measure, but out of fl cheerful heart according to ability. GI Cor. K, ..
 .Refeetions--This chapter in the life ol ! the patriarch must not he taken as af
 fording standards for Christian living
 It simply shows how God appeared tt
 Jacob at this important time in his his
 tory and what response he made, Go,
 never before or after appeared to hin
 or any other in the same way, and it
 quite certain that no one need .expec
 such manifestation. Jacob revealed hi
 spiritual condition. showing that he Wa
 on very low plane. That Is one reaso
 God adopted that method-he alway
 suits himself to men.U Cor. xii. @ Ther
 are some things to commend in Jacob
 course-chiehy his reverence. his desir
 to commemorate the event. his willing
 ness to be the Lords. But all this
 clouded by the workings of his earn;
 mind-the remnant of superstition, th
 conditional loyalty. the pledged percent
 agc' on Gods gifts Jacob has lon
 journey to make before he will reach th
 realm of absolute, total. dtsintereste
 surrender to the Gods servant in th
 covenan tof Abraham. The stages in hi
 progress may be easily traced in hi | biography.