Year: 1876

FIRST PLACE NJ. L. CHURCH.
4. WRESTLING WITH GOD, GOD WRESTLING WITH


Us-srEMoN py MISS ANNA OLIVER.


The FIRST place Methodist Episcopal church could
well hold larger congregation than that which II
accommodated yesterday morning. Miss Oliver tho
pastor pro tem selected her text from Genesis xxxii
24-sAud Jacob was lett alone; and there wrestled
man with him until the breaking OF the day." The
indication of the text, said Miss Oliver, familiar to
you ALL We may proceed 10 notice at once that God
does the best He can with the material that He has to
work II we should plant an orange tree IN ireland
He would do the best He could to make 1t thrive but
IT would only be stunted thing at the best Jacob
about as miserable subject for development as
God could have taken in band. Remember how
clearly his selfish ambition and avarlce stood when
he took such mean advantage OF Esaus hunger and
tempted him to sell his birthrlght Now, what must
have been the heart of that young man TO have acted
in such "A cruel, unbrothery wayf A hulc further
we find he gives his heart God He experienced
we cal! conversion Was he honest that? Was he
what call to- day calculating tricky, business
man? But what troubles he met with And all these
years God has been wrestling with him, trying make
the best He could out OF him, He perhaps with
some OF You have the picture that repre-
sents an angel wrestling with Jacob, doubtless.
think 1t is wrong conception. The Bible says 1t
a man, and then alterward find it the Lord.
You may say why could not tho Lord make Jacob
what lie wanted without all this trouble? There
many reasons Tor all this. Such course neces
sary to call forth and develop such character in
Jacob as the Lord wished. Alter the sec
very dineront man. He seems to
have become more gentle and subdued. The whole
OF Jacobs lie was entirely different sun 1t was nee
cssary, seems TO keep him constantly in great alic
tion. He first lost his beloved wie Rachel; then hc
mournod his Joseph Tor several years, anu then
Beujamln TOO went, and Jacob murmured loaoly over
bis Affections. But when recall


THE CHARACTER OF JACOB


cannot be surprised that 1t was necessary that he
had to go through ali these trials We may though,
surpriscd hat God should have selected such
be, and such nation israel to usher IN his prom
But IS 1t not a marvel mat God should select US
TO perform good acts III tas worldy We cannot under
sand 1t. IL IS incomirehenslbie There are sew
cra passages that describe Dod's dealings with jacob
Esau aud they stumbling block TO many
persons one occurs in Romans, where the apostle
Iays that tho elder shall the younger He is
speaking not oi individuals many suppose but of
The apostle meant 10 say that, II God should
reject the Jews anu choose another nation He would
be unliing HIS promise He could not have referred
Individuals ior Esau never served JACOB; 1t was
jacop who served Esau Ia the passage of Malachi We
might look al II in this connection. Now here The
Prophet speaking OF the prosperity of this nation
Besides, may notice that the event narrated here
regard to Esau never happened To Esau individually
His heritage was never Impoverished lLstead o his
being poor he great prince in the land There Is
another passage which is stumbling block among
great many. and that Is the aniar words, IL viii
have mercy upon whom VIII have mercy





grace and then when he rejected the Lord
hardened his heart II he wicked
had perfect right to him in the redemption OF
HIS people and TO the glory OF His name. The Lord
to-day ha:dens the hearts OF the wicked who bent
upon dong wickedy. Their hearts are hardened
that when the goes beyond all points he is taken
the hands OF tue law and IS punished. some years
seo, in this very city, young man OF refined aud
pleasing manners was COT viced OF burglary. He had
made II bis practice Tor wears to enter houses and
steal jewels As he moved in good society he
suspected TIL he wen, step too tar, and the
fgF lay Na i'm an 1p IVA sfnn nod
ana sentenced to twenty years Imprisonment When
people VIII be wicked the Lord them for his pur
poses VINO OF US shall say II is not right and Justg
One thing learn and that IS that


POWER WITH


and prevailed with God. In this mysterious scene
have taken my text Jacob alone when he wres.
tied with this strange being aud would not let him
I'll he had bestowed his blessing We and that with
that answer TO his prayer he went forth and met
Esau not enemies bul as brothers Martin Luther
the vct~y before Jehovah, and then sad,
"Tnough there be as many devils IN tins city as there
houses, Will go up With the struggle that
with answered prayer We can go anywhere.
But we must desire what we ask Tor. In the art
department OF the Centennial Exhibition there
Italian picture entitled 'rhc Forced Prayer repre-
tcnung a child in The attitude prayer; lace in
perfect tempest OF wrinkles, and evidently assuming
that attitude of devotion under COERCION Many IN
life do the same thing from sense OF duty.
1t Is LIP service When No cry TO God
with our bps and our heart is not IN IT, our prayers
might well not be uttered but when we long from
the depths our heart for His guidance though our
petition may silent 1t finds entrance TO !hc throne
Of the Most Hugh. little anecdoIe will clearly set
lorth what | mean iather was SICK at one time a
lopg distance IRON home and message TO this elect
his wife and itc boy. The child at once
said, II want to write letter TO papa The mother
numored his aud the little fellow covered the
page with scratches, which The mother sent TO her
husband IL was delivered TO the sick man, who wcpi
with emotion he looked at IT, ANY bad newsg"
said a trend standing by his bedside. ION, no. was
the answer, 'it is only letter from my baby at
home" IL should not call that letter, said his
friend; al should only call that scratching" Yes -
replied the father q" know its nothing but scribbng
but understand every WORD Ny darling is sorry
a flt her Is \ k
because the mothers hand directed II. So # our
PRAYERS however uninelligbie to directed by
The Holy spirit, they viii be understood by the loving
heart OF Heavenly Father and answered for our
greatest good