The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-01-05
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Moses the Babe
of the Nile
OUR BIBLE STORY by the
Highway and Byway" Preacher
"A Vision Between the Lines Of God's
Inspired World
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lcopyasht, 1875, BY ]. B. DowleSl

his parents. because they saw he was a
proper child; and they were not afraid OF
the kings COMMUNICATION n:2S,
Read the story in Exodus 2I-S.
The sun had set, but still, in the lin
gering twilight, the Hebrew slaves
toiled on.
"Will the day never end?' Amsam
asked himself, as he listlessly lay the
bricks in place and then threw on an
other trowel Of mortar.
Faster there" shouted the task
master, sharply, this wall must be
finished tonight" And the whip lash
snapped viciously by way of emphasis
and left a great welt on the bare
shoulders.
A groan escaped the compressed lips,
and the man quickened his efforts, as
did his fellow slaves working with him
on the wall.
But the longest day has its ending,
and at last Amram found himself
speeding towards home. His eager
ness to learn whether the babe were
still safe gave fresh yigor to his weary
limbs. Others were going lis way, but
they could not match his pace, and
soon he was treading the pathway BY
the Nile alone.
1t was three months now since his
boy had been born, and the secret OF
the home was still successfully guard
ed and Pharaoh's ediCt defed. But he
knew matters could not continue thus
much longer, and as he hurried onward
that night every pulsation Of his anX-
ious heart seemed to pound out the
question: How will it end? How
will it end?'
Suddenly a wild, heart-rending
Shrek broke the stiffness of eyentide.
Amram stopped abruptly and an in
tense fear seized him. AS he listened
breathlessly he heard a plaintive,
frightened baby wall, and then a
splash, followed by the harsh voice Of
the Egyptian as he bade the weeping
mother BECOME.
In agony of spirit he lifted his face
towards heaven and cried; "On, God
How long?"
He half feared it might be MS own
baby boy. The shrek of the mother
and the plaintive cry Of the babe had
stirred the keenest apprehension in his
heart. He did not realize how loud
and intense his muttered prayer sound
ed on the quiet evening air, until sud
denly the dark form of the Egyptian
doomed up before him.
The appearance of the man was SO
unexpected that Amram was complete
ly taken off his guard. In the con-
fusion and distress Of the moment he
blurted out: Whose baby was it?'
And then, without pausing for breath,
he continued: WAS IL"
Your baby?" finished the Egyptian,
with a hideous leer, as he peered
sharply into Abrams face, and noted
his look of anguish and alarm. well,
1t might have been" he continued,
"but III go home with you to make
sure"
With a wild cry Amram tore himself
loose and fed down the pathway,
while the Egyptian hotly pursued. But
the love and fear of the fathers heart
gave strength and speed to his flying
feet and he soon outdistanced his
would,be captor and was lost to view
in the friendly darkness.
Amram did not stop running until
he reached his own door. A great wave
of relief passed over him when he
found that his wife and child were
safe at home. His story was Don told.
"The Egyptian will surely find me to-
morrow" he concluded. And giving
way completely, he sank OF a rude
bench and, burying his face in his
hands, groaned piteously.
I'VE must save him" returned JOG
hebed, in a voice which strove to be
brave.
But how"
"God will help us" was the earnest
reply. Hast thou forgotten the words
of thy father as he spoke blessing over
the boy?"
Forgotten? During the weeks Of
awful suspense had he not recalled the
words again and again. He could see
his father now as he had held the
beautiful babe, and had said:
"In thee, my child, God hath surely
visited His people, as Joseph said He
would. And by thee shall God yet full
fill His promise to Abraham to give de-
Hveranpa tn His DeODle."
But in spite of it all, Amram was
full OF apprehension. The words
brought him little comfort in the pres
ent peril, and in his agitation he be-
gan to pace the floor and to moan:
"Oh, God! What can we do? What
can we do?"
Jochebed was silent, but as she
sought for answer to her husbands
question a sudden inspiration, like a
fash from heaven, came to her, and
she exclaimed:
Did not God care for Noah on the
mighty waters? And will He not care
for our baby on the waters Of the
Nile?"
What do you mean" cried Amram.
II mean that we shall make an ark
for our baby"
"And set him adrift on the Nile?"
"Oh, mother" broke in Miriam, the
"12-year-old daughter, perhaps the
princess will find him! The other day