When you see a beautiful ship sailing on the wide and deep sea, and the people in her as happy and fearless as if they were on dry land, you may perhaps think it very wonderful that so large and heavy a body should not sink.

Now when I tell you that this ship is made of wood, the nature of which is to float upon the water, and water, particularly the salt sea, being very heavy, of course, wood, which is lighter than water, would float upon it; this, you see, is easily explained.

Now a miracle is something which we cannot explain, a complete departure from the common rules of nature; man cannot work a miracle, God only can do this. It may be wonderful that a man should be able to make so perfect a thing as a ship, in which people may live so safely; but it is not miraculous, for we see the reason why it does not sink.

We know that no natural power could cause the waters of the Red sea to divide, and leave a dry path for a multitude of people to pass through: only the power of that God, to whom all things are possible, could do this, and we call it a miracle.

There is much that is miraculous in the history of this wonderful people. Moses, their leader, may be said to have been preserved by a miracle. Miracles were wrought to persuade Pharaoh to let them go; they twice passed mira

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culously through water dryshod; they were guided by a miraculous pillar of cloud and fire; they were fed by a miracle; with miracles the Lord fought for them against their enemies and the more you read of their history, the more miraculous you will find it.

HOW THE JEWS WANDERED FORTY YEARS.

WHEN Moses had led the people into the wilderness, they came to mount Sinai, at the foot of which they rested, whilst their leader went up into the mountain to commune* with his God. The Lord called to him out of the mount, and commanded him to tell the people, that if they would obey his voice and keep his laws, He would be their God, and they should be His chosen people.

And in order that they might believe these words, He told Moses to go down unto them, and prepare them, for on the third day He would come down in a cloud and rest upon mount Sinai, and would speak to Moses in their hear

* Commune.-Moses communed with his God, he did what we should all very often do; he went away from the noise and bustle of his fellow-men into a lonely place that he might there open his heart before the Lord and receive His help and blessing.

ing.

But they were to put a fence round the mount, for whosoever should touch it, should surely die.

On the third morning, that powerful God who made the world and all the things therein, who had led the Israelites into Egypt, and brought them up again from captivity, descended amid lightnings and thunders and the voice of a trumpet; and the people trembled and were afraid before him. Then Moses and Aaron went up to the Lord and received the Ten Commandments, which were written on stone; and God made known his will, in giving them laws that they were to follow.

After this, Moses went again into the mountain, and abode there forty days, leaving the people under the care of Aaron and Hur.

But although they had, in so wonderful a manner, seen the glory and majesty of their God, when they found that Moses did not return, they made themselves a golden calf, before which they fell down and worshipped. When Moses appeared again, he was much grieved, and the people were severely punished for their faithless idolatry.

After they had been some time in this place, they removed three days' journey from the mount, and there the anger of the Lord was upon them, for, instead of being thankful for the food which was so miraculously given them

every day, they murmured and wished for the fish and the flesh which they had left in Egypt.

Then the Lord sent quails among them, which they killed and ate; and in so doing, brought a punishment upon themselves, for they became ill, and numbers of them died.

By this time they were come near that land which was said to flow with milk and honey, meaning that it was very fruitful. Then Moses chose men out of the different tribes, and told them to go and look at the land, and bring him word concerning it.

They went and found it, indeed, a beautiful country, a land which any one might wish to live in; they brought back some of its fruits, grapes, pomegranates,* and figs; but they so terrified the Israelites with their account of the strength of its cities, and the size of its people, whom they described as giants, that they were afraid to proceed, rebelled against the Lord and against Moses, and wished they had died in Egypt, or perished in the wilderness.

They forgot that He who was powerful enough to take them from captivity, could fight for them, and bring them safely into this promised land. It was in vain that Caleb

* Pomegranates.-The pomegranate is a fruit of the apple form covered with a reddish rind and red within, having red grains full of juice like wine with little kernels. This fruit was very common in Palestine, and is considered very beautiful.

and Joshua, two of those who had searched the land, spoke of its beauty and fertility; they had forgotten to place their ́trust in Him who could alone preserve them, and saw there nothing but defeat and death.

Then was the Lord exceedingly angry, and threatened to destroy them; yet Moses begged for the people, and prayed that God would not yet make an end of them.

But the Lord said, that not one of those who had left Egypt should enter the land, except Caleb and Joshua ; and that after their children had wandered in the desert forty years, they should be permitted to enter that country which was now taken from them for their disobedience.

Notwithstanding the people had so rebelled, God was with them in all their wanderings. He gave them water to drink in the desert of Zin; and when they murmured, Moses and Aaron struck the rock, and water came out abundantly, and they all drank, and their beasts also.

It was at this place that the Lord made known to Moses and Aaron that it was his will they should not enter the promised land; and when they came to mount Hor, Aaron went up and died, and there Moses took his garments and put them upon Eleazar, his son, who was priest in his stead.

And God gave Israel strength, and they fought against the Amorites, overcame them, and rested in the plains of