Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-07
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
THE GIVING OF THE MAMMA.
EXODUS, xvi.1-36.)
Golden Text-"Jesus said unto
them, am the bread Of life."-
John. vi.35.

Napoleon is credited with saying
that IAN army travels upon its
stomach" Not long after the people
of Israel had crossed the Red Sea
Moses realized that his commissary
department had failed to make good.
He assumed command in an hour
when dangers, difficulties and discon-
tent were manifest. Aaron and
Miriam had held prominent places in
the preceding events, but entering the
rugged wilderness, where the peoples
faith was tested, the greatness OF
Moses as leader becomes more and
more apparent. Leaving the fertile
fields of Egypt and entering into the
Wilderness, they marched over sand
and rough gravel in section where
a few sickly shrubs survived and,
water was difficult to locate. The
two million entered that wilderness
without supplies of either food or
water. If they had secured a supply
of water at Ayoun Mousa, where they
made their first encampment after
crossing the Red Sea. 1t would soon
be exhausted.
The marvellous deliverance from
Egypt had filled them with faith that
their God could do anything. Every
thing seemed possible to them as they
entered the wilderness. It did not take
long for them to forget the plaques
God had visited upon Egypt, the
spectacular Passover, thes Wrent sea
and the drowning tyrants when they
marched over the monotonous desert
without any water to drink or food
to eat. Their morale commenced to
weaken. The songs Of victory gradu-
ally grew weaker. They were looking
for another thrilling experience. Gods
mr. En-
merly. They were passing through
the reaction that many a convert has
experienced when the exciting days
of religious enthusiasm, when the
presence of God and the things of the
spiritual life had first become real
to him and they entered into the fell
lowship of the Christian church.
Many have found the meetings cold
and the fellowship not as warm as
the revival services. 1t was some
such a mood that filled the Hebrew
people, who commenced to criticize
Moses, complain about the food and
clamor for a change of leadership.
The seeds Of revolution were being
scattered among the ISraelites.
Promised Provision Supplied.
Moses reveals his greatness in the
hour when the faultfinders are criti-
Ching, complaining and condemning
him the most. His poise proves the
prevailing power of prayer. In COM
munion he had developed his faith
and received his orders from Jehovah.
His resourcefulness enabled him to
act in every crisis. He never failed
to meet the needs of the people or the
hour, because he followed with abso-
lutte confidence the Lord of Hosts.
IYo EnaW hn daSort Ia rIndarcfnnd
that the people would not desire to
slay their flocks except upon special
occasions. The flocks were private
property. and even If they had been
donated to the public use the sup
ply would soon be exhausted. While
he was praying God revealed His
plan. We would understand more of
the Lords program If, like Moses, we
had periods of silence in our prayer
life that would permit God to speak to
our souls. He assured Moses that
food would be given to the murmur-
ing multitude, so that they should
know that He was the personal, COW
enant keeping and true God Of Israel.
He assured them OF daily food, flesh
and bread, but He required that each
person had to work to secure his
supply He promised that there would
be a sufficient supply for every per-
son, but He prevented any person &C.
curing more than he individually
needed. Many of our modern agricul-
tural, industrial and commercial
problems would be solved If we ap-
piled the principles that Jehovah used
in distributing His divAnely given food
in the desert to the Hebrews. The
vast social inequalities of the present
will disappear when the Masters
teachings are applied in solving the
modern problems of distribution.