The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-05-12
Long they sat and talked over thei,

ham withdrew for his favorite walk
and meditation alone in the starlight. |
Ere he realized whittier his Steps were |
bearing him he found himself beside
the altar which he had builded when
he first came to Hebron. Failing prone
upon the ground, he lifted his heart to
God in prayer, for he was s;ngu1ariy
oppressed and troubled in spirit. The
way had seemed all SO clear while he
had talked with Sarah, but he
! seemed in greater doubt than ever
How long be remained bowed to the
ground he knew not, but at last he re-
allied that he was not alone, but that
Jehovah stood by his side, and he
heard Him say
Fear not, Abraham! I am thy shield
n thy exceeding great reward"
What wilt Thou give me, oh Lord.
seeing l go childless? Shall not this Ell.
ezer Of Damascus become my son anG
heir? 1 beseech Thee that Thou wilt
look with favor Upon him." pleaded Alb
raham earnestly, as he unfolded the plan
of his own heart and hat of Sarah.
A deep and long silence followed, one
of those pauses which come at times
when the heart is waiting before God
and He would have it search for and long
to know the Divine will. Then came the
message:
This man shall not be thine heir; but
he that shall come forth out OF thine own
bowels shall be thine heir. Come! I
nave somewhat to show thee" and lead
ing him forth God brought him to the
mountain top and said: Look now TO-
word hnouan onI rrr,Inr tho ctarc II
thou be able to number them"
|. In obedience to Gods word, Abraham
lifted hiz eyes to the vast stretch of
heavens, and as his gaze swept from
horizon to zenith and from zenith to the
horizon in every direction, each one Of
the countless hosts of heaven seemed to
be flashing forth a challenge for him to
number them. BeWildered and abashed
at the impossible task, he bowed his
head, and God said. in measured tones:
"SO-shall-thy-seed-be.."
And Abraham believed God. 1t was
with 1.-the step and buoyant heart that he
descended the mountain and retraced
his steps to his abode. Eagerly he sought
his wife's side, and, arOusing her from
her slumbers, related ali the wonderful
experiences of the night.
Descendants as the stars of heaven!
Abraham's seed and not Eliezer! How
could it be? Sarah doubted not Gods
promise, but she could not understand
how it could be brought to pass. All
night long she pOndered the thought,
and then fell into a ftful slumber, dur
ing which she thought she had fallen
into sore trouble, and saw Hagar, her
Egyptian maid, coming to her help, but
just before she reached her. she awoke.
All during the day her MINI vas filled
with the story Of Abraham, and strange
ly enough her dream kept ever recurring
to her in connection Herewith. Abra-
ham was not near to cOnfide in, for he
had left early in the day for the mountain
with the heifer and the goat and the
ram, the turtle-dOve and the young pi-
/ geOn, as the Lord commanded him in re-
| Spouse to his request for a sign. And
while Abraham was thus occupied in
5 that wonderful symbolic service and
vision, Sarah planned how Gods prom
2 Use was to be realized. In accordance
Y with the common custom of her country
and people. she would give her bond
5 slave, her maiden, to Abraham as wife,
2 that by her the son and heir might be OBJ
g tanned.
Thus it came to pass on Abraham's re.
s turn late that night that Sarah told him
D all that was in her heart.
: Ishmael was born, but how little joy
s and comfort it brought to Sarah's heart
He was the child Of Sarah's planning
= but not the child Of Gods promise, and
s how can there be real JOY or comfort
4 apart from the will III purpose of God
D And the years which followed how bar.
q rem Of spiritual blessing. Thirteen year;
O and no vision from God, no word from
Him.
g One day the faithful Eliezar came te
/ Abraham and said:
My master, rememberest thou no
that Ishmael is already II years Of age
. and naught has been done towards pre-
i pairing him as hin heir to take his plac.
, as the head of the house when thou ar
: gomez
q Sarah overheard the speech. The bit
terness which had come with the brit
II of Ishmael had not yet left her heart
s and without knowing why she spoke III
e sharply:
q ''Ishr>ael shall not be thine heir!"
s All effort to induce his wife to eHplaiI
d her strange speech were unavailing, ant
indicating to Eliezer that he would tall
a with him later, Abraham withdrew t
y his favorite retreat by Gods altar. Their,
u to mediate. And the Lord appeared t.
him there. and said:
ID Il am o Almighty; walk before Nc
and be thou perfect. And 1 will make Nj,
k covenant between thee and Me, and vii
multiply thee exceedingly"
A. And Abraham fell on his face befor
the ord. All the pent-up feelings of tn
years gushed forth, the darkness an
$ doubt were fled away, and, lifting hi
TO voice of pleading. he said:
,d ooh that Ishmael might live befor
~, Thee!"
" Nay out sarah thy Vile shall bea
h thee a son; and thou shalt call his nam