The Tupelo journal., 1906-07-06

thou dealt thus with us, to carry us
forth out of Egypt"
YEA" spoke up n holder than the
rest, and who had been among the
chief opponents of Moses before the
departure from Egypt, lis not this the
word that we did tell thee in Egypt,
saying: Let us alone, that we may
serve the Egyptians? For it had
been better for us to serve the Egyp-
tians, than that we should die in the
wilderness"
Shouts of approval greeted this
speech, and it was plain to see by the
angry looks upon the faces of the peo-
pie that they were ready to openly re-
bel again, could they find a leader
bold and able enough to lead them in
the present distress.
But whittier could they flee? Who
was there who was wise enough to find
them a way of escape from the ap-
preaching army Of the dreaded Phar-
aoh? Before them was the wide
spreading sea! On either hand were
the towering rocks! And behind
them drawing nearer and nearer was
their powerful enemy. The lines OF the
chariots could be seen as they wound
down along the rocky course into tho
narrow valley, where the frightened
Hebrews were gathered.
Moses lifted his eyes in mute appeal
to the cloudy pillar lowering over
them. Would God fail them? Nay, had
He not promised? Had He not told of
this very thing, saying that He would
destroy Pharaoh and his army? Reas-
sured by the thought, he looked out
upon the assembled people with new
courage, then shouted, SO that theSlead-
ers and chief men of the people all
about him could hear:
Fear We not, stand still, and SEQ
the salvation of the Lord, which He
will show you to-day; for the Egyp-
tians whom We have seen to-day. ye
shall see them again no more forever"
The people listened incredulously,
while they kept their eyes upon the
soldiers drawing nearer and nearer
But who will destroy our enemy.
WIZ SOIlO upoh 10 Will oWoio ohu
spear and mighty horse and chariot?"
demanded the one who had before
spoken against Moses, pointing to the
approaching army.
And by way of answer Moses pointed
towards the cloud above them. Some
stole over the people an awed silence.
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye
shall hold your peace" he cried at
last.
Then there came a. voice from tho
cloud, as though by way of answer,
saying:
Wherefore criest thou unto me?
Speak unto the children of Israel that
they go forward. But lift thou up thy
rod, and stretch out thine hand over
the sea, and divide it; and the children
of Israel shall go on dry ground
through the midst of the sea. And I,
behold, l will harden the hearts of the
Egyptians, and they shall follow them;
and l will get me honor upon Pharoah
and Upon all his host, upon his chari-
OTIS and upon his horsemen. And the
Egyptians shall know that | am the.
Lord, when l have gotten me honor
upon Pharaoh, upon his charlots and
upon mis- horsemen."
The voice ceased. A %reverent silence
brooded over the people. But as oon
as the rumble of Pharaoh's chariots
bore in upon their ears again the old
fear returned, and they began to cry:
"Pharaoh's soldiers are upon us!
And the water is before us ready to
swallow up ourselves and our little
ones and our cattle!"
But the Lord has bid US go for
ward, and has said He would divide
the waters and lead us over on dry
land" cried Moses and the lead
ers about him .
For an instant they felt treasured,
but. as they turned again and saw
Pharaoh's army was now almost ready
to fall upon them, they again criediout
in their great fear.
1t was then that a miraculous thing
happened. The Cloud began to 10Y
back towards the advancing columns
of soldiers, and as the Hebrew peo-
pie beheld wonderingly they noted
that the evening twilight was Deepen
ed to midnight darkness on the side
of the Cloud towards the Egyptians,
so that they were shut out from their
view, but on the side Of the Cloud to-
wards the Hebrews it glowed with a
glorious light, so that all through the
night they had light in the camp and
we're able to prepare for the journey
on the morrow.
And before the light had begun to
break in the east and while yet the
darkness brooded over the camp OF the
Egyptians so that they feared to stir,
the people under the leadership Of
Moses and Aaron and their elders and
leaders were started on the way to-
wards the water.
There a strange sight greeted them.
Through the midst Of the sea a narrow
pathway led on the bed of the sand,
and on either side there reared forbid
ding walls of water, which looked as
though ready to sweep inward and en-
gulf all that lay In it's path. Into this
narrow ~passageway Moses and Aaron
fearlessly walked, and the people, who
had drawn back in fearsomeness, now
took fresh courage and followed as
they saw their leaders advance to the
center of the pathway. There they
stopped while all the people with their
little ones and their fOckS and herds