son's having a wife from amongst his own relations, and not one of the wicked Canaanitish women.

Questions-Where did Abraham send his steward to get a wife for his son? [Ans. Amongst his own kindred.] Why would not he get a wife for Isaac in Canaan? [Ans. Because the people were idolators.] What did Abraham's steward pray to God to do? Ans. To prosper his journey.] What young woman did he meet with when he arrived at the place where Abraham's relations lived? [Ans. Rebekah.] Whose daughter was she? Ans. The daughter of Bethuel, Abraham's brother.] What was her brother's name ? [dns. Laban.] Did Rebekah's parents consent to her going away to be married to Isaac? [Ans. Yes.] Did she go with Abraham's steward? [Ans. Yes.] Was she married to Isaac ? [Ans. Yes.] Was not Abraham very happy to see his son Isaac so well married? [Ans. Yes.]

Instruction.-Abraham lived to the age of an hundred and seventy-five years, and his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave of Machpelah. Abraham served the Lord truly all the days of his life, and he is called on this account the Father of the Faithful, and all faithful people are called his children. After the death of Abraham, the Lord promised Isaac that he would make of him a great nation, in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed.

Questions. How old was Abraham when he died? Ans. An hundred and seventy-five years.] Who buried him? [Ans. His sons, Isaac and Ishmael.] Where was he buried? Ans. In the cave of Machpelah.] Who was buried there before him? [Ans. Sarah his wife.] Whom did God bless after Abraham's death? [Ans. Isaac.] Was Abraham faithful to the Lord as long as he lived? [Ans. Yes.]: What is he called on this account? Ans. The Father of the Faithful.] Who are called the children of Abraham? [Ans. All faithful people.] *

LECTURE V.

Instruction.---Isaac and Rebekah had two sons, named Jacob and Esau. Esau was very fond of hunting, and did not serve God, or value his promises, so well as he ought

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The third Portion of Miscellaneous Questions to be asked here.

to have done. Jacob feared and loved God, and wished to be the head of the great nation that was to proceed from Abrabam and Isaac, and who was to have in process of time the land of Canaan, which God had promised Rebekah before her sons were born, that the race of Jacob should possess. Jacob was afraid Feau would get this from him, as he was the eldest son. It happened one day that Esau came in from hunting very faint and hungry, just as Jacob was going to eat a nice iness of pottage; Esau desired Jacob to give him this pottage, and Jacob said he would do so if Esau would sell him his birthright, by which, he meant all claim to the land of Canaan. Esau consented, and sold what he called his birthright for a mess of pottage. Jacob ought not to have made such a bargain with his brother; he should have given the pottage, and should have depended upon God's promise. Questions-How many sons had Isaac and Rebekah ? [Ans. Two.] What were their names? [Ans. Jacob and Esau.] What did Esau sell to Jacob for a mess of pottage? Ans. His birthright.]

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Instruction-Rebekah had heard her husband Isaac tell Esau that he wished to bless him before he died; she thought Isaac meant to pray to God to make Esau the head of the great nation that was to have the land of Canaan; so, whilst Esau was gone to the field to hunt for venison, that he might make a nice dish for his father, she persuaded Jacob to dress himself up in his brother's clothes, and make his poor old father (who was blind, and could only feel him) believe that he was Esau. Jacob, by his mother's persuasion, did so, and Isaac, supposing him to be Esau, blessed him. God suffered Isaac to be deceived, because the blessing had been intended for Jacob before he and Esau were born, that is, God had designed that the nation that was to come from Jacob should have the land of Canaan, which Jacob would have given to Esau.

Questions. What did Jacob obtain from his father by deceit? [Ans. His blessing] Whom did Isaac take him for when he blessed him? [Ans. For Esau.] How came Isaac not to know it was Jacob [Ans. He was blind.] How came Jacob to deceive his poor old blind father? [Ans. His mother persuaded him.] Was it not very wrong to do so? dns. Yes.].

Instruction. When Esau returned from bunting, he made a nice dish of his venison, and carried it to his poor blind father, and begged him to rise and eat of it, and bless him.

As soon as Isaac heard the voice of Esau, he feared he had been deceived. Esau was sadly grieved when he heard that Jacob had been blessed instead of him, and he wept, and cried with a loud and bitter cry, Biess me, even me also, O my father! And God put a blessing into the mouth of Isaac for him; but as Esau found the great nation which was to possess the land of Canaan was to come from Jacob, and not from him, he was very angry, and threatened that he would kill his brother Jacob as soon as his father was dead. Rebekah heard this, and persuaded Isaac to send Jacob away to Haran, where her brother Laban and the rest of her relations lived, which was a great way off: and Isaac told Jacob to get a wife there. So Jacob was obliged to leave his father's house, where he lived very comfortably, and set out by himself on a long journey on foot, to go amongst people who, though related to his mother, were strangers to him, and who, when he got there, used him very unkindly. And Rebekah was obliged to part with her darling son, whom she never saw All this distress was brought upon Rebekah and Jacob by the falsehood and deceit they were guilty of in order to obtain the blessing which they might have been assured Jacob would have, because God had promised it.

any more.

