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


life. He had proclaimed period OF
mourning in keeping with one OF the
royal blood, and preparations were be-
ing made in accordance with the de-
sire of the king for splendid state
funeral.
But at this point very strange and
startling discovery was made. Joseph
during his life had not provided him
self with a tomb( an unheard Of thing
among the Egyptians, for the least
person in the kingdom took thought
for this above everything else, and had
some cavern or nook prepared before
death for the body whose final care
and last resting place were so precious
m the thought Of the Egyptians. But
as far as the most diligent search re.
vealed. Joseph had not provided him
self tomb.
His wife, Asenath, the daughter of
fotipherah, the priest of On. was
like one in trance. Her sons, Manas-
sch and Ephraim, tried to comfort her,
but she seemed deaf to their entreaties.
The one horror before her mind was
that Joseph had no tomb where he
could be laid, and she would not be
comforted. And when at last her sons
gentured to suggest that it was the
wish Of their father that he should
rest in the midst of his own people,
the Hebrews, in the land of Goshen.
she turned upon them and drove them
from her presence, declaring that they
were conspiring with the Hebrews to
bring dishonor upon her and the fam
lily name.
The king summoned the priests and
his counselors together to consider the
natter. and urged upon them that in
asmuch as royal ho-ors had been
IAown Joseph In life. so il death he
might have place In the royal sepul
cheers. Potiphcrah, che venerable priest
Of On, who was ameng those pres.
ent, and who for the sake of HE
daughter would have welcomed d
settlement of the difficulty ip this way.
urged the acceptance of he kings pro-
osal on the one condition tia. DO
seph's sons. Manasseh - Ephrai-l.
should renounce forever all connection
With che Hebrew people, and turn alb
3olutely from. the faith of the Hebrews
% the worsaip Of the Egyptian gods
For" continued Potipherah, their
'isloyalty 10 the Egyptian gods Is g
Ieproach upon our nation and upCL our
gods"
nh q,
creasing coL.erz n KIM. this growing
intimacy and association of the
sons of Joseph With the hebrews
He had never been reconciled to
their refusal 20 enter the priest
hood, and much less WAS he will
ing now to see the sons of his own
laughter turning from the cherished
.aith e the Egyptians 20 that of a TO-.
sign AID desp!sed race % shepard
lie had otten spoken &c Asenath upol
che subjgS. and kew that it We as
IRE disappointment to her as (;
was to him. And now the opportunity
lad ZONE, 1t seemed TO him. when h,
ould force them 10 yield, for th-v
we're devoted TO their father ana wouid
= an',vus. he felt sure. that he have
honorable burial He summoned Epn-
rain and Manasseh. and pompously de-
,lsred the conditions upon which yhei
father would be given honorable burial
Now that thy father is dead. his
PEOPLE need be nothing more to thee"
he declared. ITO Egypt and her gods
thou must looS for place and blessing.
Renounce the God OF the Hebrews and
Thy father shall be placed in the tombs
OF the pssraoh's, but If thou. in thy
folly and ignorance dost refuse. then
shall his btaes fpd no resting place
in egypt
But our father straightly charged
u.s." answered Ephraim, that we
should carry up his bones hence 10
the land which the God of the Hebrews
has promised to give them"
"What?" exclaimed the old priest,
excitedly. Thy father desired not
burial in the tombs of Egypt? I'm
possible! The gods will never give
his spirit rest while his body remains
without the sacret scpulchers prepared
FOR the dead"
BE that as IL may" quietly respond.
ed Epbraim; I'VE have taken oath and
must needs be faithful thereto. The
God OF our father Joseph is our God,
and His promises are to us and to our
The face Of the aged priest darkeAed.
and in the eyes there burned an omin.
ous light His frame shook with the