patriarchs and prophets-第54节

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to　hunt　out　and　slaughter　his　helpless　victims。　〃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。〃

While　this　decree　was　in　full　force　a　son　was　born　to　Amram　and　Jochebed；
devout　Israelites　of　the　tribe　of　Levi。　The　babe　was　〃a　goodly　child；〃　and
the　parents；　believing　that　the　time　of　Israel's　release　was　drawing　near；
and　that　God　would　raise　up　a　deliverer　for　His　people；　determined　that
their　little　one　should

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not　be　sacrificed。　Faith　in　God　strengthened　their　hearts；　〃and　they　were
not　afraid　of　the　king's　commandment。〃　Hebrews　11：23。

The　mother　succeeded　in　concealing　the　child　for　three　months。　Then；　finding
that　she　could　no　longer　keep　him　safely；　she　prepared　a　little　ark　of
rushes；　making　it　watertight　by　means　of　slime　and　pitch；　and　laying　the
babe　therein；　she　placed　it　among　the　flags　at　the　river's　brink。　She　dared
not　remain　to　guard　it；　lest　the　child's　life　and　her　own　should　be
forfeited；　but　his　sister；　Miriam；　lingered　near；　apparently　indifferent；
but　anxiously　watching　to　see　what　would　become　of　her　little　brother。　And
there　were　other　watchers。　The　mother's　earnest　prayers　had　committed　her
child　to　the　care　of　God；　and　angels；　unseen；　hovered　above　his　lowly
resting　place。　Angels　directed　Pharaoh's　daughter　thither。　Her　curiosity　was
excited　by　the　little　basket；　and　as　she　looked　upon　the　beautiful　child
within；　she　read　the　story　at　a　glance。　The　tears　of　the　babe　awakened　her
compassion；　and　her　sympathies　went　out　to　the　unknown　mother　who　had
resorted　to　this　means　to　preserve　the　life　of　her　precious　little　one。　She
determined　that　he　should　be　saved；　she　would　adopt　him　as　her　own。

Miriam　had　been　secretly　noting　every　movement；　perceiving　that　the　child
was　tenderly　regarded；　she　ventured　nearer；　and　at　last　said；　〃Shall　I　go
and　call　thee　a　nurse　of　the　Hebrew　women；　that　she　may　nurse　the　child　for
thee？〃　And　permission　was　given。

The　sister　hastened　to　her　mother　with　the　happy　news；　and　without　delay
returned　with　her　to　the　presence　of　Pharaoh's　daughter。　〃Take　this　chid
away；　and　nurse　it　for　me；　and　I　will　give　thee　thy　wages；〃　said　the
princess。

God　had　heard　the　mother's　prayers；　her　faith　had　been　rewarded。　It　was　with
deep　gratitude　that　she　entered　upon　her　now　safe　and　happy　task。　She
faithfully　improved　her　opportunity　to　educate　her　child　for　God。　She　felt
confident　that　he　had　been　preserved　for　some　great　work；　and　she　knew　that
he　must　soon　be　given　up　to　his　royal　mother；　to　be　surrounded　with
influences　that　would　tend　to　lead　him　away　from　God。　All　this　rendered　her
more　diligent　and　careful　in　his　instruction　than　in　that　of　her　other
children。　She　endeavored　to　imbue　his　mind　with　the　fear　of　God　and　the　love
of　truth　and　justice；　and　earnestly　prayed

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that　he　might　be　preserved　from　every　corrupting　influence。　She　showed　him
the　folly　and　sin　of　idolatry；　and　early　taught　him　to　bow　down　and　pray　to
the　living　God；　who　alone　could　hear　him　and　help　him　in　every　emergency。

She　kept　the　boy　as　long　as　she　could；　but　was　obliged　to　give　him　up　when
he　was　about　twelve　years　old。　From　his　humble　cabin　home　he　was　taken　to
the　royal　palace；　to　the　daughter　of　Pharaoh；　〃and　he　became　her　son。〃　Yet
even　here　he　did　not　lose　the　impressions　received　in　childhood。　The　lessons
learned　at　his　mother's　side　could　not　be　forgotten。　They　were　a　shield　from
the　pride；　the　infidelity；　and　the　vice　that　flourished　amid　the　splendor　of
the　court。

How　far…reaching　in　its　results　was　the　influence　of　that　one　Hebrew　woman；
and　she　an　exile　and　a　slave！　The　whole　future　life　of　Moses；　the　great
mission　which　he　fulfilled　as　the　leader　of　Israel；　testifies　to　the
importance　of　the　work　of　the　Christian　mother。　There　is　no　other　work　that
can　equal　this。　To　a　very　great　extent　the　mother　holds　in　her　own　hands　the
destiny　of　her　children。　She　is　dealing　with　developing　minds　and
characters；　working　not　alone　for　time；　but　for　eternity。　She　is　sowing　seed
that　will　spring　up　and　bear　fruit；　either　for　good　or　for　evil。　She　has　not
to　paint　a　form　of　beauty　upon　canvas　or　to　chisel　it　from　marble；　but　to
impress　upon　a　human　soul　the　image　of　the　divine。　Especially　during　their
early　years　the　responsibility　rests　upon　her　of　forming　the　character　of
her　children。　The　impressions　now　made　upon　their　developing　minds　will
remain　with　them　all　through　life。　Parents　should　direct　the　instruction　and
training　of　their　children　while　very　young；　to　the　end　that　they　may　be
Christians。　They　are　placed　in　our　care　to　be　trained；　not　as　heirs　to　the
throne　of　an　earthly　empire；　but　as　kings　unto　God；　to　reign　through
unending　ages。

