Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-08

performance destitute of life and pront.
I he regular routine may. however, Ice made
intensely interesting. the means Of spiritual
| advance. But that is possible only through
| careful instruction on the part of seniors
VINO make the young know why certain
performances are had. Parents and teach
'rS are under great obligations in this
regard. Their faithful discharge of this
duty carries forward the things of religion
10 the succeeding generation. Hence. the
LORD command was to Israel to set forth
TO the children the meaning Of the Pass
over, commemoratiun of Gods delverance
OF the Hebrew first born on the night when
he destroyed the Egyptian first born.
PEOPLE oBEYED verse 2s).-It
must be remembered that all this occurred
In Egypt. 1t was at time when the whole
Hebrew population was in bondage. groan-
Ing under heavy task-masters The Inc
structions above mentioned were deliver
ed TO them by Moses and Aaron, who had
come to them processing to have received a
message from God. The people had no
way to test these men and to determine
whether they were indeed divinely appoint-
ed Under such circumstances II might
have been expected that some indeed
many, would reject the message. thinking
that these men were self-apponted ana
that they were governed by some sinister
motive. Such an outcome would have been
in harmony with the spirit OF distrust SO
common among men. But this result did
not follow The people on hearing the
words OF the elders, as spoken by Moses,
accepted them as the very words of God.
Throughout all the houses there was
prompt and glad obedience. The lamb was
Killed and Its blood was sprinkled.
EGYPTIANS sMITTEN (verscs - and
3o).-The night came on appointed for the
work of death AS the hours wore on there
was no evidence of Gods wrath and judg-
ment Peace was over all the land But
when midnight came, when the great mass
of the people were wrapt in slumber when
only in high places the songs OF revelry
might be heard, the angel of the Lord went
forth. According to the promise before
made the sign Of blood was in every case
regarded, and every Hebrew house was
spared The occupants slept on undis-
turbed in their security. But into all other
houses the angel entered. and the first
born, dearest of all to every heart, was
slain. Death reigned everywhere in the
Egyptian households. from Pharaoh on his
throne to the humblest of all the people,
and even the prisoner in his dungeon all
were required to meet the grim monster.
All the first born of the cattle likewise
persisted This widespread destruction
caused universal sorrow. The king and his
people left their couches and mingled their
cries of distress. Rich and poor. high and
low, Joined In the expression of grief.
CLOSING THOUGHTS-In this recital
we have vivid account of one of the most
terrible visitations in history. On several
other occasions in sacred story God brought
men to distress through judgments The
flood In the time of Noah, the destruction
of cities of the plain, the conduct OF Israel
over the sea and the overthrow of Pharaoh
and his tents will be recalled under this
head But the shifting of the first born OF
Egypt and the deliverance of the first
born OF Israel was a more signal interpo-
sition than any preceding or following 1t
indicated Gods purpose to deliver his PEG.
pie and to make them a nation, and in order
thereto 1t showed how he swept away the
obstacles to his purpose. 1t eminently
! proper that a nation should remember such
beginning and celebrate 1t by religious
observances. Most of the great events OF
toto
plays Of Gods power. He sets up one and
OverthrowS another.