The Tupelo journal., 1907-05-24
Childhood and Edu-
cation of Moses
Sunday School Lesson for May 26. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

LESSON TEXT.-Exodus 2;1-15. Mem
DRY verses, 9, 10.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Moses was learned
in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. and
was mighty in words and ~deeds."-Acts
7:22.
TIME.-Moses was born probably dur
ing the reign of Rameses H., which last
ed Ct years, Rameses dying at the age
of nearly 100. Sayce gives as the limits
of his reign B. C. 134S-12S1; Driver, 12l5-
1908; Breasted. 1292-1225. According to the
common chronology; Moses was born Il.
c. 1871, and our lesson. covering the first
10 years of his life, would extend to l53l-
PLACE-Moses was born at the capital
of Egypt, which at that time was either
Memphis, nearly where modern Cairo Is.
or Tanis (Zoan), in the eastern part OF
the Nile delta.
Comment and Suggestive Talk.
The Working of Gods Plans.-See
what factors entered into this preser-
walton of the worlds greatest man.
There was % a humble slave family;
(2) a little basket of bulrushes; go
a little girl; (4) a baby's tears; (5)
Pharaoh's own daughter; 60 the
I'LL > oWH ulOtlCI . w q lOgo al
All of these were brought together
at just the right time, in just the right
way. This lesson is one of The best
illustrations of a perfect combination
of the best co-working of human effort
and divine providences."
The Court Life of Moses.-"The ia
vor of the kings only daughter and
presumptive heir made his life in
these early years n long, unclouded
summer morning, for all that wealth
and power could command were at his
service."-Geikie. "He would live
chiefly in the apartments of his moth
er, which would probably be a portion
Of the royal residence, and would be
furnished with every luxury."-Raw-
linson. Yet life at Pharaoh's court,
amid all it's attractions and advant-
ages, must have had some drawbacks.
Egyptian youths and Egyptian court
iers could not be altogether cordial
to the Hebrew boy, who, as the grand
son of Pharaoh, enjoyed so exalted a
position, and received such eminent
attention."-Biaikie.
The School Life of Moses.-Egypt
then had two great universities, at
Heliopolis and Hermopolis, and Moses
is said to have studied in the former,
which was situated about 20 miles
north of Memphis. 1t was 'the Ok
ford of Ancient Egypt" as Alexandria
was in later times. Herodotus went
thifhar - ootha, rforpoot;on for hjo
travels, and Plato studied there for
Is years. SHADY cloisters opened in
to lecture rooms for the students, and
quiet houses for the professors and
priests, in their many grades and Of
fees; there being room for all in the
corridors of the huge pile."-Geikie.
A splendid library would be at his dis
posal. The library of the Rameseum
at Thebes-a structure built by Rame-
ses H.-contained 10000 books.
The studies of the young man would
include the two forms of difficult
Egyptian writing, arithmetic, geomet-
ry, trigonometry to some extent, as
tronomy, music, both vocal and instru-
mental, painting and architecture,
medicine and chemistry, history and
law, poetry and other branches of lit
erature, and especially theology, ex-
tending to it's highest form, "the phil
osophy of symbolism" in which the
Egyptian religion, gross as it was,
came nearest to the Hebrew. AS a
member of the royal family, Moses
was no doubt received into the priest
ly caste, and knew all their secret
lore.
The Military Life of Moses.-Steph-
en- tells us (Acts 1920 that Moses
was mighty in words and in deeds"
The words may have mean such
power of composition as appears in
the hymn by the Red sea, and in the
magnificent valediction to his people"
-Expositor's Bible. AS to the deeds,
after completing his university course,
Moses might have become a hanger-on
at the court, or obtained some civil ap-
pointment and sought to climb the Of
fetal ladder, or entered the literary
life, or devoted himself to the priest
hood, or become a soldier. The ira
dition that he chose the last-namod
calling is in accordance with the prob
abilities, and explains his great mill
tary ability displayed in the exodus
and afterwards.
The Patriots First Attempt.-It was
natural that Moses first attempt at
aiding his people should be a blunder.
Even the greatest men make mistakes,
and prove their greatness by their
ability to learn from their mistakes.
The Patriots Second Attempt.-"To
smite the oppressor was not enough.
Moses must unite and discipline the
fort."-Hanna. "The treatment he re-
ceived from the Hebrews he sought to
aid showed that they were by no
means ripe for freedom or national
ity."-Townsend.
Lessons in Patience.--Ex. 2:16-25.
Moses remained in indian for the Sec
ond of the three 40-year periods into
which his life is divided.
Practical Points.
every mans life is a plan of God"
The life of each scholar in your class
has been planned by God as carefully
and lovingly as that of Moses.
The best start in life is that af-
forded by a cody home. Not the rich
est family in Egypt gave their son a
better outfit for life than Moses re-
ceived from his slave parents.
Every child is a possible prince.
The chain of providence is always