Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-04-30
The Passover Night,

The full moon shone clearly out over the
Egyptian landscape--for in arranging for a
midnight journey to be hastily made by his
chosen people, even such minute matter
was thought of, and the date on which the
moon was at the full was deliberately Sc
lected. All was quiet in the streets of the
city wherein for the time Pharaoh had
his residence; but out in the quarter occu-
pied by the Hebrew brickmakers there was
unwonted life. No one, indeed, could be
seen running about among the huts; but
lights CLEANED out through every aperture,
and in every dwelling there was feast. As
you neared the habitations, you might have
seen by the moonlight the big blood.stains
on the door-posts; and if you could have
passed within each entrance, you would
have found that everything available had
been packed into the kneading-trough, from
which the unleavened bread had been taken
to be hastily baked upon the fire while the
members OF the family were standing all
ready for journey, and eating their meal
with as much of eager hurry as is mani.
tested by modern travellers in the restaurant
of a railway station. But if you had asked
them whittier they were going, not one of
them could have given you reply and il
you had requested them to go forth with
you and look upon the beauteous night, they
would have pointed you to the mystic blood
upon the Intel, and would have said, awe
pass not out from beneath that until Jeho
yah summons u.s." Nor had they long Ia
wait for his command; for hark shrek
of agony is heard, distinct and loud as from
some broken-hearted mourner, and another
and another rise, long and clear, until the
night is filled with lamentation. And while
they gather at their doors-within them, vel
near enough TO see what is passing without
the royal messengers appear, with rage
in their hearts and fury in their eyes
crying for Moses, and saying to him in th,
kings name, Rise up, and get you forth
from among my people," Nay, multitude,
of the Egyptians themselves, reused by tn,
grief of that awful night, beseech the He
brews to depart Immediately, saying, w,
be all dead men," But they will not NOV,
until they have heard the word sent dowr
from Moses through their elders and then
laden with jewels Of silver and jewels o
gold, aud raiment, which the terrified Egyp
tians gave them for the asking, they marcl
out from Rameses-a nation born in a day
What transformation that night has mad
upon them Yesterday a horde of slaves
to-day a united people. BY this one journe
they have put Egypt and bondage behin'
them they have begun that national lif
which neither Midianite nor Philistnt
neither Assyrian nor Persian, neither Gre
clan nor Roman could destroy, and which
after eighteen centuries of dispersion throug
Gentle lands, beats yet with inextinguisl
able ardor in the breast of every Jew 70
still, as on that paschal night, these sea-
tered ones do eat their food with sandalle
feet and tightened girdle, ready at any fl
vorable opportunity to return to Palestin
and claim their own again. Verify, it wa
a night much to be remembered.-From ID
1dyior's "Moses, The Lar GiUer."