than before. He said, "Surely this thing is known," and he soon found it to be true, for Pharaoh heard of it, and tried to slay Moses. Now, the laws of Egypt concerning murder, were very severe. "To kill even a foreign slave was a crime punished with death," or even, if by accident one man happened to see another killed, and did not try to save him, he was liable to be put to death. Therefore, there was nothing left for Moses but to flee, and before Pharaoh could catch him he, was far beyond his reach. He fled in an eastern direction, for more than two hundred and fifty miles, and then felt himself safe. Moses reached the country of Midian; and there he met with an adventure very much like that of Jacob when he went to Padan-aram. He sat by a well, and saw the seven daughters of a priest bringing their father's flocks to be watered. The rude shepherds of Midian drove away the priest's daughters, but Moses stood forward and helped them. The priest of Midian was pleased with Moses, received him into his house, and when he found that he was a good man, and a man of good education, he gave him his daughter Zipporah for his wife. Thus comfortably settled in Midian, Moses led a quiet, simple life as a shepherd, for forty years. Here, in the lonely deserts, vales, and mountains, he forgot the pomp and splendour of Egypt, and almost forgot that he was a Hebrew. But God did not forget him, and one day God called him to the work for which he was appointed. Moses had led his flocks towards the mountains of Sinai, and had brought them into the green and well-watered valleys there, when he saw a strange sight. In the midst of a bush on Mount Horeb, a fire suddenly broke out. This was not an unusual thing, but as Moses watched it, he saw that, although there were large flames, the bush continued to burn without being consumed. So, he said to himself, "I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God." Then God talked to Moses of Egypt, and of his countrymen the Hebrews. God told him that their afflictions were still very severe, that He had heard their cry, and that He had come down to deliver them, and to lead them into Cannan; a land flowing with milk and honey. God next told Moses that he was to be their leader, saying unto him, "Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." But Moses was not now the active, fiery character that he had been in Egypt. From his quiet mode of life, he had become a meek, retiring man, and he heard these words from the Almighty not only with surprise, but with fear. He answered God that he was not sufficient for the work, saying—“ Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?" To this God gave him the assuring answer,-"Certainly I will be with thee;" and God told him that when he had brought the children of Israel from Egypt, he should worship him in the very mountain where he now stood. God also told him all that he should say to the children of Israel, and told him of the difficulties he would meet with. Moses hearkened to the words of the Lord, but still, the fear within him prevailed. He spoke again, saying,-" Behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." God then gave Moses another sign, by which, when he put his hand into his bosom, it became white as snow; and when he put it in his bosom a second time, it was restored; and, in case the Israelites should not believe by the two signs, God gave Moses the power to perform a third wonder. God told him that whenever he should throw the water of the Nile upon the ground, it should be turned into blood. Yet, with all this miraculous power given to him, the timid Moses still hesitated. He said that he was not eloquent, but "slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." Besides, he was now eighty years old,—and it seems that he felt much more inclined to spend the rest of his days in peace, for he made so many excuses that we read "the anger of the Lord was kindled against him." God told him that HE would teach him what to say, and added that his brother Aaron should come forth to meet him from Egypt, and should be spokesman for him. The Lord also put a rod into his hand by which he was to perform the signs;— then Moses no longer resisted the Divine appointment, but returned home to Jethro his father-in-law. No doubt he thought much as he wandered home, for now he had many mighty things to consider. SEED-SOWING. "In the morning sow thy seed." SERVANT in the cause of Jesus, With a kind and loving spirit Softly breathe the words of life, Oh, be earnest, life is fleeting, Precious blossoms claim thy care; And be watchful, lest thy conduct Let beholders see his image In each action, thought, and word; Let his heart of love be thine, Then thy path in light will shine. And should'st thou grow faint and weary, |