Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1905-12-07

- neither they
would enter the
priesthood Upon the last visit
OF her father. Potipherah. the
priest u on. when he had pressed
her fe- a decision. she had promised
thai n should have a final answer
that day. and a she awaited his con-
ing the mother nervously toyed with
the golden circIets about her wrists
ami Wondered wha, her father would
say
She knew he was anxious yea de-
termined. that his two grandsons
should follow him ia the priestly pro-
fession. and he expected her to decide
the rlatter for them but she under
stood her boys AMI the temperament
x her husband too well 10 attempt
anything Of the kind. much As her
natural sympathies and inbred eonvic-
lions prompted.
Notwithstanding the influence Of her
husband upon her. and the fact that
the God he worshiped was not the god
II the Egyptians. she still elung to the
faith Of her fathers. She was content
70 let her husband alone in the xor-
ship and service OF his God. excusinS
him. a. did her father and the rest Of
the priesthood from the worship and
service in the Egyptian temples. but
she hoped and expected that her two
boys would Grow mp true Egyptians
loyal and devoted to the great god
OSIRIS She had neglected no oppor-
tuni-y II Impressing them with the
Egyptian religion. and her father had
taken especial delight and c-re in ac-
luainting them with all the details OF
the temple worship and had taught
them from the sacred writings Of the
priesthood.
But counter influences had heen
n work upon their lives. They idol
izei their father. and his thought and
conduct had the greatest weight with
them He had told them u the Coz
II Abraham and Isaac and Jacob he
had told them the stories Of Gods
iealires with the Hebrew people. ana
u The promises Nh,ch had Teen given
10 them And when the old man ia
sob. their grandfa,Asr. had told them
the stories over AMI over again they
nad cume 10 know them by heart. and
1nconseiously TO themselves they were
being greatly influenced by them.
But il ever any doubts had ze in
10 their minds in regard to the gods
d he Egyptians they never spoke OF
them 70 their mother. but somehow
tns7inCtlvely. she fcl, uncertain a. to
Just What decision the boys would
make row that they were face to face
with the al-importans question. More
han cnee she had been upon the point
u 9lesding With them 10 pledge them
SELVES 10 the priesthood. when some
thing held her back and told her that
II would be better to wait and let her
fathsE breach the matter to them
And 50 she had waited.
Let me call the boys and YOU speak
20 them al once she said 10 her faith
er after his arrival and she had ex-
plaiaed all To him Il am sure your
words will have great weight with
them
It vas plain to see that Potipherah
was disappointed. ami he sat some
minutes in silence.
No. at last he said. If the decis-
ION Of this matter must be left to the
boys II were better. think. that they
visit me in the temple There, sur
rounded by the sacred tokens of our
religion and under the very shadow Of
OSIRIS presence. shall be in better
mood to press my plea and il will be
easier for them TO choose"
Very vel" responded Asenath.
but | cannot help feeling that !,
would be wiser TO see them now. Might
il not be that | could reinforce thy
words and help Manasseh and Ephra.
i'm TO : decision
Nay. my daughter, the temple ia
the place for me to speak TO the boys,
but you may plead with them before
they come; yea. I charge thee TO do
this thing which thou hast already
neglected too long shall expect the
boys this afternoon" he added. as he
--~-----s Nxs---.,'-~
As soon as her father had gone Ase
nath called her boys TO her and frank
~ told them all that was in her hea.,
and the desire OF their grandfather
the priest of On. that they should en-
ter the sacred and powerful calling @,
the priesthood.
He will be waiting you in the in
ner court of the temple this Afternoon
for your answer. and I am sure tha
my boys. in whose veins the blood o.
the priestly caste flows. will be true to
the ancient religion of the Egyptians.
The boys were silent for some few
minutes. seemingly deeply impresse.
with their mothers words. TheI
Ephraim, the keener and NOR
thoughtful of the two notwithstandin,
he was the younger. looked up with
troubled expression on his face an,
asked:
But what of the God of our fathe
Joseph? Is He not a mighty God?"
1T may be So" replied the mother
impatiently. but He is as nothing be
fore the great gods of the Egyptians
Remember what they have done 70
thy country and thy people"
-Blt the gods Of the Egyptian
could not reveal to the king his dream
but the God of our father Joseph wa
able so to do. and we know that al