66 departed thence by ship into al years after the famine; and we may desert place apart: and when the well suppose, that, with the adpeople had heard thereof, they fol- vantages which the Hebrews enlowed him on foot out of the cities.joyed over the Egyptians, they And Jesus went forth, and saw a must, as to comfort and wealth great multitude; and was moved and improvement, have been greatly with compassion toward them, and in advance. This may not have he healed their sick." been much noticed at first; but it St. Matthew, by employing the could not but excite notice at the term ἐξελθὼν, GOING FORTH," time of Joseph's death, or soon clearly intimates that our Lord had afterwards. A king that ascended previously entered some place. the throne, after the death of JoBut as the unfrequented nature of seph, saw how things were prothe spot (for it was a desert ceeding, and had as much zeal place") precludes the supposition about the interests of his Egyptian that it was a house, we must infer kindred, as Joseph had for his that it was the vessel in which he Hebrew. The case was, however, had embarked. If such was the one of peculiar difficulty. Things case, then it follows that "the had gone on so long, that it was people" who "had heard thereof," not easy to make a change; yet and "followed him on foot out of many things might naturally have the cities," had, by some means or led Pharaoh to think a change abother, arrived at the place before solutely necessary. Judging from Jesus landed. Now this is pre- the Hebrew records, I think it cisely what St. Mark relates. He likely that Pharaoh saw, or thought says that "the people saw them he did, that one of three or four departing, and many knew him, things must take place. Either, and ran a-foot thither out of all 1. he must expel the Hebrews; or, cities, and OUTWENT them, and 2. he must amalgamate them with came together unto him." (Mark the Egyptians, so as to form a vi. 33.) That St. Mark deduced promiscuous people; or, 3. see his this fact from St. Matthew's simply own people made slaves in their employing the word "went forth" own country by the Hebrews; or, will never be pretended; and as 4. prevent that by making slaves of little can it be imagined that St. them. Matthew used that word in consequence of having seen, or for the purpose of effecting a correspond-would in all probability have led ence with, the relation of St. Mark. to war. The Hebrews would have The correspondence must therefore most likely called in the aid of the be purely accidental, and such as Edomites, or some other of their arose from their both detailing the kin, and the ruin of Egypt might same fact, attended by the same have followed; orif effected, where circumstances, each in his own could the Hebrews have gone? They had been absent from Canaan about one hundred years; and there was little probability that the Canaanites would allow them to return. They would have most likely roved about on the borders of Egypt, and made inroads for plunder. As to blending manner. London. W.G. SLAVERY. (Continued from p. 15.) JOSEPH continued to direct the affairs of Egypt for about seventy To accomplish the first, might have been no easy matter. It them with the Egyptians, and form-lar treatment. If this state of ing them to the same manners and things did not justify his conduct, customs and religion, this was still Pharaoh might think it came very more difficult than the other. No-near to do it. He still found them thing is harder than to change the increase, and more rapidly than religion and habits, and prejudices when leading the easy life of shepof a people. Israel had now been herds. Under apprehension of the in Egypt above a hundred years. scenes that might follow a great Joseph had married an Egyptian. increase of their numbers, soured Yet the original prejudices of both as they were by his change of ponations, as well as their religious licy towards them, he was wrought principles, were nearly, if not fully, up to the cruel purpose of destroyas much at variance as at the first. ing their male children. (Gen. xliii. 32; Exod. viii. 26.) The thing was cruel; but, while Scarcely any inter-marriages took it cannot be too strongly conplace; and as to religion, the one demned, we ought in all reason to was an abomination to the other. recollect, that the exposing of inTo think of force, was idle. Their fants has been done by many naprejudices, religion, as well as tions. The polished Greeks and their complexion, (the Egyptians Romans, until Christianity put a were Africans, black; the Hebrews stop to it, often exposed their own from Mesopotamia, fair,) made the children. The same is done now thing hopeless. To expect Pha- by pagan nations in the East. Pharaoh to sit down and contemplate raoh was a Pagan, and his conduct a progress of things that tended towards the infants of Israel was directly, as he might naturally sup-not worse than others have obpose, to a struggle, and threatened served towards their own. There the loss of his throne, and the is a tribe in Hindostan who for slavery of his people, is to expect ages have destroyed their female more than was likely. The only children, and, if I am rightly inalternative, Pharaoh might easily formed, do it now. suppose, was to prevent this, by adopting a new policy towards that people. He might easily persuade himself, that it was but fair that Israel should make some return for all they had received for above one hundred years. He may have thought he was justified in gradually employing the Hebrews in building cities and in field labour; while he raised the military character of the Egyptians, and made such preparations as would enable him to suppress any opposition to his plans. Moses did what was right, and acted by Divine direction: this need not however prevent us from reflecting how Pharaoh, a Pagan, would naturally view his conduct. Moses was saved from death by the daughter of Pharaoh : he was educated at court, and in the very best manner. Soon after he was grown up, he was found interfering with the policy of the government towards the Hebrews. He fled, and remained abroad until the death of the king. But the new king was hardly seated on the throne, The conduct of Israel to the before he re-appeared, and, being Shechemites (Gen. xxxiv. 