And, when he met the beloved Joseph, whom he thought to have been torn by the wild beasts, he thus gave expression to the depth and the fervor of his feelings, "Now let me die." I have now nothing more worth seeing. The last, deepest yearning of my heart is gratified. I have no wish to taste any more of this world's pleasures. Or, as Simeon of old said afterwards, after a yet sublimer sight, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

We have then Joseph's special directions to his father and brethren, as to how they should comport themselves before Pharaoh. Ancient shepherd kings had invaded and conquered the land of Egypt many years before this era. They had been expelled by the victorious troops of Egypt, and driven, partly to Canaan, and partly to the surrounding hills; and amongst the Egyptians there was a sort of national prejudice still surviving against the very profession of the men whose names were associated with foreign conquerors; and for a long period after, even the profession or trade of a shepherd was as hateful as the recollection of the defeats they had sustained from the shepherd kings in former days. And, therefore, Joseph said to them, "Tell him you are shepherds; but seek, what I have by my diplomacy secured, a part of this land where you may prosecute the trade that you love, and not give any offence to those who are in the land of Egypt." And such ought to be our conduct. If the Hebrews had mixed with the Egyptians, the worship of each was so different that there would have been constant collision. And, therefore, Joseph so arranged it, that there would be offence to neither party. And so it should be with us. If I were placed amid Hindoos, I would not insult their religion. If I were placed amongst Mahometans, I would not turn into ridicule their religion. Whatever religion a man has, it is his all; I pity him for his error, I pity him for his misfortune;

I will try to show him the more excellent way; but I will only dislodge the error that he has, which I will not spare, by the appliance of the better truth, that he knows not; and if I attempt any other process to beat down the error, I am likely to do what is uncharitable, and what has always turned out unsuccessful. Now Joseph said, My brethren shall be in the land of Goshen, a spot whose moral light shall be like a Pharos amid the rest of Egypt; and there the Egyptians shall see, without our needlessly offending or molesting them, that while we enjoy all the rites of Egyptian hospitality, respect their sincerity, deplore their errors, we will not insult them, but teach them, if we can, the more excellent way, but will do nothing to cast insult, or what might be construed as insult, upon the sad errors that they sincerely, but unfortunately, hold.

How wonderfully, step by step, is the hand of God seen directing the way of his ancient people — pardoning, their sins, yet chastening them with great though paternal severity, lest they should think that he connives at sin, or that because he overrules it for good, he ever ceases to hate it watching over the seeds of the future Israel with unsleeping eye, and unfaltering care! "Truly God is good to Israel," is an acknowledgment every reader of these interesting memoirs must frequently make.

The same providential superintendence of God's people is still carried on. He still makes goodness and mercy to follow them. But in this inspired record, we see not only the outward leadings, but the inward impulses. A portion of the curtain is lifted up and we are able in these narratives to see the council-chamber of God, and to follow his purposes as they pass from the heavenly presence into human action. These biographies are visible proofs of God in the affairs of men. We have the truth enunciated again and again in the sacred Scriptures, but here we have it practically, personally,

and nationally set forth. We see that God is by the domestic hearth, by the solemn altar near the highest throne. We discover that all space is holy ground, and all life religious service. "Thou God seest me," may be uttered by man always, and everywhere.

May it please God to manifest himself to us as our Father, to give us an ever-deep, reverential, and joyous sense of his presence, to walk with him in all our ways through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory everlasting. Amen.

JACOB'S ARRIVAL — JOSEPH'S LOYALTY AND DEFERENCE-PRESENTA

TION OF HIS BRETHREN TO PHARAOH — THEIR TRADE — DEFERENCE TO AGE THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS -THE PATRIARCH BLESSES PHARAOH-THE WORSHIPPER LEANING ON HIS STAFF.

We now arrive at the earnestly and anxiously anticipated interview, on which the heart of the patriarch had been so long set, with his long-lost and now recovered Joseph; with him, too, he was to meet with those who were able to nourish him in a season of famine, and in all but universal distress.

Joseph, though the chief minister of Pharaoh, yet felt that his was a subject's place, if that was a first place; and, therefore, when his father, and his brethren, and their flocks and their herds, came out of Canaan, and appeared in the land of Egypt, he felt it a duty that he owed to his sovereign to tell that sovereign that they were in the land. Pharaoh was a heathen sovereign; Joseph was a Christian prime minister; but because they differed, and differed most vitally, in religion, Joseph did not feel that that released him from the allegiance and deference which a subject ever owes to his sovereign, whatever that sovereign's religion may be. The way to make strangers to our holy faith better, is to show that our religion makes us better also. The most effective missionary influence is the mighty missionary influence of truly Christian, holy and consistent men. Love to God makes us more, "Joseph took some of his

not less, loyal to our queen. brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation?" Now, recollect, they knew that the occupation of shepherds or herdsmen was hateful to Egyptian tastes. This national antipathy was owing to historic recollections, and not to the trade itself. They had a dislike to what it reminded them of. But you will observe how truthful these brethren were in what was unpalatable. They at once candidly stated to Pharaoh, "Thy servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers." They did right. Truth is the right way. You will always find that, as in mathematics a straight line is the nearest way from one point to another, so truth is always the straightest and speediest way to success. They did not, therefore, deny, lest they should offend the monarch, what they were. Their courtesy did not conceal their Christianity. Some men would have been so courteous, that they would have tried to conceal an unpleasant thought or fact from royal hearing; but they felt that truth must be spoken, whether kings or peasants were the auditory; and they have left us an example, that in this matter we should follow their steps.

They stated candidly, too, why they had come into Egypt. Their end was not to do Egypt any benefit, and they did not pretend so; they honestly admitted that they were starving, that they wanted food, and that they had come just to obtain it. This was candid.

Pharaoh stated to Joseph substantially this: "Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee. Now, to show how much I appreciate the great services you have rendered me,

I will let your brethren and your father enjoy the blessings and the benefits that I can bestow upon you. The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell. Take the sunniest and most fertile spot in it, the land of Goshen; and if thou knowest any men of activity among you, as idleness can do no good, then make