ILLUSTRATIONS;

BIBLE

OR,

DESCRIPTION

MANNERS

OF

CUSTOMS

AND

THE

TO

PECULIAR

EAST,

ESPECIALLY

EXPLANATORY

OF

THE

BY

REV
Author

of"

AMERICAN

H.

DRAPER,

from

the Old

WITH

EDITION
ILLUSTRATED

SCRIPTURES.

THE

B.

ScriptureStories

HOLY

MANY
BT

aud

Ne\fr Testament."

IMPROVEMENTS.

ENGRAVINGS.

BOSTON:
CARTER,

HENDEE

".

1832.

Co.

HARVABD

COLL2C15
GIFT

MRS

Entered

accordingto

OF

HORATIO

Act

of

LIBRARY

LAMB

Congress

in the year

1832, by Samuel

Goodrich, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

Stereotypedby Jenkins "

Green

Water-Street, Boston.

ough,

G.

ADVERTISEMENT
TO

'A

of

is

the

they

EDITION.

ENGLISH

of

knowledge

East

THE

the

and

customs

right understanding

absolutely

necessary

Scriptures.

Most

persons

how

singular

were

parts of

young,
the

to

of the

manners

recollect, when,

can

difficult

and

"om*)

ged
appeared, which) from thftir enlar-

Bible

information, they

regard

now

as

very

simple

and

beautiful.
It

was

include
are

not

the

manifold

possible that
of

whole

allusions

comprehends
instructive, and
that

those
in the
of

many
such

the. Scriptures

are

as

are

volume
customs

Sacred
the

most

amply

accurate

in

of this size

could

which

there

Writings;

it however

to

interesting and
sufficient
their

to

prove

represents-

IV

ADVERTISEMENT.

tions,and

worthy of respect,

sight,the

sense

It is
to

which

hoped, that
occupy

the young

hours
on

does

Lord's

the

of the

not

the

place
will be

between

conducive

will

to that

agreeable and

Southampton,

that

useful

of

employ

to

volumes
lowed
hal-

public worship

them

their

ted
permit-

the

on

of the

varietywhich

necessary

1831.

some

be

read

to

intervals

; and

Day

will

pages

allured

first

appear.

those

among

the

risinggeneration
as

immediately

ensuing

at the

where,

even

instructors
in their labour

is

so

ingly
exceed-

cess.
enlarged suc-

CONTENTS.

540

Introduction
Eastern

...-"....

Houses

12

Bricks

.22
.

Hospitality

,25

Homage

31
.

Sacrifices

.38

Inns

41
*

Keys

45
.
.

Covenants

.47

Serpents
Wheat,

49

Bread, Food,

54

"c

Ovens

62

Ornaments

"4

Rice

Eating
Napkins

,69

Flesh

Books, and

Feasts, and

.73

"

..

73
.........

Writing

82
.

Meals

96
.......

Presents

103
.........

viii

CONTEKTI.

and Vineyards
Cattle,
Agriculture,
Trade

and Commerce

Music

and

Grinding

.,110

"

100

........

Poetry

Grecian

The

"

127

Games

139
,

137

"""""""""

Tents

"

.141

Climate

145

Eire
Bottles

146

....

Shoes

14T

"

"

"

1'5X

"

"

Thrones

155

Hie

Mirage

The

Simoom

l"ff
.

Gold

.163

.164;

Water

Spouts
Door-ways and

165

Gates

......

166.

Balances

16?

Salutation

171

Moloch

"

Garments

Threshing

"

1T4

176
........

184

Posture

194

Mourning

197*

Miscellaneous

Subjects

$0?

INTRODUCTION.

Mr.

resided

Benton

the

coa^t

of

had

been

engaged

the

neighborhood

him

the

up

in the

handsome

in

Hampshire

pursuits

busy

London.

His

state

of

his

welfare

and

fortune,

considerable

profits of

trade

of

commerce,

he

had

rendered

had

who

linquished.
re-

sea-air

the

well

was

he
in

now

father

his

as

those

to

early

he

oa

life

In

These

health

seat

country

England.

of

to

necessary

at

left

had

able

giw

to

of"

need

more

them.
he

And
he

was

fond
was

died

who
to

his

best
to

as

of

after
He

willing to

do

as

so,

he

"

life*

the

lost

when

case,

he

had

long illness, leaving

therefore*

determined,

of

subject,

this
were

by

His

unison;

And,
his

to

boy

gratify tb"

sentiments

with

pecially
es-

wife,,

fine little

his leisure

devoting

child.
m

for

able

was

retired, contemplative

of his heart,

education

important

this

care.

wishea

the

was

those

hours*
on

thw*

of Cowa

10

per

INTRODUCTION.

conversingupon this topic,he would often

imation
followinglines,with much interest and an-

; when

repeat the
;
"

"

Then

why resigninto

A task

hand
stranger's

Seem

within your own

command,
God and nature, and your interest too,
with one
voice to delegateto you ?

Why

hire

That

much

so

For one,

lodgingin

whose

house

tenderest

unknown,

thoughtsall hover

weaning, needless

round

This

second

How

it lacerate both your heart and his !

indented stick,that looses day by day,

The

after

Bears

witness, long

With

what

Thus

Mr.

Friend,

and

Benyon
Tutor,

for the

as

your

own

it is,

does

Notch

His

smoothed

notch, til)all are

ere

his dismission

intense desire he

wants

determined
all in

one

away,
come,

!'

his home

to

be

;" and he

Father, and
well qualwas
ified
"

task.

household

of the best of

was

regulatedvery

forefathers.

in the

style

example, he had
for the Holy Scriptures;
a high degree of reverence
he believed, with
God
for
Locke, that they "have
their author, salvation for their end, and truth, without
of error, for their matter."
He felt,
any mixture
that the testimony of Sir W. Jones, in reference to
"
well-founded
I have regularly,"
said
the Bible, was
;
"and
that learned
attentivelyread the Holy
man,
our

For

much

INTRODUCTION.

of

ll

dependen
opinion,that this volume, inof its divine origin,contains
limity
submore
and beauty, more
important
pure morality,more
history, and finer strains of poetry and eloquence,
be collected from all other books, in whatever
than can
have been composed."
age or language they may
ted
friends and relatives of Mr. Benyon often visiThe
in his retirement
him
might be
; but, whoever
his household
each morning and
present, he assembled
evening, to hear a portionof the sacred pages, and to
offer supplicationand thanksgivingto the great source
of all good.
Harry was a very sensible boy, and apt to ask questions
His
father
about every
thing.
encouraged him
of his principalenjoyments to
to do so, as it was
one
impart to him that knowledge which, he hoped, by
would
the divine blessing,
make
him wise and useful.
This excellent
youth often noticed expressions and
transactions
that appeared singularin those parts of
sacred
writ, which
were
daily read in his hearing;
and he did not forgetto ask his father to explainwhat
he could not understand
; an example well worthy the

Scriptures;

and

imitation of all*

am

1ft

EASTERN

HOUSES.

morning, after Mr. Benyon had read to hie

of the healing of the
account
family the interesting
joy
Paralytic,(Mark ii.)he and Henry walked out to enOne

the

cool

breeze.

It

springmornings, when,
"

"*'

"

And

AH

music

to

of those

one

was

Akenside

as

beautiful

says,

is beauty to the eye.

the ear."

As

the terrace
they were
standingat theendof
garden, watching the tide gently creeping up in
streamlets

ly

have

the

on

coast,

Harry said,

"

in the
stive*

Father,* I

thinkingabout the poor man, of whom

youcould they get him to the top*
mad
this morning ; how
of the house* and then let him down
before our Lord1?1
Did- they take ofT the roof ?"
WI am"
not
surprised,Harry, that the account
puzbeen

Marfe

ii.3: And

tb"palsyjwhich
4k. And* when

they
was

unto

come

borne

they could

not

come

where
the

nigh
he

was

unto
:

and

bed wherein

him

for the

when-they
the

sick of

palsylay.

Repeat
does

sick of

of four.

uncovered* the roof

press, they"
had broken
it up, they let down
the

him, bringing one

the

Harry ask

versed

about

from

Mark

down
letting

that relate to the

the

1
Paralytic

Paralytic

What

question

*fS

fiotrsE*.

I will

iled you.

explain

which
Scriptures

the

East, where

the

which

you

those

Judea

seem

There

are

Scriptureswere

the

houses

written, aire

in this country.

see

other

many

singular,and

very

is,because

; that

reason

same

woiild

it.

The

for

in the
udt

houses

like
in

ftdt roofs ; and

built with

they had battlefor safely,according to' God's own

around
them
ments
the people in the
command,
(Deut.xxii. 9.) Hence
East are accustomed
to lay flax and linen to dry ontfre
that the spies concealed
tops of their houses : weYead
hid among
these.
were
(Joshua ii. 6;)
by Rahab
of social intercourse
the scenes
The house-tops were
informed that
and friendlyconversation
are
; so, we
Samuel and Saul were
talkingtogetheron the house-top*
(1.Sam. ix. 25"6.) At the Feast of Tabernacles,the
were

Deut. xxii.e.
*halt make

When

battlement

"

for

if any
ttpon thinehotide,

man

Joshua ii.6. 'Bttt^

had

house, and hid them

buildeat

thou

with

thy Toof,that
fallfrom

house, then thou

ttou bring'
not blood

new

thence.

broughtthem up to die roof of the

which she hrtMaid
the stalks of flax,

hi ortter upon the roof.

Bam. 1. ix. 25. And when
"

"

Why doTnany

East?
VOmt

How
were

about the

were

the

verse*

the

they were

seem
iirBcrtptnrsr

houses

in Jndea

What

was

done

on

down

from

the

respecting
the^ooesin the
ringnfar
tmiltt
Repeat a Terse from Dot

peoplein the East aeenstomed

spies1

cone

to

do t

the hoose tops 1

What

is said in/oshoa

14

HOUSES.

peoplewere

to make

accustomed

themselves

booths,

the roof of his house, and in their

one
every
upon
elites
The
courts.'
prophet Jeremiah tells us, that the Israoffered incense

sometimes

idols

their

to

on

the

roofs of their houses."

(Jer.xxxii. 29.)
And
Peter, you know, father,went
up to the roof
the house-top to pray."
(Actsx. 9.)
"
Isaiah speaks of the inhabitants
True, Harry. And
of a city having gone
to the house
tops.'
up
"

at

Houses

in the

high place to
top of

East

the

are

built

city,Samuel

with

'

with

communed

within, in-

court

Saul

upon

the

the house.

the
to pass about
they rose early; and it came
springof the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the
house, saying,Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose,
and they went
abroad/
out both of them, he and Samuel
Jer. xxxii. 29. And
that fightagainstthis
the Chaldeans
and set fire on this city,and burn
it with the
city,shall come
bouses,upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal,
And

26.

and

poured out

drink

gods to provoke me

other

offeringsunto

to anger.

Ads
and

9. On

x.

drew

about

Repeat t^ryerses
1

are

What

they went

as

morrow,

the

nigh unto

to pray

What

the

city,Peter

went

on

up

their

upon

journey,

the housetop

the sixth hour.

from

does the

Samuel.

What

prophetJeremiah

is said in Acts

tell us 1

concerningPeter

houses built in the East 1

at the

done

was

Repeata

What

nacles
Feast of the Taberverse

ah.
from Jeremi-

does Isaiah say 1

How

IS

HOUSES.

which, chiefly,the

to

to the street

open
that

are

open ; those which

obstructed with lattice-work,

windows
so

either without

within,can see through

them.
Whenever, therefore,any thingis to be seen
heard in the streets,any remarkable
or
spectacle,or
immediately
any alarm of a publicnature, every one
his curiosity.In
goes up to the house-top,to satisfy
the

no

one,

same

when*

manner,

or

any

one

had

occasion

to make

effectual way
the readiest and most
any thingpublic,
of doing it was
the
to proclaimit to the people from
house
the

tops. The

houses, is

people all running to the

livelyimage of a sudden

roofs of

general

alarm,'*
fc"

was

he
Travels, that when
entertained by the
Tiberias in Galilee,he was

Dr. Pocock
at

chiefs

tells

us

in his

particularly
engaged) ; and that,for coolness,they supped on the
ed
top of the house, accordingto their custom, and lodgthere likewise,
in a sort of closet about eight feet
the
square, of wicker-work, plasteredround towards
bottom, but without any door, each person having his
steward

streets

do the
1

presents

Where

peopledo if any thingremarkable

was

is

to be

made
proclamationgenerally,

lively
imageof alarm

his travels

was

apartment.

separate
What

\as the chief himself

in the East 1

*
*

Bishop Lowth.

*"

What

to

seen

the

or

heard

in the

people'?What

does Dr. Pocock

say

in

If

HOtJi**.

^A

more

recent

informs

traveller

us, that when

in

the J"ast he often

slepton the house-tops. ' We found,'

of sleeping extremely agreeable,
says the, 'this way
as we
by this means
enjoyed the cool air,without any
of the heavens, which
other coveringthan the canopy
presents itself in pleasingforms on every interruption
of rest, when
silence and solitude stronglydisposethe
Blind to contemplation.' Mr. Barker, our
Consul
at
Aleppo,was sleepingat the top of the house when the
late earthquake happened; and from thence
he descended
into the street,without passing through the
house.
So, you see, houses in the East had often
stairs,or fixed ladders,on the outside ; and for the
fsonvenience
of going up and down
within-side of the
with a
house, they had often a trap-door,or a lattice,
covering,on the flat of the roof.
" Dr.
Shaw
of the Evan*
thinks that the expressions
" in the
down
midst,'mean
g"ist,they let the paralytic
the house was
the court-yardround about which
built,
and that Our Lord was
preaching there. He supposes
that the bearers of the paralytic
might carry him
which
from the gatecommonly went
way,
up the stairs,
and having got to the flat roof,might take down
'

^hat does
How

more

recent

travellertellm

did he descend into the street?

the Eastt

mitef

What

How

*""

does Dr.

1m fopooM

Shaw

What

think

that the

What

Mr. Barker t

the bootee to
ScHptnr* by '""

tontettieneei hare

if meant

iaaa

happenedto

sick

in the

17

HOUSES.

inwards
so

part of the balustrade

let down

"

of the house
could

They

let the poor

so

by

the side of the

glazed
might beautifythe

perhaps painted tiles,which

and
walls

cords

with

the bed

parapet Wall, and

or

this court."

towards

such

easilyget on

house, father,and

'in the midst."

down

man

plain and
Truly, they could ; and you see how
natural the historynow
to you,
though this
appears
so
morning it seemed
singularand strange.
"

"Houses
some

are

poor

in the East
formed

of stone

commonly

are

often cracks

or

of wood

the walls

materials

built of various

are

which

brick ; but those of the

heat
The
of mud.
or
are

formed

of the

latter

frequently find a shelter in

he says :
To
them.
this the prophet alludes where
As if a man
into his house, and leaned his hand
went
the wall, and a serpent bit him."
on
It is said in the Gospels, that our
Lord's disciples
brate
in which
room'
prepared an
they might celeupper
the Pagsover.
These, with us, are regarded as

material, and

serpents

"

parts,of

the meanest
the

case
rooms

Of what

in the East
valued

are
materials*

are

the

rooms

How

as

the bouses

is the upper part of

valued in the East 1

to the

; even

their way into the houses 1 What

?
In what part of the house
t

habitation

the

did
house

this is not

but

present day, the upper

principalapartments."

of the East
does

the

built 1

How

Prophet Amos

do
say

serpents find

serpents
respecting

celebrate the Lord's

the disciples

regardedwith

us

How

are

per
supupper

18

HOUSES..

"
"

Was

furniture,father,similar to our's
Certainly not, Harry. The walls of their
their

often adorned

?,y
rooms

beautiful

with

hangings of cloth,
of their
silk of different colours, and the ceilings
or
sometimes
best mansions were
painted,or gilt,
or carved.
This is alluded to in Jer. xxii. 14.
Hag. i. 4.
The floorsof the dwellingsof the rich are usually
and are covered
of tiles or plaster,
with fine carpets.
and cushions are ptaced by the sides of the
Mattresses
were

"

red
walls, on which any one may recline: these are referto in Amos, vi. 4.
told that
Thus, also, we
are
Hezekiah, restingon his mattress
or
couch, turned hi"
towards
the wall when
f*M5efrom his attendants
he
2.

prayed, 2 Kings, xx.

Jer. xxii. 14.

That

I
saith,

will build

roe

wide

house, and

largechambers,and cutteth him out windows : and it is ceiled

with cedar, and paintedwith Vermillion.
Hag. i.4. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled
houses, and this house lie waste.
Amos
vi. 4. That Ire upon beds of ivory,and stretch themselves
upon their couches.
Kings2. xx. 2. Then

prayedunto
How
from
are

terse

Jer. and

walk

Hag.
they covered 1
from

hi" face

wall,and

to the

the Lord.
the

were

he turned

Amos.

and

How
What

What

him.
Kings,concerning

ceilingsof

are

rooms

adorned

Repeat the

verses

the floors of the best houses made,, and with what

are

placedby

are

we

the sides

told of Hezekiah

of the walls 1
1

Repeat

Repeat a
verse

froa"

20

HOUSES.

pulleddown on himself
In considering
this fabric Was/
what
his foes.
that could at one
Sir ChristopherWren,
pullbe

which
building

the
and
says

Samson

'*

'

demolished,I conceive it was an oval amphitheatre,the

roof of cedar beams,
in the middle,where
a vast
scene
restinground upon the walls,centered all upon one
that united two
cedar
short architrave
pillarsin the
middle.
The
pillarwould not be sufficient to unite
the ends of at least one
hundred
beams, that tended
I say, there must
be a short
to the centre
; therefore,
all the
architrave resting
two
pillars,
upon
upon which
of the amphitheatre
beams
tending to the centre
lous
might be supported. Now, if Samson by his miracued
movstrength,pressingupon one of those pillars,
roof must
of necessity
it from its basis,the whole
fall.'
"

Dr. Shaw

observes

this

that
ern
the Eastsubject,
method
of building
assist us in accountingfor
may
of the temple or house of Dathe particular
structure
of people wlio were
buried
gon, and the great number
in the ruins of it,by the pulling
down of the two principal

pillars. We
persons

on

the

sport ; Samson
How

must

does Dr. Shaw

the bouse

observe

on

read
roof

must
which
on

this

that

'

there

was

beholding while
therefore

have

pulled down
1
subject

Samson

multitude

Samson
been

have been

in

of

made
a

built 1

court
What
,

2\

21

HOUSES.

below

East

the

palaces and

Several

them.

built in such

are

that

way,

the

upon

the roof

of the

spectators.

for the wrestlers

area

cloisters round
often

I have

sand

vals
festi-

is strewed

to fall upon,

about

seen

justicein

their

on

a great quantity of
rejoicings

and

of

courts

whilst
with

is covered

several

of

hundreds

the roof of the

on
people diverted in this manner
which, like many
Dey's palace at Algiers,
n^ore of the
advanced
same
quality and denomination, hath an
cloister over
in
against the gate of the palace, made
of a large penthouse, supported only by
the fashion
two
or
one
contiguouspillarsin the front,or else in
In such
the centre.
as
these, in the
open structures
midst of the guards and councillors,are
the bashaws
flindother great officers assembled
to distribute justice
and
the public affairs of their provinces.
transact
Here
likewise they have
their public entertainments,
lords and

the

as

house

of

others

of the

Philistines

had

in the

Upon the suppositiontherefore that

of Dagon there was
in the house
ture
struca cloistered
of this kind, the pullingdown
of the front or
be attended
centre
pillarsonly, which
supported it,would
with
the like catastrophe to the Philistines."
How

are

Bashaws
have

Dagon.

the
and

palaces and

other

courts

of

officers assemble

publicentertainments

justicebuilt
to

in the East 1

distribute

1
justice

Where
Where

do the

do

they

BHICKS.

father,

"Tray,
kers,

to

Yes,

with

What

how

hard

I should
"We

often

much

it."

are

not

always

the
him

wishes,

would

bay

for

stood

come

into

few

moments,

the

cheerfulness

and

I knew

have

been

they

thankfulness

do

seem

to

poor

labourer,

profitable employment.
mind,

benevolent

engaged
of

equally

in hard

labour,

life

ourselves.

as

diffused

sometimes

But, father,

to

The

who

good
his

in

your

killed.

and
work

any

plenty

has

pleasant

creatures,

to

work

at
hard

them,
appear

to
to

see

ment
enjoyhas
than

if they

enjoy life 1

though

much
God

of

ground

persons,
as

age
man-

more
we

imagine."

I looked

those

such
have

to

seem

felicityamong
apt

Do

that

he

that

it is very

And

observe,

to

It is

have

not

their

think

not

like,

to

you

off

thrown

happy.

very

day,

indulged

sure

am

we

could

you

had

perhaps

what

other

liked, the

brickmakers

the

it is ! I

just

have

to

; but

might

you

hardship

"

you

diligence

have

pony

; and

see,

are

as

dirty employment

like

You

ridden

and

not

Harry.

of

hill,just

brickma-

the

labour."

they

You

; I have

Harry

remark

"

the

observe

ever

?"

village
"

you

of

side

the

on

did

used

23

BRICKS.

straw

any

that this

etraw, and
"

Pharaoh

of Israel to make

children

the

it is said that

know,

; you

bricks

manded
com-

without

great hardship."
accounts, which
many

was

So it was, Harry, on
mention
But the bricks in
now.
different

from

ours.

usually mingled with

"

I can't think

"

I will tell you,

recollect

the

Egypt were
A quantity of straw
clay."

the

of what

Harry,

which

command

whom

task-masters

somewhat

he

set

was

it.

Do

gave

to

about

Pharaoh

children

the

over

what
some-

be, father."

it could

use

not
can-

you

the

of Israel

?"

said, 'Ye

; he

"Yes

brick

to make

straw

gather
"

; this

employed

in

was

making

confirmed

by the
bricks,' says

well

moistened

Sir John

in the

sun.'

them

would

be

How
were

masters

of?

did

bricks made
1

What

in

that walls

Egypt 1

than

the children
What

does this command

those
of Israel

command
prove 1

'are

with

mixed

So, it seems,

command

Pharaoh

people
and

go

then

was

Scriptureaccount

Chardin,

water,

littlebetter

that straw

of travellers.

statements

dried

let them

The

bricks.

with

the

"

plain proof

give

more

no

heretofore

as

for themselves.'

straw

Well

shall

The

to

make

are

ern
east-

only clay
and

straw,

built with

built with

did Pharaoh
What

is

beat-

bricks )

giveto

How

the task

Eastern bricks made

24

BRICKS.

earth,or

en

that

Dr.

ourselves.

mud, among

Shaw

tells

of the

Egyptian pyramids are made

is only a mixture
of brick, the composition whereof
mixed
of clay,mud, and straw
wards
up together,and afterin the sun.
baked
'The
which
straw
keeps
he adds, and which
still prethese bricks together,'
serves
its originalcolour, seems
to be a proof that

us,

some

these

bricks

were

in kilns*'

burnt, or made

never

"Another

which

traveller, speaking of Cairo in Egypt,

that the houses, for the most
part are of bricks,
are
only hardened
by the heat of the sun, and

mixed

with

says,

also,use

straw

to make

firm.'

them

The

Chinese,

making their bricks."

"
How
these accounts
much
explain Scripture!"
"
They do, Harry ; but they not only explain it,
they also prove the truth of it.
of these bricks,yourr
But did you
see
ever
any
much

in

straw

"

"

"

self?"
"

Yes

and
"

have

; many
are

been

brought

preserved in

cabinets

did the Israelites make

And

England by

to

as

ellers,
trav-

curiosities."

bricks to build the pyramids

?"
Of

made
How

what
"
are

are

What

the bricks made

does Dr. Shaw

the houses

of these bricks been

to

build the

built at
seen

pyramids1

of which

some

Egyptian pyramids are

1
keeps the bricks together

of the

which
say of the straw
Do
Cairo 1
the Chinese

at the

present time 1

Did

use

straw

Have

the Israelitesmake

any

bricks

25

HOSPITALITY.

"

It is not

unlikelybut

least,in reference
hard

"

What

"

It must

it must

work

have

the

was

case

; at

of them."

to some

indeed

such

that

have

been

!"

been

occupation,

laborious

deed
slaves ; and inwho
were
Israelites,
serve,
obas
is,Harry. Yet, you may
you see it now
that, as the persons are used to it,they do not
find it unpleasant ; and, as they are not slaves,but are
rewarded
for their efforts,
they do not feel them to be
If Divine
Providence
has given us an easia burden.
er.task in life than others,we
should be thankful ; yet,
should never
think any thing beneath
is
we
us, which
evident
our
duty, and by which we may be useful to
to
especially

the

fellow creatures."

our

HOSPITALITY.
"

dear

In the

chapter
father,we are

the three

"

fine
Was

It is true

made
:

came

us

read

this

to

talk with

the

laborious

Scripturestory of

occupation1

Abraham

Were

passage

and the three

the
men.

my

received

him, and

how

for them."

in the earlier
picture of hospitality
it

morning,

readilyAbraham

entertainment

an

let

read

you

told how

who

men

he
willingly

which

again ; it is a
periods of the

Israelitesslaves 1

Repeat the

tioS^ITALITT.

26

world.

sacred histori"n

The

in the tent-door in the

when

and

of the

looked, and, lo ! three

he saw
them, he ran to

and

eyes

heat

that,as he sat
day, he lift up his
stood by him ;
men

tells us,

them

meet

from the

himself
the ground, arid
toward
door, and bowed
I have
found favour in tliy
said, My Lord, if now
tent

sight,pass
let

away,

little water,

feet,and

your

will fetch
hearts

So do

as

"

not

I pray

after that
thou

'And

yourselves under the tree ; and I

comfort
of bread, and
ye
your
And
on.
ftieysaid,
ye shall pass

rest

morsel

thee, from thy servant

be fetched, and wash
you,

I pray

said.'

hast

hastened

Abraham

into the tent

Sarah,

unto

of fine
said, Make
ready quickly three measures
meal, knead it,and make cakes upon the hearth.'
c"
the herd, and fetched a
And Abraham
unto
ran
and

and

calf tender
and

he

milk,

hastened
and

the

before them
and
"

they

to dress

calf which

; and

he

he

had

by

it to
he

man,
young
took butter and
a

dressed, tod

them

set

it

the tree,

under

did eat.'"

It would

Perhaps

to most

gave
it. And

stood

be

unpleasant now
first thing, when

very

feet washed, the

friend's house," would
"

and

good,

of

it would

us.

to
we

have
go

one's
into

it not, father ?"

inconvenient, to say the least,

But in the East, one
of the first kindbe

28

HOSPITALIT*.

of
is a contraction
Yes, Harry ; the word LORD
Hlaford
the Anglo-Saxon word
bread,or
; from
hlaf,
ioaf; and ford, to supplyor give out ; the term Lord,
tlie giver of bread.
Hence, Engtherefore,means,
lish
noblemen
called lords,because
are
they all used
to keep open houses, into which
strangers and vassals
as
they chose ; on this
might enter and eat as much
called
account
Lords, or Givers of bread.
they were
Some
of the most
ancient families still keep up this
"

"

custom.
"

Well,

I shall

what

knew

never

the

recollect

always

Lord

term

its

meant

meaning

fore.
be-

; it is so

pleasing."
The

"

of

of travellers

narrations

which
hospitality,

part of the

they

world.

have

abound

in

with

met

Tavernier

specimens

ern
in the East-

says,

'

When

we

Anna, a fine old

came
man
up to me, and took my horse by the bridle ;
and wash
'Friend,' said he, come
thy feet, and eat
Thou
since
bread at my house.
art a "tranger ; and
I have
thee on the road, do not refuse the favour
met
I desire
We
could not but go along with
of thee.'
him to his house, where
he feasted us the best manner
were

not

above

from

musket-shot

'

Of

word

what

is the word

Hlaford

does Tavernier

Why
giveof

Lord
are

contraction

English

Eastern

What

noblemen

1
hospitality

is the

called

meaning of

horde 1

What

the Saxon

instance

29

HOSPITALITY.

could

he

; and

not

only provided for

us, but

also

for

horses.'

our
"

When

La

stranger approaches

an

Arab

village,'

to the chief,that he wants

Roque, he signifies
all that
and lodging; and he confers on him
a supper
But often,as soon
he wants.
ger
a stranas the people see
advancing,they go out to meet him ; if he wishes
for refreshment,and then to go forward, he stays under
some
tree, and they bring him eggs, butter, curds,
honey, olives,or fruit,either fresh or dried.'
"
Whoever
presents himself at their door,' says
Volney, referringto the Druses, in the qualityof a
suppliant,or a passenger, is sure of being entertained
fected
with lodging and food in the most
and unafgenerous

says

'

'

I have

manner.

often

seen

the lowest

give the last morsel of bread they had

When
to the hungry traveller.
they
their

with
bread

and

salt,no

guest the

subsequent

sacred
event

peasants

in their houses
have

once

tracted
con-

of

engagement
can

make

them

violate it.'

'Nothing,'says Elphinstone,in his account of the

kingdom of Caubul, could exceed the civilityof the
often invited into gardens,
country people; we were
welcomed
and were
in every villageby almost
every
"

'

What

does La

of the Druses 1

Roque
How

1 What
does Volney
hospitality
Caubul
1
of
treat
Elphinstone
people

say of Arabian

did the

relate

30

HOSPITALITY.

that

man

they would

Sometimes

us.

saw

lay hold

of

had
bridles,and not permit us to pass, till we
future day,
promised to breakfast with them on some
hands
tween
bethe proniiseby putting our
and confirmed
our

theirs.
Did

"

make

an

"

father,that the people

engagement with strangers with

you

say,

in th6

East
and

bread

salt?"
"

Yes

often

; salt was

regarded

the

of

emblem

mixed

it was

and fidelity
: hence
friendship

sacrifices and

as

with

their

covenants.

