had
commanded them in his law and gave such new instructions and
interpretations as would be needed in the new conditions that they
would meet on coming into the Promised Land. He painted in frightful
colors the fearful doom that would befall the disobedient and
eloquently described the blessing of loyalty to God. After being
called of God to depart into the mountains and die, he pronounced in
one of the most beautiful passages in all the scripture, his farewell
blessing upon each of the tribes.

And how solemn must have been the occasion. They are listening for the
last time to his voice. With what veneration they must have gazed on
him. He it was that Jochebed with loving hands had laid in the
bulrushes when 120 years ago Pharaoh had persecuted them. He was the
man that had so nobly chosen to suffer affliction with the people of
God instead of the attractions of Egypt. His eyes under the shadow of
Horeb had looked on the burning bush. His hand had stretched out over
Egypt and overwhelmed it with the plagues. His was the face that had
reflected the divine glory of the mount after forty days of fellowship
with Jehovah, during which he received the substance of the law. That
was the faithful and tried man that had often been wrongly accused,
that had meekly borne so many trials, that had guided the people so
faithfully, and advised them so wisely, and had refused honors himself
because he loved them so well. How they must have hung on those last
words! And the echo of his last words had hardly died away until his
spirit had been called away and unseen hands had laid his dust in an
unknown tomb.

The Significance of the Work of Moses. Humanly speaking, he explains
the great difference between the Hebrews and the people kindred to
them. He accounts for their development from a company of disheartened
slaves, and from the careless habits of wandering tribes into a
conquering nation, made irresistible by its belief in the guidance of
Jehovah. Humanly speaking, he was the creator of Israel. (1) He was a
_leader_ and as such heartened and disciplined them. (2) He was a
_prophet_ and as such taught them ideals of social justice, purity and
honor. (3) He was a _lawgiver_ and as such furnished them with civil,
sanitary, social and religious laws that channeled them into a sober,
healthy, moral, and right-minded people. (4) He was the _founder of a
religion_ and as such led them into a real loyalty to Jehovah as their
God and g