The light of the temple...

Introduction

The present work is a history of the Divine manifestation, embracing the more prominent historic associations connected with the various manifestations bj which the true idea of Jehovah and his worship were progressively developed to the world.

It contains the most interesting incidents in the history of the Jewish nation, which is itself emphatically a history of the Divine manifestation and government for a period of three thousand years, the very origin and continued existence of which is a standing miracle. To every other nation Jehovah was the " Great Unknown," until the advent of Immanuel, which was only a still further and more glorious development of the nature, character, and government of God.

Among the nations of antiquity, the glory of God was only partially revealed. The few faint rays of light which struggled through the gloom, revealed a back ground of impenetrable mystery. Among the Jews Jehovah became a luminous manifestation, and while he made '' darkness his pavillion,'* yet the Shekinah enclosed therein was an intense and unapproachable glory. In the Christian dispensation this glory assumed a living embodiment, and thus the world had an exhibition of the true type of God.

The Sacred Records introduce us into a region of wonders interesting beyond conception. While its histories reach back through all past time, and up to the hierarchies of angels, its prophecies stretch through all coming time, and lifting the mysterious curtain from the shoreless sea, disclose the sublimer wonders of eternity.

" The Light of the Temple," is designed to present in a connected series, what might be called a panorama of those events, which are of the most thrilling and interesting character, to all who love to dwell upon the most wonderful revelations of God to man.

Contents

CHAPTEE I.

THE TABERNACLE.

The Shepherd of Arabia Deserta — Mount Horeb — The burning bush — Commission to the Court of Pharaoh — Judgments on the land of Ham — Exodus of the Israelites — Pillar of cloud and fire — Passage of the Red Sea — Destruction of the Egyptians — Pilgrimage through the desert — Arrival at Mount Sinai — The descent of the Almighty — The gloom and glory of the Mount — The cloud — The giving of the law — Instructions in regard to the tabernacle — Description thereof — Altar — Brazen laver — Golden candlestick — Table of show bread — Altar of incense — Ark — Mercy Seat — Cherubim — Breast Plate — Robes of oflSce — Dedication — Descent of the cloud page 17

CHAPTER II. THE encampme:n't

God's promise to Moses — Further Manifestations of the Divine glory — l^umbering of the People — Formation of the Encampment — Extent of Encampment — Mode of marching — Journey of the Israelites — Death of Moses 29

Chapter III. The Temple

The City of David — Extent of the goverment of the Israelites — Golden Age of the Jewish commonwealth — The Ark of the Lord still in the tabernacle — Design of David in regard to building a house for the Lord — Solomon makes preparations for carrying out the designs of his father — The extent of the "vrork — Character and qualifications of the workmen — Materials — The Jews not a commercial nation — Relations estab-

vii

Vlll CONTENTS.

lished witli foreign countries — Skill of Phenecian artists — Solomon's alliance with Hiram King of Tyre — Importance of tliis alliance — Hiram Abiff the widow's son — Number employed in the work — Master workmen — Apprentices — Hewers of wood and drawers of water — The design of Solomon to establish commercial relations with the East — Already had access to the North and "West by means of his alliance with Phenecia and Egypt — Commerce of India carried through the territory of Solomon — Erection of Tadmor in the wilderness — Commercial intercourse between India and Western Asia — City of Baalbec or Heliopolis — Commercial sagacity of Solomon — Edom — Foundation of Ezion Geber on the Elanitic Gulf of the Red Sea — Importance of, in a commercial point of view — King's visit to the navy yard — ^Voyage to Ophir — Return after three years — Fame of Solomon — Queen of Sheba — Possession of Petrsea the capital of Edom — Extensive commercial monopoly of Solomon — Immense opulence of the Hebrew nation — Wonderful Providence in behalf of the Jews — Palace of Solomon — The temple — Its walls — Size of the temple proper — Material used in building — The main entrance — The porch — Two brass pillars — Doors — Ornamental work — Sanctuary — Middle chamber — Sanctum Sanctorum — The three courts viz : that of the priests, women. Gentiles — Compass of the walls of the outer court — Persian columns — Galleries — Furniture of the temple — Beautiful Gate — Golden table — Candlestick — Brazen sea — Smaller lavers — ^Winding stair wav — Holy of Holies — Its Furniture — Arrival of the day of dedication — Solomon's address and prayer — The descent of the holy fire — Prostration of the multitude 36

