LETTER VI.
REMESES OF DAMASCUS TO KING SESOSTRIS.
City of On, Egypt.
My dear Father:
The secret assembly of the elders, called by Moses, met last night. It was in a solitary place, far from any of the garrisons of soldiers. In the disguise of a Hebrew, I also was present, standing by Aaron. It was after midnight before all the elders could elude the vigilance of their officers, and had assembled. The well of Jacob, you recollect. It is where you had the conversation with Remeses (now Moses), upon the condition of the Hebrews. The Egyptian soldiers, who are very superstitious, will not venture near this desolate fountain by night; for the tradition is, that it leads to the realms of the lower world, and that there are evil beings who issue from it in the darkness, and drag under the earth all who walk past it. The Hebrews have no such superstition, or despised their fears on an occasion like the present. Aaron, in selecting the spot, knew it would be safe from intrusion on the part of the Egyptians.
It was a sublime spectacle to see no less than four hundred and eighty elders of the Hebrews, forty out of each tribe, met together beneath the aged palm-trees that overshadowed the fountain, and where Jacob had sat, with his sons about him, in peace, under the protecting sceptre of the king of that day.
The moon shone here and there upon a silvery head, while others were grouped in shadow. There was a deep, expecting silence. At length Aaron stood up in their midst, his venerable figure visible to all present, as the pale moonlight fell upon him—
"Men and brethren, Hebrews of the house of Abraham our father, hear, while I make known to you why I have called this strange meeting—for when before has Israel met in such an assembly! Your presence, your readiness to come, your courage, and your success in reaching here, all show to me the hand of God, and the power of God."
Aaron then gave a history of the origin of their nation, of God's promise to Abraham, of his prophecy of their bondage and deliverance, and his promise to give them the land of the Canaanites. They listened with deep attention, for he spoke with remarkable eloquence. He then said, "The hour of our deliverance is at hand. God has remembered His promise, and come down to our deliverance." Then, with thrilling power, the venerable speaker described the scene at the burning bush on Horeb, and, in conclusion, presented Moses, his brother, to the elders. He was received with a murmur of satisfaction; but some doubted. Others remembered that he had been raised an Egyptian, and openly expressed their fear that it was a plan to betray them into a movement, that would give Pharaoh an excuse to destroy them all.
"Let us see his miracles! If God sent him, let us see his rod become a serpent before our faces," said an old man brutally and tauntingly.
Moses took the rod from the hand of his brother, and said with sternness—
"Thou shalt see and believe!"
He then cast it upon the ground, when it not only became a serpent, but its scales glittered like fire. With fierce hissing it coiled itself about the form of the doubter, and lifting its head above his own, darted it every way with flashing eyes, so that there was a universal cry of horror. The wretched old man fell to the ground, the serpent uncoiled from his form, and Moses taking it by the tail it became a rod again in his hand!
At this miracle, the whole assembly, save one man became convinced that Moses had been sent by God to them. This one said—
"It is the magician's art! He hath been an Egyptian priest, and knows their mysteries."
Upon this, Moses said—
"Korah, I remember thee! I was educated as an Egyptian, but I know none of their magic; and to show thee that this is the power of God, thrust thy hand into thy bosom!"
The man obeyed.
"Take it forth!" said Moses, in a tone of command.
He did so and it was leprous as snow, and the moon glared upon it, as upon the alabaster hand of a statue. He uttered a cry of horror.
"Be not unbelieving," said Moses. "Replace thy hand in thy bosom." He did so, and took it out restored like the other. The man who had been entwined by the serpent also rose to his feet, and both acknowledged the power of God, and the authority of Moses. He now made known to them that God had sent him to demand their release from Pharaoh; and that the king would at first refuse, but that after he had seen the power of God he would yield and let them go forth out of Egypt, to the good land promised to Abraham for his seed, forever.
"Return now, elders and brethren," he said to them, like one who spake by authority to those who recognized it, "return to your places of toil. Be quiet and patient, and wait the hand of God. He will manifest His glory and display His power in your behalf, as was never done on earth before. Bear patiently your labors, and do not doubt that the time of your deliverance is at hand. Let all Israel know the glad tidings of God's visitation, and that He has surely stretched out His arm over Egypt, to break their yoke of bondage."
This extraordinary assembly then separated, each man to his place; and Moses and Aaron went to the house of one Naashon, a Levite, whose sister had become Aaron's wife many years before. Here I remained until morning; but no eye closed in sleep, for many had followed the brothers, and till dawn they were holding discourse with their friends, on the wonderful things about to happen.
Moses said he should go before Pharaoh the next day but one, when he held public audience in the throne room, that great hall of Egyptian state, which, my dear father you once described, and where you were presented to Queen Amense, as she was seated upon the same throne.
Farewell, my dear father. In three days I will write you again.
Remeses of Damascus.