The Tupelo journal., 1905-12-08

priest of On, when he had pressed
her TO- a decision, she had promised
that he should have a final answer
that day, and as she awaited his COM
ing the mother nervously toyed with
the golden c~irclets about her wrists
and wondered what her father would
say.
She knew he was anxious, yea de-
termined, that his two g~randsons
should follow him in the priestly pro-
f%ession, and he expected her to decide
the matter for them but she under
stood her boys and the temperament
of her husband too we'll to attempt
anything of the kind, much as her
natural sympathies and inbred convic-
lions prompted.
Notwithstanding the influence of her
husband upon her, and the fact that
the God he w%orshiped a not the god
of the Egyptians, she still chung to the
faith of her fathers. She was content
to let her husband alone in the wor-
ship and service of his God, excusing
him, as did her father and the rest of
the priesthood from the worship and
service in the Egyptian temples, but
she hoped and expected that her two
boys would grow up true Egyptians,
loyal and devoted to the great god
Osiris. She had neglected no oppor-
tunity of impressing them with the
Egyptian religion, and her father had
taken especial delight and care in &C
quaint1ng them with all the details OF
the temple worship and had taught
them from the sacred writings of the
priesthood.
But counter influences had been
at work upon their lives. They idol
lied their father, and his thought and
conduct had the greatest weight with
them. He had told them of the Goa
of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. He
had told them the stories of Gods
dealings with the Hebrew people, and
of the promises which had been given
to them. And when the old man ia
cob, their grandfather, had told them
the stories over and over again they
had come t. know them by heart, and
unconsciously to themselves they were
being greatly Influenced by them.
But if ever any doubts had come in
to their minds in regard to the gods
of the Egyptians they never spoke Of
them to their mother, but somehow,
insJinotIvely, she fer: uncertain as to
just what decision the boys would
make now that they we're face to face
with the all-important question. More
than once she had been upon the point
of pleading with them to pledge them
selves to the priesthood, when some
thing held her back and told her that
it would be better to wait and let her
father breach the matter to them.
And so she had waited.
Let me call the boys and you speak
10 them at once" she said to her faith
sr after his arrival and she had ex-
planned all to him. Il am sure your
words will have great weight with
them"
1t was plain to see that Potipherah
was disappointed, and he sat some
minutes in silence.
NO" at last he said, eff the decis-
ion of this matter must be left to the
boys it were better, ! think, that they
visit me in the temple. There, sur
rounded by the sacred tokens of our
religion and under the very shadow of
Osiris presence, l shall be in better
mood to press my plea, and it will be
easier for them to choose"
VERY we'll" responded Asenath,
"but l cannot help feeling that it
would be wiser to see them now. Might
it not be hat l could reinforce thy
words and help Manasseh and Ephra-
i'm to a decIsion?"
NAY, my daughter, the temple is
the place foS me to speak to the boys,
but you may plead with them before
they come; yea, l charge thee to do
this thing which thou hast already
neglected too long. 7 shall expect the
boys this afternoon" he added, as he
took his departure.
AS soon as her father had gone Ase-
nath called her boys to her and frank
ly told them all that was in her heart,
and the desire of their grandfather,
the priest of On, that they should en-
ter the sacred and powerful calling of
the priesthood.
HE will he waiting you in the in
ner court of the temple this afternoon
for you answer, and / m sure that
my boys, in whose veins the blood of
the priestly caste flows, will be true to
the ancient religion of the Egyptians"
The boys were silent for some few
minutes, seemingly deeply impressed
with their mothers words. Then
Ephraim. the keener and more
thoughtful of the two. Notwithstanding
he WIS the younger, looked up with a
troubled expression on his face and
asked:
But what of the God of our father
Joseph? Is He not a mighty God?"
ut may be so," replied the mother,
impatiently, "but He is as nothing be-
fore the great gods of the Egyptians,
Remember what they have done for
thy country and thy people"
But the gods OF the Egyptians
could not reveal to the king his dream,
but the God of our father Joseph was
able SO to do, and we know that all
came to pass as He said" persisted the
boy.
Enough" sharply rejoined the moth
er, "thy grandfather will be able to
make all these things clear to thee. IL