The Tupelo journal., 1906-03-30

ton the reality OF the
and spiritual, and want the proof for
the natural eye that God had spoken
to him.
IF God has spoken" came the voice
of the tempter in his soul, 'slet Him
prove it by again flaming forth in the
bush, as you thought He did before.
If He has commissioned you to go
back to your people make sure OF 1t
by the signs which you think He has
given you. How do you know you a
do them? What, If after your return
to Goshen, you should fail to show
these signs to your people that God
was with you? Try them now and
make certain of SO important a mat
| ter"
Thus a perfect storm of questions
assailed his stronghold of faith and
sought to break it down. The strug-
gle was long and fierce, and again and
again when he thought he had con-
Quered and was firm in his faith that
God had appeared and talked with
him the doubts would come back with
redoubled power and he would have
it to fight all ver again. How fierce
was the fight against the temptation
to see if the rod really would turn
into a serpent, and whether his hand
would change and become dead with
leprosy. The proposal seemed so rea-
sonable. And yet he knew that it
would not be faith.
"Why do l need evidence of Gods
! presence and power, more than He has
given me this day." he asked. "The
signs and wonders are not for me,
but for my people when / shall return
to them. Then will the rod turn to a
serpent and then will my hand take
on the leprous hue"
Thus he reasoned, and as the final
victory came, and peace returned to his
heart, he again remembered his sheep,
and, gathering them together. started
down the mountainside and turned
his face ~homeward.
Two days later, as he drew near his
home he became more and more
troubled as to what Jethro would say
about his going, and would his wife
Zipporah be willing to go? He was
suddenly aroused from his deep medi-
tation by a familiar shout, and Ger
shom, his oldest boy, now a man
grown, came running towards him.
Father, where have you been? We
have been troubled by thy long alb
sence,' And then impressed by some
thing in his fathers face and manner
he added, quickly: "Has anything
happened?"
Moses did not answer at once. He
was troubled to know just what to
gay. Could he tell his son of his ex-
periences in the mountain? Could he
speak of such sacred thing to one
who perhaps would not understand?
Could he tell the rest when he had
reached home? He felt he could not,
and so said, simply:
81 have made up my mind to go
away"
ooh, where? hope it is to Egypt.
Mother was speaking of thy people
the other day, and she said for one
who seemed so wrapped up in his
people, it was strange you were will
ing to wait all these years without
going back. to find out how they did,
and Grandfather Jethro spoke up and
said: Tut, tut. Moses knows his
business best. He will go back when
God bids him. Is it to Egypt you are
going, father"
Here was encouragement for him.
How God was preparing the way. With
a lighter heart, therefore he said:
Eyes, l am going back to my people,
and you and your brother and mother
shall go with me. Thy Uncle Aaron
is on his way to meet u.s."
Gershom looked at him in astonish-
ment.
How do you know" he asked.
who told thee?"
God, my son, Who always reveals
His will to those who wait upon
Him."
"And will we wait until he comes
hither?"
The reply which the father was
about to make was interrupted by the
shout of welcome which greeted the
two as they rounded a turn in the
road and came in full view of the
house.
Little else was talked about that
night except the contemplated return
of Moses to Egypt, and Zipporah and
the boys were all excitement in con-
sequence. Moses was for starting
first thing in the morning. but his
wife contended that they ought to wait
until Aaron had come and had rested
from his long journey.
"But how can l tarry when God has
called me to go back and my people
are waiting to be delivered from their
bitter b~ondage?" Moses replied to her
repeated urging.
"Moses is right" Jethro admitted.
"We shall be sorry to see him go, but
he shall depart in peace with Jethro's
blessing"
In this kindly spirit, Jethro super
intended the preparations for the
journey, selecting with his W hand
three of the finest asses, and bringing
them to the door in the morning for
the early start. But in spite of her
fathers encouragement, Zipporah still
had her misgivings about the hasty
start, saying, as she took her seat in
the saddle:
81 should have felt better if we had
waited for Aaron"
"By the way, Moses" spoke up her