THE 
 
 WAY OF TRUTH; 
 
 on, 
 
 A MOTHER'S TEACHINGS 
 
 THE BIBLE. 
 
 These m\ r words ... ye shall teach them to your children." 
 
 DEUT. xi. 18, 19. 
 
 LONDON: 
 TRUBNER AND CO., 60, PATERNOSTEK ROW. 
 
 1867.
 
 WERTHEIKER, LEA AND CO., 
 FIXSBCIIY CIICL'S.
 
 ADDRESS TO MOTHERS AND TEACHERS. 
 
 FOR many years the want of simple Scripture-teach- 
 ings, free from doctrines opposed to the Hebrew 
 faith, has been felt by most mothers of the Anglo- 
 Jewish community. It is earnestly hoped that the 
 little work now offered to the public will partially 
 supply this want. 
 
 The Reverend Chief Rabbi, Dr. Adler, having kindly 
 perused the MS. copy of these pages, and expressed his 
 approval, the writer trusts no further recommen- 
 dation is needed, so she merely adds, that in this 
 abridgment the endeavour is to preserve as closely 
 as possible the text of the English version of the 
 Bible, on account of its beautiful simplicity, and its 
 being considered desirable to familiarise the ear of 
 the child with the text in common use. Some slight 
 deviations from it, demanded by the pure spirit of 
 Judaism, have been made ; for these the commenta- 
 ries of Messrs. De Sola and Lindenthal and Dr. 
 Eaphael have been consulted ; such passages as have 
 been altered will be found marked with reference to 
 the notes from which they have been taken. 
 
 Proper names and numbers, which are in many 
 instances wearying to the memory of a child, and 
 are not absolutely necessary for the clear compre- 
 
 203723?;
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 hensioii of the Bible history, have been omitted, as also 
 some chapters and passages fitted for maturer years. 
 
 The conversational style has been adopted in pre- 
 ference to that of " questions and answers," for 
 three reasons; firstly, that arrangement has been 
 found more attractive ; children fancy they are really 
 listening to the expressed ideas of other children, 
 and like to compare their own thoughts with those 
 of their imaginary companions; they are thus led 
 to reflect, and the facts arc more vividly impressed 
 upon their memories by the interest thus awakened. 
 
 Secondly, this form gives more scope for questions 
 and answers through the medium of " Mamma,'' 
 which would not spontaneously arise in the minds 
 of children; on this account also, children of dif- 
 ferent ages, namely, six and twelve, are assumed to 
 take part in the conversations. 
 
 And, thirdly, this form will, in succeeding portions 
 of the work,* give more ample opportunity for ex- 
 plaining the observances attached to our festivals 
 and ceremonies. 
 
 The compiler of this little work suggests that it 
 should not be made imperative upon the pupils to 
 learn by rote the whole of the " Conversations "; 
 it may be well to commit to memory the simpler in- 
 terrogations and the replies, but certainly not the 
 longer explanatory chapters. 
 
 Many queries may be put by children that the 
 
 * It is proposed to continue the remaining books of the 
 Pentateuch, and possibly through the whole of the Bible, 
 in the same form.
 
 ADDRESS. Ill 
 
 instructors may not find answered in these chapters ; 
 it has been the desire of the writer to avoid raising 
 any doubt that could not be entirely dispersed, yet 
 fully believing that with faith and patient study, all 
 may be made as clear as possible to our finite under- 
 standings, and should be answered to a child by 
 deferring to riper years and fuller knowledge. 
 
 Although no question occurs in the "Conversa- 
 tion " on the third chapter of Genesis as to the 
 potency of the serpent, the teacher is strenuously 
 advised to explain the Jewish acceptation of the 
 incident. 
 
 Children cannot mix with the Gentile world with- 
 out having forced on their apprehensions the exis- 
 tence of evil spirits, from " Bogey ; ' upward to that 
 mightier worker of evil, who, according to the Naza- 
 rene creed, is impersonated by the " Serpent." 
 
 The experience of the writer has taught her, that 
 children should not go unprepared to meet what to 
 them is either, a novel idea, or forced upon them by 
 wily coiiversionists, as an accepted fact, in the Bible. 
 
 The desire of the writer is to make the study of 
 the Bible a pleasant pursuit. She fully believes that 
 most children earnestly love "truth," and prefer the 
 Bible even to their " story books," because they know 
 it contains only truth. 
 
 The preface for little readers indicates the spirit in 
 which the study of the "Word of God" should 
 always be pursued, by a " mother and her children." 
 
 Unless from unavoidable circumstances, religious 
 training should never be deputed to strange teachers.
 
 IV ADDRESS. 
 
 Chiefly from a mother's lips should a child receive 
 religious instruction ; by her tender care should be fos- 
 tered those sacred feelings which arise in the heart; 
 from her loved precepts the child learn the first lessons 
 of duty, and be led in the path of virtue. The writer 
 offers no apology for presenting this volume to the 
 public; she hoped that long ere this some abler pen 
 would have accomplished the task; her only desire is 
 to help those who would fain pursue the path of in- 
 struction, but who for lack of aid hesitate.
 
 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER 
 
 LITTLE READERS. 
 
 THE compiler of this little work thinks that her young 
 friends will like an introduction to the family for 
 whom it was arranged. 
 
 Let them then fancy themselves in a pretty neat 
 breakfast parlour ; there, seated at a table whence 
 the breakfast has just disappeared, are a lady and 
 two little girls, two boys have just left the room on 
 their way to school, and Papa has also gone to his 
 business. Nurse and baby (for the youngest child is 
 still called baby, although he is nearly three years 
 old) are waiting for Esther. Baby is always brought 
 down from the nursery to see Papa before he leaves 
 home, and until this morning it has been the 
 custom that Esther should go up with nurse and 
 baby, leaving Ada and Mamma to spend the morning 
 together. 
 
 Little readers, do you not wish for a description 
 of the Mamma? Your friend, who now addresses 
 
 B
 
 2 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 
 
 you, hopes that there are very few who read this 
 volume, who are not blessed with a dear, kind 
 Mother. Any who may unfortunately have been 
 deprived of this blessing, know how they have longed 
 for it, or missed the dear one taken from them, 
 and can well imagine what a good kind Mamma is 
 like. 
 
 Ada is a girl of about twelve years of age, a 
 nice, tidy, industrious girl. Her needle is already 
 in her hand, for she will have to wait a short time 
 before Mamma begins their usual morning chat. 
 "We will not call these chats lessons, as lessons have 
 become associated in our young friends' minds with 
 tasks, which often give as much trouble as pleasure ; 
 and Mamma's chats, although on serious subjects, 
 were always looked forward to as being the most 
 pleasant hours that her children spent during the 
 day; for Mamma said, " I wish my darlings to love 
 their God and His word as they do their parents," 
 and she never kept the little girls a moment longer 
 than they appeared pleased and interested. 
 
 Now, let us return to little Esther, a bright-faced, 
 rosy-cheeked child, six years old. See ! she has 
 climbed on her Mamma's lap, her arms are round 
 her Mother's neck, and she is coaxingly whispering 
 something in her ears. We wonder what she is 
 saying. When we hear Mamma's next words we 
 may perhaps guess what has been Esther's request.
 
 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 3 
 
 " Nurse, you may take baby upstairs; Miss Esther 
 will remain with me this morning." 
 
 (Now nurse has gone; Esther is still on Mamma's 
 lap kissing her, and thanking her for allowing her to 
 remain.) "And so my little girl did not think I had 
 remembered my promise," said Mamma, stroking her 
 little daughter's head, and returning her caresses. 
 (This promise was that Esther should remain with 
 Mamma every morning for an hour as her sister had 
 been used to do, and that they would read together 
 a chapter or two from the Bible, and after having 
 read it, talk for a little while about it. Mamma's 
 promise had been made during the holydays, and 
 the readings were to commence on this the first 
 working day after n31 ?. (Succous, or Tabernacle), so 
 that they might begin the Bible about the same 
 time of the year as we do in our Synagogues.) 
 Mamma has now put Esther off her lap, and is telling 
 her to place her little stool ready by her arm chair 
 (Ada's work-table stands also beside it), as Mamma 
 must go into the kitchen and make arrangements for 
 her children's dinner. 
 
 Now, Mamma has returned, and is again seated. 
 Ada's work is laid aside, and Esther is looking up 
 eagerly to her dear Mother's face. We shall soon see 
 how attentive she is, and hovr much she remembers 
 of Mamma's teachings. 
 
 My little friends must not think that this is the
 
 4 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 
 
 first time Ada has read the Bible (the Bible is a 
 book which, although we read it through yearly, we 
 may each time find some new lesson that we have not 
 thought of before), neither is little Esther quite a 
 stranger to the teachings of the sacred volume, but 
 to-day she is about to commence her regular readings, 
 and we hope to be able to accompany her in them 
 throughout the five books of Moses at least. Perhaps 
 we may also be able to learn the thoughts of our two 
 . young friends as they pursue their study to the end 
 of the Holy Book.
 
 READING I. 
 
 IN the beginning God created the heavens and the 
 earth. 
 
 The earth was without form, and the spirit of God 
 moved over the waters. 
 
 And God said, Let there be light, and there was 
 light. And God saw the light that it was good; and 
 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called 
 Night ; and it was evening and it was morning, one 
 day. 
 
 And God made the firmament, and divided the 
 waters that were about it from the waters that were 
 under it. And the evening and the morning were 
 the second day. And God said, Let the waters be 
 gathered together, and let the dry land appear. 
 
 And God called the dry land Earth, and the waters 
 He called Seas. 
 
 And God caused the earth to bring forth grass, 
 herbs, and fruit trees, after their kind ; and God 
 saw that it was good. And the evening and the 
 morning were the third day. 
 
 And God made the sun and the moon. The sun 
 to rule by day. The moon to rule by night; and the 
 stars also. And the evening and the morning were 
 the fourth day. 
 
 And God said, Let the waters bring forth living 
 creatures and fowl that may fly above the earth. 
 And God blessed them, saying, Be ye fruitful and 
 multiply. And the evening and the morning were 
 the fifth day.
 
 6 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living 
 creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, 
 and beast after his kind, and it was so. 
 
 And God sa^'d, Let us make man in our image, 
 after our likeness, and let them have dominion over 
 the fish of the sea, and over the cattle, and over all 
 the earth. So God created man, and God blessed 
 them, and God said unto them, Be ye fruitful and 
 multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. 
 
 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 
 ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of 
 life; and man became a living soul. And God said, 
 It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a 
 help meet for him. 
 
 And God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, 
 and He took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the 
 flesh instead thereof. And of the rib which God had 
 taken from man made He a woman, and brought 
 her unto the man. 
 
 And Adam said, This is bone of my bone, and 
 flesh of my flesh ; she was called Woman because 
 she was formed from man. 
 
 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his 
 mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall 
 be one flesh. 
 
 And God saw everything that He had made, and 
 behold it was very good. And the evening and the 
 morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and 
 the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 
 
 And God rested on the seventh day from all His 
 work which He had made. And God blessed the 
 seventh day and sanctified it. And there went up a 
 mist from the ground and watered the earth, for God 
 had not caused it to rain upon the earth. 
 
 And God planted a garden eastward in Eden. 
 And God put the man into the garden of Eden to 
 dress it and to keep it.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 7 
 
 And God commanded the man, saying, Of every 
 tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat ; but of the 
 tree of knowledge of good and evil, which is in the 
 midst of the garden, ye shall not eat of it, for in the 
 day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 
 
 And God brought every beast of the field, and 
 every fowl of the air, unto Adam to see what he would 
 call them. And Adam gave names to them all.
 
 CONVERSATION I. 
 
 Mamma. What is the name of the first book in the 
 Bible ? 
 
 Esther. Genesis. 
 
 Mamma. What is the meaning of the word Genesis? 
 
 Ada. Genesis is a Greek word, signifying history of the 
 creation. The Bible was first translated into English from 
 Greek, and the English translators retained the Greek names 
 for the five books of Moses. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me the Hebrew name for 
 Genesis ? 
 
 Ada. Yes. It is TVB>K;ia (Be-n-shees). 
 
 Esther. What does JVE'iOa (Be-n-shees) mean ? 
 
 Ada. rVIP&oa (Be-n-shees) means " In the beginning." 
 
 Mamma. You are quite right; but perhaps you do not 
 know that the word JVB'iO? (Be-n-shees) is the first word 
 of the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, and that all the 
 books of the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses, as well as 
 the weekly portions, take their names from the first prin- 
 cipal word of the chapter or portion. Now, tell me, Ada, 
 have you thought of the 'first lesson that may be learnt 
 from our ""HIPl (Thou-ra or Law), as we Jews call the five 
 books of Moses ? 
 
 Ada. I think the first lesson is that God formed all 
 things. 
 
 Mamma. Before we proceed, Ada, dear, tell Esther which 
 are the five books of Moses ? 
 
 Ada. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and 
 Deuteronomy. 
 
 Mamma. Now let Esther tell me what God created on 
 the first day, and the words as given in the Bible ? 
 
 Esther. On the first day God created light, and God 
 said, " Let there be light, and there was light."
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 9 
 
 Mamma. What on the second ? 
 
 Ada. The firmament, or the expanse, which we call the 
 heavens. 
 
 Mamma. What on the third ? 
 
 Esther. The earth and the seas, the grass, herbs, and 
 fruit trees. 
 
 Mamma. What on the fourth ? 
 
 Esther. The sun, moon, and stars. 
 
 Mamma. What on the fifth ? 
 
 Esther. Fishes and fowls, 
 
 Mamma. What on the sixth ? 
 
 Esther. Beasts, creeping things, and man. 
 
 Ada. Mamma dear, we read, " And God said, Let us 
 make man in our image." Does it mean that God is like 
 a man ? 
 
 Mamma. Certainly not. We must have no idea that 
 the Almighty possesses any bodily form, for we are strictly 
 forbidden to imagine any likeness of Him. What we under- 
 stand by these words is, that God breathed into man a 
 portion of His own spirit, which we call soul, and which 
 we believe lives eternally, that is, continues to exist when 
 our bodies have perished. 
 
 Ada. What is this spirit like, dear Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. We can form no mo*e idea of it than we can 
 of God, whose image it is. All we know of the soul is, 
 that when it leaves, our bodies become useless, and can no 
 longer feel or move. 
 
 Ada. Was there any other creator with God ? for He 
 says, " Let us make man in our image ?" 
 
 Mamma. No. We believe that our Almighty Father 
 reigns alone without the association of any other power. 
 The plural term, let us, is only used to mafk the combi- 
 nation of all power in the Almighty. It is a common 
 practice, even with earthly sovereigns, to issue their man- 
 dates in a plural form thus an emperor or king will write, 
 "We command, etc. I wish you particularly to understand 
 this, because people of other creeds may tell you that our 
 Bible teaches a belief in more than one ruling power. 
 Now, Esther, let me see if you remember what further we 
 have been reading of to-day. Of what did God form man?
 
 10 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Esther. Of the dust of the ground. 
 Mamma. Tell ine, Ada, the Hebrew word fur Adam, 
 and its meaning? 
 
 Ada. The Hebrew for Adam is Ens (0-dom), from the 
 word nD"JX (Adoino), which means earth or ground. 
 Mamma. Of what was Eve formed? 
 Esther. Of a rib which God took from Adam whilst he 
 slept. 
 
 Mamma. What did Adam say when Eve was brought 
 to him ? 
 
 Esther. He said, " This is bone of my bone and flesh 
 of my flesh." 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me the reason we commence our 
 days at sunset, and that our Festivals and Sabbaths always 
 commence in the evening? 
 
 Ada. Is it not because in reading the account of each 
 day's creation we find written, " And the evening and the 
 morning were the first day, or the second," etc. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, and since you remember so well 
 our texts, can you tell me which of our prayers is taken 
 from this first chapter of Genesis ? 
 
 Ada. Yes, Mamma. The CJ'-np. (Kiddush), or sanctifi- 
 cation, for the Sabbath. 
 
 Mamma. Can you repeat the words of this blessing? 
 Ada. " And the evening and the morning were the 
 sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, 
 and all the host of them, and on the seventh day God rested 
 from all the work which He had made, wherefore God 
 blessed the seventh day and made it holy." 
 
 , Mamma. Is this the whole-of the &?-np (Kiddush), or 
 sanctification ? 
 
 Ada. No. The blessing for wine follows, and then a 
 thanksgiving for having given us the Sabbath as a day of 
 rest, in commemoration of the work of the Creation. 
 
 Esther. Why did God need rest ? We read He only 
 spoke to create all things ; He does not work as we dol 
 
 Mamma. I am glad you have asked this question. Your 
 remarks are very just, my dear child ; we are not to imagine 
 that God needs rest, or that He is subject to any human 
 feelings. We think God did not rest, as we should under-
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 11 
 
 stand the word, but that He ceased to bring anything new 
 into existence. It would appear that God fixed on this 
 day in order to show us that it is proper and good for man 
 to rest one day in the week, and that this day should be 
 the one appointed by God. 
 
 Esther. Did Adam and Eve work then, Mamma, in 
 the garden of Eden ? 
 
 Mamma. We have reason to believe they did, for we 
 read God placed them in the garden to dress it and keep it . 
 What did God give Adam and Eve for food ? 
 
 Esther. The fruit of every tree and every green herb. 
 
 Mamma. Was there anything of which they were 
 commanded not to eat ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, they were not to eat of the fruit of the 
 tree of knowledge of good and evil, which was in the midst 
 of the garden. 
 
 Mamma. With what punishment were they threatened 
 should they eat thereof? 
 
 Esther. God said they should die. 
 
 Mamma. Who gave names to the beasts of the earth 
 and the fowls of the air ? 
 
 Esther. Adam. 
 
 Mamma. Now, iny darling, go and play; you have 
 remembered very well all we have been reading about.
 
 12 
 
 READING II. 
 
 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast 
 of the field. And he said unto the woman, Hath 
 God indeed said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the 
 garden ? 
 
 And the woman said to the serpent, We may 
 eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But 
 of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God 
 hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye 
 touch it, lest ye die. 
 
 And the serpent said, Ye shall not die. For God 
 doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes 
 shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing 
 good and evil. 
 
 And when the woman saw that the tree was good 
 for food, and that it was pleasant to the eye, and 
 a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of 
 the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto 
 her husband, and he did eat. 
 
 And their eyes were opened, and they knew that 
 they were naked ; and they sewed fig leaves together 
 and made themselves aprons. 
 
 And they heard the voice of God in the garden in 
 the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid 
 themselves amongst the trees of the garden. And 
 God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where 
 art thou ? 
 
 And Adam said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, 
 and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid 
 myself. And God said, Who told thee that thou
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 13 
 
 wast naked ? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I 
 commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And 
 the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be 
 with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 
 
 And God said unto the woman, What is this that 
 thou hast done ? And the woman said, The serpent 
 tempted me, and I did eat. 
 
 And God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast 
 done this, thou art cursed above every beast of the 
 field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt 
 thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put 
 enmity between thee and the woman, between thy 
 seed and her seed. He shall bruise thy head, and 
 thou shalt bruise his heel. 
 
 Unto the woman God said, I will greatly multiply 
 thy sorrow, and thy husband shall rule over thee. 
 
 And unto Adam God said, Because thou hast 
 hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten 
 of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, 
 Thou shalt not eat of it, cursed is the ground 
 for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the 
 days of thy life. Thorns also, and thistles shall it 
 bring forth, and thou shalt eat the herbs of the 
 fields. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread 
 till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast 
 thou taken ; dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou 
 return. 
 
 And Adam called his wife Eve, because she was to 
 be the mother of all living. 
 
 And God made coats of skins and gave them to 
 Adam and Eve, and clothed them. 
 
 And God sent Adam and Eve out of the garden of 
 Eden, and He placed Cherubim at the east of the 
 garden of Eden, and a naming sword which turned 
 every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
 
 14 
 
 CONVERSATION II. 
 
 Mamma. "What do we read of the serpent? 
 
 Esther. That he was more cunning than any of the 
 beasts of the field. 
 
 Mamma. How did the serpent tempt Eve ? 
 
 Ada. He told her that the fruit of the tree would make 
 her wise, and that she would not die as God had said. 
 
 Mamma. Did Eve yield to the temptation ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, she eat of the fruit, and gave also to her 
 husband, and he did eat. 
 
 Mamma. After Adam and Eve had eaten of the fruit, 
 what did they? 
 
 Esther. They sewed fig leaves together, and made 
 themselves aprons. 
 
 Mamma. What did Adam and Eve do when they heard 
 the voice of God in the garden ? 
 
 Esther. They hid themselves amongst the trees. 
 
 Ada. Was not this very foolish? Ought they not to 
 have known that they could not hide themselves from 
 God? 
 
 Mamma. Had they thought properly they would have 
 known that there was no place in which they could hide 
 themselves from God ; and I hope, my dear children, you 
 will remember this. If ever you are tempted to do anything 
 wrong, think that God can always see you, even when no 
 human being is at hand. 
 
 Esther. Is it not strange that God should have asked 
 Adam and Eve what they had done ? He must have 
 known. 
 
 Mamma. God knows everything, my dear child, both 
 things that have happened, and that will come to pass ; 
 but in reading the whole history, as given in the Bible, we 
 find that God deals with all human beings, and speaks to
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 15 
 
 them in language they can understand. By asking Adam 
 what he had done, God gives him the opportunity of con- 
 fessing his sin, thus, in a measure, repenting. Now, tell 
 me, Esther, how did Adam answer when God asked him 
 concerning his sin ? 
 
 Esther. He said, " The woman whom thou gavest to 
 be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." 
 
 Mamma. And when the woman was asked, upon whom 
 did she endeavour to lay the blame ? 
 
 Esther. Upon the serpent. 
 
 Mamma. How were Adam and Eve punished for their 
 disobedience ? 
 
 Esther. They were driven out of the garden of Eden, 
 and were compelled to labour hard for their bread. They 
 were also told, that their bodies should return to the dust 
 from which they were taken. 
 
 Ada. Does it not appear that the punishment of Adam 
 and Eve was very severe in proportion to the crime they 
 had committed ? 
 
 Mamma. 1 do not object to your question, my dear 
 Ada, although we should know that all God's decrees must 
 be just. I am glad to find that you think about our read- 
 ings. It is not always easy to understand God's ways, but 
 in this instance I do not think that the punishment should 
 appear to us too severe, when we consider that God had 
 given to Adam and Eve everything they could desire, 
 and had only commanded them to abstain from the fruit 
 of this one tree, in order to prove their obedience to 
 His will. 
 
 Ada. But, dear Mamma, God did not give Adam and 
 Eve the reason for his command. 
 
 Mamma. Most truly he did not. What lesson does 
 this history teach us? I see you have not thought ot 
 it. I believe it to be this, that we should at all times 
 act exactly in obedience to God's law ; and must on no 
 account wait until we can understand the reasons for which 
 commands have been given, but perform everything we 
 find written in the law. 
 
 Ada. Do you mean then, Mamma, that it is wrong to 
 try to find out reasons for the commands God has 
 given us ?
 
 16 THE WAY OF TRUTH, 
 
 Mamma. By no means, my dear; in trying to dis- 
 cover the reasons for God's commands to us, we are sure 
 to become more convinced of His goodness and mercy ; 
 many things which are not clear to us at first become 
 so upon study. What I wish to impress upon you is, 
 that we may be certain all God has desired us to do is for 
 our own good. 
 
 Esther. But, Mamma dear, I do not as yet know 
 nearly all that the Bible teaches us to do. 
 
 Mamma. For which reason, my darling, God has com- 
 manded children to obey and honour their parents ; for 
 your parents will surely direct you in all that is right. In 
 the same way as Adam and Eve should have obeyed God 
 so should you obey your parents. That is to say, do exactly 
 as they tell you, even though you question their reasons 
 after you have obeyed their wishes. 
 
 Esther. Mamma dear, we have said nothing about the 
 serpent. 
 
 Mamma. You are a good girl to remind me of this 
 before we finish our conversation to-day. Do you not re- 
 member how he was punished ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, he was condemned to crawl in the dust 
 all the days of his life, and he was told " that there should 
 always be enmity between his seed and the seed of the 
 woman." Mamma dear, did all the animals speak in the 
 time of Adam and Eve? 
 
 Mamma. I cannot tell you, my dear. I can only speak 
 positively of such things as the Bible tells us. It is quite 
 possible that the animals spoke, for Eve showed no surprise 
 when she was addressed by the serpent.
 
 17 
 
 READING III. 
 
 AND God gave unto Adam and his wife a man 
 child, and they called his name Cain. And again 
 another son, and they called his name AbeL And 
 Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain became a 
 tiller of the ground. 
 
 And Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an 
 offering to God. And Abel brought the firstlings 
 of his flock and the fattest of them. 
 
 And God had respect unto Abel and his offering, 
 but unto Cain and his offering God had not respect. 
 And Cain was very wroth. 
 
 And God said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, 
 and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest 
 well, canst thou not lift it up? and if thou doest 
 not well, sin lieth at the door. Though its desire 
 be unto thee, thou shouldst rule over it. 
 
 And Cain talked with his brother Abel, and when 
 they were in the field, Cain rose up and slew his 
 brother Abel. 
 
 And God said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy 
 brother? And Cain said, I know not : am I my 
 brother's keeper? 
 
 And God said unto Cain, What hast thou done? 
 The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me 
 from the ground. And now art thou cursed from 
 the earth, which hath opened her rnouth to receive 
 thy brother's blood from thy hand. The ground 
 shall not henceforth yield the fruit of thy labour, and 
 thou shalt be a wanderer and an exile upon the 
 earth. 
 
 And Cain said unto God, My punishment is 
 c
 
 18 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 greater than I can bear; Thou hast driven me from 
 the face of the earth ; and from Thy face shall I be 
 hid ; I shall be an exile and a vagabond, and anyone 
 finding me may slay me. 
 
 And God set a mark upon Cain lest any finding 
 him should kill him. 
 
 And Cain went out from the presence of God and 
 dwelt in the land of Nod. 
 
 And Cain had a son and called his name Enoch, 
 and he built a city and called it after his son. 
 
 And the descendants of Cain were Jabal, Jubal 
 and Tubal-cain Jabal was the father of all such as 
 dwell intents Jubal was the first who taught men to 
 handle the harp and organ and Tubal-cain was the 
 first who instructed men in the working of brass 
 and iron. 
 
 After this, God gave Adam and Eve another son 
 instead of Abel, and they called his name Seth. 
 
 And Seth had a son whose name was Enos, and 
 the son of Enos was Canaan, and of Canaan Maha- 
 laleel, and of Mahalaleel Jared, of Jared Enoch, of 
 Enoch Methusaleh, of Methusaleh Lamech, of 
 Lamech Noah. 
 
 And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, 
 for God took him. 
 
 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and 
 Japheth. 
 
 And Methusaleh lived 969 years. 
 
 And Lamech was old when his son Noah was 
 born, therefore he called him Noah, which means 
 the same shall comfort us.
 
 19 
 
 CONVERSATION III. 
 
 Mamma. What was the name of Adam and Eve 
 firstborn son? and what his occupation? 
 
 Esther. His name was Cain, and he was a tiller ot the 
 ground. 
 
 Mamma. What was the occupation of Abel, their second 
 son? 
 
 Esther. He was a shepherd. 
 
 Mamma. What offerings did they each bring to God ? 
 
 Esther. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, and 
 Abel of the firstborn and fattest of his flock: 
 
 Mamma. Were they both equally acceptable to God? 
 
 Esther. No, God did not regard Cain's offering with 
 favour. Why was this, Mamma? we have not read that 
 Cain had done anything wrong? 
 
 Mamma. Until we read that Cain and Abel brought 
 these offerings, we have none of their actions recorded; 
 but it is evident from the text which follows the account of 
 God's rejection of Cain's offering that God who " sees 
 not as man seeth" knew that Cain did not bring the offer- 
 ing in a proper spirit, for if you notice we read further on, 
 that Cain must have nourished some evil desires or passions, 
 which God tells him he can subdue if he will. Can you 
 not remember the words of the text in which God addresses 
 Cain, when the latter is wroth, and his countenance fallen? 
 
 Ada. Yes; God said to him, " Why art thou wroth ? 
 and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, 
 canst thou not lift it up ? and if thou doest not well, sin 
 lieth at the door. Though its desire be to thee, thou shalt 
 rule over it."* 
 
 Mamma. I wish you, my dear children, to think well 
 
 * See Gen. iv. 7, with notes of De Sola, Lindenthal and 
 Raphael.
 
 20 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 over these words, and, indeed, over the whole history of 
 the actions of Cain and Abel ; we should never read of the 
 actions of others without endeavouring to profit by them 
 ourselves, to avoid the wrong and imitate the right. Can 
 you tell me the lesson we may learn from the history we 
 have just read? 
 
 Ada. Will you tell us, dear Mamma? I have some 
 idea, but I do not think I can explain it as well as you 
 will. 
 
 Mamma. Firstly, then, we may learn that if we pray 
 to God, or give offerings of charity, neither our prayers 
 nor our offerings will be acceptable to Him unless they are 
 offered in a true spirit of thankfulness; or if they be sin 
 offerings, unless we sincerely repent of our misdeeds; that 
 is to say, try to amend our ways, and do better in future. 
 
 Secondly we may learn, that although we may have 
 evil desires, and feel tempted sometimes to do wrong> it is 
 in our power to subdue our passions and act in accordance 
 with the will of God. / also firmly believe, my dear 
 children, that if we pray sincerely to God He will help us 
 to do right. If you, Esther, do not quite understand what 
 we have been saying, you will do so when you are older. 
 Now, darling, tell me, when Cain was alone with his 
 brother what happened ? 
 Esther. Cain slew Abel. 
 
 Mamma. How did Cain answer when asked by God, 
 Where his brother Abel was? 
 
 Esther. He said, " I know not. Am I my brother's 
 keeper ?" 
 
 Mamma. What further sin did Cain commit besides 
 slaying his brother? 
 
 Esther. He told an untruth. 
 
 Ada. Was it not foolish as well as wicked of Cain to 
 tell an untruth? God knew what he had done; for, as 
 you have told us before, dear Mamma, God can always 
 see us. 
 
 Mamma. You are right, my dear, and I hope you will 
 always remember this. I also wish you to think of the 
 real fault which led to Cain's great crime, which was envy; 
 Cain envied his brother because he saw that God favoured
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 21 
 
 him; and, instead of trying to imitate him and become 
 better himself, he was angry. We should all remember this 
 whenever we feel the least inclined to be envious of others 
 who may succeed better than ourselves. It is right to try 
 to be as good as possible ourselves, but very wrong to try 
 to make other people appear worse than they are, in order 
 that we may be thought better. Envy is a sin we are apt 
 to commit much oftener than we have any idea of, and we 
 should be very careful to guard against it. What punish- 
 ment did God inflict upon Cain? 
 
 Esther. He forbade the ground to yield the fruit of his 
 labours, and condemned him to be a wanderer and an 
 exile. 
 
 Mamma. What did God do to Cain to prevent anyone 
 from killing him ? 
 
 Esther. God set a mark upon him. 
 
 Mamma. The word " Nocf" means exile ; Cain then went 
 into exile, and the land was afterwards so called from this 
 circumstance. What do we next learn concerning Cain? 
 
 Ada. That he built a city which he called by the name 
 of his son Enoch. 
 
 Mamma. What is remarkable of Cain's descendants? 
 
 Ada. That Jabal was the first man who dwelt in tents, 
 Jubal the first who taught the use of musical instruments, 
 and Tubal-cain the first who taught men to work in brass 
 and iron. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me from which of Adam and 
 Eve's sons the present human race is descended? 
 
 Ada. From Seth, the third son, whom God gave to 
 Adam and Eve, instead of Abel whom Cain slew. 
 
 Mamma. Can you name the patriarchs who lived before 
 the flood ? 
 
 Ada. Yes; they were Adam, Seth, Enos, Canaan, 
 Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, Lamech, and Noah. 
 
