patriarchs and prophets-第34部分

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hospitality；　and　he　now　asked　that　an　act　of　courtesy　might　indicate　the
maiden　whom　God　had　chosen。

Hardly　was　the　prayer　uttered　before　the　answer　was　given。　Among　the　women
who　were　gathered　at　the　well；　the　courteous　manners　of　one　attracted　his
attention。　As　she　came　from　the　well；　the　stranger　went　to　meet　her；　asking
for　some　water　from　the　pitcher　upon　her　shoulder。　The　request　received　a
kindly　answer；　with　an　offer　to　draw　water　for　the　camels　also；　a　service
which　it　was　customary　even　for　the　daughters　of　princes　to　perform　for
their　fathers'　flocks　and　herds。　Thus　the　desired　sign　was　given。　The　maiden
〃was　very　fair　to　look　upon；〃　and　her　ready　courtesy　gave　evidence　of　a　kind
heart　and　an　active；　energetic

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nature。　Thus　far　the　divine　hand　had　been　with　him。　After　acknowledging　her
kindness　by　rich　gifts；　the　messengers　asked　her　parentage；　and　on　learning
that　she　was　the　daughter　of　Bethuel；　Abraham's　nephew；　he　〃bowed　down　his
head；　and　worshiped　the　Lord。〃

The　man　had　asked　for　entertainment　at　her　father's　house；　and　in　his
expressions　of　thanksgiving　had　revealed　the　fact　of　his　connection　with
Abraham。　Returning　home；　the　maiden　told　what　had　happened；　and　Laban；　her
brother；　at　once　hastened　to　bring　the　stranger　and　his　attendants　to　share
their　hospitality。

Eliezer　would　not　partake　of　food　until　he　had　told　his　errand；　his　prayer
at　the　well；　with　all　the　circumstances　attending　it。　Then　he　said；　〃And
now；　if　ye　will　deal　kindly　and　truly　with　my　master；　tell　me：　and　if　not；
tell　me；　that　I　may　turn　to　the　right　hand；　or　to　the　left。〃　The　answer　was；
〃The　thing　proceedeth　from　the　Lord：　we　cannot　speak　unto　thee　bad　or　good。
Behold；　Rebekah　is　before　thee；　take　her；　and　go；　and　let　her　be　thy
master's　son's　wife；　as　the　Lord　hath　spoken。〃

After　the　consent　of　the　family　had　been　obtained；　Rebekah　herself　was
consulted　as　to　whether　she　would　go　to　so　great　a　distance　from　her
father's　house；　to　marry　the　son　of　Abraham。　She　believed；　from　what　had
taken　place；　that　God　had　selected　her　to　be　Isaac's　wife；　and　she　said；　〃I
will　go。〃

The　servant；　anticipating　his　master's　joy　at　the　success　of　his　mission；
was　impatient　to　be　gone；　and　with　the　morning　they　set　out　on　the　homeward
journey。　Abraham　dwelt　at　Beersheba；　and　Isaac；　who　had　been　attending　to
the　flocks　in　the　adjoining　country；　had　returned　to　his　father's　tent　to
await　the　arrival　of　the　messenger　from　Haran。　〃And　Isaac　went　out　to
meditate　in　the　field　at　the　eventide：　and　he　lifted　up　his　eyes；　and　saw；
and；　behold；　the　camels　were　coming。　And　Rebekah　lifted　up　her　eyes；　and
when　she　saw　Isaac；　she　lighted　off　the　camel。　For　she　had　said　unto　the
servant；　What　man　is　that　that　walketh　in　the　field　to　meet　us？　And　the
servant　had　said；　It　is　my　master：　therefore　she　took　a　veil；　and　covered
herself。　And　the　servant　told　Isaac　all　things　that　he　had　done。　And　Isaac
brought　her　into　his　mother　Sarah's　tent；　and　took　Rebekah；　and　she　became
his　wife；　and　he　loved　her：　and　Isaac　was　comforted　after　his　mother's
death。〃

Abraham　had　marked　the　result　of　the　intermarriage　of　those　who　feared　God
and　those　who　feared　Him　not；　from　the　days　of

