The Minneapolis journal., 1901-11-02

JourneyeG from Rameses to Succoth' on their
way to Ethan and Pihahiroth, it at once
becomes evident that we have not only found
one OF the treasure cities built by their
hands, but We have identified the district
In which that great mixed multitude frst
matted to rest by the way. The place was
opolis
The subterranean store-chambers, maga-
zines, magazines, granaries, or whatever 1t
may please us to call them, before referred
10, are solldly built square chambers of va
rlous sizes, divided by massive partition walls
about ten feet in thickness, without any
communication, evidently destined to be filled
ana emptied from the top by means of trap
doors and ladders. The bricks are large
and are made of Nile mud pressed in
wooden mould and dried in the sun. Also,
they are bedded in mortar, which is not COM
mon, the ordinary method being to bed them
with mud.
Now it is very curious and interesting
fact that the Pithom bricks are Of three
qualities. In the lower courses Of these
massive cellar walls, they are mixed with
chopped straw; higher up, when the straw
may be supposed to have run short, the clay
Is found to be mixed with reeds, the same
KIND of reeds which grow to this day in the
bed Of the old Pharaonic canal, and which
are translated 'stubble' in the Bible. Final
ly, when the last reeds were used up the
bricks of the uppermost courses consist Of
mere Nile mud, with no binding substance
whatever.
$50 here we have the whole pathetic Bible
narrative surviving in the solid evidence to
the present time. We go down to the bot
tom of one of these cellars, and we see the
good bricks for which straw was provided.
Some few feet higher, we sNe those for which
the wretched Hebrews had to seek reeds or
stubble We hear them cry aloud: Can we
make bricks without straw q?
Lastly, we see the bricks which they had
to make, and did make, without straw, while
their hands were bleeding and their hearts
were breaking, Shakspere, in one of his
most familiar passages, tells us of sermons
In StOnaS't bUt hnra " have a In
bricks; and not only sermon, but practi-
cal, historical commentary of the highest i'm
portancs and interest. .
When the children of Israel first entered the
land OF Egypt they were heartily welcomed
and given "the best of the land'' for their
dwelling place (xlvH., s.. But now they were
in this condition of bondage. So far as OUT
ward, physical things were concerned, how
ever, they were perfectly satisfied. They had
grown so insensibly into this condition-in
fact, most Of them were born in it, and never
had known anything else-that they did not
feel 1T to be burden. And Egypt offered
them all that could be desired for merely
human purposes Even when they were deiv-
cred from its bondage they longed to return
to enjoy its freedom from anxiety and It's
abundant food (gvi., 8; Mum. XII, s, g..
So rich and powerful was Egypt at this
time that she was the mistress of the world.
Weak nations looked to it for help scholars
sought it for it's learning, and the prohigate
for its pleasures. But, although the people
of Egypt were so prospered-although they
naQ Deen SO WOnQor1ulIy Qealt WIN 0y GOQ
and blessed-although they had his people in
their midst to remind them Of him-yet 1t is
written Of their king that he knew not Jo-
seph." And not knowing him., he felt under
no obligations to his God So his people also
cast off God, and had no respect for his laws
or for his servants. na-is ~
Dwelling in the midst of such a nation,
even the; the children Of Israel rae II great meas
selves became idolatoTs. To this the prophet
referred when, the word of the Lord came to
him., saying: sin the day that lifted up
mine hand unto them to bring them forth Of
the land of Egypt, then said unto them,
Cast ye away every man the denominations Of
his eyes, and defle not yourselves with the
idols Of Egypt; am the Lord your God. But
they rebelled against me and would not
hearken unto me- they did not cast away the
denominations Of their eyes, neither did they
forsake the idols OF Egypt" (EEek. Xxx,
6-7.)
This is a true picture Of the natural man.
Living in the world. surrounded by It's riches,
power and pleasures, he is stished with its
physical advantages. He bows down to its
god He delights in the good things of earth.
as the Israelites satisfied themselves with the
''leeks' and onions and the ''fesh pots"
of Egypt, and does not know that he is in
bondage. Yet the children of Israel were
just much in slavery before they were
made to serve with rigor'' as they were
afterwards so the school boy, attracted by
the birds, and flowers, and butterflies about
him, wanders out of his way and Is lost.
But he is just as much lost when he is seek
ing his pleasure as he is when tho dark
ness of night overtakes him and he ts afraid.
He is simply ignorant Of his condition. So it
is with the sinner.
Moreover, whilst the children of Israel had
thus no just sense Of the condition which de-
graded and weakened them, they gained moth
ing by all their labors Their services did
not enrich them, and when they ended in
death, the only heritage they could leave their
children was the same condition Of ignorance
and slavery
So 1t is with the impenitent sinner. He
sannot save himself. God, however, in his
infinite mercy, seeks to save him. But even
he cannot do it until sin, like the bondage in
Egypt is felt to be a burden. When the
children OF Israel felt this, then "they Dried,
and their cry came up unto God" III, 23).
Then, as we shall see hereafter, their deliver
and the way of deliverance were revealed
unto them
Bryn Mawr, Pa.