Let　every　mother　feel　that　her　moments　are　priceless；　her　work　will　be
tested　in　the　solemn　day　of　accounts。　Then　it　will　be　found　that　many　of　the
failures　and　crimes　of　men　and　women　have　resulted　from　the　ignorance　and
neglect　of　those　whose　duty　it　was　to　guide　their　childish　feet　in　the　right
way。　Then　it　will　be　found　that　many　who　have　blessed　the　world　with　the
light　of　genius　and　truth　and　holiness；　owe　the　principles　that　were　the
mainspring　of　their　influence　and　success　to　a　praying；　Christian　mother。

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At　the　court　of　Pharaoh；　Moses　received　the　highest　civil　and　military
training。　The　monarch　had　determined　to　make　his　adopted　grandson　his
successor　on　the　throne；　and　the　youth　was　educated　for　his　high　station。
〃And　Moses　was　learned　in　all　the　wisdom　of　the　Egyptians；　and　was　mighty　in
words　and　in　deeds。〃　Acts　7：22。　His　ability　as　a　military　leader　made　him　a
favorite　with　the　armies　of　Egypt；　and　he　was　generally　regarded　as　a
remarkable　character。　Satan　had　been　defeated　in　his　purpose。　The　very
decree　condemning　the　Hebrew　children　to　death　had　been　overruled　by　God　for
the　training　and　education　of　the　future　leader　of　His　people。

The　elders　of　Israel　were　taught　by　angels　that　the　time　for　their
deliverance　was　near；　and　that　Moses　was　the　man　whom　God　would　employ　to
accomplish　this　work。　Angels　instructed　Moses　also　that　Jehovah　had　chosen
him　to　break　the　bondage　of　His　people。　He；　supposing　that　they　were　to
obtain　their　freedom　by　force　of　arms；　expected　to　lead　the　Hebrew　host
against　the　armies　of　Egypt；　and　having　this　in　view；　he　guarded　his
affections；　lest　in　his　attachment　to　his　foster　mother　or　to　Pharaoh　he
would　not　be　free　to　do　the　will　of　God。

By　the　laws　of　Egypt　all　who　occupied　the　throne　of　the　Pharaohs　must　become
members　of　the　priestly　caste；　and　Moses；　as　the　heir　apparent；　was　to　be
initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　the　national　religion。　This　duty　was
committed　to　the　priests。　But　while　he　was　an　ardent　and　untiring　student；
he　could　not　be　induced　to　participate　in　the　worship　of　the　gods。　He　was
threatened　with　the　loss　of　the　crown；　and　warned　that　he　would　be　disowned
by　the　princess　should　he　persist　in　his　adherence　to　the　Hebrew　faith。　But
he　was　unshaken　in　his　determination　to　render　homage　to　none　save　the　one
God；　the　Maker　of　heaven　and　earth。　He　reasoned　with　priests　and　worshipers；
showing　the　folly　of　their　superstitious　veneration　of　senseless　objects。
None　could　refute　his　arguments　or　change　his　purpose；　yet　for　the　time　his
firmness　was　tolerated　on　account　of　his　high　position　and　the　favor　with
which　he　was　regarded　by　both　the　king　and　the　people。

〃By　faith　Moses；　when　he　was　come　to　years；　refused　to　be　called　the　son　of
Pharaoh's　daughter；　choosing　rather　to　suffer　affliction　with　the　people　of
God；　than　to　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　sin　for　a　season；　esteeming　the　reproach
of　Christ　greater　riches

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than　the　treasures　in　Egypt：　for　he　had　respect　unto　the　recompense　of　the
reward。〃　Hebrews　11：24…26。　Moses　was　fitted　to　take　pre…eminence　among　the
great　of　the　earth；　to　shine　in　the　courts　of　its　most　glorious　kingdom；　and
to　sway　the　scepter　of　its　power。　His　intellectual　greatness　distinguishes
him　above　the　great　men　of　all　ages。　As　historian；　poet；　philosopher；
general　of　armies；　and　legislator；　he　stands　without　a　peer。　Yet　with　the
world　before　him；　he　had　the　moral　strength　to　refuse　the　flattering
prospects　of　wealth　and　greatness　and　fame；　〃choosing　rather　to　suffer
affliction　with　the　people　of　God；　than　to　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　sin　for　a
season。〃

Moses　had　been　instructed　in　regard　to　the　final　reward　to　be　given　to　the
humble　and　obedient　servants　of　God；　and　worldly　gain　sank　to　its　proper
insignificance　in　comparison。　The　magnificent　palace　of　Pharaoh　and　the
monarch's　throne　were　held　out　as　an　inducement　to　Moses；　but　he　knew　that
the　sinful　pleasures　that　make　men　forget　God　were　in　its　lordly　courts。　He
looked　beyond　the　gorgeous　palace；　beyond　a　monarch's　crown；　to　the　high
honors　that　will　be　bestowed　on　the　saints　of　the　Most　High　in　a　kingdom
untainted　by　sin。　He　saw　by　faith　an　imperishable　crown　that　the　King　of
heaven　would　place　on　the　brow　of　the　overcomer。　This　faith　led　him　to　turn