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36 making himself believe that God had doomed his victim by an irrevocable curse; the reason of the other, thought that surely where such punishment was inflicted, there must be some occasion. Each saw that in some way the father of the race was connected with a divine curse, and though to him indefinite, it yet gave satisfaction—satisfaction to the conscience of the one, satisfaction to the reason of the other. They saw not Canaan hitched to this Juggernaut of torture and death; they imagined they saw Ham.

The question is, Why did not Canaan and his posterity accompany the tribes of Ham into Africa? why this younger one remain? In after years the twelve tribes of Jacob marched up from Egypt—nor was one left behind. Why should not the four tribes of Ham march down? The youngest child is most generally the pet, the best beloved. Jacob loved Joseph better than all his brothers, because "he was the son of his old age." Human nature is one. Wherefore should Ham leave this son of his old age behind? The whole affair is inexplicable, without the assumption that some sod transaction made it necessary for them thus to act. This we find in the curse pronounced. With this understanding how natural does their course become?