mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God: and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake and God answered him by a voice."[1]
Can any thing be grander than this description? what a sublime pröem! Then followed the utterance of those Ten great Rules of life, which contain the substance of all rules,—the essence and pith of all the laws which man is required to obey. These the people listened to, but they could bear no more. "And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven."[2]
Is not this God Speaking? Is not this the great Creator directly addressing men. His creatures, and giving them laws for their guidance,—thus showing His interest in and regard for them, and His continued care of the beings He had made? And not only did