25—27), joined by the leading men among and their late attempt to plunder the Hebrews, presented himself at the inhabitants of Gath (1 Chron. court, and demanded that Israel vii. 20-23), might make him feel should be allowed to go three justified in providing against simi-days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice. The man, the time, | expectation of a throne, might be the manner, as well as the demand, willing to attempt any thing, rather were all likely to offend Pharaoh. than live in obscurity. Ought It is not needful to go over what Pharaoh to let a people under his took place at the several inter-authority be led on such an errand? views. Pharaoh, pressed by the Might he not think it was his duty, plagues, tried to compound the in kindness to them, to keep them matter. At one time he offered to where they were, and to give them let the men go, detaining the wo- enough to eat, and wear, and do? men and children as hostages for And might he not think that all their return. He proposed that their talk about being free, and they should sacrifice and keep the complaining about their work, was feast in the land. While Moses produced by the intermeddling of readily complied with Pharaoh's Moses and Aaron? It really aprequest to remove the plagues, he pears to me, that he might happen abated not one whit of his first to take up notions of that kind; demand; but rather rose than fell and feel not a little provoked at in it. He declared that they must Moses and Aaron, for spreading take their families, their flocks and discontent among his slaves. herds, with them; that they would not leave one hoof behind. It did not admit of a doubt, that they had no intention to return to slavery. They were for being free. Might not Pharaoh have feared, that Moses had in view to keep them for awhile in the wilderness, provide them with arms, train them to military service, and then return to Egypt with his six hundred thousand slaves, transformed into warriors, breathing vengeance for their supposed wrongs? And may not a mistaken notion of his own safety have urged him to resist the demand? But there were still other difficulties. The Hebrews formed the great body of labourers in his kingdom. Moses insisted on taking them all off, on the same day. What a state of things this was calculated to produce in his kingdom! Would it not ruin it? And would it not ruin the Hebrews? They had been raised in slavery— been unfit for self-government. He had found it necessary to employ overseers, and even to call in the aid of the scourge, to overcome their idle habits. For a people with such habits, to be turned free all at once! might not Pharaoh Or, admitting that Moses intend- think it would ruin them?—that ed to lead them to Canaan, might they could not govern themselves? not Pharaoh have really concluded that they would starve ?—and that the scheme was little short of that kindness to them would formadness? To attempt with a na-bid turning them loose, as Moses tion of slaves, without arms, with- demanded? out any experience in war, without provisions, to cross the desert and attempt to dispossess the seven nations of Canaan, amounting to perhaps ten times their number; a warlike people, well armed, with a country filled with towers and cities "walled up to heaven!" Was there ever such an attempt? A man in Moses' situation, educated in But we have no reason to think that Pharaoh was wholly without regard to the value of property. The Hebrews, as his labourers and artificers, were very valuable property. There were 600,000 labouring men, besides the women and children. From their doubling in less than fifteen years, there must have been a great many chil There dren. It will be a moderate cal- Pharaoh, as to knowledge, than to culation, to suppose that the men us, and less was therefore to be above the age of twenty, formed expected. one-fourth of the whole. As to the supposition that the were then three millions in all. miracles wrought made Pharaoh Estimate these at three hundred altogether inexcusable in refusing dollars apiece, it amounts to 720 to comply with the demand, I admillions of dollars: not to mention mit it. But is it not equally true their cattle and other property, that those plagues, while they prove which were very valuable. Now, God's displeasure against Pharaoh is it to be wondered at that Pharaoh and the Egyptians for enslaving felt reluctant to lose so much pro- Israel, go directly to prove the perty? Nothing was said about general truth, that all who enslave buying their freedom. He was re- others, or hold them forcibly in quired to give all up-not to bear slavery, do what is offensive to a part of the loss, and