Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-10-27

"And He has, hasn't He. fatherf"
spoke up Joseph, lad OF some IA
years, who had been listening almost
breathlessly as his father related the
experiences of long ago. And then,
without waiting for his father to reply,
be added, impulsively: "And He shall
be my God, too"
well spoken, my lad" responded
the father. warmly, patting him on the
head 'Thy brothers here may we'll
follow thy example"
There was no response to this chal-
lenge, and Jacob was too busily en-
gagged in the preparations for the sac
rifice TO take note of the shadow
which passed over the faces of the
older boys. Already there was be-
ginning to creep into their hearts a
feeling OF jealousy towards the son
of Rachel IL needed no very observ-
ing eye to discover the deeper affec-
ton which the father felt towards the
only son of his beloved wife. and to
have him held up before their eyes
as an example made them angry.
But all Joined in the solemn serv-
fee, and everyone, the wives and chill
dren, the servants and their families,
and the women and children who had
been taken captive at Shechem, were
present as Jacob offered the sacrifices
OF the best of the sheep and the cat
tie upon the altar.
Even the aged Deborah, the nurse
of Rebekah, Jacobs mother, who when
turned to Canaan insisted on making
the journey to the place where he was
sojourning, was there, having been
carried up the rocky path to the place
before the altar. Jacob. having fin
ished making the offerings, proclaimed
to all assembled that the God whom
they worshiped that day was the
only God, the true God of Heaven.
"He il was" he went on to declare,
"who spoke to me in this place as
fled and said: Il am the Lord God
OF Abraham thy father, and the God
Of Isaac; the land wherein thou Hest,
to thee will give 1t, and to thy seed;
and thy seed shall be as the dust of
the earth, and thou shalt spread
abroad to the west, and TO the east,
and to the north. and to the south;
and in thee and in thy seed shall all
the families Of the earth be blessed.
And behold, | am with thee, and will
keep thee in all places whittier thou
goest, and will bring thee again into
g. I mill fhao
until / have done that which | have
spoken to thee Of And God has done
all that He has promised, and will
yet fulfill His word in respect to the
inheritance OF the land. Only fear God
and obey Him"
AS Jacob finished and the assembled
people stood in reverent silence-even
the babes in the arms of their mothers
seeming 70 feel the influence of the
solemn occasion and stilling their cries
the clear. shrill voice of Deborah was
heard, saying:
Hear We the. words of Jacob. Now
do | understand the words spoken to
Rebekah by God concerning Jacob
saying that he should be stronger than
his brother Esau. Stronger in faith
and mightier in power with God Unto
him has come the blessing promised
Abraham because by faith he has
claimed IL from God All. that Re-
bekah had lived to see this hour"
Again silence fell and the people
continued with bowed heads while
the smoke of the sacrifice rose heaven
ward. All at once on the outskirts OF
the company a sob was heard. and
presently there appeared Shech-
emite woman with her two children, q
boy and girl. making her way towards
the altar. AS she came before jacob
she bowed herself to- the ground. and
then cried:
Gods blessing for all the familie:
of the earth. did you say? May not
that blessing reach even me? May
not the God Of Abraham, and OF Isaac
and of Jacob be my God? would
have my children grow up to know
the true God"
Was there given Jacob in that mo
ment the faintest glimpse of the per
feet sacrifice which was TO make one
all people in Christ Jesus? Was i
the consciousness of his own gull
and need and Gods mercy toward
him? Whatever IL was. Jacobs hear
responded to the appeal. and he re
piled. pointing to the slain lamb OF
the altar:
Through the sacrifice we all have