father bless him and send him away. We wish the reader to bear in mind that it was his father

Isaac and not God who was pronouncing the blessing at this time. Jacob knew all about the scheme that his mother had invented to get his father to send him away. When he gets to the place or places himself in the proper attitude God will bless him in no uncertain way, and will record it in language that will leave no doubt as to that fact. And thus he will do for every soul that will meet His conditions.

Before closing this chapter, we wish to call the attention of the reader to the last words of Isaac to Jacob:

"And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed after thee; that thou mayest inherit the land. wherein thou are a stranger which God gave to Abraham."

The promise was made to Abraham that the covenant God made with him was also for his seed, and that they should inherit that land. See Gen. 17:7-8.) It was spoken of again at the time Abraham put Isaac on the altar (See Gen. 22:17-18). When the servant was at the home

of Rebekah asking for her to be Isaac's wife he said,

"I am Abraham's servant, and the Lord blessed my master greatly; and Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old and unto him hath he given all that he hath."

(See Gen. 24:34-36.) Thus we see the blessing coming down to Isaac. The Lord told Rebekah that the elder should serve the younger. And the Lord said unto her, "Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels. And the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger." No reader of the Scriptures, we think, would doubt that Rebekah had informed Isaac of this so that when Isaac discovered that he had bestowed the blessing he intended for his eldest son on the younger, and that blessing having been conveyed in the Sacramental way could not be reversed. He now adds the Abrahamic blessing in his parting words to Jacob. How Jacob's mind would have been filled with these things as he hurries out and away, out of reach of his angry brother. Had

he had the principles of an honest man, or even been sorry for his wrong doing, he would have gone to Esau and expressed his sorrow for his actions, but not he. He is Jacob-a cheat, liar, supplanter, a selfish "Heel-grasper." He was born with that nature in him and it will assert itself wherever he is and in whatever he does until it is overpowered and removed by divine grace. Thus it is with the human family today. That selfish, self-seeking, "Heel-grasping," spirit can be seen everywhere. It will reign in and ruin the lives of men until overcome and removed by the power of God. Jacob was all that his name implied. He looked upon these things from a commercial standpoint. "Sell me this day thy birthright," he had said to half famished Esau. "I am Esau thy first born," he unblushingly replied to his father, and he will stoop to anything to further his own selfish ambitions. As his father pronounces the Abrahamic blessing upon him, with no sorrow for his actions, he starts upon his journey. We have not the slightest doubt but his mind is full of these things. There is not one word in the Scripture that would indicate that sorrow for what he had

done was even in his thoughts. He knew that the inheritance of the land was in that covenant. His father had told him as much, and with his mind full of what will naturally come to him as a result of having obtained the blessing, with no sorrow for his conduct, and with no thought of righteousness in his mind he starts on his journey from home, and from the presence of his aroused and angry brother.

CHAPTER X.

A DREAMY EXPERIENCE.

And he dreamed.-Gen. 28:12.

I read in my Bible where God says: "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and (something to follow), cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' (I John 1:9.) Much, in fact, the greater part depends on whether or not we confess our sins, but there is much that lies under the surface of the declaration that many do not seem to see. When Zacchaeus slid down the sycamore tree and met Jesus, who offered to go home and dine with him he said:

"If I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him four-fold. (Luke 19:8.)

That was confessing his sins and making restitution for the same with a vengeance worthy of imitation. If we confess our sins-well, who to? Why the one sinned against, of course. What good to go to God for forgivenness when right