St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-07-29

~StsT~ Win SLTduSe
| WIN far-away look il
n ~ his eyes as h,
~ >KIml ? averted his face
& for he dare no
INK trust himself tt
| TA>X look at Isaac, hi
E1n continued: "Tht
=1T Lord will make
provision for the
offering against the time we reach the
appointed place"
Isaac did not note the half sob with
which his father finished, nor did he
observe in the dim light of the early
morning the drawn features and the
intense yearning that shone in his
eyes. Early as Abraham was astir,
after the long vigil of the night alone
with the agony of his own heart. he
had found that his son had anticipated
the needs for the journey and was
busy putting the final touches to the
preparations when he went to arouse
him. The two young men, Jerah and
| Aram, enthusiastic over the prospect
of the trip, were on hand and waiting
at the door of the tent of their young
master when he came forth.
"See, here is the lamb for our Offer
ing" exclaimed Isaac, going to the
rear of his tent and untethering the
lamb which he had selected the night
before with the help Of Eliezer. as
he not a fine one?" patting the gentle
creatures head and turning for ap-
prevail to the other two.
"The finest of the flock. il / who
have tended sheep all my life am able
to judged" enthusiastically spoke up
Jerah, and Aram nodded assent.
Let me bear the lamb on my Shout
ders?" requested Aram, appealingly.
and he stopped and was busily tying
the creature when Abraham appeared
and said: eve will not take the
lamb"
Isaac made no response to his ia
Tiers strange words, and in discon-
certed manner Aram released the lamb
and it went bleating back to the fold,
as though rejoicing at its unexpected
liberty. AS it bounded away Isaac re-
called the scene of the evening before.
Marking the strange coincidence, he
pondered deeply over the matter as they
journeyed along in silence. But he
dared not venture to ask his father fur
Their in regard to the matter, and as the
days of the journey slipped by the
young men talked together about other
things, but the aged father was strange
" preoccupied On the third day as
Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw
the mountain of which God had spoken,
he seemed singularly agitated, and ex-
claimed:
Nov will the Lord reveal Himself
more perfectly"
Then turning to Jerah and Aram, he
continued:
"Abide We here with the ass; and
and the lad will go yonder and worship,
and come again to you"
A look of deep disappointment shad-
owed the faces of the young men, for
they had hoped to share in the worship
and Isaac looked questioningly at his
father as the latter unladed the ass |
and placed the wood of the burnt-offer-
ing and laid it upon his shoulders, but |
the reverence and filial obedience and |
love which he felt towards his father |
him from unseemly ques- |
ton or delay. With unfaltering step |
he followed his father who had taken
the fire into his hand and the knife and
started UP the hillside, and thus they |
went forward both of them together.
The way led up the rugged side of
The hill through the luxuriant growth
Of shrubbery and the tangled masses
Of fresh grasses and fragrant, many
hued flowers, but father and son were
too absorbed with the thoughts which
stirred within them to note the face
If nature and to catch her nodding
smile as they passed. They did not
hear the CHEEKY challenge of the birds
Is they flew UP on either side startled
BY their coming. But silently, with
eyes bent on the pathway just before
hem, they trudged steadily on. The
leart of the aged father was well-nigh
bursting with it's pent-up grief but
aith wavered not, and steadfastly he
lept or his way, intent on reaching the
,lace of which God had spoken. He
.ould not understand the mystery, but
le knew that God knew, and that was
enough. He would take one step at
ime, and leave the rest with God This
S always the way of true faith and ODE
fence
And for Isaac what a discipline that
rip was. How deeply God was probing
nto his heart as the days went by and he
ought answer to the questions which
.ept rising within him. He was SEN !.
tive to the influence of hts fathers
1ood and spirit, and instinctively !.
cit that he was vitality concerned IN
he matter at issue, whatever it might :
E. The lamb his father had selected
nd placed on the altar had remained
noffered. and then had been let go, and :
hen the lamb he had chosen was like !
rise rejected, and now without an Of :
ering of any kind rney were ascend
az the mountain to make sacrifice unto :
he Lord. What could it mean? How :
e struggled to find answer to his
oubts and forebodings! How he longed I
, share with his father the burdens he
new were pressing upon his heart. =
t last. unable to restrain himself long :
:, he pressed to his fathers side, and, =
oking up appealingly into his face, he
lid, in voice throbbing with loving
'mpathy: q