 Mamma. Can you remember a son of Cain was named 
 Enoch? This was not the same Enoch of whom we read, 
 " that he was a good man, and walked with God, and he 
 was not, for God took him." 
 
 Esther. What do you mean, dear Mamma, by saying 
 that Enoch walked with God?
 
 22 THE \VAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Mamma. It means, my dear, that he did all that was 
 right and pleasing in God's sight. 
 
 Ada. We are taught that Enoch was taken to heaven 
 without dying, but I do not see that it is so written in the 
 Bible. 
 
 Mamma. The Bible does not relate this fact in words 
 which we can translate into English plainly, but it does not 
 say that Enoch died, as is said of all the other patriarchs. 
 The words of the text are " Enoch was not, for God took 
 him." We therefore believe that, as a reward for his 
 righteousness, God permitted him to enter another state of 
 existence, without suffering the pain of death. 
 
 Esther. Were there also two Lamechs, Mamma? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear; there was one the descendant 
 of Cain, and another who was the father of Noah. Can 
 you tell me the meaning of Noah's name? 
 
 Ada. It means " the same shall comfort us." 
 
 Mamma. Who was the oldest man? 
 
 Esther. Methusaleh. 
 
 Mamma. How many years did he live? 
 
 Ada. Nine hundred and sixty-nine years.
 
 HEADING IV. 
 
 AND when men increased upon the earth they 
 forsook the ways of God, and became very wicked, 
 and the earth was filled with strife. 
 
 And God said, I will destroy men from off the 
 earth. But Noah found favour in the sight of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Noah was a just man, and perfect in his genera- 
 tions, and walked with God. Noah had three sons 
 Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 
 
 And God told Noah to make an ark of gopher 
 wood, to make rooms in it, and to pitch it within 
 and without with pitch. 
 
 And God told Noah the size he was to make the 
 ark, and He told him to make a window in it, and 
 God also told Noah how he should divide the rooms. 
 
 And God told Noah that He would bring a flood 
 of water upon the earth to destroy all flesh ; but that 
 Noah, his wife, his sons, and his sons' wives, with 
 pairs of every living creature, should be brought into 
 the ark to be saved. 
 
 And God commanded Noah to take into the ark 
 seven pairs of all beasts that were clean, and two of 
 all animals that were unclean, and food to keep 
 them alive. 
 
 And Noah did all that God commanded him, and 
 went into the ark wih his wife, and his sons, and 
 their wives, and all the living creatures as God had 
 commanded him, and God shut them in. 
 
 And all the fountains of the great deep were 
 broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
 
 24 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And the flood was upon the earth forty days and 
 forty nights. 
 
 And the waters bore up the ark above the earth. 
 And all the mountains that were under the heavens 
 were hid in the water, and all flesh died that moved 
 upon the earth. 
 
 And Noah only was left together with those that 
 were with him in the ark. And the waters were upon 
 the earth one hundred and fifty days. 
 
 And after that time God remembered Noah, and 
 every living creature that was with him in the ark, 
 and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the 
 waters abated. 
 
 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the 
 seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains 
 of Ararat. 
 
 And the waters decreased until the tenth month; 
 and on the first day of the month the tops of the 
 mountains were seen. 
 
 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that 
 Noah opened the window of the ark, and sent forth a 
 raven, which went to and fro until the waters were 
 dried up from off the earth; he sent forth a dove 
 also, but the dove found no place of rest for the 
 sole of her foot, and she came back into the ark; 
 and Noah put forth his hand and took her in 
 again. 
 
 And he stayed yet other seven days, and again he 
 sent forth the dove out of the ark, and the dove 
 came in to him in the close of the day, and lo ! in 
 her mouth was an olive leaf, plucked off; so Noah 
 knew that the waters were going back from off the 
 earth. 
 
 And he waited other seven days, and sent forth the 
 dove, which came not again into the ark. 
 
 And Noah looked, and behold, the face of the 
 earth was dry.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 25 
 
 And God said unto Noah, Go forth out of the 
 ark, thou, and all that are with thee, and bring 
 them forth, that they may increase and fill the 
 earth. 
 
 And Noah did as God commanded him.
 
 26 
 
 CONVERSATION IV. 
 
 Mamma. Why did God bring a flood of waters upon 
 the earth to destroy it? 
 
 Esther. Because mankind had become very wicked. 
 
 Mamma. Who alone found favour in the sight of God ? 
 
 Esther. Noah. 
 
 Mamma. Can you remember, Ada, the words of the 
 text in which we are given the reason that Noah was saved, 
 when the rest of mankind perished ? 
 
 Ada Yes, dear Mamma, we find written, that " Noah 
 was a just man, perfect in his generations, and walked with 
 God." 
 
 Esther. What is the meaning of " perfect in his genera- 
 tions" ? 
 
 Mamma. By this expression, I think we are to under- 
 stand, not that Noah was perfect, for there is no man who 
 " doeth good and sinneth not," but that in comparison 
 with the people amongst whom he lived he was perfect, 
 which means that he did not fall into any of the sins that 
 were common with them. " In his generations," I believe, 
 means, in the time in which he lived. Have you thought 
 of the lesson that may be learned from Noah's conduct, 
 and the reward he received ? 
 
 Esther. Do you mean, Mamma, that we should always 
 try to be good? 
 
 Mamma. That is certainly correct; but this lesson we 
 may learn by studying the result of any one of the Biblical 
 characters. The history of Noah teaches us more especi- 
 ally to consider for ourselves, what is really right or 
 wrong, and not to be " led by the multitude to do evil." 
 Can you explain to us, Ada, in what manner the position 
 of Noah was particularly trying ? 
 
 Ada. I believe you mean, dear Mamma, what I have
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 27 
 
 often thought of, namely, that Noah must have found 
 it more difficult than we should, to do right, being 
 surrounded as he was by people who were ail acting 
 wickedly, and whom I should fancy must have laughed 
 at him for persevering in the right path, and most likely 
 disbelieved that God had commanded him to build the ark. 
 
 Mamma. You have taken exactly the view I desired 
 of the subject. I am very pleased that you have ex- 
 pressed yourself so fully. I trust you will rememl er 
 through life the lesson I am particularly anxious to im- 
 press upon your memory ; that you will always persevere 
 in doing all that you know to be right, and have suffi- 
 cient firmness to carry out the precepts of the Bible and 
 the instructions of your teachers, even if you should be 
 thrown amongst people who may laugh at you for so doing, 
 and ridicule those observances which you have been taught 
 to consider as sacred. 
 
 Ada and Esther. We will try, dear Mamma, always to 
 think of what is right, and to remember all you tell us. 
 
 Mamma. And if you feel inclined to do wrong, or 
 are not quite sure of what is right when I am not 
 near, and you have no kind teacher by to guide you, 
 will you pray to God to direct you ? 
 
 Esther. But, Mamma, will the great God listen to the 
 prayers of a little child like myself? 
 
 Mamma. My darling, there is nothing too small or too 
 insignificant to be cared for by our Almighty Father. He 
 loves all His creatures, small as well as great, and I firmly 
 believe will give us strength to do right, if we pray 
 sincerely for His help. You must not think that God is 
 unmindful of you if He does not grant your petition imme- 
 diately ; God knows better than we do ourselves what is 
 good for us, and it is often in mercy that He does not 
 grant us our desires. You know /love you, my darling, yet 
 I am often obliged to forbid you many things you would 
 like to do, and cannot always give you reasons for my com- 
 mands ; but we shall have further opportunity of talking 
 about prayers as our Bible history advances. There is 
 yet one great virtue Noah possessed that we have not 
 considered perhaps Ada can tell us what I mean ?
 
 28 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Ada. I think you mean, dear Mamma, the great faith 
 lie must have had in the truth of God's word to have 
 commenced building the ark a Avhole hundred years before 
 the flood was to take place. 
 
 Mamma. Exactly, my dear. Now let Esther tell me 
 the names of Noah's three sons who were saved with 
 him in the ark ? 
 
 Esther. Noah's sons were, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 
 
 Mamma. Why is Shem mentioned first when he was 
 not the eldest of Noah's sons ? 
 
 Ada, Because it was from him that Abraham was 
 descended, and he was the forefather of the Israelites, of 
 whose history the Bible specially treats. 
 
 Mamma. How was Noah saved when the waters covered 
 the whole earth ? 
 
 Esther. He was saved in the ark which God had com- 
 manded him to make. 
 
 Mamma. What did Noah take with him into the 
 ark? 
 
 Ada. Pairs of every living thing and sevens of all clean 
 animals and birds. 
 
 Esther. What is meant by clean animals? 
 
 Mamma. The animals which we are now allowed to 
 use for food, and that were used before the law was given 
 for sacrifice. 
 
 Esther. How did Noah know when he was to leave 
 the ark ? 
 
 Mamma. I think you ought to have, been able to tell 
 me this. Ada will do so since you forget. 
 
 Ada. At the end of forty days and forty nights, Noah 
 sent out a dove which returned to the ark ; he then 
 waited seven days, and again sent out the dove, which 
 returned, bearing an olive leaf in her mouth. After 
 having waited another seven days, he again sent out the 
 dove, which returned no more, so he knew that she must 
 have found a place to rest on. 
 
 Mamma. How long did the rain continue to fall ? 
 Esther. Forty days and forty nights.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 29 
 
 Mamma. Did Noah leave the ark immediately that 
 he knew that the earth was dry? 
 
 Ada. No ; he waited until God commanded him to go 
 forth. 
 
 Mamma. What did God say to Noah and his family ? 
 
 Esther. He blessed them and said, Be fruitful, and 
 multiply, and replenish the earth.
 
 30 
 
 BEADING V. 
 
 AND Noah and his family went forth from the ark. 
 
 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took 
 of all clean heasts, and of all clean birds, and did 
 offer them upon the altar with fire unto the Lord ; 
 and God accepted the offering. 
 
 And God said, I will not again curse the ground 
 for man's sake, neither will 1 again smite every living 
 thing as I have done. 
 
 While the earth lasts, seed-time and harvest, cold 
 and heat, summer and winter, and day and night, 
 shall not cease. 
 
 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto 
 them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth. 
 
 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall 
 be upon the fowls of the air, and upon all that 
 moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of 
 the sea ; into your hands shall they be given. 
 
 Each moving thing that liveth shall be meat for 
 you; even as the green herb have I given you all 
 things. 
 
 But the flesh with the life thereof, which is the 
 blood, you shall not eat. 
 
 And surely your own blood will I require, of every 
 soul will I require it, and at the hand of every man 
 will I require the life of man his brother.* 
 
 Whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his 
 blood be shed. 
 
 And God spake unto Noah and to his sons, saying, 
 
 * See Supplementary Notes to Messrs. De Sola, Lindenthal, 
 and Dr. Raphael's Genesis, Chap, ix., p. 52, note d.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 31 
 
 Behold, I establish my covenant with you and with 
 your seed after you, that all flesh shall no more be 
 cut off by the waters of a flood, neither will I 
 destroy the earth any more. 
 
 And God said, This is the sign of my covenant with 
 Noah, and every living creature for ever. 
 
 My bow I have set in the cloud. And when the 
 bow shall be in the cloud, I will look upon it, to 
 remember the covenant between me and every living 
 creature that is upon the earth. 
 
 And the descendants of Noah increased and multi- 
 plied, and journeyed eastward, and all the people 
 of the earth were of one language, and they feared 
 lest they should be scattered abroad over the face of 
 the earth, and they said, 
 
 C6me, let us build a city and a tower, whose top 
 may reach to heaven ; and they made brick, and 
 burned them. Thus they had brick for stone, and 
 slime for mortar. 
 
 And when God saw what they had done He con- 
 founded their language so that they could not under- 
 stand each other. 
 
 Therefore the name of the city was called Babel, 
 and God scattered the people over the face of the 
 earth. 
 
 And these are the generations from Noah to 
 Abram. 
 
 Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Eeu, Serug, 
 Nahor, Terah, Abram.
 
 32 
 
 CONVERSATION V. 
 
 Mamma. When Noah left the ark, in what manner did 
 he endeavour to show his gratitude to God for having pre- 
 served himself and his family alive? 
 
 Esther. He built, an altar and offered burnt offerings 
 thereon. 
 
 Mamma. After Noah had left the ark, what promise 
 did God make to him ? 
 
 Esther. God promised that He would no more destroy 
 the earth for man's sake. 
 
 Mamma. What did God tell Noah should be a sign 
 that He would remember His promise? 
 
 Esther. The rainbow. 
 
 Mamma. In what manner do we, in the present day, 
 remember and thank God for this promise? 
 
 Ada. You mean, Mamma, the blessing which we say 
 whenever a rainbow is visible. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear ; can you repeat this blessing 
 in Hebrew and in English? 
 
 Ada. lw nn?n -qn DTiyn ^70 ijrpfj 
 
 ' ' T 
 
 Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, 
 who remembereth the covenant ; is faithful to His covenant, 
 and firm in His promise. 
 
 Mamma. What did God give to Noah and his de- 
 scendants for food? 
 
 Ada. God gave them permission to eat of the flesh 
 of the animals. Do you think, Mamma, that men had not 
 eaten of the flesh of animals before the flood? 
 
 Mamma. It is probable that they had not, for God only 
 gave Adam and Eve the herbs that is, vegetables and 
 fruit for food. And we are expressly told that God gave 
 permission to Noah and his family to eat of the flesh of 
 the animals. God also placed a restriction upon this per- 
 mission ; do you remember what this was ?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 33 
 
 Ada. Yes, Noah was forbidden to eat the blood of the 
 animals with the flesh. How do we fulfil this command, 
 Mamma? 
 
 Mamma. After the animals we use for food have been 
 killed so that the blood flows freely according to the com- 
 mand " Thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water" 
 a little further preparation is considered necessary by our 
 Rabbis. Have you not noticed that our meat is put in 
 water for half-an-hour, then in salt for an hour, and after- 
 wards well washed in clean water before we attempt to 
 cook it? 
 
 Ada. I have seen the meat in water and in salt, but did 
 not know that it remained in either for any fixed time, 
 neither had I thought of the reason. You spoke just now 
 of our Eabbis, dear Mamma; I thought Moses was the 
 only lawgiver whose laws we considered as binding ? 
 
 Mamma. You are right, my dear child, in so far that 
 we should be wrong in following the precepts of any 
 teacher if they were opposed to those laws given us by 
 Moses. When we consider ourselves bound by the 
 precepts of our Rabbis or teachers, it is because they 
 were wise men who devoted their time to the study of 
 . God's law, and have considered the best way of fulfilling 
 the commands which God gave us through Moses. 
 
 Esther. But, dear Mamma, can we not read the Bible 
 for ourselves ? Are we not told in it everything we ought 
 to do? 
 
 Mamma. In the Bible we are given direct commands, 
 but we are not always told how to fulfil them; we can 
 have no better instance of this than the command we have 
 just been discussing. God told Noah not to eat the blood 
 of the animal ; but we find no further particulars as to the 
 method of killing or preparing the meat. If we each read 
 for ourselves, some might think they did sufficient if they 
 did not actually mix the blood with their food; others 
 might think that even the juices of the meat should be 
 extracted, and as many laws will bear different readings, 
 it is necessary to have for our guidance fixed rules. And 
 these rules have been made by pious men who studied 
 from time to time.
 
 34 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Esther. Do you mean to say, Mamma, that the Rabbis 
 can never be wrong ? 
 
 Mamma. Certainly not, my dear child. All human 
 beings are liable to err. All I would wish to impress upon 
 your mind is, never to forsake any observance that you 
 have been taught to conform to, unless you find it is one 
 which contradicts the spirit of our Holy Law. If, as you 
 grow older, there are some observances which appear 
 irksome to you, or you think unnecessary, pray do not 
 neglect them until you have taken time to consider, and 
 are thoroughly convinced that there is nothing in the Bible 
 to sanction them. 
 
 Esther. Do you think any of our. observances irksome, 
 dear Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. I do not think of any that I consider so but 
 everyone does not think as I do. 
 
 Ada and Esther. I hope we shall always think as you 
 do, dear Mamma. 
 
 Mamma. My dear children, we are chattering and we 
 have not quite finished our questions on this chapter. 
 When. Noah's descendants had become numerous, what did 
 they propose to do? 
 
 Esther. To build a city and a tower, whose top should 
 reach to heaven. 
 
 Mamma. For what purpose did they wish to build the 
 tower so high? 
 
 Ada. To make themselves a name, and to prevent them- 
 selves from being scattered over the face of the earth. 
 
 Mamma. In what manner was their design frustrated? 
 
 Esther. God confounded their language so that the 
 people could not understand each other. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me what the place was called, 
 and the meaning of the word? 
 
 Ada. Yes, it was called Babel, which means confusion. 
 
 Mamma. Name the generations from Noah to Abram. 
 
 Ada. Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Keu, 
 Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram.
 
 READING VI. 
 
 OP the race of Shem was Terah, the father of 
 Abrarn, and the uncle of Lot. 
 
 Now God said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy 
 country, Ur of the Chaldees, and from thy kindred, 
 and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will 
 shew thee. 
 
 And I will make of thee a great nation, and 
 I will bless thee, and make thy name great ; and 
 thou shalt be a blessing : and I will bless them that 
 bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in 
 thee shall all the people of the earth be blessed. 
 
 And Abram went, as the Lord had spoken unto 
 him ; and Lot went with him, for Haran, Abram's 
 brother (the father of Lot), had died in the land of 
 his birth. 
 
 And Abram was seventy and five years old when 
 he went out of Haran, where they had dwelt after 
 they left Ur, and where Terah died, whose days 
 were two hundred and five years. 
 
 Abram had taken Sarai to wife, but she had no 
 child. 
 
 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his nephew, 
 and all their substance, and all the souls which they 
 had gotten in Haran ; and they went forth to go into 
 the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan 
 they came. 
 
 And Abram passed through the land into the 
 place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. 
 
 And God appeared to Abram, and said, Unto thy
 
 36 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 seed will I give this land: and Abram builded an 
 altar there unto the Lord. 
 
 And Abram went from thence unto a mountain 
 on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having 
 Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east; and 
 there he builded an altar unto the Lord. And he 
 called on the name of the Lord. 
 
 And Abram went on toward the south. 
 
 Abram went into Egypt to sojourn there ; for 
 there was a grievous famine in the land where 
 he dwelt. 
 
 And it came to pass, when Abram was come 
 near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai 
 his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a 
 fair woman to look upon ; therefore it shall come 
 to pass, that when the men of Egypt shall see thee, 
 that they will say, She is his wife, and they will kill 
 me, but they will save thee alive. 
 
 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may 
 be well with me for thy sake ; and my life be saved 
 because of thee. 
 
 And it came to pass, when Abram was come into 
 Egypt, that the princes of Pharaoh saw Sarai, and 
 beheld that she was very fair ; and they praised her 
 before Pharaoh, and she was taken into his house. 
 
 And he treated Abram well for her sake; and he 
 had sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and 
 servants. 
 
 And God plagued Pharaoh, because of Sarai, 
 Abram's wife. 
 
 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is 
 this that thou hast done? why didst thou not tell 
 me that she was thy wife ? I might have taken her to 
 be my wife. Now, therefore, take her, and go thy way. 
 
 And they sent Abram away, and his wife, and all 
 that he had. 
 
 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 37 
 
 wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into 
 the south. 
 
 And Abram was very rich in cattle, and silver, 
 and in gold. 
 
 And he went on his journey from the south, 
 even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had 
 been, and where he had built an altar unto the Lord, 
 between Bethel and Hai ; and there Abram called 
 upon the name of the Lord. 
 
 And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, 
 and herds, and tents. 
 
 And the land was not able to bear them ; their 
 substance was so great, that they could not dwell 
 together. 
 
 And there was strife between the herdsmen of 
 Abram' s cattle, and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. 
 
 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no 
 strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, for we are 
 brethren. 
 
 Is not the whole land before thee ? Remove thyself, 
 I pray thee, from me. If thou wilt take the left 
 hand, then I will go to the right; if thou depart to 
 the right hand, then I will go to the left. 
 
 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan east- 
 ward, for it was well watered and fertile. 
 
 And Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot 
 dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent 
 towards Sodom. 
 
 But the men of Sodom were very wicked before 
 the Lord.
 
 38 
 
 CONVERSATION VI. 
 
 Mamma. When God appeared to Abram and com- 
 manded him to leave Ur of the Chaldees, can you remember 
 the words in which this command was given? 
 
 Ada. God said, " Get thee out of thy country, Ur of 
 the Chaldees, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's 
 house, unto a land that I will shew thee." 
 
 Mamma. Do you remember the promise God made 
 Abram at this time? 
 
 Ada. Yes, God said, " I will make of thee a great 
 nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; 
 and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that 
 bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thee 
 shall all the people of the earth be blessed." 
 
 Mamma. Do you understand the meaning of these 
 words? 
 
 Ada. Not quite, dear Mamma; I do not understand 
 how all the nations of the earth could be blessed through 
 Abram. 
 
 Mamma. When I have explained this, I think you 
 will not find it difficult to understand; but we must, in 
 order to do so, anticipate our history. You are aware that 
 Abram was the father of our own nation that is, the 
 Jewish or Israelitish nation; so when we read, through 
 Abram, we understand through his descendants. Now, to 
 our nation the law was first given. This law contains all 
 the precepts of morality which are to this day acknowledged 
 by the whole civilised world : wherever these precepts are 
 not acknowledged, men cannot dwell together in peace and 
 safety : thus through us the whole world is blessed. 
 
 Ada. Ought we then to try to make all our neighbours 
 Jews? 
 
 Mamma. By no means : God has never told us that the
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 39 
 
 Jewish form of worship was the only one acceptable to 
 Him ; Jews have never believed this. Our Rabbis teach us 
 that the righteous of all nations are equally acceptable to 
 God, or, figuratively speaking, " Have a seat in the kingdom " 
 of Heaven" 
 
 Esther. Then, Mamma, why are we glad that we are 
 born Jews? 
 
 Mamma. I will answer your question by another. If I 
 were to permit you to do anything for me, would you not 
 be delighted with the privilege ? 
 
 Esther. Certainly, dear Mamma; if you trust me to go 
 over your cupboards, or your wardrobe, I am always 
 pleased ; but I do not see what this has to do with the 
 question. 
 
 Mamma. Then listen attentively, and I think you will 
 understand. We that is, the Jewish nation have been 
 chosen by God to confer His blessing upon mankind by 
 preserving, in its purity, the law which He gave through 
 Moses to our forefathers, and by showing to the world at 
 large, through our example, that this law is one to make 
 men good, honest and useful. Is not this a great privilege? 
 
 Ada. It is indeed, dear Mamma; but Jews are not 
 always better than their neighbours. 
 
 Mamma. I am sorry to say we do not always fulfil the 
 precepts of the beautiful law which God has given us ; if 
 we did, we must be as good as it is possible for human 
 beings to become. I think now you understand the blessing 
 given to Abram. 
 
 Ada and Esther. Yes, dear Mamma, and we will try 
 to learn and to perform all the Bible teaches us, or we shall 
 not be worthy of the great name we bear. 
 
 Mamma. I pray God, my darlings, you may always 
 have strength to do what is right. Now let us have a few 
 more questions and answers upon the history of Abram 
 that we have been reading about. Who accompanied 
 Abram upon his journey? 
 
 Esther. Sarai his wife, and Lot his nephew. 
 Mamma. Why was Lot with Abram? 
 Esther. Because Haran, his father, Abram's brother, 
 had died in the land of his birth.
 
 40 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Mamma. To what place did Abram first journey ? 
 
 Ada. To Sichern, in the land of Canaan. 
 
 Mamma. What promise did God make to Abram at 
 Sichem ? 
 
 Esther. That He would give the land of Canaan to 
 Abram's descendants. 
 
 Mamma. What caused Abram to leave Canaan and go 
 into Egypt ? 
 
 Esther. There was a famine in the land of Canaan. 
 
 Mamma. When Abram came into Egypt, what did he 
 request of Sarai? 
 
 Ada. He desired Sarai to say she was his sister, for he 
 feared lest the men of the place should kill him for her 
 sake. 
 
 Esther. Was it not very wrong of Abram to ask his 
 wife to tell an untruth? 
 
 Mamma. It was wrortg, and if you reflect you will 
 perceive that Abram suffered severely on account of it, for 
 Sarai was separated from him in consequence. 
 
 Esther. Then Abram was not always a good man? 
 
 Mamma. Do not say that, my darling; Abram did some 
 things that were wrong. We must not excuse any 
 incorrect action ; it is easy for us to know whether the act 
 in itself is right or wrong, but it is not for mortals to 
 judge their fellow men. God alone knows whether the 
 person is good or bad, as He alone can know the thoughts 
 and motives that influence their actions. 
 
 Esther. Then, Mamma, if I know anyone does wrong, 
 I must not say he is wicked. 
 
 Mamma. Certainly not; but you must be careful not to 
 do the same thing: it would be decidedly wicked of you, 
 for you would be aware that you were doing wrong. Now 
 tell me, why did Abram and Lot separate? 
 
 Esther. Because there was not sufficient food for their 
 cattle, and the herdsmen quarrelled. 
 
 Mamma. Have you noticed how generously Abram 
 acted towards Lot? Do you remember his words to Lot 
 upon this occasion? 
 
 Ada. He said, " Let there be no strife between us, for 
 we are brethren. Is not the whole land before thee ?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 41 
 
 Remove thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou wilt take the 
 left, I will take the right ; if thou depart to the right, then 
 I will go to the left." 
 
 Mamma. What part of the country did Lot choose? 
 
 Esther. The plain of Jordan, for it was well watered 
 and fertile. 
 
 Mamma. What cities were near this plain? 
 
 Esther. Sodom and Gomorrah. 
 
 Mamma. What is remarked of the inhabitants of these 
 cities? 
 
 Esther. That they were very wicked.
 
 42 
 
 READING VII. 
 
 ABRAM dwelt in the land of Canaan. 
 
 And God said unto Abram, Lift up now thine 
 eyes, and look from the place where thou art, north- 
 ward and southward, and eastward and westward ; 
 for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give 
 it, and to thy seed for ever. 
 
 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the 
 earth. 
 
 Arise, walk through the land in the length and 
 in the breadth of it, for to thee will I give it. 
 
 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and 
 dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and 
 built there an altar unto the Lord. 
 
 And it came to pass that many kings of the lands 
 made war, and they took all the goods of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, and all their victuals. 
 
 And they took Lot and his goods, and went their 
 way. 
 
 And there came one who had escaped and told 
 Abram. 
 
 And when Abram heard that Lot was taken 
 captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his 
 house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them 
 unto Dan ; and brought back Lot and his goods, and 
 the women and the people. 
 
 And the King of Sodom went out to meet Abram 
 on his return from the slaughter. 
 
 And the King of Salem brought forth bread and 
 wine ; he was a priest of the Most High God.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 43 
 
 And the King of Salem blessed Abram and said, 
 Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor 
 of heaven and earth, and blessed be the Most High 
 God, who hath given thine enemies into thy hand. 
 And he gave him tithes of all. 
 
 And the King of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me 
 the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 
 
 And Abram said to the King of Sodom, I have 
 lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the Most High 
 God, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not 
 take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldst say I 
 have made Abram rich : 
 
 Save only that which the young men have taken, 
 and the portion of the men which went with me, let 
 them take. 
 
 After these things the word of the Lord came unto 
 Abram in a vision, saying, 
 
 Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, thy exceeding 
 great reward. 
 
 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give 
 me, seeing I go childless, and lo! one born in my 
 house is my heir. 
 
 And behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, 
 saying, This shall not be thine heir ; but he that 
 shall be thine heir shall be thine own son. 
 
 And God brought Abram forth abroad, and said 
 unto him, Look now towards heaven, and tell the 
 stars if thou be able to number them. 
 
 And God said unto Abram, So shall thy seed be. 
 
 And Abram believed in the Lord, and God counted 
 it to him for righteousness. 
 
 And God said unto Abram, I am the Lord that 
 brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee 
 this land to inherit it. 
 
 And Abram said, Lord God, whereby shall I know 
 that I shall inherit it ? 
 
 And God said unto him, Take a heifer of three
 
 44 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a 
 turtle dove, and a ram of three years old, and a 
 young pigeon. 
 
 And he took unto him all these, and parted them 
 in the midst, and laid each piece one against another, 
 but the birds parted he not. And when the fowls 
 came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them 
 away. 
 
 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep 
 fell upon Abram, and lo ! a horror, dark and great, 
 fell upon him. 
 
 And the Lord said unto Abram, Know of a surety 
 that thy seed shall be strangers in a land that is not 
 theirs, and they shall serve and be afflicted our 
 hundred years. 
 
 And also, that nation whom they shall serve, will 
 I judge; and afterwards shall they come out with 
 great substance. 
 
 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace ; thou 
 shalt be buried in a good old age. 
 
 But after four hundred years they shall come 
 hither again. 
 
 And it came to pass that when the sun went down, 
 and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a 
 burning lamp that passed between those pieces 
 
 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with 
 Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, 
 from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the 
 river Euphrates.
 
 45 
 
 CONVERSATION VII. 
 
 Mamma. After Abram had separated from Lot, what 
 promise did God make to him ? 
 
 Ada. God promised that Abram's descendants should 
 inherit the land of Canaan, and that they should be as 
 numerous as the dust of the earth. 
 
 Mamma. What caused Abram to arm his servants, and 
 to pursue the kings who had made war upon Sodom ? 
 
 Esther. Lot, Abram's nephew, had been taken prisoner. 
 
 Mamma. Did Abram accept a portion of the spoil 
 offered to him by the King of Sodom ? 
 
 Ada. No ; he refused it, saying, " I will not take any- 
 thing that is thine, lest thou shouldst say, I have made 
 Abram rich." 
 
 Esther. But why, dear Mamma, do you think Abram 
 so particularly objected that the King of Sodom should say 
 he had made Abram rich ? 
 
 Mamma. I think that Abram wished to show the King 
 of Sodom that he accepted the increase of his riches as a 
 blessing from God, and that he did not wish to feel himself 
 indebted to man. Also, that he had made war with no 
 idea of profit to himself ; and that it was only right to do 
 so in defence of one's self, or one's kindred. Do you re- 
 member how God signified His approval of Abram's con- 
 duct in this affair ? 
 
 Ada. Yes ; God appeared to him in a vision, saying, 
 " Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding 
 great reward." 
 
 Mamma. What promise did God make to Abram at 
 this time ? 
 
 Esther. That he should have a son. 
 
 Mamma. When Abram fell asleep at the setting of the 
 sun, what were the words he heard in his vision ?
 
 46 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Ada. He heard God say, " Know of a surety that thy 
 seed shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and 
 they shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four 
 hundred years." 
 
 Mamma. After Abram's descendants had been in this 
 strange land four hundred years, what did God promise to 
 do to this nation ? 
 
 Ada. God promised that He would judge this nation, 
 and that Abram's descendants should come forth with great 
 substance. 
 
 Mamma. This prophecy was fulfilled by the sojourning 
 of the children of Israel in Egypt, and their subsequent 
 redemption. What district of the country was promised 
 to Abram for his descendants ? 
 
 Ada. The country lying between the river of Egypt 
 and the Euphrates.
 
 47 
 
 BEADING VIII. 
 
 AFTER Abram had dwelt ten years in Canaan, and 
 Sarai had no child, Sarai gave her handmaid, Hagar, 
 an Egyptian, to Abram to wife, that he might obtain 
 children by her. 
 
 But when Hagar knew that she should have a 
 child, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 
 
 And Sarai told Abram, and said, The Lord judge 
 between me and thee. And Abram said to Sarai, 
 Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it 
 pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with 
 her, she fled from her face. 
 
 And the angel of the Lord found her by a spring, 
 in the way of Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's 
 maid, whence comest thou? and whither wilt thou 
 go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress, 
 Sarai. 
 
 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return 
 unto thy mistress, and submit thyself unto her 
 hands, and I will multiply thy seed greatly, that it 
 shall not be numbered for multitude. Thou shalt 
 have a son, and his name shall be called Ishmael ; 
 because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he 
 will be a wild man ; his hand will be against every 
 man, and every man's hand against him; and he 
 shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. 
 