Questions-Was not Esau very sorry when he found his father had blessed Jacob instead of him? [Ans. Yes. ] What did he do? [Ans. He wept.] What did he beg his father to dot [Ans. To bless him.] Did Isaac give as good a blessing to Esau as that he had given to Jacob? [ans. No.] What did Esau threaten to do? [Ans. To kill Jacob.] What did Rebekah persuade Jacob to do in order to save his life? [Ans. To flee to Laban.] Where did Laban live? [Ans. At Haran.] Did Isaac consent to Jacob's going? [Ans. Yes.]

LECTURE VI.

Instruction.-The first night after Jacob left his father's house, he was obliged to lay himself down on the cold ground to sleep, with only a stone for his pillow; but as God knew he would serve him truly, and would never worship idols, he took compassion upon Jacob, and comforted him by a dream, in which Jacob saw a ladder set upon the earth, the top of which reached to heaven; and he beheld the angels of God

going up and down this ladder, and the Lord standing above it and the Lord spake unto Jacob, and said, that he would make of him a great nation, and would give him the land te lay on, the land of Canaan. The Lord also promised Jacob that he would be with him in every place he should go to, and would bring him back again to the land of Canaan. When Jacob awaked from this dream, he vowed a vow unto the Lord, that he would have no other God.

Questions.---Where did Jacob lay himself down to sleep the night after he left his father's house? [Ans. On the ground] What had he for his pillow? [Ans. A stone] What did the Lord promise Jacob in his dream? [Ans. To make of him a great nation.] What land did the Lord promise to give Jacob? [Ans. The land he lay on.] What land was that? [Ans. Canaan.] What else did the Lord promise Jacob? [Ans. To be with him in all places, and to bring him back to Canaan.] What vow did Jacob make? [Ans. That he would have no God but the Lord.] What did he mean by that? Ans. That he would never worship idols.]

Instruction. After his dream Jacob went on his journey, and at last he came to a place in the east country, where there was a well, and three flocks of sheep lying by it; and he inquired of some people whom he met, whether they knew Laban; and they told him they did, and that Rachael, Laban's daughter, would soon come to the well, to water the sheep; and whilst Jacob was talking with these men, Rachael came; and Jacob ran and rolled away the stone which was over the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep for her; and he kissed Rachael, and wept with joy at finding bis mother's relations; and when Rachael told her father Laban, that Jacob his sister's son was come, he went out to meet him, and invited him to his house; and Jacob, not wishing to be a burden to Laban, made himself so useful, that at the end of a month Laban offered to give him wages, and Jacob agreed to serve him seven years for Rachael, if he would give her to him for a wife; this Laban promised to do, but at the end of the time he cheated Jacob, and obliged him to marry Leah, his eldest daughter. This was a sad trick; but as people in those days had more wives than one, Jacob offered to serve seven years more for Rachael, and at last she became his wife; and Jacob loved Rachael better than Leah,

Questions.What did Jacob find feeding by the well? [Ans. Three flocks of sheep.] Who did they belong to ? [Ans. Laban ] Who was Laban? [Ans. Rebekah's brother.] What relation was he to Jacob? ans. His uncle.] Who' came out to water the sheep? [Ans. Rachael.] Who was she? [Ans. Laban's daughter.] What did Jacob do when he was told who Rachael was? [Ans. He kissed Rachael and wept. Why did he weep? [Ans. Because he was glad to find he was amongst his relations] Did Laban receive Jacob kindly? [Ars. Yes.] What bargain did Laban maké with Jacob? [Ans. That he should serve him seven years for his daughter Rachael.] Did he give him Rachael at the end of seven years? [Ans. No, he gave him his other daughter Leah.] What new bargain did Jacob make? [Ans. To serve him seven years more for Rachael.] Did he do so? Ans. Yes.] Which of his wives did Jacob love best? Ans. Rachael.]

Instruction.---Whilst Jacob continued with Laban, which was twenty years, he went through great hardships; and Laban changed his wages ten times, but the Lord blessed Jacob so, that though Laban strove to hinder it, he became very rich in cattle and in flocks, in camels and asses, and he had men servants and maid servants Laban's sons grew very spiteful and envious, which made Jacob and his family uncomfortable, yet he would not return to Canaan till God gave him leave to do so; but as soon as the Lord said unto him, Return to the land of thy father, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee, Jacob was glad to depart, and his wives were ready to go with him. So Jacob took his wives and his children, and his cattle and his goods, and whilst Laban was absent, they set off for Padan-aram. As soon as Laban heard that they were gone, he pursued after them in great anger, but God appeared to him in a dream, and commanded him not to hurt Jacob; so when Laban overtook Jacob, and they had talked together, they parted in friendship, promising never to do each other any harm.

Questions-Did Laban use Jacob kindly? [Ans. No.} How many times did he change his wages [Ans. Ten times.] Why did he so? [Ans. To hinder his growing rich. Did he hinder it? Ans. No.] How came Jacob to grow rich? [Ans. The Lord blessed Jacob.] What did Laban's sons do when they saw Jacob growing rich? [Ans. They murmured.] Were not Jacob and his family very