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O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches.' Therefore, 'Let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord.' And ' Bless the Lord, O my soul !'

THE ROCK IN HOREB.

An account of the identical rock which was smitten by Moses, from which flowed a running brook.

THE famous Rock in Horeb, antiently called Massah, or Meribath; and at present the stone of Moses, and the stone of the fountains; (being that which Moses struck with his rod, in order to give water to the children of Israel in the wilderness, Exod. 17) is preserved to this day, without the least injury from time or accidents; and is certainly a fragment from mount Sinai ; as appears from Dr. Shaw's description of it. "It is (says he) a block of granite marble, about six yards square, lying tottering as it were, and loose in the middle of the valley of Rephidim, and seems to have formerly belonged to mount Sinai, which hangs in a variety of precipices, all over the plain." (Shaw's Travels p. 352.)

It may not be unacceptable to the reader, to continue the description of this rock; which is as follows; "The waters which gushed out, and the stream, which flowed withal (Psalm lxxviii. 20.) have hollowed, across one corner of this rock, a channel, about two inches deep, and twenty wide, appearing to be incrusted all over, like the inside of a tea-kettle, that hath been long in use. Besides several mossy productions, that are still preserved by the dew, we see all over this channel a great number of holes; some of them four or five inches deep, and one or two in diameter, the lively and demonstrative tokens of their having been formerly so many fountains.

It likewise may be farther observed, that art or chance could, by no means, be concerned in the contrivance; for, every circumstance points out to us a miracle; and, in the same manner with the rent in the rock of mount Calvary at Jerusalem, never fails to produce a religious surprise in all who see.”

Similar to which, is Dr. Pocock's account of this rock; and also that of the Prefetto's of Egypt; each of which the reader may see inserted in the Bishop of Clogher's translation of a manuscript journal from Grand Cairo to mount Sinai, page 14, 2d edition.

It may be observed farther, that, in considering this rock, as

a fragment, the miracle, of the water's flowing out of it, will appear much greater, than if it had been in its natural bed, or united to the solid orb of the earth, for, it is not uncommon, in breaking up, or only boaring through the regular strata of the earth, to enter into a natural fissure, which, communicating with the abyss, is always full of water; and when such is broken into, a stream of water will immediately issue out, and continue flowing: but as this rock was separate, and detached from the regular and undisturbed strata; and lying loose upon the surface of the earth, it cannot be supposed to have had any communication with the natural fissures; and, therefore, the water, that proceeded from it, must have been owing to a supernatural cause, which is agreeable to what an ancient traveller (M. Beaumgarton, a German nobleman, who travelled into Arabia in the year 1507: see his travels in Churchill's collection of voyages, vol. 1. p. 337,) remarks: which miracle (of the water's flowing out of the above mentioned rock) was the more wonderful, because this stone, though it is separated from the rest of the rock; and is almost of a square figure; yet is fixed in the ground by only one pointed corner; and, consequently, not in so fit a posture to extract moisture from the earth; and therefore its sending forth such abundance of water must have been the work of an Almighty hand."

We may add likewise, that this stone was so small, exposed in such a manner, and situated in such a tottering condition, that it might easily be viewed on all sides; and even turned upside down, had the people, who attended Moses, suspected any cheat, or imposture in this affair. And, in order to take off all suspicion of this kind, might be one reason, why God made choice of such a stone as this, for the operation of this miracle; which was so extraordinary, and attended with such indubitable proof, that the persons, who had just before murmured, and questioned the divine mission of Moses; now entirely acquiesced in it.

And, if such persons as Corah, Dathan, Abiram, and their companies (who were ready on every occasion to find fault with Moses, and dispute his authority) were satisfied; surely our present unbelievers (who lay claim to great modesty and reason) ought to be so, since the miracle was examined by their own set of people; and they may have occular demonstration of the truth of it at this day.

One of them, then told my brother that the night before, I had committed a murder and robbery.

Presently a warrant was produced, and I was carried back to Deal, attended by the three men; my brother with another friend accompanying us, who knew not what to say, nor how to comfort me.

Being arrived in town I was immediately hurried to the house where I had slept. We were met at the door by a crowd of people, every one crying, Which is he! Which is he! As soon as I entered, I was accosted by the publican's wife in tears, O cursed wretch! What hast thou done! Thou hast murdered and robbed my poor, dear uncle, and all through me who put thee to lie with him. But where hast thou hid his money? and what hast thou done with his body? Thou shalt be hanged on a gallows as high as a may-pole. My brother begging her to be pacified, I was taken into a private room. They then asked me, where I had put the money? and how I had disposed of the body? I asked them what money? and whose body they meant? They then said I had killed the person I had lain with the preceding night, for the sake of a large sum of money I had seen with him. I fell down upon my knees, calling God to witness, I knew nothing of what they accused me. Then somebody cried, carry him up stairs, and I was brought into the chamber where I had slept. Here the man of the house went to the bed, and turning down the clothes, showed the sheets, pillow and bolster dyed in blood. He asked me did I know any thing of that? I declared to God I did not. A person in the room said, young man, something very odd must have past here last night; for lying in the next chamber, I heard groanings, and going up and down stairs more than once or twice. I then told them the circumstances of my illness, and that I had been up and down myself, with all that passed between my bedfellow and me. Somebody proposed to search me; several began to turn my pockets inside out, and from my waistcoat tumbled the penknife and the piece of money already mentioned, which I had entirely forgot. Upon seeing these the woman immediately screamed out, O God! there's my uncle's penknife! Then taking up the money, and calling to the people about her, Here said she, is what puts the villain's guilt beyond a doubt. I can swear to this William and Mary's guinea; my uncle has long had it by way of pocket-piece, and engraved the first letters of his name upon it. She then began to cry afresh, while I could do nothing but continue to call Heaven to witness that I was as innocent as the child unborn. The constable who had heard me mention the having gone down into the garden, told the

