Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-05

or of God. but asks with whitening scorn.
Who is the Lord. that should obey His
voice?' II know not the Lord. neither
will l let Israel co.
Then followed the ten plaques" the
first of which touched the very sources
of their national life. The Nile was
turned to blood, the finny inhabitants all
die, the stencil of decaying fish fills all
the air. But Pharaoh does not heed: he
thinks it is some rare bit of magic, and
calls for his own magicians. who had
made their wands to turn to serpents a
few days before; and they. too turn some
water into blood. Then Pharaoh turns
upon his heel and walks away.
Next comes plague of frogs. God
makes the land to swarm with them; SO
that the very ovens and kneading troughs
are filled with frogs. These frogs were
sacred to the Egyptians. but again the
court magicians produce frogs by some
feat of legerdemain, and it is only as the
pests become unbearable that Pharaoh
entreats Moses to ask of God relief, prom
islng to grant the request of Israel to
sacrifice outside the bounds of Egypt
But he does not fulfill his promise and
God sends the third plague, which in it's
nature. was to the Clearly and little clad
Egyptian populace most terrible. Lice,
sand f1eas or gnats: We do not know
just which, but some small biting IN
sect comes to make their very lives un-
bearable. Here the magicians stop.
This is the finger of Cod they say;
but Pharaoh will not heed.
Beetles or files most probably the
former, because the scarabs We're an
object of worship with the Egyptians,
and God will scourge them with their
superstitions, are next sent, but Pharaoh
does not yield; but only consents to let
them sacrifice to their God In Goshen.
Moses, however, points out the impos-
sibility of this. as they must sacrifice the
sacred COW: and that would rouse the
Egyptians to revolt. He consents, APP
parently, to a short journey, but only to
gain respite. then 'hardens his heart
Their cattle next are smitten with muir
rain A fatal disease among the bovine
herds. which they held sacred. Their
own cattle die, but not one cow belonging
to Israel. When the king ascertains this
truth he does not even make pretense,
but hardens his heart as before.
Now Moses takes some ashes from the
furnace, scatters it toward heaven, and it
becomes "boils, breaking out with
blains,' upon man and beast. terrible
disease is this: even the magicians can
not stand before Pharaoh" yet he does
not relent.
warns Pharaoh of what is to transpire,
telling him to bring his cattle in from the
fields, that they die not" Then came
such hail as never man had known,
mingled with fire, 1T smote the plague
scourged land, killing each man and
beast that was afield, and leaving desc
lation in it's track. The thunder rolled
it's awful voice above the palace, until
the foolish king cried out in fear, giving
his word, II will let you go, We shall stay
no longer" but he did not.
The wheat and rye alone. OF all crops,
were not destroyed because they We're too
little grown. Now locusts come to strip
the blighted land. They leave it bare.
The quibbling Pharaoh now again begins
to parley about the character Of their
journey and the number who shall go,
and having been forced to an uncondition-
al surrender, he consents to complete
deliverance. but crowns his promise with
a warning or threat. The west wind
carries them away, just as the east wlad
had brought them. and Pharaoh ''hariens
his heart and will not let them go.
Next darkness comes to cover all the
land for three long days. and half con-
hurting his threat of death after them.
Moses replying with simple dignity, Thou
hast spoken we'll, ! will see thy face no
! more Then he goes forth to prepare
the host for their departure from the
hated land. The passover Is killed and
eaten. the blood is placed upon the door
posts of each Jewish home, the angel of
Gods self-respecting wrath comes on
, the wings of night to slay THE firstborn
upon the throne to the maid that is be-
hind the mill"
Thus Israel marches forth, rich and
respected, from the Egyptian bondage.
The pillar of fire lights up the night; the
east wind dries the sea before their feet,
and once across, the sea, which let them
pass. comes rushing back to swallow
Pharaoh's host.
Let us go down. to Tanis on the Nile,