174

Cain　to　his　own　time。　The　consequences　of　his　own　marriage　with　Hagar；　and
of　the　marriage　connections　of　Ishmael　and　Lot；　were　before　him。　The　lack　of
faith　on　the　part　of　Abraham　and　Sarah　had　resulted　in　the　birth　of　Ishmael；
the　mingling　of　the　righteous　seed　with　the　ungodly。　The　father's　influence
upon　his　son　was　counteracted　by　that　of　the　mother's　idolatrous　kindred　and
by　Ishmael's　connection　with　heathen　wives。　The　jealousy　of　Hagar；　and　of
the　wives　whom　she　chose　for　Ishmael；　surrounded　his　family　with　a　barrier
that　Abraham　endeavored　in　vain　to　overcome。

Abraham's　early　teachings　had　not　been　without　effect　upon　Ishmael；　but　the
influence　of　his　wives　resulted　in　establishing　idolatry　in　his　family。
Separated　from　his　father；　and　embittered　by　the　strife　and　contention　of　a
home　destitute　of　the　love　and　fear　of　God；　Ishmael　was　driven　to　choose　the
wild；　marauding　life　of　the　desert　chief；　〃his　hand〃　〃against　every　man；　and
every　man's　hand　against　him。〃　Genesis　16：12。　In　his　latter　days　he　repented
of　his　evil　ways　and　returned　to　his　father's　God；　but　the　stamp　of
character　given　to　his　posterity　remained。　The　powerful　nation　descended
from　him　were　a　turbulent；　heathen　people；　who　were　ever　an　annoyance　and
affliction　to　the　descendants　of　Isaac。

The　wife　of　Lot　was　a　selfish；　irreligious　woman；　and　her　influence　was
exerted　to　separate　her　husband　from　Abraham。　But　for　her；　Lot　would　not
have　remained　in　Sodom；　deprived　of　the　counsel　of　the　wise；　God…fearing
patriarch。　The　influence　of　his　wife　and　the　associations　of　that　wicked
city　would　have　led　him　to　apostatize　from　God　had　it　not　been　for　the
faithful　instruction　he　had　early　received　from　Abraham。　The　marriage　of　Lot
and　his　choice　of　Sodom　for　a　home　were　the　first　links　in　a　chain　of　events
fraught　with　evil　to　the　world　for　many　generations。

No　one　who　fears　God　can　without　danger　connect　himself　with　one　who　fears
Him　not。　〃Can　two　walk　together；　except　they　be　agreed？〃　Amos　3：3。　The
happiness　and　prosperity　of　the　marriage　relation　depends　upon　the　unity　of
the　parties；　but　between　the　believer　and　the　unbeliever　there　is　a　radical
difference　of　tastes；　inclinations；　and　purposes。　They　are　serving　two
masters；　between　whom　there　can　be　no　concord。　However　pure　and　correct
one's　principles　may　be；　the　influence　of　an　unbelieving　companion　will　have
a　tendency　to　lead　away　from　God。

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He　who　has　entered　the　marriage　relation　while　unconverted；　is　by　his
conversion　placed　under　stronger　obligation　to　be　faithful　to　his　companion；
however　widely　they　may　differ　in　regard　to　religious　faith；　yet　the　claims
of　God　should　be　placed　above　every　earthly　relationship；　even　though　trials
and　persecution　may　be　the　result。　With　the　spirit　of　love　and　meekness；
this　fidelity　may　have　an　influence　to　win　the　unbelieving　one。　But　the
marriage　of　Christians　with　the　ungodly　is　forbidden　in　the　Bible。　The
Lord's　direction　is；　〃Be　ye　not　unequally　yoked　together　with　unbelievers。〃
2　Corinthians　6：14；　17；　18。