Chapter IV. The Revolt Of The Ten Tribes

A melancholy change — The worpship of the temple forsaken — The defection of Solomon — Revolt of the ten tribes — Establishment of a separate government — A day of gloom to Israel — Prevalence of idolatry among the revolted tribes — Worship of Baal — Return of many priests and Levites to Jerusalem — Rehoboam raises an army to reduce the revolted tribes — Divine interposition — The establishment of a festival by Jeroboam in Samaria, similar to the feast of the tabernacles — The displeasure of Jehovah — Abijah invades the kingdom of Israel — Baasha invades Judah — King of Judah forms an alliance with the king of Syria — Successive wars between

CONTENTS. IX

the rival kingdoms — Temple in Samaria consecrated to Baal — Famine in Samaria — The prayer of Elijah — Destruction of Zidonian prophets — Jezebel — Alliance of Judah with Israel — Expedition against Ramoth Gilead — Fruitless expedition to Ophir — Elijah translated — Samaria besieged — Dreadful famine — Miraculous deliverance — Elisha and Hazael — Jehu — Jezebel — Taking of the trans-Jordanic territories — Amaziah — Assyrian army — Divine interposition at an end — Termination of the Kingdom of Israel 50

Chapter V. The Desolation's Of Judah

Rehoboam king of Judah — Difference between Israel and Judah — Departure of Judah from the law of the Lord — Invasion of Shishack — Abijam — Asa his son reforms Judah — King of Ethiopia invades Judah — Asa's defection — J^ew mode of celebrating a royal funeral — Itinerant religious teachers — Judges appointed — All Judah and Jerusalem assembled to seek the Lord in the court of the Israelites — Answer to prayer — Judah miraculously delivered from a confederated invasion — Jehoram the fratricide — an unknown epistle — Philistines assault Jerusalem and rob the treasure houses — Jehoram dies and is refused a royal burial — Athalioh destroy s all the royal descendants of the house of David — Establishes the worship of Baalam and desecrates holy vessels — Joash ascends the throne — Athalioh put to death — Joash led into idolatry — Incense burnt before an idol in the temple — Zachariah murdered between the porch and the altar — Hazael king of Syria invades Jerusalem — Amaziah — Invasion of Edom — Jerusalem pillaged — Uzziah — Improvements in the art of war — Uzziah smitten with leprosy for entering the holy of holies — The Evangelical prophet — His vision in the court of the priests — Pious reign of Jonathan — Reign of Ahaz, sad reverse — Sacrifice of Moloch — Israel invades Judah — Edom rebels — Isaiah's prophecies of Immanuel — Sacrilegious present to Ahab — The Damascus altar — Destruction of the sacred vessels of the temple and the closing of its doors — Hezekiah — The services of the temple restored — Destruction of the brazen serpent — Gold and silver stripped from the temple to pay tribute to Assyria — Hezekiah's wonderful deliverance from a sickness unto death — Destruction of the Assyrian army by the visitation of God— Manasseh's wicked reigu — Gross idolatry— Divine mercy exhausted — Doom announced of Judah and Jerusalem — Ma-

X CONTENTS.

nasseh taken in chains to Babylon-Repents of his former "wickedness — The youthful Josiah — Work of reformation begun — Masons and artificers engaged in repairing the temple — Copy of the law found — Egyptian invasion — Josiah wounded in battle — The prophet Jeremiah — Wicked reign of Jehoiahaz — Judea subject to Babylon — Zedekiah is made to swear allegiance to the Chaldean power — ISTebuchadnezzer's army invades Jerusalem, breaking down the walls, robbing the temple, and burning the city 65

Chapter VI. The Captivity

The Captivity of Judah — Melancholy scene — The holy vessels — The ark with its contents secreted by the prophet Jeremiah — March from Jerusalem to Babylon — Tadmor of the Wilderness — Valley of the Euphrates — Retention of the royal family in Babylon — Nitocris — Description of the city of Babylon — Temples — Palaces — Hauging gardens — Skill of the royal Hebrew youth — The king's dream — Its interpretation by Daniel — Meeting of the Jews on the Sabbath day in the king's gardens — Refusal to sing the Lord's song in a strange land — Temple of Belus — Ordeal of the three Hebrew children — Evil Merodach — Release from prison of Jehoiachim — Belshazzar's guilty feast — Holy vessels desecrated — Mysterious characters on the wall — Daniel called — Babylon taken and Belshazzar slain — Darius the Mede ascends the throne — Daniel again prime minister of the realm — Prohibited by decree from worshiping his God — ^Violates the law — Is cast into the den of lions — Miraculous preservation — Restoration to power — Inspired by hopes of deliverance — ^Isaiah's prophecy — Daniel's visions — ^Ezekiel's vision 79

CHAPTER VH.