Christianityexpects from his,

universal benevolence
disciples
; and they all exemplify
it,who are reallywhat they professto be. Hence, at
the day of final reckoning,he has told us, that he will
* I
an
was
hungred, and ye gave me
say to them,
drink ; I was
meat
thirsty,and' ye gave me
; I was
a
stranger, and ye took me in ; naked, and ye clothed
in prison,
sick,and ye visited me ; I was
me
; I was
"

and

The

divine Author

came

ye

unto

of the

unto

one

done

it unto

"

True, Harry

from his

least of these

often say that

You

was

Inasmuch

as

ye

have

done

it

brethren, ye have

my

me.v"

How

me.

of

; and

salt regarded
by the

1 What
disciples

by kindness."

nothingis

lost

I do think

that this is the

peopleof

wiU he say

to

the East

What

case

does Cliristexpect,

.them,at the lastday .1

3X

HOMAGE.

be laid down

it mpy

kindnessto

as

generalrule,

his fellow creatures,

With

kindness.

very

often,even

again.' And

The

measure

and

to

shows

be

repaid
others, is

measured

individual

gratifyingreward

most

who

to

mete

world,

benevolent

every

is sure

we

in the present

He

has

to us
an

in his

mediate,
imown

bpspm,"

HOMAGE.
"

How

"

He

did, Harry
when

; but

so

rteturn
"

"I

their

Yes,

he did

that

low

though

to

notice

the

believe

man

; you
was

you,

never

it my

they do, I think

courtesy."

I took

and

bowed

man

father !"

wish

people to do
to
duty carefully

bowed

but

almost as low as
he ?"
labourer,was

not, Harry.

of
Henry the Fourth
France, who, by the way, was
by far the best of the
French
kings, was
standing one day, with sqjne of
his courtiers,at the entrance
of a village,
and a poor
passingby, bowed down to the very ground ; and
man,
the king with great condescension,returned his salutation
of his
just in the same
one
manner
; at which
"

"

Will those be
the anecdote of

repaidwho show
Henry the Fourth,

kindness

to

their fellow

creatures

'J Relate

32

HOMAGE.

ventured

attendants

his

to express

surprise,when

finelyreplied to him, "

in politeness
by
king exceeded
your
of his subjects?"
"
The
Scriptures
frequentlymention
monarch

"

which

common

True, Harry

"

East

humble

to

upon

"

There

before

came
Is

are

same

way

show

homage

oughtwe

common

to humble

many,

him,

this

respect

humiliation

as

is

their inferiors is

ought

; we

and

thus

esteem, but

not

slaves.

vidual
Though the indiwith royal magnificence,
no
one
ought to approach

; and

man

of the Divine
the presence
"
mention
Will you
some

Scripture which
homage ?"

man

adorned

be

throne

in the

to

respect

abject

his

he is stillbut
him

in

from

men

in the

common

God, but not before our

people will approach their

free

heartfelt

sovereign with
if they were
as

homage,

before

ourselves

fellow-creatures.

of

acts

manners

Such

there required by the great

evidentlyimproper from man

have
you
of the lowest

one

still

are

commended.

be

to

Would

us."

among

yet they
though, I think, their

not

are

not

are

the

that he

would

into

enter

Majesty."
of the

the

instances

manner

of the

in the

Eastern

Harry. When
Joseph'sbrethren
down
themselves
bethey bowed

in the

East 1

ourselves.

How

Is it

to

be commended

to
oughta sovereign

be

Before whom

approached1

33

HOMAGE.

fore him

with

had

favour

to

down
at his
falling
down
vant
as
falling

earth.5

to the

their faces

Lord

beg, Our

Master's
before

When

vant
ser-

represents him

feet ; and

the inferior

him

was

who

in

as
ser*

higher

fell down
at the
Syrophenician woman
feet of our Lord.
Thus
the Prophet Isaiah represents
the nations of the earth as coming, with all humility
of God.
and gratitude,into the Church
With their
faces to the earth,'he says,
to
they shall bow down
in the
thee, and Shall lick the dust off thy feet.' And
72nd
Psalm
it is predictedthat the enemies
of Messiah
shall lick the dust.'
These
expressions evidentlyare
descriptiveof deep humiliation."
in that account
'.'I recollect,
which
of
you lent me
Hugh Boyd's embassy to Ceylon, he says, that when
he was
called to visit the king, he knelt before him ;
but he adds, 'My companions almost literally
licked
the dust ; prostratingthemselves
with
most
their faces alclose to the stone
floor,and throwing out their
and legs; then, risingon
their knees, they repeated,
arms
in a very loud voice, a certain form of words
So the

station.

'

"

of the most
such

as

Mentio*
does

extravagant kind that

that the head

some

of this

instances which show

Hugo Boydtay

of his riait

to

the

the

be

can

conceived

king of kings might reach

manner

King

of

of Eastern
*

Ceylon

homage* What

34

HOMAGE.

the

beyond

What

"c.

live

thousand

years/

!"

indeed, Harry.

any*one into

admitted

never

might

father

nonsense,

Nonsense

"

he

; that

sun

The

Persian

their

presence

monarchs
who

did

perform this act of adoration.

Alexander, when
had
vain of his achievements,
so
conquered Asia, was

not

he

that he
of the

too would

after the

be reverenced

ner
man-

His

attendants, and those who came

with
to converse
before
him, prostrated themselves
him.
from
Mr. Harmer,
a
D'Herbelot, mentions
markable
reinstance of the submission
of a conquered
'This
prince threw
prince to an Eastern monarch.
himself one
day on the ground, and kissed the prints
there ; rethat his victorious enemy's horse had made
citing
in Persian which
he had composed.
verses
some
"

'

The

dust,serves
"

The

gods.

mark
me

that the
now

foot of your

for a

ring,which

horse has

est

I shall
feet,

caresses
"

What
What

Harmer

What

the

crown.
wear

as

the

is
badge of my slavery,

become my richestornament.
"
c While
I shall have the
your

leftupon

happinessto kiss the

with
me
think,that fortune
favours

dust

from

itstender-

and sweetest kissesJ* "

a

slave he must

did the Persian monarchs

did Alexander

relate 1

requirewhen

Repeatthe

verses

have

exact

been, father !"

from those admitted

he had

into their presence %

What
does Mr.

Asia 1

conquered
composedby the conqueredprince.

36

HOMAGE,

Vance

; on

which,

the

minister

up, and put

seize the
must

hastilyrose

of state,

saying that he
He conducted
to present us to the Emperor.
moment
of splendour and
us
through various apartments
ade,
parascended
of stairs,and entered
until we
a
a flight
most
magnificenthall. He directed us where to sit }
posited
and taking his place on one
side, had the present deon

his

robes

on

the

other.

The

scene

to which

we

were

reallysurpassed our expectation.The

and
of the hall,the number
tude
magnispacious extent
of the pillars,
the height of the dome, the whole
completelycovered with gold,presented a most grand
and imposing spectacle. Very few were
present, and
remained
We
those
evidently great officers of state.
about five minutes, when
every oi\e put himself into
the most
respectfulattitude,and the chief minister
looked
We
whispered that his Majesty had entered.
would allow, and
through the hall,as far as the pillars
He came
forward,
presentlycaught a glimpse of himunattended, in solitarygrandeur, exhibitingthe proud
His dress
monarch'
gait and majesty of an Eastern
was
rich, but not distinctive ; and he carried in his
hand
the gold-sheathed sword, which
to have
seems
But
taken the place of the sceptre of ancient times.
ly
it was
his high aspect and commanding eye that chiefriveted our
He strided on ; every head,
attention.

now

introduced

37

HOMAGB.

exceptingours,

was

in the

now

He

dust.

sat

down

on

restingon the hilt of his

sword, and his eyes intently fixed on us : then the
minister presented our petition; and, in a few moments
said to us,
In regard to the objectsof your
petition,
sacred
his Majesty gives no order.
In regard to your
books, his Majesty has no use for them ; take them
elevated

an

seat, his hand

away.'
"

"

It is

account,
interesting

an

of the

they

are

of

Emperor

Burmah

father

must

be

but

the

jects
sub-

all slaves

?"

not

Christianity,whilst it
teaches us to fear God and to honour
tenances
discounthe king,'
the idolatrous regard of one
creature
other.
by anWhen
Peter came
to visit Cornelius, he threw
himself
at the Apostle'sfeet ; but Peter
nobly said to
!'"
him, Stand up ; I myself also am a man
It is a delightful
thought,that the greatest Being
in the universe, the only Being properly so called
He who
minion,
is enthroned
above all might, majesty,and doall creation is upheld every
by whose
power
nite
and by whose
smile it is made
happy, is infimoment,
in His condescension; though the. Heavens
are
"Indeed

they

are,

Harry.

"

"

"

What

does

teach
Christianity

did Peter say to Cornelias 1

the Supreme Being 1

What

us

What

does

reflections

are

it discountenance

What

with respect
delightful

to

38,
His

SACRIFICES.

throne,and the

will look

that He
and

take

and

of

contrite

to

abode

His

up

He has declared,
footstool,
with
man
complacency,
is of a humble
him, who

earth is His
that

with

who

heart, and

trembleth

Indeed, c not a spajyow falleth

without our
Heavenly Father.' "

word.

at

the

to

His

ground

SACRIFICES.
of his
." Abel, it is said, brought of the firstlings
flock to God ; did he sacrifice them, father ?"

"

No

"

But

"

There

that

but

doubt
God

bid him

did not
is indeed

this effect.

But

no

when

Maker, it is evident
to

was

approach

directed

him

he would
with
is

the

thought by

What

did Abel

crifices1

What

do so."

with

to

againsthis
appointment, he
rebel

sacrifices.

so, it can

to him

command

express
became

If God

had

not

scarcelybe imagined that

thought of it himself. The skins

Almighty clothed our first parents, it

have

ever

which

man

case."

that, by divine

Him

to do

the

was

most

learned

bringunto

the Lord

men,

Was

and with

man

directed

is supposedof the skins that clothed

our

the

by God

greatest
to

firstparents 1

offer sa-

39

SACRIFICES.

from

were
probability,

which

beasts

offered in

were

sacrifice."
"But
It

"

why

sacrifices instituted

were

remind

?"

continuallythat they had

sinned against God, and
deserved
to die, like the
so
directed to offer ; and that, as
victim which
they were
the sacrifice was
accepted, so the sinner should be approved
and pardoned through faith in that one
great
sacrifice,
which, in the fulness of time was to be made
to

was

men

for the sins of

You

men.

who

know

it

that

was

was

sacrificed,
Harry. It is said of Him by the prophet
c
for our
He was
wounded
Isaiah, that
sions,
transgresment
and bruised for our iniquities; that the chastiseof our
was
Him, and that by Hjs
peace
upon

thus

stripes we
that, He
c

"

You

Christ
"

bare

unless

sins in His

our

dear

There

does

so.

this

But

sacrifices
the

was

Apostle declares,
body on the tree.'
"

own

father, to

Lord

the

Jesus

sacrifices

men

confined

not

not,
as

What

does the

to the Jews

confined

they

"

well

sacrifices instituted 1

were

any thing in the ap

of God,
of the wisdom

seem

worthy

were

True, they were

the Gentiles,who,

not

case."

"

sins of

the

?"

I do

Why

And

refer, my

pointment of
"

healed.'

are

as

What

the

common

among
Jews, received them

were

great sacrifices

prophet Isaiah

Jews."

to the

say of

our

Lord

was

made

for the

Were

ces
sacrifi-

40

sAcmnciH*

from

offered
which

sacrifice to

burnt

father of the human

the second

Noah,

accepted.

was

God

They

on

race, who
leaving the ark,
offered

always

were

in

of atoneme"t,
the anger
of God,
to appease
the way
who
offered ;
and in the stead of the person
or
persons
that they had
their originin the
it is evident
hence

appointment

of the Most

High

; for had

divine,the sacrifice

been

could

the

not
not

have

tution
instibeen

efficacious."
Do

"

you

in which

in profane history,
any instance
of victims,similar to the
made

recollect

were
offerings

sacrifice of Abel ?"

fered
Virgiloften speak of victims,being ofthe gods."
to propitiate
or
appease
They do ; and the ancient Goths believed that the
effusion of the blood of animals
appeased the anger of
their deities,and that their justiceturned
aside upon
Homer

and

victims

those

"

"

the
And

strokes

which

were

destined

for

mem

fice
they imagined that the influence of the sacriwould be in proportion to the value of the victim,
human
tars."*
they devoted
beings to bleed upon their alas

"

And, father,do

you

not

recollect that Rollin

tells

'
'

"

Why

God

did

How

they sacrifice
were

human

beings1

When

did Noah

sacrifices offered 1
*

Mallet's

North.

Antiq.vol

L p. 7.

oner

sacrificestfr

41

nmn.

in his

history of

the

Carthaginians,that when the

in great danger, they offered two
state
hundred
was
children of the best families to their god Saturn
?"
thankful ought we
Yes, I well recollect it. How
to
be that we
need no other offering
than that which
God
himself has provided ! By this one
offering,'
says the
sus,
Apostle Paul, referringto the sacrifice of the Lord JeHe hath for ever
fied.'
perfectedthem that are sanctius,

"

'

"*

INNS.
"

were

think, father,you
no

inns in the East

said, the other day, that there

?"

"

I said,
No, Harry ; you must have mistaken me.
if I recollect rightly,
that there were
inns such as
no
there are in our
country."
"
ren,
But it is said,in Gen. xliii.21. that Joseph'sbrethin
when
to the Inn, found their money
they came

What

sacrifice did

Apostle say 1
country 1

Are

Where
*

the

Carthaginiansoffer

there any inns in the East 1

is mention
made
of inns in the

Vide

Magee

on

the

to

Saturn
Are

What

does the

theylike those hi

Scriptures?

Atonement, passim.

oar

42

INNS.

their sacks

; and

Gospel, we
infant

are

inns in the

chapter of St. Luke's

second

told,that

are

there

were

and

are

very

They

are

called

Some

are

simply resting-places
by

in

What

are

; and

caravanseras

consist

shelter
those

room

for the

his parents in the Inn."

it is true, that the
right,Harfy ; but still,

East

; others

no

was

and

Saviour

"You

in the

from

largetowns,

are

or

square

the inns in the East called 1

ours.

of different kinds.
the

side of

walls, which

of bare
wind

are

different from

afford

tain
founporary
tem-

rain.

Many, especially
with a court
buildings,

Describe the differentkinds of

car-

44

urns.

of the East

There

for

caravansera

where,

any

travellers

of four

consist

These

towns.

inns

no

are

villagesand

near

round

wings

ting
excep-

square

by way of enclosure for beasts of

The
burden.
ing
lodgingsare cells,where you find nothbut bare walls,dust, and sometimes
scorpions. The
keeper gives the traveller a key and a mat, and he
He
therefore carry
must
provides himself the rest.
with him his bed, his kitchen
his
utensils,and even
provisions,for frequentlynot even bread is to be found
in the villages."
court, which

serves

"

These

"

Truly they

ras,

are
one

of the

like

much

gate bringsyou

associate

all

does

with him 1

rare

so

to see

one

of two

the
upon
of the best

by himself.

man

along

the

Volney describe
What

court,

the Eastern

does Tavernier

stories.

court, and in the midst

front, and

for every
raised

handsome

they
cloisters,
being usuallybut
nor

into the

the

; for

ours

right and
quality to

hall for persons

together. Oil each side of the hall

left hand, is

How

convenient

so

building,in

different from

very

story high, for it is

A wide

"

inns, are

built square,

!"
ours, indeed
c
The caravansesays,

Tavernier

are.

neither

are

different from

very

Eastern

or

they

are

two

inns 1

These
or

three

What

say of the Garavansera*

must

lodgings
lodgings are
steps high ;
a

are

travellercarry

45

KEYS.

justbehind

which

accommodations

the

with
which

every

looked

after.

three

into

window

dress

ought

we

that
see
may
niches are
These

to be

civilized

times,
in the chambers.

as

of every horse there is

the lodging chamber,
his horse

man

; their inns

more

good

usually so

lie in them, and

may
You
their victuals.'

men

told you

head

stables,where, many
as

are

Right againstthe

of

the

are

are

very

for the

niche,
through
is properly
large, that
a

here

the servants

see,

Harry,

unlike

admirable

it is

How

ours.

ally
usu-

as

ful
thank-

accommodations

society!

KEYS.

Did you notice,father,what was

said in my Greek
lesson,this morning, about the key ?"
"
frojnthe twenty-first
Yes, Harry ; I think the piece was
"

book
to was

of Homer's

that

Odyssey;

of the store-house

and

the

key you
of Ulysses."

fer
re-

said of the
But, I mean, did you observe what was
shape of it ?"
which
calls it by a term
"Yes, I think Homer
signicritics say, it was
in
The
fieS) of a large curvature.'
"

What

it said of the key mentioned

in Homer's

Odyssey1

46

KEYS.

like

shape
the

handle

in the East
Is there

"

Bible

reaping-hook. It was made of brass,but

of ivory ; though the locks and keys
was
are
commonly made of wood."
very
of key in the
to this kind
any reference

?"

Yes, in the prophecies of Isaiah, God

"

as

saying of

is represented

distinguishedindividual

'

I will

lay

key of the house of David upon his shoulder.' "

"A
key, father, in the shape of a reaping hook,
might be laid easilyon the shoulder, as I have seen the
the
"-

reapers
be very

thus

often

place

strange if any
of the keys which
we
"
True, Harry ; and

their

it would

hanging

any

the shoulder."

upon

hence

But

talk of

should

one
use

sickles.

the great

importance
of the knowledge of Eastern
customs
to a right
understanding of the Scriptures. The language, as
used by the Prophet, is figurative.The
sign
key is an enof power.
hath .'the

He

man

no

This
world
own

What

Thus

key

shutteth

of David

; and

plainlyimplies
is unlimited.

declaration to his

is said of

shapeof the key 1

key

in the

Of what

Our

is

you

Lord

see

of

says

:' that

shutteth, and
that

His

This

doctrine

He
no

'openeth, and
man
openeth.'
in the invisible

power

disciplesafter

himself, that

accords
He

arose

with

his

from the

propheciesof Isaiah 1 What

was
probablythe
%
a key die ensignin the Scriptures

47

COVENANTS.'

dead

All power,
in heaven
said He, 4s given to me
How
earth.'
delightfulto the real Christian

and

on

consideration,that He

is the

infinite affection
the

upon

engaged

who

has

open

the

loves

in His

kingdom

with

him

Himself

given

of death

worlds, and
'

to

yea,

for him, has

cross

the invisible

"

who

hands

'

die

to

keys of

the

and

that

of Heaven

to

;'*

an

He

has

all believers.

'

COVENANTS.
When

God

made

Patriarch

the
and

covenant,

bade

he

Abraham,

she-goat, and a ram,

midst, and lay each piece one
a

Now

9. 10.

xv.

Gen.

xv.

here

9. And

is the
said

he

or

unto

agreement, with

an

him

and

take

divide

againstthe
usual

him,

mode

take

me

heifer,

them

in the

other.
of
an

Gen.

making
heifer

of

three years old,and a she goat of three years

old, and a ram
of three years old,and a turtle dove and a young
pigeon.
10. And
he took unto him all these and divided them in the

midst,and

laid each

pieceone

againstanother

; but the birds

divided he not.
What

Lord 1

does
What

the dead 1

God

What
is implied
by the words of our
say of himself 1
declaration did Jesus make
from
to his disciplesafter he arose

our

What

bid Abraham

Lord

consideration
to
*

do 1

is

to
delightful

Repeat the

So Dr.

verses

the real Christian 1

from

Gen.

Doddrigerendere Rev.

L 18.

What

did

18

COVENANTS*

treaties

'that it was

says,

with

covenant

in two, and then

the

who

those

entered

to
in-

heifer,and cut
partiespassed between
contracting
other to take

each
the

with

custom

writer

A Jewish

engagements in the East.

or

it

pieces."

this,father ?"
No doubt, to intimate that if they were
unfaithful
to their engagements,
they would be willingto be thus
the Prophet Jeremicut asunder, or to perish. Thus
ah
represents the Almighty as saying,that He would
give those into the hands of their enemies, who had
which
fore
bethey had made
transgressedhis covenant
him, when,' he says, they cut the calf in twain,
the parts thereof.' "
and passed between
"

what

For

did

they

do

"

'

"

did not

But

with

Abraham

that

God

you

say,

? It does
between

went

that

God

made

tell us,

not

in that

pieces of

the

covenant

chapter1
animals,

the

does it ?"
u

Not
to
4

wrse,

that

this
What
What

words ; but that which was

alent
equivmany
it took place. It is said,in the seventeenth

in

so

When

the

sun

down, and

went

it

was

those
burning lamp passed between
doubt, an expressive symbol
no
was,
Q

does
does the

Jewish

writer say of

Prophet Jeremiah

said in the 17th

verse

of Gen. 1

covenants

What

wis

dark,'
pieces :'
of God's

meant

representthe Almightras saying1

": :.. ,

by
What

k 1
m

49

SERPENTS,

As

presence.
and
light,

writer

sacred

in Him

is

darkness

no

it,' God

expresses
at all.' "

is

SERPENTS.
What

"

large snake

father, just

he

as

orchard; "but

it

is !" said

here

passed through
is dead, and I am

the

Harry

to

his

gate into the

afraid

not

of it

now."
to
"It/Ioes not seem
had been
alive,Harry,

of

more

than

man

harmless, and
"

of the skin

knows

whole

how

history in
says
What
wards

does

ttf

certainlyis

to the

race

to account

the

an

third

afraid

have

of it.

Snakes

as

away

fast

been

as

are

they

*,

them

see

would

you

If it

though

the

colours

What

in man,

Harry,

ty
general enmiof serpents, which
one
scarcely
for,without thinking of the sad*
'The
ty,'
enmichapter of Genesis.
American

excellent

sacred

serpents 1

hope

be

killed.

beautiful."

are

"There

to

long

been

they always get

human
being."

from any
But I don't like

can

have

writer say of God

does Dr.

Dwight

"Dr.

writer,*
Why

does

say of this

Dwight

man

enmity1

which

feel an

has

enmity to*

50

SERPENTS

'

existed
has

mankind

between

been,

the

to

and

latter,a

of the

serpent

of innumerable

evils.

seed

the

Source

peculiarlyhated
and destroyed from
the beginand haunted, attacked
ning.
of extermination
A war
has
clared
plainly been deagainstthem, and carried on through all ages
of this
with
unceasing animosity. In consequence
have
hostility,millions of them
probably perished.
of this kind

Animals

And

not

small

victims
wounded

in the

of the human

number
those

been

ever

creatures,

venomous

heel, the

race

and

part mentioned

very

len
fal-

have

been
in the

chapter of Genesis."

third
"Is
to

to

have

refers
in the Scriptureswhich
passage
toms
cuscapable of illustration from Eastern

there

any

serpents
?"

"Yes, Harry; there

eighth Psalm, in which
that
they are like the
'

ears

; which

charm

he

evident

never

allusion

the East.
a

will not

The

largeand

What

"
'

said

especiallyin

one

the writer
deaf

harken

of

of the

says

adder

that

to the voice

the

fifty-

wicked,

stoppeth her
of charmers,

to "be a very
wisely.' Here seems
in
is still common
to a practicewhich
cobra de capella,or hooded
snake, is
so

beautiful serpent, but

; its bite

Snake.

is

generallyproves
the

wicked

in the

57th

of the most

one

omous
ven-

mortal

in less than

Psalm

Describe the hooded

an

St

tvnvsm.

Kke

undulatinglines

the

of the

swan's

It is

neok.

tt

is infested byhouse
a
fact,that when
of this kind, which
snakes
destroy poultry and small
sent for,who, by
domestic
are
animals, the musicians

well-attested

playing on

find
flageolet,

charm

them

to

snakes

hear

the

destruction

What

easilytaken."
this
surprisingaccount
are

get bitten

people sometimes
"

When

I will tell you.

appear
in the

"

motionless

should
"I

; but

basket, the

What,

do

rather
will

not

the music

if not

immediately
are

'Among

you.

not

the

Memoirs,

the snakes
covered

up

dents."
fatal acci-

liable to

bite any body ? If

dance."
them

see

do

ceases,

ever

in his Oriental

Forbes

is ! But

?"

spectators

they

tell

hiding places,and

do the
for, no sooner
softly from
they come

music, than

their retreat, and

"

their

out

they do,

drawings,' says
my
'is that of a cobra de

capella,which danced for an hour on the table while I

I frequently handled
it,to
painted it ; during which
the beauty of the spots, and
observe
especiallythe
spectacleson the hood, not doubting but that its venomous
But the
fangs had been previouslyextracted.
What
vp when

is

well attested fact 1

the music

ceases

What

What
account

happens if the
does Forbes

snakes

are

of a
gftre

not

hooded

covered
snake T

"8

BEKPEim,

in great
to me
came
morning, my upper servant
retire,and
haste, and desired that I would instantly*
Not understanding
praise God for my good fortune.
his meaning, I told him that I had
already performed
next

He

devotions.

my

informed

then

that whilst chasing

purobserved
the man

me,

fruit in the

bazaar, he
who
the preceding evening, enhad been with me
on
tertaining
the country people with his dancing snake9 ;
they, according to their usual custom, sat on the
ground around him ; when, either from the music stopping
other cause
too suddenly, or from some
irritating
ofte'n handled, it
the vicious reptile,
I had
which
so
some

darted
a

wound

at the

of which

"

Forbes

had

Indeed

he

and inflicted
woman,
young
she died in about half an hour."

throat

of

narrow

had.

!"

escape

serpentscannot

Venomous

but

ued
dangerous playthings. Yet the practice is continA very worthy and learned missionary,
to this day.
in Calcutta, when
at my
now
house, assured me
I have
that the account
now
given you is correct. He
has actuallyseen
by music, come
serpents, charmed
forth from their hiding-places."

be

What
*

accident

Mr. Yeates,author of

happenedwith
an

admirable

one

to a

Grammar

"f several other excellent and learned works.

young

woman

of the Hiadoostaaee,aa4

54

WHEAT.

"What

'Be

doves

Lord

did Our

?' Are

wise

ye

when

mean

as

ciples,
said to his dis-

he

serpents, and

harmless

as

serpents wise ?"

Many thingshave been affirmed on this subject,

I regard as fables.
The
truih, I think,
Harry, which
is,that there is a peculiar liveliness in the eyes of
"

serpents,
into

that

sharp-sightedas

as

proverb in the

Lord

Our

so

serpent,' passed

world.

Eastern

regard

ing
saying, Be prudent as serpents in avoiddangers ; but be far from imitating
unnecessary
the malignityand
of that animal ;
revengeful nature
maintain
of spirit,
and be
at all times a holy simplicity
harmless
inoffensive as
and
tures,
doves, those gentle crea4

as

who

are

remarkable

WHEAT,
What

for their affection."*

BREAD,

FRUIT,
God

"c.

given us !" said

Mr. Benyon, as he sat on a gate with Harry, and looked
of his corn-fields;
"how
over
one
ought our hearts
for his goodness !"
to glow with gratitudeto Him
"

did

What
about

our

serpents 1

ye wise

as

harvest
plentiful

has

1
proverbis there in the East
say to his disciples What
What
is our Lord thoughtto have meant,
when he oaid * B*

Lord

serpents,and harmless
*

as

doves

Doddridgein

lot.

55

WHEAT.

has

"There

one

much

too

spoilit !"
True, Harry ! rain

rain,as

and

in season,

in

is

how

was

it is
great blessing,when
But too much
rain, or too

measure.

sunshine, will alike ruin our

are
God,
dependent we
upon

much

there

to

year,
"

been

not

You

hopes.
for

even

see

daily

our

bread."
"

This

one

ear, with

corn,

"Yes

from

came

?"

blade, and

the

grainsin it,all

many

did it not

"

so

stem, and

the

all the

of wheat, with their fine covering,were

grains

all wrapt

up

in

that little space."

"

But

"

Because,

have

of it.

out

sprung

and

that ?"
do you know
if they had not been in

how

brought

earth

The

maturity,

to

it,they could not

has only expanded,
was
already in the

what

seed."
wonderful

"

How

"

Yes, it is the work

"

And

"

this is !"

likes

one
every
True
; It is as

little infant

From

what

does

feed 1

Do

all

an

divine

one

car

peoplelike

hand."

bread, father."
old man,
as to the
tire of it ; it is as fresh and as

it

pleasant to-day as
;

agreeable
never

; we

of tastes

of

was

yesterday.

is fond

of wheat
bread

to the

of

spring1

an

There

are

article which

What

does

the earth

riety
va-

anothdo

to the

56

WftEAT.

but
dislikes,

er

one

no

did

lived who

ever

relish

not

bread."
did you not say, father,that it
country and climate ?"

And

"

every

wou}d grow

in

appointment of
fpr the welfare

"Yes, Harry; and this is a kind

Providence, and shews a tender care
of man."
Pharaoh

"

on

up

It

was

bears
been

that
and

is

speciesof

seven

ears

cultivated

wheat

in

England,

perfectionwhich

it does

in

would

have

thought

of

seven

ears

in

even
on

Egypt too,
Scriptures."
"

"

it.
is

That

in

there

only

stem

is such

strikingproof of

the

not

of it has
reach

soil.

