bave made him thy lord, said he, all his brethren have I given to him for servants, and what shall I do now for thee, my son?" "Hast thou but one blessing?" cried the afflicted Esau, "bless me, even me also, O my father!"' "Thy dwelling," replied his affectionate parent, "shall be the fatness of the earth, and the dew of heaven from above, and by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother."

CATHERINE. As Esau had evinced his willingness to give up his birth-right, one would not think that he would have been much affected by the injury he received.

MRS. M. So you would naturally suppose; but we are inconsistent creatures. Though we may seem, for ourselves, to disregard a just claim, yet we do not suffer it to be wrested from us with impunity. So it was with Esau ; he was highly incensed against Jacob, and even threatened to take away his life, when he should no longer be restrained by respect for their venerable father. The anxious mother, ever watchful for the honour and safety of her favourite son, was not long ignorant of his danger. She saw that she had brought dissension into her family, and had armed the hand of one of her children against the other, by the indulgence of her unjust partiality, and that something must be done to avert that dreaded catastrophe. She im. mediately called Jacob, and telling him the terrible menace of Esau, she besought him to flee for his life;—to go to Haran to her brother Laban, and remain under his protection till the anger of Esau should subside, and she should send a messenger to conduct him home. But how should she obtain the consent of his father, whose great age hardly allowed them to hope that he might live to see him return. A plausible pretext was found in the recent marriage of Esau, who had grieved them both, by connecting himself

with the abandoned people amongst whom they lived. If Jacob should follow his example, she pathetically exclaimed, "what good shall my life do me!" Persuaded by her complaints, and remembering that he had not himself been permitted to marry a Canaanitish woman, he sent Jacob away with a solemn charge, that he should go into Syria to the house of his uncle Laban, and ask his daughter in marriage, and on no account should he take a wife from amongst his neighbours.

This point gained, no time was lost in preparation. Anxious now only for the safety of the youth, for whose advancement she had hazarded so much, and even sullied her own fair reputation, Rebekah provided no sumptuous retinue, like that which attended her own espousals. Not even one servant of his father's numerous household, protected the favoured heir-but dejected and alone, he takes the road to Padan Aram! (B. C. 1760).

CATHERINE. This did not look like lording it over his brethren. Jacob is obliged to flee from the presence of Esau, and leave him in possession of affluence, who was to be" his servant," according to the prediction of his father!

MRS. M. You may remember, I told you in the case of Ham, that prophecies belonged rather to a race of people than to the progenitor to whom they may have been spoken. You will see as we advance, that the family of Jacob became indeed illustrious, and all the promises were verified in them. Individuals follow their own imaginations, but all conspire to accomplish the designs of Him who cannot be disappointed! The hope of Jacob might indeed languish under such discouraging circumstances, immediately succeeding to his triumph, but he was soon revived

by happier prospects; for when he rested the same night, the unceasing providence of God was represented to him in a vision, by aladder, whose foot rested on the ground where he slept, and whose top reached the heavens. Angels continually passed up and down on errands of mercy to an unworthy world, whilst the voice of "the God of Abraham and of Isaac," assured him of protection, withersoever he went; and confirmed to him, in their fullest extent, the promises that had been graciously given to them!

Awed by a vision so extraordinary, he beheld the place with reverence! 66 Surely," said he, "this is the house of God, and I knew it not!" And of the stones that pillowed his head, he built an altar, and consecrated it, and there devoted himself to his Almighty Patron. "If God," said he, "will be with 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." Confiding now in his efficient shield, he cheerfully pursued his journey eastward till he came to a well near Haran. Springs of water are rare in that country, and wells only at considerable distances, so that wherever they are found, they are the resting places of the traveller, and the centre of communication for the inhabitants; for there they all assemble at certain hours, to water their cattle. That time had not yet arrived; the stone that covered the well yet lay on its mouth; but the shepherds were collecting, and Jacob embraced so favourable an opportunity of inquiring for Laban, the son of Nahor. The answer he received, was not less grateful than

This vow of Jacob is to be considered as a grateful acknowledgment of his obligation to serve the lord-not a conditional promise.

the water which now refreshed his wearied frame! They knew Laban, he was well, and the maiden who approached with her sheep to the cistern, was Rachel his daughter!

CATHERINE. Now here is a circumstance so apparently trivial as to offer us nothing, yet its coincidence with a custom of the present day is strikingly remarkable. "The stone lay on the well's mouth" is incidently said, and modern travellers report that in Arabia they cover the wells lest the sand which is put in motion by the wind should quite stop them up. They wait till the flocks are all gathered together before they begin to draw water, and when they have finished, the well is immediately closed again.

MRS. M. Our conversations would be protracted beyond our plan were we to exhibit every fact illustrative of the authenticity of scripture history, yet we are sometimes arrested so forcibly that we cannot easily pass on. Let us now, however, return to our traveller whom we left watching with a palpitating heart the approach of his fair cousin.

Laban, the brother of Rebekah, had two daughters, Leah, the elder, was not handsome, but Rachel, the younger, was beautiful! Overpowered by her unexpected appearance-his spirits exhausted by a long journey, of nearly 500 miles, and recollecting his forlorn situation, an exile from his father's house, Jacob could not restrain his tears while he told her he was her relative-the son of her father's sister! Then courteously removing the stone, he drew water for her flock, while she ran to carry the news of his arrival to her father. Laban himself came out to receive him, and the fugitive was conducted to the house with the tenderest expressions of joy and affection!

Consoled now by the caresses of his new friends, Jacob found himself at home in his uncle's family. He took an interest in their affairs, and a share in their labours. Days and weeks rolled pleasantly away, but he said nothing of the purpose of his visit, until Laban observing his capacityfor business, proposed to give him a salary for his services, because," it was unreasonable that they should be received without compensation." He bid him therefore to fix his own terms, and Jacob required no time to deliberate. The charms of Rachel had captivated his affections, the voice of avarice was silent, and love alone preferred her claim for Rachel-the beautiful shepherdess, was all he desired! Seven years would he serve were she the reward! Unwilling to part with his nephew or to alienate his family from that of Isaac, Laban gladly accepted the offer. Time now moved on silken wing-years were but days in the estimation of Jacob; he kept the herds of his kinsman, and felt neither the noon-day sun, nor the midnight dew; for in the society of Rachel, every toil was delightful! Seven years were completed, and he claimed his reward. Laban prepared for the wedding. The neighbours were invited, and the banquet was spread. But a cruel disappointinent awaited the lover; for the deceitful Laban, favoured by the eastern custom of covering the bride with a long veil, united him to Leah, instead of Rachel !

CHARLES. Then the imposition that Jacob had practised on his father, was returned on his own head.

MRS. M. Yes. But we do not choose that others should do unto us as we do unto them; and Jacob accordingly, grieved and indignant, complained of the cheat. He had served for Rachel; why then was Leah, the disagreeable Leah, imposed on him? They who commit injustice are