Expositions of Holy Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and NumbersMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. Pentateuch -- Commentaries; Bible. Pentateuch -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
But, passing from that, how the true woman's heart changes languid
curiosity into tenderness, and how compassion conquers pride of race
and station, as well as regard for her father's edict, as soon as the
infant's cry, which touches every good woman's feelings, falls on her
ear! 'One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.' All the centuries
are as nothing; the strange garb and the stranger mental and spiritual
dress fade, and we have here a mere woman, affected, as every true
sister of hers to-day would be, by the helpless wailing. God has put
that instinct there. Alas that it ever should be choked by frivolity or
pride, and frozen by indifference and self-indulgence! Gentle souls
spring up in unfavourable soil. Rameses was a strange father for such a
daughter. How came this dove in the vulture's cage? Her sweet pity
beside his cold craft and cruelty is like the lamb couching by the
lion. Note, too, that gentlest pity makes the gentlest brave. She sees
the child is a Hebrew. Her quick wit understands why it has been
exposed, and she takes its part, and the part of the poor weeping
parents, whom she can fancy, against the savage law. No doubt, as
Egyptologists tell us, the princesses of the royal house had separate
households and abundant liberty of action. Still, it was bold to
override the strict commands of such a monarch. But it was not a
self-willed sense of power, but the beautiful daring of a compassionate
woman, to which God committed the execution of His purposes.
And that is a force which has much like work trusted to it in modern
society too. Our great cities swarm with children exposed to a worse
fate than the baby among the flags. Legislation and official charity
have far too rough hands and too clumsy ways to lift the little life
out of the coffer, and to dry the tears. We must look to Christian
women to take a leaf out of 'Bithiah's' book. First, they should use
their eyes to see the facts, and not be so busy about their own luxury
and comfort that they pass the poor pitch-covered box unnoticed. Then
they should let the pitiful call touch their heart, and not steel
themselves in indifference or ease. Then they should conquer prejudices
of race, pride of station, fear of lowering themselves, loathing, or
contempt. And then they should yield to the impulses of their
compassion, and never mind what difficulties or opponents may stand in
the way of their saving the children. If Christian women knew their
obligations and their power, and lived up to them as bravely as this
Egyptian princess, there would be fewer little ones flung out to be
eaten by crocodiles, and many a poor child, who is now abandoned from
infancy to the Devil, would be rescued to grow up a servant of God.
She, there by the Nile waters, in her gracious pity and prompt wisdom,
is the type of what Christian womanhood, and, indeed, the whole
Christian community, should be in relation to child life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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