 And Hagar said, Thou God seest me. And Hagar 
 bare Abram a son, and he called his name Ishmael. 
 
 When Abram was ninety and nine years old, God 
 appeared unto him, and said, I am the Almighty 
 God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I
 
 48 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 will make My covenant between Me and thee, and 
 will multiply thee greatly. 
 
 And A.bram fell on his face, and God spake to bim, 
 saying, I am the Almighty. Behold, My cove- 
 nant is with thee; thou shalt become a father of 
 many nations. 
 
 Thy name shall no more be called Abram, but 
 thy name shall be called Abraham; for a father of 
 many nations will I make thee, and my covenant 
 shall be with thee and with thy seed after thee for an 
 everlasting covenant. 
 
 This is my covenant. Every male child among 
 you shall be circumcised, and if he be not circum- 
 cised that soul shall be cut off from among his 
 people. 
 
 And Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt no longer call 
 Sarai; her name shall be Sarah. And I will bless 
 her, and give her also a son, and she shall be the 
 mother of nations. 
 
 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed ; 
 therefore was his son's name called Isaac. And God 
 said, I will establish my covenant with Isaac, and 
 with his seed after him. 
 
 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael 
 might live before thee ! And God said, As for 
 Ishmael, I have heard thee ; behold, I have 
 blessed him. 
 
 And Abraham was ninety and nine years old 
 when he entered into the covenant, and Ishmael 
 was thirteen years old. 
 
 And the Lord appeared unto Abraham, in the 
 plains of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in 
 the heat of the day : and he lifted up his eyes and 
 looked, and lo, three men stood by him ; and when 
 he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent 
 door, and bowed himself towards the ground, and 
 said:
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 49 
 
 My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, 
 pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant; let a 
 little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your 
 feet, and rest yourselves under the tree ; and I will 
 fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts. 
 After that ye shall pass on, since ye have once passed 
 by your servant. 
 
 And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And 
 Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and 
 said, Make ready three measures of fine meal, knead 
 it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham 
 ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and 
 good, and gave it unto a young man to dress it. And 
 he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had 
 dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by 
 them under the tree, and they did eat. 
 
 And they said, Where is Sarah, thy wife ? And 
 Abraham said, Behold, in the tent. And the angel 
 said, Lo Sarah thy wife, shall have a son. And 
 Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind 
 him, and she laughed within herself. 
 
 And he said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah 
 laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety have a child who 
 am old ? Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? I 
 will return unto thee according to the time of life, 
 and Sarah shall have a son. 
 
 And the men rose up thence, and looked towards 
 Sodom ; and Abraham went to bring them on their 
 way.
 
 50 
 
 CONVERSATION VIII. 
 
 Mamma. When Hagar had, at Sarai's request, become 
 Abraham's wife, and knew that she would have a child, 
 how did she behave to Sarai? 
 
 Esther. She despised her. 
 
 Mamma. When Sarai complained to Abram of Hagar's 
 conduct, what did he say? 
 
 Ada. He said, " Behold, thy maid is in thy hand: do 
 to her as it pleaseth thee." 
 
 Mamma. When Sarai dealt hardly with Hagar, what 
 happened? 
 
 Esther. Hagar fled into the wilderness. There an 
 angel of God addressed her, and told her to return, and 
 submit herself to her mistress. 
 
 Mamma. Did the angel say anything further to 
 Hagar? 
 
 Ada. Yes, he told her she should have a son, and that 
 his name should be called Ishmael, which means " God 
 heareth," for God had heard her affliction. 
 
 Mamma. Can you remember how God addressed 
 Abram after the birth of Ishmael? 
 
 Ada. God appeared to Abram, and said, " I am the 
 Almighty God H^S (El Shadday) ; walk before me, 
 and be thou perfect." 
 
 Mamma. At this time God changed Abram's name and 
 the name of his wife Sarai; can you remember the signifi- 
 cation of Abraham and the promise given at the same 
 time? 
 
 Ada. Abraham means father of many nations ; and 
 God promised at this time that Sarah should have a son. 
 
 Mamma. Why was this son to be called Isaac ? 
 
 Esther. Because when Abraham was told that Sarah 
 should have a son, he rejoiced and laughed.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 51 
 
 Mamma. You understand, then, that Isaac means 
 laughter. What was Abraham's prayer for Ishmael? 
 
 Ada. He said, " O that Ishmael might live before 
 Thee?" 
 
 Esther. What does this mean, Mamma? Did Abraham 
 think that Ishmael would die ? 
 
 Mamma. We do not understand by the words of 
 Abraham's prayer that he feared any immediate danger for 
 Ishmael, but that he prayed that Ishmael might prosper in 
 God's presence, and do what was right in His sight. 
 
 Esther. Did God grant Abraham's prayer ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, God told Abraham that He would bless 
 Ishmael, and that he should become the father of nations. 
 From Ishmael are descended many of the Arab tribes, and 
 most of the Mahometans, which nations believe in " One 
 God" only, and are forbidden by their laws to worship 
 idols. 
 
 Esther. When Abraham saw the three men he does 
 not appear to have known that they were jmgels. 
 
 Mamma. You are right, my dear; he took them for 
 travellers, and treated them as such, with that courtesy and 
 hospitality which was the custom of the country in which 
 he lived. 
 
 Esther. It seems very strange that Abraham should 
 have brought the angels water to wash their feet. 
 
 Mamma. You will not think it strange when you learn 
 that, in ancient days, and even in the present day, in the 
 East (where Abraham dwelt), people did not wear shoes 
 and stockings, but sandals. The roads being hot and 
 sandy, washing the feet was a very necessary refreshment. 
 Esther. What are angels, dear Mamma ? The angels 
 that appeared to Abraham could not have had wings like 
 those I see in your picture Bible, or Abraham must have 
 known that they were not men ? 
 
 Mamma. I am glad to find that you think carefully 
 over our readings, although you have asked me a some- 
 what difficult question. I cannot undertake to tell you 
 what angels really are; they may be some class of beings 
 superior to man; the same Creator who formed men can 
 form whatsoever He pleases. All that it concerns us to
 
 52 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 know is, that whatever may be the nature of angels, they 
 are entirely subservient to the will of the Almighty. The 
 word '=1^?'? (Mol-och) angel means simply messenger, 
 and may even be applied to a human being, sent on a 
 mission from the Almighty. I must caution you, my dear 
 child, to form no ideas from the pictures you see in Bibles 
 edited by persons who are not of our faith ; most of the 
 plates are taken from the paintings of Catholics, or even 
 Heathens, who entertain very different ideas from our own. 
 
 Ada. We read that Abraham brought butter and milk 
 with the meat which he set before the angels, was not this 
 wrong ? 
 
 Mamma. There are many customs observed at the 
 present day, which were unknown to Abraham. The law 
 was not given until four hundred years after this time, 
 therefore he could not be said to transgress it. Tell me, 
 Esther, what was the angel's mission to Abraham ? 
 
 Esther. They told Abraham that Sarah his wife should 
 have a son. 
 
 Mamma. When Sarah laughed, thinking it improbable, 
 after having been so many years without children, she 
 ehould now have a son, what did the angel say ? 
 
 Esther. He said, " Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
 
 53 
 
 READING IX. 
 
 AND God said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing 
 which I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall 
 become a great and mighty nation, and all the 
 nations of the earth shall be blessed in him ! 
 
 For I know him, that he will command his chil- 
 dren, and his household after him. And they shall 
 keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and 
 justice in order that the Lord may bring upon Abra- 
 ham that which He hath spoken of him. 
 
 And the Lord said, Because the sins of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah are very great, I will go down now, and 
 see whether they have done like to the cry of it, 
 which has come up before me. 
 
 And the men turned their faces from there, and 
 went towards Sodom. But Abraham stood yet before 
 the Lord. 
 
 And he drew near and said, Wilt thou destroy the 
 righteous with the wicked? That be far from thee. 
 If there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt thou 
 not spare the place for the fifty righteous that may 
 be therein? Will not the judge of all the earth do 
 right? 
 
 And the Lord said, If I find fifty righteous within 
 the city, then will I spare all the place for their 
 sakes. 
 
 And Abraham said, Behold now, I have taken 
 upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust 
 and ashes : if there lack five of the fifty righteous 
 wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five ? And 
 God said, If I find forty and five, I will not destroy it.
 
 54 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Abraham spake again, and said, If there shall 
 be forty found there ? And God said, I will not 
 destroy it for forty's sake. 
 
 And Abraham said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, 
 and I will speak ; if there should be thirty found ? 
 And God said, I will not do it for thirty's sake. 
 
 And Abraham said, Behold, now, I have taken 
 upon me to speak unto the Lord : if there shall be 
 twenty found ? And God said, I will not destroy it 
 for twenty's sake. 
 
 And Abraham said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, 
 and I will speak but this once : if ten shall be found 
 there ? And God said, If ten shall be found there I 
 will not destroy it, for ten's sake. And the Lord 
 went his way ; and Abraham' returned unto his own 
 place. 
 
 And there came two angels at even to Sodom ; 
 and Lot sat in the gate, and seeing them, rose up to 
 meet them ; and bowed himself with his face towards 
 the ground. And said, Behold now, my lords, turn 
 in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and wash 
 your feet, and tarry all night, and ye shall rise up 
 early, and go your ways. 
 
 And they turned in ; and he made a feast, and 
 they did eat. And they said unto Lot, Hast thou 
 any here besides thy sons and thy daughters ? What- 
 soever thou hast in this place, bring them out, for 
 we will destroy it, because the cry of them has waxen 
 great before the Lord, who has sent us to destroy it. 
 
 And Lot went out, and spake unto the men who 
 had married his daughters, and said, Up, get ye out 
 of this place ; for the Lord will destroy this city ; 
 but he seemed as one that mocked unto them. 
 
 And when the morning arose the men said, Arise, 
 take thy wife and thy daughters which are here, lest 
 thou be consumed. And while he lingered, the men 
 laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his 
 two daughters, the Lord being merciful unto him.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 55 
 
 And they brought him forth, and set him without 
 the city, and said, Escape for thy life, look not be- 
 hind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain ; escape 
 to the mountains, lest thou be consumed. 
 
 And Lot said, Oh, not so, my Lord, behold now, 
 this city is near, to flee unto, and it is a little one. 
 Oh, let me escape thither (is it not a little one ?) 
 and my soul shall live. 
 
 And he said unto Lot, See, I have accepted thee 
 in this thing; also; I will not destroy this city, for 
 which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither, 
 for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. 
 Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 
 
 Then God rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah 
 brimstone and fire out of heaven, and overthrew those 
 cities of the plain, and all the people, and that which 
 grew upon the ground. 
 
 But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a 
 pillar of salt. 
 
 And Abraham got up early in the morning to the 
 place where he stood before the Lord ; and he looked 
 toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the 
 land of the plain, and lo ! the smoke of the country 
 went up as the smoke of a furnace. 
 
 And Lot went up, and dwelt in the mountains, 
 and his two daughters with him.
 
 56 
 
 CONVERSATION IX. 
 
 Mamma. Do you 'remember why God said that He 
 would make known to Abraham the judgment He was 
 about to bring upon Sodom and Gomorrah ? 
 
 Ada. Because Abraham was to become a great and 
 mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth were to be 
 blessed through him. 
 
 Mamma. In this instance God gives us His reason for 
 having thus favored Abraham. Can you repeat the words 
 of the text ? 
 
 Ada. God said of Abraham, " For I know him that he 
 will command his children, and his household after him. 
 And they shall keep the way of the Lord to do righteous- 
 ness and justice." 
 
 Esther. Does it not appear presumptuous of Abraham 
 that he should have renewed his prayer so often, after God 
 had promised to grant Avhat he asked ? 
 
 Mamma. It is natural to think so on first reading this 
 history; but we find that God was not displeased with 
 Abraham. Therefore we are led to consider the lesson which 
 this chapter is intended to convey to us, namely, that God 
 approves of men being merciful towards their fellow 
 creatures, and that we should not rejoice in the punish- 
 ment of sinners. We are also shown the great mercy of 
 God, for had there been but ten righteous people in the 
 cities, God would have saved the whole for the sake of the 
 ten. 
 
 Ada. Do you think, Mamma, that Abraham endea- 
 voured to teach the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and 
 tried to make them any better. 
 
 Mamma. It appears to me, my dear, that he did all 
 that was in his power. When he refused presents from the 
 Sodomites after the rescue of Lot and their own people, it 
 was doubtless with the view of showing them strict justice,
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 57 
 
 and trust in God. It is only by example that we can hope 
 to influence others ; we cannot force upon them our reli- 
 gious convictions. 
 
 Ada. Do you think, then, that we ought not to try to 
 teach other nations our own religion ? 
 
 Mamma. I think we ought to endeavour to bring all 
 nations to acknowledge the " one true God," but this must 
 not be done by trying to convert them to our religion; our 
 chief aim should be, to make ourselves worthy of the bless- 
 ing of Abraham by shewing to other nations that it is to 
 the Jew they must look for examples of justice, judgment, 
 mercy, and proper teaching of the laws of God to their 
 children and their households. 
 
 . Ada. I do not quite understand how we can shew 
 justice and judgment when we have no longer a country 
 or judges of our own. 
 
 Mamma. You think, then, that there can be no justice 
 or judgment, but of such cases as are brought before a 
 court of law; you have forgotten the many transactions of 
 every day life, the treatment of each other, of our servants, 
 and indeed of every one we may have to deal with, in all 
 the relations of life. We should be more careful of our 
 conduct, and are more to blame than people of other 
 nations if we do not act with the strictest honour. 
 
 Esther. Why, dear Mamma, ought we to be better than 
 other people ? 
 
 Mamma. For two reason: firstly, because as the law 
 was given to us we ought to know better than others; 
 secondly, when a Jew acts in the slightest way dishonour- 
 ably, he brings discredit upon the whole of his nation. 
 Now tell me, Esther, how did Sodom and Gomorrah 
 fall? 
 
 Esther. They were destroyed by brimstone and fire 
 which God rained from heaven upon them. 
 
 Mamma. To what city did Lot make his escape ? 
 
 Esther. To Zoar. 
 
 Mamma. What became of Lot's wife ? 
 
 Ada. She looked back upon the cities and became a 
 pillar of salt. 
 
 Mamma. We should learn from her fate implicit
 
 58 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 obedience to the commands of God. Lot's family were 
 specially enjoined not to look behind them. We do not 
 suppose that Lot's wife was miraculously changed into a 
 pillar of salt, but that the substances that were falling on 
 the city overtook her, and being covered with them, she 
 stood there a pillar of resinous matter. Travellers at the 
 present day find remains of the bituminous substance in the 
 region where these cities are supposed to have stood. The 
 Dead Sea covers a great portion of the land upon which 
 Sodom and Gomorrah, Admar and Zeboim were built. 
 In this sea it is said nothing can live, and birds as they fly 
 over its surface are often killed by the vapours which 
 ascend irom it. After the destruction of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah we hear no more of Lot, but we are told that 
 the Ammonites and' Moabites (so frequently mentioned in 
 the Scripture History), are descended from his daughters.
 
 59 
 
 BEADING X. 
 
 AND Abraham went toward the south country, and 
 dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and abode for a 
 time in Gerar. 
 
 And the Lord visited Sarah as He had spoken, and 
 she bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set 
 time of which God had said. And Abraham called 
 the name of his son, whom Sarah bare to him, 
 Isaac. 
 
 And Abraham was one hundred years old when 
 his son was born. And the child grew, and was 
 weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the 
 day that Isaac was weaned. 
 
 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar mocking, where- 
 fore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bond- 
 woman and her son ; for the son of the bondwoman 
 shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And 
 the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight, 
 because of the lad. 
 
 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not grieve 
 thee, because of the lad, and because of thy bond- 
 woman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee do; 
 for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 
 
 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make 
 a great nation, because he is thy seed. 
 
 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and 
 took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto 
 Hagar, and sent them away. And they departed 
 into the wilderness of Beersheba. 
 
 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she 
 cast her son under one of the shrubs, and went and
 
 60 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 sat down over against him a good way off, as it were 
 a bowshot ; for she said, Let me not see the death of 
 the child. And she lift up her voice and wept. 
 
 And God heard the voice of the lad ; and the 
 angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and 
 said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; 
 for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is 
 arise, and lift him up, and hold him in thine hand, 
 for I will make of him a great nation. 
 
 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of 
 water ; and she went and filled the bottle with water, 
 and gave the lad to drink. 
 
 And God was with him, and he grew and dwelt 
 in the wilderness of Paran, and became a great 
 archer ; and his mother took him a wife out of the 
 land of Egypt.
 
 61 
 
 CONVERSATION X. 
 
 Mamma. Where did Lot and his daughters dwell after 
 the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah ? 
 
 Esther. They dwelt in the mountains. 
 
 Mamma. Did Abraham remove ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, and dwelt for a time in Gerar. 
 
 Mamma. How old was Abraham when his Son Isaac was 
 born ? 
 
 Esther. He was one hundred years old. 
 
 Mamma. Why were Hagar and Ishmael sent away ? 
 
 Esther. Because Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac. 
 
 Ada. Does it not appear very unkind of Abraham to 
 allow them to be sent away from their home ? 
 
 Mamma. It certainly does appear so when we first read 
 this chapter, but if you consider the subject, you will find 
 that God told Abraham to listen to Sarah's voice ; therefore 
 it must have been right that they should go. We are apt 
 to fancy Ishmael a little child, while in fact he was more 
 than thirteen years of age. We may learn from this 
 history that, if brothers cannot agree well together, it is 
 better that they should be separated than that an ill feeling 
 should grow up between them. You will find that when 
 Isaac and Ishmael had both grown to manhood they must 
 have been on friendly terms, for after Abraham's death 
 their names are mentioned together as having buried their 
 father. 
 
 Esther. How was it, dear Mamma, that Hagar thought 
 that Ishmael would die when they had drunk all the 
 water ? 
 
 Mamma. Because, my dear, in a hot country such as 
 they were travelling in, thirst becomes absolutely painful 
 and dangerous. You are quite right to ask any question, 
 and try to ascertain the reason of anything that may
 
 62 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 appear strange to you in our Bible history, but you must 
 not expect always to receive answers that you can under- 
 stand at present. The events of our history took place in 
 a country very different from the one we live in ; therefore 
 to understand many of our customs, it is necessary to learn 
 a great deal more of the land of Canaan and the surround- 
 ing countries than I can undertake to teach you in our 
 simple conversations. When you are older, you will be 
 able to read for yourself the accounts of travellers that will 
 interest you. Now, tell me what became of Ishmael in the 
 words of the text, if you remember them? 
 
 Esther. " God was with him, and he grew and dwelt 
 in the wilderness of Paran, and became a great archer 
 and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt." 
 
 Mamma. "What do you understand by the words " God 
 was with him ?" 
 
 Ada. That God protected him.
 
 63 
 
 READING XI. 
 
 AND it came to pass about this time that Abimelech 
 and Fhichol, his captain, spake to Abraham, saying, 
 God is with thee in all that thou doest. 
 
 Now, therefore, swear unto me that thou wilt not 
 deal falsely with me nor with my children after me, 
 but that thou wilt do unto me according to the kind- 
 ness I have done unto thee. 
 
 Then Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham 
 reproached Abimelech on account of a well of water 
 which Abimelech's servants had violently seized. 
 But Abimelech said, I know not who hath done this 
 thing, nor have I heard of it until to-day. 
 
 Then Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave 
 them unto Abimelech, and both of them made a 
 covenant. 
 
 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs by themselves, 
 and Abimelech said, What mean these seven ewe 
 lambs? 
 
 Then Abraham said, It is that thou shalt take 
 them of me as a witness that I have digged this well. 
 Therefore Abraham called the place Beersheba, 
 because there both of them sware. 
 
 And Abimelech and Phichol returned into the land 
 of the Philistines. 
 
 And Abraham planted a grove and called on the 
 name of the Lord, the everlasting God. And Abra- 
 ham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many 
 days. 
 
 And it came to pass, after these things, that God
 
 64 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 tried Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham ! And 
 he said, Behold, here I am. 
 
 And God said, Take now thy son, thine only son 
 Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land 
 of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering, 
 upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee of. 
 
 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and 
 saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with 
 him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for a 
 burnt offering, and went unto the place of which God 
 had told him. 
 
 Then, on the third day, Abraham lifted up his 
 eyes, and saw the place afar off. And he said unto 
 the men, Abide you here with the ass, and I and the 
 lad will go yonder, and worship, and come again to 
 you. 
 
 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offer- 
 ing, and laid it upon his son Isaac; and he took the 
 fire in his hand and a knife ; and they went together. 
 
 And Isaac said, My father. And Abraham 
 answered, Here am I, my son. And Isaac said, 
 Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb 
 fora burnt offering? 
 
 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Him- 
 self a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went on 
 together. 
 
 And they came to the place which God had told 
 him of; and he built an altar there, and laid the wood 
 in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him upon 
 the altar on the wood. And Abraham stretched 
 forth his hand to slay his son. 
 
 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of 
 heaven, and said, Abraham ! Abraham ! And he 
 said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand 
 upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him, 
 for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou 
 hast not withheld thine only son from me.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 65 
 
 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and 
 behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his 
 horns. And Abraham went, and took the ram, and 
 offered him up for a burnt offering, instead of his son. 
 And Abraham called the name of that place Adonai 
 Jireh. 
 
 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham 
 the second time, saying 
 
 By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because 
 thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy 
 son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee 
 and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, 
 and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore, arid thy 
 seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy 
 seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed : 
 because thou hast obeyed my voice. 
 
 And Abraham returned unto his young men, and 
 they rose up and went to Beersheba, where Abraham 
 dwelt.
 
 66 
 
 CONVERSATION XL 
 
 Mamma. Do you remember why Abimelech said that 
 he wished to make a covenant of peace with Abraham ? 
 
 Ada. Because he saw that God was with him in all 
 things. 
 
 Mamma. Before Abraham concluded the treaty, on 
 what account did he reproach Abimelech? 
 
 Esther. On account of the well of water which Abi- 
 melech's servants had violently taken from Abraham's 
 servants. 
 
 Mamma. What answer did Abimelech make to this 
 charge? 
 
 Esther. He said, " he knew not who had done so, 
 neither had he heard of it at all until this day." 
 
 Mamma. Have you noticed that in the days of Abra- 
 ham, as in the present days, gifts were considered a sign 
 of goodwill and friendship? 
 
 Ada. Yes; I did remark that Abraham set aside seven 
 ewe lambs which he offered to Abimelech. I have also 
 noticed that most places that are mentioned in the Bible 
 derive their names from circumstances that took place in 
 their vicinity. 
 
 Mamma. I am glad you have remarked this, for if you 
 remember the names of the places, you will through the 
 signification of them, be reminded of the events to which 
 they allude. Tell Esther the name Abraham gave to the 
 well, and its signification? 
 
 Ada. Abraham called the well y?E?"lN? Beir Shobang, 
 which means " Well of the oath." 
 
 Esther. May I ask you a question, dear Mamma? I 
 am not sure that it is right to do so, but I should like to 
 know why God told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a 
 burnt offering? If God knows all our thoughts, as you 
 have often told me He does, He would have known that
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 67 
 
 Abraham would do as He commanded, and need not have 
 tried him. 
 
 Mamma. My dear child,! never object to any questions 
 you may ask as long as you try to learn. 
 
 This is a very natural question, and has occurred to wiser 
 and older minds than yours. I cannot pretend to explain 
 to you all the ways of our Almighty Father; but of this 
 you may rest satisfied, that He is good and just. As 
 regards the trial of Abraham's faith, I think (and I believe 
 some of our teachers who have studied the Bible are of 
 the, same opinion) that God tried Abraham in this way, in 
 order to show MS, how much he would sacrifice at the com- 
 mand of God. For although God certainly must have 
 known what Abraham would do, we should not have had 
 the example, had not this deed been recorded in our Bible. 
 
 Esther. How can Abraham's conduct in this instance be 
 an example for us ; we are never likely to be tried in the 
 same way ? 
 
 Mamma. Certainly, my dear, we could never be simi- 
 larly tried, for we know that God would not accept a human 
 sacrifice ; but there are many ways in which men may 
 follow Abraham's example. If we give up all prospects of 
 wealth, or worldly advancements, in order to observe the 
 Sabbath or any other of God's laws, we are in part follow- 
 ing Abraham's example. 
 
 Ada. Do you mean then, Mamma, that by Abraham's 
 willingness to sacrifice Isaac we should learn to have per- 
 fect faith in God, and to know that whatever He commands 
 us is for our good ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, this is the lesson I think this 
 history is meant to teach us; also, that however our incli- 
 nation may lead us to act otherwise, we should always en- 
 deavour strictly to obey the Law of God, and rest assured 
 that our Almighty Father will never try us beyond our 
 powers of endurance. 
 
 Esther and Ada. We will try to remember this, dear 
 Mamma. Will you not read us a little more to-day ? 
 
 Mamma. No, my dear children; I will ask one more 
 question, and then you must go and play Esther, for I have 
 given you quite enough to think about.
 
 68 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Ada. May I guess your last question, Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear; and if you are right, you may 
 answer it. 
 
 Ada. You wish us to tell you the name Abraham gave 
 to the place upon which he was to have sacrificed his son. 
 It was fi^T. V: (Adonai Jireh) which means " the Lord will 
 provide," for God had provided a ram to be sacrificed in- 
 stead of Isaac. 
 
 Esther. The ram that was caught in the thicket by its 
 horns? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, darling. Good-bye, for a little while, we 
 have had talk enough for to-day.
 
 69 
 
 READING XII. 
 
 AND Sarah was one hundred and seven and twenty 
 years old, and she died in Hebron, in the land of 
 Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah 
 and to weep for her. 
 
 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and 
 spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger, 
 and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a 
 burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead 
 out of my sight. 
 
 And they said unto him, Hear us, my lord : thou 
 art a mighty prince amongst us. In the choice of 
 our sepulchres bury thy dead. 
 
 And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the 
 people of the land, even to the children of Heth, and 
 said, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead 
 out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to 
 Ephron, the son of Zoar, that he may give me the 
 cave of Machpelah which he hath, which is in the 
 end of the field : for as much money as it is worth he 
 shall give it me for a burying-place. 
 
 And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham, in 
 the audience of all the people, and said, Nay, my lord, 
 hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is 
 therein give I thee : bury thy dead. 
 
 But Abraham said, I will give thee money for the 
 field ; take it of me, and 1 will bury my dead there. 
 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife, in 
 the cave which he bought, in the land of Canaan; 
 and which was made sure unto him for a possession.
 
 70 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And when Abraham was very old, and the Lord 
 had blessed him in all things, he said unto his eldest 
 servant, who ruled over all that he had, 
 
 Put, 1 pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and 
 swear by the God of heaven and earth, that thou 
 wilt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of 
 the land in which I dwell. But thou shalt go to my 
 country, and to my kindred, and there take a wife 
 unto my son Isaac. 
 
 And the servant said unto him, If the woman will 
 not come with me into this land, must I take thy son 
 into the land whence thou earnest? 
 
 And Abraham said unto him, Beware that thou 
 takest not my son thither again. The Lord God of 
 heaven which took me from my father's house, and 
 from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto 
 me, and which sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed 
 will I give this land, he shall send his angels before 
 thee ; and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from 
 thence. 
 
 And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, 
 then thou shalt be clear from this oath, only take 
 not my son thither again. 
 
 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of 
 Abraham, his master, and sware concerning that 
 matter. 
 
 And the servant took ten camels, and departed, 
 and went into the city of Nahor.
 
 71 
 
 CONVERSATION XII. 
 
 Mamma. How old was Sarah when she died? 
 
 Esther. One hundred and twenty-seven years. 
 
 Mamma. For what purpose did Abraham address the 
 sons of Heth ? 
 
 Either. To ask them to allow him to purchase a bury- 
 ing-place. 
 
 Mamma. Can you name the burying-place Abraham 
 wished to purchase ? 
 
 Esther. It was called the cave of Machpelah. 
 
 Ada. Do you think, Mamma, that Abraham had any 
 reason for refusing the cave and the field as a gift, when 
 Ephron theHittite offered it to him? 
 
 .Mamma. Yes, my dear, I think in the first place that 
 Abraham wished to make the possession of his burying, 
 place secure to his descendants by having paid before 
 witnesses the exact value of the cave and field. I also 
 think that the speeches of Ephron the Hittite were in a 
 measure complimentary, and that he had no more idea of 
 making Abraham a present of this land, than we have of 
 performing menial offices I'or a person to whom we may 
 subscribe ourselves, " Your obedient or humble servant;" 
 but when we have finished our conversation with Esther, 
 I will read you the notes from Kitto's edition of the 
 Bible upon this subject. I think Esther will be tired, for 
 she is rather too young to understand them. Esther will 
 tell me what occurred ai'ter the death and burial of 
 Sarah ? 
 
 Esther. Abraham called his eldest servant and made 
 him swear, that he would go to Abraham's own country to 
 seek a wife for Isaac. 
 
 Mamma. Why do you think Abraham objected that
 
 72 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 
 
 Isaac should take a wife from the daughters of the land 
 in which he dwelt ? 
 
 Ada. I suppose, Mamma, because the people of 
 Canaan were idolaters, and that Abraham feared they 
 would lead Isaac away from the worship of the true God. 
 
 Mamma. You are right, my dear ; thus you see that 
 even before our law was given, it was thought most ad- 
 visable only to marry those who shared the same religious 
 faith with ourselves. 
 
 Ada. Eleazar does not appear to have been very ready 
 to go upon his errand. 
 
 Mamma. What makes you think that, my dear ? 
 
 Ada. Because, before he would take the oath Abraham 
 required of him, he asked what he should do, if the damsel 
 were not willing to accompany him, or if her friends would 
 not let her come. 
 
 Mamma. You have not thought quite sufficiently upon 
 this subject, my dear, or, instead of fancying that Eleazar 
 made any objection to his errand, you would see what 
 a good and faithful servant he was ; how strict a re- 
 gard he had for truth, and how careful he was to make no 
 promise he could not be sure of performing. 
 
 Esther. But he did promise, Mamma. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, when Abraham told him that he felt 
 sure God would grant His protection, that He would send 
 His angels before him, and that if he did not succeed, " he 
 should be clear from the oath." 
 
 Esther. For what purpose did Eleazar take ten camels 
 with him to Nahor ? 
 
 Mamma. To serve as beasts of burden, to carry him 
 and the presents which he was taking to the relatives 
 of the woman who should be Isaac's wife, and to herself. 
 Camels are still used in the East instead of horses ; they 
 are more capable of enduring fatigue, and can exist longer 
 without water. In these countries travellers are obliged to 
 traverse sandy deserts, where sometimes there is no water to 
 be found for some distance.
 
 HEADING XIII. 
 
 AND Abraham's servant came to Mesopotamia unto 
 the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel 
 down without the city by a well of water, at the 
 time in the evening when the women go out to draw 
 water. 
 
 And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, 
 I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew 
 kindness unto my master Abraham. 
 
 Behold, I stand here by the well, and the women 
 come here to draw water: let it come to pass, 
 that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down 
 thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and 
 she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels 
 drink also: let the same be she that thou hast 
 appointed for thy servant Isaac ; and thereby shall 
 I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my 
 master. 
 
 And it came to pass before he had done speak- 
 ing, that behold, Rebekah came out with the 
 pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was 
 very fair. 
 
 And she went down to the well, and filled her 
 pitcher ; and when she was come up, the servant ran 
 to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a 
 little water out of thy pitcher : 
 
 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hastened 
 to let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him 
 drink. 
 
 And when he had done drinking, she said, I
 
 74 THE WAT OF TRUTH. 
 
 will draw water for thy camels also, until they 
 have done drinking. And she hastened, and 
 emptied her pitcLer into the trough, and ran 
 agaiu unto the well to draw water, and drew for 
 all his camels. 
 