No

of wheat
an

ly
real-

which

Some

its native
one

came

was

Egypt,

it does

but

corn

yet, it is remarkable

stalk.

one

upon

This

good.1
But

of

ears

seven

it,father ?"
a dream,
Harry.

was

that there

stalk, rank

one

dream,
"

dreamed

the
one

with

article,and
truths

is spoken of v,ery early in the Bible.'

Mention
the first place you
recollect where

of the

Bread

it is

named."

Will it grow
wheat

in every country 1 What

did Pharaoh
kind of
dream 1 What
is there in Egypt 1
Can it be cultivated elsewhere 1 What
affords a

striking
proofof

the truth of the

Scriptures1

8T

WHEAT.

"

"

In

tillthou
"

And

the

return

I think

the word
"

have
How

The
been

thy face shalt thou eat bread,,

to the ground.'
the first place in any records in which

sweat

Baker
bread
like

of

"

is mentioned,
at that
ours

early period, father, could

not

?"

is bread firstmentioned

mentioned 1

is in Genesis."

in the bible *

Where

is the word

Baker

first

58

WHEAT.

"

What

you think so ?"

it so soon,
they made

makes

"Because

from
appears
for the three persons

wanted
made
"You
have

the

it,as

been

for the

requestingof

person

of

entertainment

feast which

Thus

they

Abraham

called upon
Their
loaves

of biscuit.

kind

just as

who

right,Harry.

are

and

him."

to
appear
Lord
sents
repre-

our

his

neighborthree loaves,
xi. 5.
individual,Luke

an

An Eastern
eller,
travthey are often called cakes.
describing a visit which he made to an Arab,
The
not
woman
was
idle,but brought us milk
says,
and eggs to eat, so that we
wanted
for nothing : she
made
also some
of the
dough for cakes, which were
thickness of a finger,
an.d of the size of a trencher,
hot stones, and kept turning them ;
she laid them
on
the ashes and
till at length she threw
embers
over

Hence

'

"

Luke
have

xi. 5. And

and
friend,
him, Friend,lend
a

Why

to

was

not

shall go unto

shall
unto

three loaves.

me

the bread

have been

of you
them, Which
him at midnight,
and say

said unto

he

of

an

Repeat

traveller say of his visit to

an

earlyperiodsimilar
the

verse

Arab ?

from

Luke.

to ours

What

What

does

does it appear
an

Eastern

(0

WHEAT.

from

prepared a calf or a kfd for

Samuel
expected a visit
angelicvisitants. When
Saul, he procured for him a joint of meat," 1

Sam.

ix. 24.

Bf anoah

ham, Gideon, and

their

they

But

"

not

were

eat

of

kind

every

?"

meat

They were
chieflysuch as
u

Yet

not.

Their

sometimes

though they

what

denied

was

them,

feasts.

Much

appears

tiage in

Cana

of

drink

water,
wine, especiallyat their

common

took
have

to

was

ble
unsuita-

unfriendlyto health, and

was

climate.

to the

drank

been

Galilee,where

was

mar-

turned

Lord

the

the

at

the

into wine."

water
li

permitted to

In

hot

those

and

dry

countries
Caleb

Hence, when
great value.
a portion,springsof water
tioned, Judges i. 15. Thus
1 Sam.

thai which

was

said,Behold
unto

the

Judges
What
Samuel.
drink 1

peat the

people.

Saviour
took

op

in treated

meat
was

from

she said unto

htm, Give

Gideon, and M anoah

prepare, 1
Jews 1
What

denied

was

wine

much

Judges1

to

drank

the

Where

is water

wa-

shoulder, and

the

So Saul did eat with Samuel

And

1.15.

What

verse

very

our

cook

daughter
men-,
particularly

kept for thee,since

it been

hath

did Abraham,
When

the

his

gave

And
upon it,and set it before Saul.
that which is left ! set itbefore thee and

this time

iavked

And

ix. 24.

are

is of very

water

Samuel
eat

for

said, I have
that day.

me

blessing
.

Repeat the
was

of much

from

verse

their
vahm

eossme*

Be*

61

mtmkr.

of the

ter

of Samaria

woman

represented in

blessingsare
allusion

to

the

Psalm

water,

xliv. 3.

Isaiah xii. 3.
Cor.

; and

the

Scripturesby

tive
figuravii. 37.

xiii. 1.

Zech.

ii. 13.

John

lxiii. 1.

Jer.

desirable

most

4.

x.

for thou

bast

given me

water.

And

Caleb gave

south

give me also springsof

upper springsand the nether

land

her the

springs.
Psalms

lxiii. 1

God,

thee ; my

soul thirsteth for

land
dry and thirsty

where

thou art my

flesh

thee,my
no

God

earlywill I seek
longethfor thee in a
;

is.

water

Jo"
day that great day of the feast,
let him come
stood and cried,saying,If any man
thirst,

John
sus

unto

In the last

vii. 37.

and drink.

me,

with

Isaiah xii.3. Therefore

joy shall

ye draw

water

out

of

the wells of salvation.

Jer. ii. 13. For

have

forsaken

them

out

Zech.

my

cisterns,broken
In

xiii. 1

tint

to the house

sin and

Cor.
for

of

committed

that can
cisterns,
day, there shall be

David,and

two

hold

water.

fountain

to the inhabitants

no

opened

of Jerusalem, for

uBcleanness.
x.

4.

And

they drank

that Rock
Of whom

fountain

the

me

evils ; they
o" livingwaters, and hewed

peoplehave

to water*

of that

Rook
spiritual

drink ;
spiritual
followed them, and

same

that

Christ.

was

did

they did all drink the

oar

Sarioar aak*r*ter 1

Repeat the

wenea

from

alluding
Scripture

6*

OVENS.

You

u
,

know, father,it is said that the

one

were

of the

plagues of Egypt, got

frogs,which

into the

ovens.

could

they get up ?"

"
I am
not surprisedat your question^
ed
Harry. Wickhave
sneered
at the
men
Scriptureson this very
account.
This, however, is only a proof of their ignoranc
In various
of
parts of the East, instead
what
call ovens,
we
they dig a hole in the ground, in
which
ciently
they insert an earthen pot, which having suffiHow

heated, they stick their cakes to the inside,

baked, remove
ces
and, when
them, and supply their plaly
with others, and so on.
Frogs, Harry, could easiget into such
What

How

are

is said of
ovens

ovens

fragsin

made

the

as

these."

Scriptures1

in the East 1

Why

have

wicked

men

sneered 1

63

OVENS.

"

"

This

makes
the

But

Dr.
there

where
leavened

Shaw

other

kneaded, it is made
earthen

vessel

informs

us,

fire in

'

parts,

in cities and

soon

as

frying pan.'

Arabs

the

about

usuallydough is

the

as

are

either
shallow

Another

Mount

ges,
villa-

is

the bread

cakes, which
the coals, or in

upon

like

that

in the East

bread

into thin

baked

immediately

say6, that

publicovens,

are

in

but

meaning clear."
of baking their

methods

various*

are

the

traveller

Carmel

make

it is heated,
pitcher,and when
and water, which
mix meal
they put on the outside of
the pitcher,and this soft paste, spreading itself upon
off as
it,is baked in an instant, and the bread
comes
a

thin
"

as

the

our

There

great

stone

wafers."
is

bread

have

few

no

part of the world

superior

places in which
feeding us, as
finest of

should

How

awaken

is bread

'

the
our

baked

to

our

own

in which
;

and

it is

equally good.

He

fed

his

the

there
God

people
are

but

is perpetually

ancient

people, 'with
wheat.'
His abounding goodness
liveliest gratitude."

in the East

How

do the Arabs

bake

bread 1

64

ORNAMENTS.
"

The

prophet Isaiah gives a

chapter, of the

third

tell
you would
he says appears

wish

curious

of the

dress

all about

me

account, in his

Jewish

it,as

women;

part of

some

strange."
I cannot
promise, Harry, to tell you all about it ;
the subject,and
talk over
refer to
but perhaps if we
have travelled in the East, we
shall underthose who
stand
what

very

"

the

do you

What

better.

account

refer to particularly

?"

feet :' how

"

That

gold,or

says, they made

that ?"

he

"Why,

was

*a

their

tinklingwith

of

is clear ; they used to wear

ornaments
silver,or other metals, on their ankles.
"

Rau-

wolf tellsus that the

he saw
in going
Arab;women, whom
down
the Euphrates, wore
ringsabout their legsand
hands
a good many
together,which,
; and sometimes
in 'their stepping,slippedup and
down, and so made
In Persia and Arabia,' says Sir John
a great noise.'
Chardin, they wear
rings about their ankles, which
full of littlebells. Children and young
are
girlstake
'

"

What
made

teUusI

prophetgivesan
a

tinklingof
What

the

account

of the dress of the Jewish

feet in the

does Sir John

women

Chardin

of the East 1

say %

women

What

What

does Ranwolf

65

ORNAMENTS.

"

motion

pleasurein giving them

particular
"It

quickly.'
too, father,that

seems

large rings

in

this

"

they walk

view

; with

their

the Eastern
well

as

ears,

as

women

wore

their

around

ankles."

did, and do to this day. Travellers tell us

for the ear.
there is a variety of ornaments
Some
of the Eastern ear-ringsare
so
small, and go so close
them
to the ear, as leave no
vacuity between
; others
between
ate
so
largeas to admit the fore-finger
; these
adorned
with a ruby between
two
are
pearls strung on
the ring.' "I have
of the largerear-rings,'
seen
some
Sir J. Chardin, 'with
figuresupon them, and
says
strange characters which, I believe, may be talismans
The Indians say that they are preserver
"*r charms.
tives againstenchantments.
of
Perhaps the ear-rings
Jacob's family,which
he buried with the strange gods,
"

They

"

of this kind.'

W6*e
"

Another
.

traveller

Gen.

4.

xxxv.

assures

us

that the

ringsin

the

,.

Gen.
which

"

xxxv.
were

their ears,

theygave unto Jacob all the strange gods

which were
in
in their hand, and all their ear-rings
under the oak which was
and Jacob hid them
by
4. And

Snechem.

DescriBe

Repeat a

gonwof

van*

the Eastern

iron* Geaoffe.

ear-ringr. What
What

dees

do the Indian* Bay of than t

traveller tellua 1

66

ORNAMENTS.

Sinai,
valleynear Mount
of silver,and of so great a circumference,that a
were
might have put his hand through them.
person
rious
Forbes, in his Oriental Memoirs, gives a very cuof the dress of a Hindoo
lady. Their
description
dress,'he says, 'is peculiarly
becoming, consistingof
tied round the waist, and
cotton
a long piece of silk or
wards
to the feet ; it is aftermanner
hanging in a graceful.
brought over the body in negligentfolds ; under
with a short waistcoat of
the bosom
this,they cover
satin.
Their
long black hair is adorned with jewels
ears

wife of

of the chiefs

"

'

and

wreaths

of flowers

; their ears

are

bored

in many

places, and loaded with pearls; a variety of gold

chains, stringsof pearl, and precious stones fall from
the
with

neck

over

bracelets

the
from

bosom, and

the

the wrist to the

arms

elbow

are

covered

they have
dance
ankles,and abun-

also

gold and silver chains round the

of ringson their fingersand toes ; among
the
former is frequentlya small mirror.
I think the richer
less becoming it appears
that a
the dress, the
; so
of distinction always seems
Hindoo
to be overwoman
loaded
"
with finery.'
"There
are
strange things, father, among
very
these ornaments, which you have not noticed ; they are
Give Forbet's

of
description

the dreu

of

Hindoo

Udy.

to

Oft"tffEKTfl*

them, placedin
traveller, a girlor

tween

this

'

in all

I should

who

had

ring.

wear

wear

us,

are

that

serwrt

in

ring after

she

this

ever

were

ner
man-

so

fine,

servant

with

wowen

on

the

they

as

him

put
at the

of Arabia and

Jtetakftht

seem

informs

great antiquity. Moses

of very

aU the

appear pleasing
East, or they would

it must

Nose-jewels,
strange

them.

Isaac's

pat

saw,' sa$*
Arabia,or

never

conversed

Do

lady,if

ring in her nose."

Perhaps not, Harry ; but
the eyes of the people of

not

woman

young

"

in

"

"

like

not

did not

Persia, who

in her nostril.'
"

the

to
us

Rebekah, after she had

of
well, a golden ear-ring

on

Persia

'

tow

noae-riBpt?What
.

did hmfi

69
half

shekels

of ten

it does

"But

jewels ;
you
"

and

not

Rebekah,

only one

but,

as

forehead.'

least,that

it

It does

was

any

is very

nose-

odd,

ear-rings."
it

seems

almost

tain
cer-

ear-ringwhich was
said in the margin, '

an

I did not

so, indeed.

seem

her

he

given to
it is
a jewel for
is in the singular
And
the word
as
a
high degree probable, to say the
a nose-ring,
or jewel."
not

was

number, it is in
*"

that

hands

her

on

gave
ear-ring; which

appear

know, for every body has two

True, Harry : and from hence
that it

the

weight, and two bracelets

weight of gold.'"

shekel

notice

the

ding
rea-

in the

margin."
"
eral
litThis we
should always do, for it is often more
than
the text ; and
not
unfrequently it throw's
great lightupon the real meaning."

RICE.
As
next

What

Harry and
evening in
was

the

again walkingthe
and
corn-fields,
looking at the

his father
the

ear-ring
probablythat

in the Bible of much

nee

was

were

givento Rehekah

lathe

70

RICE.

Harry inquired,

reapers,
wheat
?"
"

"is

"

It may

be

so

furnishes bread

rice

not

kind

of

regarded," repliedhis father,"as it

for by far the greater part of the human

race."
it?"

"Does

full of wonder
"

exclaimed

Yes, it is cultivated and

world

differs from

French

of the

of March

to detain

of raised

to

countenance

yet the

them

us, cin

or

less,in

of its production

manner
i

It is

Lower

all

sown,'

Egypt,

as

from

During the inundation

covered
are
by its waters, and,
there as long as possible,
a sort
May.

embankments

field,to prevent

more

that of wheat.

Nile, the fields

.in order

eaten,
;

traveller informs

month

with

information.

at the

parts of the Eastern

the

Harry,

thrown

are

around

up

each

running off. Trenches

to carry thither a fresh supply ; for,in order
to
serve
make
the plant thrive, its roots must
be incessantly
The
watered.
ground is so moistened, that, in some
places,a person sinks in half-way up to his chin. Rice
is nearly six months
before it comes
to maturity ; and
of November.5
it is generally cut down
by the middle
from

them

"

Of

what
the

How

use

is rice to mankind

inundation

of the

longis rice coming

to

Nile 1

is rice

Where
How

maturity1

is the
When

sown

water

is it cut 1

What

kept

upon

ing
happensdarthe

fields1

11

RICE.

prophet

"The

seed

your

sow

"
"

Clarke, "

The

; for

they

"

'Blessed

who

ye

place.'

This

"

to the manner

it upon

sow

are

the water

; and

rice in water, so they transplantit in

rice grounds,'says the late Dr. E. D.

inundated

are

says:

in every well-watered
Sir J. Chardin, c answers

exactly,'
says
of plantingrice
the
as they sow
water.'

Isaiah

from

the time of

ly
sowing near-

commonly cast upon the

When
water.
the rice plantsare about two feet high,
"
they are transplanted.'
Well, father,this is indeed,as you said,very much
to

harvest.

The

seed

is

"

unlike wheat."
"Yes

"

Some

lands

produce

three

vegetationis so quick,that as fast

the plantsof rice grow
above it,so
What

does the

prophet Isaiah say 1

Clarke say of the rice

grounds1

What

How

as

crops

is rice sowed

ear

year
is

nev-

does Dr.

rice ?

Digitizedby

rises,

What

growth of

the water

that the

is said of the

in

VjjOOQIC

TO

WPK.

immersed.

Men

of

experience affirm,that ? single

Stalk will grow six cubits in one night.'
"
This subjectexplainsa beautiful passage in Ecclssiastes ; Cast thy bread,' says the wise
Man, upon
shalt find it after many
the waters, for thou
days.'
er

Some

have
if any
should

thoughtthat

the sacred

writer here

meant,

threw
bread into the river,
literally
find it again after a considerable lapse of
they
time.
This wotdd
be likely,for the fowl,or the
not
fish,or both, would assuredly devour it. But he who
throws
the seed-rice into the wafers
will,after many
days, not only find again what he cast from his hand,
but such a vast
increase as will abundantly recompense
efforts to do
his labours.
So, no benevolent
shall be lost,but shall assuredly in
good to mankind
time, by the blessingof God, produce fruit to his glory,
that

and

one

the real welfare

the

of

our

fellow-creatures.

Thus

tion
philanthropisthe who is engaged in the instrucof the risinggeneration,and the faithful minister
the
of the Gospel,are
all casting their bread
upon
they shall certainly find again after
waters, which
days. This view of thingsis not only just,but
many
encouraging and delightful."
"

What
some

Scriptureis explained
by the sowingof rice 1 What hate
%
What
he
find
will
who throws rice seed upon the watert
peoplethought
passage

of

EATING

FLESH

God

"When

made

after the

Noah

with

covenant

BLOOD-

THE

WITH

Flood, father, He told him not to eat flesh with the

that is,the blood, in it."
life,
"
in the New
Testament,
T*ue, Harry ; and the disciples,

charged

were

strangled,and
"But
why,

blood.'

father?

live 4esh

eat

ever

from

from

abstain

to

Do

eating4 things

"

think

you

would

one

any

?"

is even
to believe
reason
CertainlyI do. There
it is, still
that the practice,
as
shocking and inhuman
Not
Mr. Bruce
ter
prevailsin the East.
long afsays ;
lost sightof the ruins of the ancient capitalof
we
three travellers drivinga cow
Abyssinia,we overtook
before them ; they appeared to be soldiers.. We
saw
that our
attendants
attached
themselves
in a particular
to the three soldiers who
manner
were
driving the
"

cow,

and

after

we

where,

held

arrived

short
at

Soop.

conversation

with

them.

hithermost

bank

of the rivqr,
vers
tent, the di-

the

thought,we were
suddenly trippedup

pitch

to

the

and .gave the pwr

cow,

'

our

"

"

"""""

"*

) UlMM'l

"""

What
4he

did God

lell Noah

disciples
chargedin

*aUsijsthejE^t1 Wi*

when

he made

the New-Testament
aoooumt

does Mr.

covenant
1

What

Bruce

with kirn 1

WhaJt

shockingcustom

giveof

the

*pre

stillftp-

1
Abyssinian*

74

FLESH.

BATING

ground, which was

of them
sat
but the beginning of her sufferings.One
her head by the horns ;
her neck holding down
across
animal

had

third,who

the

the halter

twisted

the other

fall upon

rude

very

very
Prom

part of the buttock.

the beast

throw

going

her fore-feet ; while

about

knife in his hand, to my

her

surprise,gave

the

upon
to kill her, and

the

deep
the

ground, I thought they

sell

to

very great
wound
in the upper
them
time I had seen

part of the

meat

were

to

us.

not going to kill

they were
curiosity; I let my people go
my
forward, and stayed myself,tillI saw, with the utmost
astonishment, two pieces,thicker and longer than our
ordinary beef-steaks,cut from the higher part of the
buttock of the beast.
It was
done very skilfully,
but

But

my people told
her ; this awakened

I cannot
"Oh
cow

tell how."
how

shocking!

bled to

"No,

she

death
did

not

I will read

account.

flesh which

flappedover

that and

and

so,

I suppose,

the

poor

!"

practice.

Whether

that

me

though
the

The

skin,'he

had

been

it

was

remainder

i
which
says,
taken away,
was

inhuman

most

of Mr.
had
left

Bruce's

covered

the

entire,and

fastened to the corwound, and was

responding
small skewers
or pins.
part by two or more
they put any thing under the skin,between
the wounded
I know not ; but^at the rivflesh,
the

"$6

puma.

natriiTG

cruel ! And

"Haw

what

of the poor

became

at

cow

test?"
"

her

drove

They

before

them,

and

though she
managed to

somewhat

lame, she nevertheless

reach
the camp
immediately after their arrival
; and
killed and consumed
for their supper.''
.fihewas
If there were
could
not
good proof of it, one
scarcely believe that any one could act in this way."
"I allow, that one
narrative
could
Brace's
not.
There
were
time, generallydiscredited.
was, for some
few persons who did not regard it as his own
invention,
far he could impose on the credulityof his
Jtpsee how
Sir
Now
it is as
generally believed.
iQjWintrymen.
is an
W.
Jones, writing from
India, sajrs, There
Mr. Bruce
knew
at Gondar
Abyssinian here, who
; I
examined
have
achim, and he confirms Brace's
walked

"

"GQ"Bt."*

"But, surely, there is no account

ftp"ed ia Scriptureacting in this way
"

I fear there

i$ad that and

-"

Was

And

the

Brace's

Repeat some

is,Harry.

the two

people flew

narrative

verses

or

from

Turn

three

Samuel
*

What

WrOiltfUwL

one

men-

?"
1

Sam.

xiv. 32 ;

followingverses;
"'
the spoil.'

upon

believed
generally

to

of any

ii.p. ".

does Sir W.

Jones say 1

That

"

and

were

And

'

"

them

on

71

*"lftH.

BATIK*

is,after they had defeated the Philistines,

Well, go on."
very hungry and faint.
and calves,and
took sheep, and oxen,
slew
the ground ; and the people did eat them with

the blood.'"

"That,

know,

you

seems,

to

plan.

But

the

say

made

God

which

covenant

forbidden-

was

least,very

finish the

with
much

expressly in

Noah.
like the

And

the
this

Abyssinian

account."

they told Saul-,saying,Behold, the people

sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood.
And
he said, Ye have transgressed
stone
; roll a 'great
Then

"

unto

this

me

day.'"

He

meant,

the

cattle."

"

And

"**

Saul

on

say

his ox, and

every

eat

blood.
with

man

; and

sin not

And

all the

them,

and

they might properlyslaughter

said, Disperse yourselves among

unto
them, Bring me hither every

people,and
and

which

slew

the
man

his

sheep, and slay them here,

againstthe Lord in eatingwith the
his ox
people brought every man
them

there.'

This

does

it,father ; but not quite like it,for it is said

people slew' the cattle."
"
I am
that they reallydid so*
not
sure

look like
that the

What

was

forbidden in God's

covenant

with Noah

I rather

Repeat other

rersei.

78

NAPKINS.

them, after the

Abyssinians; especiallyas the remark

think that they maimed

justone,

that

came

this and

many

among

of the

manner

of Bruce

few years after this,the

very
from
Palestine,and carried with
c

other
them

Jewish
to

customs, which
this day.' "

is

sinians
Abys-

have

them
tinued
con-

NAPKINS.

day, when Harry had seen his father washing

he
as
himself, and wiping his face very particularly,
er,
accustomed
to do, with a napkin, he said, Fathwas
in an old book on your study
there is an odd account
of Morocco, who
used naptable,of an emperor
never
kins
to wipe himself with."
"
What
then did he use, Harry ?"
"
A boy's head."
"
What, Harry ? A boy's head ! That would be a
strange kind of napkin."
One

"

"

Shall I fetch the book

"

Do,

What
use

and

let

us

hear

does Bruce say of the

for a napkin 1

?"

it."

Abywiniani1

What

did the

Emperor

rocco
of Mo-

79

NAPKINS.

Torres, the Spanish

Ambassador, in 1547, first dined with the Emperor of
amused
Morocco
at his court, he was
by the customs
of the table.
Neither knives, forks, nor
spoons were
gers,
provided ; but each person helped himself with his finhis hands
and cleaned
with
his tongue, except
the Emperor, who wiped the hand
he took his meat
up
black
of
the
who
head
ten
on
a
with,
old,
boy,
years
stood by his side.
The Ambassador
smiled ; and the
Emperor, observingit,asked what Christian kingswiped
their hands with at meals ? Fine napkins,'was
the
reply. What are such things worth ?' inquired the

Harry reads.

"

When

de

Diego

'

monarch.

A clean

one

at every

meal

would

cost

five

Don't you
or more,' said the Ambassador.
shillings,
think this napkin much
better,'rejoinedthe Emperor,
wiping his hand again on the black boy's head, which
is worth
?' "
seventy or eighty crowns
fine napkin, truly. This
"A
is indeed a singular
that it caught your
account, Harry. I don't wonder
attention ; yet there are
things on record of a
many
similar kind,in ancient history. You know
that there
'

are

various

parts of the East, where,

even

to

the ent
presat their

day, people of quality use their hands

meals, and know
nothing of knives or forks."
Give

What

an

is done

account
at

of the

Spanish

ambassador's

the present day in many

dinner

parte of the East 1

with the

Emperor*

80

NAFKHf*.

do you
the Emperor of
"But

w
""

recollect any
Morocco, which

the story of

thing like
I have

read

this

ing?"
morn-

sions
allu-

No, Harry, not immediately ; but there are

of which
reminds
in Scripture,
that account
Will

yon mention
In the fifteenth
of

of them

some

chapter of

me."

?"

Matthew

will find

you

of Canaan

coming to our Lord,

and asking his merciful interposition
behalf of her
on
not
daughter ; but he said to her, that ' it was
meet,
t" take the children's bread, and to cast it to the dogs ;'
nieaning,that it was not proper at that time to give
of the Jews, or of the people of God, to
tfte privileges
Do you recollect what her reply was
tie Gentiles.
on
ait account

that occasion
cl

She

"

aft

?"

said, " Truth, Lord

fallfrom

which

crumbs
You

woman

are

allusion

their master's

right,Harry
to

custom

; and

the- woman
omtom

will yon find in the 16th

of Canaan 1 What
in the East do

we

table.'

East.

"

to

the soft part of the

at

the

did ike natal

find in thii anower

What

bread)

did Jem

What

not

wipe

threw

moment,

hare

did

They

accustomed

were

chapterof Matthew
amwer

of the

eat

here, I think,we

in the

ancientlyUBe napkins, but

and hands with
their fingers
which
they afterwards,or
What

yet the dogs

to

lay te

alkfion to

81

NAPKINS.

the

As

from

feast

some

Rejoicinground some
Such was
the good man

is

morsel

an

recollect what

proud
Harry ?"
Yes

"

rich

man's

with

the

table.

man's

True

"

'

much

'

doubt

wish

crumbs

poor

supply

to ;

creature

as

this

have

Lazarus

there

practice. Do
who
lay at
man,
fed with,
to be

fell from

the

the

entire

under
away
been
have
must
sufficient

been

from

still wasted

does Homer

rich

in
wants

the tables 1

siderable,
con-

to

of

even

What

serve
pre-

than

family,

wealthy

were

their

More

starving.

in the Odyssey 1
say of this custom
be fed with at the ricb man's gate 1
What

that fellfrom

"

give.'

times,were
which
fall from our's,
be worth
desiring;no
which
they wiped their

thrown

was

would

is often

to

same

these, in ancient

not
know, would
the ofFal bread, with

and

What

the

to

and

which

crumbs

you

to

Dives

gate, desired

the

hands, and which

tables, is alluded

enough
amply

wont

afflicted

poor

doubt

no

than

any

receive

"

and

more

which,

the

sey.'
Odys-

the gate ;

at
to

ever

strikingparable of
allusion,most likely,to

you
the

man

him

In the

'

late,
returning

man

His faithful dogs all meet

"

in his

alludes to this custom

Homer

dogs.

poor

did the

the crumbs

poor

ably
prob-

8i

1*0*1.

should

How

household.

if

of benevolence,

obey

our

which

admonition, 4 Gather up the fragments

remain, that nothing be lost.' We
are

compassion for the

this respect,

on

Lord's

does

he

that

sure

for the purone,

every
poses
other account, practino
cally

not

feel

poor

and

in all

as

he

as

the wretched.

others, the divine

have
others, as you would
regulateour deportment."

them

to

"Memorable

lines

the

are

ought, who

of

has

no

Surely,in

do to

precept, i Do
you,' should

one

of

our

own

poets,*
"

pearlwhich crested Fortune wears

;
from Beauty's
that
ears
hangs
twinkling
;
gem
blue arch adorn,
the bright
stars which night's
that gildthe vernal morn,
sons
rising

No

"

No
Nor
Not

radieot

Shine with such lustre,"as the

For others woe,

down

BOOKS

Harry,
said, " You
the

some,

have

is

our

Virtue's

manly cheeks

AND

WRITING.

walking

when

not

that breaks

told

me

any

!"

father,
thing latelyabout
with

his

customs."

Eastern

What

day,

one

tear

Lord's

of Darwins'

admonition

Repeat another dWiae,precept*

lines.
*

Darwin.

