Transcriber's Note. The text comprises a series of letters in three groups. The first group, the first letter within that group, and the third group, lack headings. Appropriate headings have been copied from the Table of Contents and inserted on pages 25 and 468. Apparent typographical errors have been corrected as has inconsistent hyphenation. Italics are indicated by _underscores_. Small capitals have been converted to full capitals. [Illustration: THE FINDING OF MOSES.--PAGE 388.] THE PILLAR OF FIRE; OR, Israel in Bondage. [Illustration] BY REV. J. H. INGRAHAM, Rector of Christ Church, and of St. Thomas' Hall, Holly Springs, Miss. AUTHOR OF "THE PRINCE OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID." BOSTON: ROBERTS BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS. NO. 299 WASHINGTON STREET. 1881. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by G. G. EVANS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. THE MEN OF ISRAEL, SONS OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, KINDRED OF MOSES, THE GREAT LAWGIVER AND FRIEND OF GOD: This Book IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR; WITH THE PRAYER, THAT YOU, OF THIS GENERATION, WHO ARE DISPERSED IN ALL THE EARTH MAY BEHOLD AND FOLLOW THE LIGHT OF THE CROSS, AS YOUR FATHERS FOLLOWED THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND ENTER AT LAST THE REAL CANAAN, UNDER THE TRUE JOSHUA, JESUS, THE SON OF ABRAHAM, WHO ALSO WAS THE SON OF GOD. AUTHOR'S CHAPTER TO THE READER. The idea of illustrating scenes of that period of the history of Egypt in which the Israelites were held in bondage by her kings, and presenting it from a point of view outside of the Mosaic narrative, yet strictly harmonizing therewith, occurred to the writer some years ago. In view of his object, he has carefully studied the history and chronology of Egypt, and endeavored to inform his mind upon the manners, customs, laws, religion, and polity of the ancient Egyptians, so far as to aid him in an intelligent and practical execution of his work. The difficulties which the question of dynasty, and of _individual_ reigns have presented, will be understood by the Egyptian student. Whatsoever chronology or theory the author might finally decide upon, he saw would be open to the objections of adherents to the opposite school. After a thorough examination of the subject of the dynasties, the author has followed, chiefly, the chronology and theory of Nolan and Seyffarth, whose opinions are sustained by the ablest scholars. But this work is by no means a "Book on Egypt." It professes to have nothing more to do with Egyptian antiquities, mythology, chronology, and history, than these naturally assemble about his subject, which is, mainly, "The Bondage and Deliverance of the Children of Israel from the Land of Egypt."