The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-01-08

history promise upon promise wa
given that the descendants of Abrs
ham should he7esceedingly nunerou
and should become masters Of Canaa
as their divineiy given possession, ye
after 200 or more years they were a
strangers and sojourners; single no
madic tribe, with religious practice
utterly diverse from those Of the peo
pie about them, kept separated by no
intermarrying and holding their habi
tation by sufferance. A slight combi
nation against them would have pro
duced extinction. Tie faislment oj
the promises must have seemed quite
unlikely. Their complete removal be
came necessary for their own preser
vation, but no one could possibly have
realized the fact. The process requir.
ed more than twenty years and was
directed by an overruling providence
in ways that seemed at first all at
cross-purposes, atapgling up of human
plans and human lives and political
outcome that included the descent of
the whole people into bitter bondage.
JOSEPH A FAVORED SON.
Joseph is II years old and we'll
favored. He shares with his brothers
the daily tasks Of caring for the focks
and herds. There are good reasons
why his father loves him above his
brothers, for he is purer in act and
thought and his soul recoils with dis
gust from some Of their daily practi-
ces. Why or how or when these are
mentioned to Israel is immaterial.
The sunlight is not to be held in fault
because it reveals corruption. There
is not tale-bearing vein of the ordi-
nary sort in Joseph's character; his
future will surely prove this to be 80.
For moment note his endowment:
There is gentle but pronounced dig
nifty, inherited from Abraham; purity
and rightness from Isaac; capacity
aud shrewdness from his father; ply
sical beauty, affectionateness and man
aging ability from his mother, it is
fine combination Of the most excellent
qualities of his ancestors. We need
not be surprised that now, while his
life is yet unbalanced, there is self
consciousness and perhaps overesti-
mate of his personal worth; it has
always been SO; reserve severe judg-
ment, please, until the life be more
fully measured and the crop of paren-
tai sowing be garnered.
But Israel is not wise in manifest.
ing decided partiality; though Joseph
is "the son Of his old age" The
short tunic is deemed satisfactory for
the others; why not also for Joseph?
Shall he alone receive princely dress?
The long tunio reaching down to the
arms and feet and marked by .colored
or embroidered bands seems to denote
rank, and a purpose that in time
Joseph shall become Sheik in place Of
his father. But it makes him an OBJ
ject of hatred, 80 that his brotr ers
will not speak peacefully unto him"
No "Shalom'' is uttered when he
comes to them.
DREAMER AND DREAMS.
4 IS not surprising that the favored |
lad has dreams that seem to him indi-
,ative of his future, or that his day.
dreams correspond; it is often true
hat "our wishes are the forefeeding
IF our capabilities. Other lads have
lreams and they fail Of realization.
Who shall sag that the failure may
lot be the dreamer's own fault? It
s sheer folly, however. to parade the
Ire, q before those who may quite
naturally be angered by their recital.
Notice the style Of the callow youth,
IS he rehearses his dream, ali unmoved /
~ their scowling faces; observe .low
le punetuates with my and .'lol'
md "beholdr'
'Behold, We are binding sheaves in
he field, and 10, my sheaf arose, and
Ilso stood upright; and behold, your
'heavea came round about, and made
,beisance to my sheaf.''
OF course, it increases their resent
nent that his self sufficient stripping
9 looking toward headship and do
niDion over his elders as his future
lestiny. But Joseph is not awed by
,is brothers; they are his Interiors;
le believes in himself, as evory right
minded person may do within certain
limits. But listen again to the young
lreamer; is he becoming ambitious TO