BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 85

of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from
thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. And
God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply
thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; and give
thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with
thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a
stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.”

A great future lies before this wanderer. The young
man who leaves his father’s home under so dark.a cloud will
yet make a great matk in the world. It is a matter of fact
that, if you would count twenty of the best-known names in the
world, you would have to count Jacob’s name amongst the rest.

This young wanderer, we feel sure, would have a great
homesickness in his heart. Esau would have enjoyed the
adventure, but Jacob was altogether of another disposition.
He had been his mother’s favorite, and it would be hard wan-
dering from her love and care.

First nights from home are awful nights. Some of you
boys have that experience to come, and you will remember
it after you have forgotten a thousand other things. If, in the
darkness and sadness of that first night from home, the tears
should flow, don’t be ashamed of them; they will be as worthy
of you as most things you will ever do. If you cry yourself
to sleep, and sob yourself awake, it won’t be because you are
a baby, but because you have a tender heart; and, while you
weep and while you wake, your mother will be most likely
on her knees weeping too, and praying, with many tears, that
God will guard and bless her absent boy.

Jacob wandered on. And the night came at last—his
first night away from home. He found a convenient spot,
and throwing his robe around him, he lay down upon the
yielding earth, and with a mossy stone for a pillow, he was