WHEN the King of Egypt said the Israelites might go they were all up and dressed, quite ready and only waiting, and off they set. No more making of bricks, no more slaving for the Egyptians, no more drowning of babies! They were free! and God was going to lead them to the beautiful country that long ago He had said He would give them. [Illustration: EGYPTIAN JUDGMENT SCENE.] And so, to put them in mind how they were saved from the Egyptians, God bade them on the same day in each year to kill a lamb and roast it, and put the blood on the door-post, and eat the lamb all standing round the table, dressed as if they were going for a journey, that they might never forget how God had made them free. This was called the Passover, because the angel passed over the houses where the blood was marked over the door. And God came in a pillar of cloud to show them the way they should go. Our blessed Lord was crucified when He had come to the Feast of the Passover many years after. You know He was like a lamb, He was so pure and gentle; and His Blood saves us, as that lamb's blood did the Israelites, and sets us free from the power of the devil. So we still keep the feast of being set free, on this happy Easter Sunday, when we recollect that Christ was slain for our sins, but that He rose again from the dead, and liveth for evermore. QUESTIONS. 1. What did Pharaoh say that the Israelites might do? 2. What made him let them go at last? 3. Who were set free? 4. What were the Israelites to do every year? 5. What was this eating the lamb called? 6. Why was it called the Passover? 7. Why were the Israelites glad? 8. Who set us free? 9. What did our Lord do as on this day? 10. In what is He like a lamb? 11. So what did we say in the Easter Anthem to-day? 12. How did God lead them? THIRD READING. "The children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea."--_Exodus 14:16._ ALL the Egyptians were weeping over their dead first-born sons, and the Israelites were set free, and going gladly out and away from their hard masters. But Pharaoh's hard heart turned again, and he got all his chariots and horsemen together, and went after the children of Israel to drive them back to Egypt. And when he came in sight of them, there they were all upon the shore of the sea called the Red Sea. They could not go on, for the sea was straight before them; they could not go back, for the Egyptians were behind. They were sore afraid. But God spoke to Moses and told him not to fear. They had only to stand still and see how God would save them. And God Himself showed that He was with them, for the pillar of cloud went behind them, instead of before, and made it dark to the Egyptians, but gave light by night to the Israelites: so the Egyptians could not get near them all night. [Illustration: PHARAOH'S HOST DESTROYED IN THE RED SEA.--Ex. 14:30, 31.]