Isaac　was　highly　honored　by　God　in　being　made　inheritor　of　the　promises
through　which　the　world　was　to　be　blessed；　yet　when　he　was　forty　years　of
age　he　submitted　to　his　father's　judgment　in　appointing　his　experience；
God…fearing　servant　to　choose　a　wife　for　him。　And　the　result　of　that
marriage；　as　presented　in　the　Scriptures；　is　a　tender　and　beautiful　picture
of　domestic　happiness：　〃Isaac　brought　her　into　his　mother　Sarah's　tent；　and
took　Rebekah；　and　she　became　his　wife；　and　he　loved　her：　and　Isaac　was
comforted　after　his　mother's　death。〃

What　a　contrast　between　the　course　of　Isaac　and　that　pursued　by　the　youth　of
our　time；　even　among　professed　Christians！　Young　people　too　often　feel　that
the　bestowal　of　their　affections　is　a　matter　in　which　self　alone　should　be
consulteda　matter　that　neither　God　nor　their　parents　should　in　any　wise
control。　Long　before　they　have　reached　manhood　or　womanhood　they　think
themselves　competent　to　make　their　own　choice；　without　the　aid　of　their
parents。　A　few　years　of　married　life　are　usually　sufficient　to　show　them
their　error；　but　often　too　late　to　prevent　its　baleful　results。　For　the　same
lack　of　wisdom　and　self…control　that　dictated　the　hasty　choice　is　permitted
to　aggravate　the　evil；　until　the　marriage　relation　a　galling　yoke。　Many　have
thus　wrecked　their　happiness　in　this　life　and　their　hope　of　the　life　to
come。

If　there　is　any　subject　which　should　be　carefully　considered　and　in　which
the　counsel　of　older　and　more　experienced　persons　should　be　sought；　it　is
the　subject　of　marriage；　if　ever　the　Bible　was　needed　as　a　counselor；　if
ever　divine　guidance　should　be　sought　in　prayer；　it　is　before　taking　a　step
that　binds　persons　together　for　life。

Parents　should　never　lose　sight　of　their　own　responsibility　for　the　future
happiness　of　their　children。　Isaac's　deference　to　his

176

father's　judgment　was　the　result　of　the　training　that　had　taught　him　to　love
a　life　of　obedience。　While　Abraham　required　his　children　to　respect　parental
authority；　his　daily　life　testified　that　that　authority　was　not　a　selfish　or
arbitrary　control；　but　was　founded　in　love；　and　had　their　welfare　and
happiness　in　view。

Fathers　and　mothers　should　feel　that　a　duty　devolves　upon　them　to　guide　the
affections　of　the　youth；　that　they　may　be　placed　upon　those　who　will　be
suitable　companions。　They　should　feel　it　a　duty；　by　their　own　teaching　and
example；　with　the　assisting　grace　of　God；　to　so　mold　the　character　of　the
children　from　their　earliest　years　that　they　will　be　pure　and　noble　and　will
be　attracted　to　the　good　and　true。　Like　attracts　like；　like　appreciates
like。　Let　the　love　for　truth　and　purity　and　goodness　be　early　implanted　in
the　soul；　and　the　youth　will　seek　the　society　of　those　who　possess　these
characteristics。

Let　parents　seek；　in　their　own　character　and　in　their　home　life；　to
exemplify　the　love　and　beneficence　of　the　heavenly　Father。　Let　the　home　be
full　of　sunshine。　This　will　be　worth　far　more　to　your　children　than　lands　or
money。　Let　the　home　love　be　kept　alive　in　their　hearts；　that　they　may　look
back　upon　the　home　of　their　childhood　as　a　place　of　peace　and　happiness　next
to　heaven。　The　members　of　the　family　do　not　all　have　the　same　stamp　of
character；　and　there　will　be　frequent　occasion　for　the　exercise　of　patience
and　forbearance；　but　through　love　and　self…discipline　all　may　be　bound
together　in　the　closest　union。

True　love　is　a　high　and　holy　principle；　altogether　different　in　character
from　that　love　which　is　awakened　by　impulse　and　which　suddenly　dies　when
severely　tested。　It　is　by　faithfulness　to　duty　in　the　parental　home　that　the
youth　are　to　prepare　themselves　for　homes　of　their　own。　Let　them　here
practice　self…denial　and　manifest　kindness；　courtesy；　and　Christian
sympathy。　Thus　love　will　be　k