St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1906-07-14
nd as the expected note broke ON the

their bundles In which were placed all
their scant possessions, and driving be-
fore them their herds and flocks. The
children care free and happy, and ex-
pectant, trotted on by the side Of their
parents, and their CHEEKY voices min
gled with the glad songs of the birds
which fitted through the air.
/ How little the people realized the full
portent of that movement Yes, they
knew they were going to land prom
ised the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, whose children they were.
They understood that the God of Abra-
ham was different than the gods OF
Egypt and the nations about They in
a vague, uncertain way grasped the
and in reverent awe they had slain the
lamb and placed its blood above and
on either side OF the door, knowing
that this sacrifice in some way made a
difference between them and the
Egyptians and gave them protection
from the angel of death as he passed
through the land. They Sk1ew that
from now on they were to begin new
life, and were to become a nation. But
as for entering into the larger thought
and plan of God for them and for the
world, they could not, even as the lit
tie child is unable to understand or
realize the hopes and plans and pur-
poses which the parents in loving wis.,
dom and forethought cherish Tor him.
But that people gathered there was
a type, figure, Of that larger deliver
ance which God was to accomplish
through the Christ. The lamb slain
gave shelter under its blood to the
children of Israel, and the Lamb OF
God "slain from the foundation OF the
world" was to give shelter to world
in bondage to sin. And Israel led out
of bondage, after redemption under the
blood, was but an example of what God
is doing for needy souls to-day as He
gives them salvation through the blood
Of Jesus Christ and leads them out and
away from the old land of sin to the
promised land of His privilege and
blessing.
Again the blast of the horn is heard,
and slowly that vast assemblage Of
people begins to move forward under
| the direction of the leaders. The prep
arations and the excitement have SO
engaged the attention of the people
| that they have not observed in the dis
lance the approach of large stray
Cling group of people. They came for
ward in a great, irregular line, aopar-
emily unguided by any leader, but each
moved by the impulse to go in COM
mon direction. Thus they proceeded
and had reached point not tar dis@
/ tant from the stretching line of the
Hebrews when the eyes of Moses and
the other leaders fell upon them, caus-
ing them to stop suddenly. The COM
mands which were being given died
away on their lips. They trembled with
apprehension. The people, noting the
actions and looks of their leaders,
turned their eyes in the same direc-
ton, and at the sight Of the advancing
multitudes, singly and in pairs and in
groups, they turned as though to flee,
crying at the same time:
l. Inc ESypLlduS dEe upon us.
But as they saw their little ones
clinging about them, and the flocks and
herds in their midst, and numbered as
they were with their baggage, they
huddled together like great flock Of
frightened helpless sheep.
Moses stepped forward quickly to-
wards the advancing lines Of Bgyp-
tians and demanded:
What brings you thither? The
Lord has commanded that we go into
| the wilderness to serve Him, and
Pharaoh has given his consent. Why
then this demonstration against us?'
Eve be not come to hinder You and
your people," was the cry, "But Father
are we come that we may urge your
going, for If thou remain longer in the
land. Egypt will contain none but the
dead, for this night terrible thing
has happened in Egypt and there is no
house where the dead are not. Haste,
then, and get you out from this land,
for we fear thy God, that His wrath
be stayed against u.s.
Moses breathed easier at the hearing
OF these words, and the fear left the
| people as quickly as it had come.
what are these things which thou
| art bearing In thy hands?" Moses
again demanded, as he noted that each
Egyptian was carrying some article or
other, and that they were not weapons,
as the first frightened glances had
made it appear.
For answer the people with one ac-
cord rushed forward and cast their
burdens at the feet of the Israalites,
| who looked on in speeches. amaze
ment. There was the glitter and glis-
ten of gold and silver, and as 1t was
cast upon the ground the precious
metals gave out their CHEEKY ring.
There was choice raiment without
limit, which was in striking contrast
to the homely, coarse garments which
the Hebrews wore. And there were
other articles which would bring
greater comfort and ease on the Jour
ney.
In speechless amazement the Israel
ties and their leaders looked upon the
piles of precious jewels and rainent,
ETC., grow higher and higher, but no
one made any move or attempted 70
touch aught which the Egyptians had
brought. Again the Egyptians spoke
up, eagerly. insistently:
take these! Take Ill! Thou hast
served Pharoah lorg in this land, and
lest thy God shou1d exact more OF us,
even our very lives, as He did last
night with the first-born of every