Decalogue, many other laws, both ceremonial and politi cal, the design of the whole of which was to preserve the people in their obedience to God; to prevent them from intermixing with other nations, and to advance their general welfare, by securing to each individual the quiet enjoyment of his life and property. These laws Moses immediately communicated to the people, after which he offered sacrifices to God, and caused twelve pillars to be raised near the altar, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. He then led Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, with seventy elders, beyond the camp, and nearer to the mountain, the base of which they had no sooner reached than an indication of the Divine Presence was manifested to them. Here, having first committed to their charge the care of the people, he left the elders, and, accompanied by Joshua only, approached still nearer to the mountain-peak. Alone ascending to its very summit, Moses soon found himself enveloped in a thick cloud, from which the glory of the Lord shone forth like a devouring fire.

In the midst of the cloud, and in audience with the Deity, Moses remained for forty days, during which he received from God, besides many other instructions, specific directions for the building of the Tabernacle, wherein divine worship should be performed. These instructions embraced a description of the form of the sanctuary, the table of shew-bread, the altar of frankincense, the altar of burnt-offerings, the court of the Tabernacle, the Basin, the Ark, the Candlestick; and all the other sacred utensils. They included also directions for the form of the sacerdotal vestments, and the manner in which the priests were to be consecrated-what part of the oblation was to be taken, and how the perpetual sacrifice was to be offered. The two principal men to be employed in the building of the Tabernacle, were. Bezaleel, of the tribe of Judah, and

Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan. Having completed these instructions, and enjoined a strict observance of the Sabbath, the Almighty gave to Moses the two tables, on which were written the Ten great Commandments to which we have already alluded.

But the long absence of Moses from the camp, was attended with consequences which he had little anticipated. The people, supposing that he had been destroyed, assembled in a riotous manner about Aaron's tent, and demanded of him new gods to go before them. Extraor

dinary as this demand was, yet such was the weakness of Aaron that, instead of expostulating with the people, and rebuking their sin, he tamely complied with their request, and even contributed to their idolatry. He induced them to collect all the golden ear-rings of their wives and children, and these he constructed into a molten calf, in imitation of the god Apis, of the Egyptians. When the thoughtless Israelites saw this image, they were so well pleased, that they, with one voice, exclaimed, "This is thy God, O Israel, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt;" and when Aaron witnessed the satisfaction with which the people received this golden god, he built an altar before it, and proclaimed a solemn feast to be held on the following day. But it proved rather a feast of luxurious revellings, than one prompted by religious motives; for, after they had presented their oblations and peace-offerings, they turned to feasting, dancing, and other riotous indulgences.

The omniscient eye of the Almighty no sooner beheld these wicked and idolatrous proceedings in the camp of Israel, than his wrath was so highly kindled against them, that he at once resolved to destroy the whole race; and hence he said to Moses, "Go, get thee down, for thy people, whom thou broughtest out of Egypt, have corrupted

themselves. I know them to be an obstinate people, therefore intercede not for them, but see me express my resentment in their destruction; and to thee will I transfer the blessings I intended for them, and of thee will I make a great nation." Alarmed at the prospective overthrow of his beloved people, Moses at once prostrated himself before the Lord; and, though conscious of their great wickedness, yet so sincere and fervent were his prayers and intercessions on their behalf, that the Almighty was pleased, for his sake, to mitigate the severity of their punishment.

When, however, Moses had descended from the mountain, and approached the camp, he saw the golden calf, and the people dancing before it; and so greatly was his own indignation enkindled at the sight, that he immediately cast the tables of stone, which he bore in his hands, upon the ground, and broke them into pieces: he then caused the calf to be ground to powder, and mixing the dust with water, compelled the people to drink it. He also upbraided Aaron, with the utmost severity, for the part he had taken in this wicked rebellion; and then, advancing into the midst of the camp, he directed the sons of Levi, none of whom had been concerned in the revolt, to go through the camp and slay all the ringleaders of this idolatrous defection, without respect to age or quality, friendship or consanguinity. The Levites strictly obeyed the orders of Moses, and the number slain on that day was about three thousand.

This severe punishment spread terror through the whole camp; and on the following day Moses, in the most solemn manner, reminded the people of their ingratitude and folly, but at length promised that he would go again up into the mountain, and if possible, by his intercessions, avert such farther punishment as they might still deserve. Moses,

in accordance with this promise, returned to the mount, acknowledged before the Lord the great sin of the people, and through the earnestness of his concern for their preservation, so far obtained reconciliation for them, that the Lord was pleased graciously to promise, though, in consequence of their rebellion, his immediate presence should be withdrawn from them, yet he would still send his angel be fore them, to drive out the heathen from the promised land, that he might perform the oath which he had made to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. After this comparative reconciliation, the Almighty commanded Moses to prepare two other tables of stone, like those which he had broken, and to come up alone with them, in the morning, into the mount, "and I," said he, "will write in those tables the words that were in the first."

After again remaining forty days in the mount, in communion with the Deity, Moses descended, bringing with him the two tables of the law; but by the long converse he had now held with God, his face had acquired such a lustre that the people were not able to approach him; and, therefore, whenever he addressed them he was compelled to cover his face with a veil. His first and most important communication to the people was, that it was the Lord's will to have a Tabernacle built, for the performance of religious worship; and that he had commanded him to direct them to bring in their free-will offerings for the accomplishing of the work. These offerings were to be entirely voluntary, and so desirous were the people to make some atonement for their recent sins, that they soon brought in more than was requisite; insomuch that Moses was compelled to cause proclamation to be made to restrain their farther liberality.

The Tabernacle was divided into two parts-a large open Court, and the Tabernacle proper. The court was a

hundred cubits long and fifty cubits broad. It was inc.c.sed and hung round to the height of five cubits, with curtains of fine twined linen. These curtains were suspended by silver hooks, on fifty-six pillars of brass, or of wood overlaid with brass, filleted with silver, and set in large brass sockets. The only entrance of this court was from the east, by a hanging veil of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of needle-work, twenty cubits in length, and suspended on four pillars. Here, under the open sky, stood the altar of burnt-offerings, and the brazen basin; and hither every clean Hebrew, or proselyte of the covenant, might come with his offering.

At the west end of the court stood the Tabernacle proper, which was a close tent, somewhat in the form of an ordinary dwelling-house. It was thirty cubits long, a little over ten cubits broad, and of the same height; and was reared with forty-eight boards of wood, each a cubit and a half broad, and overlaid with gold. These boards were set upright in ninety-six large sockets of silver, and were supported behind by five cross-bars of wood, overlaid with gold, and fastened to the boards with golden rings. On this frame was suspended a four-fold covering. The first cover consisted of the curtains of fine twined linen, with blue, purple, and scarlet, overlaid with figures of cherubims of exquisite workmanship. Each curtain was twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits broad, and they were all coupled together by loops of blue, and hooks of gold. The second covering consisted of eleven curtains of goats' hair, coupled together with hooks of brass. The third covering was made of rams' skins dyed red; and the fourth, of stringleather, or badger-skins.

The entrance to the Tabernacle, immediately before which the brazen altar and the 'basin stood, embraced the whole eastern end. It was overhung with a veil of blue