being a
"Levi" was borrowed from the Egyptians, who had men set apart,
exclusively, to deal in the mysterious. Moses calls himself a Levi, or
Levite.

After the busy life he had led, Moses could not settle down to the
monotonous existence of a shepherd. It is probable that then he wrote
the Book of Job, the world's first drama and the oldest book of the
Bible. Moses was full of plans. Very naturally he prayed to the
Israelitish god, and the god harkened unto his prayer and talked to him.

The silence, the loneliness, the majesty of the mountains, the great
stretches of shining sand, the long peaceful nights, all tend to
hallucinations. Sheepmen are in constant danger of mental aberration.
Society is needed quite as much as solitude.

From talking with God, Moses desired to see Him. One day, from the
burning red of an acacia-tree, the Lord called to him, "Moses, Moses!"

And Moses answered, "Here am I!"

Moses was a man born to rule--he was a leader of men--and here at
middle life the habits of twenty-five years were suddenly snapped and
his occupation gone. He yearned for his people, and knowing their
unhappy lot, his desire was to lead them out of captivity. He knew the
wrongs the Egyptian government was visiting upon the Israelites. Rameses
the Second was a ruler with the builder's eczema: always and forever he
made gardens, dug canals, paved roadways, constructed model tenements,
planned palaces, erected colossi. He was a worker, and he made everybody
else work. It was in this management of infinite detail that Moses had
been engaged; and while he entered into it with zest, he knew that the
hustling habit can be overdone and its votaries may become its
victims--not only that, but this strenuous life may turn freemen into
serfs, and serfs into slaves.

And now Rameses was dead, and the proud, vain, fretful and selfish
Mineptah ruled in his place. It was worse with the Israelites than ever!

The more Moses thought of it the more he was convinced that it was his
duty to go back to Egypt and lead his people out of bondage. He himself,
having been driven out, made the matter a burning one with him: he had
lost his place in the Egyptian Court, but he would get it back and hold
it under better conditions than ever before!

He heard the "Voice"! All strong people hear the Voice calling them. And
harkening to the Inner Voice is simply doing what you want to do.

"Moses, Moses!"

And Moses answered, "Lord, here am