The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-04-09

conclusive proof That he, at least, hat
never met with this erroneous translation
Ii fact rs the Hex rev word ''shaaT i
rendered dcmande," II French, there was
no possibility for Voltaire to know of thi
purely English error.
The mistake made in translating "shaal'
into the English word "borrow," was follow,
cd by another ani kindred error, in render
ing the word 'nat'al, spoil" They, the
lsraclitcs, arc thus said to have Spoiled the
Egyptians But spoil has meauiug quite
different from what implied b. the Hebrew
natsal. To spoil or despoil means to take
by rapiuc or violence, while 'natsal" means
"cxtricated,' "libcratcd,' ''rcgaincd," ere
covered" The lsraolitcs did no wrong or
injury to the Egyptians. They only "de-
mandcd" of them small rcparation or re-
storation for the immense aud iucalculable
wrongs, tyranncs and exac.ious which for
four hundred years these cruel task k-masters
had imposed upon them. Had fair set
tlement been made between tho Israelites
and the Egyptians, all the wealth of Egypt
could not have met the demand.
But it was not the intention IF our Divine
Father to burden his people with wealth
lie had h, cher and noblcr mission for them.
They were to be the trustees Of fund far
exceeding in value all the riches Of Egypt.
They were selected to be the custodians of
His Holy Law. But He permitted them
to demand from their terrified prosecutors
some compensation for valuable services.
Who had established tho land-.ax by which
the royal house of Egypt became the owner
of the whole country? Joseph son of
Israel. Who built their cities Who had
laborcd in their public works without any
compensation t? Who had enriched Egypt?
The lsraclitcs. And what had they rcccv-
ed in return for all their labors Hatred,
persecution, the task master, the lash; and
finally, the abomnablc plot to cxtermiuatc
them, root and branch, by drowning all the
male children
For all these Injuries God permitted His
people to.make small reprisal. 1t is
enough to know that lie permitted it, to
know that it was right. For the God Of
Justice and Truth never could aud never
did sanction wrong or falsehood.
In fact, the entire history Of the chosen
people shows that their conduct was manly
and honorable. The conduct of Abram
towards the King Of Sodom, and his trausac-
ton with the sons of IIeth the generosity
of Joseph the story Of Elisha and Naman
the refusal Of the Israclitcs to lay hands
upon the property Of their enemies in the
days Of Esther; Davil's llbcrality in pur-
chasing ground for the Temple; all these
and mIny other examples show that our
fathers scorncl to do anything mean aud
dishonorablc. Much less would they have
attempted so shameful deception as to
have pretended to borrow from the Egyp-
tians, when they knew that they would
| never see their faces again. How weak and
foolish, then is the thought, that the Just
and OmnipotcntGod could have justified His
people in pcrpctratins so base and glaring
a fraud.
1t is a matter Of congratulation that the
New or Revised Version Of the Old Tcsta-
| mcnt uses the expression 'a>k' instead Of
borrow But the rcAiscrs have not rise
to the height OF truth and Justice. The
Isracitcs neither borrowed nor asked
| anything from the Egyptians, Neither did
they spoil or 'dcspol' the land of Egypt.
They demanded partial payment of the
| incalculablc debt due to them; and the
power Of God, whose fear rested upon the
striken people Of Egypt, enabled them to
recover or regain that which they right
fully demanded.
In future articles will cnlcavor to show
| that the Old Testament does not sanction
| either Of those things which the Northern
people used to call the twin abominationS
slavery and poygamy. Centenary
FANNY DAVENPORT MAKES a MASH.
"A funny remark By man in the audi
cncc once created great mcrrmcnt 1T the
Pi!t>burS opera house, i'll which everybody
in the house, off and on the stage, joined
Fanny Davenport and her company were
the attractions. \ young hotel clerk, who
had imbbcd too much liquor. walked slowly
down the aisle and cnsconccd himself in an
orchestra chair in close proximity to the
stage. In an adjacent seat he cast his over
coat and lat, and had Just sat down, whcl
Miss Davenport repeated the lines