shared that experience, when for our sakes He became man. He chose
comrades who were a blessing to Himself, although He was a far greater
blessing to them. He took them with Him when he went forth to confront
the crises of His life--on the Mount of Transfiguration, and in the
Garden of Gethsemane, where His sorrow was intensified by their failure
to watch with Him. He had three specially intimate friends. He called
twelve to be apostles, and sent forth seventy as missioners--an
arrangement in which we see the New Testament counterpart of the
choosing of these seventy-two elders, to rule and judge the Israelites,
and thus share the responsibility of Moses.

The account given us of their appointment is singularly interesting.
Six men out of each of the twelve tribes were summoned to the
Tabernacle, solemnly set apart and filled with the Spirit--but two of
the men--Eldad and Medad--were absent "_They were of them written to_"
is the exact phrase--and the fact that they received a written summons
denotes a higher and more general culture among that ancient people
than is generally imagined to have existed. Yet it is what might be
reasonably expected, for they had come out of Egypt, the most civilised
power then in the world, a country where the usual writing materials
were exclusively made. Though the Israelites had been only slaves
there, they would doubtless be familiar with the art of writing, for
the men of that race have never yet lagged behind any people among whom
they have lived.

Seventy of the men thus summoned came together promptly, and were
ranged in a semicircle before the Tabernacle. Then, in the sight of
all the people, the cloud descended, wrapped them all in impenetrable
mist, as a sign that the chosen men were being mysteriously baptised
with the Spirit, and when again they emerged they began to prophesy.