1. Now the scene changes, and we have Rebekah the wife in her new home. Her influence in the house was that of a compensation. The heart of Isaac had been overshadowed by the death of Sarah; Rebekah crept into the vacant spot and rekindled the ashes on the scene of the vanished fire. The home life was happy. Isaac and Rebekah were happy in each other's love.
There were certain rules which I formulated for my married life, before I was married or even engaged. I have carried them out ever since my wedding day, and the experience of all these years has abundantly demonstrated their value. The first was, never to have any secrets from my husband in anything that affected our mutual relationship, or the interest of the family. The confidence of others in spiritual matters I did not consider as coming under this category, but as being the secrets of others, and, therefore not my property. The second rule was, never to have two purses, thus avoiding even the temptation of having any secrets of a domestic character. My third principle was that, in matters where there was any difference of opinion, I would show my husband my views and the reasons on which they were based, and try to convince in favour of my way of looking at the subject. This generally resulted either in his being converted to my views, or in my being converted to his, either result securing unity of thought and action. My fourth rule was, in cases of differences of opinion never to argue in the presence of the children. I thought it better even to submit at the time to what I might consider as mistaken judgment, rather than have a controversy before them. But, of course, when such occasions arose, I took the first opportunity for arguing the matter out. My subsequent experience has abundantly proved to me the wisdom of this course.1 [Note: Life of Catherine Booth, i. 96.]
2. But something happened that altered things a little. Famine visited their home at Beersheba, and, just as in the case of Abraham, they were compelled to go farther south towards Egypt. They sojourned at Gerar, the territory of the Philistine king Abimelech. Isaac thought a great deal of his wife, of her charms, of her beauty; so much so that he fancied every man would fall in love with her; and, more concerned for his own safety than for his wife's honour, he endeavoured to pass her off as his sister.
Two defects were shown in his character through this incident-defective faith in God and a spirit of craven fear-and in a woman of Rebekah's temperament and religious faith they both counted for much. Did she then lose faith in Isaac after this? Did it bring discord into the home and a measure of alienation? We do not know. We have no evidence that it did; but it certainly made easier for Rebekah the deception she practised later in order to secure the blessing for her son Jacob. The Gerar incident might be forgiven, it could not be forgotten.
Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent propaganda. As far as lies in its power, it tends to transform the universe and humanity into its own image. Thus we have all a cure of souls. Every man is a centre of perpetual radiation like a luminous body; he is, as it were, a beacon which entices a ship upon the rocks if it does not guide it into port. Every man is a priest, even involuntarily; his conduct is an unspoken sermon, which is forever preaching to others;-but there are priests of Baal, of Moloch, and of all the false gods. Such is the high importance of example. Thence comes the terrible responsibility which weighs upon us all. An evil example is a spiritual poison; it is the proclamation of a sacrilegious faith, of an impure God. Sin would be only an evil for him who commits it, were it not a crime towards the weak brethren, whom it corrupts. Therefore it has been said, “It were better for a man not to have been born than to offend one of these little ones.”1 [Note: Amiel's Journal (trans. by Mrs. Humphry Ward).]
