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SABBATH CHANGED.

85 and therefore called Manna, was found covering the earth.

"This," said Moses, "is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. Gather of it every man according to the number which are in his tent, and let none be kept until the morning." Some, notwithstanding, presumptuously kept the manna over the night, and in the morning it was putrid. Moses was displeased at their disobedience, and repeated the command, to gather every morning sufficient only for the day. But on the sixth day, when they went out for their daily provision, they found that a double quantity had fallen. Greatly surprised, the rulers repaired to Moses to report the phenomenon, and to inquire into the

reason.

"To-morrow," replied he, "is the rest of the Holy Sab. bath; take a part of the manna, therefore, and lay it up for the ensuing day." They did so, and found that it kept perfectly good. Yet not fully persuaded of the fact that Moses had communicated, some of the people went out on the seventh day to look for manna; they found none; but received this reproof: "How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See-for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath; therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days: abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." From that time to the period of their pilgrimage they were fed with manna. An Omer, a measure something less than our gallon, was carefully preserved to show to their posterity the miracle that had sustained them.

Fanny. Why did the people hesitate to believe a circumstance so probable as that of distinguishing the Sabbath from a common day?

Mother. If the extraordinary quantity of manna had appeared on the day previous to the Sabbath they had been accustomed to observe, it would seem natural that they should at once acquiesce in the command of Moses. But the difficulty he experienced, together with the emphatic language of the text, have led some of our best commentators to the conclusion, that a change unexpected to them at this time was made.

The seventh day of the creation being coincident with

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MOSES BRINGS WATER FROM THE ROCK.

the first whole day of Adam's life, he would of course begin to reckon his week, and his year, on that day; and consequently the day which Christians now celebrate, was the Sabbath appointed in Paradise, and continued by all people, however widely dispersed, until the Israelites came up out of Egypt. From that period, the chosen people were to be distinguished and separated from all others by their national institutions, some of which seem to have no other object.

The beginning of their year had been changed, when the Passover was instituted, from the autumnal to the vernal equinox, as a memorial of their deliverance at that time from "the house of bondage:" and a correspondent change is supposed to have been made in the wilderness in the beginning of their week, to remove the temptation of mingling with the heathens in idolatrous worship. By re moving their Sabbath to the seventh day, the Israelites would be engaged in their common occupations on the holy. day of their neighbours, and thus be out of the way of allurements, which we find did afterwards, in some instances, entice them from their duty.

Catherine. Mother, do you think it is immaterial whether Saturday or Sunday is kept holy?

Mother. The command is to devote to God, in a special manner, one-seventh of our time. That being done, the moral nature of the command is answered.

Let us now return to the Israelites, who, after eleven encampments, had come to a place called Rephidim, where they found no water. Again they repeated, with additional bitterness, their accustomed reproach-"Thou hast brought us and our children, and our cattle, up hither to perish with thirst." The bounteous hand that had fed them when hungry, now supplied them with drink.

The touch of the rod of Moses brought water from a rock, and the copious stream refreshed the remainder of their journey. The Pillar of Light seems, from that time, to have led the people along its margin, for we hear no complaints of scarcity of water, for many succeeding years, although they travelled in a dry and barren land.

All these magnificent events could not be confined to the knowledge of the persons for whose correction or re

TEN COMMANDMENTS GIVEN.

87 lief they were originally displayed. Their fame went abroad, and Jethro, the prince of Midian, a worshipper of Jehovah, came to unite with Israel in homage to their Almighty Deliverer, and to restore at the same time his daughter, and her sons, who had been sent back to his guardianship, whilst Moses was engaged in his perilous mission to Pharaoh.

Remaining with the Israelites some days, Jethro took a friendly interest in their affairs, and assisted them by his prudent counsel. He saw with concern the incessant labours of his son-in-law in the government of Israel, and suggested the propriety of calling to his aid, inferior magistrates, who might take cognizance of the lesser causes, while the greater only should be referred to his own decision. And "able men," he added, ought to be selected"Such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness." Such were accordingly appointed, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Bread and water, the most imperative demands of nature, having been already provided, Moses was now left at greater liberty to attend to the great work of legislation, for which they were chiefly detained in an inhospitable wilderness—and it commenced in the third month after their departure from Egypt.

