Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-28

inner unity that links the various epochs
to one another in all history. We have
| been studying the source, standard and
service of religion in the life of men: for
the marvellous revelations OF the first book
| of the Bible contain the germ OF all
religious life. 1t furnishes US a standard
by which we can test and interpret the
various faiths that have developed from
the parent stock. 1t shows us how faith
wins her victories along lines that the
progressive. pedagogical and practical
spirit of our age appreciates. Facts are
presented and followed by the explanation
| that makes religion the foundation OF
character building and the transformation
| of men.
| The lessons for the last quarter. with
| the exception of last weeks temperance
study, have all been within the lifetime
| of Jacob, the patriarch. who is one OF the
| commanding figures of human history.
| We have seen faith working to transform
| not only the character OF Jacob, but also
| developing that OF his fayortte son, Jo-
| seph, and his brethren. who were des-
| tined to become the fathers OF a great ma
| ton and wonderful people, who have been
| the makers Of civilization through the
| power of their religious ideals and teach
| ingS.
While we have seen faith working out
| an Israel-"a prince with God''-from
the ambitious and dishonest Jacob, and
molding the petted Joseph into the sue
cessful statesman and viceroy. whose lie
| is IN many respects type OF SHElSl, AHu
| transforming the evil-minded brothers
| into men of tenderness and love, there
| has also been the evidence OF the NOV
| ing power of God making providential
preparation for the removal of the fam
lily of Jacob to Egypt, until finally Je-
hovah providentially causes the transfer
and settlement in Egypt. where we will
| see in our coming studies the providential
process by which the Almighty makes
nation out of the descendants Of ia
cob.
The influence of something over fifty
years of history which We have covered
in study of the past quarters les
sons is felt in the movements OF modern
times, molding nations and men by Its
lessons of the victories Of faith. Space
will not permit us to review in detail
each lesson or revisit the various places
that have been the scenes of our studies,
although Beersheba. Bethel. Padan Aram
Jabbok, Mount SER, Succoth. Hebron.
Shechem, Dothan. Goshen. Potiphars
palace, prison and Pharaoh's court. each
contains suggestive lessons. The dispen-
sational'' elements and the types of
Christ presented in the life of Joseph
would also furnish ample material for a
fruitful review. We turn to follow the
biographical characters of Jacob and
Joseph. whose lives We have studied.
with their ethical and spiritual lessons.
Jacob and Joseph.
Four of our lessons have presented
Jacob as the principal character, while
Joseph has been the leading person in
seven other studies and divided our
thought in one where his father was the
prominent person. When We COM
menced our study of Jacob we found
that he was sly. crafty and dishonest,
filed with wrongful ambitions, that were
inspired by the impulsive and ubiquitous
influence of his mother for her favorite
child. In our study We have seen how
clearly the Scriptures recorded the
faults failures and frauds and made but
slight mention of the goodness that was
the germ of his greatness, for he had
sense of spiritual values.
Crannell has pointed out the fact that
Jacob is a religious type frequently
seen, with great capacity for" devoutness.
deeply subtIe masterful underneath 4
quiet, submissive exterior and inclined to
gain his point by management which
sometimes more than 'verses on mean
ness"
1t required the bitter discipline Of
the school of experience, in which Jacob
reaped the fruits Of his sowing OF
fraud, for Laban, and then later his
own sons, deceived him, and the bless
ings of divine grace to transform his
character by appealing to his spiritual
nature and using Jacobs invincible
ambition and persistent, persevering.
plodding to make him one of the great
personalities Of history. While God
met him with a vision Of His presence
and thrilled the fleeing fugitive. fear
ng rightly for twenty years or more