 And the man, wondering at her, held his peace, 
 thinking that the Lord had prospered him. 
 
 And when the camels had done drinking, the man 
 took a golden earring, and two bracelets, and gave 
 them to her. 
 
 And he said. Whose daughter art thou ? And 
 she said, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son. 
 of Milcah, which she bare unto Xahor, Abraham's 
 brother. 
 
 And Elcazar said, Tell me, I pray thee, is there 
 room in thy father's house for us to lodge in? 
 
 And she said unto him, We have straw and pro- 
 vender enough, and room to lodge in. 
 
 And the man bowed down his bead, and worshipped 
 the Lord. 
 
 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my 
 master Abraham, who hast not left him desti- 
 tute of His mercy and His truth ; and hast led 
 me in the way to the house of my master's 
 brethren. 
 
 And the damsel ran and told her friends these 
 things. 
 
 And Rebekah had a brother whose name was 
 Labau : and he ran out, unto the well, to the man, 
 after he had seen the earring and the bracelets upon 
 his sister, and when he had heard the words which 
 she spake unto him. 
 
 And Laban said unto the man, Come in, thou 
 blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou 
 without, for the house and the room for the 
 camels are prepared? And the man came into 
 the house.
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 75 
 
 And Laban ungirded the camels, and gave straw 
 and provender for them, and water was set to wash 
 the man's feet, and the feet of the men who were 
 with him, and there was meat set before them to 
 eat. 
 
 But he said, I will not eat until I have told my 
 errand. 
 
 And they said, Speak on.
 
 76 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me the name of the country to 
 which Abraham's servant journeyed ? 
 
 Esther. He journeyed to Mesopotamia, and came to 
 the city of Nahor. 
 
 Mamma. Who was Nahor? 
 
 Esther. Abraham's brother. 
 
 Mamma. What was Eleazar's first act on arriving at 
 the end of his journey? 
 
 Ada. You mean, Mamma, his prayer to God that he 
 might succeed on his errand ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, have you noticed anything re- 
 markable in the way this prayer was answered ? 
 
 Esther. Oh, yes, dear Mamma; it seemed very strange 
 that Rebekah should say the very words Eleazar ha 
 prayed for. 
 
 Ada. Do you not think, Mamma, that Eleazar wished 
 to test the disposition of the woman who was to be his 
 master's son's wife ; to find out if she were obliging and 
 good natured. 
 
 Mamma. It is quite possible he may have had some 
 idea of the kind. There is more of Rebekah's disposition 
 shewn in the account we have just read, than we are 
 able to gather from a hasty perusal of the narrative. 
 
 Esther. What do you mean, dear Mamma ? We only 
 read that she went down to the well for water, and when 
 the man asked her, she gave him water and drew for his 
 camels also. 
 
 Mamma. Have you noticed that Rebekah went about 
 her duties without loitering on her way ? She did not 
 stop to gaze about, and had not noticed the traveller until 
 he accosted her.
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 77 
 
 Esther. You mean this as a lesson to me, dear Mamma, 
 that I should not stop to play and look about, when you 
 send me on a message. 
 
 Mamma. My darling, since you are willing to apply 
 the lesson you need not look so sad ; I am glad to find you 
 remember your own faults. I had quite forgotten your 
 little neglect of my message yesterday ; and since you are 
 so sorry, I feel sure you will not do the same again; so kiss 
 me, darling, and then tell me what Eleazar said to Ke- 
 bekah after she had drawn water for all his camels ? 
 
 Esther. He asked her, Whose daughter she was, and 
 gave her presents of bracelets and an earring. 
 
 Mamma. And who was the father of Rebekah ? 
 
 Esther. Bethuel. 
 
 Mamma. And Bethuel was the son of Nahor, Abra- 
 ham's brother. When Eleazar heard who Eebekah was, 
 what did he next ? 
 
 Esther. He asked, if there was room in her father's 
 house for him to lodge in. 
 
 Mamma. You are quite correct, my dear, although 
 you have not given me the answer I was thinking of. 
 
 Ada. I know what you mean, Mamma; you wished us 
 to notice, that Eleazar did not forget to thank God for 
 having granted his prayer. 
 
 Mamma. That is what I meant, and I should like you 
 to repeat the text if you can remember it. 
 
 Ada. The man bowed his head, and worshipped the 
 Lord, and he said, " Blessed be the Lord God of my master 
 Abraham, who hast not left him destitute of His mercy 
 and His truth ; and hast led me in the way to the house of 
 my master's brethren." 
 
 Mamma. When Eebekah had told her mother and her 
 brother of the presents Abraham's servant had given her, 
 and made known to them his request, how did Laban act ? 
 
 Esther. He ran directly to the man, and said, " Come 
 in, thou blessed of the Lord," and told him that the room 
 was prepared for his camels. 
 
 Mamma. And when they had come in, that is, Eleazar 
 and the men who were with him, and had washed their 
 feet, did Eleazar partake of the food that was set before him ?
 
 78 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Esther. No; he refused to do so, until he had told his 
 errand. 
 
 Mamma. You may learn from this conduct what a good 
 and faithful servant Eleazar was; he would not think of 
 his own refreshment until he had accomplished his master's 
 business. 
 
 Ada. Mamma, dear, you spoke just now of the men 
 who were with Eleazar. We did not read at first that he 
 took men with him. 
 
 Mamma. I am pleased, my dear, that you are so at- 
 tentive to our readings; your remark is correct, but such 
 omissions do not in the slightest degree impair the truth of 
 our Biblical narrative ; we know that many persons must 
 have existed who are not even mentioned in the Bible; 
 such people only are written of as were connected with 
 particular events. The men who went with Eleazar were 
 merely servants, and are therefore only casually mentioned; 
 our own sense would lead us to suppose that ten camels 
 must require more than one man to direct them.
 
 79 
 
 READING XIV. 
 
 AND Eleazar said, I am Abraham's servant. And 
 the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is 
 become great : and He hath given him flocks, and 
 herds, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and 
 maid-servants, and camels, and asses. 
 
 And Sarah, my master's wife, bare a son unto my 
 master when she was old; and unto him hath he 
 given all that he hath. 
 
 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt 
 not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the 
 land wherein I dwell; but thou shalt go unto my 
 father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife 
 unto my son. 
 
 And I said unto my master. If the woman will not 
 come with me? 
 
 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I 
 walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy 
 way, that thou mayest take a wife for my sou, of rny 
 kindred, and of my father's house. 
 
 Then when thou comest to my kindred, and if 
 they do not give thee one, thou shalt be clear from 
 thy oath. 
 
 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O 
 Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do 
 prosper the way which I go, behold, I stand by the 
 well of water, and it shall come to pass that the 
 virgin who cometh forth to draw water, and I 
 say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water from 
 thy pitcher to drink ; and she say to me, Both drink 
 thou, and I will draw water for thy camels also : let
 
 80 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 the same be the woman whom the Lord hath 
 appointed for my master's son. 
 
 And before I had done speaking, Rebekah came 
 forth, with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went 
 down unto the well and drew water, and I said unto 
 her, Let me drink, I pray thee ; and she made haste 
 and let down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, 
 Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. 
 
 And I asked her, Whose daughter art thou? and 
 she told me. And I put the earrings in her ear, and 
 the bracelet upon her arm, and I bowed down my 
 head and blessed the Lord God of my master 
 Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take 
 my master's brother's daughter unto his son. 
 
 And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly with my 
 master, tell me: and if not tell me ; that I may turn 
 to the right hand or to the left. 
 
 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The 
 thing proceedeth from the Lord ; we cannot speak 
 unto thee, bad or good. . Behold, Rebekah is before 
 thee; take her, and go, and let her be thy master's 
 son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken. 
 
 And it came to pass that when Abraham's servant 
 heard these words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing 
 himself to the earth. 
 
 And he brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels 
 of gold, and gave them to Rebekah ; he gave also to 
 her mother and to her brother precious things. 
 
 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that 
 were with him, and tarried all night ; and they rose 
 up in the morning, and he said : 
 
 Send me away unto my master ; but her mother 
 and brother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few 
 days, at the least ten ; after that she shall go. 
 
 And he said, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord 
 hath prospered my way ; send me away that I may 
 go to my master. And they said, We will call the 
 damsel and inquire at her own mouth.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 81 
 
 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt 
 thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. 
 
 And they sent away Rebekah, and her nurse, and 
 Abraham's servant, and his men. 
 
 And they blessed Rebekah, and said, Thou art our 
 kinswoman, be thou the mother of thousands of 
 millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of them 
 that hate them. 
 
 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they 
 rode upon camels, and followed the man, and went 
 on their way. 
 
 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; 
 for he dwelt in the south country. 
 
 And he went into the field to meditate at eventide ; 
 and he lifted up his eyes, and, behold, he saw the 
 camels coming. 
 
 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she 
 saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel, and took a veil 
 and covered herself; for she had said unto the 
 servant, What man is this that walketh in the field 
 to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my 
 master's son. 
 
 And he told Isaac all things that he had done. 
 
 And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother's tent, 
 and she became his wife, and he loved her, and 
 was comforted after his mother's death.
 
 82 
 
 CONVERSATION XIV. 
 
 Mamma "When Abraham's servant had told his errand, 
 and related all the circumstances of his journey, how did 
 Laban and Bethuel answer his request that they would deal 
 kindly with his master? 
 
 Ada. They said, " The thing proceedeth from the Lord: 
 we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah 
 is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's 
 son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken." 
 
 Esther. I do not not remember reading that God told 
 Laban and Bethuel to let Rebekah go. 
 
 Mamma. The words of our text do not mean that God 
 spoke directly to Laban or Bethuel, but the manner in 
 which Eleazar's prayer was answered showed so plainly 
 that Rebekah had been chosen by God to be Isaac's wife, 
 that they were convinced they ought to let her go. 
 
 Ada. Does it not seem strange that Rebekah was 
 willing to leave her home so immediately? 
 
 Mamma. Under ordinary circumstances, it would 
 certainly appear unnatural that she should have con- 
 sented to go with a stranger, to marry a man whom she 
 had never seen; but doubtless she had already heard of 
 Abraham, and the promises God had made to him, and 
 felt grateful to God that she had been chosen to be the 
 mother of a nation whose noble destiny was foretold. 
 
 Esther. Then you think she did right to leave her 
 mother? 
 
 Mamma. I think the events showed so clearly God's 
 special providence towards her, that had she shown any 
 hesitation, it would have appeared like unwillingness to 
 obey His commands. What are we told that Rebekah 
 did when she learned that it was Isaac she saw in the 
 field?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 83 
 
 Esther. She covered herself with a veil. 
 
 Mamma. You may notice here that it was the custom 
 for a bride to be veiled in the time of Abraham, as it is in 
 the present day. What do we read of Isaac? 
 
 Ada. That he was walking in the field to meditate at 
 eventide. I have thought sometimes, dear Mamma, that 
 these words might mean that he was in prayer. 
 
 Mamma. I cannot assert that you are correct my dear 
 child, but I am very pleased that you have formed the same 
 idea on the subject as myself. The evening hour, at the 
 close of a hot summer day, is a most appropriate one for 
 contemplating the beauties of nature ; thus rendering 
 silent adoration to our Maker, and giving Him the 
 prayer of the heart, even when words do not pass our 
 lips. This chapter of our Bible has always appeared to 
 me as one of its most beautiful pictures. 
 
 Esther. Pictures, dear Mamma? What do you mean? 
 Our Bibles have not always pictures. 
 
 Mamma. I did not mean painted pictures, my darling 
 but images which words raise in our minds. When you 
 read, do you not fancy that you see the people and the 
 places that are described? 
 
 Esther. O yes, Mamma, I fancy I see Isaac in the 
 field, and the camels with Rebekah and Eleazar coming 
 towards him. 
 
 Mamma. And can you not fancy, also, that you see 
 Isaac walking sadly and quietly in the stillness of the 
 evening ; that you can almost see how he is thinking 
 of the dear mother whose death he has not yet ceased 
 to mourn ; that he is calming his thoughts with a prayer 
 to his Maker, and meditating upon the beauties of 
 nature ? 
 
 Ada. Indeed, Mamma, this is beautifully described 
 in our Bible, and yet the words are very simple. 
 
 Mamma. That is one of the great beauties of our 
 Bible, both of the original in Hebrew and the English 
 version of the text. 
 
 Ada. And are we not shown forcibly Isaac's great love 
 for his mother ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear; I do not think any words
 
 84 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 
 
 could possibly be chosen, that could express more 
 beautifully Isaac's feelings for both his mother and his 
 wife. Can you repeat them ? 
 
 Ada. It is written, " And Isaac loved her, and was 
 comforted after his mother's death."
 
 85 
 
 READING XV. 
 
 THEN Abraham took another wife whose name was 
 Keturah, and she bare him many sons. 
 
 And Abraham gave all that he had unto his son 
 Isaac ; but unto his other sons Abraham gave pre- 
 sents, and sent them away from Isaac his son while 
 he yet lived, into the east country. 
 
 And Abraham lived an hundred and three score 
 and fifteen years, and died in a good old age, and was 
 gathered to his people. 
 
 And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in 
 the cave in the field of Ephron, where Sarah also 
 was buried. 
 
 And it came to pass, that after the death of 
 Abraham, God greatly blessed Isaac, and he still 
 dwelt by the well Lahairoi. 
 
 And Ishmael became the father of twelve princes, 
 who had in possession castles, and towns, and nations, 
 and they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before 
 Egypt. 
 
 And Ishmael died in the presence of all his 
 brethren, and was gathered unto his people, being an 
 hundred and thirty and seven years. 
 
 And Isaac was forty years old when he took 
 Rebekah to wife. 
 
 And Isaac entreated the Lord for Rebekah, because 
 she had no child ; and the Lord heard him, and told 
 Rebekah that she should at once become the mother 
 of two sons, who should be the heads of two nations; 
 and that the elder should serve the younger.
 
 86 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And when the first was born, he was red and hairy, 
 and she called his name Esau. 
 
 And when the second was born, he took hold of 
 his brother's heel, and they called his name Jacob. 
 Then was Isaac three score years old. 
 
 And the boys grew, and Esau became a cunning 
 hunter, and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in 
 tents. 
 
 And Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his veni- 
 son ; but Rebekah loved Jacob. 
 
 And Jacob made pottage, and Esau said unto 
 Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red 
 pottage, for I am faint ; therefore was he named 
 Edom. 
 
 And Jacob answered him, Sell me this day thy 
 birthright. 
 
 And Esau said, Behold I am at the point of 
 death, then what profit will this birthright do me 
 should I die? 
 
 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day. And he 
 sware unto him, and he sold his birthright unto 
 Jacob. 
 
 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles, 
 and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went 
 his way. 
 
 Thus Esau despised his birthright.
 
 87 
 
 CONVERSATION XV. 
 
 Mamma. Had Abraham any other children besides 
 Isaac and Ishmael ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, he had several, but you did not tell us 
 their names, dear Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. I did not read you all their names, my 
 darling, because I thought you would scarcely remember 
 them at present. When you are older you will be able to 
 read them in the laige Bible for yourself. 
 
 Esther. Why did Abraham send all his sons away from 
 him, except Isaac? 
 
 Mamma. I think he was fearful lest, after his death, 
 they might dispute with Isaac for equal shares of his pro- 
 perty ; and it was intended that Isaac should inherit thte 
 whole. Abraham, therefore, made each of his sons presents 
 in his lifetime, instead of waiting until after his death. 
 Can you remember the words of the texts in which 
 Abraham's death is related ? 
 
 Ada. " And Abraham lived an hundred and three score 
 years, and was gathered to his people." 
 
 Mamma. Do either of you understand the meaning of 
 the words " was gathered to his people." 
 
 Ada. It means that he died. 
 
 Mamma. Truly, it is the method of relating Abraham's 
 death, and is an expression which is often used instead of 
 saying of a person, " he died ;" but, it seems to imply much 
 more than the mere fact of death. 
 
 Ada. I do not quite understand you, Mamma. I 
 thought this was merely an idiom of the eastern language. 
 
 Mamma. We may call it so if we please, but does not 
 this idiom of the language, this form of speech show that 
 there was an existing belief at the time our Bible was 
 written, in the immortality of the soul ?
 
 88 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 . How does this passage show the belief, Mamma ? 
 It does not appear quite clear to me. 
 
 Mamma. Have you not observed, my dear, that 
 Abraham died far away from the graves of his own 
 kindred. Sarah was the first who was buried in the cave 
 of Machpelah where Abraham's bones also lay ; therefore, 
 the expression, " gathered to his own people " cannot mean 
 that his bones were laid with theirs, which naturally 
 leads us to conclude that the words allude to the soul, which 
 is not confined to space, and which it is supposed may re- 
 join the souls of those who have gone before. 
 
 Ada. Thank you, dear Mamma, I understand this 
 quite clearly now, and I am so glad you have told me of it, 
 for do you know I heard it said the other day, that Jews 
 did not believe in the immortality of the soul, and that 
 there was no passage in our Bible that pointed it out. 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, this is perhaps one of the 
 least clear of the many which we find throughout our Bible. 
 The idea appears to have been so generally received 
 amongst us in all ages, that it was not necessary for 
 Moses to make it known as a new fact. We must return 
 to our history, for I think this conversation is a little 
 too serious for Esther, although she is listening so intently. 
 We must give her some questions. I know she likes to 
 show me she has paid attention to our reading. Now, 
 darling, How many sons had Ishmael ? 
 
 Esther. Twelve, who became princes, and possessed 
 castles, towns, and nations. 
 
 Mamma. How old was Isaac when he took Re'bah 
 to wife ? 
 
 Esther. He was forty years old. 
 
 Mamma. What prayer did Isaac offer to God ? 
 
 Esther. That He would give children to Rebekah 
 and himself. 
 
 Mamma. Relate to me what you remember about the 
 children God gave them. 
 
 Esther. They were named Jacob and Esau. Esau 
 was red and hairy, and when they grew, Esau became 
 a hunter ; and Jacob remained at home and dwelt in a 
 tent. And Jacob made pottage, and when Esau came in
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 89 
 
 very hungry, he would not give him any until he promised 
 to sell Jacob his birthright. Was not this very unkind of 
 Jacob, Mamma ? Do you not think he ought to have given 
 Esau the pottage directly ? Jacob was not a good man. 
 Do you think he was, Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. I do think, my darling, that Jacob would 
 have acted in a much kinder and more brotherly manner 
 had he given Esau the pottage without thinking of 
 making any bargain with him. I should be sorry to see 
 any of my little children acting in a similar way towards 
 each other. You must not, however, think that Jacob was 
 a bad man on account of this fault, and the few others 
 of which we read Moses, in recording the history of the 
 patriarchs, makes no attempt to conceal their faults, and 
 if we read attentively, we shall find they never passed un- 
 punished. But there must have been much good in Jacob's 
 disposition, since we find that God assured him of His bless- 
 ing and protection. 
 
 Esther. Why did Jacob wish so much for the birth- 
 right ? 
 
 Mamma. If I answer this question according to our re- 
 ceived ideas on the subject, you will perhaps consider the 
 motive which we suppose to have actuated Jacob's conduct, 
 as some palliation for his fault; but remember, my darling, 
 I am not trying to justify the fault itself. We must never 
 do wrong, however clear it may appear to our mind, that 
 the one wrong act may lead to a good end. God will 
 always bring the good to pass if He so wills it, without our 
 intervention. But I have gone far away from our subject. 
 I could not continue, for I was fearful to mislead you ; try 
 to remember what I have said. And now I will answer 
 your question. You wished to know why Jacob was so 
 anxious to possess the birthright ? It was thought, that 
 in the patriarchal times, that is, when each family was 
 governed by its own head (the father having full control 
 over all* his children and servants) that the eldest son 
 assumed the duties of priest, that he officiated at the 
 sacrifices, and performed all the religious duties. 
 
 Esther. You think then, Mamma, that Jacob wished to 
 become the priest ?
 
 90 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, dear, I think it was this desire chiefly 
 that made him so anxious to obtain the birthright, and I 
 fancy that Esau had previously disregarded his duties, and 
 thought very little of giving them up ; for we are told, 
 " Thus Esau despised his birthright," which words seem 
 to show that he had very little regard for it, or would not 
 have parted with it so easily. 
 
 Ada. Do you not think, Mamma, that Esau was of a 
 noble and generous disposition ? 
 
 Mamma. I think Esau's character was one which we 
 are very apt to admire, but one which always does much 
 harm to the person who possesses it, as well as to others. 
 I fear he only thought at the moment of pleasing his incli- 
 nations, and in his case, as in the case of most impulsive 
 people, the impulses are often good ; but the want of self- 
 control also causes them to do many things that are wrong. 
 My darling, we have had a very long conversation to-day, 
 and I fear you will not remember all we have been talking 
 about. 
 
 Ada and Esther. I am sure we will try, Mamma ; we 
 like these morning talks so much ; we are always sorry 
 when they are over.
 
 91 
 
 READING XVI. 
 o 
 
 AND there was a famine in the land, besides the first 
 famine that was in the days of Abraham. 
 
 And Isaac went unto Gerar; and the Lord ap- 
 peared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt ; 
 dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. 
 
 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and 
 will bless thee; for unto thee and thy seed will I 
 give all these countries, and I will perform the oath 
 which I sware unto Abraham thy father; and I will 
 make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven ; 
 and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be 
 blessed. 
 
 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept 
 my charge, my commandments and my laws. 
 
 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. And the men of the 
 place asked him of his wife, and he said, she is my 
 sister ; for he feared to say she is my wife, lest, said 
 he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, 
 because she is fair to look upon. 
 
 And it came to pass when he had been there a 
 long time that the king of the Philistines saw Isaac 
 sporting with Rebekah, as he looked out of his 
 window. 
 
 And he called Isaac, and said, Behold of a surety 
 she is thy wife, and how saidst thou she is my sister? 
 And Isaac said, Because I thought I might die for 
 her. 
 
 And the king said, What is this that thou hast 
 done unto us? Thou mightest have brought guilt
 
 92 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 upon us. And he charged all his people, saying, He 
 that toueheth this man or his wife shall surely be put 
 to death. 
 
 Then Isaac sowed in the land and received in the 
 same year an hundredfold; and the Lord blessed 
 him. 
 
 And he waxed great, and went forward, until he 
 became very great ; for he had in possession flocks 
 and herds, and a great store of servants; and the 
 Philistines envied him. 
 
 And all the wells which his father's servants had 
 digged, they had stopped and filled them with earth. 
 
 And the king said unto Isaac, Go from us, for thou 
 art mightier than we. 
 
 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent 
 in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 
 
 And Isaac opened again the wells which had been 
 digged in the days of Abraham his father, and which 
 the Philistines had filled up, and he called their 
 names the same as his father had called them. 
 
 They likewise digged in the valley and found there 
 a well of springing water, and the herdsmen of Gerar 
 strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is 
 ours; and he called the name of the well Esek, 
 because they strove with him. 
 
 And he digged another well, and they strove for 
 that also; and he called the name of it Sitnah. 
 
 And they digged yet another well, and for that 
 they strove not. And he called the name of it Re- 
 hoboth ; and he said, For now the Lord hath made 
 room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. 
 
 And Isaac went up from the valley of Gerar to 
 Beersheba, and the Lord appeared to him the same 
 night, and said, I am the God of thy father Abra- 
 ham ; fear not, for I ana with thee, and will bless 
 thee, and multiply thy seed, for my servant Abra- 
 ham's sake.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 93 
 
 And lie builded an altar there, and called upon 
 the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; 
 and his servants digged there a well. 
 
 Then came the king of the Philistines and one of 
 his friends, and the chief captain of his army from 
 Gerar. 
 
 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to" 
 me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from 
 you? 
 
 And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord 
 was with thee ; and we said let there be now an oath 
 betwixt us and thee, and we will make a covenant 
 with thee that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have 
 not touched thee, nor done anything but good unto 
 thee, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art 
 now one blessed of the Lord. 
 
 And Isaac made a feast, and they did eat and 
 drink. And they arose up betimes in the morning, 
 and sware one to another ; and they departed from 
 him in peace. 
 
 And on the same day Isaac's servants came and 
 told him concerning the well which they had digged, 
 saying, We have found water ! And he called it 
 Shebah; therefore the name of the city is Beershebah 
 unto this day. 
 
 And when Esau was forty years old, he took for 
 his wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri, the Hittite, 
 and Bashemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite ; 
 which grieved Isaac and Rebekah.
 
 94 
 
 CONVERSATION XVI. 
 
 Mamma. Why did Isaac remove to Gerar ? 
 
 Esther. Because there was a famine in the land. 
 
 Mamma. Why did he not proceed to Egypt as he had 
 intended ? 
 
 Esther. Because God appeared to him, and told him to 
 remain in Gerar. 
 
 Mamma. It was at this time that God appeared to 
 Isaac, and renewed the promise He had made to Abraham; 
 that the whole world should be blessed through his descen- 
 dants. God also told Isaac His reason for conferring this 
 great blessing. Can you repeat the words of the text ? 
 
 Ada. " Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and 
 kept my commandments and my laws." 
 
 Mamma. "When Isaac was asked by the men of the 
 plain about his wife, what did he say ? 
 
 Esther. He said she is my sister. Is it not strange, 
 Mamma dear, that he should have committed the same 
 fault as Abraham ? Do you not think he ought to have 
 learned to place more faith in God ? 
 
 Mamma. It is a strange coincidence; but you must 
 not think Isaac's fault was greater than Abraham's. I see 
 you are thinking that Isaac ought to have profited by 
 Abraham's experience ; but although we know all that 
 happened to Abraham, it is not quite certain that Isaac did 
 so, Moses may have recorded events that Abraham had 
 not told to Isaac. 
 
 Esther. I did not think of that, Mamma. 
 Mamma. Did Isaac remain at Gerar after he became 
 rich and powerful ? 
 
 Esther. No; the men of the place asked him to remove, 
 because he had become mightier than they. 
 Mamma. What are we next told of Isaac ?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 95 
 
 Esther. That he opened the wells which his father had 
 digged, and which the Philistines had stopped. 
 
 Mamma. Do you remember the names by which Isaac 
 called the wells his servants digged, and his reasons for so 
 calling them ? 
 
 Ada. He called the first p^V. (I-sek), which means 
 strife, and the second rupB' Sit-nah, which means conten- 
 tion, because the herdsmen of Gerar strove with his ser- 
 vants for both of them. The third Isaac called n'13'm. 
 (Re-chow-bous), which means room, for the herdsmen strove 
 not for this one, therefore Isaac said, "The Lord hath made 
 room for us." 
 
 Mamma. Have you remarked that the relation of these 
 circumstances, prove Isaac to have been of a remarkably 
 peaceful disposition, and also shew how entirely he ascribed 
 all his success in life to God. 
 
 Ada. I have noticed that he must have been very un- 
 willing to quarrel; but what do you mean, Mamma, by 
 saying that his entire reliance on God is proved by these 
 circumstances ? 
 
 Mamma. I mean, dear, that the name he gave to the 
 last well proves his acknowledgment that he owed all 
 things to God, for he did not say now we have succeeded 
 in obtaining peace, but, " Now God hath made room for 
 us." Thus the name stood as a record of Isaac's thank- 
 fulness to his Maker. We next read of the visit of the 
 king of the Philistines to Isaac, and the treaty made be- 
 tween them. Have you any recollection of having already 
 read of similar events ? 
 
 Esther. O yes, Mamma, I remember that almost the 
 same circumstances occurred to Abraham; and the name 
 Abraham called the well was the same. The only differ- 
 ence, I remember, between the two histories is, that Isaac 
 made a feast, and Abraham gave seven lambs as a present 
 to Abimelech. 
 
 Mamma. What do we learn next of Esau ? 
 
 Esther. That he married Judith and Bashemath, both 
 daughters of the children of Heth. 
 
 Mamma. 'And, that this was a grief of mind to Isaac 
 and to Rebekah. No doubt these women were the daugh-
 
 96 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 ters of idolaters. Thus, we learn, that Isaac, like his 
 father Abraham, considered it wrong for his children to 
 intermarry with strangers, lest they might be led away 
 from the worship of the true God, and the observance of 
 His commands, and, to the present day, the same practice 
 is to be avoided.
 
 97 
 
 READING XVII. 
 
 AND it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and 
 his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he 
 called Esau, his eldest son, and said unto him, My 
 son ! And he said unto him, Behold here am I. 
 
 And Isaac said, Behold now I am old, I know not 
 the day of my death ; now then take thy quiver and 
 thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some 
 venison, and dress me savoury meat such as I love, 
 and bring it to me that I may eat j that my soul 
 may bless thee before I die. 
 
 And Bebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his 
 son. 
 
 And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, 
 and to bring it. 
 
 And llebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Be- 
 hold I heard thy father speak unto Esau, thy brother, 
 saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury 
 meat, that I may eat, and bless thee, before I die. 
 
 Now therefore my son, obey my voice according 
 to that which I command thee : Go now to the 
 flock, and fetch me two kids of the goats, and I will 
 make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he 
 loveth. And thou shalt bring it to thy father that 
 he may eat, and that his soul may bless thee before 
 his death. 
 
 And Jacob said unto llebekah his mother, Behold, 
 Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth 
 man; my father may feel me, and I shall seem to 
 
 H
 
 98 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 him as a deceiver ; and I shall bring a curse upon 
 me instead of a blessing. 
 
 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy 
 curse, my son ; only obey my voice and go and fetch 
 me them. 
 
 And he went and took them, and brought them to 
 his mother ; and she made savoury meat, such as 
 his father loved. 
 
 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest 
 son Esau, and put them upon Jacob her youngest 
 son. And she put skins of the kids upon his hands, 
 and upon the smooth of his neck. And she gave the 
 savoury meat, and the bread that she had prepared, 
 into the hand of her son Jacob. 
 
 And he came unto his father, and said, My father ! 
 And Isaac said, Who art thou, my son? And Jacob 
 paid unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn ; I have 
 done according as thou didst command me: arise, I 
 pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul 
 may bless me. 
 
 And Isaac said, How is it that thou hast found it 
 so quickly, my sou? And he said, Because the Lord 
 thy God brought it to me. 
 
 And Isaac said, Come near that I may feel thee, 
 whether thou be my son Esau or not. 
 
 And Jacob went near unto his father, and he felt 
 him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the 
 hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned 
 him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother 
 Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 
 
 And he said, Art thcu my very son Esau? and he 
 said, I am. And Isaac said, Bring it near to me, and 
 I will eat of my sen's venison, that my soul may 
 
 IT.i- * 
 
 bless thee. 
 
 And he brought it near to him, and he did eat; 
 and he brought him wine and he drank and said unto 
 Jacob, Come near now and kiss me, my son.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 90 
 
 And he came near to him, and he kissed him, 
 and he smelled his raiment, and blessed him, and 
 said, The smell of my son is as the smell of a field 
 which the Lord hath blessed. 
 
 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, 
 and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and 
 wine : let people serve thee, and nations bow down 
 to thee : 
 
 Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's 
 sons bow down to thee : 
 
 Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed 
 be he that blesseth thee.
 
 ICO 
 
 CONVERSATION XVII. 
 
 Mamma. When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, 
 what did he desire of Esau ? 
 
 Esther. He called Esau and desired him to go and hunt 
 for venison to make savoury meat, that he might eat of it 
 and bless him before he died. 
 
 Mamma. Do you know what venison is, Esther ? 
 Esther. Yes, dear Mamma, it is the flesh of deer. Why 
 do we never eat of it, if it is a clean animal ? 
 
 Mamma. Because, in this country, the deer are not 
 allowed to be caught and brought to market alive, and we 
 only eat of such animals as we know to have been killed 
 properly. Can you tell me what is next related of 
 Jacob ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, Rebekah called Jacob and told him to 
 fetch her some kids, that she might imitate the venison, 
 and that he should go in to Isaac to receive the blessing 
 intended for Esau. It was very wrong of Jacob to deceive 
 his father, but I do not think it was quite his fault ; Rebe- 
 kah ought not to have told him to do so. 
 