Bgneat

84

BOOKS.

book

of the

he had opened
prophet Isaiah, and when
the book, he found
the place where
it was
written,
*The
he hath
spiritof the Lord is upon me, because
anointed
to preach the
me
Gospel to the poor.' And
he closed the book, and gave
it again to the minister,
and
"

any

down."

sat

What

"Here
which

I refer to, would

The
and

which

are

and

Pieces
much

were

were

rolled up
to be

yet

tell

write

of books

not
me

on

seen,

have

write

do tlie words

in ancient times 1

were

in ancient

times.

the Jews."

how

I wish

they

you

used

to

invented."
printingwas
over
thinly with wax,
Leaves

on.

opened and closed

Wh%t

lish
Eng-

mere

our

it ; and

books, before
of board, covered
to

especiallyamong
thought of this.

make

used

by

however,

version, opened^
and rollingup the
unrolling,
written on parchments
then
sort of stafF. Many of these

about

more

in

extensively employed ; as
lime-tree,which the Romans

What
a

books

as

I should

Would

the

one,

be noticed

words, translated

were

; books

also

form

ohsed,literally
mean,

volume

"

not

; it is the

Greek

The

several, Harry.

are

reader

"

find

do you refer to here, father ? I do not

allusion to the peculiarcustoms
of the East."

mean

of trees

were

also the inner bark

called

used to write upon

What
1

of

the Latin
liber,

were

book*

written

85

BOOKS.

word,

they

you

know, for

called

were

The
book is

term
%

the skins

or

What
were

In

book.

volumen; hence

Anglo-Saxon

word

derived, means

From

what

the

our

rolled up

word

boc,from whence

beech-tree.

What

if our

were

word

form,

volume is derived.

these

writingscalled

hook derived 1

our

Parchment,

polished by the pumice

of animals

i" the latin for book

rolled up 1

stone,

when

they

Botnrs.

used,
celebrated

manuscript,
called

Gospels,
Book

Codex

all of

are

Is

translation

of the

The

Silver

Argenteus ;' or,

the letters

;' because

Gothic

the

There

of value.

documents

to preserve

silver,except the

ters
of gold. But writing with the letwhich
are
initials,
of an
alphabet is not the only kind of writing
which
has prevailed."
"

No

Why

could

how

without

write

one

any

ters
let-

?"

"I

The

will

tell you,
American

North

of their
took

place

also

Indians

used

and

them.

among

Were, of course,
Mexicans

By

wars,

and

signs

Harry.

thus

to preserve

of different
These

similar

counts
ac-

which

events

records, however,
The

exceedinglyimperfect.
had

pictures.

of

method

ancient

writing,but

perfect and ingenious than that of the Indians*

the History of
Robertson, in his admirable work
on
of their monarch
America, tells us, that the servants
sent to him
picturesof all the Spaniards, and of their
horses, fire-arms,
tents, and so on."
"
And
not the hieroglyphicswhich
at
were
we
saw
the British Museum
the other day, of the same
kind?"

more

What

was

used

to

smiled the Silver Book

fetters 1
U

How

writinghad

were

preserve

valuable

What

the records

documents

way of
of the American
other

the ancient Mexicans'!

What

What

writing is
Indians

manuscript is

besides that ef

there
made

does Robertson

there

What

tellus 1

mode;

f#l

*oofcs.

"They

They

\#ere.

the

were

work

of the

tians.
Egyp-

seven

of which
pillars,
you hare
are
drawings, called Cleopatra's Needles, which
feet square,
feet high, are
and a hundred
on

each

side covered

The

seen

with

and

the

This

celebrated

two

with

nicest

art, an

inch

and

the

deep

figuresare

in the hard

cut,
ite.
gran-

of

writingcould not be so accurate

than
ours
as
more
so
we
; and yet, perhaps, it was
might imagine. They had symbols, the meaning of
Thus
which
was
a sword
was
generally Well known.
for

used

method

them

warrior, or cruel tyrant ; an eye represented

all things ; a sceptre, a king ; a lion,
sees
God, who
depicted by hands with weapons
courage ; armies were
its tail in its mouth,
in them
a serpent, with
; and

eternity.

meant
w

The

similar.
They
writing is somewat
have
for each
no
alphabet, but different characters
Word.
These
some
instances, have
signs, in many
resemblance, real or imaginary,to the things for which
than
There
said to be more
are
fifty
they are used.
thousand
in the Chinese
words
language, for each of
which
there is a different symbol."

What

What

Chinese

nation

makes

symbolshad

Chinese

How

the

many

What
1
are
Cleopatra'sNeedles I
hieroglyphics
is the manner
of writingamong
What
the
Egyptians1
words are there in the Chinese language
1

use

of

88

BOOKS.

How

"

much

of

do, out

its we
"

It is."

"

How

simple it is to form all our words,

twenty-four letters !"

more

firstfound

words

were

?"

out

question is somewhat
difficult,
Harry. It is
in a very high degree probable, to say the least, that
God taught our firstparents the use of language,as He
mals.
to the different tribes of anigave appropriatenames
It is said by the Greek
Roman
and
writers,
that
the Phenicians
first invented
letters.
They
commercial
might, as they were
a
people, first make
them known
to other nations ; but it is very likelythat
from
their country
the Jews, as
they derived them
"

Your

was

so
"

The

course,

records

no

of the

memorial

I will

of

in

of

more

writingin

And

of Exodus.
Moses

the Lord

book, and

utterlyput out

of the

ancient

commands

xvii. 14.

Hebrews.

in the annals

Book

xvii. 1 4,)God
Ex.

of the

earliest mention

and, of
are

to that

near

the remembrance

Scriptures,

world, for there

date, is in several passages

In the first,(Exod.
to write

said unto

rehearse

the

Moses,

it in the

in

book

Write

ears

of Amalek

of

an

this for

Joshua, for
from under

Heaven.
alphabetcomposed 1 Who probablytaughtour first parents
edge
whom
the knowlfirstinvented letters 1 From
was
the use of language1 Who
is the earliest mention of w*"ting
Where
of letters probably derived 1
Exodus.
from
1
made
in the Scriptures
Repeat a verse
Of

what

is

our

89

BOOKS.

of the defeat of

account

manifest

to

we

told,that

are

is Exod. xxiv. 4,in which

passage
of the
Moses
all the words
wrote

is,Exod.

the
gave
written

God

which

third

The

Lord.'
that

His

second

The

people.

were

ation
Amalek, and of His determindispleasure against that' wicked

tables of the

two

tables

on

of stone

said,
to Moses,
the finger
it is

18, where

xxxi.

law
c

by

of God.'"
"

Moses

have

and

among

that

my

were

engraven

words

ever

are

stillfound

with

(Job xix.
on

with
it has

rocks

in

in every
exclaims

book

; that

ruins

of the

Travellers
Mount

pears
ap-

age,
c O
:

size,which

lapse of

are

tains
moun-

are

ed
cover-

injury

of the

account

on

years,

most

usthat

assume

Sinai there

of considerable

the

of the

the stones

from

Job

know,

we

as

given to

they
iron pen, and lead,in the rock,
an
23, 24.) Very long inscriptions

writing,but which,

sustained

far

so

Thus

written

neighbourhood of
and

cannot

now

decyphered.

What

is said in the second

mode

common

What

nations.
were

the tables

afterwards

common

cities in the world.

in the

been
most

for

ancient

first specimen,

the

were

to

be

stones, of which

Writing upon

are

found

of
on

and

third passage 1 What

nations 1 What
most

writing among
ruins in ancient cities 1

Of

what

appears to have been

is said of it in Job 1

do travellersassure

Digiti
zedby

us

G00gle

BOOM*

will reeoltect also that

"You

gained

great victory

stone, and

set it up

in

over

he had
Samuel, when
the Philistines,took a

public place,and

wrote

on

it

Hie word

Hhat he wished
to
Eben-ezer, which means
acknowledge in the fullest way he could, that he had
dom,
gained that advantage, not by his own
might or wisbut by the help of God.
(1 Sam. vii. 12.)

~t
tween
Samuel, vii. 12. Then Samuel took a stone, and set it beof it Eben-ezer,
Mizpeh and Sheu, and called the name
saying,Hitherto hath the Lord helpedus.
1

What

did Samuel

word Eben-eser

mean

do after his
1

with
victory

the Philiitines 1

What

doe*

the

9t

BOOKf.

"That

is

We

uncertain, Harry.

know

it was

that

fag* composed of the papyrus, the celebrated rush of

its name.
whence
it derives
the Nile, from
There
however,, a manufactory of paper at Memphis,
was,
hundred

at least three

and

white
"

What

"

It

paper, but
the harder

made

it

perfectly
%

useful rush

the papyrus
have been !"
must
suppliedthe Egyptians with

It not

only
they procured

parts of the

ribs of boats

and

ages,

of Alexander.

smooth."
an

was.

after

in

Romans,

The

before the time

years

sort of sugar

plant

made

were

softer parts

; the

from

were

its juice;

into cups,
formed
into

and wicks for

ropes, sails,cloth,shoes, strings,
The Egyptian reeds were
used for
also generally
"

What

an

"

It

indeed

useful invention

boards,

on

or

was

spread

work
over

!"
paper was
of any size written

with

wax,

must

bark,

on

have

been

inconvenient."

very

Why, father,it would have

Well, I suppose it would.

"

"

furnished

the

world

close of the eleventh

linen

with
What
what

lamps.
pens."

was

tise

When

But

for ages
and
paper;

century, peper

began

!"

the rus
papythe
near
to be

made

rags."

made

other

with

filleda wagon

was

at

Memphis

What

did

the Romans

the papyrus 1
Why was the
was
paper firstmade of rags 1

making

afterwards
of paper

an

do 1

Of

tention
useful in-

93

BOOKS.

"c

that

book

The

Lord

our

unrolled must

hare

been

in

writing ?"
"
Certainly."
"
Then, were
they not very dear, as it would take a
great while, you know, to write out a book ?"
In the reign of our
They were.
Alfred, in the
ninth century, a bishop was
to
obliged to go to Rome
buy books ; for one of which the king gave him eight
land as eight ploughs could
hides of land, or as much
till.' Stow
informs us, that, in 1274, a Bible sold for
tells us, that in 1429,
331. 6*. 8rf. Archbishop Ussher
of Wicklifle's Testaments was
the price of one
21 16*.
8J. ; which
the good bishop remarks, is as much
as
will now
(in 1630) buy forty."
"
father."
It would
more
buy many
now,
"
It would
I bought
; according to the rate at which
for our charity-school,
it would buy one
them
hundred
"

and

thirteen."

"Well, what
"

Dr.

abbots
Were

for

book

in ancient
What

Wicklifle's Testaments

in 16"0 1

books

difference !"

ticing
Henry, the historian,might well remark, nothis subject,that none
but kings,bishops, and
is the
could be possessed of any books ; which

writingsdear

in return
of

How

many

does
1

would

in ancient times 1

times 1
Stow

How

it buy

What
tell us
hooks

many
now

Who

king Alfred give a bishop

the priceof one
What
1
was
would the sum
have purchased
did

were

the sole possessors of

9*

BO*U"

that there

reasan

then

were

palaces,bishops'sees,
But

"

there

are

or

kings'

monasteries."

books

any

schools but in

no

in the form

of rolls now,

lather?"
; Dr.

Yes

"

us, that he

assures

Jews, in Malayala, an

the

among

Buchanan

ancient

had

copy
about

seen

of the

fifteen
Law, written on a roll of leather ; it was
sewed
feet long; the skins were
together. And there
are
manuscripts of this kind, especiallyamong
many
the Jews."
"

Printingwas

*"

It was,

indeed

for it.

extent, and
but

may

have

means

may

invention,father."
have great reason
ful
to be thankbooks
are
multipliedto any
to all.

accessible

made

are

he

poor

; we

its

By

fine

No

man

is

so

he
books; and especially
of Books, Harry ; you know
what

have

the Book

few

tftfratis*"
The

"

Bible."
think

of the noble

art o"

without
printing,
callingto my recollection the quaint though expressive
the subject.
on
language of old Fox, the "martyrologist,
'
Hereby,' aays fee, tongues are known, knowledge
"

never

What

peoplehave

Ventura

the

of

ait

What

-books

the farm of rolla1

is oalled4he Book

printing.

of Books

Why

"

on
printing

tnefal in*

Repeat the languageof Fob

on

95

boom.

groweth, judgment increaseth, books are dispersed,

be read, stories be
the Scriptureis seen, the doctors
opened, times compared, truth discerned, falsehood
detected, and with fingerpointed,and all through the
benefit of printing. Wherefore, I suppose,
that the
abolish
world to
printing,or seek a new
Pope must
reign over ; or else,as this world standeth, printing
doubtless

will abolish

him.

collegeof cardinals must

the lightof printing,the

But

the pope, and aU his.

understand
this,that through

to have
beginneth now
walk
cannot
so
eyes to see, and heads to judge. He
in a net, but he will be spied. And
invisibly
although,
of John Hub*
through might, he stopped the mouth
before, and of Jerome, that they might not preach,
his kingdom sure
; yet, instead of
thinking to make
hath opened the press to
Huss
and others, God
John
voice the pope
is never
able to stop,
preach, whose
all the puissance of his triplecrown.
with
By this
of tongues, and as by the can*
as by the gift
printing,
pel
gular organ of the holy Spirit,the doctrine of the Gosto all nations

soundeth
; and

many

all.'"

what

; and

world

God

what

revealed
is known

and

countries

to one
to one

man

under
is

en
Heav-

dispersed to

nation, is opened

to

parablewhich
singular,father."
The

"

What

MEALS.

AND

FEASTS

"

96

read

you

this

morning appears

refer to, Harry ?"

do you

Why, the sending to call in the poor, and 'the

maimed, and the blind, and the halt, to the feast.
"

like this

us."
among
"
it may
True, Harry ; and on this account
appear
why it should seem
singularto us ; but this is no reason

Nothing

in the

so

occurs

country in which

East, the

the

Scriptures

written."

were
"

ever

Certainlynot, as

you

have

shewn

in

great many

instances."

draws, of a king
is not
to a feast,
sending for the poor and the wretched
go unlike what
reallyhappens in the East, as we are
ready to imagine. Pococke speaks of the admission of
"

And

the poor
a

the

picturewhich

to the

tables

our

of the rich.

great entertainment, made

the Cashif

Egyptian villagefor
he

*Vhat

says,

custom

The

in the East

of the admission of the poor

custom

appears
to

Lord

In

his

of

by the governor
with

was,

singularto

whom

for every

us

the tables of the rich 1

What

of

account

he
one,

does

an

led,
travelwhen

Pococke say

FEA6T6

be had
a

done

draught

eating,to get

of water,

tillthe poor

by

set

they

ate

celebrated

up

the

poor,

surprising:

will often

and

finish

afterwards

in

people, he informs
dine

all that pass,

in the street

before

beggars, in
obey the invitation,sit down,
done, retire with the usual form
different this is to

It is,certainly,
somewhat

is still

what
of the

'that

an

door, and

name

of God

of

diet

prince

Arab

his

and

When

neighbours,
thing.' This

every

the

even

er
nev-

in their

account

us,

Arabs

table.

mentions

giving an

succession,

all,for the

thing which is brought to

sheep, they dress it all,call

traveller

the Eastern

"

continual

any

kill a

""How

his hands, take

wash

up,

so, in

in, and

came

and

more

and

ft?

MEALS*

AND

call to
;

who

they have

when

returningthanks.' "*
thing we meet with."

of

any

But

so.

our

Lord

seems

lect,
approved such a line of conduct ; you recolnoticed
is introduced
that the parable you
have
the poor.
to remember
by a very strikingadmonition
When
thou
makest
a
dinner, or a supper,'says our
Lord, call not thy friends,nor thy brethren, neither
thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours, lest they also
to have

'

bid thee

again, and

-"""'',-",

What

recompense

be

made

thee.
i

do the Arab

concerningthe

But

princes often do ?

Waat

admonition

does

our

Lord

give

O)

Sfffpnf

poor 1

^
Md*BM
*

Harmer, voL ii. 125,

98

AND

FEASTS

when

makest

thou

MEALS.

feast, call the poor, the maimed,

lame, and the blind ; and thou

thee ;
for they cannot
recompense
of
recompensed at the resurrection

shalt

the

It

"

among
w
ished
particularly

they
been invited,to send

when

the

common

very

was

blessed

be

shalt

thou

but

be

just*'
people in the East,
the

to honour

guest, who

largerportion to him than

other
to any
as
person ; thus Joseph sent five times
much
ren.
to his brother
Benjamin as to any of his brethtion
(Gen. xliii. 34.) It is stillregarded as a distincof value, to have any portion from the table of a
had

monarch,

thought

was

king

What

was

Genesis.

great
be

to

handful
Dutch

from

from

took

and

sent

Benjaminrsmess
And they drank and

; but

by an
Emperor

people

sovereign,,
the

because

the

joint,and

prince1

Van

merry

of the East 1

table 1
*

five times

were

Bream*

What

How
were

sent

much

so

with

Repeat
was

them

unto

messes

was

distinction 1

eastern
i

eller
trav-

ambassador,* in similar circum-

the
among
is still regardedas

the

celebrated

Eastern

an

of meat

he

honoured
greatly
"

of

greatlyhonoured,

common

What

When

man.

presence

And

of their's.

any

to be

before him

from

xliii.34.

Gen.

as

off

tore

it him.

sent

in the

dined
he

of

or

verse

tia Teller
to a

him.

from

thought

Dutch,

am*

TOO

AND

FEASTS

is described
the
"

as

Passover

would

not

with

eat

feast of

The

iii.20.
supper, Rev.
in the
also celebrated

was

Jews

The

MEALS.

evening."
one,

every

father ?,r

particularon this subject.

did you know
But how
this, Harty ?"
In the sermon
on
man
Sunday morning, about the woof Samaria, the preacher read the passage,
that
the Jews
did not eat with the Samaritans, John iv. 9.
But why would
they not do so ?"
No doubt but they had
It is
some
good reason.
idolatrous
probable, that the Samaritans
mingled some
rites with their meals, in which
the worshippers of the
It
God
true
could
not
offendingHim.
join without
this very
on
was
ground that Peter objected to go and
"

True

they

were

very

"

"

Rev.

iii.20.

hear

man

my

Behold
voice

I stand

and

the
open
and he with

and will sup with him

saith the
John iv. 9. Then
How
a

is it that tbou

being

of Samaria

woman

at the door

door, I will

if any

in to him

come

me.

woman

Jew,

and knock

of Samaria

ask est drink

? for the Jews

have

no

of

him,

nnto

me

which

am

dealingswith

the

the Jews eat

with

Samaritans.

When

was

every one
Samaritans'!

the feast of the Passover

Repeat a

verse

from John.

celebrated 1

Why

Would

would the Jews

not

eat

witbtbt

FEASTS

AND

101

MEALt.

preach the gospel to the Gentiles, Acts xi.

Jews

accustomed

were

them

away,

which

; this indeed

animal

xi. 33.

Levit.
been

had

in the
for

East,

Dr. Clark

which

found

him

he
and

the

his

cast

unclean

an

divine

hospitablyby

to his host

had

and

tells us, that

very

returned

book

; he

he

by

accordingto

was

night entertained

one

touched

been

The

8.

"

the vessels

break

to

the

mand,
com-

having
ly
fami-

next

ing,
morn-

left the

ing
preceding evenfamily busilyengaged in

platesand dishes out of which his friends

had eaten, and purifyingother articles by passing them
but these
doubt
fire. No
cereino*
or
through water
nies were
originallydesigned to keep the Jews at a
distance from the neighboringnations, that they might
the

breaking

be infected with

not

Acts

and

xi. 3.

idolatries."

their abominable

Saying, Thou

wentest

in to

men

uncircumcized*

didst eat with them.

8. But I

said,not

so

Lord

; for

nothingcommon

or

unclean

hath at any time entered into my mouth.

Levit. xi. 33. And
earthen vessel whereinto
every
them
break

whatsoever
falleth,

verse

of

and ye shall

it.

Repeat a
Jewish

is in it shall be unclean

any

from

verse

from

Leviticus.

ceremonies

Acts.

What

What
does

were

Dr.

probablydesigned1

the Jews

Clark

accustomed

tell us 1

to

do 1

For what

Repeat
tfoe
were

102

AND

FEASTS

Our

"

Lord

do the Jews

gave
do so

thanks

MEALS.

before he broke

the bread

?"

now

have
the smallest
Yes, all of them, who
sions
pretento their meals, they
to piety. Before
they come
their hands, as the Evangelists inform
still wash
us
"

they used
bread, and
0 Lord

!' And

then

person

Then

the

breaks

takes

master

it,he

'

says,

Blessed

loaf of

art

thou,
produ-

God, the King of the World, who

all present say,
otft of the earth ;' to which

our

Amen

do.
he

as

bread

oest
i

to

takes

is distributed.

the bread

then

wine, and

says,

sed
Bles-

God, King of the World, who

hast created the fruit of the vine.'
Then
the twentythird Psalm
is repeated. At the close of the meal, the
fillsa glass of wine, and takes a piece of bread,
master
art

which
*

Let

thou, 0 Lord

of

vessel

the

chief

The

has
us

The

heaped

laid

been

bless

Him,

guests

favours
The

breaks

"1

now

fed

us

family then prays

Temple, and the throne

repeated1

What
What

replydo the guests makel

What

has

do before their meals 1

the loaf of bread

psalm is then

and
purpose,
says,
of whose
benefits we
have
partaken.'
4
hath
reply, Blessed be He who
the

His

on

of the

head

do the Jews

for

by

us, and

on

Jerusalem,the
What

our

What

does
the

when

he

takes

does

the

master

do

prayer

does

What

God

to restore

of David

the master

vessel of wine
at

ness.'
goodto

say as he
1 What

the close of the meal

the head

of the

family

10$

PRESENTS.

to
to send the Messiah
glory,and especially
To
from their low and degraded condition.
raise them
add their Amen
which
the whole
; and they
company
finish the ceremony
by repeatingthe ninth and tenth
of the thirty-fourth
Psalm."
verses

their former

PRESENTS.
u

Harry,

you

may

now

uncle

was

so

kind

your

leisure
"

to notice

Well,

too.

and

value

for its

"

Bible

to

as

when

! And

the presents which

me

send

they
most

I had

you.

last

came,

beautiful

not

evening.

edition

of it

care,
my dear boy, you will read it with
it for the giver's sake, but more
especially

hope,

own

worth.
'

Uncle

"

them

show

That

page, where

William

is, as Young says,

triumphsimmortality!'"
written
in the
a
verse

has

blank

leaf."
So he has ; I did not

"

observe

it.

What

is it ?"

glorygildsthe sacred page,

Majesticlike the son ;
It givesa light
to every age,
none.'
It gives,bat borrows
'

"

"

"

How
a

is the ceremony
concluded
of
verse
CowperV

What

does

Young

sav

of the Bible 9

peat
Re-

104

PRESENTS.

That

is

God,
them,

verse

of

there

is not

; for

true

very

of divine

or

but

evident

it

from

of Greece

mighty minds,
the

Creator,

"

But

is God

have

"

That

is

with

perpetualemployment

men

losopher
phiof
cthe

of stone,

than

more

for

have

?'

ever

not,

you

is

works

microscope."

will indeed

time, have
doing ?"
I have

"

What

"

About

though

it

is the

in the

use

what

see,

in the

"

pretty present

very

great and

as

as

What

of them

else,

something

Yes

God

the

worshipped

but

is

This

for,that

all,blessed

over

worthy of

source.

many

and

of wood

"

you

see

Rome,
not
God,

gods

'who

you

all

?"

Harry
*

and

knew

;' and

creature

this hallowed

it be accounted

can

world, of

in the

idea

an

and

suitable

; very

things, at least, at

came

how

or

Cowper's

and

But

Harry

not

reading in

my

Tou
gratification.

often

so

gloriousin

greatest.

you
been

I have

the

told you, that

minutest
of His

have

you

What

new

it will famish

; and

been

have

up

seme

you

been

Bible."

part have you been reading ?"'

Jacob, and his sending a present into Egypt,
was

source

of the

but

of

poor

knowledge
telescope
our

one

; it was

of divine

things1

not

What

worth

so

will Skpeno*
\

tOO

PRTOBHTft.

microscope and Bible.

a
a present ; a little balm, and
now
myrrh, nuts, and almonds,'
ees, and
That
to Joseph, who
the man.'
was,
though they did not know him.

much

as

do

tell us, that

Travellers

visit without

not

of Sheba

with

dates,

radishes, or
Queen

He

ray

or

little honey,
and

; either

fruit of

some

visit

in

spi-

gainto
Egypt,
East

flower, a few

kind.

Solomon,

in the

poor

present

did not

'go

was

the

even

said, Take

Thus

without

the

bring*-

her

costlypresents.
"As
was
soon
as
brought te
guests arrived, water
their feet and their hands, Gen. xviii. 4 ; xix. ". ?
wash
that they .were
and it appears
not unfrequentlyaneifexxiii. 5,
Hence
ted with
Mary
fragrantoil, Psalm

ing

Gea.

Let

xviii.4.

your feet and

Gen. xix. 2. And

wash

pray you
your

presence

into

xxiii. 5.

when
What
What

Thou

they visit 1
wae
was

done

preparest
; thou

now

my

table

anointest my

before

me

in the

head with oil ; my

over.

present did Jacob

What

said,Behold

he

enemies

of my

cup runneth

littlewater

Lords,turn in I
house and tarry all nightand wash
your servants
ye shall rise up earlyand go on your ways.

feet,and

Psalm

I pray you be fetched^

and
under the tree..
rest yourselves
a

on

to

Joseph *

did the Queen

What
te"

send

arrival of guests t

done
frequently

Repeat

What

of Sheba

verse

do the poor do in the East

1
she viBrted Solomon

do when

Repeat

some*

font Psalms.

verse*

front Genetitw

106

PRESENTS.

broke

Magdalen

poured it on

and

Simon, the

the

head

in the

Hence
woman

? I entered

her

gavest

in,hath

"

anoint

ever

the

East, when
when
they have
it is said that

shall

have

ought, and
in society.

common
4

washed

my

this
no

feet with

the hairs of her head.

hath anointed

this woman

; but

my

still are, very common

in
visit each
other, especially

and

were,

persons
audience

the

the

of

of those

in

occur

kings of

bring presents
offer gifts.'

Tarshish

kings

quality. Hence
Scripture. Thus
of the

and

of Sheba

and

Isles
Seba

"

"

It does

"

Yes,

What

with

them

of this kind

instances

shall

to

ointment.'

Presents

many

not

he

Lord.

our

since I came
kiss ; but this woman,
feet. My head with oil
to kiss my

no

ceased

thou didst not

feet with

into

wiped

me

not

feet of

ment,
precious oint-

him, Seest thou

thine house, thou gavest me

feet ; but she hath

tears, and

Thou

and

the

to

for my

water

of

house, seems
respectfulmanner

then
usages
said to
the "Redeemer

according

box

of .the

master

him

received

alabaster

an

did

not

the

say to whom,
does ;
Psalm

Mary Magdalen do

did the Redeemer

does it say in

say to him 1 Are

of Scripture1
Terse

How

father."
to

Messiah.

did Simon

Maundrell

receive

presents still common

our

Lord 1

What

in the East 1 What

tOt

PRESENTS.

frogs;

you

shall in

Scythians.'
Truly, this was
unlike

and

often

were
a

wise

be able to avoid

the

arrows

"

of the
"

no

the usual

poet of Cufah, in the ninth

him

presents made

very

ture,
peculiar na-

presents in the East.

tells
D'Herbelot

numerous.

very

of

present

in the

course

These
us,

that

century, had so many

of his life,
that at his

found

possessedof a hundred complete suits

ef etothgs, two hundred
bans.
turshirts,and five hundred
learn also,from Judges iii. 18, that there
We
often much
in bringing
was
parade and ostentation
fail
their presents. c Through ostentation,they never
four or five horses what
to load upon
might easily be
In like manner,
ewrried by one.
as to jewels,trinkets,
and) other thingsof value, they place in fifteen dishes
"
wliat a singleplatewould
very well hold.*
"
How
garments that poet had given to him,
many
he wag

death

father !"
"

He

had

valuable.

presents in the East

; the

This

finance,that Naaman

present* had

Momrmmy
forth 1

Whet

in the East

do

we

valuable 1

Warn

very
of the

only from the case

mentioned, but from the circumbrought as a present to the proph-

appears

1 have

proet which

often

are

not

poet of Cufah
from

the 18th

in his
verge

of

possessionat

Judges1

the time of his

Were

the present*

109

MLCftENTS,

et, c ten

talents of silver,six thousand

and

changes

ten

"This
"It

been

; of some

was

by

admitted

writer

to be

"

very largesum, father."

thousand
We
are
pounds value.

have

must

assured

of raiment.'

piecesof gold,

whose

statements

are

generally
of

correct, that the commander

tern
Eas-

an

of his adversary by
province purchased peace
hundred
thousand
sending him a present of seven
of silver,
loads
drachms
in ready money
; four hundred
of saffron,
which
that country produced iifabundance
;
carried a rich
and four hundred
slaves, each of whom
turban

of silk in
a

burnt

was

value

silver basin."

present, father !"

the
is said, that when

." What
"It

of

Bender, there

at

two

hundred

magi brought, most

the infant Saviour.

father,He
manger."

What

9UPs

no

doubt, they

present did Naaman

proving purchase peace

bouse

of

great value

recollect what

it

to

?"

was

frankincence, and myrrh. But yet,

appeared only as a poor child,lying in a

tofa

presents in it of the
The Eastern
crowns.

likely,a present
you

XII.

and

"Gold,

"But,

were

thousand

Do

of Charles

house

What

had

bringto
of his

the

been

prophet1

adversary1

presents did the

wise

divinelytaught that

men

What

How

did
were

bringto

the

found

commander
in Charles
-

the infant Saviour

1
,

110

AND

CATTLE

He

was

And

on

him

King, and they presented to

a
'

AGRICULTURE.

have

dominion

river

to

the

shall

head

His

be

from

also

of the

ends

royal gifts.

crowns.'

many
to

sea

shall

from

and

sea,

He

the

Yea, all kings shall

earth.

fall down

before

His

shall endure

shall be

Him;

blessed.

name

in

blessed

blessed

And

the whole

be

earth

Him,

all nations

shall

for ever;
and
men
all nations
shall call Him

His

for

gloriousname
filled with

be

His

Him.

serve

; and

ever

glory !

