1

STORY XI.

HOW THE SEA WAS DIVIDED, SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF GOD WALKED THROUGH IT.

I HAVE told you that the children of Israel were in a state of dreadful bondage and oppression in Egypt. But God said that he would deliver them out of it and so he did. He is always as good as his word.

He sent his servant Moses to Pharaoh the king, to bid him let them go out of slavery; but at first he would not.

So God sent a great army of locusts, that is, of insects very much like large grasshoppers; and they came up on the land, and ate up every green thing.

And then, as Pharaoh would not let the people go, God poured down great hail-stones from heaven, and killed all the cattle that were in the field. It was a dreadful storm; hail-stones mingled with fire ran along upon the ground.

Still the wicked king would not give them their freedom; and so God sent

HOW THE SEA WAS DIVIDED. 29

his angel to cut off all the first-born children of the people of Egypt, as I have told you. And then as he was afraid, lest he and all his subjects should be slain, he was at last willing to do as God bade him.

And so the people went out from their house of bondage and they directed their course through the wilderness, till they came to the Red Sea.

But Pharaoh was sorry, as soon as he had let the people go, that he had hearkened to the voice of God. And he gathered his soldiers together, and went after them to bring them back, if he could, into Egypt.

And there seemed no way by which the people could get out of his hands. They could not fight with him; this was impossible. He would have done what he pleased with them, if the great God had not been their Friend.

But he was their Friend. And though there seemed no way of escape, he made the mighty waters divide. They heard his voice. The waves went back at his bidding; and the people went through the midst of the sea as on dry ground.

And what became of Pharaoh and his army? I will tell you. They thought that they too could march safely through And they went in with their

the sea.

horses and chariots, a great way,-but they never came back again,-for God blew with his winds, so they were scattered, the raging billows returned,— they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Let us never forget, that if God be our God, we must be safe and happy in all circumstances. Let us pray him for Jesus' sake, to become our Friend. No one ever sought for his favor in vain.

STORY XII.

A LIE CANNOT BE HID.

ELISHA, the Prophet of the Lord, had a wicked servant, whose name was Gehazi.

There came, one day, to Elisha, a very great man, who was sadly afflicted with the leprosy; and he, by God's blessing, cured him.

A LIE CANNOT BE HID.

31

So he was very thankful; and he wanted the Prophet to receive as a present, very much gold and silver, and fine raiment, as a token of his gratitude,― but he would not. Elisha blessed him, and sent him back again in peace.

But the servant of the man of God longed to have some of this moneyand so he ran after Naaman, for this was the name of the person who had been cured, and overtook him. And he came down out of his carriage, and said, "Is all well?" And he said, "All is well!"

And Gehazi said to him, "My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now, there be come to me, from Mount Ephraim, two young men, of the sons of the Prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, -take two talents. And he bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them on two of his servants, and they bare them before him."

This was very generous and kind in Naaman; but all that Gehazi had said was false. There were no young men come to his master. Elisha had not sent him.

Well, when they were come into the town, Gehazi took the money and

garments, and laid them up in a very secret place, and sent the servants back again to Naaman.

And he was greatly pleased with the success of his plan. He thought no one knew any thing of the matter; and he already determined to buy olive-yards, and vineyards, and a large estate.

But lying cannot be hid. Though no fellow-creature may know it, God is acquainted with the secrets of all hearts ; he knew all that the prophet's servant had done, and he told Elisha.

So when Gehazi went in, and stood before his master, as he had been used to do, Elisha said, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" and he said, "Thy servant went no whither!" And the Prophet said, "No whither? Didst thou not go after Naaman? Did he not come down from his chariot to meet thee? No whither, Gehazi? Did he not send his servants with thee to carry two talents of silver, and two changes of raiment? No whither? Hast thou not laid up in a secret place, the treasures which thou hast so basely gained?"

He was self-condemned. He knew that all his master had said was true, and he was speechless. And every liar shall be speechless, when God calls him into judgment.