Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-08-04


AS the boys came up leading their
lambs, the fine appearance OF the lat
ter attracted the attention Of the NOR
chants and they offered to buy them
I'VE may not sell them, for they are
to provide an offering to the Lord which
our father is To make promptly spoke
up Jacob. and started on. calling to
Esau 10 follow.
But the latter fingered. his eyes hav-
ing fallen on some of the merchandise
which lay about Jacob walked on
some distance, and then noting that
Esau was not behind him. he turned
and looked back TO see what had be
come Of him. Just as he was about
20 return and find out Why he tarrled
he saw him leave the camp leading his
lamb, and waited where he stood for
him TO come up. As he drew near he
saw that the lamb he was leading was
not the fine sleek one which he had
brought from the herd, and said:
Why, Esau, what have you done
with your lamb, and why have you this
one instead?"
We'll, it's a lamb, amt it? and
good one. too" he CALCULATED testify.
81 traded my lamb for this, and the
merchants gave me this hunting knife
to boot"
'But you know how particular father
is about the lambs for the Offering, ald
you can see for yourself that 1t is poor
and imperfect beside the other one"
] L. 10
good to kill and burn up as the other
one would have BEEN" he stubbornly
contended. And | have the knife,
too" he added, fondling 1t with q sat
isfied air.
And thus 1t was that on their return
home Isaac had sharply reprimanded
] Esau. but the lad apparently did not
realize why one lamb was not as good
as another to offer TO the Lord. II
troubled Grandfather Abraham and
that afternoon as he saw the two boys
Coming towards him this other story
of Cain and Abel came 10 his mind,
and he resolved TO tell it, and now that
he had quoted them down and had
their attention. he began:
,,
just as you boys are, and they were
about your ages. or perhaps a little
older. at the time of our story. Little
did they realize then that they were
10 become the centers of the tragedy
of that first home. They were bright,
active, happy boys and their parents
loved them dearly and sought in every
way to Lave them grow up into ways
of usefulness and honor,
[Note.-Cain and Abel were probably
twins, and II is thought that, at this early
period, children were born In pairs Gal
vin).l
you boys know how particular your
father is in regard TO the Sabbath day.
not willing that any work shall be per
formed therein. for the Lord after His
six days Of creative work rested on the
seventh day blessing and sanctifying
IL. Well, Adam and Eve were as par
ticular and sought to impress their
boys with the sacredness of the DAY
The customary toll and activities OF the
other days Of the week ceased and the
day was given over to rest, and when
was offered on the seventh day.
Now Cain early manifested a liking
for the fruitful fields. while Abel's de-
sires turned in the direction Of the
flocks and herds. And in the course
of time. as the boys grew into sturdy
stripplings. the father gave 70 each the
desire of his heart. To Cain he gave a
] oil al, - ip- rod
him in the cultivation thereof Abel
he took from his flocks some OF the
finest OF his sheep and showed him
how to tend them. Thus the days
passed and Cain and Abel seemed con-
tented and happy The family enjoyed
life together and, as we have said. their
Sabbath days were carefully observed.
But one Sabbath day soon after
Cain had been given his plot of ground
he started for his field, anxious TO fin
ish an arbor which he was building
as a shelter. In spite OF the entreaties
of his parents he persisted in going
impat iently declaring IL was no worse
for him to do that than for Abel to
watch his sheep and keep them from
straying. You see he was letting the
mere desire of the present warp and
twist his ideas of right. and made him
deaf to the advice and entreaties of
his mother and father. He was willful
and wanted his own way. right or
wrong
We'll. he finished his arbor and a
very pretty place it was. but he did
not find the pleasure and comfort in ii
that he had expected. for his conscience
troubled him. II he had only taken
warning then and instead OF sitting the
better nature within him had yielded
to his better promptings and repented
OF his willfulness and wrong doing,
perhaps it would never have been said
of him that he slew his brother But
he wanted his own way too much, and
that pleasant arbor became the snare
which led his feet farther and farther
away from the right way. for instead
of staying at home on the Sabbath