The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-05-26

$500 - NNFo WELL ~ ZIG otaACu
for p~asturage became more difficult, and
the tioeks and herds wandered farther
and farther down the valley. Eliezer
was quite in despair, and found increas-
ing difficulty in keeping close superyi-
sion over the herds. But to his repeated
appeals, Abraham returned the same
reply as that given at the first inter-
view.
One day Eliezer's duties took him 10
a distant point, and Ishmael, a vigor-
Gus youth of 10, pleaded to go with him.
Let the boy 60" was the response
which Abraham gave when appealed to,
and the eyes of the aged patriarch fol-
lowed the youth as he bounded away,
and the words which God had spoken
came to him. As though to strengthen
his faith, he repeated them aloud:
Nay, but Sarah Thy wife shall bear
thee a son. and thou shalt call his name
Isaac; and will establish My covenant
with him for an everlasting covenant
for his seed after him"
A faint sound of derisive laughter
came from the interior of the tent. It
fretted him, and, longing to get alone
by himself, he said within his heart:
Il will get me up TO the altar of the
Lord on the mountain top when the hest
of the day is passed. 1t may be that
God will speak to me there as on former
occasions"
Lifting his eyes with the thought
towards the adjacent mountain, his at
tention was attracted by three strangers
coming down the path. Abraham's first
impulse was one OF Impotence, for he
feared their coming would hinder his
visit to his wonted place of worship.
He desired solitude at this time. 1t did
not seem to him that he could act the
part of host. He wanted to be left a0ne
to his meditation.
But here were strangers. They were
weary with the Journey. The heat ofthe
day was oppressive, and they needed
shelter and, refreshment, Thus think
ing, Abraham %graciously put aside his
own feelings and desires, and arose to
greet the strangers, who had paused a
short distance down the path, as though
waiting for invitation to come in and
rest.
Quickly slipping on his sandals, Abra-
ham ran to meet them, and salaaming
low before them, he said:
MY lord, if now | have found favor
in thy sight, pass not away, | pray thee,
from thy servant. Let now a little water
be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree. And will
fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen
We your hearts"
With gracious sweetness and ease the
strangers accepted the proffered hos
pitality, saying:
so do, as thou hast said"
Bidding a servant bring water for the
feet of the guests, Abraham fastened
into the tent to find Sarah, wondering
who his guests might be, and yet con-
scious of a feeling Of their superiority.
Was it to show how thoroughly was his
repentance for his first ~ungracious and
in~hospitable feelings? Or was there an
indefinable something about his guests
which appealed to the best impulses
within him? Or was it a combination
of both these elements? Whatever 1t
was, certain it is that Abraham's gTa-
cious feelings of hospitality overtlowed
that day, and, finding Sarah, he eagerly
said:
Make ready quickly three measures
of fine meal, kuead il, and make cakes,
such as thy skillful hands know 50 well
how to prepared"
And without giving his wife oppoT-
tunity to ask any questions he fastened
to the herd.
Selecting the lnesl calf his discerning
eye could pick. he hurried back with it.
He was too intent on the matter in hand
to note the wondering looks of the herd
man in charge, or hear his haif-mut-
tered protest:
'"The most likely calf in all the herd.
If Eliezer had been here he would not
have taken it,"
Soon the repast was ready, and as
Abraham set it before his guests he
longed to ask them who they were, and
from whence they had come, but he
burst not.
Where Is Sarah, thy wife?" was the
question which startled him when the
meal was ended.
WHO hnJ told tbhCn Efruuyarp fha
name of his wife? What peculiar thing
wal this that they should ask after a
mans wife?
10, Sarah. thy wife, shall have a
son!" they continued.
AS the words fell upon Abraham's
ears his eyes were opened. and he be-
held, no longer strangers, bnt the Lord
and His angels. Bowling himse!f before
them, a deep silence fell
wherefore did Sarah laugh. saying,
Shall | Of a surety bear q child, which
am old? Is anythir too hard fer the
Lord?"
Abraham started 10 his feet. Sarah
laugh? He had heard 20 sound.
Il laughed mott" she whispered IN a
terrified voice as Abraham confronted
her in the tent, for she was AFRAID.
And the same Lord who had searched
her heart and heard her laugh and her
derisiye words, heard the whisper.
though 1t was so faint that Abraham
scarce caught the wotds. and He said:
Nay, but thou didst Taught
And the Lord and His angels arose
and went towards So1om, and Abraham
went with them to bring them or their