American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-07-27

OF lightning, ana hercely ascending volumes oil
| smoke, and convulsive throbs of Sinai, and
while that trumpet strain still "waxed louder
and LOUDER" Moses led the trembling Israeltes
forth to the foot of the mountain. Suddenly
the uproar ceased, and the thunders hushed
their voice, and the last echo of the trumpet
died away, and all was still. And from that
silent cloud came voice more fearful than
they all-the voice of Jehovah calling Moses
up into the mount. The great law-gver of
Israel parted from his people, and with solemn
step was seen scaling the rocks and climbing
the heights, till at last the cloud received him
in its bosom.
The moral law was given, and also the civil
code, which men have SO learnedly traced to
the social compact. The first act in the mighty
drama was ended, and Moses was ordered to
bring up Aaron and Nadab and Abihu, and Sc
veHty Of the elders, to worship in the noun
tain; and God showed himself in his glory to
them.
When this strange worship was ended, the
voice of Jehovah was again heard issuing from
the cloud; but what change had passed over
its dark form. A serene and beautiful radiance
began to play around it, 1uivering like bright
light with its own intensity. Brighter and
brighter it grew, till the eye turned away daz-
zled by the sight. Brighter still it cleaned till
it seemed glowing furnace, shooting forth
living fire on every side. Its wrathful streaks
streamed down the mountain, filling the cavi-
ties with deeper gloom, touching every rock
and crag with flame, and bathing the white
tents in lurid light. And when. the night
came on, and darkness wrapped the world,
that mountain was one blaze of light, shedding
a strange lustre on the barren scene, and re-
vealing every face and form of that immense
host, as if they stood beneath burning palace,
painting with terrible distinctness, and in
lines of fire, the surrounding landscape. The
stars went out before its brillancy, and the
moon looked dark IN its splendor For six
days and nights did the glory fame on, she'd
ding such baptism on the wondering camp as
was never before witnessed by mortal eye, for
"the sight of the glory of the Lord was like
devouring fire on the top of the mount in the
eyes of the children of Israel" Little sleep
was in the tents of Jacob then, for each one
held his breath in awe, wondering what next
would happen in this succession of strange
scenes. At length that voice, before which,
nature herself seemed to change, again issued
from the cloud, calling Moses to a second inter-
view Taking Joshua with him, he again as
cended the hill, and was wrapped from sight
"forty days and forty nights.n
AS week after week passed by and there
were no farther exhibitions, and Moses did not
return, the people passed from idleness into
pleasure, and from pleasure into infidelity, and
at length emboldened by their own numbers
assembled unanimously together and demand
ed another God, saying, GAS for this man Mo-
SEES, who has brought US here, we do not know
what has become of him." The golden calf
was made, and the intoxicated throng danced
around it. What scene was there! Right at
the foot of Sinai, where a month before they
had heard the thunders and trumpet and voice,
and seen the lightnings and the glory; danced,
and shouted, and sung, in bacchanalian frenzy
the naked Misunderstanding in boisterous
shouts golden calfas their god! What con-
trast to the scene passing on the top of the
mountain between Jehovah and Moses!
In the midst of this wild and blaphemous re-
vel Moses was seen descending, with thought
full step, the distant slope, bearing in his arms
the tables Of the law. At length, as he and
Joshua, in serious converse, passed along, they
came within hearing Of the tumult below
They suddenly stopped, and turning their anx-
ous eyes to the white tents, far, far down in
the valley, Joshua said, "There is fighting in
the camp: | hear the sound of battle" But
the practiced ear of Moses knew too well the
meaning of that confusion murmur. "No,"
said he, "that is not the shout of victors in the
pursuit, nor the shrek of the vanquished fly
ing in fear, but the noise of them that sing do
hear" AS he drew near and saw the shame
less revel and blasphemous worship, he cast the
tables at his feet and rushed into the camp
The naked throng paled before him as if he had
been messenger of death; the dancing ceased,
and the song and deafening shouts were sudden
ly hushed. Turning neither to the right hand
nor the left, he passed, with brow dark as
wrath, to the golden idol, and hurled it into
the fire and trampled it under foot. Then turn
ing to Aaron, he asked an explanation of this
strange scene. AS soon as it was given, he
fastened to the gate of the camp, and sending
his voice like trumpet call through the host,
he cried out, "Whoever is on the Lords side,
let him come to mel" The sons of Levi flock
ed about him. "Seize now every man his
sword, and go in and out from gate to gate
throughout the camp, and slay every man his
brother, and every man his companion, and
every man his brother" Amid the silence that
followed were heard sobs and cries of despair;
and 10! that terrible band, with drawn swords
pass into the throng. There is no shout of bat
tie, no cry Of anger, though the sword drinks
blood at every step. The moan of despair and
the sudden death-shriek alone tell where those
stern warriors pass. And now, eveloped in the
dense mass, the eye can tell where they move
only by the flash of dripping swords, as they
sweep in angry circles about their heads
Though their hearts bleed at every stroke, and
deep paleness is on their brow as they sheathe
their weapons in their brethrens' bosoms; and
the lip quvers before the beseeching look of a
once beloved friend, their steadfast hearts must
feel no relentng. The dead lie in swaths
where thew pass and their weary arms drooD
beneath the protracted slaughter, yet on, on
they press, till three thousand corpses cumber
the field. Terrible scene-teIible vengeance
but the sword of Divine Justice is ever aw-
ful.
Yves speak of the after repentance and conse-
cration-of the second ascent into Sinai-of
the r,assinn of Iahauah hafaEo Mosnr-of the