from the rest of Abraham's descendents. In Isaac they separated themselves from Ishmael and his children; in Jacob from Esau and his children, the Edomites for thus only could they continue to be the people of the promise.

"How great and dignified does the patriarch appear, in whom were united all those qualities, to which his descendents could only be formed by the lapse of a thousand years-the knowledge of the will of Jehovah from his own immediate communication; in his own house, and its precincts, a temple; unlimited faith and unreserved obedience!

"While I mention these three distinguishing characteristics of the patriarch, I cannot help dwelling more particularly on the second, of which I am reminded by the contrast of our life in Egypt; and because our present situation, living in tents and caravans in the desert, has some analogy with his. His whole dwelling, and the region in which for the time he had his abode, were consecrated as a temple by the manifestations of Jehovah. The manifold complexity of relations and collision of interests, which are so burdensome in the life of men in cities, were unknown to him, in the simple grandeur of his pastoral state. His days flowed on in intercourse with God, amidst the groves, the hills and the plains of the finest countries of the east. Now he dwells upon the lofty sides of Lebanon, near the cedars that pierce the heavens; on the approach of the rainy season, he drives his

herds to the warmer plains of Jordan. He is in the fields with the earliest glow of morning, and his simple tent is designed only for shelter at night, and during the rain. Three hundred and eighteen servants, born in his house,* feed his countless flocks of sheep and goats, his herds of cattle, asses and camels. In the fairest part of the pasture the dark brown tents are pitched, and in the midst of them the tent of the patriarch. Seldom does he come into a city; for they are the abodes of corruption. If a stranger makes his appearance, he is hospitably received, the fatling of the flock is killed, and while the patriarch's own hands prepare it for food, Sarah bakes cakes upon the hearth; the guest is feasted, and not till he has eaten and been satisfied is he asked who he is. Benevolence guides all his actions. If he falls in with another body of roving shepherds, he says to Lot, Why should there be strife betwixt me and thee; if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will go to the right; or if thou wilt go to the right hand, I will go to the left.' IndepenIdent of all without, he rules as a king in his own house but his highest dignity is that he is also a priest there. He walks before God with a perfect heart: to him he repairs in danger and in joy, to him he offers thanks, to his command he is ready to sacrifice his dearest hopes to him he erects altars, raises memorials of his providential guidance,

*Gen. xiv. 14.

and proclaims his name. And Jehovah dwells with his servant Abraham, he appears to him, and blesses him in all things; he discloses the future to him, and says, 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am about to do, seeing that he shall become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, and do what is just and righteous, that the Lord may accomplish unto Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.**

"Thus he lived a complete century in Canaan; he came thither not as an old man, but in the prime of life, in his seventy-fifth year, and in his hundred and seventieth year he died, in a good old age, and was gathered to his people.

"His son Isaac and his grandson Jacob led the same patriarchal life. Both took to themselves wives from the native country of Abraham, that they might form no connection with the Canaanites. Jehovah appeared to both of them, and their lives throughout, in an equal degree, were simple and happy, like that of Abraham.

"Such was the origin of our nation, and half the world joins with us to extol our great progenitor. The Magi of Persia ; the Arabs, the sons of Ishmael, and the Edomites, the children of Esau, even Egypt

itself celebrates the wisdom of Abraham, and the whole east praises his name.

"But the sun is already high in the heavens, the slaves are waiting for us with the food, and an old man needs rest before he undertakes a further journey."

The slaves brought the victuals prepared in the Jewish fashion, the round piece of leather was spread upon the ground; they sat around it, ate, and were satisfied. Myron often wished to renew the conversation, but Elisama did not speak during the meal, and Helon was lost in reflections on the glory of his nation, and in anticipation of the delight of soon standing where Abraham and Isaac had talked with God.

After the meal they all laid themselves down during the heat of noon. The evening came-but hardly had the night begun, when, at the fourth hour, (about ten of our reckoning) the trumpets sounded for the first time. The tent was struck, the camels loaded, the travellers mounted their horses, each party resumed their former station in the line, and about midnight, after the third blast, they broke up from Gerrha. On account of the heat, caravans travel chiefly at night, and halt during the hottest time of the day. The march was now more orderly and peaceable. The flames flashed from the burning pitch-kettles which were borne aloft, and threw their light over the desert. It was an attractive sight, to behold them like scat

tered suns, along a line of march extending for several thousand paces, and to see men and beasts travelling onward through the night by their ruddy gleam. Their journey lay this night and every night, as far as Gaza, along the sea, whose distant thunder was occasionally heard, mingling with the songs of the slaves and the bells of the camels.

CHAPTER IV.

THE HALT AT CASIUM.

In the morning our travellers found themselves in the neighbourhood of Casium. The march had not been long, but the situations of the wells determine the halts of the caravans. Near the town a large sand-bill extended into the sea, on the point of which was built the temple of Jupiter Casius. The active Greek set off, though the distance was considerable, not for the purpose of worshipping there, but of examining it as a work of art. Helon felt no desire to accompany him, for on a journey to Jerusalem and in his present state of mind, it seemed to him nothing less than a sin to visit a heathen temple, even for the gratification of his curiosity. Elisama praised his determination, and reminded him of the reproof delivered by the mouth of Jere