 Mamma. You are quite correct, my darling; it does not 
 appear that Jacob was quite Avilling to become a party to 
 this fraud, for he said to his mother, that he would appear 
 as a deceiver, and bring a curse instead of a blessing upon 
 himself; and she entreated Jacob to obey her voice, saying 
 that she would take the curse upon herself; and indeed 
 she suffered severely from this act, for in consequence of 
 it, Jacob was obliged to leave home. 
 
 Ada. Do you think, Mamma, that Rebekah did so 
 very wrong to try to secure the blessing for Jacob ? 
 Might she not have thought that she was right to do 
 anything that would cause the prophecy to be fulfilled
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 101 
 
 \vhicli was made known to her, before the birth of Jacob 
 and Esau ? 
 
 Mamma. I cannot say, my dear child, but that Eebe- 
 kah may have been actuated by this motive, and I am glad 
 to see you inclined to judge charitably of the failings of 
 others ; but you must be careful in guiding your own 
 conduct by their example, not to make the failings of great 
 characters excuses for ourselves. I again impress upon 
 you that we must " never do evil that good may come," 
 however great or good the end we hope to gain by the one 
 wrong act. God doubtless would have fulfilled His pro- 
 mise had the mother and son not resorted to this stratagem, 
 find Rebekah would have been spared the pain of parting 
 from her favorite son. Jacob paid the penalty of his share 
 in the deception, by a long and painful exile from his 
 home and country. 
 
 Ada. It does not appear that Isaac was very easily 
 deceived; he seems to have had great doubt that it was 
 Jacob instead of Esau speaking to him. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, and you may perceive that 
 although Jacob imitated his brother's appearance, he had 
 not imitated his voice and manner. The expression by 
 which he answers his father's question, as to how he found 
 the venison so quickly, we should not expect to find uttered 
 by Esau, who appears to have been of a reckless and 
 thoughtless disposition. 
 
 Esther. You mean, Mamma, when Jacob said God 
 had brought it to him. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear; do you remember the words 
 in which Isaac expresses his doubts? 
 
 Esther. Yes, Mamma ; he said, " The voice is the voice 
 of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." 
 
 Mamma. In what manner could Isaac distinguish the 
 hands of Esau from the hands of Jacob ? 
 
 Esther. Esau's hands were hairy, whilst those of Jacob 
 were smooth, therefore Kebekah put the skins of the kids 
 upon Jacob's hands. 
 
 Mamma. Can you remember the words of Isaac's 
 blessing to Jacob ? 
 
 Ada. Isaac said, " The smell of my son is as the smell
 
 102 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 of a field which the Lord hath blessed. Therefore God 
 give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth, 
 and plenty of corn and wine; let people serve thee and 
 nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and 
 let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every 
 one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth 
 thee."
 
 103 
 
 READING XVIII. 
 
 AND it came to pass as soon as Isaac had made an 
 end of blessing Jacob, and he. had scarce gone out 
 from the presence of his father, that Esau, his 
 brother, came in from hunting. And he also dressed 
 savoury meat, and brought it to his father, and said, 
 Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison that 
 thy soul may bless me. 
 
 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art 
 thou? and he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn, 
 Esau. 
 
 And Isaac trembled, and said, Who ? Where is he 
 that hath brought me venison, and I have eaten of it 
 before thou earnest, and have blessed him ? Yea, and 
 he shall be blessed. 
 
 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he 
 cried with an exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his 
 father, Bless me, even me also, O my father! 
 
 And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety and 
 hath taken away thy blessing. 
 
 And Esau said, Is he not rightly called Jacob? for 
 he hath supplanted me these two times : he took 
 away my birthright, and behold, now, he hath taken 
 away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not re- 
 served a blessing for me? 
 
 And Isaac answered, and said unto Esau, Behold, 
 I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have 
 I given to him for servants, and with corn and wine 
 have I sustained him ; and what shall I do now unto 
 thee, my son ?
 
 104 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Esau said unto liis father, Hast thou but one 
 blessing, my father ? Bless me, even me also, O my 
 father ! And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 
 
 And Isaac his father answered him and said, 
 Behold thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, 
 and of the dew of heaven from above; and by thy 
 sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother. 
 And it shall come to pass that thou shalt break his 
 yoke from off thy neck. 
 
 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing 
 wherewith his father blessed him, and he said The 
 days of mourning for my father are at hand; then 
 will I slay my brother Jacob. 
 
 And these words of Esau were told to Rebekah, 
 and she said unto Jacob, Thy brother Esau doth 
 comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. 
 
 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice : Arise, and 
 flee to my brother Laban, to Ilaran, and tarry with 
 him till thy brother's fury be turned away, and he 
 forget that which thou hast done to him : then I will 
 send and fetch thee ; why should I be deprived of 
 thy father and thee in one day ? 
 
 And Rebekah said unto Isaac, I am weary of my 
 life, because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob 
 take a wife of these, the daughters of the land, what 
 good shall my life do me ? 
 
 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and 
 charged him, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of 
 the daughters of Canaan. 
 
 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of thy 
 mother's brother, and there take a wife of the 
 daughters of Laban. 
 
 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruit- 
 ful and multiply thee, and give thee the blessing 
 of Abraham, that thou mayest inherit the land 
 wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto 
 Abraham.
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 105 
 
 And Isaac sent away Jacob, and he went unto 
 Padan Aram to Laban his uncle. 
 
 And when Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan 
 pleased not his father and his mother, he went and 
 took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, to be his 
 wife.
 
 106 
 
 CONVERSATION XVIII. 
 
 Mamma. What happened immediately after Jacob had 
 left his father's presence ? 
 
 Esther. Esau came in with the savoury meat which he 
 had prepared. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me what is related of Isaac, when 
 he discovered the deception that had been practised ou 
 him? 
 
 Ada. It is written, " and Isaac trembled exceedingly, 
 and said, Who ? Where is he that hath brought me 
 venison, and I have eaten of it before thou earnest, and 
 have blessed him ? Yea, and he shall be blessed." 
 
 Esther. But, Mamma, could not Isaac have taken the 
 blessing away from Jacob and have given it to Esau ? 
 
 Mamma. It appears not, my dear; from Isaac's manner 
 and words as here described, he must have been under the 
 influence of the prophetic spirit, for the words, " Yea, and 
 he shall be blessed," do not appear to have been littered of 
 his own will. 
 
 Esther. Do you mean that it was not in the power of 
 Isaac to say what he wished V 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear; I think he was inspired with 
 the words, which it was God's will he should pronounce; 
 for the blessing he gave his children was not immediate, 
 but pointed to the future, of which he could know nothing. 
 
 Esther. I do not quite understand you, dear Mamma. 
 
 Mamma. Do you not know that, immediately after re- 
 ceiving his father's blessing, Jacob became a wanderer and 
 an exile ? that he remained in servitude many years ? Thus 
 he suffered full punishment, and did not reap any advan- 
 tage from his deceitful conduct, while Esau was at this 
 time superior in power to himself; the blessing, therefore, 
 plainly alludes to what should happen in futurity to the
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 107 
 
 descendants of both. Isaac told Esau that "he should 
 break his brother's yoke from off his neck," which event 
 occurred at a later period of our history, when the Edomites, 
 or descendants of Esau, actually freed themselves from the 
 dominion of the Israelites. 
 
 Esther. I did not know this, Mamma, and it appeared 
 to me that it was not right that Jacob should profit 
 through his bad conduct. 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, there are many things related 
 to us in the Bible, and also many things which occur in 
 our every- day life, that do not at first sight appear to us 
 in accordance with the justice of God. His decrees \ve 
 must not question. It is sin to think of our Creator as of 
 a being who is not all perfection. If we are sometimes 
 puzzled with questions which we cannot reconcile to our 
 own minds, we must ascribe our difficulties either to our 
 own finite judgment, or to a want of knowledge of all the 
 circumstances. 
 
 Esther. May I not enquire of you, dear Mamma, if 
 anything in the Bible does not appear to me quite right ? 
 
 Mamma. You certainly may, my darling; I wish you 
 to bring to me every question that arises in your mind, 
 but you must not feel disappointed if I cannot always givc^ 
 you a reason for everything. Do not question in a spirit, 
 of doubt, but with the desire to reconcile to your mind the 
 ways of God, which you must feel certain are just and 
 right, although beyond our immediate comprehension. 
 
 Ada. Esau appears to have felt great affection for hi* 
 father, and to have earnestly desired his blessing. The 
 words in which he addresses his father are really very 
 touching. 
 
 Mamma. They are indeed, my child. Esau doubtless 
 possessed some fine and generous qualities; his conduct 
 towards his brother which we shall read of by and bye, 
 was noble and forgiving. He also seems to have had some 
 desire to atone for the grief he caused his father and 
 mother by marrying strange wives. Do you remember 
 the name of the third wife he took ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael. 
 
 Mamma. >What excuse did Hebekah make to Isaac, irv
 
 108 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 order that lie might send Jacob away to avoid his brother's 
 fury? 
 
 Estlier. She said, Lest he should marry, as Esau had 
 done, \vomen of the land in which they dwelt, and that this 
 would be a great grief to her. 
 
 Mamma. Where did Isaac then tell Jacob to go ? 
 
 Esther. To Padan Arum, where dwelt Laban his 
 mother's brother ?
 
 109 
 
 BEADING XIX. 
 
 AND as Jacob went out from Beersheba towards 
 Haran, he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried 
 there all night, because the sun was set ; and he took 
 one of the stones of that place, and put it for his 
 pillow, and laid down to sleep. 
 
 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon the 
 earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and 
 oehold the angels of God were ascending and descend- 
 ing upon it. 
 
 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I 
 am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the 
 God of Isaac : the land whereon thou liest, to thee 
 will I give it, and to thy seed. 
 
 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and 
 thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, 
 and to the north, and to the south : and in thee and 
 thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. 
 
 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee 
 in all places whither thou goest, and I will bring 
 thee again into this land ; for I will not leave thee, 
 until I have done that which I have spoken to thee 
 of. 
 
 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, 
 Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 
 How awful is this place ! it is none other but the 
 house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And 
 he was afraid. 
 
 And he rose early in the morning, and took the 
 stone which he had for his pillow, and set it up for a 
 pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he 
 called the name of that place Bethel.
 
 110 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Jacob vowed unto the Lord, saying, If 
 God will be with me, and will keep me in this way 
 that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment 
 to put on, so that I come again to my father's house 
 in peace, then shall the Lord be my God : and of all 
 that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth 
 nnto thee ; and this stone, which I have set for a 
 pillar, shall be God's house. 
 
 Then he went on his journey, and came unto the 
 cast country, and looked and beheld a well in a field. 
 And there were flocks of sheep lying by it, and a 
 stone upon the well's mouth. And thither were all 
 the flocks gathered for water. 
 
 And the men of the place came and rolled the 
 stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the 
 sheep, and put the stone again upon the well. 
 
 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence 
 be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. And he 
 said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? 
 And they said, We know him. And he said, Is he 
 well? And they said, He is well ; and, behold, 
 Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 
 
 And he said. Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it 
 time that the cattle should be gathered together; 
 water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 
 
 And while he yet spake to them, Rachel came with 
 her father's sheep, for she kept them. And when 
 Jacob saw Rachel he went near, and rolled the stone 
 from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of 
 Laban, his mother's brother. 
 
 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, 
 and wept. And he told Rachel that he was Rebekah's 
 son ; and she ran and told her father. 
 
 And when Laban heard the tidings of his sister's 
 son he ran to meet Jacob. and embraced him, and 
 kissed him, and brought him to his house. 
 
 And Laban said, Surely thou art my bone, and my
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. Ill 
 
 flesh ; and he abode with him a month. And at the 
 end of that time, Laban said unto Jacob, 
 
 Because thou art my nephew, shouldst thou there- 
 fore serve me for nought? Tell me, what shall thy 
 wages be? And Jacob said, I will serve thee seven 
 years for Rachel, thy younger daughter. 
 
 oSTow Laban had two daughters ; the name of the 
 elder was Leah, and she was tender eyed ; but 
 liachel,the younger, was beautiful and well favoured. 
 And Jacob loved Rachel. 
 
 And Laban said, It is better that I give her unto 
 thee than to another : abide then with me.
 
 112 
 
 CONVERSATION XIX. 
 
 Mamma. When Jacob laid down and slept in the road 
 between Beersheba and Haran, what did he dream? 
 
 Esther. He dreamt that he saw a ladder, whose top 
 reached to heaven, and that the angels of God were ascend- 
 ing and descending upon it. 
 
 Mamma. Was there not something more that was 
 remarkable in this dream? 
 
 Ada. Yes, God renewed the promise to Jacob that He 
 had made to Abraham and to Isaac. 
 
 Mamma. This dream of Jacob's is considered as pro- 
 phetic of God's especial care of the children of Jacob- 
 throughout all generations. What nation is descended 
 from Jacob? 
 
 Ada. Our own the Jews or Israelites; but, dear 
 Mamma, we are no longer a nation. 
 
 Mamma. Truly, my dear, we have now no kings or 
 rulers of our own, and are scattered all over the earth ;. 
 but we still remain, in every country where we sojourn, 
 as distinct a people as we were in our own land. We are 
 " a nation in the midst of nations imto this day," and. 
 are even now fulfilling the mission of Abraham, blessing; 
 all the nations of the earth. Can you tell me in what 
 manner? 
 
 Ada. I think you told us before, dear Mamma, that we- 
 blessed other nations by teaching them, through our 
 example, the worship of the true God. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, and by showing the world at 
 large that the observance of the commands of God must 
 make men better, truer, and happier in every sense of the 
 words; therefore, we Jews and Jewesses should be most 
 careful in all our actions, for if we fail in oux duties we .
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 113 
 
 bring discredit upon our nation, and upon our holy law as 
 well as upon ourselves and our families. Now, tell me 
 Esther, the name Jacob gave to the place where he had 
 slept ? 
 
 Esther. He called it ^~J">'2 (Bes-il), which means the 
 House of God. 
 
 M'amma. Do you remember the vow Jacob made at 
 this time? 
 
 Ada. He vowed that if God would provide for him, and 
 bring him back in peace to his father's house, he would 
 devote to God's service the tenth part of all that God 
 should give him. 
 
 Mamma. Do you know that to the present day our 
 people consider it right to devote the tenth part of their 
 possessions to the service of God? that is to say, to give 
 away that amount in charity; for it is only by helping those 
 of our fellow-creatures who may be poorer than ourselves, 
 that we can show our gratitude to God for the blessings He 
 bestows upon us. 
 
 Esther. Why did Jacob pour oil upon the stone ? 
 
 Mamma. To consecrate the place; it was an Eastern 
 custom to pour oil upon anything which was to be 
 consecrated to God's service; thus the kings and priests 
 were anointed with oil. Jacob vowed that if God would 
 bring him back in safety, he would worship Him in 
 this place ; he set up the stone that he might be 
 enabled to distinguish it, for having been favoured 
 there by a vision from God, he fancied it peculiarly 
 holy. It is supposed that the tabernacle was erected 
 upon this spot. Is there not yet something which we may 
 remark of Jacob's conduct? 
 
 Ada. You mean, dear Mamma, that he merely asked 
 of God safety and the necessaries of life. 
 
 Mamma. When Jacob perceived Rachel, what did 
 he do? 
 
 Esther. He rolled the stone from the well's mouth 
 and then ran to meet her, kissed her, and told her that 
 he was Rebekah's son. 
 
 Mamma. What relations were Jacob and Rachel?
 
 114 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Esther. They were cousins. 
 
 Mamma. For what wages did Jacob say that he would 
 serve Laban, his uncle, for seven years ? 
 
 Esther. He said he would remain with him, and serve 
 him, if Laban would give him his younger daughter, 
 liachel, to wife.
 
 115 
 
 READING XX. 
 
 AXD Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they 
 seemed unto him only as a few days, for the great 
 love he had unto her. 
 
 And he said unto Labaii, Give me my wife, for my 
 days are fulfilled that I may take her. 
 
 And Laban gathered together all the young men 
 of the place and made a feast. 
 
 And in the evening Laban took Leah, his elder 
 daughter, and brought her to Jacob, and gave unto 
 her Zilpah for a handmaid. 
 
 And in the morning Jacob said unto Laban, What 
 is this that thou hast done unto me ? Did I not 
 serve thee for Rachel ? Wherefore then hast thou 
 deceived me ? 
 
 And Laban answered, It must not be so done in 
 our country, to give the younger before the elder. 
 Fulfil the week of this, and serve me other seven 
 years, and thou shalt have the younger also, even 
 before thou servest. 
 
 And after a week he gave him Rachel, his 
 daughter, also to wife, and Bilhah to be her hand- 
 maid. 
 
 And Jacob served Laban other seven years for 
 Rachel, and he loved her more than Leah. 
 
 And God gave Leah a son, and she called his 
 name Reuben, for she said God hath looked upon 
 my affliction. Now, therefore, my husband will love 
 me. And again she bare another son, and said, 
 Because God knew that I was hated, He hath,
 
 116 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 given me this son also. And she called his name 
 Simeon. 
 
 And she had another son, and said, Now this time 
 will my husband love me because I have borne him 
 three sons, and she called him Levi. 
 
 And she again bare a son, and said, Now will I 
 praise the Lord ; therefore she called his name 
 Judah. 
 
 And when Kachel saw that she had no children, 
 she was grieved, and gave unto Jacob her handmaid 
 to wife ; and she bare him a son, and Rachel called 
 his name Dan. And Bilhah bare Jacob a second 
 son, and Eachel called his name Naphthali. 
 
 And when Leah saw that she had no more chil- 
 dren, she gave to Jacob Zilpah, her handmaid, to 
 wife, and she bare a son, and Leah called his name 
 Gad. And Zilpah bare Jacob a second son, and 
 Leah called his name Asher. 
 
 Then Leah bare a fifth son, and she called his name 
 Issachar. And yet another, and she called him 
 Zebulon. 
 
 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her 
 name Dinah. 
 
 Then God remembered Eachel, and gave her a son 
 of her own. And she said, God hath taken away my 
 reproach, and she called his name Joseph, and said, 
 The Lord will add to me another son. 
 
 And it came to pass after the birth of Joseph, that 
 Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away that I may 
 go to my own place and to my country. Give me 
 my wives, and my children, for whom 1 have served 
 thee, and let me go, for thou knowest my service 
 which I have done thee. 
 
 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee if I have 
 found favour in thine eyes, tarry, for I have learned 
 that God hath blessed me for thy sake. Appoint me 
 thy wages, and I will give it.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 117 
 
 And Jacob answered, Thou knowest how I have 
 served thee, and how thy cattle was with me, for it 
 was little that thou hadst when I came, and it is now 
 increased into a multitude, and how God hath blessed 
 thee since my coming, and now when shall I provide 
 for my own house also ? 
 
 And Laban said, What shall I give thee ? 
 
 And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me anything. 
 If thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed 
 and keep thy flock. 
 
 I will pass through all thy flock to-day and remove 
 from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and 
 all the brown among the sheep, and the speckled and 
 spotted among the goats; and of such shall be my 
 hire : and this shall be my right in time to come. 
 But every one that is not speckled and spotted among 
 the cattle, and brown among the sheep, shall be 
 thine. 
 
 And Laban said, Behold, let it be according to 
 thy word. And that day Jacob removed all the 
 cattle and the goats that were speckled, and all the 
 brown among the sheep, and gave them into the 
 hands of his sons, and Laban sent them three days' 
 journey off" his own flocks. And Jacob fed the rest 
 of Laban's flock. 
 
 And after this the greater number of the cattle 
 brought forth their young ones ringstraked, speckled 
 and spotted. 
 
 And Jacob heard Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath 
 taken all that was our father's, and of that which 
 was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. And 
 Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, that it was 
 not towards him as before. 
 
 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the 
 land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will 
 be with thee. 
 
 And Jacob sent and called Eachel and Leah into
 
 118 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 the field where he was with the flocks, and said unto 
 them, I see your father that his countenance is not 
 towards me as before, but the God of my fathers has 
 been with me. 
 
 And ye know that with all my power I have served 
 your father, and he hath deceived me, and changed 
 my wages ten times ; but God suffered him not to 
 hurt me. 
 
 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages, 
 then all the cattle bare speckled ; and if he said, 
 The ringstraked shall be thy hire, then bare all the 
 cattle ringstraked. 
 
 Thus God hath taken the cattle of your father, 
 and hath given them to me. 
 
 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, 
 saying Jacob, and I said, Here am I. And he said, I 
 have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 
 
 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst 
 the pillar, and where thou vowedst unto me. Now, 
 arise, get thee out of this land, and return unto the 
 land of thy kindred. 
 
 And Rachel and Leah said unto him, Is there yet 
 any portion or inheritance for us in our father's 
 house? Hath he not sold us and altogether devoured 
 our money. For all the riches which God hath taken 
 from our father is ours and our children's. 
 
 Now, then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
 
 119 
 
 CONVERSATION XX. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me how many years Jacob served 
 Laban for Rachel, and what is remarked concerning this 
 service ? 
 
 Esther. Seven years ; and it is written that " they 
 appeared to him as a few days only, on account of the 
 great love he had for her." 
 
 Mamma. What excuse did Laban make to Jacob for 
 having deceived him, in giving him Leah instead of Rachel? 
 
 Ada. He said that it was against the custom of the 
 country, that the younger daughter should marry before 
 the elder one. 
 
 Mamma. What agreement did Laban and Jacob make 
 after this? 
 
 Esther. That Jacob should serve another seven years, 
 and that Laban would give him Rachel also. 
 
 Mamma. Whom did Laban give his daughters for 
 handmaids ? 
 
 Esther. Bilhah and Zilpah. 
 
 Mamma. Give me the names of Leah's children. 
 
 Esther. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and 
 Zebulon. 
 
 Mamma. The children of Bilhah? 
 
 Esther. Dan and Naphtali. 
 
 Mamma. Of Zilpah? 
 
 Esther. Gad and Asher. 
 
 Mamma. Of Rachel? 
 
 Esther. Joseph. 
 
 Mamma. And Benjamin, but he was not born until 
 after Jacob had left Laban. These sons of Jacob became 
 the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph's inherit- 
 ance however, was divided into two, both his sons Ephraim 
 and Manasseh, becoming heads of tribes; but of this we 
 shall read later.
 
 120 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Esther. Mamma, how was it that Jacob did not know 
 that it was Leah instead of Rachel who was brought 
 to him ? 
 
 Mamma. Because in the country in which these events 
 occurred, it was the custom for the bride to be closely 
 veiled during the marriage ceremony, and to be conducted 
 to her husband's tent without having raised her veil. You 
 must remember that Rebekah veiled herself when she saw 
 Isaac approaching her. If we carefully study our Bible 
 history, we learn, besides the important duties it teaches 
 us, the customs of countries very different from the one in 
 which we live. 
 
 Esther. Was it not very wrong of Leah to help to 
 deceive Jacob ? 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, we are not told that she 
 willingly entered into the deception ; we cannot judge of 
 people's actions, unless we know the whole of the circum- 
 stances which influenced them. 
 
 Esther. Then you do not think Leah was wicked ? 
 
 Mamma. I believe I have before desired you not to 
 consider a person as wicked on account of one wrong action, 
 and as we read more of Leah, and consider the signification 
 of the names she gave her children, we find that she 
 showed a truly religious spirit, for each of the names 
 is expressive either of her gratitude to God, or reliance 
 on His care for her. Did Laban wish Jacob to leave him 
 after the marriage of his daughters ? 
 
 Esther. No ; he saw that God blessed all that he had 
 for Jacob's sake, and begged him to remain with him. 
 
 Mamma. Upon what condition did Jacob consent ? 
 
 Esther. Upon condition that Laban would give him 
 the spotted, speckled, and ringstraked from among the 
 cattle. 
 
 Mamma. What then happened ? 
 
 Esther. The greater portion and the best of the cattle 
 bare spotted, speckled, and ringstraked. 
 
 Mamma. When Laban's sons and Laban seemed to 
 think that Jacob had acquired too much of their property, 
 what did Jacob think of doing ? 
 
 Esther. Of returning to the land of Canaan.
 
 THE WAY OF TKUTII. 121 
 
 Mamma. How did lie learn that it would be right for 
 him to do so ? 
 
 Ada. An angel ot God appeared to him in a dream, 
 and told him to return to the land of Canaan, and assured 
 him of God's protection. 
 
 Mamma. How did Leah and Rachel express them- 
 selves with regard to leaving their father's house ? 
 
 Ada. They were quite willing to remove, and said, 
 " We have no longer any portion or inheritance in our 
 father's house, for he has sold us, and altogether devoured' 
 our money."
 
 122 
 
 READING XXL 
 
 THEN Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives 
 upon camels. And lie carried away all his cattle, and 
 all the goods which he had gotten in Harau, to go to 
 Isaac his father in Canaan. 
 
 And Lahan went to shear his sheep ; and Tiachel 
 stole the images that were her father's. And Jacob 
 stole away unawares, and fled with all that he had, 
 and passed over the river, and set his face towards 
 Mount Gilead. 
 
 And it was told Laban on the third day that 
 Jacob was fled. And he took his brethren, and 
 pursued after him, and overtook him after seven 
 days' journey, on Mount Gilead. 
 
 And God spake to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream 
 by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou 
 speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 
 
 When Laban overtook Jacob, he had pitched his 
 tent in the mount, and Laban and his brethren 
 pitched theirs also. 
 
 And Laban said unto Jacob, What hast thou done 
 that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and 
 carried away my daughters as captives taken with the 
 sword? 
 
 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly; I might 
 have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, and 
 with tabret, and with harp? 
 
 And thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and 
 my daughters. 
 
 Thou hast done foolishly. It is in the power of 
 my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 father spake to me yesternight, saying, Take thou 
 heed that thou speak not to Jacob neither good nor 
 bad. 
 
 And now, though thou wouldest need be gone, 
 because thou greatly longest after thy father's house, 
 yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 
 
 And Jacob answered him, saying, I said perhaps 
 thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 
 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not 
 live (for he knew not that Rachel had stolen them) : 
 before our brethren claim thou what is thine with me, 
 and take it to thee. 
 
 And Labau went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's 
 tent, and into the two handmaids' tents, but he 
 found them not. 
 
 Then he went into Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had 
 taken the images, and put them in the camel's 
 furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched 
 all the tent, but found them not. 
 
 Then Jacob was wroth with Laban, and said r 
 What is my trespass? what is my sin? that thou hast 
 so hotly pursued after me? 
 
 Thou hast searched all my household stuff, what 
 hast thou found of thy household stuff? set it here 
 before our brethren that they may judge betwixt us. 
 
 These twenty years have I been with thee; thy 
 ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, 
 and the rams of thy nock have I not eaten. That 
 which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee ; I 
 bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require 
 it, whether stolen by day or by night. 
 
 Thus I was ; in the day the drought consumed me, 
 and by night the frost; and my sleep departed from 
 mine eyes. 
 
 I have served thee fourteen years for thy two- 
 daughters, and six years for thy cattle : and thou 
 hast changed my wages ten times.
 
 124 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, 
 the Fear of Isaac, had been -with me, surely tliou 
 hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen my 
 affliction, and the labour of my hands, and rebuked 
 thee yesternight. 
 
 And Laban answered Jacob, saying, These daughters 
 and children, and cattle, and all that thou seest are 
 mine. 
 
 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, 
 I and thou; and let it be a witness between me and 
 thee. 
 
 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 
 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones. 
 And they took stones and made a heap, and did eat 
 there upon the heap. 
 
 And Jacob called it Galeed; and Laban said, This 
 heap is a witness between me and thee this day. 
 Therefore was the name of it called Galeed and 
 Mizpah ; for he said, 
 
 The Lord watch between me and thee when we 
 Are absent one from another. If thou shalt afflict 
 my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives 
 besides my daughters, no man is with us ; see, God 
 is witness between me and thee. 
 
 Behold this heap, and this pillar, they shall be 
 witness that I will not pass this heap to thee, and 
 that thou wilt not pass to me for harm. 
 
 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the 
 God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob 
 sware by the Fear of his father Isaac. 
 
 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice upon the mount, 
 and called his brethren to eat bread, and they did 
 eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 
 
 And Laban rose up early in the morning, and 
 kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, 
 and departed unto his place.
 
 125 
 
 CONVERSATION XXI. 
 
 Mamma. At what time did Jacob leave Haran? 
 
 Esther. He fled whilst Laban had gone to shear his 
 sheep. 
 
 Mamma. Where did Laban overtake Jacob? 
 
 Esther. Upon Mount Gilead. 
 
 Ada. Do you think, dear Mamma, that Laban intended 
 to do any harm to Jacob? 
 
 Mamma. I do not think his intentions could have been 
 peaceable, or we should not be told that God appeared to 
 him, and commanded him not to do any harm to Jacob. 
 
 Esther. Does it not appear very unkind of Jacob to 
 have taken away Laban's daughters and his grandchildren, 
 without having allowed them to bid Laban good-bye ? 
 
 Mamma. It certainly would seem so, but we may 
 imagine that Jacob had good reason to believe that Laban 
 would not have permitted him to go, had he made known 
 his intentions whilst he was still in his power. 
 
 Esther. Did Laban worship idols? 
 
 Mamma. Laban appears to have believed in God, and 
 yet his worship could not have been quite pure, or he 
 would not have kept in his house the images which 
 Rachel stole. 
 
 Ada. If Rachel stole the images to prevent her father 
 from worshipping them, do you think she did wrong? 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, the act was wrong, whatever 
 might have been the motive. In taking example from our 
 Biblical characters, you must be careful not to confound 
 motives with actions, and, as a rule for yourown guidance, you 
 may be sure that whenever you feel inclined to do a thing 
 secretly, and hide it from your best friends, it is not right. 
 Rachel did not let Jacob know that she had stolen the 
 images ; therefore, we may conclude that she did not
 
 i 9ft 
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 consider her motive for doing so a right one. Now Esther 
 tell me how did Jacob and Laban part? ' 
 
 OVenant of P eace > and ^t up a 
 stones as a witness between them 
 
 Jfa mma .~-Wh a t names did they give to the place where 
 they entered into this covenant of peace ? 
 
 it =$1 (Gal-i-d) and Hfiy? (Mitz . 
 
 r the meanings of the two 
 ^aa. iv r 5 (Ual.jd) means Wltness and n3SD / M . , 
 
 watch tower. The place was called H ?V p (Mitz-pol? Tblcau e 
 Laban said, "Let God watch between me and thee " 
 
 ST!^2 A 7 ft Jac ^ did before Laban wm? 
 
 He offered a sacrifice to God upon the mount 
 and eat bread with his brethren. '
 
 127 
 
 READING XXII. 
 
 AN T D Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God 
 met him, and when he saw them, he said, this is 
 God's host. 
 
 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau 
 his brother, unto the land of Seir, the country of 
 Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall 
 ye speak unto my lord Esau. 
 
 Thy servant Jacob saith thus; I have sojourned 
 with Laban and stayed there until now. And I have 
 oxen and asses, flocks, menservants, and women- 
 servants, and I have sent to tell my lord that I may 
 find grace in thy sight. 
 
 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, 
 We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh 
 to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. 
 
 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. 
 And he divided the people that were with him, and 
 the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two 
 bands; and said, If Esau come to one company and 
 smite it, then the other company which is left shall 
 escape. 
 
 And Jacob said, O God of my father Isaac, the 
 Lord which saidst unto me, Return into thy country 
 and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 
 I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and 
 of all the truth which thou hast shown to thy ser- 
 vant, for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and 
 I am become two bands. 
 
 Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my
 
 128 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him lest 
 he come and smite me, and the mothers with the 
 children. And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee 
 good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, 
 which cannot be numbered for multitude. 
 
 And he lodged there that night, and took of that 
 which came to his hand, a present for Esau his 
 brother : two hundred she goats and twenty rams, 
 thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and 
 ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. 
 
