rious utensils; all being carefully covered by Aaron and his sons with badgers' skins, or cloths of scarlet and blue. These being regarded as holy, were not put into wagons, but carried by the Kohathites; and they even were not to touch any of them lest they should die.

At the third blowing of the trumpets, the standard of Ephraim's camp followed next, with the tribes belonging to it; and at its fourth and last sound, the other three tribes, under the standard of Dan, brought up the rear; Moses and Aaron directing and overseeing the whole, while the sons of Aaron were employed in blowing the trumpets, and in the other offices properly belonging to them. At the moment that the ark set forward, Moses exclaimed, in a devout ejaculation; "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee."

And when it rested,-" Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel."

It must have truly been a magnificent spectacle, to see this vast body in motion! The cloud slowly rising from its resting-place; the deep-toned notes of the trumpets reverberating round the mountains and through the valleys; the lifting up of the standards; the marshalling of the hosts; the reverential care with which the tabernacle was taken down and carried forward; the subordination and exact order which prevailed; the voices of the leaders

heard at intervals; the commands of Moses and Aaron controlling the whole; about three millions of persons of all ages, grouped together in their respective families, the parents leading their little ones, and the young assisting the aged, and the domestic animals following in their train; and these families kept together, and arranged, according to their tribes; and these tribes in four grand divisions under their appointed commanders; and the whole mass harmoniously moving onward, as the symbol of the Divine Presence led the way; was a scene in comparison with which the pomp of earthly monarchs, and the martial array of armies that the most powerful heroes have commanded, sink into insignificance !

Happy people, if while following so implicitly the leadings of the Lord in their movements through the wilderness, they had yielded as ready an obedience to his commands in the affections of their hearts, and the conduct of their lives! He would persuade them by the one, to do the other. He would teach them by the safety which they enjoyed under his protection on their march to the earthly Canaan, that to follow his guidance and direction. in the whole course of duty, would secure to them a heavenly inheritance of infinitely superior value.

He would teach you, my young friend, the same important truth. Your external conduct may be what is called moral and correct. You

may

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form to the customary religious observances. You may accompany the people of God, as if on your march with them to the heavenly Canaan. When the trumpets of their leaders sound, you may be among the first and most alert to discharge some outward du y. But how is it within? The heart is what Godequires; its affections, desires, and purposes, to conformed to his will, and devoted to his services. Does he dwell in your heart? Is it the tabernacle of his presence, and of his also who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person? Is it your constant prayer that your soul may thus be filled with and Christ, and become more and more like him; move and act always by his impulse?

Happy are you, if it is so; unspeakably happy! You are on your journey heavenward; and the Lord will guide you in the way of safety and peace.

CHAPTER XLIII.

The priests and Levites. The first-born. Offerings of the princes.

Aaron, and his two surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, were the priests, to minister unto the

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Lord in that sacred office. They were employed, in offering up the different sacrifices; consecrating the show-bread; pouring out the libations; burning the incense; sprinkling the blood of the victims; and blessing the people.

Aaron, as high-priest, was at the head of all religious affairs. He alone had the privilege of entering the sanctuary once a year, on the day of solemn expiation, to make atonement for the sins of the whole people. When clad in his appropriate dress, and wearing the Urim and Thummin, he answered difficult questions of duty; God often giving him explicit directions, and discovering to him secret and future things.

In addition to the duties which have been mentioned, the priests instructed the people, and decided controversies. They distinguished the several sorts of leprosy; and settled questions respecting divorces, vows, and other affairs connected with the injunctions of the law. They had certain, peculiar offices to perform, as we have seen, in the removal of the tabernacle. They sounded the silver trumpets; and, in time of war, carried the ark of the covenant.

It was absolutely necessary that the high priest and priests should have assistance in the discharge of these various and arduous duties. For this purpose the Lord separated the tribe of Levi from all the other tribes, and gave these directions to Moses:

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Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge," (act under his direction in his appropriate sphere of duty,) and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle."

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In the performance of this service, and the dis charge of their various duties, the Levites were taken instead of the first-born of the Israelites. "Be cause," said the Lord, "all the first-born are mine; for on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be : I am the Lord."

Every Levite was thus a constant and striking memorial, before the eyes of the whole people, of their deliverance from bondage by the arm of the Almighty, and of their obligations to him.

Aaron and his sons were of the race of Levi; and the priesthood was confined to them and their descendants. Although Moses was of the sam stock, and from the same son of Levi, Kohath, yet his children and descendants had no part in the priesthood, but were only ordinary Levites; another mark of his humble and unambitious spirit,the servant of the Lord, and of his people, and not seeking any earthly distinctions for himself or his family.