Page images
PDF
EPUB

NO. VI.

253.

Grandmama's Conversations

ON

THE BIBLE.

THE LIFE OF ISAAC.

BY A CLERGYMAN'S WIFE.

BRISTOL :

J. WRIGHT & CO., STEAM PRESS, THOMAS STREET,

SOLD IN LONDON BY

WERTHEIM, MACINTOSH & HUNT, PATERNOSTER ROW.

1862.

1d. each, or 7s. per 100.

[merged small][ocr errors]

Extract from "Ploughing and Sowing, or Annals of an Evening School; by a Clergyman's Daughter. Edited by the Rev. F. Digby Legard." 1861.

A LETTER TO A FRIEND.-"I am very sorry I cannot tell you of any set of Tracts giving the Bible stories in a very simple form; for I quite think like you, there is nothing like those old Bible stories."

CONVERSATIONS.

I SUPPOSE, Harry, you will expect me to give you some account of Isaac, as I promised to do so, but we have not so much to say about his life as we had about his father's, as although he was a very good man, he lived a much quieter life. We have seen in the history of Abraham that he was born when his father and mother had both become old. He was the child of promise, and the Almighty tried the faith of Abraham and Sarah by making them wait till they were very old. Do you know what the meaning of Isaac is, Harry? Harry.-I think it means "laughter," does it not?

Grandm.-Yes, my dear, and Isaac's life was the cause of great rejoicing to his old parents. He was born in Gerar, a city of the Philistines. We hear nothing about his childhood, but we may feel sure that his parents would be very careful that he should both love and fear God. The first thing we hear of Isaac after his birth, is his obedience when he went

with his father to the land of Moriah to be offered up as a sacrifice, which we have already spoken of in the history of Abraham. He lived with his father till his fortieth year, and enjoyed the great advantage of having such an excellent example always before him. It was not till after the death of Sarah that he was married, and we again find him most obedient to his father, by being quite satisfied with his choosing a wife for him. We read in the 24th chapter that Abraham made his servant Eliezer swear unto him, that he would not get a wife for Isaac among the Canaanites, but go to his own country and find a wife among his own relations.

Harry.-Why was Abraham so anxious that Isaac should marry one of his own relations, Grandmama; were there no good women where he was living then?

Grandm. It would be wrong for us to say there were no good ones, as we do not know that, but they were not worshippers of the one true God, but worshipped idols, and you may suppose that neither Abraham nor Isaac would like an idolatrous wife. Eliezer seems at first to have felt doubtful whether he could succeed in bringing back a wife for Isaac, and asks if in that case he must take him to Abraham's native land, but that Abraham would not

allow, but tells Eliezer that God would send His angel before him. Gen. xxiv. 7. Eliezer was then satisfied, and went to the city of Haran.

Harry-Where was Haran? Grandmama, I think I remember something about it before. Grandm.-It was in Mesopotamia, Harry, between the Euphrates and the Chebar. You heard of its being the place where Abraham's father, Terah, died and was buried, it was where Nahor, Abraham's brother lived. Eliezer rested at a well when he was near the city, to rest his camels. We here find that he offered up a prayer to God, that he might succeed in his errand; 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 of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: and 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," Gen. xxiv. 12-14. We again see here how ready God is to listen to and grant the prayers of His faithful servants,

« PreviousContinue »