1. What wicked thing had the Israelites done? 2. Who prayed for their forgiveness? 3. Where did Moses go to pray for their forgiveness? 4. Who forgave them? 5. What did Moses venture to ask God to show him? 6. But what can no one do? 7. Where was Moses placed? 8. What passed by? 9. What voice did he hear? 10. How was Moses more honored than any man? 11. How long did he stay in the mountain? 12. What did God give him again? 13. How did his face look when he came down? 14. What did he do to hide his face? 15. How came his face to be so glorious? SECOND READING. "Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him."--_Deut. 13:4._ WHEN the Israelites came into the good land where they were going, they were to be very careful not to learn to worship idols. For idols were no gods at all--only wood and stone--and could not hear them pray, nor give them what they wanted. Besides, the people round them had very frightful ways of trying to please their false gods. They had one called Moloch, made of brass, and they used to offer poor little children up in sacrifice to him, and make a noise with drums and trumpets, that no one might hear their cries. There was another god called Baal, to whom they set up great images, and feasted in his honor; and a goddess, whom they called the queen of heaven, of Ashtoreth. Women used to offer cakes to her, and dance in honor of her, for they thought she sent the moon to shine on them. Now, the Israelites were not to worship any of these false gods. They were to remember how they heard the Only True God speaking to them out of the cloud upon the mountain, and telling them, "I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt have no other gods but Me." And God told them that if they would worship Him and serve Him, all should go well with them, and they should be happy and blessed. But if they went after these false idols, all would go ill with them, and there would be only sorrow and misery. QUESTIONS. 1. Say the First Commandment. 2. Say the Second. 3. What three idols did the people of the country worship? 4. What did they do in honor of Moloch? 5. What did they do in honor of Baal? 6. What did they call Ashtoreth? 7. What did they think she sent them? 8. Who made the moon? 9. What would happen if the children of Israel worshipped God? 10. What would happen if they worshipped idols? THIRD READING. "It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My ways."--_Psalm 95:10._ AFTER the Commandments were given the Israelites went on their journey. The Ark, or chest, where the Commandments on their two tables of stone were kept, was carried before them; and God still showed that He was with them, for He made a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night go along with them, and rest on it. [Illustration: THE SPIES RETURNING FROM CANAAN.--Num. 13:24-26.]