 And he delivered them into the hands of his 
 servants, every drove by themselves, and said unto 
 his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space 
 between drove and drove. 
 
 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When 
 Esau my brother meeteth thee and asketh thee, say- 
 ing, Whose art thou ? and whither goest thou ? and 
 whose are these before thee, then thou shalt say, 
 They be thy servant Jacob's, sent as a present unto 
 my lord Esau ; and behold he is behind us. 
 
 And so commanded he the second, and the third, 
 and all that followed the droves, saying, in this 
 manner shall ye speak unto Esau when ye come to 
 him. And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant 
 Jacob is behind us. 
 
 For he said, I will appease him with the present 
 that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his 
 face ; perhaps he will accept of me. 
 
 So went the present over before him ; and himself 
 lodged that night in the company. 
 
 And Jacob rose up that night, and took his wives 
 and his sons, and all that he had, and sent them 
 over the ford Jabbok. 
 
 And being left alone, there wrestled a man with 
 him until the breaking of the day. And when he 
 saw that he prevailed not against him, he struck 
 against the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 129 
 
 Jacob's thigh was put out of joint, as he wrestled 
 with him. 
 
 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. 
 And he said, I will not let thee go, unless thou bless 
 me. 
 
 And he said unto him, "What is thy name ? And 
 he said, Jacob. 
 
 And he said, Thy name shall no more be called 
 Jacob, but Israel ; for as a prince hast thou power 
 with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 
 
 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray 
 thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that 
 thou dost ask after my name ? And he blessed him 
 there. 
 
 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, 
 for I have seen an angel of God face to face, and my 
 life is preserved. 
 
 And as he passed over Peniel, the sun rose upon 
 him. And he halted upon his thigh. 
 
 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the 
 sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of 
 the thigh, unto this day.
 
 130 
 
 CONVERSATION XXII. 
 
 Mamma. Name the place to which Jacob sent mes- 
 sengers ? 
 
 Esther. Jacob sent messengers before him to Edom, to 
 his brother Esau. 
 
 Mamma. For what purpose did Jacob send these mes- 
 sengers before him ? 
 
 Ada. To conciliate his brother, and to let him know 
 of his return to his own land. 
 
 Mamma. When Esau returned no answer by Jacob's 
 messenger, how did Jacob feel ? 
 
 Esther. Pie felt afraid and distressed. Did he think that 
 Esau was coming to kill him ? 
 
 Mamma. It was not unlikely that he should think so, 
 for you must remember Jacob had left home to avoid his 
 brother's anger, and that he was conscious of having done 
 him a great wrong. 
 
 Esther. Do you think, Mamma, that Esau did intend 
 to kill Jacob ? 
 
 Mamma. We will hope not; whenever we are uncertain 
 of people's motives, we should always think that they mean 
 well. We find afterwards, that Esau forgave his brother 
 most generously, and did not even wish to take his present. 
 What are we told of Jacob after his messengers had re- 
 turned ? 
 
 Ada. That he prayed to God to deliver him from the 
 hand of his brother. 
 
 Mamma. Have you remarked how the words of this 
 prayer of Jacob's show his sincere repentance for the acts 
 of his youth, his acknowledgment of his own unworthiness, 
 and his entire reliance upon God ? 
 
 Ada. I do not feel quite convinced that he shewed his
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 131 
 
 entire reliance upon God, for did he not afterwards take 
 every precaution for his safety, and the safety of his cattle, 
 his wives, and his children ? 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, you have fallen into a very 
 common error, in imagining that God will grant our prayers 
 if we make no efforts ourselves; it is true, that nothing is 
 beyond the power of the Almighty, but He has gifted man 
 with intelligence, and we are plainly shown throughout 
 our Bible, that it is proper to use that intelligence as well 
 as every means within our power, to accomplish all that is 
 right. When we say we have faith in God, we do not 
 mean that we are to sit still and expect Him to shower His 
 blessings upon us ; but that we believe (that having done 
 all that is possible ourselves) God will direct the events of 
 our lives, for our own good and the good of our fellow- 
 creatures. 
 
 Ada. Does it not appear strange that Jacob should have 
 prevailed over the angel of God ? 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, there is much in this passage 
 which it is not easy to understand; some of our commen- 
 tators have derived a beautiful moral lesson from this event 
 of Jacob's life ; but the discussion of this passage is too 
 difficult for my little Esther at present, and I think even 
 you had better defer it till you are older. 
 
 Ada. Mamma, we are told that the children of Israel 
 eat not of the sinew that shrank unto this day, because the 
 angel touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh and it shrank. 
 I believe that is the reason we do not now eat of the leg of 
 the animal until it has been porged, but this is not a com- 
 mand. Do you think there is any harm if we eat of it ? 
 
 Mamma. On this I must give you my own opinion, as 
 I have had no means of studying what our Rabbis have said 
 on the subject. I think if our lawgiver, Moses, had con- 
 sidered this custom unnecessary, at the same time that he 
 told us of it, he would have said, we need observe it no 
 longer: and my own idea is, unless we tind that our cus- 
 toms are observed from wrong or superstitious motives, and 
 evidently against the laws of Moses, it is better to observe 
 them, even though they are not actual commands.
 
 132 THE WAY OP TllUTH. 
 
 Esther. Mamma, dear, are we called Israelites because 
 God changed Jacob's name from Jacob to Israel ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear; since you have asked this 
 question, I suppose you can tell me the meaning of the 
 name ? 
 
 Esther. God gave Jacob this name because the angel 
 said, " As a prince hast thou power with God and men, and 
 hast prevailed." /^v". (Yi'sro'il) means to wrestle with God. 
 
 Mamma. What name did Jacob give the place where 
 he had wrestled with the angel ? 
 
 Esther. He called it ?^3p (Pene-il), which means face 
 of God, for he said, I have seen God face to face. 
 
 Ada. But, Mamma, this could not have been true, for 
 God said to Moses, " No man can see my face and live." 
 
 Mamma. Although in our English Bible we have the 
 words rendered, " I have seen God face to face," I think 
 we might more properly render ?X^ (Pene-'il) presence of 
 God. The terms face and presence are often synonymous 
 even in English, and Jacob's interview with an angel, (or 
 direct messenger from God) would natiirally lead him to 
 feel himself in the immediate presence of the Almighty. 
 
 Ada. Do you think there was any reason that the 
 angel refused to give his name to Jacob ? 
 
 Mamma. It appears most probable that the angel was 
 forbidden by God to give himself a name, lest he might 
 become in after ages an object of worship. You know we 
 are strictly forbidden to offer prayers to, or to conceive the 
 possibility of, any other being possessing power, but God 
 Himself. 
 
 Esther. What is an angel, Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. I think I have told you before, that we do 
 not know; human beings cannot know the nature of every- 
 thing ; there are many things which we see every day of 
 which we understand but very little. The same Creator 
 who formed ourselves, has formed millions of other beings. 
 There is no limit to His power. And all that is necessary 
 for us to know is, that whatever beings may exist, in what- 
 ever sphere they may dwell, all are equally subservient to 
 God's will, and can neither benefit nor harm mankind but 
 as His will directs.
 
 133 
 
 EEADING XXIII. 
 
 AND Jacob lifted up his ey es and looked, and beheld 
 Esau coming, and with him four hundred men. 
 
 And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto 
 Rachel, and to the two handmaidens. And he put 
 the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah 
 and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph 
 hindermost. 
 
 And he passed over before them, and bowed him- 
 self to the ground seven times, until he came near to 
 his brother. 
 
 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, 
 and fell on his neck, and kissed him and wept. 
 
 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and 
 the children, and said, Who are those with thee ? 
 And Jacob said, The children which God hath been 
 pleased to give thy servant. 
 
 Then the handmaids came near with their children, 
 and they bowed themselves. And Leah and her 
 children came near and bowed themselves. And 
 after came Rachel and Joseph near, and bowed them- 
 selves. 
 
 And Esau said, What meanest thou by all this 
 drove which I met? 
 
 And Jacob said, These are to find grace in the 
 eight of my lord. 
 
 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother ; keep 
 unto thyself what thou hast. 
 
 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have 
 found grace in thy sight, then receive the present at
 
 134 THE WAY OF TKUTII. 
 
 my hand ; for I have seen thy face, as though I had 
 seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. 
 
 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to 
 thee, because God hath dealt kindly with me, and 
 because I have enough. And he urged him, and he 
 took it. 
 
 And Esau said unto him, Let us take our journey, 
 and I will go before thee. 
 
 And Jacob said, My lord knoweth that the children 
 are tender, and the flocks and the herds with their 
 young are with me. And if they should overdrive 
 them they may die. 
 
 Let my lord pass over before his servant ; and I 
 will lead on slowly, as the cattle and the children are 
 able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto 
 Mount Seir. 
 
 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some 
 of the people that are with me. 
 
 So Esau returned that day unto Seir ; and Jacob 
 journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and 
 made booths for his cattle. 
 
 And he came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which 
 is in the land of Canaan, and pitched his tent before 
 the city. And he erected there an altar before the 
 Lord. 
 
 And Gcd said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, 
 and dwell there ; and make there an altar unto God, 
 that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the 
 face of Esau thy brother. 
 
 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all 
 that were with him, Put away the strange gods that 
 are among you, and be clean, and change your 
 garments ; and let us arise and go to Bethel, and I 
 will make there an altar unto God, who answered me 
 in the day of my distress, and was with me in the 
 way which I went. 
 
 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 135 
 
 which were in their hands, and all the earrings which 
 were in their ears ; and Jacob hid them under the 
 oak which was by Shechem. 
 
 And they journeyed and came to Luz, which is in 
 the land of Canaan. And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, 
 died, and she was buried beneath Bethel, under 
 an oak. 
 
 And God appeared unto Jacob again, and said 
 unto him, I am God Almighty, be fruitful and 
 multiply. A nation and a multitude of nations shall 
 come from thee, and the land which I gave Abraham 
 and Isaac, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed 
 after thee. 
 
 And God went up from him, in the place he talked 
 with him. 
 
 And Jacob set up a pillar of stone there, and he 
 poured a drink offering and oil thereon. And Jacob 
 called the name of the place where God met him, 
 Bethel (House of God). 
 
 And they journeyed towards Ephrath ; and Kachel 
 bare a son and then died ; and when Rachel knew 
 that she should die, she called her son Benoni, but 
 Jacob called his name Benjamin. 
 
 And Rachel was buried in the way to Ephrath, 
 which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon 
 Rachel's grave. And Israel journeyed and spread 
 his tent beyond the town Edar. 
 
 And he came unto Isaac, his father, unto 
 Mamre. 
 
 And Isaac gave up the ghost and died, and was 
 gathered unto his people, being old and full of days, 
 and his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him. 
 
 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and four- 
 score years. 
 
 And Esau took his wives, and his sons and 
 daughters, and all the persons of his house; his 
 cattle and beasts, and all his substance which he had
 
 136 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 
 
 got, in the land of Canaan, and went into the country 
 from the face of his brother Jacob. 
 
 For their riches were so great that they could 
 not dwell together ; and the land could not bear them 
 because of the cattle. 
 
 Then dwelt Esau in Mount Seir, and was the 
 father of the Edomites in Mount Seir.
 
 137 
 
 CONVERSATION XXIII. 
 
 Mamma. How did Jacob and Esau meet ? 
 
 Esther. Esau ran towards his brother and embraced 
 him, and fell on his neck and wept. 
 
 Mamma. How did Jacob answer when Esau asked him 
 concerning the women and the children whom he saw 
 with him ? 
 
 Esther. Jacob said, " These are the children which God 
 hath been pleased to give thy servant." 
 
 Ada. "When Jacob addresses Esau as my lord and calls 
 himself his servant, do you think, Mamma, that he meant 
 to acknowledge Esau's superiority over himself? 
 
 Mamma. I should fancy that was not exactly his 
 intention; the words " thy servant and my lord" appear to 
 me to be used only as forms of courtesy, in the same 
 manner as we often in the present day subscribe ourselves 
 in a letter as " Your humble servant " to a person to whom 
 we have no idea of submitting in such a capacity. How 
 did Esau answer Jacob when the latter told him the droves 
 he had were intended as a present to him ? 
 
 Esther. He said, " I have enough, my brother ; keep 
 what thou hast to thyself." 
 
 Mamma. Did Esau at last accept the present ? 
 
 Esther. Yes ; Jacob urged him, and he took it. 
 
 Ada. Mamma, why do you think Jacob was so anxious 
 that Esau should accept his present ? 
 
 Mamma. As a sign that he had quite forgiven his past 
 conduct towards him, for it was even in the days of Jacob 
 and Esau as it would be now. A person would not accept 
 a present from one with whom he did not wish to be upon 
 friendly terms ; and it appears that Esau only accepted the 
 present as an assurance of his good feeling towards Jacob,
 
 138 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 for he had freely forgiven him when they first met. Did 
 Jacob accompany his brother Esau ? 
 
 Esther. No ; he promised to follow him, for he said the 
 women, children, and young cattle could not travel as fast 
 as his brother and the men. 
 
 Mamma. "Where did Jacob next encamp ? 
 
 Esther. At Succoth. 
 
 Mamma. Why was this place so called ? 
 
 Ada. Because Jacob made there tents or booths for 
 his cattle. 
 
 Mamma. What did Jacob require of all the people who 
 were with him, before he should go to Bethel, where he 
 intended to erect an altar unto God ? 
 
 Esther. That they should put away the strange gods 
 that were among them, and change their garments and 
 be clean. 
 
 Mamma,- Have you noticed that the words " to be 
 clean " appear in this passage to bear a double meaning, 
 that is, a figurative as well as a literal one ; the people 
 were " to put away the images," thus cleansing their hearts 
 from impure worship, and " to change their garments " so 
 as to prepare their bodies to enter the presence of God. 
 
 Ada. Do you think that our prayers will not be equally 
 acceptable to God whatever clothing we have on ? 
 
 Mamma. I do not think, or mean you for a moment to 
 suppose, that God has regard to our garments. Avhether they 
 be rich or poor, when we address him in prayer ; but 
 throughout the whole of our law the strictest cleanliness of 
 person is enjoined. We can only show other people that 
 we honour and reverence our Creator, by our outward 
 demeanour. Our neatness and cleanliness prove, that we 
 do not offer our prayers to God in an off-hand and 
 slovenly manner. 
 
 Esther. It seems very strange that Jacob should have 
 taken the people's earrings and have buried them with the 
 strange gods under the oak. 
 
 Mamma. It would seem a very strange proceeding 1 , 
 if the mention of these earrings at the same time with 
 the other images, did not lead us to believe that en- 
 graven upon these earrings were the likenesses of some
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 idols which Jacob feared his servants might fall into the 
 error of worshipping. It is possible that some of the people 
 still retained idolatrous worship which Jacob was anxious 
 to eradicate. Who died at Bethel ? 
 
 Esther. Deborah, Eebekah's nurse. 
 
 Mamma. How did God at this time signify His ap- 
 proval of Jacob's actions ? 
 
 Ada. By appearing to him and repeating the promise 
 He had made to Abraham, that Jacob's seed should possess 
 the land. 
 
 Mamma. What happened as Jacob and his family 
 journeyed? 
 
 Esther. Benjamin was born, and Rachel died. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me the two names given to 
 Benjamin, and their meanings ? 
 
 Ada. Rachel, when she knew that she would die, called 
 her son Benoni, ^i^'l? (Ben-owne), son of my sorrow, but 
 Jacob called him Benjamin, r*?^? (Ben-yomin), son of my 
 right hand. 
 
 Mamma. Of what event do we read next ? 
 
 Esther. Of Isaac's death. What is the meaning^ 
 Mamma, of the words " Gave up the ghost ?" 
 
 Mamma. Ghost means spirit, my dear child. We 
 understand this to mean that the spirit was parted from the 
 body, and that the body consequently died. We have here 
 again a proof, from the very form of speech, that the 
 Israelites in all ages believed the soul which animates our 
 bodies to be immortal. 
 
 Esther. You mean by this that the soul still lives 
 when we are dead. Where does it go, then, dear Mamma ? 
 
 Mamma. This is more than I can tell you, my darling. 
 God has not revealed to us His method of dealing with 
 our souls. We may feel sure that He has in store for 
 us rewards or punishments according to the deserts of 
 our actions in life. We should neither be the happier 
 nor the better for knowing their exact nature ; all that 
 we should think of the future for, is, that it may induce 
 us to act according to our best abilities here in this life, 
 and having done all that lies in our power, we may 
 rest content and trust that God will bless our efforts for
 
 140 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 good, and deal mercifully with our faults, for we know 
 that He has pronounced Himself as a God of mercy, as 
 well as of justice. 
 
 Ada. Do you mean to say, Mamma, that it is wrong to 
 think of what will happen to us after our death ? 
 
 Mamma. I mean to say, my darling, that it is useless 
 to trouble ourselves with thoughts upon subjects which 
 it is impossible for us to understand. All that is within 
 our reach, and proper for us to know, cannot be learned 
 even in a long lifetime. 
 
 Ada. And yet you say we ought to try to learn all 
 we can. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear child, and we should never let 
 a day of our lives pass without endeavouring to acquire 
 something that will make us wiser and better than we were 
 the day before. Now, tell me, where Esau dwelt when he 
 again separated from Jacob, because the land could not 
 bear the cattle of both of them ? And then we shall 
 have had conversation enough for to-day. 
 
 Esther. Esau dwelt in Mount Seir, and was the father 
 of the Edomites.
 
 141 
 
 READING XXIV. 
 
 AND Jacob dwelt in the land of Canaan. 
 
 And Joseph, the son of Rachel, being seventeen 
 years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren ; 
 and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons 
 of Zilpah, and Joseph brought unto their father their 
 evil report. 
 
 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, 
 and he made him a coat of many colours. 
 
 And when his brethren saw that their father loved 
 him more than themselves, they hated him, and 
 would not speak peaceably unto him. 
 
 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his 
 brethren, and they hated him yet more. 
 
 And he said, Hear I pray you this dream which I 
 have dreamed ; for behold, we were binding sheaves 
 in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose, and stood up- 
 right; and behold, your sheaves stood round about, 
 and made obeisance to my sheaf. 
 
 And his brethren said, Shalt thou indeed reign 
 over us, and shalt thou indeed have dominion over 
 us ? and they hated him yet more for these words 
 and for his dreams. 
 
 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it 
 to his brethren, and said, Behold the sun, moon, and 
 the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 
 
 And he told it to his father and to his brethren, 
 and his father rebuked him, saying, Shall I and thy 
 mother, and thy brethren, indeed come to bow down 
 ourselves to thee?
 
 142 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And his brethren envied him, but his father 
 observed the saying. 
 
 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock 
 in Shechem. 
 
 And Israel said unto Joseph, Come, and I will 
 send thee unto thy brethren, and he said, Here 
 am I. 
 
 And Jacob said unto Joseph, Go, I pray thee, see 
 whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with 
 the flocks, and bring me word again. So he sent 
 him out of the vale of Hebron and he came to 
 Shechem. 
 
 And a certain man found him, and behold he was 
 wandering in the field. And the man said, What 
 seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: 
 tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks? 
 -and the man said, They are departed hence, for 
 I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. 
 
 And Joseph went after his brethren, and found 
 them in Dothan. 
 
 And when they saw him afar off, even before he 
 came near unto them, they conspired against him to 
 slay him. 
 
 And they said one to another, Behold, this 
 dreamer cometh. Come now, therefore, let us slay 
 him, and cast him into some pit ; and we will say 
 some evil beast hath devoured him, and we shall see 
 what will become of his dreams. 
 
 And Reuben heard it, and said, Let us not kill 
 him; shed no blood; but cast him into this pit that 
 is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him : 
 that he might rid him out of their hands, and deliver 
 him to his father again. 
 
 And it came to pass, that when Joseph was come 
 unto his brethren, that they stripped off his coat of 
 many colours that was on him. And they took and 
 cast him into a pit which was empty.
 
 THE WAY OF TKUTH. 143 
 
 And they sat down to eat bread, and they beheld 
 a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with 
 their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, 
 going to carry it do\vn to Egypt. 
 
 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is 
 it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 
 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not 
 our hand be upon our brother and our flesh, and they 
 agreed. 
 
 Then they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the 
 pit, and sold him for twenty pieces of silver, and 
 they took Joseph into Egypt 
 
 And Reuben, being absent, knew not what was 
 done, and returning unto the pit, beheld that Joseph 
 was not there. 
 
 And he rent his clothes and went unto his brethren 
 and said, The child is not, and I, whither shall I go? 
 
 And they killed a kid, and took Joseph's coat and 
 dipped it in the blood, and brought it unto their 
 father, and said, This have we found; know now 
 whether it be thy son's coat or no. 
 
 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat ; an 
 evil beast hath devoured him. Joseph is without 
 doubt torn in pieces. 
 
 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth 
 upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 
 
 And all his sons and his daughters rose up to 
 comfort him ; but he refused to be comforted, and 
 he said, I will go down into the grave unto my son 
 mourning. 
 
 Thus his father wept for him.
 
 144 
 
 CONVERSATION XXIV. 
 
 Mamma. What was the cause of Joseph's brothers' 
 dislike to him? 
 
 Esther. The evil report -which Joseph brought his 
 father of them. 
 
 Ada. Do you not think it was wrong of Joseph to tell 
 his father of the faults of his brothers? 
 
 Mamma. I do not think it was right ; we should never 
 talk about the faults of others, if we can possibly avoid 
 doing so. 
 
 Esther. But, Mamma, ought we to let other people do 
 wrong if we know it ? 
 
 Mamma. No, we should endeavour, if possible, to 
 make them do right, by representing to them gently that 
 we believe them to be in error, but we do no good by 
 speaking of their faults to others, and it is wrong to make 
 mischief. Further on in the Bible (after the law was given) 
 there is an express command from God not to " go up and 
 down as a tale-bearer among our people." You may per- 
 ceive in the example before us, the only effect of Joseph's 
 conduct was to excite the hatred of his brethren. 
 
 Ada. Was it right of Jacob to love Joseph better than 
 his other children? 
 
 Mamma. It was not right of him to show his preference, 
 and if you think of Joseph's history, you will perceive how 
 severely Jacob suffered in consequence of having indulged 
 this feeling. Perhaps it Avas not right of Jacob to make 
 Joseph a particularly handsome coat, thus showing that he 
 preferred him to his brethren ; but he could not help loving 
 him better, for it appears that he was a more dutiful 
 child, and he was also the son of Jacob's favourite wife, 
 Rachel, who died while Joseph was yet young. 
 
 Esther. Do you think, dear Mamma, that a coat of 
 many colours could have been particularly pretty?
 
 THE WAY OP TllUTH. 145 
 
 Jfamma. Yes, my dear, it is possible that this coat was 
 nicely embroidered. We do not fancy that this coat was 
 made of different pieces of stuff. Now, can you tell me 
 Joseph's dreams, and the reason that his brothers hated 
 him more on account of them ? 
 
 Esther. He first dreamed " that he was binding sheaves 
 with his brothers in the field, and that his sheaf stood 
 upright, while those of his brothers bowed down to it;" then 
 again " he dreamed that the sun, moon and eleven stars came 
 and made obeisance to him." 
 
 Jfamma. Well, and how did the brothers interpret 
 these dreams? 
 
 .Esther. They thought that Joseph wished to show them 
 that he would rule over them. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me, Ada, if these dreams were 
 really prophetical? 
 
 Ada. Yes, Mamma, and the prophecy was fulfilled 
 when Joseph's brethren came down to buy corn of him in 
 Egypt. 
 
 Jfamma. What did Joseph's brethren say when they 
 saw him coming towards them? 
 
 Esther. They agreed to kill him, saying, " We shall 
 see what will become of his dreams." 
 
 Mamma. Did all Joseph's brothers conspire against 
 him? 
 
 Ada No; Reuben tried to save him, by telling the 
 other brothers to cast him into a pit, whence he thought 
 to remove him and deliver him to his father again. 
 
 Esther. How was it that Eeuben allowed his brothers 
 to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites? 
 
 Mamma. Reuben must have been away from his 
 brothers at the time of the arrival of the Ishmaelites. Do 
 you not remember his lamentation when he returned to the 
 pit and found it empty. 
 
 Ada. I remember, Mamma, Reuben rent his clothes and 
 said, " The child is not, and I, whither shall I go? " 
 
 Esther. Did not Reuben help to deceive his father by 
 taking him the coat dipped in blood? 
 
 Mamma. It is possible, and appears most probable, that
 
 146 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Reuben was himself deceived: if he did not believe, as 
 Jacob did, that Joseph had been torn in pieces by some 
 wild animal, he might have thought that he had been 
 murdered by his brethren, and it would have been useless 
 to have told his father of his suspicions. 
 
 Esther. Why did Jacob tear his clothes when he heard 
 of Joseph's death? 
 
 Mamma. This was the method in which the people of 
 eastern nations showed their grief; to us it appears strange, 
 because English people, either in joy or sorrow, are very 
 undemonstrative; that is to say, they exhibit very few signs 
 of joy or sorrow, whilst people in other countries will 
 commonly tear their hair or their clothes, and utter the 
 wildest shrieks and lamentations, to display their grief; in 
 the same way they will dance about and clap their hands 
 for joy. We, at the present day have our dresses torn at 
 the death of a near relative, and wear the torn garment 
 during the month ; this, like many of our other customs, is 
 a remnant of our eastern origin. Now tell me, Esther, to 
 whom did Joseph's brethren sell him? 
 
 Esther. To some Ishmaelitish merchants who were going 
 into Egypt with balm, myrrh, and spices. 
 
 JIamma. What did Jacob say when his sons and 
 daughters endeavoured to comfort him? 
 
 Esther. He said, " I will go down into the grave unto 
 my son mourning."
 
 147 
 
 READING XXV. 
 
 AND the Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt unto Poti- 
 phar, an officer of Pharaoh, and captain of the 
 guard ; and the Lord was with Joseph, and prospered 
 him, and he was in the house of his master the 
 Egyptian. 
 
 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he made 
 him overseer over his house, and all that he had he 
 put into his hand ; and the Lord blessed the Egyp- 
 tian's house, for Joseph's sake. 
 
 And Joseph was a goodly person, and well- 
 favoured. 
 
 And it came to pass after these things, that his 
 master's wife tempted Joseph, and wished him to do 
 evil, but he refused, and said, 
 
 How can I do this great wickedness, and sin 
 against God ? 
 
 Then her heart was filled with enmity against 
 Joseph, because he would not sin. And she com- 
 plained of him to her husband, and lied against him. 
 
 And it came to pass, when his master heard the 
 words of his wife, saying, After this manner did thy 
 servant unto me, that his wrath was kindled, and he 
 took Joseph and he put him into prison, a place 
 where the king's prisoners were bound. 
 
 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him 
 mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the 
 keeper of the prison, who committed into Joseph's 
 hand all the other prisoners.
 
 148 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And the keeper of the prison looked not to any- 
 thing that was under his hand, because the Lord was 
 with Joseph, and made all that he did to prosper. 
 
 And it came to pass that the chief butler and the 
 chief baker of the King of Egypt had offended their 
 lord, and Pharaoh was wroth against them, and put 
 them into the prison where Joseph was confined. 
 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with 
 them. 
 
 And they each dreamed a dream in one night, and 
 when Joseph came in to them in the morning, he 
 beheld them both sad, and said, Wherefore look ye 
 so sadly to-day ? 
 
 And they said, We have each dreamed a dream, 
 and there is no one to interpret it. 
 
 And Joseph said, 'Do not interpretations belong to 
 God ? tell me them, I pray you. 
 
 And the chief butler said, In my dream, behold a 
 vine was before me, and on the vine were three 
 branches: and it was as though it budded, and her 
 blossoms shot forth ; and the clusters brought forth 
 ripe grapes; and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. 
 And I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pha- 
 raoh's cup, and gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. 
 
 And Joseph said unto him, The three branches 
 are three days. Within three days shall Pharaoh 
 lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place : 
 and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, 
 after the former manner, when thou wast his butler. 
 
 But think on me, when it shall be well with thee, 
 and show kindness unto me, I pray thee, and make 
 mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of 
 this house: for, indeed, I was stolen away out of the 
 land of the Hebrews : and here also have I done 
 nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. 
 
 Then the chief baker said unto Joseph, I also, in 
 my dream, had three white baskets on my head, and
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 149 
 
 In the uppermost basket there were all manner of 
 baked meats for Pharaoh ; and the birds did eat 
 them out of the basket upon my head. 
 
 And Joseph said, The three baskets are three days : 
 within three days Pharaoh shall lift up thy head, 
 and shall hang thee on a tree ; and the birds shall 
 eat up thy flesh from off thee. 
 
 And it came to pass on the third day, which was 
 Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his 
 servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief 
 butler, and of the chief baker among his servants. 
 
 And he restored the chief butler again unto his 
 butlership, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. 
 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had said 
 to them. 
 
 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but 
 forgat him.
 
 150 
 
 CONVERSATION XXV. 
 
 Mamma. To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph ? 
 
 Esther. To Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain 
 of the guard. 
 
 Mamma. What do we read next of Joseph ? 
 
 Esther. That C4od was with him, and blessed the 
 Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. 
 
 Mamma. Did Potiphar treat Joseph kindly ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, he trusted him entirely, and made him 
 overseer over his house. 
 
 Mamma. "Why did Potiphar 's wife complain of Joseph 
 to her husband, and cause him to be thrown into prison ? 
 
 Esther. Because she tempted him to sin, and he re- 
 fused. 
 
 Mamma. How was Joseph treated in the prison ? 
 
 Esther. He gained favour in the sight of the keeper of 
 the prison, and all the other prisoners were committed 
 into Joseph's hand. 
 
 Mamma. What remarkable personages were im- 
 prisoned at the same time with Joseph ? 
 
 Esther. The chief butler and the chief baker of Pha- 
 raoh. 
 
 Mamma. What do we read of them ? 
 
 Esther. That they each dreamed a dream which 
 troubled them, and that when Joseph came to them in the 
 morning he beheld them both sad. 
 
 Mamma. What did he say to them ? 
 
 Esther. He offered to interpret their dreams. 
 
 Mamma. Can you remember his words ? 
 
 Ada. He said, " Do not interpretations belong to God? 
 Tell them to me, I pray you." 
 
 Mamma. What did Joseph mean them to understand 
 by these words ? 
 
 Esther. That God had given him the power to inter- 
 pret their dreams.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 151 
 
 Mamma, Quite right, my dear child ; he wished them 
 clearly to understand, that his interpretations could only 
 be given, according to the inspiration which he received 
 from God. 
 
 Ada. Mamma, dear, you have often said to us that it 
 is wrong to attach any importance to our dreams, yet we 
 find throughout the Bible many instances where God sent 
 dreams as prophecies. 
 
 Mamma. If God were to send us dreams that foretold 
 any events in which we were to act, or if He sent us an 
 interpretation and the event came to pass, as these events 
 which we find related in the Bible did, we should believe 
 now even as people did then; but when I caution you 
 against believing in dreams, 1 am only teaching you obe- 
 dience to a precept expressly given in our iTIIH (Tou-rah) 
 which we shall read by-and-bye where we are told not 
 to believe in signs or omens, or to listen to the words of a 
 prophet, unless something of which he tells us comes to 
 pass. In all ages there have been false prophets and peo- 
 ple who superstitiously attach importance to particular 
 dreams, making these dreams indicate things which are to 
 occur, thus giving themselves much unhappiness and many 
 needless disappointments. 
 
 Esther. You mean, Mamma, that it is wrong to believe 
 as the servants tell us sometimes, that our dream is a sign 
 of a fire or a wedding or of hasty news. 
 
 Mamma. Exactly, my dear; all these things are wrong. 
 All that we have to do is to act always to the best of our 
 abilities, and then trust events to God, without troubling 
 ourselves as to what may happen; but now let us finish 
 with the dreams of the butler and baker. Tell me the 
 results of Joseph's interpretation ? 
 
