The Rev. A. P. Peabody, D. D., of Cambridge, preached before the Scientist denomination at the Hawthorne Rooms, Sunday, Nov. 2d. Text: Genesis xxxii, 26: "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." The story from which he took the words, the speaker said, has been always strangely misinterpreted, as if it were that of a wrestling match with an angel, and there has been borrowed from it for religious use, a phrase designating earnest prayer, which is arrant blasphemy. He explained that the place where Jacob is said to have prevailed with God was at Bethel, several days' journey from the scene of the story of the text. That Jacob did wrestle with a member of some nomad tribe encamped in the neighborhood, who challenged him to a trial of strength, and whom he conquered, is the truth of the matter. Jacob would not let the man go, even after wholly defeating him, till he had given him words of peace, i. e., promise that he should not be molested by him or others of his tribe from thenceforth. What was right for Jacob to say to the wrestler then, it is right for us to say now and always. His words, though uttered in a wrestling bout, have a spiritual flavor, as if they came from one whose warfare is within. For close analogies run through the universe of thought material to thought spiritual. Like Jacob we are dwellers in tents beset by real or seeming enemies, liable to hostile acts open or covert, sure also like him to be often wounded in our conflicts, sometimes lamed for life by them, yet always able to say to each assailant, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." When the soul has its many days of sunshine and the night never closes upon disasters, it gravitates earthward rather than heavenward. But conflict, whether with difficulty, temptation or affliction, starts the stagnant life-currents, energizes the sluggish will, and rekindles the languid affections. But this on two conditions, first that the man wages the conflict instead of succumbing without a blow ; the second, that he brings to the force with which he strives, resolute purpose and reliance upon God. To these seemingly adverse powers, sorrow, disappointment, affliction, difficulties, say, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." Though we may halt upon maimed limbs, all shall be more than compensated in enriched and strengthened character, in growth in spiritual beauty. The life task of every one must be met bravely and all its difficulties overcome. There is no one whose sphere of duty does not furnish ample opportunity for strenuous and high endeavor, for fidelity that shall be wholly unworldly and thoroughly noble. We may, if we will, lead a different life from this, a life of makeshifts, with care to bestow just as little effort as will meet the demands of the passing day, going round obstacles instead of surmounting them. But in such a life the powers shrink to the measure in which they are put to use, and often fall below this measurer
Then with years the ability to meet obstacles declines, though the actual demands increase upon us, till we be wholly lost to that strength which might have been our glory. Every situation has its ideal which we may realize. To surmount obstacles is to rise higher and get wider standpoints from which to view coming events and obligations. There are no enemies to our spiritual well-being which may not yield us rich revenues from conflicts with them, God helping.
