Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-02-09

ERE the light of the sun god Osiris
rise upon Egypt tomorrow thou shalt
repent of this thy folly and wickedness,
or the bones of thy father shall be cast
out as veritable carrion. Consider the
words of Potipherah! Come to me in
the temple when thy answer is ready"
And having thus spoken, he readjusted
his flowing robes and departed.
The stiffness of death prevailed In
the room where the brothers were
standing. each lost in thought and face
to face with the crisis of his life
II they yield not. what Of their IA
theirs body? II they yield, what Of
their hope and the promise given to
Joseph that they would carry his body
hence? Manasseh was the FIRST to
speak
I'VE must be true to the God Of our
father" he said, slowly, inwardly
conscious that this was the first and
all-important question to decide.
"And in that determination, stand
with thee, my brother. But what OF
the body of our father? It's presence
with us is a sacred pledge that God
will visit us and fulfill His promises.
We may not leave 1t TO the hatred and
passion of our grandfather"
ut should not rest in the tombs
of Egypt but in the midst OF our
brethren in the land of Goshen. 1t Is
there that God will visit us. and it Is
from thence that we will go up"
"Dost thou remember the cavern near
our Grandfather Jacobs house, in
Goshen?" exclaimed Ephraim, the sud
den inspiration of the thought light
ing up hts face with new hope. The
answering CLEAN in his brothers face
told him that the memory OF the place
they had discovered as boys when Wis
iting in Goshen was still fresh and
vivid, and he FASTENED on to say, let
ting his voice drop almost to a whis-
per, lest some servant passing through
the adjacent halls should hear his
words:
Let us take the coffin of our father
thither. The place is not known to the
Egyptians. 1t will be safe there" And
then as his heart grew confident in the
thought, he added, .".Surely, God will
help us in this thing" J
but how can It be done?" asked
Manasseh, doubtfully.
Thou art indeed slow, my brother
responded Ephraim, with calm assur-
ance. Doth not our fathers breth
rem return heMe this night? They
shall bear with them our fathers body,
while we remain in the chamber. of the
dead as though we would watch and
mourn by the side of our dead and ere
the morning light and the return of
our Grandfather Potipherah, the coffin
will be safely resting in the shelter OF
that secret place"
The hours wore on. AS Potipherah
waited in the temple and his grand
sons came not, his assurance gave
place to doubt and doubt to anxiety,
and at last, unable to stand the sus-
pense longer, he passed out OF the
temple courts and turned his feet to-
wards Joseph's house. He would make
one last appeal They must yield. He
must save his own flesh and blood to
Egypt and Egypt's gods.
AS he turned into the road leading to
Joseph's house he encountered a good
iy company of people. Their laden
camels and asses and their carts all
told of the journey which was just be-
ing taken up. Curious to know who
could be passing out of the city at that
hour of the night, for 1t was now near
midnight, he accosted one Of the men
as he passed:
What, Joseph's brethren" he NUT
tered to himself, as he continued on
mis- way. at is well; for now will
Ephraim and Manasseh be free from
their baneful influence. But their go
ing at this hour Of the night seems
strange" he unused, as he reached the
house and entered. To his inquiry for
Manasseh and Ephraim, he was told
that they were watching by the sids
Of their dead and wished not TO be dis
turbed.
TITS WELL" the old priest thought,
as he settled himself upon one of the
touches in the great recep-
ton hall. The departure of the
brothers and the presence of my grand
sons by the side of the sacred dead
augurs good. Doubtless the brothers
departed in anger, for had it not been
20 they would have remained to coun-
sci with and help Manasseh and Eph-
rain. The boys will yield, feel as
sured."
And that was the last ne remembered
Until he awoke TO find the sunlight
streaming across the marble floor. In
surprise and alarm, he jumped to his
feet, and il was some minutes before
he could collect his thoughts and re-
how he came there and for
what purpose.
At last rousing himself, ne turned
toward the apartment where Ephraim
and Manasseh had kept their night
vigil, muttering to himself as he went.
He knocked and entered. No one ever
knew what transpired within, but after
ong time the aged priest emerged, and
rs he turned from the door he was
heard to say over and over TO him.
self: