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and while he permitted the brethren of Joseph to act according to their own sinful feelings, and Jacob and Joseph to be afflicted, he brought about the salvation of their lives in a time of famine, and manifested his great goodness towards them. Thus Joseph told his brethren, that his being sold as a slave and carried into Egypt, was meant by God for good, and to save many souls alive; and for this reason they might rejoice that the will of the Lord had been done.

This, my beloved child, is a lesson for you and me, and for all the world. We are all, at this moment, as Jacob and his family were, suffering under famine; and we have all been guilty of binding one more righteous and beautiful than Joseph, and a brother too, as Joseph was, and sold him, my love, as Joseph was sold; and there will be a day, we pray and hope, when we shall be delivered by him from our bondage, as he has possession of the throne, and at this very moment is pleading for you and me, in the same way as Joseph pleaded with Pharaoh that his brethren might be admitted to partake of the bounties of Egypt. I mention this to you, my child, to induce you to search the Scriptures, as you will find the whole story written in the Bible; and I am sure you must acknowledge

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that it is an interesting story; and it is more so, because it is all true; it is not a fiction. There are others equally interesting, which I shall hereafter detail to you. One of the most beautiful children in the world, when he was a babe, was found, by Pharaoh's daughter, in the bulrushes by the water's side. And there is another story of the lovely little Samuel, who was made a present to the Lord, by the prayers of his good mother; and she made him yearly a pretty little new suit of clothes, in which to appear before God in his glorious temple. And there is another story of Gideon, who conquered the Midianites with three hundred men, because God was with him; and of Ruth, who left all the world for the sake of Jesus Christ; and of Daniel, who was more beautiful than all on earth, and made kings tremble because of his righteousness, which he received from Christ, so that even when with the lion in a den, the lion was afraid to touch him; and of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into the fire, because they would not forsake God, and whom God would not permit the fire to touch, because they put their trust in Him. There is also another story in the Bible, how a good woman gave up part of her house to a prophet, who was poor, though a minister of God, and how her poor little

child died; and the prophet, through the power of God, and to reward her hospitality, raised the child to life. By which we may learn, that we shall be raised also by the power of Christ from the dead, so that we may not be afraid to die.

ADAM AND EVE;

OR,

THE FIRST CREATED IN THE GARDEN OF

EDEN.

I must now tell you, my dear child, how our brother, who has borne our sufferings, is like Joseph. I must inform you, that in the first chapter of the Bible, we have an account of the creation of the world, of heaven, of earth, of the sea, of the fowls of the air, of the beasts of the field, of the sun to give light by day, and of the moon to give light by night. As we proceed, we find an account of the creation of man. Adam and Eve were our first parents. When man was created, God made him subject to a law, by which his conduct was to be guided. This law must be obeyed; if we do not obey it, we must be punished for our disobedience. Thus, my dear, you are enjoined to be obedient to me, as I am your parent, otherwise you are liable to admonition and punishment from me, which I am bound to inflict, as I cannot pass over your faults, lest your disobedience should become habitual to you. In the 19th chapter of Proverbs, and 18th verse, it is commanded," Chasten thy son while there is hope; let not thy soul spare for his crying." If I neglect to do

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