Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-10-11


sacrifice being consumed. but search In
the vicinity he'd failed to discover the
missing nan. Had he been captured
or killed by the lurking Canaanites?
the sons asked themselves. and deep
remorse filled their hearts at the
| thought. That was q night which
brought them face TO face with their
| Utmost selves and when. az the light
was breaking In the east, their father
returned to the camp. they eagerly vel
coined him. ready to listen to what he
might have to say and willing to fol-
low his advice.
In answer to their inquirie- rs TO
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
the brothers. to whom any move now
seemed better than staying In that
place.
Nay, but We cannot 60 until we
| have prepared ourselves TO meet our
God" Jacob declared. solemnly. 1.-The
place to which we Rave been told to
go is Beth-El-the house OF God-it is
the place where God met me nearly 80
years ago, when l fed from home: IL
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
| guiltily 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
they had thought 20 preserve them and
worship them.
Bring them all here to me-" he
concluded, Both the images and the
garments and the ornaments which
are the symbols Of thy idolatry"
The command of Jacob created no
small stir among the people Of his
household and among the servants,
but there were none who dared to dis
obey, and one after another they came
bearing the idols big and little, the
garments, and the earrings and orna-
ments. Even the women and chill
dren OF the Shechemites caught the
spirit Of the movement and brought
the images and ornaments which they
h. concealed about them. The heap
grew until 1t stood level with Jacobs
head, and the people all stood about
observing him and wondering what he
would do. Mounting the pile and
stamping the idols under his heels. he
! cried
These gods are no gods at all, for
there Is but one God, the God OF
Heaven, the God of Abraham, and of
Isaac and OF Jacob. See that we utter
ly put these things away from you,
and turn to the true God. for 1t is only
as you seek and follow Him that He
will be near you to deliver you"
Rachel standing with the rest heard
the words. She remembered the
images of her father which still rested
within her tent. During all these
years she had kept her secret from
Jacob, not daring to let him know
that she had been guilty Of taking
| them. But must she-could she, give
them up?
"Is there one who Is Withholding
aught OF that which is displeasing to
God" she heard Jacob say.
She felt that the words were meant
for her. She dare not look I'D. but
she was certain his eyes were search.
ing her out. and would learn her Sc
cret. With nervous, frightened cry
she fed to her tent and soon ap-
peared with the images In her hands,
and while the eyes Of all we're fastened
upon her she brought them and threw
them upon the pile. Then her confu.
sion and shame overcame her and she
fell In helpless heap to the ground.
Jacob was first at her side, and as he
bent over her he whispered:
MY love, even the gods OF Laban
could not save us. Come. let US bury
these denominations at the foot of the
sacred tree OF the Shechemites where
God appeared unto me last night"
and lifting her to her feet he led her
towards the distant spot, first placing
in her hands the images she had just
brought, and he himself selling 9TH
ers. And the sons and the women and
the children and all the rest. inspired
by their example, also filled their hands
from the pile until not an image, or
ornament or garment was left Thus
laden. the long procession led by ia
| pOh and norhal xyopdad