St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-20

had made his frs
misstep, in order to get started righ
again.
Famine drove Abraham down into
Egypt. Unbelief perhaps was tat
guide which led him into that place
of temptation and trial. Surely it wa:
unbelief which made him fear in the
king and people. 1t was unbelie
which led him to seek escape from
imagined or real danger by refuge il
lie. and it was unbelief which made
him content to dwell in a land tc
which God had not directed him.
But Abraham is not alone in such
experience Unbelief to-day, and with
less excuse than in that day of i'm
perfect revelation, leads away from
the Bethels and brings us into the
Egypts where fears assail and temp.
tations are strong. Unbelief plunges
US into sin. Then we cannot take
up our walk with God until we gel
back to Bethel.
Thank God that He did not fail tc
record the missteps of His servan,
Abraham for our instruction, but
thanks, thrice thanks, he to Him that
He has told us how Abraham, having
sinned and wandered from Him, came
back to Bethel and there called on the
name of the Lord.
1t is night. The stiffness of the
midnight hour is only broken by the
lowing of cattle and the bleating OF
sheep as they feed in the adjacent
fields. and the occasional voice OF a
herdsman as he recalls a wandering
sheep, or rounds up his cattle. The
little group of tents stands out clear
against the blue background of the dis
tant horizon, while the round-pointed
apex Of each points silently and faith
fully upward towards the myriad stars
that are flashing forth their light The
flaps to the tent are drawn, with one ex-
ception, and the inmates, wrapped in
their rugs, are fast asleep.
Before the largest of the tents man
is seen to be pacing back and forth.
iAS oAAC VI S1C ICAS, llS loSdtlOQ, 1O4 IL
stands somewhat apart from the others,
and the signs of it's richness and luxury
which may be detected even upon the
outside, indicate that it's occupant and
owner is the chief, and head of the tribe.
A closer look at the figure moving to
and fro before the open tent reveals the
rich texture of his robes, and it is not
hard to guess that it is the chief him
self.
With bowed head and uneasy, nerv-
out step he moves down to the end of
the grassy slope and then back again.
He stops as he approaches the door, re-
adjusts his blanket, drawing it more
closely about him, for the night air is
cold, and then throws himself upon the
rug in the tent entrance, and with a
half moan, half despairing cry, he calls:
Sarah! Sarah!"
He knows she is not within; he knows
there will come no answering word to
the cry of his heart, but he cannot re-
frain from speaking the name. And
then, as though unable to stand the 81
lence, he springs again to his feet and
begins anew his wearisome tramp.
1t is Abraham. A few months before
he had come into Egypt, seeking pastur-
age for his large flocks and herds. The
rains had failed that year in Canaa and
hearing that in Egypt in the well-wa-
tered district at the mouth of the Nile
there was plentiful pasturage he had
hurried thither. His coming had been
heralded to the king and he had been
received kindly
All had gone we'll. The country was
pleasant, the flocks and herds thrived,
and Abraham and those with him
were settling down contentedl. as
though they had come to stay. Canaan
for the time was forgotten, and the call
and promises which had come from
God to Abraham at Haran had we'll ign
passed from memory.
But now all was changed A great
sorrow had come to Abraham. His
beautiful wife Sarah had been taken into
Pharaoh's harem, and it had come
about in this way. The princes of the
country had visited him often in their
desire to be friendly, and had seen the
fair woman whom Abraham introduced
as his sister, in accordance with the
agreement between them as they left
Canaan to go into Egypt, for Abraham
feared if he said she was his wife the
princes of the land would covet her and
kill him for her sake.
But instead of the princes seeking her
hand in marriage, an offer which she
and Abraham might safely have refused,
they told the king of the grace and beau
ty of the woman. and Pharaoh had
sought her for his harem, request
which could not be denied.
And SO Sarah, in anguish of spirit,
but fearing to protest and reveal the
truth, had meekly submitted, as they
had attired her gorgeously and with
a splendid retinue sent by the king,
had carried her with mitch rejoicing in
triumph to the palace And there she
was now, while Abraham, crushed in
spirit. and in great agony of mind and
heart, was left desolate and alone.
oh, the horror and distress of those
days which followed. No sleep at night
to shut out the sorrow. no relief by day
to assuage the grief. The darkness was
made darker and the anguish cut deeper,
because he realized that by his own
wrongdoing. his own deliberately
planned falsehood, he had brought the