American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-08-08
From the New York Observer.
SACRED MOUNTAINS-MOUNT

he SACRED MOUNTAINs-MOUNT HoREB.
BY THE REV. II. HEADLEY.
Mount Horeb does not stand so isolated as
Ararat or Sinai, and hence does not occupy SO
efinite place in nature or history. One of
The group that surrounds Sinai, it presents the
anne barren and desolate appearance, and
ztands amid the same bleak and forbiddng
cenery. These solemn SUBMITS rise together
b the same heavens, and the silent language
hey speak has the same meaning. Still, Ho-
eb has less distinguished characteristics than
Sinai, and the latter overshadows it as much
n interest as it does in nature. The Mount of
Terror is monarch there in the desert, and all
pther SUBMITS are but his body guard They
witnessed his grand coronation when the law
vas given, and shook the thunders that honor
ed the ceremony.
Mount Horeb has not been copsecfated once,
put thrice, and hence a threefold claim for a
place amid the immortal list of Sacred Noun
aims. Moses learned his first lessons around
is base, and amid its solitudes, formed the
thoughtful, stern and decided character which
rendered him fit TO be the leader of Israeli
| when in his impetuous youth he slew the Egyp-
ft;an that would trampe on his countryman,
5he fled thther to escape the penalty of the
|deed. When the first gust of Indignation had
Iswept by, and he saw the lfeless corpse at his
feet, alarm took the place of pass on, and has
Itily covering the dead man in the sand, he fled
Ito the desert. Month after month he wander
Led alb ut Horeb, thinking of Egyptand the roy
|al court he dared not enter. Away from the
temptations of the palace, and beyond the reach
|of the conflicting motives that might sway him
there, he trod the desert free man. With
thought but Nature and God to teach him, his
character must be simple and manly, and his
principles upright and pure. Amid the grand
land striking features of mountain scenery, he
could not but learn TO hate tyranny and love
freedom, and when, at length, his character
was settled on a broad and permanent basis,
the Deity sent him back to Egypt to deliver his
people.
Wandering one morning along the slopes of
Horeb, he saw before him solitary bush blaz-
ing from top 10 bottom, but still unconsumed.
Every branch was fiery branch, and every
leaf a leaf of fire that glowed unwasted in the
still flame. AS he stood amazed and awe-struck
at the sight, voice whose tones we're yet to be
familiar to his ear, exclaimed, "Take thy shoes
from off thy feet, for the place on which thou
standest is Holy Ground" Here Moses receiv-
ed his first commission, and here was Gods
first outward demonstration 10 him in behalf of
his people.
In the exciting scenes through which he az
forwards passed in Egypt, he may have entire
ly forgotten Horeb. But after the plaques, and
death, and flight, and pursuit, and Red Sea
passage, and overthrow of his enemies, had all
been left behind, and the host of Israel entered
the desert, the familiar scenery he began to ap-
proach, must have walked up strange associa-
tions in his heart. At length, the wellremem-
bered form of Horeb rose to view, where he had
wandered, selfexiled from his home. A gloo-
my fugitive he first saw that desoate mountain
in the distance;-a leader of mighty people,
and the chosen of God, he pitched his tent the
second time at its base. Doubtless his first in
tervlew with the Deity here, caused him to ex-
pect some other revelations, now that the COM
mission he had given him had been fulfilled
How much his early experience had to do with
his encamping on this spot with the host of Is
rael, it is impossible to tell; but that he should
expect the God who had first sent him forth
should here give him further instructions, was
most natural. His expectations were not dis
appointed, and Sinai and Horeb together be-
came the scene Of the most wsndrous events of
human history.
Twice had Horeb been honored by the pre-
sence of Deity, which had so copsecrasod il