accordingly. But be careful, like Jacob, before you approach the altar of the Living God, to cleanse from amongst you any strange god, such as, alas! too often, wealth produces, drawing the heart to look upon our earthly possessions with a pride which is hurtful and alluring; leading us to grasp them with a miserly hand, so drawing us to make an idol of things which God had only intended as a blessing. See the humility of Jacob: He bid his household strip themselves of everything which would denote their high rank, such as jewels or rich clothing. He felt himself too unworthy of the abundant riches God had given him; he wanted not display or gaudy parade as he traversed toward the land of Bethel, where twenty years before, as a poor unprotected lad, without a home, he had set. up his first altar to the God of his father, vowing, if God would keep him and preserve him, and bring him back in peace unto his father's house, then should He be the Lord his God.

So this second time, upon his return to his fatherland, he wished to have those whom God had given him, kneel at the same altar to acknowledge and return thanks for abundant mercies. He journeyed to Seir, which is in the land of Canaan, that is Bethel, where, upon arriving, Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and they buried her

beneath Beth-el, under an oak. Then God again blessed Jacob, as once more he raised the altar to his praise, and appeared unto him saying, "Thy name is Jacob, but henceforth and for ever, thou shall be called Israel." And said unto him, "I am God Almighty be fruitful and multiply ; a nation and a company of nations shall be or come of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. The land which I gave to Abraham and Issac to thee will I give it and to thy seed after thee." After this, Jacob journeyed to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem, where Rachael, his wife, after giving birth to a second son, whom they called Benjamin, died, and they buried her on the way to Bethlehem, over which he placed a pillar that marks Rachael's tomb unto this day. Then Israel journeyed onwards, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. But, in process of time, he left and came to Isaac his father, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Isaac dwelt. We may almost picture this joyous meeting between the aged father and his long lost son, who it appears returned in time to receive a blessing from those aged lips, ere he was gathered to his fathers. Isaac, therefore, blessed Jacob, and the twelve. sons God had given him. Having lived one hundred and fourscore years he gave up his spirit

unto God; and his sons Jacob and Esau buried him. After which Jacob continued to dwell in the land wherein his father had sojourned a stranger, even the land of Canaan. At this time Rachael's first-born was a stripling of seventeen, whom Jacob loved more than all his other sons; it seems strange he should be the preferred idol. Benjamin being his youngest born; but to distinguish Joseph as the idol of his affection he had a coat of many colours. Bitterly had he to repent this outward preference. It is a great mistake when parents show more love towards one child than the rest; for it is sure more or less to arouse evil jealous thoughts, and the envious feelings of hatred which stirred the hearts of Joseph's brethren whenever he approached them, so that they could not speak peaceably unto him.

Strolling one day into the fields where they were busy feeding their flocks ;-for though they were rich nobles of the land they deemed it not too menial an occupation,-thus humbly had Jacob brought them up. Whilst thus employed, Joseph having had a strange dream began to tell it them, saying, "Hear this dream I pray you : For behold I thought we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and your sheaves stood round about, and made

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obeisance to my sheaf." Though Joseph told his brethren the dream in guileless simplicity, they took it wrong; their hatred of him was kindled still more against him, saying in very wrath, "Shalt thou indeed reign over shalt thou indeed have dominion over us ?" After this he dreamed yet one more dream; and innocently told it again, little knowing the wrath he was stirring up against himself. The lad meanwhile telling it them, no doubt from idle curiosity alone; for he said, "The sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me." Then he told his father the same, who rebuked him, saying, "What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth." But his father observed the saying, took note and pondered it over in his heart, questioning if these strange dreams had any hidden meaning in reference to the covenant promises made to his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. Yes, this lad Joseph, was chosen by God to become some years hence a holy and bodily saviour of his father and brethren, it being written in the law of the prophets, saying, "Every male child that openeth the womb shall be holy to the Lord." So that Jacob became more convinced these dreams had a

figurative meaning in them. And one day afterwards, Joseph's brethren having gone to feed their flocks in Shechem, Israel bade Joseph take the journey, saying, "Go I pray thee and see if it be well with them and the flock.' So, obedient to his father's command, he left his home in the vale of Hebron, and journeyed to Shechem, but found not his brethren. A man, meeting the youth wandering alone along the dreary plain, enquired whom he was in search of, and told him his brethren had gone to Dothan, where he found them. When they saw him afar off they began to conspire against him, planning in their evil hearts the best way to get rid of him, some saying, let us cast him into a pit, then we can tell our father some evil beast hath devoured him. But Reuben, the eldest, heard them and said, let us not kill him. Do not shed blood, but if ye want to do away with him cast him into the pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; thinking to rid him out of their hands, and deliver the lad to his father's care." The cold, heartless men then stripped Joseph of his coat of many colours, and cast him into the pit which was very deep, though dry." After doing this they sat down and partook of bread, leaving the poor lad to die with hunger, whilst satisfying their own selfish