New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-03-25

could be governed, and the sins Of iItemperance OF
every kind recorded 10 Holy Writ, were at that
period less aggravated than they have been in az
ter ages because they were in great measure sins
of ignorance.-From the time when the sons OF
Jacob were settled in Egypt until the completion
of the four hundred years, during which God had
foretod TO Abraham that his family should dwell
there, there is chasm in the sacred history. We
are expressly told that all the house Of Jacob which
came into Egypt were threescore and ten it
said then that Joseph died as did all that genera
ton after which nothing farther is related Of
their posterity than that they were faithful and
multiplied abundantly, and waxed exceeding
mighty, and the land was filed with them, until
there arose new king who knew not Joseph. -
On his first arrival in Egypt Jacob had obtained
a grant from Pharaoh of the land Of Goshen,
place particularly suited to the pastorage of hocks
Jacob and his family were Shepherd and this cir
cunstance was, in the first instance the occasion
upon which that separate spot was assigned 10
them, and, secondariy he was the means provided
by God for keeping separate two nations thusre-
siding together every shepherd was an abomina-
ton 10 the Egyptians, and the lsraelites were
shepherds, although dwelling in the land Of Egypt
therefore the Israetes were sojourners and ssran'
gers and by mutual antipathy toward each other
originating from their respective conditions, they
were prevented from intermingling by marriage,
and losing their distinctive characters This was
the cause which had been reserved by the Su-
preme Creator, during the space OF three genera
tons and more than four centuries, IS the occasion
for eventually bringing them out Of the land for,
ia proportion as they multiplied, il had the ten
dency to excite the jealousies and fears Of the
Egyptian king-as actually happened These
ealouses and fears, suggested to him a policy OF
the most intoersble oppression and the most exc
cradle cruelty toward the lsraeites not contented
with reducing them to the most degraded condi-
ton of servitude, and making their lives bitter
with hard bondage, he conceived the project Of
destroying the whole race, by ordering all the male
children 10 be murdered as soon as they were
born. 10 the wisdom Of Providence, this very
command was the means OF preparing this family
when they had multiplied into a natOn--ior their is
sue from Egypt and for their conquest of the land
which had been promised TO Abraham and il was
at the same time the immediate occasion OF raising
up the great Warrior, Legislator and Prophet who
was to be their delverer and leader. Thenceforih,
they are to be considered a people. and their
history as that of a nation. During a period OF
more than a thousand years, the Bible gives US
particular account Of their destinies an outline o.
their constitution, civil, military and religious
with the code Of laws presented to them by the
Deity, is contained ia the books Of Moses, and will
afford copous materials for future consideration
Their subsequent revolutions of government un
der Joshua fifteen successive chiefs denominated
Judges and a succession of kings, until they were
first dismembered into two separate kingdoms and
after a lapse of some centuries both conquered by
the Assyrans and Babylonians, and at the end OF
seventy years partially restored to their country
and their temple, constitute the remaining his
torcal books Of the Old Testament, every part pf
which is full Of instructions. Butmy presentpurPose
is only to point your attention to their general his
torcal character. My next will contain few re-
marks the Bible System of Morals. In the
mean time.
IremAin your aficcilonate Father
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.