Amen

let
and

"

amen.'

CATTLE,

VINEYARDS.

AND

AGRICULTURE,

It appears
that the Israelites devoted their principal
attention
the cultivation
to cattle and
of the land.

Abraham,

Jacob

Isaac, and

all

were

shepherds, and

The
wealth
of persons in
largeflocks and herds.
the
early periods of the world consisted chieflyin
these, though they did not neglectthe raisingof corn.

had

Why
our

Who

did

Saviour.
were

they present
To

what

him

with

did

the

shepherds1 What

?
royal gifts

Repeat

Israelites devote

did the wealth of

their

peoplein

the

verses

respecting

principalattention 1

ancient times consist of L

It is said that Isaac

so

that he received
are

we

ground,
when

and

he left

in the

same

Exodus

What
formed 1

is

Horeb.

Isaac sowed

year an hundred
Moses
iii.1. Now
the

said of Isaac 1
a

xxvi.

verse

Repeat a
from

Exodus.

; and

verse

Exod.

in that

fold,and
kept the

priestof Midian

Repeat

blessed

fold,Gen.

hundred

Mount

on

12. Then

xxvi.

the Lord

him,
deed,
In-

12.

informed, that Cain was a tiller of the

Abel
a
was
keeper of sheep. Moses,
of Tharaoh, kept the flocks of
the court

his father-in-law

Gen.

sowed, and
a

Ill

AGRICULTURE.

AMD

CATTLE

land, and received

the Lord
flock of
he

Most

iii. 1.

led

from Genesis*

him.

blessed

Jethro,his
the

flock

Of what

are

er-in-law
fath-

to

we

the
in-

11$

AGRICULTURE.

AND

CATTLE

of the

employed in
judges and kings of Israel were
agriculture.Shamgar was a herdsman, Judges iii.31.
When
the angel appeared to Gideon, he found him
appointed
threshing,Judges vi. 11. After Saul was
king, he looked after his father's cattle, 1 Sam. xi. 5.
a shepherd.
David, in his early youth, was
"

You

bften remarked, father,that David

have

when
he
was
twenty-third Psalm
the sheep."
it very
probable that his contemplative
observing the happiness of the flocks in
pastures,' and 'by the still waters,' was

likely wrote
watching over
"

I think

mind, when
'the

green

raised
back

to

side
to

even

the

meditate
of the

on

desert,and

to

came

which

relation

that blessed

the

mountain

the

of

God,

Horeb.

Judges iii.31.
Anath, which
OX

most

And

slew

goad ; and he
Judges vi. 11.

after him

Shamgar,

was

of the Philistines six hundred

also delivered

And

his

men

son

of

with

an

Israel.
threshed

Gideon

son

the

press, to hide it from the Midianites.

1 Samuel, xi. 5. And
behold,Saul come

Wheat

by the*

wine

of the field ; and Saul

Weep
How

after the herd

eileth the

said,What

out

peoplethat they

were

the

judgesand kingsof

lodges. Repeat a verse from

did David probablywrite the

Israel employed1

Samuel.
23d Psalm

What

was

Why

Repeat two verses from

David in his youth 1 When

1
is it probable

CATTLE

God

good
said

he,

"And

sustained

US

AGRICULTUBE.

AND

towards

himself.

is my shepherd, I shall not want.'

Our
Lord, you know, father,said

The

Lord/

"

he

was

shepherd."
as used
figurative,
language was
by
Him
look after flocks. He
; for He did not personally
that as a shepherd provided for,and took care
meant
take care
of the sheep committed
to him, so he would
of his servants, and be to them
thingthey should
every

Yes

"

; but

need, both

this

shepherd*

good

And

we

and

hereafter.

who

laid down

here

know

sins,and carried
world, He has told

from

their

us,

eyes.' But,

to

of the Israelites. When

Canaan,

every

that He

family had

return

will lead

'

the

sheep.'

them, and thus

their sorrows.'
And, in

of water, and

livingfountains

his life for the

did die for

that He

their

calls himself

He

bare

ter
bet-

them

to

all tears
away
the employment

wipe
to

they settled
a portionof

in the
land

of

land

given to

it.

They could not part with these inheritances ; at least

called
was
not altogether. Every fiftiethyear, which
back
to the
the year of Jubilee the land, if sold, came
had parted with it,or to their heirs."
who
persons
Did they always plough the land, father ?"
,

"

I* what

do

we

sease

fcaow 1

waft

Whe*

"Jttr
was

shepherd1 What did he call himself 1

the employment of the Israelite*1

Lord

What

114

CATTLE

AGRICULTURE.

AXCD

It is not

often turned up, with

unlikelythat it was
of spade. Ploughs were
invented
a kind
very early.
They are mentioned, Job iv. 8, and by Moses, Dent,
The
xxii. 10
prophets often speak of ploughing up
"

fallow

the

Job
sow

ground,

iv. 8. Even

as

wickedness,reap

iv. 3 ; Hosea

Jerem.

I have
the

Deut. xxii. 10. Thou

seen,

x.

12.

Job

and
they that plow iniquity

same.

shalt not

ploughwith

an

ox

and

ass-

an

together.
Jer, iv. 3. For

Jerusalem,Break

thus saith the Lord

up your

fallow

to the

of Judah

men

ground, and

sow

not

and

among

thorns.
Hosea
mercy
How

x.

12.

; break

wai

Sow

up your

yourselvesin righteousness,
reap
fallow ground

to

the land often turned op 1

Repeat fome

veraef

from the Bihle^

in

116

YIJTEYAltB**

of

Cisterns

"

to

refresh tfee

directed,in
field,which

were

channels, to different parts of the

commonly opened or closed by the foot.

small
were

reference

10,

often formed

were

these, little rills

from

ground, and

is

water

this

to

circumstance

in

There

Deut.

11.

Israelites,father,did

"The

raise

not

merely ;

corn

of

Vineyards in Scripture."
You are right,Harry ; and their grapes were
the
recollect
fine.
You
large cluster which
brought by the spies,"do you not ?"
often read

we

"

tq have

; and

it seems

persons

could

well carry

between

them

"

"

Yes

Lebanon

Deut

where

have

to

as

land

thou* sowedst

of

you

been

Egypt,

thy seed

and
valleys,

parts of the field 1

and

know

two

as
*

two

bare

it

for its

remarkable

goest in

thou

whence

from

ye
it with

wateredst

to

possess

came

thy

out,
foot

as

Were

verse

possess k, is a land of
of the rain of heaven.

to

go
water

often formed

from Deut.

the grapes fine 1

For what was
the spies1

Scriptures1

broughtby

Repeat

ye

drinketh

cisterns of water

were

much

was

herbs.

But the land whither

hills and

Why

; for

as

very

staff.'"

seems

the

garden of
11.

on

been

xi. 10. For the land whither

it,is not
a

xi.

What
Lebanon

What
Do

were
we

directed

read

of

different

vineyardsin the

is said of the duster

remarkable

to

of gvafef

117

VINEYARDS.

quently
frecottages were
built in the vineyards, not only for their protection,
of the vine-dressers,Matt,
but for the abode
In the East, vines were,
and are,
xxi. 33 ; Isaiah i. 8.
commonly trained up on the walls of the houses,
very
Psalm
cxxviii. 3 ; Gen.
xlix. 22.
The
vineyards of
Mount
on
Carmel, 2 Chron. xxvi. 10.
King Uzziah were
xiv. 7.

vines, Hosea

Hosea

shall revive

They

xiv. 7.

vine ; the scent thereof

Matt. xxi. 33. There
a

vineyard and

shall be
was

hedged

vineyard ; as
city.
a

Psalms
sides of

thy

the corn, and grow

the wine of Lebanon.

as

as

householder

certain

let it out

to

as

which

about, and digged

it round

press in it and built a tower, and

into a far country.
went
Isaiah i. 8. And

and

Towers

the

ted
plana

wine

husbandmen, and

daughterof Zion is left as a cottage in

lodgein a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged
the

cxxviii. 3.

thy house

Thy wife shall be as a fruitfulvine by the

thy children like olive plants round about

table.

Gen.

xlix. 22.

bough by
Chron.

"

Joseph

well ; whose
xxvi. 10.

is

fruitful

branches

For

run

bough,
over

even

fruitful

the wall.
(

he had

much

cattle both in the low

and cottages frequently

Where
towers
Repeat a verse from Hosea.
were
built 1 Repeat verses
Where
from Matthew
vines trained in
and Isaiah.
are
the East 1 Repeat verses
Genesis.
from Psalms
and
Where
the vinewere
!

of

king Usziah

Repeat a

verse

from

Chronicles.

118

VINEYARDS.

"

During

the

seventh
land

the

command,

year,
to

was

according to
lie fallow,and

the
the

divine
yards
vine-

pruned nor dressed."

"Our
Himself
to a Vine, in
Lord, father,compares
the fifteenth chapter of John."
"c
the
Yes; and He tells us that His people are
branches
derive nourishment,
; that is,as the branches
and
verdure, and fruitfulness from the parent stem ;
fruitful in every
become
so, by faith Jn Him, we
good
word
and work.
this faith,which
is implanWithout
ted
in the heart by the Holy Spirit,
es
branchare
we
as
and of
separated from the vine, which are fruitless,
no
value, but to be cast into the fire."
Do you
recollect,
father,that the Jews had any
to be

not

were

"

other
"

kind

of fruits ?"

Certainly ;

read

we

of pomegranates,

Deut.

in

Scripturesof dates
and
in many
of figs,

the

viii. 8 ;

country and in the plains; husbandmen

also,and Tine dressers

in the mountains
and in Carmel
: for he loved
husbandry.
of
wheat
and barley,and vines,and
Deut. viii. 8. A land
figtrees and pomegranates ; a land of oil olive,and honey.

What

was

himself 1
fruit do

we

done
What
read

duringthe
does

our

in the

seventh year 1

Lord

tell us

Scriptures1

To

What

Repeat

what
are

verse

we

does

Lord

oar

without

faith 1

from Deut.

compare
Of what

lid

VINEYARDS.

places. Olives, also, were

especiallycultivated by
the fine oil which
they produced.
famous
Mount
for
particularly

them, for the sake of

There
them

"

Dr.

great

recollect what

you
Mount

"

The

one

do

"

was

it

called ?"

was

of Olives."

Clarke

tells us, that they stillgrow

there in
is very celebrated in
profusion. This mountain

David

it barefoot,and weeppassed over

ing,
when
he fled from Absalom, 2 Sam. xv. 30.
It
this eminence, from whence
Lord could see
our
on
was
the whole
structi
cityof Jerusalem, that He predictedits dein
an
Here, also,He was
agony,' when
He bare the divine displeasuredue to our
sins ; and
His sweat
was
as it were
great drops of blood falling
down
of our poets, redoes one
to the ground.' Well
ferring

Scripture.

'

memorable

to this

and

2. Sam.

Mount

30.

xv.

them

what

eminence

he in

"

And

Samuel

and wept
Olivet,

-were

What

an

Lord's

our

ation
humili-

exclaim,
sufferings,

and he went

Why

of

scene

as

does Dr.

agony

1"

he went

up

by

up, and had

the

of

ascent

his head

ed,
cover-

barefoot

olives cultivated 1

did

went

our

Clarke
Lord

mountain

What

tell us

Repeat

was
a

verse

famous
particularly
from

Samuel.

predictthe destruction of Jerusalem

Where

for

From
was

120

TRADE

O Garden

"

AlfD

of Olivet,dear honoured spot,

thy wonders shall ne'er be forgot;

The

fame

The

scene

The

triumphof

of

to seraphsabove,
transporting
the triumphof love !'
sorrow,

most

TRADE
It does not

"

by any

was

COMMERCE*

means

"

COMMERCE.

AND

that there
from the Scriptures,
appear
such a variety of professions
among

the

We read indeed
people of the East as among us.
of
These
the Valley of Craftsmen,' 1 Chron. iv. 14.
ed
evidentlymuch prized,as we are informpersons were
that the Philistines and Babylonians took especial
them away
to carry
they were
care
captive,whenever
We
successful in invadingthe country, 1 Sam. xiii.19.
'

often read of smiths

1 Sam.

xiii. 19.

and

Now

carpenters, Isaiah xli. 7

there

all the land of Israel ; for the

make

brews

them swords

Isaiah xli. 7. So
and he
What

do

does

one

verse

id

from

Samuel.

"

found

smith

throughout
He-

the

Philistines said,Lest

spears.

carpenter encouraged

of our poets say 1 What

Chronicles 1 What are

Isaiah and Zechariab*

no

with the hammer

that smootheth

read of

we

the

or

was

; xliv.

Of what

do

he

appears from
we

we

told

the

goldsmith,

that smote
the

the

1
Scriptures

concerningCraftsmen

often read %

Repeat

verses

an~

What
peat
Re-

from

TRADE

13 ; liv. 16 ; Zeoh.

families

saying; It
that
with nails,
vil

is

it out

marketh

it out

with
with

Behold, I
the fire,
and

; and

work

Zech.

I have

i. 20.

line ; he

I will

have
that

iv. 21.

father of Mareshah

wrought fine
Job

and

Er,
and

from

me

go

the

my

four

me

bloweth

the

for bis

carpenters.

house, and
potter's

to the

down

father

words.

of Lecah

and

Laadah, the
of them

that

linen.
swifter than

"xxviii. 12. Mine

as

that

the families of the house

vii. 6.

Psalms

the smith

showed

to hear

My days are
spent without hope.

are

his

out

bringethforth an instrument
the water
to destroy.

the Lord

thee

rule, he
fitteth it with planes,and he

created

created

And

cause

1 Chron.

it

fastened

he

compass.

Jer. xviii. 2. Arise

there

and

carpenter stretcheth

liv. 16.
coals of

sodering;

it should not be moved.

Isaiah xliv. 13. The

marketh

18.

for the

ready

generallypractised,Job
Most
the
likely,as was

been

xxxviii.

vii. 6; Isaiah

Some
ing
Weav-

iv. 81.

linen,1 Chron.

have

to

seems

Jer. xviii. 2.

common,

in fine

wrought

also

been

of the potter also

trade

The

i. 20.

to have

appears

"81

COMMERCE.

AlfD

shepherd'stent

age

and
shuttle,

weaver's

is removed

departed,and

is

; I have

cut

off like

weaver

my

life.
'

What
What

trade appears to have

families do 1
some

did

have been

been

common

Repeat a verse
Repeat verses

1
generally
practised

Repeat
from
from

verse

Chronicles.

Job and

from
What

Isaiah.

Jeremiah,
stem

to

1JB8

TRADE

in

case

England

about

and

spun

did not

But

countries

other

at

or

the

eighty years since,

in the

country

cially,
espe-

scribes
degarments. Homer
of Ulysses, as making

own

steward

shoes."

own

"

their

wove

Eumeas,

"

seventy

and
families,in villages,

many

his

COMMERCE.

AND

have

We

the Jews

carry

with

large trade

!"
no

to think

reason

articles in which

largethe

on

Ezekiel

so.

the

describes

of

merchants

Tyre

trafficked ; but only wheat, honey, oil,and balm

the produce of Judea, Ezek. xxvii.
mentioned
as

are

omon
Sol-

obligedto send to Hiram, king of Tyre, for

the ornaskilled to make
who
ments
were
sufficiently
ii. 7, 13.
for his temple," 2 Chron.

was

persons

Ezek.

xxvii. 17.

and the land of Israel

Judah

they were thy

of Minnith,and

merchants, they traded in thy market, wheat

Pannag, and honey, and oil and balm.
2 Chron.

ii. 7.

Send

me

now

therefore

man

cunning to
iron, and in

gold,and in silver,and in brass, and in

purple,and crimson,and blue,and that can skill to grave with
and Jerusalem.
in Judah
that are with me
the cunning men
I have sent a cunning man, endued with un13. And now
derstanding,
work

in

of Hiram
is most

What

1
likely

my
How

father's.
does

Ezekiel describe 1

What

What

obligedto do 1

was

Solomon

did Judea

Homer

describe

produce1
Repeat verses

Eumeas

Repeat

verse

What

does

from Esekiel.

from Chronicles.

124

God

co

proud
"

declared
and

And

I know

described

that he

wicked

I read

the other
"

AND

TRADE

COMMERCE.

would

punish and destroythis

city."
of its destruction

the account

in

Rollin,

day."
did, Harry. The historian
you
the fulfilment of the prophecy."

has

well

is the

predictionyou refer to, father?"

In Ezek.
xxvi. 4, 5.
We
stroy
read, " They shall dethe walls of Tyrus, and break down
her towers
;
I will also scrape
her dust from
her, and make her
like the top of a rock.
It shall be a place for the
spreading of nets, in the midst of the sea ; for I have
gpoken it,saith the Lord God.'
"
most
This prophecy has indeed
been
completely
fulfilled. Bruce, the celebrated traveller,tell us, that
he passed by the spot where
this flourishing
when
city
'two
once
stood, all he saw
miserable-looking
was,
fishermen, who had justclosed their labours, about to
spread their nets upon the rocks.'
"
not engaged
You say, father,that the Jews
were
had ships."
in commerce
much
; but Solomon
"It is true, Harry; but Hiram,. king of Tyre, sent
sailors to manage
workmen
them.
to build them, and
"Where
"

"

"

What
Has

did God

declare 1

Repeat the prophecy of the destruction of Tyre,

tjria
prophecy been fulfilled1

the Jews

much

engaged in

commerce

What
1

does Bruce

What

the traveller tellus 1 Wert

did Hiram

do 1

TRADE

It appears

that

he

took

thit

Ezion-geber,and
of the vessels, 2
only sea ports the

out
fitting

the

in

interest

much

himself to

went

These

viii. 17.

18ft

COMMERCE.

Solomon

business,because
Elath, to witness
Chron.

AND

the

were

Hebrews

of the trafficwhich
possessed ; and by means
carried on
was
so
plentiful
through them, silver was
in Judea, that
it was
of in the
nothing accounted
This famous
days of Solomon.
king also traded in
horses, and chariots,and linen,very extensively,with
the Egyptians,1 Kings x. 28, 29 ; 1 Kings iv. 26. But
'

the

sea-ports which

away

from

2 Chron.

the

Then

Elath,at the sea side

1 Kings, x. 28. And
Egypt, and linen yarn :
yarn at a price.

to

29.

hundred

And

chariot

shekels

horses for his

Where

Solomon

Solomon
the

had

horses

king'smerchants
and went

up

an

Solomon

trade 1

Repeat a
1

and
Ezion-geber,

to

horse

How

verse

was

Repeat verses

brought out of
received the linen

of

out

for

an

Egypt lor

stalls of

horsemen.

from Chronicles.
silver accounted
from

Kings.

six
and

hundred

had fortythousand

and twelve thousand

chariots,

go 1
Hebrews
of
the
onlyseaports

taken

were

in the land of Edom.

came

And

did Solomon

did king Solomon

went

of silver,
and

fifty.
1 Kings,iv. 26.

to,

the Assyrian.
by Ziglathpileser,

Jews

viii.17.

alluded

I have

Which

in Judea

were

the

In what

126

TRADE

AND

COMMERCE.

monarch, and thus their foreigntraffic was

completely

destroyed."
If Solomon

"

not

which
the

silver into

very

Harry,

his

dom,
king-

plentiful."

that

Jews

the

from

return

coined

Babylon,

Maccabeus.

in the

It is true, money
is
Scriptures; but there is reason

merely consisted of pieces of metal,

valued accordingto their weight, as is still

that it

were

case

been

appear,

of Judas

often mentioned
believe

much

tilllong after their

any money,
in the time

to

have

must

money
It does

"

brought so

in many

parts of the

East.

After the

Jews

was
mon
comby the Romans, their money
from the piece which
the
them, as appears
among
showed
Lord
enemies of our
him, and on which was
impressed the image and superscriptionof Caesar,the
I have seen
Roman
Matt. xxii. 20.
in the
Emperor.
Roman
cabinets of antiquaries,
some
-medals,or coins,
representingJudea, under the figureof a female captive
sittingunder a palm-tree, with the inscription,

subdued

were

Matt. xxii. 20.

And

he saith unto

him, Whose

is this

image

?
and superscription
How
money
were

Roman

was

traffic of
foreign

the

the Jews

What

1
destroyed

did money
probablyconsist of ?
1
the
Romans
conqueredby
Repeat a yerse

medals

or

coins represent 1

When

What

of money

from

Matthew.

did

they coin

after the Jews

What

do the

MUSIC

A C APTA.

JUD^J

of the truth of

These

You

instruments

had

time

we

can

talk

are

of

remarkable

historyin

then

to

yesterday, Harry, about the

in the Scriptures. I
mentioned
answer
your question; but now

littleabout

What

are

proofs
general."

POETRY.

asking me,

were

musical
not

medals

AND

Ml

POETRY.

and
Scripture,

MUSIC
"

AND

them.

proofsof the truth of Scriptarel

126

much
cultivated from
been
to have
appears
of
earliest periods. Thus- Laban, in the Book

Music

"

the

Genesis, speaks of his wish

speaksof

the

having

used

been

Isaiah

pipe,and

What

v.

xii. And

wine

appears

are

to

the

Jacob

tabret. and

the

pipe,

in

feasts,Isaiah v. 12. Music

celebrate victory over
enemies,

harp

and

the

viol,the tabret,and

in their feafets.

concerningmusic

Isaiah speak 1 Repeat

sent

away
and of the harp.'Isaiah

harp, the viol,the

used
generally

was

to have

of the tabret

'tvith the sound

as

POETRY.

AND

MUSIC

a verse

What

does Laban

from Isaiah* For what

was

say 1

music

Of what

does

used 1
generally

MUSIC

Exod.

individual

David

To the trulypious

xviii. 6,

it is

connected
as
principallyinteresting,
Thus
it was
worship of God.
employed by

the

with

21 ; 1 Sam.

20,

xv.

189

POETRY.

AND

at the

of the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 14. Psalmody,

ish
music, formed a largeproportionof the Jew-

with

removal

Harp

The

worship.

of David

has

ly
deserved-

been

We
in all ages.
also read of four thousand
with musical
instruments praised
Levites, who

celebrated

20. And

Exod.xv.
took

timbrel

in her hand

her.with timbrels
And

21.

hath

and

Miriam

the

Miriam

; and

with

into die

1 Sank

all the

went

women

Aaron,

out

after

dances.

them, Sing ye

answered

the
triumphed gloriously,

thrown

sister of

prophetes*4he

to the

his rider,hath

and

horse

Lord, for hm
bo

sea.

when
they came
David was
of the Philistine,
that
returned from the slaughter
out of all cities in Israel singingand dancing
the wotaea
came
to meet
King JSaul,with tabrets,with joy and instruments of
xviii.6.

it

And

to

came

pass

as

music.
2 Sam.

his

might ; and

Repeatsome
1
What

'Who

When
formed

And

vi. 14.

David

verses

was

and

etnytoyedby

large part of Jewish

in the temple 1
9

God
.praised

danced

Samuel.

David

the Lord

before

girdedwith

from Bxodna

music

was

David

'worship1

linen

To

What

ephod.

whom

Repeat

with all

is music

verse

of the

from

ing
interestSamuel.

harp of Davids

130

MUSIC

1 Chron.

Temple,

in the

God

often mentioned

as

POETRT,

AND

having

xxiii. 5.

Trumpets

used

been

at

the

are

solemn

feasts."

of Titus, you

the arch

"They
of the

; and

are

all of

porfip, are
the

the

homage

no

me,

trumpets
a

to be

are

proof

remarkable

History.
finest music,

We

must

and

the

not,

est
great-

in the

value

of the

father,of

of it."

constitute

Sacred

however, forget,that
without

know, the

they

of the

truth

showed

you

the inside

sculptureon

in

seen

picturewhich

the

"In

sight of God,
Hence, says the
Spirit,and I will
Many good men

heart.

apostle Paul, I will sing with the

sing with the understanding also.'
of opinion,that the greatest simplicity
have been, and are
Christian worship.
God,'
ought to distinguish
said the Great
and
Teacher, 'is a Spirit,
they who
worship Him must worship Him in Spiritand in truth.'
It is remarkable,that the most
is that
corrupt church
c

1 Chron.

xxiii.5.

Moreover, four thousand were

porters,
and four thousand praised
the Lord with the instruments
which
I made, said David, to praisetherewith.
Repeat a rone
on
are
sculptured
the

from

apostlePaul 1

Teacher

Chronicle*.

What

the arch of Titus 1

Of what

are

What

good men

used

were

must

of

we

at

solemn feasts 1

not

opinion1

forget1
What

What

What

say*
Great
the
says

13$

M0"IC

POETATr

AND

poet has copied largelyfrom the sacred

I refer ?"
know
to whom

Milton, father ?"

To

"

"Yes.

the

East,

Prophecies,

and

the

in strains of beautiful

are

It is still very common

in
inform us, to recite in nies
compaguage
poetic style. The very lan-

poetry.

travellers

as

the

of the Psalms

sublime

and

of

large part

of the book

whole

Do y"m

page*.

long histories,in

people is so full of figurative

expressions,that it can scarcelybe regarded often as
exhorted
Christians
monish
are
by the Apostle to i adprose.
itual
another, in Psalms and Hymns, and Spirone
Songs,making melody in their hearts unto the
of the

common

Lord."
"

Will

you

mention

in

which

you

think

Scripparts of ture
finest poetry is to bs

of those

few
the

found ?"
will find many
of these pointed out in ths
of Bishop Lowth, called i Lectures
beautiful work
ont
You

"

hope,

"

has

"

'

with

when

care

to a
"

""

from
copied largely

;' a work, which, I

the Hebrews

I will refer you

But

'

Who

will read

you

older.
T""

Poetry of

Sacred

the

the sacred

"

'

"

'

pages

are

you

little

a"

few specimens,
""

"

'""

"

1 What

r"

"

part of the

Thtf
i

"

'"

"

'

Scriptures*

in t}"e
is commoo
East 1 How does
poetry %% What
ft* Apostfe exhort Christians to admonish one another % Whore oa# you frtf
ra

to

in beautiful and sublime

finestpoetry in the

1
Scriptures

THE

Song
v.

of

; of

Moses, Exod.

Hannah,

David's

xv,

for

language of Balaam,
139th

and

of

Deborah, Judges

in Numb,

Majesty,

in Isaiah

Hymn
Jonathan,

Psalmfc ; and

other

Divine

of the

; that

ii ; the

1 Sam.

Lamentation

iSi

GAMES.

GRECIAN

in

xxiii. and
Habakkuk's

the

third

i. ;

Sam.

xii. ;

xxiv.

the

; the

description
chapter of his

predtc"ofts."

THE
"You

that
said,"father,

alludes

to the

which

to

you

the

on

Apostle Paul frequently

which

would

were

show

so

me

ted
celebra-

the passages

refer ?"

Harry. They are well

make
attention.
a
But, first,I must
these Games.
You very properlycall

pleased to

our

few remarks
them

I wish
you

I shall be

worthy of

GAMES.

Olympic Games,

in Greece.

GRECIAN

celebrated

do so,

; for pereojis

came

from

almost

all

them.
parts of the civilized world to witness
Kings,
and
the most
distinguishedcharacters, entered the
fend counted
lists,

To

what

does the

Olympic games!!

the

prizeson

such

allude 1
ApostlePaul frequently
Who

-entered the lists1

occasions

Wno

came

to

as

ob-

witness the

134

jectsof
of

GRECIAN

THE

the

crowns

The

greatest value, though they consisted only

of leaves of parsley,or of palm-branches.

prepared themselves

candidates

particulardiet

for

some

in them.

pains they

to

how

real Christians

time

before

for the

by a
gaged
they actuallyen-

Apostle, consideringhow much

ours,
gain these momentary, trivial hon-

much

should

rewards

which

reasonable

more

awaken
are

that

may

ye

for the mastery

do it to obtain

Of what
for the

races

did the
1

obtain.

And

is temperate
a

it

that

was

all their

energiesto
infinitely
superior.

run','says he, comparing the Christian

4

races

The

took

shows

the

GAMES.

every
in all

corruptiblecrown,

prizesconsist 1 How did

does the Apostleshow
What

life to
that

man

things.
but

we

cure
se'

So

race,

striveth

Now
are

they
incor-

the candidates prepare themselves

%
What
does,he say %

'

Digitizedby

GRECIAN

THE

135

GAMES

ruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so

fightI, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep
lest that
under
body, and bring it into subjection,
my
when
I have
by any means,
preached the Gospel to
sions
alluothers, I myself should be a cast-away.' These
would
be sensibly felt by the Corinthians, to
referred
whom
to
addressed, as the Games
they were
took place very near
their city.
"In

those

races,

the

candidates

were

accustomed

to

lay aside their long garments which would be certain

them
chance
of gainto entangle them, and leave
no
ing
of spectators usually
the victory.Many thousands
witnessed
the contest, whilst the judge took his place
of all.
at the goal,holding up the prize to the view
The
Apostle beautifullyalludes to these circumstances
in that well-known
'Wherefore, seeingwe also
passage.
ses,
are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witneslet us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easilybeset us, lookingunto Jesus, the author
and
the
to

finisher of

faith.'

heavenly prize,he
lay aside those sins
him

our

Where

If

Christian

win

would

earnestlysupplicategrace
der
would
which
entangleand hinmust

in his career."

did

the games
witnessed the contest 1

take

What

place1
does

What

was

done

the Apostlesaj 1

in the

races

Who

138
"

THS

What

besets
"

QEECI4H

OAMBR.

by the

is meant

sin

which

easily

most

us?'"

apprehend,
One

that

is most

sin

to

which

is moBt

man

another

pride,
We
and so on.
must
guard in generalagainst allsin,
but especially
againstthat which most easilygains an
Just as the citizens of a besieged
advantage over us.
would
town
set a watch
on
part of the walls,
every
look with double vigilance
but they would
to a position
which
to be
they knew
particularlyexposed. But
there are two other fine and
most
interestingpassages
in which
the Apostlerefers to these Games."
"
Please to mention them."
The
one
is,Philipp.iii.13, 14. i Forgettingthose
are
things which
behind, and reaching forth unto
those which
are
before,I press toward the mark, for
the prizeof the high callingof God in Christ Jesus.
The
other is,2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.
I have
fought a good
I have finished my
I have kept the faith ;
fight,
course,
of righthenceforth there is laid up for me
crown
a
eousness,
which
the Lord, the righteousjudge, shall
prone.

prone

to anger,

to

"

"

What

is meant

by the sin which most

especially
guardagainst1 How do you
in a besiegedtown
1 What
two
from Timothy t
verses
games I What

easilybesets
compare
verses

ns

What

this sin with

in

an

sin must

we

exposed position

Phttipptaasmention

these

GRINDING.

give me

at that

day

; and

also that love His

them

not

to

Gnly,but

me

t6

"H

appearing.'"

