rament, an expiation and a
consecration. It retained its sacrificial character till Christ, the
true Paschal Lamb, was slain. As a sacrifice it then ceased. But
sacrament continues, and will continue as long as the Church exists on
earth.

Moses had seen the invisible God. The burning bush had symbolized the
sacramental nature of the work which he had been called to do. God would
be in Israel as He was in the bush, and Israel would not be consumed. He
Who is to His foes a consuming fire dwells among His people, as the
vital heat and glow of their national life. The eye that can see Him is
faith. This is the power that can transform the whole life of man, and
make it sacramental. Too long has man's earthly existence been divided
into two separate spheres. On the one side and for a stated time he
lives to God; on the other side he relinquishes himself for a period to
the pursuits of the world. We seem to think that the secular cannot be
religious, and, consequently, that the religiousness of one day or of
one place will make amends for the irreligion of the rest of life. The
Passover consecrated a nation. Baptism and the Lord's Supper have, times
without number, consecrated the individual. The true Christian life
draws its vital sap from God. It is not cleverness and worldly success,
but unselfish loyalty to the supernatural, and incessant prayer, that
marks the man who lives by faith.

FOOTNOTES:

[281] John i. 17.

[282] Acts vii. 37.

[283] John v. 46.

[284] Exod. ii. 2; Acts vii. 20.

[285] Acts vii. 22.

[286] Exod. ii. 11.

[287] After penning the above the writer of these pages saw that, in his
view of the purpose of the sojourn in Midian, he had been anticipated by
Kurtz (_History of the Old Covenant_).

[288] Gen. xlvi. 2.

CHAPTER XIII.

_A CLOUD OF WITNESSES._

"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to
come. By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed each of the sons
of Joseph; and worshipped, _leaning_ upon the top of his staff. By
faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure
of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his
bones.... By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had
been compassed about for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot
perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the
spies with peace. And what shall I more say? for the time will fail