Thus have I been twenty years in thy house. I have served the e fourteen years for thy two daughters and six years for thy cattle, and thou hast changed by wages ten times: Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight."

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Laban was confounded by this affecting and forcible appeal: he makes no answer, and wished for a reconciliation to take place, and says that he could not do any harm to Jacob, because all that he had, formerly belonged to him, although God had given them to Jacob. "Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant (or agreement) I and thou, and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob told his brethren to gather stones and make a heap. And Laban said to Jacob, this heap be witness and this pillar be witness, that I-will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me for harm. The God of Abraham,

Abraham, the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered sacrifice in the mount and called his brethren to eat bread, and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, and Laban departed and returned unto his place."

IV, CATECHETICAL QUESTIONS.

1. What were the words of the Text? "And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks."

2. How many years did he serve for Rachel? Seven years.

3 How many years did he serve for Leah? Seven years.

4. How many years did he serve for the Cattle? Six years.

5. How many times during those six years did Laban change his wages? Ten times.

6. How long did Jacob feed the flocks of Laban? Twenty years.

7. What kind of Cattle did Jacob receive for his wages? The speckled and spotted Cattle

Cattle, the brown among the sheep, and the speckled and spotted among the goats.

8. Why did Jacob choose these coloured Cattle? That they might the more easily be kuown, because they were so different in their colour from Laban's flocks.

9. Why did Jacob leave his uncle's house? Because he did not treat him with the same kindness he had done, his sons accused him of taking away all their father's cattle, and God commanded Jacob to return to the land of his father.

10. How did Jacob leave his uncle's house? Suddenly and secretly he stole away unawares, while Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and did not inform him that he was go ing to leave him.

11. When did Laban hear of Jacob's departure? On the third day.

12. What did Laban do when he heard that Jacob was gone? He pursued after him.

13. How long was it before he overtook Jacob? Not till after seven days.

14. The night before he overtook Jacob what happened to Laban? God appeared to

him in a dream and said unto him,

"Take

heed that thou speak not to Jacob, either good or bad."

15. What did Laban complain of when he overtook Jacob? That he had departed so secrefly that he gave him no time even to kiss his daughters, but had taken them away like captivés or prisoners of war.

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16. What answer did Jacob make to this complaint. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, because I was afraid, for I said peradventure, thou wouldst take by force thy daughters from me.

17. Did not Laban accuse Jacob of stealing his gods? Yes, and Jacob denied it, and said, with whomsoever thou findest thy gods let him not live. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

18. When Laban had searched every where without finding the images, what did Jacob say to him? He was very angry with him, and told him to bring out every thing, and see whether be had taken any thing. He also reminded Laban how faithfully he had served him, and that he had treated him so

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ill that if God had not taken care of him and

restrained Laban's anger, he would have taken

all that he had away from him.

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19. What did Laban say to these words? He could make no answer, but desired that an agreement might be made: that in future they would do each other no harm.

20. Did Jacob agree to this? Yes, and the next morning Laban kissed his daughters and their children, and blessed them and returned unto his place.

V. PRACTICAL ADDRESS,

P

Let all uncles and nephews, attend to the particulars that are here related of Jacob and Laban. Uncles ought not to treat their ne phews hardly when they come to them in distress. If they have done that which is wrong, let them tell them of it kindly, and, behave to them in the same manner, while they remain at their houses. How many poor nephews haye reason to complain of the unkind treament they meet with, from hard hearted miserly old un cles. What do their riches profit them if they do no good with them. Jacob's employment was that of keeping sheep. Let every Shep. herd act in the same upright manner. Jacob

could