 Esther. The chief baker was to be hanged, and the 
 chief butler restored to his place within three days. 
 
 Mamma. What request did Joseph make of the chief 
 butler when these things should come to pass? 
 
 Esther. That he would remember him and intercede 
 with Pharaoh for his release from prison. 
 
 Mamma. Did the butler do so? 
 
 Esther. No; he forgot him.
 
 152 
 
 READING XXVI. 
 
 o 
 
 AND it came to pass, at the end of two full years, 
 that Pharaoh dreamed ; and, behold, he stood by the 
 river. 
 
 And, behold, there came out of the river seven 
 well-favoured kine, and fat-fleshed, and they fed in a 
 meadow; and, behold, seven kine came up after 
 them out of the river, ill-favoured, and lean-fleshed, 
 and stood by the other kine, upon the brink of the 
 river. 
 
 And the ill-favoured and lean-fleshed kine did cat 
 up the seven well-favoured and fat kiue : and Pharaoh 
 awoke. 
 
 And he slept and dreamed a second time ; and, 
 behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, 
 rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears, and 
 blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them ; 
 and the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and 
 full ears. 
 
 Then Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 
 
 And in the morning his spirit was troubled. And 
 he called all the magicians of Egypt, and all the 
 wise men thereof. 
 
 And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there were 
 none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. 
 
 Then said the chief butler, I do remember my 
 faults this day : and he told Pharaoh his dream, and 
 the dream of the chief baker, and how Joseph did 
 interpret them, as it came to pass. 
 
 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph hastily out 
 of the dungeon: and he shaved himself and changed 
 his raiment, and came and stood before Pharaoh.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 153 
 
 And Pharaoh told his dream unto Joseph, and 
 said, I have heard of thee, that thou canst under- 
 stand a dream to interpret it. 
 
 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in 
 me : God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. 
 
 And Joseph said, The dream of Pharaoh is one. 
 God hath showed Pharaoh what He is about to do. 
 
 The seven good kine are seven years, and the seven 
 good ears are seven years, and the seven thin and 
 ill-favoured kine that came up after them are seven 
 years, and the seven empty ears, blasted with the east 
 wind, are seven years of famine. 
 
 This is the thing which I have spoken unto 
 Pharaoh, What God is about to do, He hath shown 
 unto Pharaoh. 
 
 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty 
 throughout all the land of Egypt ; and there shall 
 arise after them seven years of famine ; and the 
 plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of 
 the famine ; for it shall be very grievous. 
 
 The dream was doubled unto Pharaoh, showing 
 that the thing is certain, and God will shortly bring 
 it to pass. 
 
 Now, therefore, let Pharaoh look out a man, wise 
 and discreet, and set him over the land of Egypt, and 
 let him appoint officers over the land, and take up 
 the fifth part of the land, in the seven plenteous 
 years. 
 
 And let them gather all the food of those good 
 years that are to come, and let them lay up corn 
 under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food 
 in the cities. 
 
 And that food shall be for store against the 
 seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of 
 Egypt, that the land perish not through the 
 famine. 
 
 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, 
 and in the eyes of all his servants.
 
 154 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find 
 such a man as this is, a man in whom the spirit of 
 God is? 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as 
 God hath showed thee all this, there is none so 
 discreet and wise as thou art. 
 
 Thou shalt be over my house, and according to 
 thy word shall all my people be ruled : only on 
 the throne will I be greater than thou. 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set 
 thee over all the land of Egypt. 
 
 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and 
 put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in 
 vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his 
 neck. 
 
 And he made him to ride in the second chariot 
 which he had : and they cried before him, Bow the 
 knee. And he made him ruler over all the land of 
 Egypt. 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, 
 and without thee shall no man lift up the hand, or 
 foot, in all the land of Egypt. 
 
 And Pharaoh gave Joseph to wife Asenath, daughter 
 of the priest of On. And Pharaoh called Joseph Zaph- 
 nath-paaneah. 
 
 And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. 
 
 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood 
 before Pharaoh.
 
 155 
 
 CONVERSATION XXVI. 
 
 Mamma. How long did Joseph remain in prison after 
 the release of the chief butler? 
 
 Esther. Two years. 
 
 Mamma. What happened at the end of this lime that 
 caused the chief butler to remember Joseph? 
 
 Esther. Pharaoh's dreams, which he could find no one 
 to interpret. 
 
 Mamma. Can you relate to me these dreams? 
 
 Esther. Yes, dear Mamma; "Pharaoh dreamed first that 
 seven well-favoured kine came up out of the river, and that 
 they were followed by seven lean kine which devoured 
 them, and yet did not look any better ; he then fell asleep 
 again, and dreamed that seven ears of corn came up upon 
 one stalk, rank and good; and after these followed seven 
 thin ears, blasted with the east wind, and devoured the- 
 seven full ears." 
 
 Mamma. Very well remembered, my darling. Now,, 
 tell me what Joseph said, when Pharaoh told him that he 
 had heard that Joseph understood a dream to interpret 
 it? 
 
 Esther. He said, "It is not in me. God will give 
 Pharaoh an answer of peace." 
 
 Mamma. Have you thought of the lesson that these 
 words of Joseph were meant to convey? 
 
 Ada. You told us before, dear Mamma, when Joseph 
 said almost the same thing to the chief butler and the chief 
 baker, that he wished to show that it was to God that he 
 owed the power of interpreting correctly. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, undoubtedly Joseph's principal 
 meaning was to show the magicians of Egypt that the gift 
 of prophecy could be acquired by no human efforts ; but 
 I think we may also take another lesson from these words
 
 156 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 of Joseph, and apply it to any one who excels his fellow- 
 creatures in any one quality that is, that whatever gifts 
 we may possess, whether of beauty, talent, wisdom or 
 wealth, we should not, on account of them, think ourselves 
 better than one less favoured, but acknowledge that these 
 gifts are entrusted to us by God; that we should think 
 humbly cf ourselves, knowing that it is in the power of 
 our Almighty Father to deprive us in an instant of any 
 gift He may have bestowed. 
 
 Ada. Mamma, do not Pharaoh's dreams appear very 
 plainly to indicate the meaning given to them ? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, after we have been told what 
 it was. When we read what is to happen, and see its 
 fulfilment, we can very easily trace the symbols. Do not 
 fall into the error of imagining, that because things appear 
 easy when explained, that it required no special gift to 
 explain them correctly. Since you have found the inter- 
 pretation so plain, just relate to me the symbols given ? 
 and how they indicated most appropriately the coming 
 events? 
 
 Ada. Both the fat kine and the full ears being devoured 
 by the lean ones, plainly indicated a famine so grievous 
 that the land would be no better for the great plenty that 
 had preceded it. 
 
 Mamma. -You have not thought of that part of the 
 vision, which shows how the abundance or failure of the 
 crops in Egypt was affected by the river Nile. Pharaoh 
 saw both the kine and the ears come out of the Nile. 
 
 Esther. I noticed this, Mamma; but what had the 
 river to do with the plenty or the famine? 
 
 Mamma. Simply this, my darling, which I could not 
 expect you to know; but which I have no doubt this fact 
 will cause you to remember namely, that Egypt is a 
 country where no rain falls, and that the soil is dependant 
 for water upon the rise of the river, which overflows its 
 banks annually, and, besides watering the ground, leaves 
 -a deposit which renders it fruitful. The Egyptians 
 anxiously watch the rise of this river, for they know that 
 their crops will be abundant or scarce in proportion as the 
 waters rise or fall.
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 157 
 
 Ada. I believe I have read of this, dear Mamma, but 
 I did not think of the connection between the Nile and 
 the crops, when considering the interpretation of Pharaoh's 
 dream. 
 
 Mamma. Now tell me, Esther, in as few words as- 
 possible, how were Pharaoh's dreams interpreted? 
 
 Esther. Joseph told Pharaoh that they had been sent 
 him by God, to show that there would come imme- 
 diately in the land of Egypt seven years of great plenty, 
 which were to be followed by seven years of grievous 
 famine. 
 
 Mamma. Do you remember the advice Joseph gave 
 Pharaoh ai'ter having interpreted the dreams? 
 
 Esther. Yes ; he advised Pharaoh to choose a man 
 who was discreet and wise, and to set him over the 
 land of Egypt, to gather up stoics during the years of 
 plenty, so that the people might be saved alive during 
 the years of famine that were to follow. 
 
 Mamma. Did Pharaoh attend to this advice? 
 
 Esther. Yes, and chose Joseph, and set him over the 
 land of Egypt. Made him second only to the king, and 
 gave him handsome presents of a ring and a chain, and 
 robed him in fine vestments. 
 
 Mamma. You have remembered correctly, but your 
 idea of the presents is not quite clear : the ring and 
 chain were not intended merely as presents, but as signs 
 that the king had bestowed authority upon Joseph; the 
 king's ring was without doubt the ring which bore his 
 seal; and the king's seal attached to any document was 
 regarded in those days as the Queen's signature would 
 be in the present time; thus Pharaoh gave Joseph per- 
 mission to issue any decree he pleased, and sign it, 
 without first referring to him. 
 
 I wish you also to remark, that Joseph was not only 
 the first Jewish Prime Minister that we have on record, 
 but also the first in the world who held that situation. 
 Israelites appear since then in the history of many countries 
 as Ministers of Finance.
 
 158 
 
 READING XXVII. 
 
 AND Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, 
 and went over all the land of Egypt. 
 
 And in the seven plenteous years, the earth 
 brought forth by handfuls. 
 
 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, 
 and laid it up in the cities : the food of the fields 
 which were rDund about every city, laid he up in 
 the same. 
 
 And Joseph gathered up corn as the sand of the 
 sea. 
 
 And unto Joseph were born two sons, before the 
 years of famine came; which Asenath bare unto 
 him. 
 
 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn, 
 Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget 
 all my toil of my father's house. 
 
 And the name of the second he called Ephraim ; 
 For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land 
 of my affliction. 
 
 And the seven years of plenty, that was in the 
 land of Egypt, were ended. 
 
 And the seven years of dearth were come, as Joseph 
 had said ; and the dearth was in all the lands ; but 
 in the land of Egypt there was bread. 
 
 And when all the land of Egypt was famished 
 the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh 
 said unto them, Go unto Joseph ; what he saith unto 
 you, do. 
 
 And the famine was sore in Egypt, and over all 
 the face of the earth.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 159 
 
 And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold 
 corn to the Egyptians ; and all countries came unto 
 Egypt to buy corn. 
 
 And when Jacob knew that there was corn in 
 Egypt, he said unto his sons, Why do ye look one 
 upon another? 
 
 Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt : 
 get ye down thither, and buy food for us from 
 thence, that we may live and not die. 
 
 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn 
 in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob 
 sent not with his brethren, lest mischief should befall 
 him. 
 
 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn in Egypt; 
 And they bowed themselves before Joseph with their 
 faces to the earth. 
 
 And Joseph saw his brethren, and knew them, 
 but he made himself strange unto them, and spake 
 roughly unto them. 
 
 And he said unto them, Whence come ye? And 
 they said, From the land of Canaan, to buy food. 
 
 And they knew not Joseph. And Joseph thought 
 of the dreams that he had dreamed. 
 
 And he said unto them, Ye are spies ; to see the 
 nakedness of the land are ye come. 
 
 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord/but to buy 
 food are we, thy servants, come. We are all one man's 
 sons ; we are true men ; thy servants are no spies. 
 
 And Joseph answered, Nay, but to see the naked- 
 ness of the land are ye come. 
 
 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, 
 the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and 
 behold the youngest is this day with our father ; and 
 one is not. 
 
 And Joseph said unto them, Hereby shall ye be 
 proved. By the life of Pharaoh, ye shall not go 
 forth hence, except your youngest brother come 
 hither.
 
 160 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Let one go and fetch him; and ye shall be kept in 
 prison, that your words may be proved whether there 
 be any truth in you. 
 
 And he put them all together in ward, three days. 
 
 And on the third day Joseph said unto them, 
 This do, and ye shall live, for I fear God; if ye be 
 true men, let one of you be bound in prison, then go 
 ye, take corn for your households, and bring your 
 youngest brother unto me, so shall your words be 
 proved and ye shall not die. And they did so. 
 
 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty 
 concerning our brother, in that we saw not the 
 anguish of his soul when he besought us and -we 
 would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon 
 us. 
 
 And Reuben answered them, Spake I not unto 
 you, saying, Do not sin against the child ; and ye 
 would not hear: therefore, behold his blood is re- 
 quired. 
 
 And they knew not that Joseph understood them, 
 for when he spake to them, he had one with him to 
 interpret. 
 
 And he turned from them and wept ; and returned 
 to them again, and spoke with them, and took from 
 them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. 
 
 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with 
 corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, 
 and to give them provision for the way. And thus 
 did he unto them. 
 
 And they loaded their asses with corn and de- 
 parted. 
 
 And as one of them opened his sack to give his 
 ass provender in the inn, he espied his money ; for 
 behold it was in the sack's mouth. 
 
 And he said unto his brethren, My money is re- 
 stored, and lo, it is even in my sack. 
 
 And their hearts failed them, and they were afraid, .
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 161 
 
 saying one to another, What is this that God hath 
 done unto us? 
 
 And they came to Jacob their father, unto the 
 land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen 
 them, saying, 
 
 The man who is lord of the land spake roughly 
 unto us, and took us for spies. 
 
 And we said unto him, We are true men, we are 
 no spies ; we be twelve brethren, sons of one father; 
 one is not ; and the youngest is with our father this 
 day, in the land of Canaan. 
 
 And the man, the lord of the country, said, Hereby 
 shall I know that ye are true men : leave one of your 
 brethren with me, and take food for your households 
 and be gone : and bring your youngest brother unto 
 me, then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that 
 ye are true men; so will I deliver you your brother, 
 and ye shall traffic in the land. 
 
 And it came to pass, as they emptied their sacks, 
 that behold every man's money was in his sack. 
 
 And when they and their father saw the bundles 
 of money they were afraid. 
 
 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have 
 ye bereaved of my children ; Joseph is not, and 
 Simeon is not ; and ye will take Benjamin also. All 
 these things are against me. 
 
 And Eeuben said, Slay my two sons if I bring him 
 not to thee ; deliver him into my hand, and I will 
 bring him to thee again. 
 
 And he said, My son shall not go down with you, 
 for his brother is dead, and he is left alone ; 
 
 If mischief befall him by the way then shall ye 
 bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.
 
 162 
 
 CONVERSATION XXVII. 
 
 Mamma. When were Joseph's two sons born? 
 
 Esther. Before the years of the famine. 
 
 Mamma. What names aid he give them? and what are 
 the meanings of the names ? 
 
 Esther. Joseph called the firstborn, Manasseh, and the 
 second Ephraim; HEWIp (Menasseh) which means to cause 
 to forget, for, said he, " God hath made me forget my toil 
 in my father's house ;" and D?7?^ (Ephraim) means to 
 be fruitful, for he said, " God hath made me fruitful in 
 the land of my affliction." 
 
 Mamma. Again, you notice that nearly all the names 
 we read of in the Bible were given in commemoration of 
 some event, or with some special signification? 
 
 Esther. Yes, dear Mamma ; so if we learn the signi- 
 fication, we can remember the events and the circum- 
 stances in which the people were placed. 
 
 Mamma. Was Egypt the only country which suffered 
 from the famine? 
 
 Esther. No, all the surrounding countries, and amongst 
 them Canaan, suffered likewise. 
 
 Mamma. What is the next event we read of as occur- 
 ring in consequence of the famine in Canaan? 
 
 Esther. Joseph's brothers went into Egypt to buy food. 
 
 Mamma. Which of Joseph's brothers remained at home 
 with his father? 
 
 Esther. Benjamin. 
 
 Mamma. Did Joseph recognize his brethren? 
 
 Esther. Yes; but they did not know him. 
 
 Mamma. How did he receive them ? 
 
 Esther. He spake roughly to them, saying, " Ye are 
 spies, and to see the nakedness of the land are ye come."
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 163 
 
 Mamma. What did he desire them to do, to prove that 
 they were true men? 
 
 Esther. He told them to bring their younger brother, 
 and he kept Simeon in prison. 
 
 Ada. Do you not think, dear Mamma, that Joseph 
 treated his brethren very unkindly and revengefully? 
 
 Mamma. It would certainly seem so, if we did not 
 perceive that it was another motive, and not one of revenge 
 which prompted Joseph to pursue this line of conduct. It 
 has always appeared to me that Joseph wished to find out 
 whether his brethren had repented of the way in which 
 they had treated him, and whether they might be trusted, 
 and would not become jealous of any favors he might shew 
 to Benjamin. 
 
 Ada. Then, Mamma, he succeeded in his desires, for 
 when he heard his brethren say that this trouble had come 
 iipon them on account of the way they had treated him, 
 he must have been satisfied that they had repented. 
 
 Esther. Why then, Mamma, did not Joseph make him- 
 self known to his brethren, before he sent them back to 
 their father? 
 
 Mamma. I cannot pretend to tell you with certainty, 
 the motives which actuated him. We are often incorrect 
 in our ideas of the motives and of the actions of our dearest 
 friends, but if we consider the manner in which Joseph 
 acted afterwards, it would appear that' he only wished to 
 be quite certain that he could trust them to live in peace 
 and unity before he invited them into Egypt. 
 
 Esther. I do not quite understand how it was that 
 Joseph knew what his brothers were saying, and that they 
 did not know that he did so. 
 
 Ada. Do you not remember, Esther, that he spoke to 
 them through an interpreter? 
 
 Mamma. You have not helped Esther, my dear Ada, 
 to understand this any better. My little girl does not 
 know the meaning of the word interpreter. An interpreter 
 is a person who understands the different languages in 
 which two parties are speaking, and translates from one 
 into the other: thus Joseph spoke in the language of Egypt, 
 and the interpreter repeated his words in Hebrew to his
 
 164 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 brethren, whilst theirs which were spoken in Hebrew, he 
 put again into the Egyptian. 
 
 Esther. Thank you, dear Mamma ; I understand this 
 quite well now. 
 
 Mamma. What did Joseph command his steward to do 
 with the money his brethren had brought to buy corn? 
 
 Esther. He desired that it should be returned in their 
 sacks. 
 
 Mamma. What were their feelings when they dis- 
 covered it? 
 
 Esther. They were afraid. 
 
 Mamma. Did Jacob readily consent to let Benjamin 
 accompany his brothers into Egypt, after he had been told 
 what had occurred ? 
 
 Esther. No ; he said, " Me have ye bereaved of my 
 children : Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will 
 take away Benjamin also." 
 
 Mamma.-~ Which of the brothers entreated Jacob to 
 let Benjamin accompany them, offering to become surety 
 for his safe return? 
 
 Esther. Reuben, who said, tl Slay my two sons if I 
 bring him not again unto thee." 
 
 Mamma. Did Jacob then consent that he should go 
 with them ? 
 
 Esther. No: he said, " If mischief befall him, ye shall 
 bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave."
 
 165 
 
 READING XXVIII. 
 
 AND the famine was sore in the land. 
 
 And it came to pass that when they had eaten up 
 the corn which they had brought from Egypt, their 
 father said unto them, Go again, and buy us a little 
 food. 
 
 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did 
 solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my 
 face, except your brother be with you. 
 
 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go 
 down and buy thee food ; but if thou wilt not send 
 him, we will not go down ; for the man said unto us, 
 Ye shall see my face no more, except your brother be 
 with you. 
 
 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, 
 as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother ? 
 
 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our 
 state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet 
 alive ? Have ye another brother ? 
 
 And we told him according to these words. Could 
 we certainly know that he would say, Bring your 
 brother down? 
 
 Arid Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad 
 with me, and we will arise and go ; that we may live 
 and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little 
 ones. 
 
 I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt thou 
 require him ; if I bring him not unto thee, and set 
 him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever. 
 
 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must
 
 166 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 be so, now do this : Take the best fruits in the land 
 in your vessels, and carry down a present, a little 
 balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and 
 almonds. 
 
 And take double money in your hand ; and the 
 money that was brought back in your sacks carry it 
 again in your hand. 
 
 Take also your brother, and arise and go again 
 unto the man. 
 
 And God Almighty give you mercy before him, 
 that he may send away your other brother and 
 Benjamin. 
 
 If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved ! 
 
 And the men took the presents, and the double 
 money, and Benjamin, and went down to Egypt, and 
 stood before Joseph. 
 
 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said 
 to the ruler of his house, 
 
 Bring these men home, and stay and make ready ; 
 for they shall dine with me at noon. And the man 
 did as Joseph bade him, and brought the men into 
 Joseph's house. 
 
 And they were afraid because they were brought 
 unto Joseph's house, and they said, Because of the 
 money that was returned in our sacks the first time 
 are we brought in, that he may find occasion against 
 us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, 
 together with our asses. 
 
 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's 
 house, and spake with him at the door of the house, 
 
 And said, O sir ! we came down indeed the first 
 time to buy food. And it came to pass, when we got 
 to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and behold, 
 every man's money was in his sack. 
 
 And we have brought it back again ; and money 
 have we brought to buy food : we cannot tell who 
 put the money in our sacks.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 167 
 
 And he said, Peace be unto you; fear not. Your 
 God and the God of your father hath given you trea- 
 sure in your sacks. I had your money. And he 
 brought Simeon out to them. 
 
 And the steward brought the men into Joseph's 
 house, and gave them water, and they washed their 
 feet ; and he gave their asses provender. 
 
 And they made ready the presents against Joseph 
 came at noon, for they heard that they should eat 
 bread there. 
 
 And when Joseph came home, the men brought 
 the presents, and bowed themselves before him to 
 the earth. 
 
 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, 
 
 Is your father well, the old man, of whom ye 
 spake? is he yet alive? And they bowed their heads 
 and made obeisance. 
 
 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother 
 Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your 
 younger brother of whom ye spake unto me ? God 
 be gracious unto thee, my son ! 
 
 And Joseph made haste out ; for his love for his 
 brother overcame him ; and he sought where to weep, 
 and he entered into his chamber and wept there. 
 
 And he washed his face and went back, and re- 
 frained himself, and said, Set on bread. 
 
 And they set on for him by himself, and for the 
 Egyptians that were with him by themselves, because 
 the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews. 
 
 And they sat before him, the firstborn according 
 to his birthright, and the youngest according to his 
 youth. And the men marvelled one at another. _ 
 
 And he sent messes unto them from before him ; 
 but Benjamin's mess was five times as much as any of 
 theirs. And they drank and were cheerful with him. 
 
 And he commanded the steward of the house, 
 saying, Fill their sacks with food, as much as they
 
 168 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's 
 mouth. 
 
 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack of the 
 youngest, and the corn money. And he did accord- 
 ing to the word that Joseph had spoken. 
 
 As soon as the morning was light, the men were 
 sent away, they and their asses. 
 
 And when they were gone out of the city, and not 
 yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow 
 after the men ; and when thou dost overtake them 
 say unto them, 
 
 Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good ? Is not 
 this it, in which my lord drinketh? Ye have done 
 evil in so doing. 
 
 And he overtook them, and spake unto them the 
 same words. 
 
 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my 
 lord these words ; God forbid that thy servants should 
 do according to that thing. 
 
 Behold the money which we found in our sacks' 
 mouths, we brought again unto thee, out of the land 
 of Canaan. How then should we steal out of thy 
 lord's house silver or gold ? 
 
 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both 
 let him die, and we also will be my lord's bond- 
 men. 
 
 And he said, Let it be according to your words. 
 He with whom it is found shall be my servant, and 
 ye shall be blameless. 
 
 Then they speedily took down every man his sack 
 and opened it. / 
 
 And he searched, beginning at the eldest ; and the 
 cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 
 
 Then they rent their clothes, and returned to the 
 city, after loading their asses. 
 
 And they all came to Joseph's house, and fell 
 before him on the ground.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 169 
 
 And Joseph said unto them, What is this deed 
 that ye have done ? Knew ye not that I could 
 divine ? 
 
 And Judah said, "What shall we say unto my lord, 
 or how shall we clear ourselves ? God hath found 
 out the sin of thy servants. 
 
 Behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he 
 with whom the cup was found. 
 
 And Joseph said, God forbid that I should do so ; 
 but the man, in whose hand the cup was found, he 
 shall be my servant. 
 
 And as for you, get ye up in peace to your 
 father.
 
 170 
 
 CONVERSATION XXVIII. 
 
 Mamma. Why did Jacob's sons refuse to go a second 
 time into Egypt unless their father would consent that 
 Benjamin should accompany them? 
 
 Esther. Because Joseph had solemnly sworn that they 
 should see his face no more, unless their brother were 
 ^with them. 
 
 Mamma. What did Jacob say when his sons repeated 
 -what Joseph had said, and told him that they would not go 
 into Egypt without Benjamin ? 
 
 Esther. He said, <; Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me 
 as to tell the man that ye had yet another brother." 
 
 Ada. We do not read that Joseph asked them " If they 
 had yet another brother ;" therefore, they did not tell the 
 truth when they said so to their father. Did they, dear 
 JMamma ? 
 
 Mamma. We certainly do not read these exact words ; 
 "but it is quite possible Joseph might have asked them 
 about their brother, or they may have thought that he did 
 so. I do not think in this instance they told an inten- 
 tional falsehood to their father ; they certainly could not 
 know, as they said, that Joseph would desire to see their 
 brother. And further, I wish you to observe, that although 
 every word in our Bible is true, much more must have 
 happened to every individual than is related in it. Moses 
 only wrote down such events as had some relation to the 
 future history of the Jewish people, or contained some 
 lesson by which we were to be benefited. 
 
 Ada. I had not thought of this before, dear Mamma, 
 but it is quite clear to me now. Of course many more 
 events must have happened than we read of. 
 
 Mamma. Did Jacob at last consent that Benjamin 
 -should accompany his brethren ?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 171 
 
 Esther. Yes ; and Judah promised that he would 
 ensure his safe return. 
 
 Mamma. What did Joseph's brothers take with them 
 besides the money which they had found in their 
 sacks ? 
 
 Esther. More money to buy corn, and a present for 
 Joseph, of balm, honey, almonds, spices, myrrh, and 
 nuts. 
 
 Mamma. When Joseph perceived Benjamin with his 
 brethren, what did he desire of his steward ? 
 
 Esther. He told his steward to bring them into his 
 house that they might eat with him at noon. 
 
 Mamma. How did they feel when they were brought 
 into the house ? 
 
 Esther. They were afraid, and thought they were 
 brought there on account of the money that they had found 
 in their sacks. 
 
 Mamma. How did the steward answer when they told 
 him of the money they had found ? 
 
 Esther. He said, '' Fear not ; your God and the God of 
 your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. I had 
 your money.'' 
 
 Mamma. What further was done that reassured them ? 
 
 Esther. Simeon was brought out to them. 
 
 Mamma. When Joseph came home what did his 
 brothers do ? 
 
 Esther. They bowed themselves before him to the 
 ground, and brought him the presents which they had pre- 
 pared for him. 
 
 Mamma. Thus you see Joseph's dreams were ful- 
 filled, his brethren actually bowed down before him. 
 What was the first question Joseph asked of his 
 brethren ? 
 
 Esther. He asked if their father was well. 
 
 Mamma. What are we told of Joseph when he saw 
 Benjamin, the son of his own mother ? 
 
 Esther. That he could restrain his feelings no longer, 
 but retired to his room to weep. 
 
 Mamma. How did Joseph excite the wonder of hia 
 brothers ?
 
 172 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Esther. By placing them at table according to their 
 ages. 
 
 Ada. Why should Joseph have given Benjamin five 
 times as much as his other brethren ; he surely could not 
 eat more than they ? 
 
 Mamma. It is not necessary to imagine that Joseph's 
 brothers ate all that was placed before them ; it is the 
 custom in the East, even in the present day, to give a 
 greater variety of food to the guest who is most honoured, 
 merely as a mark of distinction, in the same way as we 
 should endeavour to procure some rare dish, if we invited 
 to our table a guest to whom we wished to show particular 
 favour. 
 
 Ada. Mamma, does it not appear very unnecessary 
 that Joseph should have had the cup put into Benjamin's 
 sack, to cause his brothers to be brought back again ? 
 Might he not have told them at once that he was their 
 brother ? 
 
 Mamma. I think he wished to be quite sure of their 
 affection for Benjamin, and to prove that they would not be 
 jealous of him, and treat Benjamin as he had been treated 
 by them himself. 
 
 Ada. O yes, I have no doubt now that this was his 
 reason. I am so glad that you have explained this, dear 
 Mamma, for I did not like to think that Joseph could be 
 unkind and revengeful. 
 
 Mamma. How did Joseph's brothers act when they 
 were overtaken and accused of the theft ? 
 
 Esther. They immediately took down the sacks, and 
 desired that they should be searched. 
 
 Mamma. Thus proving that they had no doubt of their 
 own, or of each others' integrity. Do you remember that 
 they all offered to become Joseph's slaves, if the cup should 
 be found with them ? 
 
 Esther Yes, and when it was found in Benjamin's 
 sack, they all rent their clothes and returned with him to 
 Joseph. 
 
 Mamma. What did Judah say when he came into 
 Joseph's presence ? 
 
 Esther. He said, " What shall we say unto my lord or
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 173 
 
 how shall we clear ourselves ? God hath found out the 
 sin of thy servants; behold we are my lord's servants, 
 both we and he with whom the cup was found." 
 
 Mamma. How did Joseph answer them ? 
 
 Esther, He said, '' The man with whom the cup is 
 found shall be my servant. And as for you, get ye up to 
 your father in peace."
 
 174 
 
 BEADING XXIX. 
 
 THEN Judah came near, and said, 
 
 my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a 
 word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn 
 against thy servant ; for thou art even as Pharaoh. 
 
 My lord asked thy servants, saying, Have ye a 
 father and a brother? 
 
 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an 
 old man, and a child of his old age, a little one ; and 
 his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his 
 mother, and his father loveth him. 
 
 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him 
 down unto me, that I may see him. 
 
 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave 
 his father; for if he should his father would die. 
 
 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your 
 youngest brother come with you, ye shall see my face 
 no more. 
 
 And it came to pass that when we were come up 
 to thy servant, my father, we told him the words of 
 my lord. 
 
 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little 
 food. 
 
 And we said, We cannot go down except our 
 youngest brother be with us, else we cannot see the 
 man's face. 
 
 And thy servant, my father, said unto us, Ye know 
 that my wife bare me two sons : and the one went 
 out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; 
 and I have not seen him since. 
 
 And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 175. 
 
 befall him, ye shall bring down my grey hairs with 
 sorrow to the grave. 
 
 Now, therefore, when I come to thy servant, my 
 father, and the lad be not with us (seeing that his 
 life is bound up in the life of the lad), 
 
 And it shall come to pass when he seeth that the 
 lad is not with us that he will die ; and thy servant 
 shall bring down the grey hairs of thy servant, our 
 father; with sorrow to the grave. 
 
 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my 
 father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I 
 shall bear the blame to my father for ever. 
 
 Now, therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide 
 (instead of the lad) a bondman to my lord, and let 
 the lad go up with his brethren. 
 
 For how shall I go up to my father and the lad 
 be not with me, lest I see the evil that shall come on 
 my father? 
 
 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all 
 those who stood before him ; 
 
 And he cried, Cause every man to go out from me;, 
 and there stood no man with him but his brethren 
 while he made himself known unto them. 
 
 And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the 
 house of Pharaoh heard. 
 
 And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye 
 sold into Egypt, 
 
 Come near to me, I pray you ; and they came near, 
 but could not answer him, for they were grieved. 
 
 And Joseph said, Be not grieved nor angry with 
 yourselves that you sold me hither; for God sent me- 
 before you to preserve life. 
 
 So now it was not you, but Grod who sent me 
 hither. And He made me a father unto Pharaoh, 
 and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land 
 of Egypt. 
 
 For these two years hath the famine been in the
 
 176 THE \VAY OP TRUTH. 
 
 land; and yet there are five years in which there 
 shall be neither earing nor harvest. 
 
