The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-08-28

! GETTING OVER ;
J DIFFICULTIES
BY VIM. T. Ellis.

IhA past casts it's spell over the pres
. and I noticed when going through
me Suez ana and the upper reaches o
me HE'D sea that the passengers wert
aalhing mostly about the scenes enactec
m Ifas region Mt the time of the Exodus
rather than about the engineering won
nsFS OF the canal itself. The figure OF
moses doomed large over this region. As
enc goes by rail from Suez to Cairo, he
iooRs out over the very scenes witnessed
cy the fleeing Children of Israel. The
nistoricify OF this event and the actual,
sly OF the places Is to be stressed. Some
oa US nave been over a part of the re-
Sion OF the Exodus story while our friends
nave traycrsed every foot of 1t. There
q danger that many readers of the great
Nxodus narrative will say with the old
woman of the story, well now. I knew
~. fnose places were in the bible, but !
never thought of them being on the
eartia.n
Looking into the flight of the Children
Of Israel from beneath Pharaoh's cruel
roo, which the death of the frst-born had
temporarily lifted, we must remember
mat every year is throwing collateral
Hgnt upon this story as men unearth and
aecipher more monuments, and as they
study more deeply into the facts and
language of scripture.
How Many Jews Made the Flight?
4 nge and an interesting point in this
story, which looms like a pillar of fire
Dn the horizon of history, is the num-
Der OF the host of the Children of Israel
who we're delivered from Egypt. The
accepted belief has been that there were
100000. This is built on the statement
That there We're $4,000 fighting men.
Taking the commeI average of five per-
sons 10 a fagniiy, his immense total has
oeen reached Critics have not been slow
10 point out the difficulties of leading
such a host. and the practical impossib-
Aty. OF sustaining them on the Sinai pen
Ausula. The passage of the Red sea In a
night by 100000 persons seems incred-
sbIe.
The. sloating has been premature.
Schoiars are now showing by evidence
khat seems incontrovertible that the word
translated thousands In this and many
passages, is also the word used for fam
HES or clans" This whole subject is
eluninatingly treated in DR.. Hosktns'
book, From the Nile to Nebo." This re-
moves all difficulties at a stroke. The
word "alaf," IL taken to mean families,
means that there were 600 families who
made the Exodus. DR.. Hoskfn's conclu-
BON ie, THE number of the Children of
Acrasi were somewhere about COCO souls,
and these figures will be found to ft in
satisfactorily with the conditions In
Egypf before the Exodus. with the con-
ditions and possibilities through the Exc
itself, and supply all the require
ments for the growth and extension of
kho Kingdom after the Exodus"
The same authority suggests three en-
tightening Illustrations:
II might also be remarked here for the
sake OF those who may find a difficulty |
In letting go of the exaggerated numbers
which have played a part in our mental
conceptions since our childhood, to recall
another fact, hat 1t was not the great
number OF the Anabasis 10000 Creeks.
VINO marched up from the coast to the
90, nor the Moslem Hegira departure, $50
perSons), nor the great number on board
the Mayfiower (102 souls), which made
These movements famous and momentous
IN history, but the principles, moral and
spiritual, which led and sustained these
soldiers n pilgrims through their Ian
gsrs and yicissitudes; SO also is 1t true
IN tho matter of the Exodus, It's import
ence for our race lies not in Its numbers.
great or small, but In the message of
truth which they carried In their
The Place Of the Crossing.
Tho old figure OF speech that we stand
pa the shoulders OF all who have lived
before us is especially applicable to bible
study. Fifty years have let in a food of
upon the history of the bible from
undreamed by our fathers. We
now know q multitude OF archaeological
Lacts that show the reasons for many Of
The actions reported in the bible history
without explanation. Thus the children
Israel might nave chosen their routes
put OF Egypt-one up along the Mediter-
shore, which lis still the directest
route from Canaan, but which would have
20 them into instant conflict with the
Pmlsttnes: second, the central route
through the great Egyptian wall which
vas guarded by Pharaoh's troops, or the
third route below the lower end of the
YAH which. however. involved a cross
ln4 OF the Red Sea. Be 1t remembered
mat Moses was perfectly familiar with
mis- entire region. Even as the wal de-
Of all governments today map
Dut In advance the routes OF their armies
"a case of war, 80 Moses had decided
p the besr way of delivering his hun
ufed thousand compatriotH. 1t was neces-
saiy to get them Off where they might
= disciplined. for at the homer they
we're but a fleeing horde.
Another quotation from DIR. Hoskins is
IN order.
Iaking my stand on the historicity of
ms Exodus, I am Just as clear that there
.Was one one route possible for such a
mass Of people. that 1t was settled abso-
Iuteiy by the water. and that, contrary
~ me common conception. 1t was along a
Vel known Route of Antiquity, an old
road from Egypt to Edcm. Arabia and
6esopotamia. The route fits the docu-
as Gae key fits Its lock,
The Wind Of Delivery.
The ancient assurance that .sHe holdeth
me winds in his fist" is called to mind as
read that when the children Of Israel
themselves in q cul de sac, .with
Tharoah at their heels and the waters of
me- upper end OF the Gulf Of Suex in front
- them, q great wind drove back the
Good 70 make the pathway Of safety for
mo chosen people. It is sound philosophy
anaf s~guidance which has continued for
= long period Will not fail at the end. Be-
9etsa God has opened paths before our
xeef 1n the past. He will not fail us In
ne present emergency. When His guild
ance ~ followed, 1t is His problem. not
eura, M effect delfverance. The miracle
- the dividing of the Red sea has both
ered many persons, most of whom know
nothing Of the geography OF the situation.
IDS head waters OF the Red sea. I'm IN
~ narrow arm OF the Gulf or Suez. were
1slloWs The miracle was no less a mira-
~ because effected by wholly natural
AGenctes.SWe must remember. that 1t was
8greft Vim which destroyed the Span
l4hsAFMedaA and saved England. Queen
axaketh struck = medal bearing the In