Seventy years captivity about to close — Cyrus the Medo Persian on the throne of Babylon — Hailed by the Jews as their deliverer — Proclamation of Cyrus — Zerubbabel appointed governor of Judea, and Joshua high priest — Departure for Jerusalem — Reflections — Length of time employed in their travels — Rescript sent to the governors of Syria — Persons from all the

CONTENTS. XI

tribes returned to rebuild the city and teraple — Clearing awaj of ruins — Erection of an altar thereon — Celebration of the feast of the tabernacles — ^Workmen sent to the forests of Lebanon — Foundation of temple laid — Laying of the corner stone — Zerubbabel refuses to employ Samaritans in the work— Opposition to the workmen — Their progress impeded — Opposition renewed in the days of Artaxerxes — Building suspended — Reign of Darius Hystaspes — The work renewed — Zerubbabel visits Babylon — Power of truth — Tatnai and Shethar Bosnai — Dedication of the temple — ^Xerxes — Queen Vashti — Esther — Her interposition in behalf of her countrymen — Ezra the scribe — Thousands of Jews accompany him to Jerusalem — Enters upon the work of reform — ISTehemiah — His favor in the sight of the king of Babylon — Sent with a guard to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem — Opposition of Sanballat and Tobias — Walls finished and gates set up — After effecting salutary reforms, Nehemiah returns to the court of Persia — Ezra reads the law — Compiles the sacred books — Is held in great esteem by the Jews— [N'ehemiah returns to Jerusalem — Reforms abuses — Manasseh expelled from the priesthood — Sanballat erects a rival temple on Mount Gerizim — Light of revelation departed — Holy cities and temples desecrated — Heathen rites introduced by apostate priests — Sacred books burned — Heathen altars and gods set up — Mattathias and his valiant sons — Hebrew independence regained — Services of the temple restored — ^Pompey takes Jerusalem 93

Chapter VIII. Herod's Temple

A new dynasty — The Jews divested of civil authority — Herod ornaments Jerusalem — Restores the desolated temple and city of Samaria — Unpopular with the Jews — Makes preparation to re-edify the temple — Completed in eight years — Style of architecture — Description of Herod's temple and courts — Compared with the temple of Solomon 108

Chapter IX. The Advei^t Of Shiloh

The Shiloh — Prediction respecting — Bethlehem — Edict of Augustus Ceasar — Joseph and Mary — Annunciation of the angel fulfilled — ^Fulfilment of prophecy — Persia — ^Astrologers

Xll CONTE^^TS.

— A new star — Three of the Magi follow it — Their presents — Departure from Ispahan— Their rouie — Palmyra — Damascus — Jordan — Mount of Olives — Jerusalem — Inquiry of the doctors and chief priests in the temple^ — Inquiries of Herod — The departure of the Magi from Jerusalem — City of David — The finding of the child — Presentation of gifts — Return to their own country 113

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

Plains of Esdraelon — Mount Tabor — Peter, James, and John — Surrounding country — The Divine glory 140

CONTENTS. XUl

Chapter XVI. The Passover

The guest chamber — ^Words of Christ — Supper — The t)etarayer— Garden of Gethsemane , .143

CHAPTER XYII.

THE PASSIOJS-.

The valley — The brook Kedron — Olive trees — Surrounding scenery — Prayer of Christ — Agony — Arrival of soldiers — Capture of Jesus 146

Chapter XVIII. The Trial

The palace of the High priest — Examination — Sent to Caiaphas — Charged with blasphemy — Before the Sanhedrim — Examination — Sent to the Pretorium 149

CHAPTER XIX. THE DEIsriAL

John — James — Peter — Palace of the High priest — Outside court — A maid-servant — Peter's denial — Again charged — Denial — A third time charged — Denial — Curses and swears — Christ looks upon Peter 154

Chapter XX. The Pretorium

Jews too holy to enter — Gabbatha — Charges — Pilate's examination — Tried to release Jesus — Threatened to be sent to Herod — Treated with contempt. Before Pilate again — Jesus sentenced — Mock royalty 157

Chapter XXI. The Crijcifixio:^

This kind of punishment only for slaves — Procession — Jesus faints — Crowds flock to Calvary — A group of women — Two malefactors— -His mother— Dying exclamation of Jesus — Rocks rent — Preternatural darkness ,.,._... i .. ..162

XIV CONTENTS.

