as to blame for it, the fact is
undisputed that Moses led a revolt in Egypt, and the people he carried
with him in this exodus formed the nucleus of the Hebrew Nation. And
further, the fact is beyond dispute that the personality of Moses was
the prime cementing factor in the making of the nation. The power,
poise, patience and unwavering self-reliance of the man, through his
faith in the god Jehovah, are all beyond dispute. Things happen because
the man makes them happen.

* * * * *

The position of the Israelites in Egypt was one of voluntary vassalage.
The government was a feudal monarchy. The Israelites had come into Egypt
of their own accord, but had never been admitted into the full rights of
citizenship. This exclusion by the Egyptians had no doubt tended to fix
the Children of Israel in their religious beliefs, and on the other
hand, their proud and exclusive nature had tended to keep them from a
full fellowship with the actual owners of the land.

The Egyptians never attempted to traffic in them as they did in slaves
of war, being quite content to use them as clerks, laborers and
servants, paying them a certain wage, and also demanding an excess of
labor in lieu of taxation. In other words, they worked out their
"road-tax," which no doubt was excessive. Many years later, Athens and
also Rome had similar "slaves," some of whom were men of great intellect
and worth. If one reads the works of modern economic prophets, it will
be seen that wage-workers in America are often referred to as "slaves"
or "bondmen," terms which will probably give rise to confusion among
historians to come.

Moses was brought up in the court of the king, and became versed in all
the lore of the Egyptians. We are led to suppose that he also looked
like an Egyptian, as we are told that people seeing him for the first
time, he being a stranger to them, went away and referred to him as
"that Egyptian." He was handsome, commanding, silent by habit and slow
of speech, strong as a counselor, a safe man. That he was a most
valuable man in the conduct of Egyptian official affairs, there is no
doubt. And although he was nominally an Egyptian, living with the
Egyptians, adopting their manners and customs, yet his heart was with
"his brethren," the Israelites, who he saw were sore oppressed through
governmental exploitation.

Moses knew that a government which does not exist for the purpose of
adding to human happi