Encamped in the desert of Sinai, before the celebrated mount of that name, the whole congregation were gathered together, and solemnly reminded that their enemies had been signally chastised for disobedience, while they "had been borne as on eagles' wings." "Now, therefore," said Jehovah, "if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me, above all people-for all the earth is mine." "All that the Lord commands we will do," was the ready answer of a people unacquainted with their own weakness, and ignorant of the purity and extent of the laws about to be proclaimed.

But when assembled at the foot of Sinai, to receive on a subsequent day the covenant they had not hesitated to subscribe, the terrible ensigns of infinite power, and rigor. ous justice, were exhibited to their view-they shrunk dismayed from the Divine presence! Fierce lightnings flashed through the dark cloud that enveloped the mount

88

VESTMENTS OF THE PRIESTS.

tremendous thunderings shook its base-an invisible trumpet sounded, long and loud-and amidst these appalling circumstances, an audible voice pronounced the Ten Commandments, the substance of the Hebrew code, and the immutable foundation of all subsequent law. The terrified people listened with reverence but entreated that Moses might thenceforth be their mediator, and themselves be excused from again hearing the voice of Jehovah!

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They were permitted to retire, and their leader alone was summoned to ascend the burning summit, to receive further instruction: and forty days this highly honoured mortal remained in more intimate communion with his Creator than had ever been vouchsafed to man since the fall of Adam.

As the decalogue exacted first the homage due to the Sovereign of the universe, so now the medium by which that homage should be offered was first appointed. The pattern of a tabernacle, or place for public worship, with all its apparatus, both for ornament and convenience, was exhibited to Moses, and instructions the most minute were given him, to construct one of similar form, and of costly materials, together with every necessary utensil for offering sacrifices.

Catherine. In what manner do you suppose the pattern of a tabernacle was exhibited to Moses?

Mother. Whether we suppose Moses to have been favoured with a full revelation of the meaning and end of his emblematical dispensation, or, taking the words literally, understand that a tabernacle with its whole apparatus was represented in vision, on the mount-the words are explained, for their meaning is clearly that by this view of the pattern he was enabled to institute a corresponding ceremonial of worship.

In this awful interview Moses was commanded also to make vestments of a particular form, for Aaron, and for his sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, and when they were arrayed, to consecrate them all to the service of the altar.

The habits of the inferior priests were to be of white linen, because that material might be kept perfectly clean, and by this elegant emblem, the worshippers were instruct

BREAST-PLATE OF AARON.

89

ed in that purity of heart, required of all who approach the Sanctuary.

Aaron, who was constituted the High Priest, was to be more splendidly dressed. Several robes, extremely fine both in colour and texture, were to conceal his whole per. son-a girdle curiously wrought, confined them to his waist, and two onyx stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel decorated the shoulders. For his head was a mitre, or crown, with a plate of pure gold on the forehead, inscribed with the words, HOLINESS, TO THE LORD.

But the most remarkable part of this magnificent habit was a Breast-plate whose mysterious properties have exercised the ingenuity of critics.

Twelve precious stones, set in gold, and engraved each, with the name of a son, or a head of a tribe of Israel, were placed on its surface-and something which was called the URIM and the THUMMIM inserted within.

Catherine. What were the Urim and the Thummim? Mother. The words Urim and Thummim signify light and perfection; but whether in this place they denote a substance within the breast-plate, or whether those abstract qualities were for special purposes imparted to it, we know not. All that the words of Moses enable us to discover is, that when the high priest appeared before the Mercy Seat, arrayed in his pontifical robes, to ask counsel in momentous affairs, the Urim and the Thummim were the medium by which the answer was received.*

Fanny. And what was the design of so splendid an ornament as twelve precious stones?

Mother. Some have supposed, that, containing in the engravings all the letters of the alphabet, the superior sparkling or occasional protuberance of certain letters, might indicate the answer to the inquiry of Aaron. But this hypothesis is supported by no evidence from the words of Moses. It is probable that no more was meant, than to represent by this silent metaphor, the whole congregation of Israel, in whose behalf the priest officiated. To my mind, this emphatic breast-plate is a beautiful emblem of

*See Prideaux's Connexions.

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