The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-12
fpy WILLIAM t. ELLIS)


Rib,a ..Men who are good and men
who are bad. even as you and L,
make I'D that record of human lie
in its divine relationships. 1t mas
often been said that one evidence VI
the historicity of the Bible Is the
honesty with which it deals WIN Us
heroes. Contrast the scripture naI
ratives with the fiction ana my lloI.
oev of the non Christian religions II
is said that aside. from Christ, there
are only two Biblical characters, 10
seph and Stephen, of whom naught
derogatory is said in the lnsplreu
record Since these varied men were
friends of God, it seems easier LOT
the rest of us poor humans with an
our limitations, to aspire to the same
goal.
1t is not Saint Jacob that we study
today. Instead. we look upon d
mean, despicable, cowardly creature
fleeing from the consequences of his
own duplicity. He was helped 10
haste by the knowledge that his
brave and impulsive brother, Esau,
sought his life.
The Plot That Failed.
Schemers commonly overreach
themselves. Clear, outspoken lnteg-
ritv is the most charming trait OF
character. The most attractive per-
son L know is cOnspicuouslN marked
for her transparent senuineness Ike
bekah had violated all the consldera-
lions of honesty in order to secure
fathers blessings for her faNorlte SON
She had been abetted in this by the
dishonesty of Jacob and by the weak
ness of Isaac. Now her home had
been scattered. Jacob had fled for
his life toward distant Mesopotamia
This time the journey was not as
his grandfather, Abraham, had made
it. in full caravan and state. Like a
hunted criminal he fled in real fear
Of being overtaken by the avenger.
lie had no caravan or companions.
He was but a lone, lorn fugitive,
making his furtive way north and
east He camped wherever nightfall
found him. and so this lesson story
discovers him on the stony heights of
Bethel where A braham had once tar
ried and erected an altar.
The Sleep by the Wayside.
The familiar hymn. Nearer, My
God to Thee. which is built on the
imagery of Jacobs experience at
Pethel with his vision of the ladder,
has helped to impress upon our un-
informed minds the hardship of the
fugitive's having to sleep with a stone
for a pillow. Now this was no stony
grief" The oriental. especially in pas
toral pursuits, does not know the
cushioned life of ease of the occident.
The verisimilitude of the Bible is re-
veaIed by thousand such touches as
this 1t would be the most natural
thing for a man trained in the open
to take the nearest stone for a pill
low remember a Korean home
where i'll the sleeping rooms the pill
lows were simply round stones. Nor
was sleeping on the ground any hard-
ship to Jacob. The oriental knows
how TO stand things. / have been
amazed by the endurance of men in
this very region traVersed by JACOB,
who could sleep on the ground or on
board often in driving snow or
Melting rain. Their life has taught
them to endure the buffetings of ma
ture.
So we find Jacob sleeping amid the
rocks al Bethel with no fictitious ac-
cessories. He was a plain runaway
scared and troubled. His anxious days
were followed by restless nights. Not
even in sleep could he find quiet.
In these days of pilgrimage Jacob
had been thinking. Apparently he
was learning a new way of looking
at things. Some men have to go into
a far country before they can learn
the meaning of home. 1t is bitter
school which experience keeps. Jacob
was learning what the history of the
race teaches, that dishonor does not
pay. and that personal profit may be
gained at too high a price.
Dreams That Reach Upward.
The first clear fntimation of a life
beyond this present one to be found
an Scripture is this experience of ia
cob at Bethel. He in his dream saw
a ladder reaching to heaven.
Daily thoughts are the stuff of
which our dreams are made. Jacob |
had been meditating upon the God
of his fathers. He was getting a |
spirituaI illumination. Now in this |
dream he saw how near to earth is
the life beyond. Heaven is not far |
from us. Even the mind of an in |
dividual may bring heaven and earth |
together. In the revulsion from his |
old self which remorse had brought |
10 him. Jacob had been driven to
toward Mesopotamia he was progress |
ing toward grace. |
An Old Agreement Ratified. |
Like many a man who is walking |
the streets today, Jacob found that |
God was dealing better with him |
than he deserved. The covenant with |
Abra ham was not abrogated because
Jacob had fallen so far below specifi- |
cations. The promise to Abraham's
seed still held true. Jacob was il |
the line of the covenant. After all |
he was the better of the two sons |
which is saying little.
Now with his new vision he saw
God at the head of the ladder
stretching from earth to heaven. He
had in his dream a communion with
God. who ratified the promise of old !
1t was a renewal of the old agree
ment between Jehovah and Abraham.
and it gave to Jacob the new sense of
God and Gods protection.
After his night of dreams. Jacob
awoke declaring that this place had
become Bethel, or house of Cod
The name is one truly borne by man
churches Each soul has IFS own
Bethel where it has come face -
face with the infinite realities and I,
the eternal Personality Ma,,,,.a.
erects its pillars of memorial - 49,
places even as ancient Orientals 80
to set up their stones of ranaT,-
brance. 1t is good to remembar IN
mast for thRrphN - L