Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-18
for SUNDAY Scbook.
STAR LESSON FOR MAY 10,
By Rev. ]. E. Gilbert, DID,,
SECRETARY SOCIETY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
ISRAEL ENs1-AvED EGYPT" Exodus i:1.I4

by leaving the land bring want through
destruction of all industries. Task masters
or the sternest sort were placed over them
men who exacted extreme service under the
i mos. Tying conditions fact which was
forgotten In after years Deut xxvi:8).
For any failure to perform this duty, even
though II exceeded ability, punishments
were inflicted (Ex. HID. To make the op-
preston stu more grievous the Hebrews
were sent to build treasure cities for Pha-
raoh, places where wealth might be gath
cred for the king, thus to increase his
power; Inc very life blood and strength Of
.ne Heprew men were thus employed TO
eXaat an absolute monarchy and increase its
ability to render life burdensome and
INCREASE Verse 19.-Au, this baa
one purpose-to bring the Hebrew people
into subsection and to render them helm
Tess as against the Egyptians. It was the
p pvaey OF me tyrant, by which they might
overcome the weak. And yet, to the aston
ishment OF all. the result sought was NOT
attained. Affections did not crush the
spirit, nor prevent the prosperity which
years On the contrary, as thew vera
amicted SO they multiplied. II seemed that
G 5ne troubles all turned into blessing IN
tbis sn M5. Ine people were learning in
tnls school what could not be learned other
WISE lessons OF far-reaching moment. in
voiving all the after years (Psalm cxix On.
AND, strange as 1t may seem, the Oppressed
latter saw that their unkind deeds wera IN
enectual-they saw the people whom thew
wouia reduce, increase-they must have
man had interposed in their behalf. ~ "a
the Egyptians were grieved
- BONDAGE Oversees 10 and 40. II
~ strange that even then Pharaoh ala nor
that was the day when force rnied tbe
world when might was supposed In he
i,ent, when man must yield to the will A.
c inc HnE. Inc course was thereafter more
cruef ana atrocious. Life was made bitter
In q hard bondage. The people vor.ed in
of1ck ana mortar. and In all manner OF
service In the field. The toll was rirorons
IN the extreme. vastly more trying than any
In these states. Josephus saws IAntio Mb
IL; cap ix), and Philo bears testimony to the
same, that the king set them to. build pyra-
mids. SO that these wonders of tho ancient
WOria' after nearly forty centuries. still
dured such calling bondage And there vet
remain in the British Museum specimens Of
clay bearing the picture Of half-clad He
Drew bending under his burden, while ovs<
him is lifted the lash of the taskmaster.
CONCLUSION.-The years of oppres-
SION were not altogether unfavorable to the
Hebrews although for the time exceedingly
sLievoos. AS preparation for the future
mission they were helpful In several ways:
Cd They learned a. otherwise they could
not have learned. how hard and unjust was
the spirit OF the outside world; how little
Va AinuheSs anu CONSIDERATION they might
expect from those who were not of Hebrew
origin (2) This tended to consolidate the
Hebrews. to make them feel that they were
to stand by themselves apart from other
peoples, preventing them from being merged
and lost In common race. 90 This was
favorable to the establishment of a sepa-
rate nation that should have no entanglina
alliances with other nations. % Moreover.
the days of bondage made the people sigh
for liberty and look with longing eyes to-
ward the land promised to the posterity Of
Abraham. 90 Without doubt the trust in
God was increased and the feeling in the
minds of the leaders must have been strong
that the Almighty only could deliver. Is