Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-05

Nm that his aged fatherfY gyms
md as Asenath watched wo boys
hAsten off it was with F4d lore
b(dings.
rob, If father had only yea Win
the boys this morning anbwpn their
consent" she exclaimed. Eow feel
that IL is too late"
At Goshen that aftern6, instead
of the somber temple, viii us great
awe-inspiring courts, itsu
ceremonies and its learnedPersuasiVe
priests, the boys and fen lalher
bowed before the couch the Patrl-
arch of God, the man VIII na6 ealheu
and walked with God. 70 man VINO
had seen visions and dreaed dreams
and who in faith had obe3i Gou ana
claimed for himself and seeu the
promise given unto Aqham ana
Isaac.
And we'll was it so, had the
priest of On, instead oflsrael the
prince of God, spoken TOD G sons OF
Joseph that day 1t might changed
their whole course in winning
them for the gods of Egyt instead OF
the true God, and shuttina EN- out Oh
the place and blessing wiz BOD s peo-
pie. But God shapes course OF
events and often as the Inward ele-
lmenLs of the world are dying close
about one He suddenly opo1 the gate
way CT opportunity througHhich one
may pass If he will to lifend des-
Iiny with Him. And so ngas to be
With Manasseh and Ephranthat day.
/ The old man rouses hin1et as they
ater. A new and celestial ght plays
oyer his wrinkled featurs. The en-
febled mind again feels hthrill OF
@ds presence. His voice dps from
tie thin, piping, querulous tes TO the
fuller, stronger voice of o. with
, massage. He stretches for1his trem-
bling hands and eXclaims VI note
Of triumph in his voice:
God Almighty appeared pc me at
Luz in the land of Canaan, 81 blessed
me and said unto me: 'Behd, | will
male thee fruitful and multy thee.
and0I will make Of thee q altitude
of people; and will give Inland TO
thy seed after thee for an evlasting
possession
The old man paused. ialmost
seemdl to the boys that thsyere in
the presence of the God kighty,
outwhom their grandfathdfau just
been speaking, and the wos SANK
deep into their hearts as again
heard what had been told tnNso oft
en- by their father that the Habw peo-
pie were to become a great noln and
Canaan wac to be their pesssion.
Into the heart of each thereKole
yearning to share in this Rmised
blessing. But now the old md begins
again and they are aroused ftp their
inward musings by hearing tr own
names spoken.
"Thy two SOILS, Ephraim and danas-
sch. which were born unto the kAihe
land of Egypt before came q n Tee
into Egypt, are mine; as Reut and
Simeon, they shall be mine."
They hardly knew why theit carts
Ieaped within them at the wot but
they did, even as the soul sohimes
responds to the inner voice \ God
while yet the mind does not 8tp or
understand the full meaning the
message. And in that momertthey
knew that it was not to be thetest-
hood of Egypt, but identificatidbFith
the Hebrew people and part 1.-The
promised blessing
And Israel said unto Joseph:
81 had not thought to see tht Ice;
and 10, God hath showed me aeohy
seed"
And he took the two boys atdm-
braced them and kissed the ind
stretching forth his right hdpthe
placed it upon Ephraims head no
was the younger, and his left Ind
upon Manasseh's head, guidir his
haSds Willingly. and said:
God, before whom my fathers Ara
ham and Isaac did walk. the GodEVich
fed me all my life long unto ia ay.
the angel which redeemed me fronall
evil, bless the lads; and let my me
be named on them, and the nd of
my fathers Abraham and Isaac md
let them grow into multitude nine
midst OF the earth"
And when Joseph saw that histaer
laid his right hand Upon the hts of
Ephraim it displeased him; a he
held up his fathers hand TO ren}b II
from Ephraim's head unto Man&shs /
head, saying at the same time;
Not so, my father, for thidk |
first born; put thy right hard BON !
his head"
But his father refused, sayiIt3
II know 1t, my son, know ID He .
also shall become a people, andIhilso
shall be great. But. truly, his logger
brother shall be greater than beand
his seed shall become a multltu of
nations"
During the days which plyed
Ephraim pondered deeply de the
words of blessing spoken ovorhim
and his brother, but after hem Of .
mourning and Jacob had beef Dried
back and placed in the cave hcb-