Appendix C Sermon Preached by Rev. William MacGregor , 1821 in Lot 16 , P.E.I. A.D . 1821 Text: Genesis XXXII: 26. "I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me" The history of Jacob is beautiful, striking and affecting. It is full of tender and delicate incidents, fitted to arrest the attention and warm the heart; a hidden stream of poetry runs through the whole history. There was Jacob who left his father's house on account of the hatred and persecution of his brother Esau. On his journey he came to a certain place and, overtaken by night, took of the stones of that place for his pillow and, with the heavens for his curtains, he laid himself down to sleep. "So he gives his beloved sleep." In the dead of night when deep sleep had fallen upon man, God gave to Jacob a wonderful manifestation; he appeared to him in a dream and in that dream he saw a ladder connecting heaven and earth. When he came to Haran, a stranger, he met Rachel, his cousin, at the well where she had come to water her father's sheep. Having ascertained who Rachel was, he watered the flock for her, made himself known to her and lifted up his eyes and wept. Laban , his uncle, received him with much seeming affection; agreed with him that he should serve him seven years for his daughter Rachel, but in the end deceived and defrauded him, thus reproving his con¬ duct towards his brother Esau. How wonderful are the ways of God in chastising his chosen children! They read their sin in their pun¬ ishment. Laban dealt with Jacob in a more cruel and unjust manner, but yet, though oppressed, he did not flee from his uncle, nor desert his service until God commanded him and gave him the promise of his presence and protection, saying, "Return to the land of thy fathers and God will be with thee". So Jacob set out on his journey to his native land with his wives and children, his flocks and herds and all that he possessed. In a few days Laban pursued after him in great wrath, intending to do him harm. But God warned Laban of his sin and danger and protected Jacob from the effects of his wrath. The meeting of Jacob and Laban was remarkable. They made a covenant and set up a pillar and swore an oath before God , with 308 United Church and Its People