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thee. I will keep thee.” Yet Jacob’s heart can’t get beyond an “ if,” nor in his thoughts of God’s goodness can reach higher than bread to eat and rai ment to put on. In short, he had not really got to the end of himself and hence had not really begun with God. — C. H. M. v. 22. This pillar shall be God’s house. To the man of God every place ought to be holy. To Jacob the house of God and the gate of heaven were under the canopy of high heaven.«- Moody. It will not appear a thing unnatural to call a stone a house when one knows the practice in warm coun tries of sitting in the open air.— J. F. & B. I will give the tenth. Giving is the grand and solemn expression of the soul’s free, full and perpetual accept ance of the Lord to be its own God.#« Murphy. If you had a brother who had become a deceiver, a forger, a perjurer, and a blasphemer (see close of last lesson) you would not be surprised if he left home. You would almost MY want him to. If these sins • GIRLS had been committed within your own home and another brother had' threatened to kill him would you advise him to leave. Rebek- ah's action (27:42-43) :was only nat ural, but the deception which she prac ticed (27:46 and 28:1) only adds to the charge placed against her in last Sunday’s lesson. The picture of Jacob’s leave taking were it on canvas would be a picture of fear rather than heart sorrow at parting. It is no won der that he had dreams as he lay down to sleep that night alone on the desert. If there are any surroundings that will force a man to think they will be found out in the open on a starlight night alone with God, especially if he has fled from home because of sin. The wonder is that his dream was not filled with Satan, his demons and the lake of fire prepared for them. If we knew
be blessed- can be fulfilled only in - Christ.— Compan. Bible. v. 16. The Lord is in this place. The beautiful hymn “ Nearer, my God, to Thee,” is based upon this impressive incident in Jacob’s life.— Gray. When we little expect to find the Lord, the Lord finds us.—Marsh. The belief ih the omnipresence of God was a part of the faith of Abraham’s house.— Lange. I knew it not. We must be made to feel our ignorance before we can begin our ' knowledge.— Parker. v. 17. He was afraid. He did not tremble before men nor wild beasts, but now he trembles before Jehovah-« the tremble of pious confidence.—4 Schaff. His heart was not at home in the presence of God nor can any heart be so until it has been thoroughly emptied and broken. “ Perfect love casteth out fear.” -—Sel. This is the house of God. It was when he was driven by his own fault from Isaac’s house that he was led to taste in some measure the blessedness and solemnity of God’s house,— McIntosh. This house is the place where God meets the unworthy in grace. It was so with David (1 Chron. 22:1). It is so for us. Our place of worship is where God manifests Himself to us in grace.— Compan. Bible. Where God’s Word is found, there is the house of God. There heaven stands open.-—Starke. v. 19. He called the place Bethel. To the Christian Bethel stands for a realization, however, imperfect, of the heavenly and spiritual contents of faith, answering to Paul’s prayer in Eph. 1:17-23.— Scofield. Was called Luz at the first. Means “ departure” and Bethel signifies “ house of God.” Many a Luz has been made into a Bethel by the consecrationg oil of God’s grace through faith in Him who died for sinners.—Marsh. v. 20. If God will be with me. Much present day religion is a similar attempt to bargain with God.— Torrey. God had just said emphatically,1 “ I am with
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