Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-12-01

sacrifice being consumed, but search Il
the vicinity had failed TO discover tn
missing man. Had he been capture,
or killed by the lurking Canaanites
the sons asked themselves, and dee]
remorse filed their hearts at tn,
thought That was a night which
brought them face to face with theil
inmost selves and when. as the ligh
was breaking In the east, their father
returned to the camp, they eagerly wei
coined him, ready to listen to what HI
might have to say and willing to fU
low his advice.
In answer to their inquiries as &c
where he had been he explained that
after he had offered sacrifice on the
altar, he had gone to the towering
terebinth tree which overlooked the
site OF Shechem that he might more
fully view the surrounding country and
contemplate their future course.
And while there the Lord met me.
and said unto me: Arise, go up to
Bethel, and dwell there; and make
there an altar unto God, that appeared
unto thee when thou fieddest from the
face OF Esau, thy BROTHER"
Let us go at once, then" exclaimed
the brothers, to whom any move now
seemed better than staying in that
place.
Nay, but we cannot go until we
have prepared ourselves to meet our
Cod" Jacob declared, solemply. 1.-The
place to which we have. been told to
go is Beth-El-the house of God-it Is
the place where God met me nearly 30
years ago, when l fed from home: it
is where God gave me His promises
OF blessing. And He hath kept me and
blessed me and returned me TO this
land; but before we go up TO Bethel
we must needs purge ourselves. We
must put away the strange gods that
are among us, and put off from us the
garments which were seized with the
spoil of Shechem."
The sons moved uneasily and looked
gultily down upon their fine raiment.
They remembered how zealously and
with superstitious awe they had gath |
cred the idols of the people Of Shechem
and had set them up in their tents. |
Their prolonged stay near Shechem |
and their presence at many of the |
heather feasts had familiarized them
with the worship of these idols, and |
hey had thought to preserve them and
them.
Bring them all here to me-" he
concluded, Both the images and the
garments and the ornaments which
ire the symbols of thy idolatry."
The command OF Jacob created no
small stir among the people Of his
household and among the servants.
'ut there were none who dared to dis
hey, and one after another they came
'earing the idols big and little. the
and the earrings and orna-
nents. Even the women and chill
Iren OF the Shechemites caught the
pirit of the movement and brought
he images and ornaments which they
lad concealed about them. The heap
rev until 1t stood level with Jacobs
cad, and the people all stood about
deserving him and wondering what he
'ould do. Mounting the pile and
tamping the idols under his heels, he
ried:
These gods are no gods at all, for
here is but one God, the God of
heaven, the God of Abraham. and of |
Saac and of Jacob. See that We utter
z put these things away from you.
nd turn to the true God, for it is only
5 you seek and follow Him that He
i'll be near you to deliver you"
Rachel standing with the rest heard {
he words. She remembered the
nages Of her father which still rested
thin her tent. During all these
ears she had kept her secret from I
acob, not daring to let him know
lat she had been guilty of takingI /
em. But must she-could she, give
lem up? v
rs there one who is Withholding
light of that which is displeasing to i
I'd" she heard Jacob say. Il
She felt that the words we're meant D
r her. She dare not look up, but
e was certain his eyes we're search
6 her out and would learn her Sc
ct With a nervous, frightened cry j
e fed TO her tent and soon ap-
AIRED with the images in her hands,
ID while the eyes of all were fastened =,
ION her she brought them and threw =
em upon the pile. Then her confu- .
IN and shame overcame her and she ~
Il in helpless heap to the ground.
cob was first at her side, and as he y
Mt over her he whispered:
My love, even the gods OF Laban a.
uld not save us. Come, let us bury "a
csc denominations at the foot of the y
cred tree of the Shechemites where ia
ID appeared unto me last night" 81
d lifting her to her feet he led her M
wards the distant spot, first placing 10
her hands the images she had justI
ought, and he himself selling 9th CT
!. And the sons and the women and WI
children and all the rest, inspired m
their example, also filled their hands III
I'm the pile until not an image. or FIR
lament or garment was left. Thus
len, the long procession led by ia.
, and Rachel wendell its way