Christ's work might come forth and not be crushed out by the tyranny of man. The God of Israel was with Columbus, with Washington, with the Pilgrim Fathers, with the patricts who founded this republic'-Gentiles all, though probably of a mixed lineage, having much of the blood of Israel in their veins." He is with all good and great men whose hearts are set to do right and to uplift humanityis with them, whether they recognize it or not, and he uses them as seemeth him good, to effect his beneficent designs.

Ham's Descendants.-The descendants of Ham became eminent, wealthy, wise and powerful in Egypt, "the cradle of civilization;" reaping "the blessings of the earth" and the blessings "of wisdom," richly realizing the heaveninspired promises made to their forebears. They have prospered also in other African countries. But in Europe, America, and other lands, they were long held in slavery. Nor are the days of their bondage even now at end in Africa and some parts of Asia. The Ethiopian has served the Gentile and the Semite, just as Noah predicted.

Japheth and "The Tents of Shem."-What are "the tents of Shem?" In the Scriptures "tent" is a term used figuratively as well as literally. The canopy of heaven is compared to a tent; as is also the Church of Christ and the city of Jerusalem." The word may therefore be applied to a country or a place of sojourn. How Japheth has

1, I Nephi 13:12-19.

m, The word "Gentile," as used in "Mormon" writings, is not a term of reproach. It comes from "Gentilis," meaning "of a nation," and is used in sacred history to designate the nations not of Israel. The Latter-day Saints themselves, are Gentiles in part; for while they claim lineal descent from the Hebrew patriarchs, it is mostly through Ephraim, who "mixed himself among the people" (Hosea 7:8)—that is, among the peoples that have furnished proselytes to "Mormonism." As a result of that racial mixture, they also are of Japheth's blood.

n, Isa. 40:22; 54:2; 33:20.

dwelt "in the tents of Shem," is partly shown by the history of Palestine, Israel's original homeland, long dominated by the Saracens and Turks-both Gentile peoples -and only recently delivered from the Moslem yoke by the military power of the British, a racial blending of Japheth and Shem."

Japheth's remarkable blessing has also been realized in America, the Land of Joseph, which the Gentiles now possess, and where, according to the Book of Mormon, they are to assist in gathering Israel and in building the New Jerusalem. It is their privilege to share, if they will, in all the blessings of the chosen people, and to be even as the seed of Abraham.Þ

The Asiatic, and especially the Israelitish countries, with North and South America-homes of God's people, ancient and modern, now inhabited by the children of Japheth these I think, may be properly regarded as among "the tents of Shem."

As it was, So it Shall Be.-Noah's period had a twofold significance. Pointing backward as well as forward, it symbolized both the Beginning and the End. The reminiscent pointing has already been indicated. The prophetic import is made plain by the words of the Savior, when weeping over Jerusalem and predicting the downfall of the Jewish commonwealth, an event also typical of the final destruction of the wicked: "As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be"

In Noah's day "a veil of darkness" covered the earth. A like condition is to characterize the Last Day, thus foretok

o, The delivery of the Holy Land from the Turks dates from December 11, 1917, when General Allenby, at the head of a British army, entered and took possession of the City of Jerusalem. sequently Herbert Samuel, an English Jew, was made Governor of Palestine by the British Government.

p. Abr. 2:10.

q. Matt. 24:37-39.

Sub.

ened. The disaster that overwhelmed the Antediluvians, destroying the wicked with water, is to have as its sequel a more fearful calamity, in which the unrighteous will be consumed by fire from Heaven. And as unexpectedly as came the regenerating Flood wherein our planet was once immersed, will come the purifying Flame that shall cleanse it from all iniquity and prepare it for eternal glory.

r, Moses 7:26, 61

ARTICLE SEVENTEEN.

Abraham and the House of Israel.

The Lord's Lineage. The House of Israel was established in order that the God of Israel, who became the Savior of the World, might have a proper lineage through which to come, and a worthy medium whereby to promote His great and benevolent designs toward the human family.

"Prince of God."-The name "Israel" means "Prince of God," and is first used in the Scriptures as the surname of Jacob, from whom sprang the Hebrew nation or the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jacob, returning from PadanAram, whither he had fled from the jealous wrath of his brother Esau, came to the ford Jabbok, where "there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day.” We are left to infer that Jacob believed this "man" to be God; for he "called the name of the place Peniel," saying, “I have seen God face to face."

"Let me go," demanded the heavenly visitant. "I will not let thee go," replied Jacob, "except thou bless me."

The "Man" then blessed him and changed his name. from Jacob to Israel; "for," said he, "as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."a

Jacob's Blessing Confirmed. Subsequently the name Israel was confirmed upon Jacob at Bethel, where the Lord appeared to him and blessed him, promising that a nation and a company of nations should be of him, and that kings should come out of his loins."

The Father of the Faithful.-But while this was the origin of the name Israel as applied to Jacob, it was not the

a, Gen. 32:22-30. b, Ib. 35:10, 11.

origin of the race of which he is the titular head. It is written that Jacob's wives, Rachel and Leah, "did build the House of Israel; and build it they did, through their children and the children of their handmaids, Bilhah and Zilpah, whom they had given to their husband as wives. Already, however, had the foundation of that house been laid by Jacob's grandsire, Abraham, the Friend of God, the Father of the Faithful. Jehovah's promises to Jacob and to his father Isaac concerning their posterity, were virtual repetitions of promises made to their great ancestor.

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation; and I will . . . bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."d

Definition of "Hebrew."-Abram, for so was he then, called, dwelt in Ur of the Chaldees, a city of Mesopotamia, which signifies "between the rivers." The rivers were the Tigris and the Euphrates. Abram had to cross the Euphrates in order to reach Canaan, the land that the Lord showed him. Because of this circumstance, he was called by the Canaanites a "Hebrew," meaning "one from beyond the river." The origin of the name is also traced to Heber or Eber, one of the ancestors of Abram. Mesopotamia was the fountain-head of idolatry in Western Asia; and because the Lord wished to raise up a people who would worship him and him only, Abraham was required to separate himself from his idolatrous surroundings.

Meeting with Melchizedek.-Following his arrival in Canaan, and a brief sojourn in Egypt, came the episode of Abram's meeting with Melchizedek, King of Salem and

c, Ruth 4:11.

d, Gen. 12:1-3; Abr. 2:3-11.

e, Geike, "Hours with the Bible," Vol. 1, Ch. 13.