they the God? Pharaoh may have persuadrest-he was to bear the whole! ed himself that Moses wrought We can easily conceive how Pha- his miracles by magic. Pharaoh raoh might have persuaded himself was an ignorant Pagan. We bethat to lose so much property, and lieve that God wrought the mibe deprived of all his labourers-racles; and the general truth is and have to set his own people to plain, God hates oppression. all the hard work in the city, and in the field, to which they were not accustomed, was really rather too much. To conclude my apology, which is much too long, I repeat that I fully believe that Pharaoh did wrong in enslaving Israel-in perHe might very possibly have severing in it; and that, however thought, that if it was wrong at plausible his excuses, they availed first to enslave the Hebrews, he at nothing. The thing was wrong. least was not to blame for it; that He only added sin to sin, and made it was done long before he was matters worse by his delay. The born; that he found them in sla- event proved that it would have very, and held them as property; been better for Egypt never to have that the whole habits of the Egyp-enslaved Israel. It would have tians was such now, that the evil been better to have given up this of slavery was a kind of necessary state at any oue time that could be evil; that they could not do with-named; for not only did they go out it; and that it was hard to out, but they spoiled the Egypmake him pay for the faults of his tians; and the attempt to force forefathers, and to give up what them back involved the whole he had received as property by army, with Pharaoh at its head, in inheritance. ruin. All this is admitted. Yet I say Egyptian slavery was not so hard as some other cases of slavery ;-and Pharaoh's excuses are, I think, better than what have satisfied, and now satisfy, many. There is another point deserving notice. Natural and personal rights were not then so well understood as now. Perhaps few, if any, then maintained the doctrines, that personal "liberty is an unalienable right," which no man has a warrant either to take or withhold from us, under the plea of a right of property. Less was given to HINTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OR DINATION. To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. if it arise from the latter feeling, they are alike unworthy the regard of churches and of neighbouring pastors. THERE are few things more eviI trust, Sir, you will give a hint dent in the New Testament, than on the subject on the first opportuthat the apostles, and ministers re-nity that may present itself. I cognized by them, ordained those know that the minds of some exwho were chosen to the exercise of cellent men are pained with the the pastoral office. We read of fact. They think it a departure their ordaining elders in every from the order of the New Testachurch; ministers are instructed as ment, and perceive in it a tendency to the qualifications which should to weaken the bonds between a be possessed by those who are church and its pastor, and to exthus ordained, and they are ex-cite a spirit of prejudice against horted not to be hasty in placing the institutions where such young men in this important station. men are educated for the ministry. Independently of this view of It is not impossible but that the the case, the ordination of a young evil may have been encouraged, if man as a pastor in our churches, indeed it has not had its origin, tends to promote his respectability, from the fact that some good men to cherish feelings of regard be- have of late years removed from tween him and neighbouring minis-churches where they have exercised ters, and to foster confidence be- the pastorate for some years, to fill tween the different churches; it that office in others without a pubfurnishes an opportunity of giv-lic recognition. I cannot but fear ing suitable advice to the parties more immediately concerned, and through them to others, and very eminently conduces to prevent the intrusion of improper men into the churches, by merely obtaining an artificial majority on their side. that this practice is pregnant with evils. Surely it becomes of some importance to inquire, whether the independence of ministers and churches may not be carried so far as to oppose the requirements of our great Master, and to violate the injunctions of inspired apostles. I am, Mr. Editor, respectfully yours, A PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED PASTOR. ON CHRISTIAN FAITHFULNESS. Impressed with these facts, and feeling deeply interested in the prósperity of our Denomination, you will not, Sir, be surprised that I have felt grieved on seeing that a practice is creeping into the churches, which seems to me fraught with many evils. I am informed that two young men who studied at one of our academies, have lately set- He that is faithful in that which is least, is tled as pastors, without ordination. Whether they have discovered that such a service is improper, or whether a love of novelty, or-I am almost afraid even to suspect ita spirit of pride, leads them to reject it, I know not. If it be the former, they ought to give the world the benefit of their discovery; and faithful also in much. Luke xvi. 10. IT is required of stewards that they be found faithful; however inconsiderable the portion of goods which is committed to their trust, an exact account will be required at their hands, and woe unto him who, at the day of reckoning, shall |