August 31

Exodus i. — 6. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

9. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.

10. Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom and Raunnes.

12. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

22. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Exodus ii. — 1. And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son;

and, when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

3. And, when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

4. And his sister stood afar off to wit what would be done to him.

5. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river, and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and, when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

6. And, when she had opened it, she saw the child; and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

7. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

8. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

9. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it.

10. And the child grew; and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses; and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

Joseph's office did not descend in his family, and he left no successor to perpetuate his influence for his people. They did not intermarry with the Egyptians, and were always looked upon as a foreign race. The history of Egypt shows that her most constant and most dreaded enemies were the nomadic tribes of the Eastern desert; and, since the Hebrews were of Semitic origin, it was feared, that, in case of an invasion from that quarter, they would make cause with the enemy. Hence the cruel resolve of Pharaoh to crush their spirit and prevent their increase.

The story of Moses reproduces the country and the times. The branches of the Nile were anciently lined with reeds. The papyrus was woven into baskets, mats, and even little boats, which were made water-tight with the resin, or bitumen, in common use for mummy-wrappings. The sanitary customs of the Egyptians united with their religious feeling to recommend bathing in the sacred river; and the monuments show, that, in ancient Egypt, women had much greater freedom than is now accorded them in Oriental countries. Thus every thing is here pictured to the life.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 125, 131, 147.

Heavenly Father, we bless thee for the light of the morning: oh! lift upon us the light of thy countenance, that we may see thy glory in the sun, may feel thy presence in the breath of life, may discern thy hand in all the good that comes to us, may meet thy grace in thy holy Word. Oh for a heart to love thee, to praise thee, to serve thee, as we ought! Thou didst create us for thy glory; thou hast enriched us with thy bounty; thou hast redeemed us with the precious blood of thy Son; thou hast sent forth thy Spirit into our hearts to quicken us to a new life, that we might receive the adoption of children. Disobedient and unthankful children we have been; and we confess our waywardness and our sin. Forgive us, we beseech thee, O our Father! for the sake of thy dear Son.

O God! thy watchful providence is over all our ways. We pray thee this day to deliver us from temptation, to defend us from evil. Make sure to this family the mercies of thy covenant. [Give to the children grace to serve thee in the morning of life; to be gentle, obedient, loving, and kind. May they grow up pure and holy!] Remember all dear to us; bless them in their hearts and in their homes. Visit, O Lord! with thy grace, the community in which we live. Bless thy Church here, and in our land, and throughout the world. Oh! send thy salvation to all people. We beseech thee to comfort the poor, the sick, the sorrowing, the dying; and O Lord! when heart and flesh shall fail us, be thou the strength of our heart, and our portion forever, for Christ's sake, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.