St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1906-07-14

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| MINI \ led him to believe
| I'M I'll that they wer,
III " planning som,
| y surprise upon thu
| NIX Hebrews.
x It was but nat
ural that the Egyptians in their grief
for there was no house where therl
was not at least one dead, should
charge the calamity which had taller
upon them to Moses and his people. II
| fact, 1t was known generally tina
Moses had warned the king that unles!
he would let the Hebrews go the hand
Of their God would be heavy upon tn,
land OF Egypt, and SO in that awful
midnight hour, when death claimed thu
| f1rstborn in every household and thu
living in wild terror were wailing ovel
their dead, the cry went up every
where: "It is the vengeance Of Moses
God! Except the Hebrew people &
we be all dead men!" #
| =. With superstitious fear they hat
watched Moses arrival at the palace
and upon his departure after his inter
view with Pharaoh they had followed
him at a distance, and as they Walked
excitedly among themselves he caught
| the words:
Goshen" and Settle with He
brews."
Light was just beginning to preak II
the east as he returned, but not a sou
was stirring about in Goshen. The
doors to the rude huts of the People
were still shut as Moses had directed
| and the blood marks on the top ant
sides stood out In the dim light in bold
| relief.
Moses as he passed along to the
| place appointed where he was to meet
| the elders of Israel ere the start was
made was deeply moved by the sight
of the blood, and he could not help but
draw the sharp contrast there was be.
tween Egypt and Goshen.
| In the former place every home had
It's dead and its great grief. In Goshen
| every home was sheltered under the
blood and there was life and great ex-
pectation there.
In Egypt the people feared before
the great and powerful God of the He.
brews who had made as nothing before
Him all the gods of the Egyptians. In
Goshen the people bowed in reverence
and faith before the God who had
come down to deliver them from their
bondage.
In Egypt Pharaoh and his people
were suffering the last and terrible
Judgment of God for refusal to hear
and obey His voice. In Goshen Moses
and his people were rejoicing in the
blessing OF God which was to be the
reward of patient endurance until the
fullness Of Gods time had come.
'1t is wonderful, marvellous" Moses
exclaimed. There Is the blood. the
sign OF Gods mercy, the evidence, OF
His faithfulness In keeping His word
given unto Abraham, Isaac and ia
cob And then, turning to Aaron
who had been walking silently by his
side, for he too had been to the palace
he said: How could we have ever
doubted God?"
But we have waited long time fo1
the fulfillment OF Gods promises, and
the way has been long and trying" re-
piled his brother.
"Yea," was the response, "but 1t is
all plain to me now. How necessary
was the discipline for our people. How
they have been led step by step to put
more and more confidence In God. And
how patient mas He been with Pharaoh
In trying to win his consent to let our
people 60 to worship in the wilder
ness. Surely, Gods way was best
But we are not out of Egypt yet,
and fear the Egyptians are plotting
some mischief. Thou knowest their
looks as we passed by on our way from
the palace, and their words?"
Moses nodded assent, while the trou-
bled look again overspread mis- tea
lures.
I'VE have the permission, nay more,
the command, of Pharaoh, that we de-
part with our little ones and our fiocks
and herds and all that we have" he
said, after silence, land our people
are all ready for the journey. Come:
let us hasten that no time now be
lost See, the elders are waiting our
coming, even now,.' and he quickened
his steps.
who are those coming yonder?"
Aaron exclaimed, suddenly, pointing
towards company of men In the dis
lance bearing some burden between
them.
Moses turned his eyes In the direc-
ton Aaron indicated, and his quick
glance took in the situation.
"Ah, these are the faithful men OF
the tribe Of Ephraim, who have already
been to the tomb Of Joseph and Sc
cured the coffin containing his bones,
that they may carry it back with
them"
"Joseph's bones," repeated Aaron,
thoughtfully.' 81 had forgotten them,
but now I recall Joseph's charge con-
corning them"
eyes," replied Moses, more cheerful
", "and is not this another sign that
we shall now go out in peace. even as
Joseph prophesied we should?"
"Yes," admitted Aaron somewhat re-
luctantly, "but we may still nave to
reckon with the Egyptians. | feel GER
tain that they are about to follow US
ard may seek to detain III"
well, we shall have to wait and
see, but OF this / am confident, that
God is able to lead us out even as he