June 11

Genesis xxiii. — 1. And Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

2. And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

3. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,

4. I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

5. And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

6. Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead: none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

7. And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

8. And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar,

9. That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field: for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a burying-place among you.

10. And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,

11. Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee,

and the cave that is therein, I give it thee: in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

12. And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

13. And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field: take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

14. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

15. My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury, therefore, thy dead.

16. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

17. And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure

18. Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

19. And, after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

20. And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the sons of Heth.

The cave is there in Hebron to this day. It was known to the Jews, when they went up from Egypt, as the burial-place of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; it was held in honor by them through all the political and social changes of their nation; it was kept in remembrance by Christians when they became the inheritors of the Promised Land; and it is now guarded with sacred jealousy by the Moslems, who have built over it a mosque in remembrance of the father of the faithful. The

tenderness of grief, the sacredness of death, the dignity of faith, the courtesy of sympathy, the nicety of honor, the liberality of love, the consecration of faith and hope,—these all are pictured here with a simplicity like Homer's, but which surpasses any poetry in speaking directly to the heart. It is the universal elegy of human grief, "Give me a possession, a secure and sacred spot, where I may bury my dead."

APPROPRIATE HIMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 20, 41, 105.

O God, whose tender mercies are over all thy works! it is of thy mercy that another day is added to our lives; and we would consecrate ourselves unto thee, beseeching thee to keep us this day and always, and to preserve us blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For him we bless thee. In his name we seek the forgiveness of our sins, and the promise of thy Spirit. Dwell thou in our hearts, and consecrate this home with thy gracious presence.

We thank thee for our home, our friends, our comforts, and all the manifold blessings of this life; and, above all, for the hope of the life ever-

lasting. Oh, may this hope sustain us in all the trials of life, and especially in the death of friends! May the grave be consecrated by the cross of Christ, and made glorious by his resurrection! Send down thy blessings, temporal and spiritual, upon all our relations, friends, and neighbors. Be merciful to all who are in any trouble; and incline our hearts, O Lord! to follow Him who went about doing good. Be gracious unto thy Church, and grant that every member of it may be kept from the evil that is in the world; and let the light of thy gospel shine upon all nations, for the sake of Him who came to seek and save the lost. Amen.