The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-12-01

watched the vast
granaries n 6
filed during the seven years of plenty
wcs beginning to give place to graft
tude and praise for what the governor
Zaphnath-the name given to Joseph
when he was raised to be ruler over
the land of P~haraoh-had done.
But with the task of gathering the
grain completed and the st~orehouses
placed under the control of competent
officials, Joseph found the leisure when
he was more than nee tempted to
send or go back to Canaan in search
of his family. But two things made
him hesitate. One was the n Of
the duty and obligation which rested
upon him before Pharaoh and his God
of carrying Egypt through the period
of famine and again establishing the
country in fruitfulness and prosperity,
and the other was the sense of the
obligation which he owed his brothers.
He had long since forgiven them, and
now saw clearly how they had only
been working out Gods plans, but he
was wise enough to know that he and
his brothers who had so g~rieyously
sinned against him and against God,
could not be restored to each other
until they had been brought to realize
the exceeding wickedness of their sin
and to have repented OF it.
But If he could not go back to Ca
naan he would get as near the home
land as possible, and so he established
one of his store cities on the border
land of the country to the east, and
there as the first year of famine had
drawn to its close he had more and
more resorted, for said he: Surely,
the dearth of the land will drive my
brethren into Egypt to buy corn, and
| will remain here lest l miss them
Now it was about this time that the
famine in the land Of Canaan was be-
ing sorely felt, and in the household
of the aged Jacob the scanty stores
were rapidly disappearing, so that the
question which was daily being asked
was: What shall we do? Where shall
we turn for food? And when word
came from some traders returning
from Egypt that there was plenty in
that land, the aged Jacob called his
sons to him and babe them go and buy
the needed supplies.
VIII do We look one upon another?
he asked, as he noted their uneasy
glances, for the mention of Egypt
brought the guilty memory Of theil
brother whom they had sold to theiI
minds. But Reuben, who had nevel
known what had befallen his brother
spoke up quickly and said:
Surely, we will go as our father has
said"
Yea, get you down thither. ny
sons" urged the old man, "and Du1
for us from thence, that we may live
and not die"
And without further delay the tel
brothers took their departure. 1t wal
a long journey, and the fifth day hat
begun ere they and their asses drew
near their journeys end. Reuben wa
in the advance, leading the way, ant
impatiently urged his brothers K
hasten.
"He would not be so eager to ge
into Egypt" whispered Judah to tn
others, Ibid he know that 1t wa:
thither that our brother was carried
yes" responded Simeon, my hear
is filed with strange forebodings.
fear evil will befall us here, for yestel
night in my dreams I could again heal
bur brother pleading with us that We
send him not into Egypt, and as
watched him disappear there seemed
10 come a hand out Of Heaven pointing
at us, and I heard a voice saying: Hi
blood be upon thee ! had thought no
to tell thee, but my lips can no longel
keep back the cry of fear which arise
In my heart" !.
ut Is the accusing voice OF GOD,
they all exclaimed, while Apprehension
and fear shone In their c~ountenances
"Yea," dejectedly spoke up judah
after they had ridden on in silence 10
some time, "how can we expect ina
God will deal we'll with us when W
have done so wickedly? Surely GU
brother was righteous before US. on
that we had not dealt with him 8
cruelly!!"
ut is no use," broke in Levi, bitter,
iy, "our sin does follow us. When
think | have quieted my fears, ana pu
the thing away from my mind forever
1t rises specter-ike before me ana MI
me with apprehension. An, VINO sai
rid IFS neart Of the stain which sin ha'
IsftT'