Chapter XXII. Paulij^-a

The Palace of Pilate — Its court, piazzas, and gardens — Festival scenes — Another feast — Paulina, the wife of Pilate — Joanna, wife of Chuza — Conversation — Triumphal procession — Incidents — Close of festival — Paulina in her chamber — ^Her dream — Tumult before the palace — The inscription — Chief priests — Refuses to change the inscription — Conviction — Determines to release Jesus — The darkness — Paulina — Guard of soldiers 170

THE RESURECTIOlSr.

Joseph and Xicodemus — Funeral — Chief priests and rulers — Roman guard — iN'ight — Appearance of an angel — Soldiers smitten to the earth — Earthquake — Resurrection — Visit of the women 215

Chapter XXVII. The Ascein^sioj^

Messenger from Emmaus — House of Mary— Testimony of the brethren — Appearance of Jesus — Thomas — Re-appearance to five hundred — Mount of Olives — Appearance of angels — Ascent to heaven ; , 219

CONTENTS. XT

Chapter XXVIII. The Seisttinels

Flight to the city— Colloquy at the castle walls— Before the Sanhedrim — Examinatioii — The facts admitted — A lying subterfuge 225

Chapter XXIX. The Magdalene

Sea of Gallilee— Magdalene— The demoniac— Her person and character — Attracted by Jesus — Follows him — Witnessed miracles — Her deep devotion — Her repentance and conversion — ^Her fidelity— The honor conferred on her by her Lord— Her martyr death 229

Chapter XXX. Herod The Great

His tragical life — The beautiful Mariamne — ^His cruel conduct — Guilty conscience — ^His awful death 243

Chapter XXXI. Herod Antipas

Anniversary of his birth — ^His wife's daughter — ^His promise — ^Its fulfilment — ^Visits Rome — Guilty of conspiracy — Banished 247

Chapter XXXII. Poi^tius Pilate

Pontius Pilate — Samaria — ^Mount Gerizim— Temple— Rumor of several vessels being found — Tiratharba^ — Multitudes resort thither — Pilate sends an army of horse and foot to cut off the pilgrims — Dreadful slaughter — The judgments of God hung over him — ^His wife's manuscripts — History of Christ — Sends an account of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ to Rome — Tiberius sends it to the senate, and recommends the deification of Jesus of I^azareth — ISTot granted — Christians banished from Rome — Emperor interferes — Samaritans send a deputation to Yitellius, pro-consul of Syria, charging Pilate with crimes of the most flagrant character— He is ordered to Rome— Tried and condemned — Banished to Switzerland —

XVI CONTENTS.

Visits Jerusalem before going into exile — His wife during his absence dies— Visits the palace— Deserted by his former friends — Goes to the tomb of his wife — Filled with remorse and despair — Enters on his dreary journey over the Syrian desert 252

Chapter XXXIII. The Contrast

Pilate and Jesus contrasted — The birth, education, and character of Pilate — That of Jesus — Conduct of Pilate in the trial of Christ — A change of scene — Jesus contrasted with Socrates — An atheist's description of Christ — Pilate terminates his existence by throwing himself from the summit of a mountain 261

CHAPTER XXXIV. THE DISPEPSIO:Nr

Thirty years after the death of Christ — Vespasian with a powerful army at Antioch — Jotapata taken — Trajan takes Jaffa — Numerous other towns taken — Vespasian is made emperor, and Titus succeeds to the command of the army — Jerusalem captured, and the castle, temple, fortresses, palaces, and walls destroyed — A heap of ruins — Total annihilation of Jewish policy — Jews dispersed among all nations — Their attachment to their sacred rites — Revival of Judaism — Sanhedrim — A new city founded on the site of Jerusalem — School of Tiberius — Permission of the emperor Julian — Constantine the great — Christianity in Rome — Crusades — Palestine in the hands of the Turks 271

Chapter XXXV. The Spiritual Temple

Jerusalem a desolation — The holy city and spiritual temple — The greater glory reserved for the latter day — Successive manifestations of the divine glory — The holy temple and its services contrasted with the spiritual and its services — John's vision of the New Jerusalem — Descriptive of the Church in the latter day — The universal spread of the light and glory of the Gospel — The glorious and triumphant manifestation of Christ..; 280

THE LIGHT OF THE TEMPLE.