GRINDING.
"*

it is
the
ever
"

the

twenty-fourthchapter of Matthew, father,

shall be grinding at the mifl^
said,'two women

In the

one

shall be

taken, and

their wheat

grindstonesfor

mill ? I

never

that purpose.

saw

The

any

uppermost ts turti.nil

What
the East?

vbometo

doing so."
a custom
peculiarto
; here is indeed
'Most
families,'says Dr. Shaw, 'griftd
and barley at home, having two
portable

grind at the
True, Harry
East.

left.5 Do

the other

Is sal* iiithe ""

chaptertfMatthfewl

mat

hiii

liinrf

Hd ^
^6 motft fertiili^s

138

GRINDING.

ed round

by

the

of

edge

When
then

for the

is

second
women

millstones

corn

large, or

wood, or iron,placed in
is poured between
them.
expedition is required,

is called in to assist.

person
alone

themselves
sitting
the

the

it,while

this stone
a

of

small handle

to be

down

againsteach

them.'

between

in this

concerned

over

It is usual

employ,

other, with

Similar mills

in

were

Scotland, till very lately,especiallyin the

called querns.
Pennant, in his
Highlands, and were
Tour, has given a pictureof this useful article. MoJl
of these
millstones which
it was
the woone
likely,
man
the head of Abimelech, Judges ix. 53.
threw
on
in

use

See

also

of the

nourishment

As

familyto

it

essential

was

nave

mill of this

the

kind,

to take in pledge the nether

person
any
millstone ; because, it is expressively
upper

Judges ix. 53.

And

certain

cast

woman

pieceof

upon Abimelech's head, and all to break

whoso
shall offend one
Matt, xviii.6. But
ones

hanged
depthsof the
How

are
were

the

about

his neck

of these
that

millstone

drowned

were

little

in the

sea.

used
grindstones

mills in Scotland

from Matthew.

and that he

stone
mill-

his skull.

for him

better

that believe in me, it were

were

What

the

to

forbade

God
or

xviii. 6.

Matt,

Who

called 1

are

Repeat

concerned
a

'verse

in this

from

employment1

Judgesand

Terse

140

GRINDING.

fevefrymorning

the Hindoo
especially

widows, dives-

shaved, and
Very similar
been
in Judea, from the pathetic
the custom
ftltist have
of the prophet, Come
lamentation
down, and sit in
the dust, 0 Virgin,daughter of Babylon ; sit on the
be called tender
and
ground ; for thou shalt no more
delicate ; take the millstones,and
grind meal : sit
thou silent,
and get thee into darkness, 0 daughter of
be called the lady of
Chaldea, for thou shalt no more

with their heads

of fevery ornament,
degraded to almost a state of servitude.
'

"

"#

Repeat
*

the lamentation

Forbei's Orient. Mem.

of the

prophet.

vol. i. p. 210.

H%

TWTf.

"*It is very

npiine, the

more

we

find the

the more,

right in

Bible

we

e*-

every

I"

mg
"It
and

father,that
surprising,

is; and
late

the

women

Clarke, of

Dr.

still

are

Salt in his voyage

Mr.

employed

Abyssinia*
Cambridge, affirm,that

in

the

to

same

way

in the

Sfurt.1*

TENTS.
u

Havb

any other passage

fbf examiaation ?"
you

of Scripture,
Harry ^

No, father ; will you tell me a few ?"

"
Well, I will ; but I rather like you to select them
the expressions
yourself. I was this morning noticing
in the Book of Judges,' Behold, now
the day draweth
towards evening.' The reference in the margin, is,
It 19 the pitchingtime of the day.' So termed, no
doubt, in allusion to travellers,
who, wihen the day in,
pitch their tents that they may rest for tie
closing,
night. Dr. Shaw says, ' Our constant practicewas to
"

'

WMdoMr.

lodges1

Salt and

Why

Mr.

Clarke affirm 1

if theeyening
calleda4te

What

it said

i* the Uwkflf

ptofcagtimatf4*#,''"

142

TENTS.

forward

with

sub, and
of the afternoon
time
travel tillthe middle
; at which
of the
we
began to look out for the encampments

of

rise at break

day, set

the

pitch in woods, valleys,or placesthe least

conspicuous.'"
of tents
"We
read
early in the Scriptures.
very
dwell
in
the father of such
as
Jabal, it is said, ' was
refers to him
the
Most Kkely this passage
tents.'
as
often informed,
inventor of them.
The
are
Patriarchs, we
* dwelt
in tabernacles,' or tents.
Each
one
Arabs, who

had

have

to

appears

separate

Sarah's

tent.

tent,

told, was
assigned to Rebekah, Gen. xxiv. 67.
had
their particulartents,
Jacob, Rachel, and Leah
Gen. xxxi. 33.
frequentlypitched beneath
They were

we

are

the

of

shade

Abraham

the

on

tent, and took

xxxi. 33.

the

plains of Mamre,

Gen. xxiv. 67. And

Gen.

; this was

tree

with

case

xviii. 4.

Gen.

Isaac

broughther into
Rebekah, and she became
Laban

And

his

mother

of

The
rah's
Sa-

his wife.

into Jacob's

went

that

tent, and

into

servants' tents ; but he found

Then
them not.
he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

the two
went

Gen.
wash

maid

xviii. 4. Let

your

What
mean

feet,and

does Dr.
1

Repeat verses

Shaw

Where

rest

say 1
did the

from Genesis

littlewater

be fetched

I pray you,

yourselvesunder

the tree.

What

What

Had

each

is said of Jabal

Patriarchs

dwell 1

tents.
concerning

does this
a

and

ably
prob-

separate tentl

143

TENTS.

prophetess Deborah

palm tree, nO
doubt, in a tent, in Mount
Ephraim," Judges iv. 5.
"
rendered
Tents
were
firm,as with us, by cords and
stakes, and could be easilyenlarged by lengthening
and strengtheningthe other ; to which
the one
there
under

dwelt

"

"

is

in Isaiah

allusion

an

liv. 2.

generallyfix their tents

xxix. 1
or river,1 Sam.
The

"

near

Travellers

in the

East

spring,or fountain,

some

of the

Israelites

lived

forty
These
were
chiefly
years in tents, in the wilderness.
That
they might
composed of the branches of trees.
recollect this circumstance,and God's goodness in that
them
memorable
annually
journey, God commanded
whole

Judges iv. 5.

nation

And

she

dwelt

under

the

orah,
palm tree of DebRamar
Bethel in Mount
and
between
Ephraim ; and
the children of Israel came
up to her for judgment.
Isaiah liv. 2. Enlarge the place of thy tent,and let them
stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations ; spare not, lengthen
thy cords,and strengthenthy stakes.
the Philistines gatheredtogetherall
1 Sam. xxix. 1. Now
their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites pitchedby a fountain
which

Where

is in Jezreel.

did

Deborah dwell ?

rendered firm and

Of what

were

Repeat a verse from Judges.

enlarged1 Repeat a verse from Isaiah,and a
the tents

composedin which

How

were

verse

from

the Israeliteslived

tents

uel.
Sam-

forty
yean

1
,

M4

TEItTft.

their usual
tp forssatoe

Levit. xxiii. 40.

in tents.

by the

observed
'"

Tents

dwellings,and

are

Jews

is still

command

of Tabernacles.

Many conof goats'hair,suspended on

which

many

common

are

us."

among
"

You

"

Yes, Harry

the tents

mean

tents

many

evejjL worse,

OWtrary

are

^rtuch have
That

son
sea-

of various materials.

made

cloth
efctof only a coarse
a few sticks,not better than

HWiy

This

in their Feast

live for a

to

very
been

of Nadir

of the

Gipsies,father

accordingto the
in the

East

accounts

?"

of travellers,

superior, and
than these.
But not a few, on the
superb. Travellers speak of some
four years in making.
three
or
even

Shah

was

are

not

covered

over

with

scarlet

broadcloth, lined with satin of a violet colour, and

adorned with figuresof animals and flowers,which
all formed of pearlsand preciousstones.
were
"
falloa ?abTo show the entire ruin which
shoW
Levit.

xxiii. 40. And

ye

shall take

bough* of goodlytrees,branches
faraghsof.thicktrees, and willows of
rejoicebefore the Lord jour God seven

the

you

on

the first dayy

of

palm trees, and the

the brook;and she shall
days.

4idtQod command ttoeIsraelitesto do 1 When

is this command
ab"SVTO4 by thecal *Qf what were tent* made 1 What do travellers
oftbeipl
say
toteftt of Nadir Shah jnad* 1
""#KMKas
Wh*t

145

CLIMATE.

ylon,the prophet said,

pitch

there

tent

Neither

neither

shall

shall

the

the

Arabian

shepherd

dwell

;' that is,it shall be

utterlyforsaken : and the

predictionhas been minutely fulfilled."
I wonder, father, that preachers do not more
often
of the East, as they throw so much
notice the customs
lighton Scripture?"
there

"

CLIMATE.
and
the
day the drought consumed
me,
ftost by night.' This is the complaint of Jacob.
With
blance
resemnights bear a considerable
us, the days and
1

the

In

other

each

to

difference at

; but

in the

seasons

some

Asia, in particular,'
says

is

there

Sir J.

much

East.

Chardin,

greater
l

'

In

lower

day is
is fifteen degrees
always hot ; and as soon as the sun
ter
above the horizon, no cold is felt in the depth of winitself. On the contrary, in the height of summer
the nights are
cold as at Paris in the month
of
as
What
Do

did the

the customs

does Jacob
the East 1

prophet say of Babylon 1

of the East

make

What

throw

in Genesis

much
How

does Sir J. Chardin

10

Has

lighton
do the
say 1

the

predictionbeen fulfilled1
Scripture1 What
complaint
the

seasons

differ here from

those in

146

TlftE.

It is for this

March.

they always make

such
only being

of furred

use

and

that in Persia

reason

sufficient

habits

in the

country,
cold of the

resist the

to

Turkey

nights-"

FIRE.
"

OBSEitvtf

Leviticus

vi. 13.

The

fire shall

be burning upon the altar ; it shall never

"
had
I recollect,father,
the Romans

go out.'
fire that

I read of it,the other

iiever to go out.
sftiith'sRoman
History. It was
kept up

ever
"

was

day, in Goldby the Vestal

Virgins."
"

It

was.

And

without

ihis fire mentioned

had

doubt

in Leviticus.

origin from

Sir W.

Researches, that

Us, in the Asiatic

its

the

Jones

priestsin

tells
sia,
Per-

kindle a fire with

they enter on their office,
hard pieces of wood, and keep it lightedthrough
two
So Q. Curtius,narrating the particulars
their lives.
The
of the march
of Darius, says,
of the army
fire,
carried before the solwhich
was
they called eternal,
when

What
W,

Jones

does Leviticus

tellna 1

say 1

What

Who

kept up

doei Q. Curtim

the

fay 1

Roman

fire1

What

does Sir

148
"

case

BOTTLES.

With

in the
;

in

us

perhaps they are

East.
They were

of
principally

the

East

keep

skins

their

; but

this

was

of various

made

'

of animals.

the

not

The

milk, wine, water, and

rials
mate-

people
other

*
in leathern
bottles,
liquors,' says Sir J. Chardin,
the animal
is
made
commonly of goat-skins. When

off its

feet,and its head, and so they

it out of its skin,without
draw
cuttingopen the belly.
the places where
the legs
sew
They afterwards
up
it is filled they
cut offhand the tail ; and when
were

killed,they

cut

tie it about

the neck.

people of Persia, never

What

were

bottles made

These
go
of in the

nations,and the country

journey without a small
East

How

were

theymade

149

BOTTLES.

bottle of water

leathern

hanging by

their side.

The

of the skin of a
great leathern bottles are each made
he-goat, and the small ones are made of a kid's skin.'
These
bottles,when
old, are liable to break and burst
Hence

in old
wine
propriety of not putting new
of ture.
This fact explains many
Scrippassages

the

bottles.

Matt.

ix. 17. ; Mark

Lord's
makes
our

ii. 22.

meaning very plain,father. w

u
It does.
The
same
person,' says Maundrell,
whom
ered
at the altar in his embroidsaw
we
officiating
back,
robes, brought us, the next day, on his own
the
a kid, and
a goat-skin of wine, as
a present from
convent.'
Mr.
Bruce, speaking of similar vessels,
"

This

Matt. ix. 17.

eke

Neither

do

men

put

new

wine

into old bottles ;

the bottles

perish; but
preserved.
Mark

break,and the wine runneth out and the bottles

and both are
wine into new
they put new
bottles,

ii.22.

else the

And

wine

new

and

the

bottles

into

new

bottles

What
what

are

How

are

Matthew

do

no

man

doth burst
will be

puttethnew wine into old bottles ;

the bottles,
and the wine is spilled,

marred

; but

new

the

wine

must

be

people of the East carry with them when they travel

of the bottles when
large and small bottles made 1 What
verses
many
passages in Scriptureexplained1 Repeat seme
the

and Mark.

What

does Maundrell

say 1

put

Of

old 1
from

ISO

**TTLKS.

gisbais

says,

together by

sewn

skin,squared, and

an

ox's

double

which

seam*

the

does

edges
let

not

resembling that upon the best

An opening is left at the top of
the bunghole of a cask ;
manner
as
it, in the same
this the skin is gathered to the size of a large
around
handful ; which, when
futt of water, is tied round w|th
These
vessels
whipcord.
generally contain about
sixtygallonseach, and two of them are the load of a
camel.
the outside
with
on
They are then smeared
from oozing through,and
grease, to prevent the water
from being evaporated by the heat of the sun
; which,,
in fact,happened to us twice, so that we
in imminent
were
danger of perishingby thirst.'
" To
in our
version to be
say the least,it appears
but a poor present that so wealthy a person as Abigail
The historian informs us, thaft she
brought to David.
But when
we
ollect
recbrought him two bottles of wine.
that most
the skins perhaps of
likelythey were
then becoming
some
largeanimal full of wine, it seems
water, much
English cricket-balls.
the

out

affluence.

her
does

the

when
Mr.

Give
David

How

comparison

in trouble
Bruce's

What

strange, and

account

must

comparison of David's

we

and

which

appears

David

to
affliction,

of the eastern

recollect

without

bottle*.

What

makes
a

of himself,

bottle
did

coBoeraingthe siieof the

strange t

ing,
mean-

in the

Abigailbring to"
bottkal

What

151

SK0X*.

amoke,
of the

a
knowledge of Hie
appeal?, without
East," Psalms cxix. 83.

But

"

very

because

plainwith

leathern

knowledge of them, father

hung up in the smoke would
good for nothing."

bottle

be shrivelled up, and

soon

customs

SHOES.
God

"
*

Moab

is represented

saying,in

as

the sixtieth

is my wash-pot ; over
Edom
will I cast
I have
been
thinking,but I cannot

shoe.'

Psalm,
out

my

stand
under-

it."

Well,

"

is

should

slave

basin

in which

Psalms

cxix.

smoke, yet
Repeat averse
smoke

What

mean?

to the

waits

he

For

his

on

washes

83.

do I not

from

to mean,

be reduced

is,who

The

clear it up.

highlyfigurative
; it seems

of Moab
as

will try and

we

that

holds

lord,and
And

become

like

am

condition

meanest

his feet.

language
the people
the

that the land

bottle

in

the

forgetthy statutes.

the

Psalms.

How

is said in the sixtieth Psalm

woujd
1

What

bottle be
does

this

affected

by the

guage
lanfigurative

152

SHOES.

Edom, or Idumea, should be completelyconquered,

necks the victor sets his
the people are, on whose
as
foot. The
castingof the shoe in ancient times, in the
a sign of dominion."
East, was
"
What
a good meaning you
give the verse, father !"
"
natural
of it, Harry
It seems
to be the
sense
Moses
and
Joshua
both
were
told,when
they came
of

"

Divine

the

into

their feet.

This

Maundrell

reverence.

loose

to

presence,
and
was,

is,in the

tells us,

during his travels,he

their

East, a

that

in

from

shoes

of

mark

some

cases,

obligedto comply with this

' At
he visited private individuals.
the
custom, when
doors of an Indian Pagoda,' says a traveller,' are seen
as
slippersand sandals as there are hats hanging
many
churches.'
The
Egyptians do not perup in our
mit
to enter
their temples with shoes on, be^
any one
shoes being made
of the skin of dead animals,
cause
them
are
regarded as polluting
always
; and the Turks
their shoes

leave

Our

"

What

told

at the

entrance

of their

mosques."

be so much
not
worship, father,would
as it is,by people coming in late,if they

is

to do 1

tell us 1

was

in the

signof dominion
What

What

is
is

seen

Egyptiansnot permit 1

of

mark
at

the

What

East

reverence

door

of

What

were

in the East 1
an

do the Turks

Indian
do 1

Moses
What

Pagoda 1

and

turbed
diswere

Joshua

does Maondreli

What

will the.

168

SHOES.

obliged to
Would
"

leave their shoes

it not

Yes

be

and

door.

?"

good plan

I fear it would

but

at the

pattens

impossibleto persuade
ficult
into it ; and especiallywould
it be difpeople to come
to make
those adopt it, who
be prevailed
cannot
time.
to divine worship at the proper
to come
on
But,
to return
to our
an
subject,putting off the shoes was
driven
David, when
expression of mourning. Thus
from Jerusalem
rebellion of his son
by the unnatural
Olivet
barefoot,'as well as
Absalom, went
up Mount
weeping. So, Mr. Addison, in his account of Barbary,
;

be

says,

'

The

relations

of

person, for seven

abroad ; or if by some

deceased

days after the interment, stir not

extraordinary occasion they are forced to go out of
doors, it is without shoes ; which is a token with them
that they have lost a dear friend.'
God
Thus, when
Ezekiel to abstain from mourning, among
commanded
other things,he bade him ' put his shoes on
his feet.'
Servants
accustomed
to unloose, and to bear the
were
shoes of their masters, when
enteringa temple, or the
houses

of persons
custom, John the
What

of

would

mourning
say of

be

good

in the East ?

Barbary1
to do 1

What

of

In

rank.

any

Baptist said, that

custom

What
was

in
was

churches

our

done

Ezekiel

by

told

allusion

regarded

he

David
to do 1

What
1

to

wai

What

What

an

it

as

expression

does Mr.
were

this

son
Addi-

servants

customed
ac-

154
too

fHMft.

great

unloose

an

to be

bear

the shoes

to

or

conferred

honour

humilityhas

been

ever

him, either

on

of Messiah.
of true

mark

to

Unfeigned
religion.

speak of the shoes

of the people of the East, that they were
by no means
like ours.
They were
sandals,or like the soles of our
Hence
shoes, tied on the foot with a band.
they
off on enteringa house, or
could very easilypullthem
iii.5. ; Josh. v. 15.
And
hence
a holy place. Exod.
the necessity and
comfort of washing the feet
arose
of a guest after his arrival from a journey. This was
in the family. It was
generallydone by the servants
in the Lord Jesus, especially
* mark* of condescension
in the dignified
character in
when
we
regard Him
He
is presented to us
which
by the sacred penmen,
washed
doubt he did
His disciples'
feet ; no
to have
"

We

must

not

Ex. iii 5. And

forget,when

we

not nigh hither ; put off thy

said,Draw
for the placewhereon
shoes from off thy feet,
thou staodest ig
holyground.
Josh. v. 15. And the captainof the Lord's host said unto
Joshua,Loose thy shoe from off thy foot ; for the placewhere

thou
"t""i

"

standest is

I'niL

What

holy.
.

does John the

What

was

iii.ii

i.ii

by the peopleof
1

he

the
a

Baptistsay
East 1 Why

mark

of this custom
was

it necessary

of condescension

What

were

to wash

in the Lord

the shoes

the feet after a

Jesus 1

worn

ney
jour-

156

THRONES.

all thrones

in

tjieEast

Tavernier, in his Indian

are.

Travels, gives a very striking

descriptionof the throne
of the Great
thrones
;
Mogul. Indeed, he has seven
with diamonds
set all over
some
; others, with rubies,
ted
emeralds, and pearls. But the largestthrone is erecof the palace ; it is
in the hall of the first court
* I
six feet long,and four broad.
counted,' says he,
4
and eight pale rubies about it, the
about a hundred
whereof

carats ; but there

weighed a hundred
that weigh two
above
hundred.
I counted
are
some
hundred
and
one
fortyemeralds, that weighed, some
The
under
threescore, some
thirty carats.
part of
with pearls and
the canopy
is entirelyembroidered
the edge.
diamonds, with a fringeof pearls round
like an
is made
Upon the top of the canopy, which
arch with four panes,
stands? a peacock^ with his tail
spread, consistingentirely of sapphires,and other
coloured
stones ; the body is of beaten
gold,
proper
with
enchased
numerous
jewels ; and a great ruby
adorns his breast, to which
hangs a pearl that weighs
On each side of the peacock stand two
carats.*
fifty

least

How

thrones has the Great Mogul 1

many
throne.
the largest
How
much
is a carat 1
*

carat

A
of

carat of

goldis

the

pearlsor diamonds

weightof
k four

Give

Tavernier's

of
description

or
scruple,
; a
twenty-four
grainf
grains
only.
one

Wt

THRONES,

high as the bird, consistingof various

When
sorts of flowers,all of beaten
gold enamelled.
himself
the throne, there is a
the king seats
upon
diamond
a
appendant, of
transparent jewel, with
eighty or ninety carats weight, encompassed with
rubies and
emeralds, so suspended, that it is always
twelve
in his eye.
The
pillarsalso which uphold the
nosegays

as

canopy

set round

are

water,
At the

piece.

that

with

weigh

distance

rows

of diamonds

from

six

of four feet

to

of

cellent
ex-

carats

ten

each

on

an

side of the

placed two umbrellas, the handles of which

with diamonds
about eight feet high,covered
are
; the
dered
umbrellas
themselves
being of crimson velvet, embroiand
fringed with pearl. This is the famous
Johan
ed
finishwhich
Timour
throne
began, and Shah
and
cost a hundred
; and is reallyreported to have
livres of our
thousand
sixtymillions,and five hundred
money.'
"
What
that of
a
throne, father ! Why it outshone

throne

are

"

Solomon
"

will
"

!"

I suppose

it did.

infinitely
surpass
What

Who

throne

began

can

But
even

there

is

one

throne

which

this."

this be ?"

and fininliedthis splendid

throne 1

Wh^

did it cost 1

118
"

will find

You

THE
"

Lowth

Bishop

7, c And

xxxv.

In his note

MIRAGE.

glowing

languages ; namely,

in both

which, in the hot countries,

of water.

It sometimes

near

The

word

the

is Arabic,

thing

same

glowing sandy plain,

distance,has the appearance
trav*
tempts thirsty

of their way,
but deceives
; either going forward,

ellers out
come

the
at

Isaiah)
"a
pool.*

shall become

sand

the passage, he says,

Hebrew
; but it means

as

chap*

translates the first clause of

the

on

well

as

of it in the seventh

account

an

of Daniel."

of the Book

ter

nnt"0".

the

"

them

for it

when

they
always ap*

distance,or it quite vanishes.' "

pears at the same
"
Dr. E. D. Clarke, in his Travels, has given a very
livelyview of this wonderful
appearance."
"

I did not

notice

No, Harry,

it,father."
could

do so, as you have

but
I refer
justfinished the first volume ; and the account
in the second."
to is very far on
"

Find

Daniel.

and

repeat the

What

doe*

you

account

of

Bishop Lowth

not

throne

in the

pay in his

note

7th
on

chapterof
a

the

Book

passage in Isaiah 1

of

Tire

ic

Will you pleaseto tell me

"

He

says,

We

Tillageof Utko,
that

the

name,

arrived
the

near

entrance

169

XI1CA0E.

about
the

at

muddy
to

it ?"

wretched

of the lake of

shore

is called

which

solitary
Maadie.

procured asses for all our party ; and, setting

the Desert, appearout for Rosetta, began to recross
ing
of sand, but flatter and firmer as to
like ato t"eean
The
before.
its surface than
Arabs, utteringtheir
harsh gutturallanguage, ran
chatteringby the side of
of them
asses
our
callingout, c Raschid P
; until some
(or,Rosetta),we perceived its domes and turrets, apparently
lake or
upon the oppositeside of an immense
all the intervening space between
us
sea, that covered
mind
at the time
and the city. Not having in my own
to the certaintyof its being water, and
as
any doubt
seeing the tall minarets and buildingsof Rosetta,with
all its groves of dates and sycamores,
as
perfectlyreflected
that even
the
by it as by a mirror,insomuch
Here

we

detail

minutest

of the

architecture, and the trees,

thence
delineated,I applied to the

might

have

been

Arabs

to be

informed

the water.

Our

in what

manner

we

interpreter,
although

were
a

therefore,likelyto have been informed of

was
as
as
fully convinced
any of
"'

"

"

"

Repeat Dr" Clarke

'" account

Greek, and,
such

spectacle)
us, that we
a

"

of the

to pass

Mirage.

160

THE

MIRAGE*

to the water's
edge, and became
drawing near
indignant,when the Arabs maintained, that within an

were

hour
in the

should

we

reach. Rosetla, by

direct line

the
crossing'

sands

pursued, and that there was

!' said he, giving way
'What
water*
to his impano
tience,
do you suppose
me
an
idiot,to be persuaded
of my
?' The
senses
Arabs,
contrary to the evidence
smiling,soon pacifiedhim, and completely astonished
the whole
party, by desiringus to look back at the
beheld
Desert
had already passed, where
we
a
we
preciselysimilar appearancfe. It was, in fact,the rotof us were
then
one
every
rage, a prodigy to which
familmore
strangers ; although it afterwards became
'

we

then

THE

161

MIRAGE,

Yet, upon no future occasion did we ever behold

this extraordinary illusion so marvellouslydisplayed.
view of it afforded us ideas of the horrible desponThe
dency
travellers must
sometimes
be exposed,
to which
who, in traversingthe interminable
Desert, destitute
of water, and
perishing with thirst,have sometimes
this deceitful prospect before their eyes.'
iar.

"

"This
mean,

is
when

pretty account;
he said, * that the

but

what

did

glowing sands

"

Isaiah
should

pool ?'
"I
always like, Harry, to hear jtou inquire after
the meaning of things. The
prophet was
speaking of
should result from the coming of
the blessingswhich
Messiah.
Then, he says ;
become

The

And

desert and the waste

the wiMerness

Like the
Then
And
Then
And

shall be

shall rejoice
and

glad ;
flourish ;

shall it beautifully
flourish ;

rose

shS.llbe unclosed
the

ears

the eyes of the blind ;

of the deaf shajl
be opened ;

shall the lame

bound

like the hart ;

the tongue of the dumb

shall sing;

For in the wilderness shall burst forth waters,

And

torrents

And

the

in the desert

glowing

sand

Repeat Lowth'a
*

11

Lowth's

shall become

version of Isaiah.

Version.

pool.'*

162

THE

"That

is, the

water, but shall

MIRAGE.

mirage
actuallybecome
very

by it :

shall

so, and

or, without

only

not

seem

refresh

the

figure,that,
of the coming and
of Messiah,
work
in consequence
the lowest and degraded
there should be, even
among
of our
an
astonishingplenitude of blessings;
race,
and these
gloriouspredictionsshall assuredly be accomplished.
people

"

you
"

who

You
gave
The

pass

any

father,of " The Messiah,' which

\
to lfearn not long since."
me
Who
can
subject,Harry, is the same.
help

remind

me,

saying"
with

"Rise,crown'd

Salem,
imperial
light,

rise !

Exalt thy toweringhead, and liftthine eyes !

See ! a long race
thy spaciouscourts adorn ;
See

In

! future

crowdingranks

Demanding

What

daughtersyet unborn,

every side arise,

for the skies !
life,impatient

Bee

! Heaven

And

break upon

is the

and

sons

on

itssparkling
wide
portals

meaning of the

thee in the flood of

version 1

Repeatsome

display,
day !'
"

lines,from

the Messiah.

