The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-09
THE sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON.
Nov. 10. 1901: Israel Oppressed in
i. LII.

\ noble Roman stood wrapped in his toga,
gazing at his lovely marble villa as it disap-
peared in devouring flames. A friend ventured
TO approach and proffer sympathy. The SEN
tentious reply was. IF it had not persisted, 1
would have perished.'' So we may say, but for
the misfortune Of the Egyptian bondage. Israel
would have persisted. The ugly and venomous'
experience of the b~Tickyard held "a jewel after
all. : " . 1t was an extreme humiliation just
to be unknown that the new king was ut
terly oblivious to their relationship TO the grand
est vizier Egypt ever saw; indeed, that he cared
not a fg for the exalted character and distin-
guished services Of Joseph himself. To find
themselves suddenly degraded from their posi-
tion as guests Of the nation, to have the light of
the royal cOuntenance eclipsed, was an ex-
tremely bitter modification. Humility was the
first lesson Israel learned in the school of adj
versity. He was not to think OF himself more
highly than he ought to think. but soberly. = :
Again, the stream Of their natural life was
forced into a new and uncongenial channel. BY
choice and hereditary instinct they were used
to the free and tranquil manner of the nomad.
1t was a bitter transition from the LAND OF
verdure" to the brickyard; from driving their
cattle to being driven like cattle; from the
easiest of all vocations to the most laborious of
all. . No paraphrase can possibly inten-
sify the forceful phraseology Of the original mar
ratlNe. PnaraOnS oDJect was oeclnatlon. BalllnS
with hard hearts and bludgeons were at a pre-
MUM. They afflicted with their burdens. There
was a ferocity Crigor) in their exaetions. They
intended nothing else than to break in pieces
and crush the captive race. They embitterod
their lives. The tally Of bricks required was al
ways waxing, though the material TO make them
steadily waned. Aflietion, sorrow, oppression,
signing, groaning, are oft-recurring words in this
dismal chronicle of slavery. : . . This most
prolonged and irritating bondage was, however,
like the ak the very blow OF which sets free the
pent-up fragrance Of the sandalwood. 1t was like
the rude trampling after which the camomile
emits its richest odor. The first sweet use of
Isrears adversely in Egypt was 10 loosen the
hold which that country had obtained upon the
emigrant nation, and to make them homesick
for Canaan. 1t is probable that nothing short
of this terrible ordeal would have been sufficient
to uproot them from a land Providence never
intended they should abide in permanently. The
weird country exercised its mystic spell even
after they had left it far behind them, and they
sighed for the onions and neshpots Of the Nile
land. . : : Egypt, too. was the fiery furnace
where a loose population was fused into a COM
pact nationality. Nothing surpasses common
suffering in accomplishing this end. Their like
pains and indignities made them feel alike-hope
and aspire alike. " = " And as sharp frosts
nourish corn, so did the sharp Affections OF
Israel in Egypt nourish their graces. They were
shut up to faith in God. No eve pitied them.
no arm could deliver them but His. They were
led TO admit the justice of Gods anger at their
manifold sins, and to repent OF them. Their
aspiration for their divinely- promised rest" in
Canaan was quickened thereby. . . . When
the great assay was finished, God quenched the
furnace fires with the waters OF the Red sea.
The newborn nation. christsned in cloud and
sea, came up out Of the depths singing an
tiphonally such a paean as earth never heard be-
fore. To the praiseful acclaim of the male
chorus. Il will sing unto the Lord. for He hath
triumphed gloriously,' the female responded.
Sing. ye to the Lord. for He hath triumphed
gloriously.''
II TEACHERS LANTERN.
As If to lend emphasis TO the prodigious multi
plication OF Israel in Egypt, the small beginning
is carefully set forth. The census shows seventy
souls. But these fairly 'vegetate' and spawn
until. in the fewest possible generations. three
millions Of them iii the land. " = . Genesis
to Exodus is the transition from biography to
history-from the quiet annals Of patriarchal life
10 the stirring chronicles OF national crisis. .
The silen; years between Joseph and Moses re-
semble those between Malachi and Jesus. In
this epoch. Israel was busy learning law. gov
eminent. and mechanic arts. They saw the in
caIculable advantages OF organized society. and
readily adopted 1t when Providence pTonered
them a form. They learned the craft OF the
carpenter. smith. engraver. weaver. potter. dyer.
So that in the wilderness they were able ~