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ing 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 five hundred 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 capacity for business, proposed to give him a salary for his services, because, it was unreasonable,' he said, 'that they should be received without a 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 accepted the offer.

Time now moved on silken wings-years were but days in the estimation of Jacob; he kept the herds of his kinsman, and felt neither the noonday 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 disappointment 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!

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

Mother. 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 upon him? They who commit injustice are seldom without an excuse, and the crafty Syrian had one at hand. It was not their custom, he said, to give away the younger daughter before the elder; but seeing that poor Jacob had given his heart wholly to Rachel, another seven years' servitude might obtain her also. No price was too great to obtain the object of his affection; and another period of bondage was readily undertaken by the devoted lover.

It is not, however, understood by commentators that the reward of his constancy was withheld until the stipulated service was rendered. The circumstances of their subsequent history require that Rachel should have been given to Jacob immediately upon his agreeing to serve another seven years, and acknowledging Leah publicly, by "fulfilling her week," which is supposed to mean the celebration of the marriage festivities, for a week.

Fanny. Was it lawful for Jacob to marry two sisters? Mother. It was never lawful for any man to have more than one wife at a time. The will of the Creator is unequivocally declared in the formation of one man and one woman at the first. Reason easily deduces the same, and the testimony of the Messiah is to us conclusive. But the patriarchs were not so clear in the knowledge of their duty as we are; besides, they were unhappily surrounded by Heathens, into whose vicious practices they were sometimes betrayed. Their deviations are faithfully recorded, to show us that the best of men were imperfect. Jacob was certainly a pious man, yet he committed several actions that cannot be justified. He not only married both sisters, but while they yet lived, he took two other wives.

Jacob seems to have remained contentedly with Laban many years after his marriage; for we have no intimation of a desire to return to his country, till he was the father of eleven sons and one daughter. He then began to think

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of settling his family in the land which was ultimately to be their inheritance. But when he communicated his intention to his father-in-law, the latter would not consent to his desire. Experience, he said, had taught him, that the blessing of heaven attended the labours of Jacob. The cattle had increased to a multitude under his careful hand; and now if he would yet remain in his service, whatsoever he required should be his. Persuaded by this tempting offer, Jacob proposed to receive for his wages a certain share of the flocks committed to his charge. The terms were accepted, and he removed with his family several days' journey from the dwelling of his father-in-law, and attended his charge with assiduity. As wealth accumulated around him, the jealousy of Laban's sons was proportionably excited. They saw a stranger growing rich on their patrimony, and forgetting the long and faithful service by which he purchased his right, they instigated their father to treat him with coldness.

About the same time, in a dream, he was commanded to return to his native country; a step which he knew would be opposed by Laban, who had manifested so repeatedly his anxious desire to convert to his own advantage the temporal blessings so abundantly bestowed upon Jacob. To compel his continuance in Mesopotamia, violent measures might perhaps be adopted-even the seizure of his wives and their children, should his intention to depart be communicated to his father-in-law. A secret removal would prevent inconvenient collisions-and to obtain the acquiescence of Leah and Rachel, when he informed them of the mandate he had received, he expatiated on the services he had rendered to their family, and the ingratitude and treachery he had experienced. The sisters had been made sadly sensible of the avaricious disposition of their father; they now saw the alienation of his affections, and declared their readiness to submit to the divine command.

Catherine. Their simple mode of life was favourable to the execution of their plan; they were not encumbered with the multifarious articles of household furniture indispensable with us.

Mother. A very few utensils, and those of primary necessity, supplied the wants of Jacob's family. Their

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wealth consisting chiefly in cattle and servants, was easily put in motion; so that the Euphrates was passed, and three days' journey performed, without interruption. But the march of so large a cavalcade could not be concealed; Laban heard of it, and immediately pursuing, he overtook them encamped on Mount Gilead, and warmly expostulated with Jacob for having carried off his daughters, and his grandchildren, without allowing him to dismiss them with paternal embraces, and with feasting and music, agreeably to their customs. It was still in his power, he said, to injure him, but he would abstain, because he had been warned by God, not to touch his

servant.

Although Laban had affected to mingle kindness with his censures, this last acknowledgment was to Jacob a conviction, that he did not owe his safety to the voluntary forbearance of his father-in-law: he therefore recited the labours and sufferings he had endured, the unjust treatment he had received, and declared plainly that he had departed in silence, because he had apprehended the loss of his family, had he permitted them to take leave. The acrimony of their mutual upbraidings, however, at length gave way to tender recollections; and, after they had agreed to separate in peace, they built a pillar of stones on the Mount, as a memorial of their friendship.

Charles. I am impatient to know how his brother Esau received him. I hope he had forgiven him during his long

absence.

Mother. Jacob had now been twenty years in exile, and seems to have held no correspondence with his father's house for he was ignorant of any change in his brother's disposition towards him, and still dreaded his presence. To appease him, therefore, and to signify his own penitence and submission, he sent messengers before him to Mount Seir, the dwelling of Esau, to apprise him respectfully of his approach; and was greatly distressed when returning they told him that his brother was coming to meet him with four hundred men. Uncertain of his fate, yet fearing the worst, even the sacrifice of his wives and his children, he prepared to defend them: he divided his company into two bands; that if one should perish, the other might es

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cape. Then, solemnly calling upon the God of his fathers to deliver him from his enemies, he acknowledged his guilt and unworthiness of all the mercies he had received-he, who had gone out with "his staff in his hand," and was now returning with abundant possessions!

The next morning he took from his flocks a munificent present for Esau, and sent it before him commanding his servants to deliver his gift in the lowliest language, and to say, "thy servant Jacob is behind us." The night following, his Almighty Benefactor again appeared to him -again renewed his promise of protection-and gave him a new name, that of Israel*. —a word which imports peculiar honour. Still suffering in his reproving conscience the just punishment of his former duplicity, when he came in sight of Esau, he arranged his family in order, to meet the hostile company, as he supposed; placing his beloved Rachel and her son Joseph, behind the restand then advanced bowing himself seven times to the ground. But how great was his joy and surprise to find himself in the arms of a reconciled brother, shedding tears of love and pardon on his neck! His Leah and his Rachel were now introduced-the little ones were presented and the gift which Esau had considerately declined, because he already possessed more than enough, was again pressed, and finally accepted. The now happy Jacob, in his turn, declined the offer of his brother's attendance on his journey. His servants were then offered to assist the more delicate of the train,, and wait upon the children. But the friendship of his brother was all that Jacob required, and he civilly refused to put him to any further trouble. So they parted in perfect amity. Esau returned to his dwelling at Mount Seir, and Jacob at length arrived in safety in the land of his nativity.

Fanny. It is a little strange that Jacob was so willing to dispense with his brother's company on his journey, considering his own anxiety and Esau's kindness.

Mother. In this interview, although the behaviour of Esau was kind, his brother was perhaps not satisfied of its sincerity, and did not therefore feel very easy in the

Israel, one who prevails with God.

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