164

GOLD.

have

defined

as

smoke,

with

Simoom

about

baggage.
*

would

not

in the

of itjvere

like

very

not

thin

middle

till near

manner

illthat

to load

God

of wind.

blast

Who

"Thus

edges

tinged with
fell upon
our
faces, and the
wind.
It continued
gentleruffling

all taken

scarcelyleft us

was

in this

were

we

yard
a

; the

former, but

all

With

passed

that

We

to blow
so

of the

those

colours.

those

of blue

it a shade

with

night, and

the camels

cut

can

three

off the

o'clock ;

strength

and

the
arrange
proudest host by

might the prophet exclaim,

Thee, O thou King of Nations ?""

Well

fear

GOLD.
"

There

are

Will

the

I had

ing,which
"

mention

you

Zechariah, in
Tyre
verse,
says,
*

How

can

God

noticed

not

"

What

to Eastern

Scriptureswhich
attentive thought. I

objectsin
without

allusions

many

cut

does Zechariah

off the

his

detected

proudest host 1

not

one,

observe
last

even*

?"

chapter* and

did build herself

say in his ninth

does

one

and

before."

it,father
ninth

customs

What

%
ehapter

the

third

strong hold, and

does the

prophet exclaim

WATER

W5

SPOUT*.

up silver as the dust,and fine gold as the

of the streets.'
At first sight,perjiaps,this text

mire

heaped

idea
an
convey
those riehes in
what

much

mud,'

distance, the

some

to

; for

them

is wind

there

; and

inconveniences

are

'

town

formed

the

it will

they make
dirtywhen

of the

East.

'

The

brick, and dried

are
built,have, at

of white

materials

consider

we

into

houses

appearance

of such

short duration

; but

stronger light,if

he,

says

of which

sun,

riches

said of

traveller has

common

in, the

of immense

might
display

stone.

is .not the

the

streets

there

felt at Damascus,

The

tion
only objecdusty when

is rain.
which

These
is

mostly

way.' Maundrell
observes, that after a
violent rain at Damascus, the whole
citybecomes, by
the washing of the houses, as it were,
a
quagmire.'"
Looking at the text in this way, gold, like " the
mire of the streets,'would
be abundant
gold."

built in this

'

"

WATER
I

SPOUTS.

puttingdown
about, father, and I hope you
"

been

have

texts to ask you

will be so kind as to explain

several

them."
How

are

the houses built in the East 1

What

of Damascus

after rain 1

166

AND

DOOR-WATS

What

GATES.

they ?"
"
One is in the forty-secondPsalm, and the seventh
David
verse.
Deep calleth unto deep at the
says,
and
n"jise of thy water-spouts ; all thy waves
thy
"

are

billows

have

"

were

over

the water-spouts fall

Did

me.'

?"

him

on

gone

dear, not literallyso ; but his afflictions

No, my
and breakers
such, that he compared them to waves
whelming
him, and to the water-spouts overgoing over
him.

It

was

very

for him

natural

to

use

imagery, as expressive of the greatness of his

tells us, that water
trouble,as Dr. Shaw
spouts are
in any other
than
coast
morefrequent on the Jewish
this

part of the Mediterranean."

DOOR-WAYS
"I
would

don't

understand

explain it ;

gate, seeketh
What

does

afflictions1
Proverbs

David

Where

XVII.

19

AND

Solomon

are

in the
water

xvii. 19.

Proverbs

destruction.

say

GATES.

42d

says,
"
'

He

you
that exalteth his

5"

Psalm

spouts

I wish

To

what

1
frequent

What

does

he

compare

allusion is made

his
a

DOOR-WAYS

It is

"

that here
which

allusion

an

to

enough,
to

to ride

into

the

of violent

of those

them

tells us, that the door of the

lived at Rama
French
merchants

the

feet

ditti
ban-

are

whom

large
they

doing

so,

from

traveller

attack

These

door-ways

houses

hinder

To

plunder.

probability,

the Arabs.

if the

accustomed,

much

mode

is still prevalentamong
are

mean

is

with

I think

supposed, and

167

GATES.

AND

house

in which
not

was

three

door-ways in that town are

A gentleman, referringto his entrance
The
into a monastery
near
Jerusalem, says,
passage
is so low that it will scarcely admit a horse ; and it is
shut by a gate of iron, stronglysecured
in the inside.
As soon
fast with
as
we
entered, it was
again made
various bolts and bars of iron ; a precaution extremely
in a desert place,exposed to the incursions
necessary

high, and
equally low.

that all the

insolent

and

of the

attacks

similar

Other

Arabs.'

travellers

Arabs
The
testimony.
poor miserable
under
the necessityof hewing their houses
out of
are
the rock, and cuttingvery small doors, or openings to
stables for the Turkish
them, that they may not be made
We
horse, as they pass and repass.
lodged under
arch in a little court, togetherwith our
an
asses
; the

give a

What
a

is

door 1

'

the Arabs

practiceamong
What

traveller say of the

is said
manner

of

of

How

monastery

buildingamong

are
near

theypreventedfrom
Jerusalem

the Arabs

"

What

ing
enter-

does

168
door

exceedinglylow,

was

that to
into

So, you

gate,'or to make
house, would most likelybe
c

I.

withstand

to

Turks.'

of the insolent

entrance

GATE

AND

DOOR-WAT*

exalt the

if not

consequences,
"
Thank
you,

with

the

sudden

see,

Harry

large

followed

entrance

markets

It appears,

destruction."

xxix. 7.
I

when

2 Chron.

plain.
was."
times
Chron.

Lord,

our

xxiii.

resort, Matt,

common

I went

When

preparedmy

of

it seems

And

xii. 38.

7 ; Mark
Job

places

were

of

time

in the

that

ful
pain-

with

father,you have made it very

the meaning of the passage
I couldnot think what
"
in ancient
It is probable,that the markets
held at the gates of cities,
Job xxix. 7 ; 2
were
xviii. 9.

that
likely,

gate throughthe city,

to the

out

of

persons

in the street.

seat

xviii. 9. And

king of Judah sat either

robes, and they sat in a

the

king of

of them
void

Israel and

his throne

on

place

at the

Jehoshaphat

clothed

in their

ef
entering^in

the

gate of Samaria.
Matt,
of

men

xxiii. 7. And

in
greetings

and to be called

Rabbi, Rabbi.

]VJarkxii.38. And

he

of the Scribes which

salutations in the market

What

the markets

would

follow

markets

placesof

common

said unto

love to go in

resort

in his

ware
doctrine,Be-

and
longclothing,

love

places.

exaltingthe gate

Repeat

them

verses

from

in the East

Job

and

Repeat verses

What

Chronicles.
from

Matthew

is

cerning
probable con-

When

were

and

Mark.

kets
mar-

149

BALANCES.

by themselves,
in London, who
like the booksellers
chieflyreside in
Paternoster
Row, or St. Paul's Churchyard, as we
kers,
read of the street which
was
appropriated to the badifferent

professionslived

in Jer. xxxvii.

in

streets

21."

M.

BALANCES.
"What

does

in

weighing

balances

the

ther
fa-

mean

?"
"

It is not

improbable

practice that
weighing the
a

monarch

to ascertain

year,

traveller, who

Mogul

on

his

were

out

What
What
of

at

twice,

once,

or

state

of the

thje court

birthday tells
That

in

uncommon

allusion

an

the

; of

East
more

or

to a

times

king'sheafth.
of the Emperor

of

in the presence

of

us, that

give him dailya piece of

street,until all the bread in the city

they should

of the baker's

spent.

Dan.
found

the

was

Jer. xxxvii. 21.

bread

not

was

is

there

that

v.

27.

Sekel

; thou

weighed

art

in the

balances, and

wanting.
seems

1
likely
Repeat

practice was

weighingthe

verse

from

in the East

common

Emperor

of

Mogul.

Jeremiah
Give

an

; and
account

one

from

of "*"

Daniel.
ceremony

170

BALANCES.
I

weighed in a balance.
principalgrandees he was
was
performed in his palace,in a spacious
ceremony

his
The

whereinto

room,

none

admitted

were

but

by

The
he
thus
was
scales,in which
special leave.
plated with gold ; and so was the beam,
weighed were
which
on
they hung by great chains, made likewise of
in one of them,
The
that precious metal.
king,sitting
ately
immediwas
weighed first againstsilver coin, which

afterwards
then

he

was

distributed

was

weighed againstgold ;
of which

jewels,each

the

among
after

poor;

that, against

laid in silver

bags on the
I saw
in the balance,*
him
When
contrary scale.
I thought on
Belshazzar, who
was
says Sir T. Roe,
found too light. By his weight, his physicians presume
of his body, of
of the present state
to guess
which
they always speak flatteringly.'
were

'

'

"

"

It

seems

in the
have

not

as

if there

addressed

words

told

me

were

in what

he

an

to
was

allusion to this tice

pracBelshazzar
; but you
'

found

"

wanting.'

that he was
far
expressionsmean,
very
he ought. He was
from being what
ence
wanting in reverfor the Divine Majesty,in love to Him, in regard
found wanting in temperance,
for His glory ; he was
"

These

Where
what

was

is allusion made
Belshazzar

found

to

this

of weighing the
practice

wanting1

monarch

172

"AL0TATION.

which,

know,

you

bestow

on

address

to the

taken

Harry,

throne

most

seems

ancient

an

who

that those

this

'But

ourselves.

its rise from

frequentlyask

we

and

coqld obtain

ancient

God

wish

to

and

manifestlyto have
originalapprehension,
favour

and

mercy
really live for

would
promised Messiah
haire not only as great, but greater powers
ever
; and
had on earth.' "
to be useful hereafter,than they have
Something like this is still kept up in the Eastern
of the kingdom
courts.
Elphinstone,in his account
of Caubul, says,
On coming in sightof the king, we
all pulled off our
bow
then
a low
hats, and made
; we
towards
hands
held up our
Heaven, as if praying for
afterwards
the king, and
advanced
to the fountain,
"where
ttie minister repeated our
ending thus :
names,
'
from
come
to
They have
Europe as ambassadors
misfortunes
be turned upon
your Majesty. May your
form of prayer
!' Some
like this is always used
me
in addressingths king. It corresponds to the * 0 king,

through

the

"

'

live for ever!'

"

The

and

very

from

flees

modes

common

are

What

of the ancient

of salutation

different from

many

those

parts of the

regard this salutation 1

Elphinstonesay of the kingdom of
may

their

we

king 1

What

Persians."

appears

from

From
Caubul

the

in the East

among

us.

Scriptures,that
what
1

were

It appears

whea

did it take its rise 1 What

How

Scriptures1

did the Persians

dress
ad-

173

SALUTATION.

each

people met

The

'

!' or,

thee

Lord

Lord!'

of the

they used,

bless thee

'Peace

or,

V or,

with

be

includingin

as

Lord

other, they said, c The

4

Blessed

good

was

with

be thou

!' This

thee

it all that

be

term

able.
desir-

or

'

The

"

to be

wrote
; he

so
b

apostle Peter

those

whom

to

he

Every real Christian will be

True piety will influence
otherwise.

courteous.'

'

be

cannot

in all the

all that is amiable

to be

man

exhorted

life ;

relations

of

thingsare just,true, pure,

pursuing whatsoever
lovely,and of good report.'
"
His disciples
also directed
when
Our
Lord
they
i

into

entered

house,

!' But

be to this house
when
i

Salute

He

them

by

the way

that

they were
ceremonies, but to
was,

who

those

as

had

the

prophet, in

Kings iv. 29.

if any sahste

on

man

1
mean

!' His

to waste

hasten

on

business

What
1

Kings

If thou

our

Repeat a

Lord
verse

scene

in empty
of labour,

importance
evidentlythe meaning of)
utmost

iv. 29."

meet

him not
men

direct his

from

man,

any

apostlePeter exhort
did

preach the Gospel,

meaning doubtless

the

of the

Peace

uals,
individ-

same

their time

to

'

to say,

to the

to

not

thee, answer

did the

what

out

This, also,was

to execute.

To

yet he said

sent

man

no

it,and

salute

to

salute him

not

; and

again.
1

What

effectwill

disciples do 1

Kiaga*

to

true

What

pietyhave-

did thir direction

[ 174]

MOLOCH.
"I
c

wakt

let any of
?' Who
was

fire to Moloch
"

gives

the

statue

with

out

as

seven

erected.
into

went

lamb,

he

Moloch,

of

the head

an

ox,

through

pass
father

him

the hands

and

the

?"

A learned

idol

It

Jew

was

stretched

to receive
thing
someopens his hands
hollow within ; and there
It was

who

man's

another.

from
were

seed

god of the East.

following description of

dreadful

thy

xviii. 21.

Leviticus

about

you

shalt not

Thou

to ask

now

chapels raised,before which the idol was

He
that offered a fowl, or young
pigeon,
the first chapel ; if he offered a sheep or a
into

went

the

second

; if

into

ram,

the

third ; if a calf,into the fourth ; if a bullock,into the

fifth ; if an ox, into the sixth ; but he only who
ed
offerinto the seventh
his own
chapel, and
son, went
The

kissed the idol.

and

under

fire made

child

placed before the idol,

was

the statue

tillit became

Tlien the priesttook the child, and

glowing
should

hear

noise.

The

word

And

Moloch.

of

hands

cries,they beat
place,therefore,was

his

put him
lest

drums

called

drums."
signifying
Wbo

wai

Moloch

Describe

him.

the

red-hot.
into

the

parents

drown

the

Topheth

from

to

175

MOLOCH.

"

How

"

It is

shocking !"
indeed, Harry. Well
very

Moloch

Of

! horrid

human

Milton

does

king,besinear'd with

sacrifice and

tears
parents'

say,

blood

!'

idolatryis altogetheran awful subject. How

degradingto rational beings,that they should pass by
the great, and good, and wise, and just,and gracious
the Creator,
God, c the King eternal,immortal, invisible,'
But

"

the Father

idols, which

dumb

to

feet,but
And

"

hear

but

ears,

'

of man,

to

down

bow

eyes, but see

hands, but handle

have

; and

not

not

; and

not

; and

"

walk

not.'

be

cruel !"

so

Friend

the

and

tells us, that he

Harry. Dr. Buchanan
he was
approaching the temple of Jaggernaut,
of the East, sixty miles before he actually
Moloch

"True,
knew
the

arrived
where

at

how

ought

we

to

leave

abominations

from

does

bones

which

How

sands.

lightof Divine
respect good men,

for the pure

who

What

the

bleaching on

to be

we

it,by the human

Milton

does Dr. Buchanan

their native

say of Moloch
tell us 1

What

saw

every

thankful

ought
! and

Revelation
of every

land

the face of the

he

to do

earth

ination,
denom-

"way

such

!"

is the effect of idolatry *

What

[176 J

GARMENTS.

Was

has

it

doubt

No

since

varied

people in

the

East

very

?"

peculiar,father
"

of the

the dress

not

It is curious

was.

to think

first parents

our

dress

how

clothed

were

with

skii\sin Paradise ; though a large proportion of

them."
are
uncivilized,still wear
race, who

our

they would be very comfortable to the Esquimaux,

whom
Captain Parry speaks of in his Journal ;
and ice, would
for they are always among
snow
they
"

And

"

?"

not
"

thus

Surely they
clothed.
clothed

wrdught

on

he

tells us

.that they

the

plaid,such

but
as

remind

I have

one

seen

of

c The
usual
says,
in the East is six

Shaw

Dr.
worn

six feet wide.

they
How

What

cover

are

the

They

themselves

handsome

shoulders

Highlands.

size of the upper garment

and
five or
yards long,

it by

day,

not

only

wear

with

it at

night,like the

Esquimaux clothed 1

does Dr. Shaw

the

over

of the chiefs of the clans in the northern

**

are

people in the East are generally

in a much
Joseph's coat,
superiorway.
for him by the indulgentfondness
purpose
But

of his father,cannot
Scottish

; and

would

Of what

say of oriental dresses?

does

Joseph'scoat

but

Israel-

remind

of

177

GARMENTS.

spoken of Deut.

ites

heat of the
Such

cold.

day

sftch

covering
although the
a

countries,as,
great, the nights are

is very

garment

Indeed

13.

those

in

necessary

was

xxiv.

troublesome

loose and

was

generally
to the

obligedto tuck it up, and fold it round

wherever
This made
him.
a
girdlenecessary,
they
were
activelyemployed ; and it explainsthe Scripture
loins girded,'when
called
expression, ' having our
to be active in performing any duty.'
upon
; he

wearer

was

"

the

this

was;

richlywrought,
a

usually

was

used

to be

body,

and

in

worsted,
Girdles passed
end

one

and
eral
sev-

sewed

up

deliver

him

the

he may

sleepin

was

purse.

Deut.

xxiv.

13.

In

pledge agaiu when

own

any
the sun

raiment,and bless

Proverbs
delivereth

xxxi. 24.

girdlesunto

case,

it 1
concerning

What

Whew

is said of

shalt

thee.

fine linen and selleth it ; and

She maketh

the merchant.

Repeat a verse from Deuteronomy. What

girdlenecessary to an eastern garment

Proverbs.

thou

goeth down, that

is a

there

of

made

xxxi. 24.

Prov.
the

round

times

his

purse

girdle."

"It

as

the

read, that

I have

I think

"

was

the

1
girdles

12

purse

Why
Scriptureexpressionis
carried1 Repeat a verse from

is the climate
1

What

in the East

178

GARMENTS.

Under

which

that

the

another
garment,- there was
closelyfitted the body. It is supposed

more

Over

of this kind.

the

hood

cold.

These

persons

Lord

did

spread in the
triumph inta
dresses

What

to

when

he

engage
washed

been

the

to

have

way,

when

under

What

the upper
cloak did the Jews wear

What

were

was

spreadin

the

When

the Redeemer's

way

What
were

1-

the

disciples'feet*
which

recollection

these

Our

were

entered

passages

did

or

aside,

labour.

garments

coat

rain

laid

were

in any
his

explainsmany

garment 1

seam,' watf
sort of cloak,

from

Redeemer
The

Jerusalem.

of this fashion

wore

garments

wished

so,

seem

long outer

without

them

it,to preserve

to

when

These

coat, ' woven

all,the Jews

Saviour's

our

with

upper

our

in His
of

of the

Saviour

longgarments

long

wear

laid aside t

180

GARMENTS.

three hundred

he gave

piecesof silver,and

five changes

of raiment.'
"

Changes

of raiment

and

garments

were,

and

still

in
of the rich men
principaltreasures
the East.
Naaman, when he left Syria,to visit Elisha,
"
took with him ten talents of silver,and ten changes
Solomon
It is said,that, when
of raiment.'
to
came
his present,
the throne, they brought away
every man
vessels of silver,
and vessels of gold,and raiment, and
harness, and spices,horses and mules, a rate, year by'
year.'
the

are, among

"

When

French

ambasador

had

an

audience

of the

Sultan,he, and his suite,after they had been regaled

clothed
with coffee,
sweetmeats, and perfumes, were
in vests
of silver brocade, with large silk flowers ; and
'

to those

apartments with
them, they gave others of brocade, almost all of silk,
slightgold or silver flowers, according to
except some
isters.'
the custom
usually observed towards all foreignmin"

who

Chardin

raiment

They

What

to

pay

were

admitted

into the

kings constantlygive splendid

to princes.
ambassadors, and send them
great attention to the qualityor merit of
says, that

is said of Naaman

French ambassador

What

Of

Solomon

does Chardin

How

did

Saltan entertain

"

say of kings1

zed by
Digiti

G00gle

181

GARMENTS.

those to whom

these

are
given; which
The kings of Persia
to their rank.
always answerable
have
are
always many
great wardrobes, in which
of habits ready designed for presents, and
hundreds

There

sorted.

vestments

are

envoys
of them

are

who

received

have

ty-five
twen-

for themselves
and attendants.
thirty
some
handA king of Persia, in 1675, sent a very
to visit him ;
present to a young prince who came
five complete suits of
other things,there were
or

among
raiment.'
But

"

not

; this is the

beautiful garments

of any

rank

great princesan

only have
in

society.

This

case

abundance

with

of

all persons

subjectillustrates a

very

strikingpassage in the New Testament

; I refer to the
Matt. xxii.
There
was
parable of the marriage-feast,
a wedding garment
a person
f
present who had not on
and the king,when
he saw
him, was much displeased.
Persons
making an entertainment,' says Doddridge,
*

'

furnished

sometimes

in which

the habits

the

guests

'Odyssey' of
Homer.
therefore conclude, not only from
the
we*
magnificence of the preparations to which
of the princecorresponded,
the wardrobe
must
suppose
to

were

Have

does

an

appear,
We
may

person*

Doddridgesay

many
1

as

appears

from

fine garments 1 What

What

may

we

the

does this feet illustrate1 What

conclude 1

182

CAJtMEKTS.

from

but likewise

following circumstance

toe

of the

againstthis guest, that a robe was offered,

A circumstance, which,
but refused by him.
a
as
od
great writer remarks, is admirably suited to the methindeed
of God's
requires
dealing with us ; who
holiness, in order to our receivingthe benefits of the
Gospel, but is graciouslypleased to work it in us by
Bis
Holy Spirit; and therefore may justlyresent and
punish our neglectof so great a favour."
"I think, father,I like the Scripturesbetter and
resentment

time I hear

better, every

talk

you

about

the

Eastern

customs."
is plain,
do, Harry ; and the reason
understand
We
better.
them
because, I hope you
be expected to feel much
interest in that which
cannot
"I

hope

do not

we

you

understand."

how

"But

"

gay

and

fine the

garments

are

in the

East !"
are, indeed.
that it is the mark

We

"They
mere

outward
raiment

are

oftea

show.

he

worn

of
A

should
a

Whet

mind,

to be

is stillthe same,

man

vain

get,
forof

in whatever

may;be clad. Very beautiful garments

by ignorant and worthless persons ;

Wfcit i*Ctai?swethod.of deelieg#ith

gey end fiee 1

little

not, however,

mutt

we

not

1
forget

Are

the garment* "T the Emit

183

GARMENTS.

and,

on

contrary, homely apparel may

the

of,the

"You
mother

highestvirtue and
remind
father, of some
me,
taught me, when I was a Very
"

The

tulipand

the

Appear in gayer
Let

Inward

which

littleboy,

"

than I ;
I will,

coats
as

and flowers exceed

will I set my

Then

lines

butterfly

be drest fine

me

Flies,worms,
4

viduals
indi-

array
excellence."

of
adoraings

stalL

me

heart to find
the mind

Knowledge and virtue,truth and greet ;

Those are the robes of richest dress.
4

No

shall

more

with

worms

This is the raiment angelswear

The
Put

Son

of

God,

this blest

on

when

here

me

below,

appareltoo.

fades, it ne'er grows old,

Nor fears the rain,nor moth, nor mold

It

never

Ittakes
The
4

God

Ifmm

on

go to

own

the

Heav'n,

more

it shines.

I appear,

earth would

will approve

'Tis Hfe
-irnir

'tisworn,

more

spot, but stQl refines ;

no

In this

Then

compare

and

wear

it in Hk

work, and

it mere

"

"

m.im

Repeat *ome

verses

sight;
His delight.'

rf poetry.

"

linn

[ IM]

THRESHING.
"

Have

the

threshingoat
Harry ?"

are

"

he
with
"

you

The

"

machine

new

corn

which

Yes, father ; John shewed

it worked.
explained how

which

with

they got

in yesterday,

evening,and
much
pleased

last

it me,
I

they

was

it."
when
fine pieces of mechanism
many
cousin
at Manchester, did you not ?

But

you saw
visited your

of machinery, I think, is
perfection
Yes

; I shall never

"They
know

the

seen

you

indeed

are

whom

they

"

No, father."

"

You

ought

were

to have

at

ter."
Manches-

forgetthe spinningjennies."
exceedingly useful. Do you
invented
by ?"
this.

known

I have

often told

I have
by which
acquired much
knowledge is,by making inquiriesabout every thing
Never
be afraid of asking questions;
I see.
which
cause
artists and workmen
them, beare
pleasedto answer

you,

that

the

they
and

thus

way

think

you

you

feel

an

interest in their labours

gain knowledge
Who

invented the

very

cheaply and

t
fpuming-jenn;

very

185

THRESHING.

delightfully.James

burn,
Hargreaves, a carpenter of Blackconstructed
the first spinning-jennyin 1767 ; so
will work one hundred
and twenty
that now
a littlegirl
spindles. To the indelible disgrace of his age and
at Nottingham.
country, he died in a workhouse
"
I was
When
much
at Manchester, I gained very
knowledge on the subjectof machinery, which delighted
John
astonished
and
me.
Pollard,of that town,
in 1*792,
the mule, as it is called,no
fewer
on
spun
than two
and
hundred
seventy-eighthanks of yarn,
thousand
forminga thread of two hundred and thirty-three
five hundred
and twenty
yards; or upwards of,
hundred
and thirty-twothousand
five hundred
and
one
and thirtytwenty yards ; or upwards of one hundred
miles in length; and all this from a singlepound
two
of

How

"

But

were
"

!"

cotton

raw
"

wonderful

don't you recollect any other machines

shewn
at your cousin's ?"
you, when
No, father,except the power looms."

"Except
would

you

the
wish

productions of

Where
one

!"

cotton

to see

How
1

much

Who

yarn

was

Harry, what
the most
astonishing
Cartwright,a clergyWhy,

They are
all,Harry. Mr.

did he die 1

pound of raw

looms!

power

which

span

in Manchester

invented the power

in 1792 from

loom, and in what year 1

109

TH"B"BI1W,

of

man

the

Kent, invented

power-loom,

results of
The
null,in 1787.
amazing. But we will talk of
Let us
time.
at large another

or

this machine
British
think

weavingindeed

are

machinery more
of the threshing-

machine."

invention,father," is it not?"
"
of threshing forms a wonderful
Yes ; and this method
to that which
contrast
prevailedin the earlier
times referred to
is many
ages of the world, and which
in the Scriptures."
"It

is

"Will

new

mention

you

"Speaking of
"

the

husbandman,

the

rightlyinstructeth
knowledge ;

his God

'For

6th him

two, father ?"

or

passage

with

"

The

dillis not

"

"

Nor

is the wheel

beaten

out

of the wain

him

the

with

Isaiah

Prophet
; he

furnish-

corn-drag;

made

to turn

on

the

cummin;
the dillis beaten

"

"

But

"

"

And

the

with

the

own

with

cummin

the staff;

with
the

flail; but

the bread*

threshing-wain.
forever

"

"

But not

*l

Nor

to vex

"

'

Nor

to bruise

out

terse*

will he continue

it with

the wheel

it with

from Isaiah

thus to thresh

of his wain

it ;

the hoofs of his cattle.

the
concerning

manner

of

threshing.

zed by
Digiti

188

THRESHING.

fodder

they

have

from

the

he treadeth

when

Isaiah

Thus

"

this

uses

In his

twenty-fifth
chapter he

For

the

'

And

"

As

That

in

corn.'

says,

of Jehovah

hand

this mountain
"

touches,

the

subject as he does every

the most
strikingmanner.

which

he

out

other

"

countries,

is well known
hay. This last method
forbids c the ox
of Moses, which
to be

no

Law

muzzled

Eastern

cattle; for, in the

for the

shall

give

rest

upon

Moab

shall be threshed

the straw

is threshed

in his

under

the

place,
wheels

of the

car.'
"

for the salvation and establishmen

is,he will appear
of his people ; but that he will utterly
and destroy their enemies, even

confound
i

"

the

As

the

How

"

You

other

JVew
Have

under

the

wheels

of

strikingand impressive is the comparison !"

always praise Isaiah, father,whenever
you
I think

quote him.

say

is threshed

car.'

"

"

straw

writer

You

in the

admire
him
you
Old Testament."

more

than

any

right,Harry. In the Old Testament, you

imagine, then, that I have a favourite in the

are

; you

also,I suppose
theyhay
i

?"

in the East 1

from Isaiah.

What

does the Law

of Moses

forbid 1

Repeat

180

THRESHING.

"

Yes, father,I

am

in the New

of this.

sure

John

is your

vourite
fa-

Testament."

is some
there
truth in what
"Perhaps
you
say,
I
value
of
the whole
the Book
Harry ; though greatly

of God."
"

Do

they

"

No

; it is

are

they

nor
"

What

to muzzle

muzzle

ever
a

remarkable

muzzled

is meant
the

ox

to

by

the

oxen

in the East

fact,that they
this day."

the

command

that

?"

never

were,

we

not

are

?"

The

Apostle appliesthe text to the ministers of

the Gospel, as an intimation,that it is becoming, that
those who
food for others, should
nied
not be deprepare
But
to return
a
portion for themselves.
more
informs us, that in
to the subject; Shaw
particularly
Barbary the cattle are employed in treading out the
"

corn."
"

But

have

you

not

of the

said any thing about

East, father."

the

barns

people in the
"
Their threshingfloors were
usually,and stillare,
round level platsof ground in the open air.
This was
evidentlythe case with Gideon's floor ; and also that

J^reoxen
not to muzzle

muzzled
the

ox

floors of the East 1

in the East 1
1

What

does

What

Shaw

is meant
tellus 1

by the
What

command
were

that
the

we

are

threshing

tw

TMtfiBIlt*

of Ataunah,

eke

or

he

could not

had

have

an

altar

on

it,to offer sacrifice. This made them very convenient'

for winnowing* as: they had all the advantage of the
free
"

gales.
describes

Homer

in his times

common

was

the method

"

liesCeres'

thick bestrewn

sacred

floor*

round and round, with never-wearied

When
The

threshing,which

harvests cover'd o'er,

As with autumnal

And

of

tramplingsteers

beat

out

pain,

th' unnumber'4

grain.'
Iliad,

"In

Egypt^"
To

unknown;
inhabitants

Sonnini, "the use

separate the grain from
with

mixture

spacious floors,well
rice is spread thereon

pigeons' dtmg
clean.

they

What

The

have

then

does Homer

formed in

Egypt ?

of the

says

prepare

sort

say of this

T
threshing

495.

flailis-

the straw, the1

of earth
and

beat,

and

in thick

of two

of cart, formed

of

xx.