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tired after a long journey. You are the only one that lies in this house alone will you give him part of yours? To this the man answered, that she knew he had been out of order; that he was blooded that day, and consequently a bedfellow could not be very agreeable; however, said he, rather than the young man shall sit up, he is welcome to sleep with me. After this we sat awhile together, when having put his money in a canvas bag, into the pocket of his night gown, he took the candle and I followed him up to bed.

How long I slept, I cannot exactly determine: but I conjecture it was about three o'clock in the morning when I awoke with a violent cholic. My bedfellow who was awake, observing that I was very uneasy, asked me what was the matter? I informed him, and begged he would direct me to the necessary. He told me, when I was down stairs, I must turn on my right hand, and go straight into the garden, at the end of which it was, just over the sea; but added, as you may possibly find some difficulty in opening the door, the string being broke which pulls up the latch, I will give you a penknife which you may open it with through a chink in the boards. So saying, he put his hand into his waistcoat pocket, which lay on the bed, and gave me a middling sized penknife.

I hurried on a few of my clothes, and went down stairs. On unclasping the penknife to open the door of the necessary a piece of money which stuck between the blade and the groove in the handle fell into my hand. I did not examine what it was, nor indeed could I well see, there being but a very faint moon light, so I put them together carelessly in my pocket.

I apprehend I staid in the garden pretty near a quarter of an hour. When I returned to the chamber, I was surprised to find my bedfellow gone. I called several times, but receiving no answer, I went to bed, and again fell asleep.

About six o'clock I arose, nobody yet being up in the house. The gentleman was not yet returned to bed, or, if he was, had again left it. I dressed myself with what haste I could, being impatient to see my sister, and the reckoning being paid over night, I let myself out at the street door.

Having got to my sister's, she and her husband received me. About eleven o'clock in the forenoon, when standing at the door, my brother-in-law being by my side, we saw three horsemen galloping towards us. As soon as they came up to the house, they stopped and one of them lighting, suddenly seized me by the collar, crying, You are the queen's prisoner. I desired to know my crime. He said, I should know that as soon as I came to Deal, where I must immediately go with them.

One of them, then told my brother that the night before, I had committed a murder and robbery.

Presently a warrant was produced, and I was carried back. to Deal, attended by the three men; my brother with another friend accompanying us, who knew not what to say, nor how to comfort me.

Being arrived in town I was immediately hurried to the house where I had slept. We were met at the door by a crowd of people, every one crying, Which is he! Which is he! As soon as I entered, I was accosted by the publican's wife in tears, O cursed wretch! What hast thou done! Thou hast murdered and robbed my poor, dear uncle, and all through me who put thee to lie with him. But where hast thou hid his money? and what hast thou done with his body? Thou shalt be hanged on a gallows as high as a may-pole. My brother begging her to be pacified, I was taken into a private room. They then asked me, where I had put the money? and how I had disposed of the body? I asked them what money? and whose body they meant? They then said I had killed the person I had lain with the preceding night, for the sake of a large sum of money I had seen with him. I fell down upon my knees, calling God to witness, I knew nothing of what they accused me. Then somebody cried, carry him up stairs, and I was brought into the chamber where I had slept. Here the man of the house went to the bed, and turning down the clothes, showed the sheets, pillow and bolster dyed in blood. He asked me did I know any thing of that? I declared to God I did not. A person in the room said, young man, something very odd must have past here last night; for lying in the next chamber, I heard groanings, and going up and down stairs more than once or twice. I then told them the circumstances of my illness, and that I had been up and down myself, with all that passed between my bedfellow and me. Somebody proposed to search me; several began to turn my pockets inside out, and from my waistcoat tumbled the penknife and the piece of money already mentioned, which I had entirely forgot. Upon seeing these the woman immediately screamed out, O God! there's my uncle's penknife! Then taking up the money, and calling to the people about her, Here said she, is what puts the villain's guilt beyond a doubt. I can swear to this William and Mary's guinea; my uncle has long had it by way of pocket-piece, and engraved the first letters of his name upon it. She then began to cry afresh, while I could do nothing but continue to call Heaven to witness that I was as innocent as the child unborn. The constable who had heard me mention the having gone down into the garden, told the

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