September 2

Exodus 3:1. Now, Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Mullan; and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horob.

2. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4. And, when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here Amos 1:5. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows: 8. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land, unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the

The first attempt of Moses to deliver his people had apparently deprived him of all power to help them. He was an outcast and an exile, living in the seclusion of the rocky desert of Arabia, earning his scanty livelihood by sending sheep. As years rolled by, he must have despaired of returning to Egypt, or of acting any great part in his people's history. But God never forgets his plans, and often is preparing his agents by means least likely to human view. In the peninsula of Sinai are wadies where the barbage lingers long

Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

9. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10. Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. 11. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12. And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you. 15. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

after the winter rains. A natural reason, therefore, led Moses at this time into the neighborhood of the mountain which was soon to be the scene of such stupendous wonders. There Jehovah revealed himself under a name, which, in comprehensiveness and majesty, transcends all that poetry or philosophy has ever conceived. But, while he thus proclaimed his own absolute and eternal being, he drew nigh to his trembling servant as the God of his fathers, and linked himself to human names and hopes.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 56, 157, 170.

Our voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord! in the morning will we direct our prayer unto thee, and will look up. Oh! lead us this day in thy righteousness; make thy way straight before our face. Grant that we may see and know clearly what things we ought to do; and, whatever we do, may we do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.

Keep us from vain self-dependence, from pride, self-will, and presumption. Plant in all our hearts thy holy fear; and may we show such meekness and gentleness and humility as become the true followers of Christ!

Whilst we are this day diligent in business, give us grace at the same time to be fervent in spirit, serving thee. May the continual recollection of thy manifold and great mercies incline us to present our souls and bodies a living sacrifice unto

thee! May we not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God!

[May the children of this family set thy love before them as their chief portion in life, and make thy Word their guide! May they always speak the truth, and grow up free from guile! May they hear the voice of Jesus, and follow him!] Be gracious, O Lord! to all our kindred. Visit thy Church with thy salvation. Inspire thy people with a readiness to testify of thy love, and to invite others to thy grace. May we behold even greater fruits of thy coming than were seen by thine own apostles! Open thou the windows of heaven, and cause thy glory to shine forth, that all the ends of the earth shall acknowledge thee. And to thy name be all the glory. Amen.