In looking at Pharaoh's conduct, it appears to us as if his senses must have gone, when he exposed himself and his people to such punishments, sooner than let his slaves escape him. But no one can tell how the love of tormenting and oppressing others grows upon people. A big boy who will bully and ill-treat a little one, who cannot defend himself, will generally turn out a hard, unfeeling man when he is grown up.

No doubt the Israelites did feel very grateful, when they first saw that they were delivered from their cruel enemies, just as we all are very thankful when saved from some frightful accident, or when we recover from some deadly sickness. But do we keep up our gratitude and our trust in God when the alarm has passed away? The Israelites had scarcely begun their journey before they were complaining of hunger, and they said Moses had brought them into the wilderness to starve them. Yet had they had patience enough to wait a few hours, they would have seen manna rained down from heaven for their use. It was sent as a substitute for bread, and is said to have been like coriander seed, and the taste was like wafers, or thin cakes, made of fine flour and honey.

Moses told them to gather up enough for each day, but not to keep it till the morning, except on the sixth day, on which they were given twice as much as usual, and when they went out on the seventh day they found none, "so the people rested on the seventh day"-so early in the history of the world do we find the blessed rest of the Sabbath given to the people.

What we now call manna, and buy at chemists' shops, is supposed to be rather like the manna given to the Israelites. It is gathered from a shrub that grows in Syria, Arabia, and Persia. The natives boil and strain it, and use it as honey.

The Israelites were also fed upon quails, a small bird now to be found in abundance in Syria. Yet they were ready to stone Moses because there was no water, until by God's command he smote the rock of Horeb with his rod.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

In the third month, when the people came into the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped before the mount, and God gave to Moses this message for them. "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation. These are the words thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." And on the third day after, amidst thunder, and lightning, and a thick cloud, Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai to receive from God the commandments that His people were to keep. They are called the Ten Com

mandments, and if we did but obey them, we should be much happier and better than we are.

The first commandment forbad them to worship any but the true God. The second told them that they must not worship the true God under any image, or the likeness of any false god. The heathens around them worshipped the images of fishes, serpents, frogs, and beasts; and though the Israelites might pretend that they believed in the God that had delivered them with such a mighty arm, certainly they did not do so while praying to graven images of false gods. As Christians you feel there is no danger of your thinking of such a thing. But there are other idols in the world, than images of gold and silver, or beasts and reptiles. Whatever we love so well, that for its sake we disobey God, is an idol. Some people make an idol of money, and are guilty of dishonest ways of obtaining it. Some people make idols of their children, and instead of correcting them for their faults, as God has ordered, they indulge them by letting them do wrong things. We who have been so much better taught than heathens, are without excuse, if we let earthly idols take possession of our hearts.

The next commandment forbids taking the name of God in vain—that is, lightly and irreverently. It also forbids all the bad language in which some children delight. We must hope that when they use the dreadful words we sometimes hear, children do not really know what they mean; but it is inexcusable of any one to do so, when once they have been told how wrong it is.

Some children think it manly to swear, and some great boys are wicked enough to teach little ones to do it. Do they forget that God has said He will not hold them guiltless?

Then the seventh day is ordered to be kept holy. When reading of the creation of the world, you were told how one day in seven was set apart, and what a blessing it has been from that time to this! It is a blessing to every one; most of all to working people. What a fearful life they would lead of never-ending labour, but for the merciful rest of Sunday! How worn-out and earthly every one would grow, if there were no time set apart for us to read and think about a brighter and better place than this world of trouble! Like the children of Israel, we are journeying through the wilderness towards a promised land-that is, the eternal "rest that remaineth for the people of God."

The next commandment is, to honour your father and mother. This means more than just doing what you are told. Many reasons may render a child obedient; but to honour your parents means to behave respectfully to them, to follow their advice, and to give every help in your power to those who have done so much for you. How little do children consider all they owe their parents! How hard your father has worked to get money to pay for your food and clothes! How often your mother has lost her night's rest when you have been ill and fretful! Till children become parents themselves, they are seldom aware of all they owe to those who brought them up. If they were, they would not

No wonder that Moses was frightened at the work given him to do. He one man-to give orders to a great king like Pharaoh, who had thousands of soldiers ready to do his bidding. No wonder that he answered, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" God answered, "Certainly I will be with thee," and then He strengthened his faith by showing him wonderful miracles, worked upon the rod he held in his hand, which was probably the staff by which he guided his wandering sheep. At the command of God, that rod was turned into a serpent, and then into a rod again. He little knew what wonders he should work with it when he returned into the land of Egypt.

One more help God bestowed upon Moses, who had tried to excuse himself from speaking to Pharaoh by saying he was "slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." God said, "Is not Aaron, the Levite, thy brother? I know that he can speak well, and he shall be thy spokesman unto the people."

On arriving in Egypt, he called the Israelites together, and told them that "God had looked upon their afflictions, and would deliver them." Then Moses and Aaron delivered the message to Pharaoh that they had to repeat so often, and told him that he was to let the children of Israel go. Pharaoh became very angry, as bad men generally are when told that they are doing wrong. He scolded Moses for interfering, and he ordered the taskmasters to "no more give the people straw with