How

is

very

layers;
pieces

threshingper*

19t

THRBHUfroi

of"wood
almost

joined together by two cross

in the shape of sledges,which

of burdens

conveyance

Between

the
three

and

narrowed

in

longer sides of
of small

rows

off towards

the fore part is

wider and

the

streets

this

pieces; it

sledgeare
wheels, made

their

for the

serve

of

our

cities.

fixed transversely
of solid

iron,

circumference.

high seat,

is

upon

which

On
a

192

THRESHING.
/

sits,drivingtwo

man

harnessed

oxen,

to the

machine*

always in a circular
direction, over
part of the heap of rice,until
every
it
there remains
When
more
no
grain in the straw.
eral
Sevis thus beaten, it is spread in the air to be dried.
The

whole

moves

walk

men

whom,

with

grain ;

so

exposed
have

"This

furrow

the whole

moments,
was

in the

underneath

of

each

layer of
is

mass

is

again

East, father, do not seem

improvement in things; though
passed away."

in the

have

Yet

the

sameness

illustrates
finely

manners

and
Scriptures,

over,

air."

is the truth.

and

sacred

few

that part which

much

years

it

turn

to

foot,makes

people

made

many

his

to the

"The

abreast

that,in

moved, and

slowly, and

on

proves

even

the

the minute

of their

to
so

toms
cus-

meaning of the
of the
fidelity

The

people in the eastern part of the

world appear to be stationaryin every thing. They
in the track of their ancestors.
They
go on precisely
make
but very littleimprovement in any thing,and no
in science.
discoveries
Europe, though not to be
named
with Asia, in reference to population,is yet a
far more
importantpart of the world, in almost every
Our little island,you know, holds an
point of view.
What

penmen.

if said of the

manners

and customs

of the

peoplein

the East ?

193

THRESfilNQ*

portion of

immense

East

the

its dominion.

under

striking illustration of the

of Bacon, that
axiom
famous
knowledge is power.' "
Then, father, we should try to know
every thing,

scarcely

know

more

"

should

"

?"

not

we

should

be

constantlyendeavour*
important
ii"gto excel in knowledge. This is one
is distinguishedfrom
race
point,in which the human
the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air"
They
as
worthy of being mentioned
acquire no information
is capable of examining and of
knowledge. But man
he has a mind capaknowing all things,and especially
ble
The spirit
of th"
of knowing and of loving God.
Alinightyhath given him understanding*'
You said,father, that knowledge is one
thing, by
which
we
are
distinguishedfrom the animals around
Yes, Harry

44

; we

"

44

Will you

us.

tell me

some

other

Think, yourself,Harry,

I will however

mention

?"

and

one.

you will
Man
has a

find many*
capacity of

rightand wrong, of approving

he is the
the one, and of abhorring the other ; hence
*utgect of Gq4's moral government, and evidently be-

between
"distinguishing

they make

Do
Asia

gushed
man

What
from

does Bacon
beasts and

In what

in-science 1

any discoveries
say

ef%nowledge

birds 1

other way

is

man

43

What

How
1

hath the

How

4oes Europe compare

is the human

of the
spirit

"from
distinguished

race

with
distiit*

Almightygivento

the brute 1

194

POSTURE.

comes

accountable

an

improve

to

and

time

our

arise

Hence

creature.

our

talents

our

gations
obli-

for the

given."
they were
You often talk,father, of our
accountability."
have
account
to give an
to
"Those, Harry, who
God, should often think of the solemn subject,and not
only think of it,but ferventlypray that they may appear
at that reckoning with joy,and not with grief.',"
for which

great purposes
"

POSTURE.
discourse

In the

"

the

you
evening, father,it

Sunday
in the

East

They did
parts of

"

used
so,

read

which

to lie on

Harry

said,that the people

was

at their

couches

; and

family on

in the

meals."

this is stillthe

case

the East.
And
this circumstance
many
of the Scriptures."
illustrate many
passages
"
of Samuel, it is said, that c David
In the Book

before

the

Lord.'

given

the

figure of

What

is said in the Book

should those do who

What

Bast

place themselves
a

verse

from

at

Esther.

in

will

sat

Pococke, Mr. Harmer

a

person

of Samuel
are

remarks, has
half sittingand
half

to account

their meals 1

What
to God

What

do

ought we

to

Hew

do the

therefore 1

peopleof the

does this feet illustrate1

peat
Re-

196

POST0*"%

for the approach of the servants

very convenient
the tables were
to the guests, and in many
instances
was

arranged
were

aid

so

of couches,

rows

of

form

to

as

half

which

on

which
circle,around
got up by the
persons

in a recumbent
footstool,and placed themselves
trates
of the subject finely illusThis
view
posture.
several passages in the Gospels. In the seventh
of Luke, it is said, that a woman
in the city who
knew
that Jesus sat at meat
in the Pharisee's house,
brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his
feet behind him, weeping ; and began to wash
his feet
with tears, and did wipe them
with the hairs of her
with
them
head, and kissed his feet,and anointed
a

ointment.'
"

but

'

It is said that she

were

stood

his feet before

mot

at Jesus'

him

feet behind him

?'*

According to our views and habits,you are right,

But as our
Harry. Our feet at table are before us.
Lord was
stood at
recliningon a couch, the woman
"

His feet behind

"

come

see

the hairs
so, if
How

Lukel

Why

feet,and

of her

they
were

h was,

how

to his

Him."

had
the

head.
sat

tables

father ; and

them,

wash
But

at meals

arranged

in the

is it said that Jesus' feet

west

and

wipe

could not

she
as

she could

so

we

East!

them
have

readily
with
done

do now."
What

behind hi"*

ef
i" said in tfe 7tfc

-Wl

MotmmNa.

So

"

Lord

our

took

ai*d washed

supper,

; and

bodies

Your

"

; more

this view

account

than

so

renders

of the

the

see, the

meals,

at

were

parts of their

any

Scripturenarrative

t"n

couches

washing

woman

plain,when

feet is very

lay down

You

understood."

to be

easy

their couches

on

after

round

went

feet.
disciples'

his

feet, as they reclined

easily accessible

basin, and

consider

we

to their meals

that

our

Lord's

they almost
the Jews."

among

MOURNING.
"

and

to ask

wanted

the

where

people who
the

damsel

father,about

you,
made

lay dead

the

minstrels,

great noise in the chamber

our
Lord, you
; and whom
were
they ? Were
; Who

know, turned out of the room

they her relations ?"
u
I apprehend not, Harry.
been people who
hired
were

I think
to

they

mourn

must

and

have
make

noise."

How
Who

does it appear easy for our

the minstrels who were
were

For what

purpose

are

some

persons

Lord

to

have

So the chamber

hired 1

washed

his

of the damsel

feet 1
disciples'
who laydead T

198

MOURNING.

"

Hired

"

Yes, Harry

to morifrn !"

it is to bewail
such

there

are

dead.

the

stillpersons
So we
read

skilfulof lamentation, to

are

as

business

whose
in

Amos,

wailing.'

'

'

Call

There

in
women,' says Captain Lyon, in his Travels
sole employment
it is to atNorthern
tend
Africa, 4 whose
of mourning, where
the house
they howl, lament,

pre

and

their

tear

Their

cries

hair and

continue

faces in
with

barbarous

manner.

little intermission

very

sioned
days ; and the additional din occaboxes,
by their repeatedly beating wooden
or
pots, is trulyhorrible."
"
Why what good could this do ?"
"
Yet it is stillthe practicein the East.
None
at all.
Dr. Clarke
says, speaking of these hired mourners,
with
their noise
began about sunset, and continued
little intermission,not only all the night,but during
at first
succeedingnights and days. We were
many

three

during

doubtful whether

the

sounds

heard

we

of lamentation.

were

sions
expresof

chorus,
mixed
with screams,
yet regulatedby the beating of
expiring
tambourines, now
swellingupon the ear, now
often
in cadences, was
as
; and
repeated continually
of

What

do

we

joy

or

read in Amos

Northern Africa 1

What

What

does

sort

Captain Lyon

does Dr. Clarke say of hired

say

mourners

of
1

199

MOURNING.

it seemed

as

to

cease,

It

vehemence.

bewailing

deceased

their clothes
with
other
"

they

having

of

ceremony

of

means,

female

they exhibited

the

ed,
dishevel-

their hair

daubed

their countenances

at intervals

relieved

were

creased
in-

with

by

"*

women.'
This

torn, and

dirt ;

paintand

by

person

distortions
frightful

most

usual

the

was

for the occasion

hired

mourners

it renewed

heard

we

foolish.".

very

seems

which
"Yes, and very sinful too ; to affect a sorrow
they do not feel,and merely for a littlepaltrygain, is
but
lose a friend,we
sad hypocrisy. When
cannot
we
mourn
duty to be resigned to the will of
; yet it is our

God."
"It

is said

in the

for Jacob

mourned

up

to

historian
the

land

went

with

elders

of his

Egypt

; and

and

in
informs

'all

house,

all the

all the house

his father's house

Why
"

that

of

; and

is this

The

terms.

Joseph went
to bury his father, there
of Pharaoh, the
servants

us,

the

and

ten

Egyptians
neral
days. His futhe

remarkable

very

of Canaan

him

and

threescore

is described
sacred

Scriptures,that

when

elders

Joseph,
both

of the land

and

his

chariots

practicesinful 1

Clarke's Travels,vol. iii.p. 72.

of

brethren,

and

horse-

800

MOURNING.

And thejrmourned
with
great company.
a
lamentation; and he made
sore
very

very
great and

men,
a

mourning
Chardin

for his father

in

Ispahan,

at

was

days.' When

seven

Sir John

1676, the mistress

in the

The
he
instant she fexpiite"V
adjoininghouse died.
about thirtypersons
set up such a lamentation
says,
ings
him ; and they repeated these waitas quite alarmed
In like manner,
at intervals,for forty days.
of the Jews came
with Mary and Mar"
to mourn
many
*ha
after the loss of their brother; tfhey foMdwed
Mary to the grave, supposing that she was going to
i

there.'

weep
On

occasions,there were
tifiable practices. The
people cut
"

off their

tore

The

xvi. 6.

chap.
Deut.

xiv. 1. Ye

ye shall not cut

eyes

nor

yourselves,

make

nor

Lord

of the
any

your

baldness

God

between

Both

the

great and

the

small

shall die in this

lament them,
they shall not be buried,neither shair men
make
cut themselves,
themselves bald for them.
nor
;

long did

How

does Sir John

and

from

the children

are

for the dead.

Jer. xvi. 6.
land

unjas-T

themselves, and
forbidden
This
was
by the law,
refers to this"
Prophet Jeremiah

hair.

xiv. 1.

Deut.

your

often very

these

Mary

the

Egyptiansmourn

Chardin
1

What

for

say of a funeral at
did the peopledo

and. One
Deuteronomy,,

Joseph 1 Describe the funeral. What

tha
mourned
with MarIspahan 1 Who
in cases
of mourning1 Repeat a verse

from Jeremiah*

the Israelites

When

"

that

Joshua

fade

his

upon

eventide, he
their

upon

his

rent

before
and

clothes,
the

Ark

elders

the

This

heads.'

at

smitten

were

must

fell to

and

of

Ai, it is said,

the

the

until the

Lord,

of Israel, and
have

been

earth

dttft

put

sant,
unplea-

very

father.

Truly

"

so,

Harry

before

their humiliation
their afflictkm.

It

it

; but

God,
by

was

no

viery
of the

was

and

expressive

of

greatness

of

uncommon

means

among

When
Job's friends a)"pitoachpeople in the East.
ed him,
they lifted up their voice and wept ; and they
his mantle, and sprinkled dust on their
rent
one
every
heads
towards
So
the
Heaven.'
king of Nineveh,
of that
when
the
the prophet announced
destruction
the

'

from

city, aro^e
him, and

his

covered

laid his

throne, and

him

with

robe'

sadftlcloth,and

frqfti

Bat

fti

ashes."
thfe Rdmans

Did

"

in this manner
"

of

bV the

Greeks

nations

did

'express their grief

?"

Yes, both these

LatinuS, sajrfc,
He

tears his

fepeaK^
Virgil,

so.

garments

as

he

goes,

doth for the publicand his privatewoes

did

What

friends

Joshua

approach

and

Greeks

him

do

When

What

express

their

the Israelites were

did

the

fettlitteto
1

of Nineveh

king
grief1 Repeat

some

do
verses

ftow *ttd *"'"

How

from

did

the Romans

Virgil.

MM

MOURNING.

With

"

And

filthhit venerable

beard besmears,

sordid dost deforms

bis silverhairs.'

also,when
speakingof Achilles bewailing
the loss of Patroclus,says,
"

Homer

'

Cast

The
His

Those
"

Thus

the

ground,with furious hands he spread

head ;
ashes o'er his graceful
scorching
purplegarments, and bis goldenhairs,
on

he deforms

also the

show'r

Poet

same

the loss of his

'

with dost,and these he tears.'

son

With

Hector

represents Priam

ing
bewail-

frantic hands he

spread

of ashes o'er his neck

and head.'

might be selected of the

God has given
Yet Christians,to whom
nature.
same
His gracious promises of mercy,
ought not to mourn
thus immoderately, and
the heathen
as
; they ought,
in trouble, to say with
rather, when
Eli, c It is the
seemeth
Him
Lord, let Him do what
good !' Or, in
the
language of that beautiful and comprehensive
4
which
Lord taught His disciples,
our
Thy will
prayer
be done, on earth as it is in Heaven
!'
"

Many

other

Repeat some Terse*

Hew ought Christians

instances

from Homer.
to mown

How

What

did Priam

bewail the loss of Hector 1

oughttheyto

say

in

trouble 1

204

BIBLB

death.
Dr.

Lord, that

the

by

even

When

Kennicott,

injuryhas

ILLUSTRATIONS.

would

not

put Shimei

to

the passage is duly considered,'says

it will appear
highlyprobable,that an

done

been

he

by

It is not

character.

ous
to this illustri-

translation

our

Hebrew

in the

uncommon

negative in a second part of a

it has
sentence, and to consider it as repeated, when
ing
been once
expressed, and is followed by the connectparticle. The necessity of so very considerable
be
an
alteration,as insertingthe particlenot, may
Psalm
other instances.
Thus
here confirmed by some
i. "fi. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
sinners in the congregationof the righteous.' If,
nor
language, to

omit

the

'

in fact many

then, there are

is,whether

the

such

negative here

part of David's

former
so

as

to

command,
be repeated in the

this may be, a strong reason

should be so interpreted. The

Behold,thou

instances, the question

expressed
not

may

be

in the
stood
under-

latter part ; and

will be
passage

if

added, why it
will win
thus,

with thee

Shimei, who cursed me ;

to him
by the Lord, saying, I will not put
tyutI sware
thee to death by the -sword.
Now, therefore,hoM him
his hoary head
down
to
not guiltless
; but bring not
"

hast

'What 'cfoesDr. "Kennicott

think highlyprobable1
1
Tftfcrewlanguage
maad

be

^Repeat
a verse

%
interpreted

from Psalms*

What

How

is

might

common

David's

ia the

BlBUfr

the grave

with

will admit
the

sentence

context.

201

ILLUSTRATION*.

Now, if the language itself

this construction, the sense
thus given to
derives
a very
strong support from the
did
Solomon
this
understand
For, how
blood.'

in consequence
of it ?
charge ? Did he kill Shimei
Knowing that he ought to be
Certainlyhe did not.
carefullywatched, he confined him to a particular

for the

spot in Jerusalem

pleasing,that this
an
explication. It

most

die

to

have

in the

you

very

any

text

of his life.
of

admits

and

of
description

; in Solomon's

any

man

But

revenge.
you wish

which

Harry,

It is

able
unexception-

so

unseemly for

is most

of malice

act

passages,

explain ?"
*"
Yes, father

remainder

me

to

the virtuous

Proverbs, it is said,that, i her candle

?"
goeth not out by night ;' what does he mean
"
That
industry is a distinguishedfeature in her
character ; that she not only improved the day, but
also a great part of the night. You recollect,that the
who
so
kindly entertained Mungo
poor negro wpman,
Park, spun and sang for a long time after he was laid
in

woman,

down

to rest

passage
How
with

on

read

we

is this construction

Shimei

this mean

How

What

And

his mat.

does

supportedin the

did the negro

recollect the

you

eighth iEneid,

in the

Solomon

do not

describe

woman

context
a

took

woman

care

short
did

What

virtuous

do, who

of

time

Solomon
What

Mungo Park

do
does
1

'

806

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BIBLE

since,which presents us with

speaking of the middle of
*

time when

The

gil,
picture? Virnight,says, it is

similar

the

leave the bed

earlyhousewives

embers on the hearth they spread;

living
Supplythe lamp, and call the maids to rise ;'

When

he

ludicrouslyadds,
yawning months, and with half-open'd
ayes,
the
the
distaff by
They ply
winkinglight,
And to their dailylabour add the night;
Thus frugally
they earn their children's bread.'
"

With

"

"

But

to

virtuous

Roman

time

not

Thirteen

hundred

have

been

common

so

the

that

Empress
are

we

silk

it

sure

in the

Jews

the

among

at

afterwards, the

years

of its cost,

account

known

not

was

Aurelian, refused

of Solomon.
I must

also

said, c She

is not

for all her

household

"

which

fine cotton, for silk

was

emperor,
on

description of the
referred, it is
yorf have
of silk and purple.' This,

beautiful

the

clothing is

her

time.

gown,
could

to

woman

said, that
no
doubt,
that

to

return

Repeat some
clothed in 1

Empress a

notice

silk gown

was

are

Virgil.
doubtless

What

snow

clothed
What

It is

twenty-third verse*

afraid of the

lines from
What

the

was

her dress 1

for her household

with

scarlet.5

the virtuous

Why

did

woman

Aurelian

is said of her in the 23d verse?

The

said

to

be

refuse the

marginal reading says,

much

better

the

wanted

"I
smote

upon

garments;'
not

are

afraid of

cold."

the
to

double

'with

surely,why they

reason

and

snow

"07

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BIBLE

ask

his breast

the

father,why

you,

?" Luke

publican

xviii. IS,

account
on
expression of deep sorrow
The
of his sins.
tioned
practiceis not unfrequently menand
Latin writers,as descriptive
by both the Greek
of great affliction. Tacitus, referring
to a
in much
anguish, says, He stretched
person who was
forth his hands, he prostratedhimself on the ground,
and
rent his garments, beat his breast, and with tears
endeavoured
Your
to mitigate resentment.
groans
question had reference to the posture of the publican ;

It

"

an

was

'

'

do
a

recollect his prayer

sinner !'
you

It is

"

an

important

originalterms

Luke

his

so

much

the

as

breast,saying,God

How

What

rendered

xviii. 13. And

liftup

not

is this

explainedin
practiceis mentioned

Socrates say 1

What

remark

was

Be

'

God

be merciful

to me,

of

that the
good critics,
merciful to me' literally

Publican

standingafar off,would

his eyes unto heaven, but smote

be merciful unto me
a sinner.

the

marginalreading1 Repeat a verse

by the Greek and Latin writers 1
1
the praver of the publican

from

What

upon

Luke

does
J

2Q0

Blfttft ttUJsTEATlOKS,

through sacrifice;'
be made
for me *, I am
Let an atonement
a sinner,
or,
bat in this way.*
and cannot
The verb is
be saved
ters.
sense
us$d in exactlythe same
by the best Greek wriHerodotus
employs it,when recordingthe fact"
atonement
to the god at Delphos
that Croesus made
an
by sacrifices. This is a very important criticism.
the reason
Thus
at once
see
we
why our Lord said,
down
that the publican went
to his house
justified
rather than the other ;' he sought for mercy
through
for sin ; which
the only way
in
atonement
an
was
w$iAch God had from the beginning purposed to save
But have you toy other passage, Harry ?"
shfctt^rs.
^ Yes, I wanted
to know, why Paul told those who
citizen,'Acta
w$j$
bindinghim, that he was a Roman

signify,?e propitioustoward
'

me

'

xxii. 25.

"Because

citizen of Rome,

important character, and

most

Acts xiii. 25. And

What

rodotus

they

man

who

is

Roman

period,was

possessed

bound

the qenturion that stood

B"|dunto
scourge

as

at that

him

by, Is

and

with

very

great

thongs, Paul

it lawful

uncondemned

for you

to

do the
use

1
How
does He*
words, * Be mercifiilto me,' literally
signify
1 Why did Panl
did our Lord
U"em 1 What
say of the publican

tell those who

from Acts.

were

him
binding

that he

was

Roman

citizen 1

Repeata

Terse

in

privileges. Adams,
that

'

309

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BIBLE

his

citizens

Roman

Roman

'

Antiquities,'
secured

were

marks,
re-

the

against

of the
magistrates, first by the
tyrannical treatment
to the
people, and that
right of appealing from them
who
in no
be punthe person
manner
appealed should
ished
the matter
till the people determined
; but chiefly

Roman

whole

of

people

him

punish

am

Cicero, in

"

sentence

of

midst
citizen

the
a

pass

sentence

magistrate

life

allowed

The

to

single
their

!' checked

citizen

the

the

on

was

capitally.

or

Roman

forum

and

wretched

citizen
he

torments.'

chief

captain

What

the

By

should

pression,
ex-

most

4oas

Adama

This

heard,

was

he

intimidated

remark

of

1 What

he,

says

the

rods,

put
the
was

by

doea

Cicero

Roman
amidst

one

am

stripes

Paul

told

citizen.

in

of

this, I

exclamation,

say

the

groan

his

to

Roman
his

In

citizenship,

why

reason
a

but

end

an

no

his

mentioning

'

time,

mean

voice

no

rable
memo-

very

subject.

very

; in the

rods

have

captain, that
became

this

Messina,'

thus

has

Orations,'

clashing
was

'

on

of
with

man

thought

the

two,

beaten

pangs,

and

of his

one
or

the

was

Roman

he

could

but

None

decrees.'

severe

his

tribunes.

stripes,

by

'

their

No

Gitizen.

Roman

of

assistance

the

by

The
as

of hit orations

he

"10

BIBLE

knew

doubt

no

In Isaiah

shall say, I

by

was

the

xliv. 5, the
the

am

his hand

that

here

is

Lord's

unto

; and

In

god.
marked

"

Cross,

translators
"

render,
different
has

Another
Why

was

citizen 1
What

with

or

slave

soldier with

the

the

of his

that

and
the
mander
com-

to

them.

that

"

Some

his hand
in which

They
upon

his

when
captain intimidated
from
Isaiah.
Repeat a verse

Doddridge say

of this

verse

text

our

hand,
he

What

which

the words
unto

heard
does

of Isaiah 1

well

are

celebrated

very

we

Lord,' in a
English version
the

rather

would

the

or

this

on

says,

with

name

of Christ.'

name

remarks

He

shall write

does Dr.

person,
with
marked

was

critics understand

Subscribe

given

of the

ensign of
tians
the earlier ages, many
professed Chriswith the sign
their wrists, or their arms,

and

sense

the

idolater with

the

of notice.

worthy

Bishop Lowth observes,

to the
marks, which
were
indelible by fire,
ing,
or by stainother
part of the body ;

character

; the

Doddridge's

Dr.

shall subscribe

another

; and

one

shall call himself

another

; and

allusion

an

of his master

of the

zen
citi-

Lord.'

the

signifyingthe state or
he belonged ;
to whom
name

Roman

by punctures rendered
the hand, or some
upon

made

that

crime

prophet declares, thai;

of Jacob

name

with

has

high

be bound.

should
"

it

ILLUSTRATIONS.

'render
am

that

them,

the Lord's
Paul

was

Bishop Lowth

;'

Roman

observe

SIS

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BIBLE

When

commences.

of Arabia, where

deserts

the

ground

together,it looks

months

nine

the

has

like the
there

without

been

barren

is not

rain

sand

spire 9f

one

the rainy season

: when
grass to be seen
and the fat enriching showers
begin to

green

face of the

it

in

mences,
com-

fall,

tion,
resurrecby a new
is so revived, and so renewed, that it is presently
covered
all over
with
8 pure
; so rapid
green mantle
of vegetation."
is the progress
*'
more
Well, father,do explain some
passages."
"
In the seventy-fifth
Psalm, the writer says to the
wicked, Lift not up your horn on high, and speak not

the

earth,

as

were

'

with
a

stiff neck.'

rebuke

to

No

pride and

reference

to

the

doubt

this

but

ambition.
customs

And

of

is intended
here

the

is

an

East.

as

ous
obvi-

Bruce,

of the

head-dress
of the governors
of the
speaking
provinces of Abyssinia, represents it as consistingof
filletbound
the forehead, and
tied
a large broad
upon

behind
or

much

What

head.

the

In the

middle

of this

was

horn,

conical

piece of silver gilt,about four inches long,

in the shape of our
candle
common
ers.
extinguishThis is called a horn, and
is only worn
at reviews,
or
parades after victory. The crooked manner
do travellers tell us

78th Psalm 1

What

of

does Brace

vegetationin

tile Eaat 1

say of Eastern dress 1

What

is laid in the

BIBLE

219

ILLUSTRATIONS.

in which

this ornament
is
they hold the neck, when
their forehead,for fear it should fall forward, seems
on
with what
the Psalmist
to agree
calls, speaking with
the meaning,
a stiff neck,' of which
phrase it shows
when
on
high like the horn of an
you hold the horn
'

unicorn.
The

"

celebrated
of

account

his

William

interview

Penn
with

gives
the

the

following

American

Indians

sylvania
purchased the land for his province of Penn; it will help to illustrate the subject. One
of the chiefs,'says
kind of
a
he, put on his head
chaplet, in which
This, as
appeared a small horn.
the primitiveEastern
nations,and according to
among
emblem
of kingly power
an
Scripture language, was
;
and whenever
the chief,who
had a right to wear
it,

when

he

put it on, it
sacred, and

Upon

bows

their

chiefs

ground.

this

chiefs then

of

to hear

form

the

an

of

and

of

the

peace

was

the

seated
a

threw

Indians

themselves

half-moon,

announced

upon
to William

the

made

inviolable.

all present

interpreter,that

him.'

Penn'i

that

hprn,

arrows,

in

The

RepeatWilliam
liana.

persons

and

means

ready

the

putting on

their

by

understood

was

nations

down
round
the

Penn,
were

"

of his interview with

description
*

the AmericaaJa*

214

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BIBLE

he says,
father,where
and perfume rejoicethe heart ?' "
that c ointment
"
Doubtless
he meant, they were
very agreeableand
refreshing. This is a very general opinion in the
did Solomon

What

"

all their apartments

Almost

East.

mean,

Towards

are

conclusion

the

grance.
fra-

filled with

of

visit,'says

ing
burnare
Savary, in Egypt, a silver plate,on which
tors,
precious spices,approaches the faces of the visi'

of whom

each
then

They
This

in his

rose-water

pour

perfumes

turn

the

on

; after

is the last ceremony

head

which

his
and

beard.
hands.

it is usual

to

withdraw."
"

Lord
water

with

At

taking

my

Valentia, c the usual

was

chief in

India,' says

compliments passed, rosechins were

our
perfumed

presented, and

frankincense.'

Fragrant

"

of

leave

wood

East, in order

to

is often
the

scent

burnt

in the

of the

houses

Aloes wood

apartments.

is often used

for this purpose.

Maundrell
tells us, that
it is put into atemall silver chafing-dish,
covered with a
handsome
lid full of holes, and fixed upon
a
plate. In

thi"

of

they put

lignum aloes

Wny is it said
Savary say of an

that

; and
ointment
visit

eastern

often burnt in the East

coals,and upon them

then, shutting it up, the

fresh

some

and
What

perfume rejoicethe
does

Lord

heart 1

Valentia

say 1

piece
smoke

What

What

does
are

BIBLE

ascends

immediately
the

with

reference

gratefulodour

improbable

It is not

cover.

suchf custom

to some

"15

ILLUSTRATIONS.

that

through

Solomon

had

prevalent in his day.

the sacred
Harry, that the more
excellent
Scriptures are examined, the more
they appear.
It is also evident, that, by an
actual reference

Thus,

"

to

the

see,

you

of the

usages

in which

countries

the

facts

corded
re-

ted
transpired,they may be explainedand illustrain a very
We
strikingand instructive manner.
have
only to glance at the most admirable productions
of the greatest men
the heathen
nations,
among
of Homer, or Virgil,
such as the works
or
Horace, to
that they, or any of our
capable
see
absolutelyinrace, were
of inventing any volume
at all resemblingthe
repeat Dryden's admirable
Scriptures. But can
you
lines on this subject?"
"

Whence

but from

Heaven

should

unskiUM

men,

in arts,

In different ages bora, in different parts,

Weave

such

Should

all conspireto cheat

Unask'd

truths
agreeing

? Or
us

how,

with

or

why,

lie ?

their advice,
pains,ungrateful
and martyrdom their price.'
Starvingtheir gains,
What
1

their

does Maundrell
What

have

we

tellus 1

How

only to do 1

THE

may

Repeat

END.

we
some

easilyunderstand the Scriptures

lines from Dryden.
"