 Haste ye, and go down to my father, and say to 
 him, Thus saith thy son Joseph : 
 
 God hath made me lord of all Egypt ; come down 
 to me, and tarry not ; and thou shalt dwell in the 
 land of Goshen, and thou shalt he near unto me, 
 thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, 
 and thy flocks, and thy herds, and thy goats, and all 
 that thou hast. 
 
 And there will I nourish thee ; for yet there are 
 five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, 
 come to poverty. 
 
 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my 
 brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh 
 unto you. 
 
 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in 
 Egypt, and of all that ye have seen ; and ye shall 
 haste and bring down my father thither. 
 
 And Joseph fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, 
 and wept ; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 
 
 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept 
 upon them ; and after that his brethren talked with 
 him. 
 
 And the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, 
 saying, Joseph's brethren are come; and it was 
 pleasing in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of 
 his servants also. 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy 
 brethren, This do ye ; load your beasts, and go, get 
 you into the land of Canaan, and take your father 
 and your households, and come unto me ; 
 
 And I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, 
 and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art 
 commanded, this do. 
 
 Then Joseph said, Take you wagons out of the 
 land of Egypt for your wives, and for your little
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 177 
 
 ones, and bring your father, and come ; also regard 
 not your goods; for the best of all the land of Egypt 
 is yours. 
 
 And the children of Israel did so; and Joseph 
 gave them wagons, according to the command of 
 Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 
 
 To each of them he gave a change of raiment ; 
 but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of 
 silver, and five changes of raiment. 
 
 And to his father Joseph sent after this manner: 
 ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and 
 ten she asses laden with corn, and bread, and meat 
 for his father by the way. 
 
 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed. 
 
 And he said unto them, See that ye fall not out 
 by the way. 
 
 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the 
 land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him, 
 Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land 
 of Egypt. 
 
 And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them 
 not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, 
 which he had said unto them. 
 
 And when he saw the wagons which Joseph had 
 sent to carry him, his spirit revived ; 
 
 And he said, It is enough ; Joseph my son is yet 
 alive : I will go and see him before I die.
 
 178 
 
 CONVERSATION XXIX. 
 
 Mamma. I should like you, Esther, my dear, to learn 
 to repeat Judah's speech, for it is very beautiful. I think 
 Ada can do so, and she will help you to learn it. 
 
 Ada. Yes, dear Mamma, I know it quite perfectly, and 
 yet every time I repeat it I like it better. It is not surpris- 
 ing that Joseph could restrain his feelings no longer, after 
 this touching appeal in behalf of his brother. 
 
 Mamma. This speech must have reassured him with 
 regard to any feelings he might have imagined that his 
 brethren entertained towards Benjamin. What did he say 
 to them, after he had made himself known unto them, and 
 they appeared grieved and troubled ? 
 
 Ada. He said, " Be not grieved, nor angry with your- 
 selves, that you sent rne hither; for God sent me before 
 you to preserve you in the earth, and to save your lives." 
 
 Mamma. Do you understand what Joseph meant by 
 this? 
 
 Ada.- He meant to prove to his brethren that he bore 
 them no ill will on account of the sufferings they had 
 caused him, but that he looked upon all that had happened 
 as the will of God, and thought that God had purposely 
 allowed him to be sent into Egypt, in order that he might 
 interpret Pharaoh's dreams, and provide against the ill 
 effects of the famine. 
 
 Esther. But do you think, Mamma, Joseph was right 
 to say this, was it not very wrong of his brothers to sell 
 him into Egypt ? 
 
 Mamma. It was undoubtedly a most wicked act, on the 
 part of Joseph's brethren, to sell him into Egypt, but God 
 had turned their evil intentions into good ; and it was 
 generous and kind of Joseph to try to console them in this 
 manner, for they appear to have been sincerely penitent.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 179 
 
 How did Joseph tell his brethren God had placed him with 
 regard to Pharaoh? 
 
 Esther. He said, " God had made him a father to 
 Pharaoh." 
 
 Ada. Does it not appear strange that Joseph should 
 have remained so long ruler of Egypt before he let his 
 father know of his prosperity? 
 
 Mamma. It would be very strange for a dutiful son to 
 act in such a manner in times like these ; but you must 
 remember that in those days there were no regular means 
 of remitting intelligence ; he might also have wished to 
 conceal his advancement from his father until he felt himself 
 quite established in Pharaoh's favour, which he could not 
 be certain of until the second part of his predictions came 
 to pass. 
 
 Ada. But why do you think he could not have sent for 
 his father and brethren at first ? 
 
 Mamma. He might have imagined that, had he done so, 
 Pharaoh might have doubted the truth of his prophecies, 
 and have thought that he invented the interpretation with 
 cunning, so that he might accomplish the aggrandisement 
 of himself and his family; but mind, my dear children, I 
 merely offer these views as suggestions : we cannot positively 
 know more of the motives of our Biblical characters than 
 our Bible tells us. Whatever may have been Joseph's 
 motives for the manner in which he .acted, I cannot believe 
 that he was other than a good and dutiful child and a kind 
 forgiving brother. Esther, my dear, what did Joseph 
 desire of his brethren as soon as he had made himself 
 known unto them? 
 
 Esther. That they would make haste and return to the 
 land of Canaan to fetch his father. 
 
 Mamma. Where did he promise they should dwell ? 
 
 Esther. In the land of Goshen. 
 
 Mamma. Have you noticed that it was at Pharaoh's 
 command that Joseph sent wagons to his father to fetch the 
 women and children ? and that Pharaoh gave him per- 
 mission to send whatever he pleased for them? 
 
 Ada. I did not notice this at first, and wondered how 
 Joseph had so much to send for them, and if he were 
 acting quite fairly to do so.
 
 180 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 Mamma, It would appear that he sent nothing but 
 what was strictly his own, until he had Pharaoh's commands 
 to do so. Did Jacob believe his sons when they told him 
 Joseph was alive? 
 
 Esther. Not immediately ; but when he saw the wagons 
 which Joseph had sent, his spirit revived. 
 
 Mamma. What did he then say? 
 
 Esther. He said, " It is enough; Joseph my son is yet 
 alive: I will go and see him before I die."
 
 181 
 
 READING XXX. 
 
 AND Israel took his journey with all that he had, 
 and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifice unto 
 the God of his father Isaac. 
 
 And God spake unto Israel in visions of the 
 night, and said, Jacob ! Jacob ! and he said, Here 
 am I. 
 
 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: 
 fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make 
 of thee a great nation. I will go down with 
 thee into Egypt, and I will surely bring thee up 
 again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine 
 eyes. 
 
 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons 
 of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their wives, 
 and their little ones, in the wagons which Pharaoh 
 had sent to carry them. 
 
 And they took their cattle and their goods, and 
 came into Egypt, Jacob and all his seed with him. 
 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt were 
 threescore and ten. 
 
 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, and 
 they came into the land of Goshen. 
 
 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up 
 to meet Israel his father, to Goshen ; and presented 
 himself unto him, and he fell on his neck and wept 
 awhile. 
 
 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, 
 since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet 
 alive.
 
 182 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Joseph said unto his brethren and unto his 
 father's house, I will go up and show Pharaoh my 
 brethren and my father's house which are come to 
 me. 
 
 And it shall come to pass when Pharaoh shall 
 say, What is your business ? that ye shall say, Thy 
 servants have been owners of cattle from our youth 
 even until now, both we and our fathers: that ye 
 may dwell in the land of Goshen. 
 
 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh that his 
 father and his brethren, and their flocks and herds 
 and all that they had, were come out of Canaan 
 into the land of Egypt, and were in the land of 
 Goshen: and he took five of his brethren and 
 presented them unto Pharaoh. 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto them, What is your busi- 
 ness ? And they answered, Thy servants are shep- 
 herds, both we, and also our fathers. 
 
 And to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy 
 servants have no pasture for their flocks, the famine 
 being sore in the land of Canaan; now therefore, 
 we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of 
 Goshen. 
 
 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy 
 father and thy brethren are come unto thee ; the 
 land of Egypt is before thee, in the best of the land 
 make them to dwell, and make some of them rulers 
 over my cattle. 
 
 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and 
 set him before Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed 
 Pharaoh. 
 
 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? 
 And Jacob said, The days of the years of my pil- 
 grimage are an hundred and thirty years. 
 
 Few and evil have the days of the years of my 
 life been, and I have not attained to the days of the 
 years of the life of my fathers, in the days of their 
 pilgrimage.
 
 THE WAY OF TllUTH. 183 
 
 And he again blessed Pharaoh, and went out from 
 before him. 
 
 And Joseph gave his father and his brethren a 
 possession in Kameses, in the best of the land of 
 Egypt, as Pharaoh had commanded. 
 
 And Joseph nourished his father and his brethren, 
 and all their household with bread. 
 
 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was 
 found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of 
 Canaan, for the corn which was bought; and Joseph 
 brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 
 
 And when all the money failed, the people came 
 to Joseph, and said, Give us bread, for why should 
 we die in thy presence ; for the money faileth. 
 
 And Joseph said, Give your cattle, if the money 
 fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph, 
 and he gave them bread for horses and for cattle, 
 and for flocks and for herds, and for asses ; and for 
 these he fed them with bread all that year. 
 
 Then came they unto him the next year, and said, 
 "VVe will not hide it from my lord, how that our 
 money is spent. My lord hath also all our beasts, 
 and there is nothing left in the sight of my lord but 
 our bodies and our lands. 
 
 Wherefore should we die, and our land also, before 
 thine eyes : buy us and our land for bread, and we 
 and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh. 
 
 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for 
 Pharaoh, only the land of the priests bought he not, 
 and they did eat of the portion which Pharaoh 
 gave them. 
 
 And he removed the people to cities, from the 
 end of the borders of Egypt, and he gave them seed 
 for the land, and in the increase they were to give 
 the fifth part to Pharaoh, and take the rest for 
 food. 
 
 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives; let us
 
 184 THE WAY OF TEUTH. 
 
 imd grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be 
 Pharaoh's servants. 
 
 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt 
 unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth 
 part, except the laud of the priests only, which 
 became not Pharaoh's.
 
 185 
 
 CONVERSATION XXX. 
 
 Mamma. Where did God appear to Jacob, during his 
 journey to Egypt? 
 
 Esther. At Beersheba. 
 
 Mamma. What did God say to him there? 
 
 Esther. He said, " Fear not to go down into Egypt, for 
 I will there make of thee a great nation ; I will go down 
 with thee into Egypt, and will surely bring thee up 
 again." 
 
 Ada. But, Mamma, Jacob never lei't Egypt again. 
 
 Mamma. My dear child, you have fallen into the same 
 error as many persons do, that of taking one verse of the 
 Bible and giving it your own interpretation ; God's pro- 
 mise to bring Jacob up again from Egypt never could 
 have been understood as relating to himself, but to his 
 descendants, for it is followed by the words, " And Joseph 
 shall put his hand upon thine eyes." 
 
 Ada. What does that mean, Mamma? 
 
 Mamma. It is an expression used figuratively, to imply 
 that Joseph should be with Jacob when he died; and 
 alludes to the custom of closing the eyes after death. 
 Now as Joseph was ruler over Egypt, it is evident that 
 Jacob did not think that he with all his family would 
 leave Egypt again during his lifetime. How did Joseph 
 meet his father? 
 
 Esther. He went up to him to Goshen and fell on his 
 neck and wept. 
 
 Mamma. How many persons went down with Jacob 
 into Egypt? 
 
 Esther. Seventy. 
 
 Mamma. What did Joseph wish his father and brothers 
 to tell Pharaoh concerning their trade? 
 
 Esther. He wished them to let him know that they
 
 186 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 \vere shepherds, in order that Pharaoh might give them 
 the land of Goshen to dwell in. 
 
 Ada. Do you think Joseph had any special reason 
 for wishing his brethren to inhabit that part of the 
 country? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, I think he might have had more than 
 one reason ; firstly, it would appear that the land of Goshen 
 was best suited for pasturing their cattle, and secondly, it 
 is likely that Joseph thought it better to separate his 
 family from the people of the land, lest they might dis- 
 agree on account of the differences of their customs. The 
 Israelites used animals for food which the Egyptians 
 regarded as sacred. You should understand this, Ada, 
 from having read the history of ancient Egypt, but Esther 
 is too young to do so. How many of his brethren did 
 Joseph present to Pharaoh? 
 
 Esther. Five. 
 
 Mamma. What do we read of Jacob when he came 
 into Pharaoh's presence? 
 
 Esther. That he blessed Pharaoh. 
 
 Mamma. How did he answer when Pharaoh asked 
 him concerning his age? 
 
 Ada. He said, " The days of the years of my pilgrim- 
 age are an hundred and thirty years ; few and evil have 
 the days of the years of my life been; and I have not 
 attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers 
 in the days of their pilgrimage." 
 
 Esther. Mamma, dear, what does Jacob mean by " the 
 years of my pilgrimage?" 
 
 Mamma. A pilgrimage means a journey; it would 
 appear, therefore, that Jacob looked upon this life only 
 as a preparation for another state of existence. "What 
 employment did Pharaoh desire Joseph to give his 
 brothers? 
 
 Esther. He desired him to make some of them rulers 
 over his cattle. 
 
 Mamma. What did Joseph tell the people to bring 
 in exchange for bread when their money was expended? 
 
 Esther. Firstly their cattle, then their lands and them- 
 selves.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 187 
 
 Mamma. What arrangement did Joseph make -with 
 them? 
 
 Ada. He gave them seed for the land on condition 
 that they should give a fifth of the increase to Pharaoh. 
 
 Mamma. Which of Pharaoh's subjects were exempt 
 from this tax ? 
 
 Esther. The priests.
 
 188 
 
 READING XXXI. 
 
 AND Israel lived in the land of Egypt seventeen 
 years, in the country of Goshen; and they had 
 possessions therein, and increased greatly. 
 
 And the time drew near that Israel must die : 
 and he called his son Joseph and said unto him, 
 
 If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray 
 thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and 
 truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt : 
 but I will lie with my fathers ; and thou shalt carry 
 me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying- 
 place. 
 
 And Joseph said, I will do as thou hast said. 
 
 And he said, Swear unto me, and he sware unto 
 him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed. 
 
 And it came to pass after these things, Joseph 
 heard that his father was sick, and he took his two 
 sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, 
 Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee. 
 
 And Israel raised himself, and sat upon the bed, 
 and said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto 
 me at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me ; 
 and said unto me, 
 
 Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply 
 thee, and I will make of thee a great people, and 
 will give this land to thy seed after thee for ever. 
 
 And now thy two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, 
 which were born unto thee, in the land of Egypt, 
 are mine : as Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine. 
 
 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who 
 are these?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my 
 sons, whom God hath given me in this place. 
 
 And Jacob said, Bring them, I pray thee, unta 
 me, and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel 
 were dim, and he could not see. 
 
 And Joseph brought them near, and he kissed and 
 embraced them. 
 
 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought 
 to see thy face, and lo ! God hath shewn me also 
 thy seed. 
 
 And Joseph brought them to him, and bowed him- 
 self before him to the earth. 
 
 And Joseph took Ephraim, in his right hand, 
 towards Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left 
 hand, towards Israel's right hand, and brought them 
 near unto him. 
 
 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid 
 it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and 
 his left hand upon Manasseh's, guiding his hands 
 wittingly. 
 
 And Israel blessed Joseph, and said, The God 
 before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, 
 the God who fed me from my first being unto this 
 day, The angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless 
 the lads ; and let my name be called on them, and 
 the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let 
 them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 
 
 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his 
 right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased 
 him; and he held up his hand, to remove it to 
 Manasseh's head, and said, 
 
 Not so my father : for this is the firstborn, put 
 thy right hand upon his head. But his father re- 
 fused, and said, 
 
 I know it, my son, I know it : he also shall become 
 a people, and he also shall be great, but truly his 
 brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall 
 become a multitude of nations.
 
 190 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 
 
 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee, 
 shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Eph- 
 raim and Manasseh. And he set Ephraim before 
 Manasseh. 
 
 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold I die : but 
 God shall be with you and bring you again into the 
 land of your fathers. 
 
 Moreover, I have given thee one portion above 
 thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the 
 Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
 
 191 
 
 CONVERSATION XXXI. 
 
 Mamma. When Israel felt that his end was drawing 
 near, what request did he make of Joseph ? 
 
 Esther. That he would not bury him in the land of 
 Egypt, but would take him and bury him in the burying 
 place of his fathers, in the land of Canaan. 
 
 Mamma. Do you remember the name of this burying 
 place ? and who else were already buried there ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, it was called the cave of Machpelah. And 
 in it were already buried, Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebe- 
 kah, and Leah. 
 
 Mamma. When Joseph heard that his father was ill, 
 what did he do ? 
 
 Esther. He took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim 
 and went to visit him. 
 
 Mamma. How did Joseph behave when he entered his 
 father's presence ? 
 
 Esther. He bowed himself before him to the ground. 
 Was not this a very strange way of saluting his father? 
 
 Mamma. It is the usual manner, in eastern countries, of 
 saluting a superior. The relation of this little incident 
 may have more meaning than we think of at a first 
 reading. It appears to me that the intention of Moses, 
 our lawgiver, when he transcribed these words, was to shew 
 us that although Joseph was in a position of much greater 
 power than his father, he still acknowledged his father's 
 superiority, so he bowed himself humbly before him when 
 he entered his presence; thus teaching us, that, however 
 superior to his parents a child may become, either in 
 worldly possessions or knowledge, he should always behave 
 himself humbly and respectfully towards them. 
 
 Esther. Why did Jacob place Ephraim before Ma-
 
 192 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 nasseh ? We do not read that Manasseh had done any- 
 thing wrong. 
 
 Mamma. I cannot give you a reason for Jacob's pre- 
 ference of the younger to the elder. There may have 
 been some reason which is not given us, but it is evident 
 that Jacob's blessings were all prophetic, and not regulated 
 by his own Avishes. We cannot question God's reasons, if 
 things have occurred that do not appear just to our minds, 
 \ve must trust to our Creator and feel sure that he is wiser 
 and more just than we are. 
 
 Esther. What do you mean, Mamma, by saying that 
 all Jacob's blessings were prophetic ? 
 
 Mamma. I mean, my dear, that they related to events 
 which were to occur at a future period. You will under- 
 stand this better after our conversation on the next 
 chapter. Can you, Ada, repeat the words in which Jacob 
 blessed Ephraiiu and Manasseh ? 
 
 Ada. He said, " The God who fed me all my life long, 
 unto this day, the angel who redeemed me from all evil, 
 bless the lads ; and let my name be named on them. and 
 the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac ; and let them 
 grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." 
 
 Mamma. Was there not something more that Jacob 
 said in blessing them ? 
 
 Ada. Yes, he said, " In thee shall Israel bless, saying, 
 God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh." 
 
 Mamma. Have you remarked that this is the oldest 
 form of prayer we have on record ? 
 
 Esther. How do you mean, Mamma? when you and 
 Papa bless us on J"I2K> (Shabbos) evening, you are not say- 
 ing prayers. 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my darling, we are praying God, to 
 give you His blessing. A human blessing is of no value 
 unless it is made effective by God ; indeed, it is almost a 
 mistake to say that a parent blesses his child. He only 
 prays God to do so, the words are, " may God make thee 
 like," etc. 
 
 Esther. Thank you, dear Mamma ; I understand this 
 now; but what do you mean by calling this the oldest 
 form of prayer ? Have you not told us that Abraham and 
 many others prayed to God ?
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 193 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear ; undoubtedly they did. I did 
 not say this was the oldest prayer on record, but the oldest 
 form of prayer, by which I meant that it is the first of 
 which we have the words given, and these words have 
 been handed down from father to son, and are used by us 
 at the present day, although it is more than three thousand 
 years since Jacob spoke them. 
 
 Esther. This is indeed wonderful, dear Mamma. 
 
 Mamma. I wish you to remark it, not so much as 
 being wonderful, but that you may think of the great 
 antiquity of the Jewish people, and remember that we 
 were a distinct nation hundreds of years before any of the 
 nations of modern Europe existed.
 
 194 
 
 READING XXXII. 
 
 AND Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather 
 yourselves together, that I may tell you that -which 
 shall befall you in days to come. 
 
 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of 
 Jacob, and hearken unto Israel, your father. 
 
 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might and the 
 beginning of my strength ; unstable as water, thou 
 shalt not excel. 
 
 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of 
 cruelty are their swords. My soul shall not come 
 into their secret ; I will divide them in Jacob, and 
 scatter them in Israel. 
 
 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise; 
 thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies, 
 thy father's children shall bow down before thee. 
 
 Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, 
 thou risest up. The staff shall not depart from 
 Judah nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until 
 he cometh to Shiloh, and his be the obedience of 
 nations.* 
 
 He bindeth his foal to the vine, and his ass's colt 
 tinto the choice vine; he washeth his garments in 
 wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His 
 eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with 
 milk. 
 
 Zebulun shall dwell at the margin of the sea; and 
 he shall be for a haven of ships ; and his border 
 shall be unto Zidon. 
 
 * See De Sola, Lindeuthal, and Dr. Raphael, p. 39, note 
 10 on chap. xlix. 10.
 
 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 195 
 
 Issachar is a strong ass crouching down between 
 the stables. And he saw the resting place that it 
 was good and the land that it was pleasant; and he 
 bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant 
 unto tribute. 
 
 Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of 
 Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder 
 in the path, that biteth the horse in the heels, so 
 that his rider falleth backward. 
 For thy salvation I hope, O Lord ! 
 Gad, a troop shall overcome him, but he shall 
 overcome at last. 
 
 Out of Asher cometh fat bread, and he shall yield 
 royal dainties. 
 
 Naphtali is a hind let loose ; he giveth good 
 words. 
 
 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough 
 by a well, whose branches hang over the wall. The 
 archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him, and 
 hated him ; but his bow abode in strength, and the 
 arms of his hand were made strong by the hands of 
 the mighty God of Jacob, from thence thou becamest 
 the shepherd, the stone of Israel. 
 
 From the God of thy father, who shall help thee, 
 and from the Almighty who shall bless thee with 
 blessings of heaven above, and of the deep beneath, 
 and with the blessing of a multitude of children. 
 
 With the blessings of thy father that have excelled 
 the blessings of my forefathers unto the utmost 
 bowels of the everlasting hills : these shall be upon 
 the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of 
 him who was separated from bis brethren. 
 
 Benjamin shall be as a ravenous wolf; in the 
 morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he 
 shall divide the spoil. 
 
 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. And 
 this is the blessing wherewith he blessed them.
 
 196 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And he charged them to bury him in the cave of 
 Machpelah, the cave which Abraham had bought of 
 Ephron the Hittite, and where Abraham, Sarah, 
 Isaac, Rebekah and Leah were buried. 
 
 And when Jacob had made an end of speak- 
 ing, he gathered up his feet into the bed; he 
 yielded up his spirit, and was gathered unto his 
 people. 
 
 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept 
 and kissed him. 
 
 And Joseph commanded the physicians to embalm 
 his father, and they did so. 
 
 And forty days were fulfilled for him, for so do 
 they for those who are embalmed. 
 
 And the Egyptians mourned for Israel seventy 
 days. 
 
 And when the days of his mourning were past, 
 Joseph sent to Pharaoh, saying, My father made 
 me swear, saying, Lo, I die; in my grave which I 
 have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt 
 thou bury me. 
 
 Now, therefore, let me go up, I pray thee, and 
 bury my father, and I will return again. 
 
 And Pharaoh said, Go up and bury thy father. 
 
 And Joseph went, and with him went all the 
 servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all 
 the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of 
 Joseph, and his brethren and his father's house ; 
 only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, 
 they left in the land of Goshen. 
 
 And there went up with Joseph a great company 
 of Egyptians, chariots, and horsemen, and they came 
 to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the 
 river Jordan. And there they mourned for Jacob 
 seven days. 
 
 And when the people of Canaan saw the mourn- 
 ing, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 197 
 
 Egyptians : wherefore the name of the place was 
 called Abel Mitzraim. 
 
 And Jacob's sons buried him, as he had com- 
 manded them, in the cave of Machpelah. 
 
 And Joseph and his brethren returned to Egypt. 
 
 And after Jacob's death, Joseph's brethren said, 
 Peradventure Joseph will now hate us, and will re- 
 quite us all the evil we did unto him. 
 
 Arid they sent to Joseph, saying, Thy father com- 
 manded before he died, saying, So shall ye say to 
 Joseph. 
 
 Forgive now, I pray thee, the trespass of thy 
 brethren, and their sin, for they did thee evil, and 
 now we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants 
 of the God of thy father. 
 
 And Joseph wept when they spake unto him ; and 
 his brethren also wept and fell down before his face, 
 and they said, Behold, we are thy servants. 
 
 And Joseph said, Fear not; am I in the place of 
 God? 
 
 But as for you, ye thought to do me evil, but God 
 meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day, 
 to save many people alive. 
 
 Now, therefore, fear ye not; I will nourish you 
 and your little ones. And he comforted them, and 
 spake kindly unto them. 
 
 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's 
 house; and Joseph lived an hundred and ten 
 years. 
 
 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third 
 generation; the children also of Machir, the son 
 of Manasseh, were brought up upon Joseph's 
 knees. 
 
 And Joseph said to his brethren, I die : and God 
 will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land 
 unto the land which He sware unto Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob.
 
 198 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, 
 saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry 
 up my bones from here. 
 
 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years 
 old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a 
 coffin in Egypt.
 
 199 
 
 CONVERSATION XXXII. 
 
 Mamma. For what purpose did Jacob call his sons 
 together? 
 
 Esther. To give them his blessing before he died. 
 Mamma. You are right as to fact, my dear, but these 
 are not the words of the text, nor all that Jacob's blessing 
 implied. 
 
 Esther. Oh! I remember, Mamma ; it was to tell them 
 what should happen in days to come. 
 
 Mamma. To what period do Jacob's prophecies mostly 
 relate? 
 
 Ada. To the period when the children of Israel should 
 be settled in the land of Canaan. 
 
 Mamma. Can you tell me by what other names the 
 land of Canaan is often called? 
 
 Ada. Yes, it is sometimes called the promised land, and 
 sometimes Palestine, or the Holy Land. 
 
 Esther. Is it called the promised land because it was 
 promised to the children of Israel by God? 
 
 Mamma. Yes, my dear, and the Holy Land because it 
 is the land to which the Bible history relates. Palestine is 
 a proper name; it is not uncommon ibr places to have two 
 proper names. 
 
 Esther. Mamma dear, I do not understand the mean- 
 ing of the blessings Jacob gave his sons. 
 
 Mamma. I did not expect that you would, my dear, 
 without explanation. Some you are too young to under- 
 stand at present, and of others the meaning is not quite 
 clear even to people who have studied deeply. When you 
 are older, you shall read all we know about them. What 
 I wish to impress upon your memory is, never to believe 
 any interpretations that may be given you by strangers ; by 
 this I mean, by people of other creeds, or even by those f
 
 200 THE WAY OP TRUTH. 
 
 our own, who have not sufficiently studied the subject. 
 The language, which is figurative, is very difficult for au 
 English child to understand, for we are not used to figures 
 of speech. 
 
 Esther. What do you mean by figurative language, 
 dear Mamma? 
 
 Mamma. By figurative language is meant, language iu 
 which objects are used to express qualities or circumstances. 
 Thus we read Joseph is a fruitful bough ; you know very 
 well, that \ve are not to imagine that Joseph was the branch 
 of a tree. This means that Joseph should be likened to a 
 branch which bore many leaves, alluding to the multitude 
 of children promised him; thus also, when we read the 
 archers shot at him, this is not intended literally, but as 
 alluding to the troubles which his brothers had caused 
 him. I should like you to learn to repeat the blessings, all 
 of them if you can, or if that is too much, at least the 
 blessing of Joseph. 
 
 Esther. I will, my dear Mamma. 
 
 Mamma. Where did Jacob desire to be buried? 
 
 Esther. In the cave of Machpelah. 
 
 Mamma. How many days did the Egyptians mourn for 
 Jacob? 
 
 Esther. Seventy. 
 
 Mamma. What did Joseph order to be done to Jacob's 
 body? 
 
 Esther. He ordered the king's physicians to embalm 
 it. 
 
 Ada. Was this right, dear Mamma? 
 
 Mamma. I cannot say whether it was actually right or 
 wrong of Joseph to have his father's body embalmed. 
 Embalming is a purely Egyptian custom. It is evident 
 that Joseph's intention was to give honour to his father's 
 remains, so that the people of the country might acknow- 
 ledge the respect due to him. Israelites of the present 
 day, would not consider it right to endeavour to preserve 
 the remains of the dead, for God has said, " Dust thou art, 
 and unto dust thou shall return;" therefore we disturb the 
 dead as little as possible, merely placing them in the earth 
 in a wooden coffin.
 
 THE WAY OF TRUTH. 201 
 
 Esther. Mamma, dear, what do you mean by eni- 
 balming ? 
 
 Mamma. It is a process by which the flesh of the dead 
 is preserved lor many years. We have now in the British 
 Museum the remains ol' people who were found buried in 
 Egypt, supposed to be as ancient as the time of Jacob. Do 
 you remember how long ago that is? 
 
 Esther. You told us more than three thousand 
 years. 
 
 Mamma. Who accompanied Joseph into Canaan when 
 he went to bury his father? 
 
 Esther. All his brethren and many of Pharaoh's ser- 
 vants. 
 
 Mamma. Where did they again mourn for Jacob? 
 
 Et-ther. At the threshing-floor of Atad. 
 
 Mamma. What did the people say when they saw this 
 great mourning ? 
 
 Esther. They said, DV}Vp~?aN (0-vel Mitzraim) ; it is 
 mourning of the Egyptians. 
 
 Mamma. Have you noticed that at the floor of Atad the 
 Israelites mourned again for Jacob seven days after his 
 interment, thus giving him, as it were, the double honours, 
 mourning both in accordance with Egyptian and Israelitish 
 customs. 
 
 Ada. You mean to say then, Mamma, that it was the 
 custom of the Israelites to mourn for seven days as early 
 as the time of Jacob. 
 
 Mamma. It would appear so, since had it not been a 
 usual custom to mourn seven days as we do now, the 
 Israelites would have been satisfied with the seventy days 
 of mourning in Egypt. 
 
 Esther. Do you think that Jacob really told Joseph's 
 brethren to ask his forgiveness ? 
 
 Mamma. I scarcely think so, but it is not of much 
 importance whether he did, or did not. Joseph appears to 
 have been much affected at his brothers' message to him; 
 doubtless he thought they had been sufficiently long with 
 him to have felt confident that he had entirely forgiven 
 them. Do you remember Joseph's answer to them ? 
 
 Esther. Yes, Joseph said, "Fear not, for am I in the
 
 202 , THE WAY OF TRUTH. 
 
 place of God? Though you thought evil against me, 
 God meant it unto good, in order to bring to pass as it is 
 to-day, to save many people alive." 
 
 Ada. What did Joseph mean by saying, " Am I in the 
 place of God?" 
 
 Mamma. 1 think he meant to convey to them that, as 
 far as he was concerned, he had freely forgiven them ; but 
 inasmuch as they had sinned against God, it was from Him 
 they must pray for forgiveness. It may be that he wished 
 to show that it would not be right to take upon himself 
 the act of punishment which belongs to God alone. Here 
 is a great lesson, teaching us that we must never seek to 
 punish an enemy. What further promise did Joseph make 
 his brethren? 
 
 Esther. That he would nourish both them and their 
 little ones. 
 
 Mamma. How old was Joseph when he died ? 
 
 Ada. One hundred and ten years. 
 
 Mamma. Whom are we told that he lived to see ? 
 
 Ada. His great grand-children. 
 
 Mamma. What promise did he exact of the Israelites 
 before he died ? 
 
 Ada. That they would carry his bones with them into 
 the land of Canaan, for he firmly believed that God 
 would fulfil the promise He had made to Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob.
 
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