Chapter I. The Tabernacle

ISTear the western coast of the Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea rises a rugged granite mountain, the highest of a chain which stretches across from the gulf of Suez and forms the southern boundary of Arabia Petraea. Upwards of three thousand years ago a solitary traveler, with staflf in hand, might have been seen urging his way up the rough and precipitous sides of this mountain. He had a stalwart frame, and all his movements indicated that he was governed by a firm resolve to accomplish whatever might be the object of his pursuit. The sharp piercing expression of his dark and fiery eye, as it took in its glance the rugged defiles around him and the craggy overhanging cliffs above, was softened by the blandness of his brow and the meek and modest expression of his features. He had left the court of Egypt with its fascinating and seductive philosophy, and in common with his nation, had chosen the more congenial and peaceful pursuits of pastoral life. He was in quest of a wanderer from his flock, and having **left the ninety and nine'' in the valley below, he was scahng the *'dark mountains" in search of the lost. On reach- 2 17

18 THE LIGHT OP THE TEMPLE.

ing the summit of the mountain, a copse of wood spread out on his right, and as he approached it, he saw a small tree on its borders in a blaze. It was a wonderful sight. There was no fire on the ground, and the short trunk of the tree was untouched by the flame. As he drew still nearer, his astonishment was increased on discovering that the thickly protruding branches and the broad green leaves were unconsumed by the encircling fire. Around him was a solitude, and no voice or sound was heard to break its stillness. Above him was a clear and cloudless Arabian sky, and the Acacia leaves glistened as if hung with innumerable diamonds in the bright rays of the morning sun. As he gazed, absorbed in thought at the wonderful scene before him, a voice came out from the fire commanding him to remove his shoes from his feet, as he was now on holy ground. It was the voice of God, the God of his fathers; and the first symbol of the Divine presence, in this form, ever given to man, was exhibited to his wondering eyes. He had been a child of faith and prayer. A wonderful Providence had presided over his early destiny in Egypt, where he had left his brethren groaning in the bondage of the most cruel and relentless slavery, and a no less remarkable Providence had attended him during his forty years exile in Arabia. On obeying the Divine command, he was put in possession of that wonderful name, ^a AM THAT I AM," and directed to go with that Divine appellative as his commission, and the rod of miracles, the symbol of Divine power, and demand of Egypt's haughty and tyrannical king, the release of the children of Israel.

Being convinced that the power which preserved the "bush'' in the midst of the flame, accompanied by the mysterious name and wonder-working rod, would go with him, and that his mission would prove successful, he left the mountain and hastened on his journey to the court of Pharaoh. In addition to his divine commission and the wonder-working rod, he was allowed to take with him his more eloquent brother, who had been called and set apart by Jehovah, as a coadjutor in the great work of delivering His people from Egypt's iron yoke. The demands of Moses met with the most obstinate resistance. All the mysterious powers of Egypt's occult sciences and dark sorceries were produced to imitate the miracles and thwart the purposes of the man of God. The temples of Isis and Osiris were searched and exhausted of all their magical arts and astrological records ; while every god was invoked and every priest was summoned to his rites to arrest the mighty judgments which swept with fearful power over the devoted land of Ham. It was all in vain. The God- commissioned prophet of Horeb, with his rod of miracles, prevailed, and during a night of darkness and death which spread lamentation, mourning, and woe in every temple and palace and dwelling of the Egyptians, three milUons of oppressed and down-trodden Israelites left the land of their captivity, and entered upon their journey to the promised inheritance. In obedience to the Divine direction, this immense pilgrim band directed its course towards the desert mountain, where, free from their oppressors, they were to enjoy the unmolested privilege of worshipping their God.

As they left the shores of the Nile, and the outhnes of the vast pyramids which cast their dark shadows over the plain grew dim in the distance, they saw before them the city of Succoth. It was the evening of the first day of their pilgrimage, and weary with fatigue, they pitched their tents for the night. Here they rested and refreshed themselves. Such an immense army of men, women and children, accompanied by vast herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, as was seen encamping at that time, earth had never witnessed before, and in all probability never will witness again.

The next point to which they started was Etham, on the borders of the wilderness of the Red Sea. As it was the month Abib, they were of course exposed to the vertical rays of a summer's sun, and as they were in the midst of a wide plain, destitute of groves or woodland, they were unprotected from its scorching rays. While ready to faint under their burdens and weary marches, the great Jehovah again wonderfully interposed in their behalf.

Above them was an arid, cloudless sky, and beneath them burning sands. Women grew faint, and even strong men, accustomed as they were to the severest toils, bowed themselves. Just then might be seen approaching them from the east and gently descending, a soft luminous cloud. As it came over the van of the army it stopped and unfolding itself like a vast pavilion, spread out over the entire multitude, and moved on with the procession, a guide and a shade.

