before Him? Were woman in a degraded position, Miriam, in the first place, would not have had sufficient power for her seditious words to be of any consequence ; and, in the next, it would have been incumbent on man to chastise there needed no interference of the Lord. We see, therefore, the very sinfulness of Jewish women, as recorded in the Bible, is undeniable evidence of their equality, alike in their power to subdue sin, and in its responsibility before God.

That the Eternal graciously pardoned at the word of Moses, is no proof that Miriam needed the supplication of man to bring her cause before the Lord, but simply that forgiveness and intercession from the injured for the injurer, are peculiarly acceptable to Him, and will ever bring reply. Miriam had equal power to pray and be heard, as Rebekah, Hannah, and other female characters of Scripture; but her punishment was no doubt to be increased by the painful feelings which, if she were not quite hardened, must have been excited, by the appeal of Moses in her favor, and in receiving the remission of her sentence through him. It at once proclaimed his power with the Lord, which she had sought to depreciate, and his still continued affection for herself. That the whole camp of Israel should halt in its march seven days for her alone,-that she should suffer less than were she shut out from her fellows in the act of travelling, argues pretty strongly, that her being a woman in no degree lessened her importance, or rendered the men of Israel less careful for her comfort. They could not have done more, had the chastised been Aaron in her stead.

CHAPTER II.

FEMALE WORKERS OF THE TABERNACLE.-CALEB'S DAUGHTER.

In a history of the women of Israel, we must not forget those who are mentioned as aiding the holy work of Proclamation was made throughout

the tabernacle.

the camp, that

every man and woman who had a willing heart should bring an offering unto the Lord, either of gold, silver, or brass, blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and oil, and spices, and sweet incense, and onyx stones, and stones of all kinds; and that every one who was wise-hearted among them should come and make all that the Lord had commanded, which Moses proceeds to enumerate (see Exod. xxxv. and xxxvi). The congregation then departed to their several tents, but speedily came every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing. "And they came, both men and WOMEN, as many who were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets of gold," &c. "And all the women who were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom, spun goats' hair. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing." In such quantities were these free offerings, that another proclamation was soon made; for they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of

the work, which the Lord commanded to make. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. And the people were restrained from bringing."

We have quoted all these verses, at the risk of being thought tedious, on account of the very important truths they contain. In the first place, we see that, notwithstanding the innumerable rebellions, seditions, and murmurings of the Israelites, there was still a vast multitude, whose hearts so stirred them up for the service of the Lord, as to bring more valuable offerings than could all be used. In the text, by the constant allusion to the willing hearted, and to those whose spirits made them willing, we read, that only those gifts were acceptable which were offered from the heart. No mere formal profession could here avail. The spirit within was to be the prompter, not the outward appearance. In the third, the frequent mention of the wise-hearted, or those whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom, we learn, from the context, specified more especially those whom God Himself had gifted for the work; and that all those arts of engraving, of embroidery, of weaving, of cunning work, of spinning, nay, every kind of male and female work, came originally as much from His inspiration, as every other higher branch usually denominated "natural gifts," "talents," or "genius." Spinning, weaving, engraving, and embroidery, are now so common, that we have quite forgotten from whose inspiration they originally came; and were we told that these very resources of the mind and fingers should be

amongst the innumerable daily blessings for which we should thank God, we might be accused of enthusiasm and religious romance; yet who can read this chapter of Exodus, without feeling the truth of our position, and bidding the heart glow with thanksgiving for the innocent and happy resources of daily life?

In the fourth place, by both proclamations being addressed to wOMAN, as well as man, we have another unanswerable proof of their equality, not only in the power and freedom to bring offerings, but in their being equally gifted by the Eternal for the work. We peruse with admiration the self-devotion of the women of Carthage, when bringing together all their gold and silver ornaments to form arms for the defence of their city, even cutting off their hair to make strings for bows and other weapons; and our admiration is just: but how much more strongly should it be excited towards the women of Israel of old, who, from pure love of God, and zeal in His holy service, brought all their ornaments, bracelets, earrings, tablets, rings, jewels of gold and silver, every article of value which they could collect, and set themselves, heart and hand, to spin, weave, embroider, and use all their talents in His service by whom they had been bestowed. The women of Carthage were roused by a sense of rapidly approaching danger, by the excitement of war, by that pure love of home and land which God has implanted in every breast. The women of Israel were under no excitement; nay, they were wandering in a wilderness fraught with much to exhaust and weary mere human nature, however the immortal spirit might be sustained by the presence and revelation of the Lord. Their goal was

in perspective. The voice of murmuring, of disbelief, was constantly sounding around them. "Wherefore is

it, that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children ?" were words, not once nor twice, but countless times repeated, with every new trial of their faith.

And what is so infectious in a "mixed multitude" as unbelief-ay, even in the very face of miracles performed in their behalf? Yet, at the first call, there were still very many wise and willing-hearted to come forward. The women of Carthage were actuated by the mere feelings of humanity, by palpable danger, by the clearly traced issue of their efforts. The women of Israel worked through FAITH. Hoping for no earthly reward, seeking no worldly glory, sacrificing ornaments most prized (for dress, as we shall presently see, was considered rather too much than too little by our ancestors), knowing that once given they could not be recalled, keeping neither time nor talent back, but using both perseveringly and indiscriminately, and all simply and solely out of pure love to God.

There is something both beautiful and consoling in this portion of our history. It informs us, that in the very midst of constant rebellions and constant fallings away, there were, and will always be found, many to love and serve their God. That He will never leave Himself without witnesses upon earth; and that, therefore, however we may mourn the lack of energy and spirituality in Israel-however we may grieve and deplore the cases of infidelity or indifference, or even direct departures from His most Holy Law-still God is with us to retain many an unsuspected one in fidelity and zeal. Despondency, even in His cause, is more