The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-09-15

his mind that he would go, but did
the Lord want him to depart empty
handed? Would it be faith to rush
off impatiently and expect God to pro-
vide for his wives and little ones? Or
would real faith keep him patient In
| the present situation? Was not 1t
probable that it was Gods way OF
providing for him? God had blessed
his services so marvelously during the
IA years he had worked for Laban.
would He not continue His favor now
that he was to provide for his own
household? All these questions flashed
through Jacobs mind as he stood be-
fore Laban, who anxiously awaited his
answer. At last he looked up and
SAID quietly:
81 will continue with YOU"
"And what shall thy wages be-"
Laban asked, eagerly, anxious to have
the bargain concluded. He knew what
! some of his neighbors were paying for
the services of their herdsmen, one
twentieth of the increase Of the flocks
and the herds. But there were no
|
bors envied him his services. II ne
could keep him he would do better
than the ordinary wage. He could
afford to. He would give him tenth
CT the increase.
And while Laban was making up his
mind to do the really generous thing.
for the greedy and ayaricious are al
ways ready to deal magnanimously
when they believe it is to their profit.
Jacob was bordering the question
deeply. If he agreed TO the ordinary
wage arrangement, he knew that La
ban would say in the end: See how
| have made Jacob rich His pride
would not consent to such humiliation.
! And then if God was with him, would
it not be the part of faith to let Him
give to him such portion as He would
have him possess?
'Thou shalt not give me anything, ;"
he finally said, looking steadily into
Laban's face, and drawing himself up
proudly
But" exclaimed Laban, his face
paling, "you said you would remain. ;"
"Yea, if thou wilt do this thing for
me. will again feed and keep thy
flock. | will pass through ali thy flock
to-day, removing from thence all the
speckled and spotted cattle, and all
the brown cattle among the sheep. and
the spotted and specified among the
goats; and of such shall be my hire.
SO shall my righteousness answer for
me in time to come. when it shall
come for my hire before thy face:
every one that is not speckled and
spotted among the goats and brown
among the sheep. that shall be count
ed stolen with me-"
| Laban listened to the remarkable
proposition IN amazement 1t seemed
to him that jacob must be crazy to
propose such terms. Why, it was
sure thing for him. What show would
poor Jacob stand? But he managed
to say:
Behold, I would it might be &C
cording to thy word, but surely thou
art joking"
may" rejoined Jacob, calmly.
"those are the terms on which | would
serve thee"
"Be it as thou hast said, then" said
Laban, trying to conceal the inward
exultation of hisa misery soul.
And that day he and his sons re-
moved the he goats that were ring
streaked and spotted. and all the she
goats that were speckled and spotted,
every one that had some white in 1t,
and all the brown among the sheep.
and gave them into the hand of his
sons. And he sent Jacob with the re-
mainder of the flocks three days
Journey down the valley, and as he
started off with his all white sheep
and all black goats he ckuckled to
himself, saying:
"Never speckled and spotted one
will he get out of those fiocks."
The months rolled by, and 50 dill
gently did Jacob apply himself to the
task in hand that lis visits home were
few and far between, and to Labans
questions as to how he was getting on
he returned but brief and indefinite
answer. At last, unable to curb his
curiosity longer. he sent one of his
sons to spy on Jacob, and the reports
which he brought first astonished and
then alarmed him. me finest OF lambs
and the kids were speckled and spot
ted. How could it be? 1t was moth
ing short of miracle. nothing like
it had ever been done before. Laban
went in before his gods and bowed
himself and burned incense to them
that he might win their favor. And
then, not certain that he could trust
them to protect his interests, he post
ed off to where Jacob was feeding his
flocks and Indignantly charged him
with fraud and insisted on changing
the agreement so that the speckled
and spotted should thereafter be his.
And Jacob quietly submitted, and
went on feeding the focks. And when
Laban found months later that no
longer was the increase of the fiocks
speckled and spotted, he again
changed the agreement, and again
Jacob submitted, knowing that he was
in Gods hands and that he could trust
Him. And thus the years rolled by
and Laban had changed his wages ten
times, but still he patiently served on,
and in spite of Laban's double deal
ing, he increased exceedingly and had
much cattle, and maid-servants and
men-servants, and camels and asses.