As night approached, they entered a narrow defile in the mountain, the walls of which rose up abruptly and precipitously hundreds of feet on either side. This gorge in the mountain opened out to the western shores of the Red Sea, and when the hosts of Israel arrived at its terminus, they halted for the night. Scarcely was the command given by their leader to halt, than the cloud which had overshadowed them during the day rolled back into the mouth of the gorge, and rising up from its base to its very summit, and filling all the space, in an instant became a pillar of fire ; and the crimson sands, the dark blue waves, and the distant rocky shore, were illumined with its blaze. Then did Moses know that it was the symbol of the presence of the Great i am, which on Horeb proclaimed himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the Jehovah of Israel, their Savior.

Egypt had been desolated by a succession of the most terrible judgments, but yet the indurate heart of Pharaoh was not softened nor his proud will subdued. He would not brook the loss of two million slaves. Spies were sent after the Israehtes, and when it was reported to him that they were hemmed in by the mountains, the desert, and sea, and their recapture woidd be a matter of easy accomplishment, he immediately headed his army, which had been already in pursuit, and marched all ihe power of Egypt into the passes of the mountain. In the darkness of the night

22 THE LIGHT OP THE TEMPLE.

the tramp of horses and soldiers and the rumbling of chariots were heard in that deep and dark defile. The proud monarch of Egypt, elated with the idea that soon the defenceless, and perhaps unconscious Israelites would become victims to his steel-clad warriors, cheered them on to the conquest. How were his hopes chilled and how did his iron nerves tremble when, as he approached the outlet of the mountain, he found the entire pass from base to summit blocked up with a wall of thick impenetrable darkness, which spread its terrific gloom over the livid terror-stricken features of his attendant hosts. It were a vain attempt to break through or scale that wall of darkness and fire. The united powers of earth, with all the enginery of war, could not have stormed that defence or forced a passage. Moses, aware of the proximity of Pharaoh and his hosts, passed the word of comfort and courage and preparation among the multitudes of Israel, who were trembling with anxiety; and then approaching the shore of the sea, he stretched over it his rod of miracles, and instantly the waters parted and stood up as a wall on each side, leaving a dry channel into which they all entered and passed in safety to the other shore.

Morning had come. The cloud had left the pass and rose up like a mountain of snow in the rear of the Israelites, and so transparent was it, that their forms, as they reclined upon the rocks, were reflected from its bright surface. Pharaoh and his army entered the miraculously excavated channel. In the midst of the

THE TABERNACLE.

passage, which was four leagues long and eighty-four feet deep, the army became confused, the chariots dragged heavily, and dismay spread itself through all the ranks. This was only premonitory of the doom that awaited them. Standing on an overhanging cliff on the eastern shore of the sea was seen the leader of Israel with the mysterious rod in his hand, which he elevates above the waters, and as the conductor of a power which controls the elements of nature, instantly the watery walls are dissolved and flow back to their wonted channel, while Pharaoh and his chariots and his horsemen are engulfed in the watery deep. Then there went up a shout from the assembled thousands which rent the very heavens with its gladness, and Miriam, striking her timbrel, led the mighty paean " Sound the loud timbrel, o'er Egypt's dark sea, Jehovah hath conquered, His people are free." Being now forever delivered from their enemies, whose dead bodies they saw washed upon the rocky shore, the Israelites entered the desert of Arabia, and directed their course towards the mount where they expected to have a more visible manifestation of Jehovah.

After ti'aveling many days, and making numerous encampments, they at length reach the base of Horeb and Sinai, which, as we have before intimated, formed one chain of mountains in the southern part of Arabia Petrsea. Here the people were required to purify themselves for the space of three days. The cloud ascended from the encampment and rested over the summit of Sinai. On the third day the cloud became exceedingly dark, and suddenly the most terrific lightnings and thunderings were seen and heard. Every heart quaked with fear. The mountain was so fully charged with the Divine power that to touch it would be instant death. Even the priests were forbidden to come near to the awful place. When the lightnings and thunderings had ceased, the blast of a mighty trumpet, long and loud as if announcing the doom of the world, echoed far over the desert mountains and along the arid plains. The trumpet ceased, and on a sudden a huge column of smoke with a wide deep base of fire encircling the mountain, rose up from its summit, and the whole earth quaked in sympathy with the hearts of the awe-struck spectators.