The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-07-18
JACOB


task to number them. So many there are that
a person can choose but few of them life time.
This choice should be made seriously, carefully We
need pleasure books, discipline" books, inspir
ing" books, character books. body" books, book
for every wish and feeling and purposefor every
distinct growth of our soul, mind and body. Now,
there is statement of facts story for every
need. This is fortunate for us. Man would get but
short distance on the road of achieving and attain
ing if left to his beggarly resources. We need
this accumulated wisdom of the years journey.
Back the days when Canaan was but prom
ised land; before there hardly beginning of a
Hebrew nation before the Israel had been
given man by God-n those days Rebekah, the
wife of Isaac was busted with thoughts and pur-
poses just mothers of today occupied She
was busy securing for her best loved son a favored
place in the world. By her help and advice Jacob
gained much-and lost much. He gained fathers
blessing that had in it much of Divine inspiration
and promise lost his brothers love and the blessings
home alone supply.
He left his home and went to a strange country
and people. He journeyed out of Canaan to the land
and home of Laban, his uncle. There also lived his
cousins, Leah and Rachel; and it there, amid
pastoral scenes and activities, that inacted
of the most beautiful love stories of the ages
Jacob met and loved Rachel. We know why
for the story tells us Leah was tender eyed; but
Rachel was beautiful and we'll favored. And Jacob
loved Rachel" Could any number OF pages of des-
cription picture this heroine accurately for us
The Bible does not give details of the lovers
meetings and comnlunngs; it draws for us pic
lures of the moonlit evenings through which wan
dered contented maid and man. But there
are but can supply these details. We have but
picture Jacob he said to Laban I will thee
seven years for Rachel" and at once those
years of labor that were play lived by
read.
Seven years! And for the sake of a maid to
wife. If that in itself is beautiful story there
can never be one. But that is all.
Jacobs seven years of service ended His
eagerness, his happiness-and that of Rachel-can
easily be pictured their wedding drew
and at last a present reality. And then the
trick that was played upon this loyal lover No
more subtle plot be found in any story than that
of 1eah's substitution for Rachel.
Can anyone not feel the grief that was in the
heart of Jacob-and of Rachel? Surely not, if
is a person of red blood and fertile mind And
when the history tells of Jacob that he loved also
Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet
other years. begin to fully understand the
depth of his love and the wonderful beauty of the
tale. Seven other years: Fourteen years! For the
love of maid! How many modern instances such
this be found? And who doubt that the
world would grow better in every way rapidly
| if such general practice.
But there Jacob serving his fourteen years
for his loves sake. And last his beloved Rachel
was won and they were man and wife, This is by
no means the end of the story of Jacob; is the
| rest lacking one whit in interest or romance. But
| these fourteen years will purpose-with,
perhaps the other six years Jacob served for wages
for material start in the world. Twenty years of
service-and in the beautiful story of love and
cess running through them is equally beauti-
| full lesson.
Patience-that is the lesson There can be no
quality of character more beautiful than patience;
nor one more prompt and liberal in blessing. Watch
study, understand any patient mortal and see if with
that one is not found peace and JOY What greater
success can anyone meet than this? Surely none!
And as surely no advance be made toward any
coveted object or purpose until the lesson of patience
has been learned.
| If we Would just realize that there is purpose
in the Creators scheme for every of living
ter 1t would be easy, then, for TO be pat
lent This is true! Every life was created for a
purpose. For all we know it may be purpose
given place in His scheme ages and ages ago and
needing all that time for it's perectng and here
spoil some wonderful plan by an mpatence-by
hasty word and thoughtless action. There mil
lions of examples of this very thing in the annals of
history-and in the life about us.
But do not turn elsewhere for example. Just
take your own life as you have lived it. Recall the
days and hours as you have lived them. Set on one
| hand vour natence and the other hand vOur i'm