weather for a time, yet, knowing that his exposure to the unfriendly elements is but of short duration, he wraps his cloak about him, and toils on without a murmur "though neither stars nor moon appear." The certainty that every step leaves him one the less, enlivens his dreary walk, and accelerates his motion. Occasionally he gains an elevated spot whence he eyes his not far distant home; then he is ready to sing for joy, for he knows that a sweet welcome awaits himhe slights the space that lies between

"His former toils are all forgot,

Because his journey's end is seen,"

Oh, dearest Ellen, may we constantly resemble the traveller, confessing ourselves to be only pilgrims and strangers here, and let us pray that many may be daily added to the number of Zion's pilgrims.'

Ellen. I often recal, dear mamma, those lines of Cowper's, which you once repeated to me, when I think of the comparative indifference displayed concerning these things by even British Christians

"Knock at the gate of nations, rouse their fears,

Say, wrath is coming, and the storm appears,

But raise the loudest cry in British ears.”

Mrs. R. 'Ah, dear child, it often pains me to my very heart to see this blind indifference. But it is time to lay aside our work, for I hear papa ringing the bell for family worship.'

Ellen. Well, dearest mamma, I have not asked so many questions as I intended, but I cannot tell you how much I feel obliged for all you have said. It has been a delightful evening to me; may I enjoy many such before the winter closes, and show that they are not lost upon me.'

Mrs. R. 'Amen to that wish, my beloved child. To improve by every means ought to be our constant aim.'

CHAPTERS ON SCRIPTURE GEOGRAPHY.

No. X.

MIZRAIM.

AMONG all the more immediate descendants of Noah, who were commissioned by God to people the earth, which was rescued from the diluvian waters, none can be more surely traced as far as locality is concerned, than Mizraim. The fertile land of Egypt still bears in the East his name; and, from this country being also styled in Scripture the land of Ham, I conclude, it was the residence of his Father also. From its peculiarly dry climate, the monuments of ancient Egypt still stand before us, uninjured by time; and histories of kings, coeval with the early patriarchs, are handed down to us in imperishable characters. The light thrown by modern science and investigation upon Egyptian history is certainly one of the most valuable acquirements of the present day. It has dissipated many of the dreams of the infidel, it has brought out into strong relief much of the early history of mankind, as recorded in Scripture, it has explained some obscure passages, and given many valuable arguments to the expounder of the written word. This is the legitimate use of science and investigation. It would be wholly impossible, even in a folio volume, to give a just account of Egypt, as described in her own monuments. We must, therefore, content ourselves with a few brief re

did not contemplate, but it has been passing sweet to me, and perhaps not less so to you.'

Mrs. R. We have indeed deviated from the main subject which was to occupy our attention this evening, but I trust the digression will long be remembered with feelings of hallowed joy by each, as affording another motive for more abundant praise to our Heavenly Father for his rich mercy towards us. For oh, my child, what joy can be compared to that which arises from the confidence that parents and children are one in Christ"heirs together of the grace of life," "so that when Christ our life shall appear, we shall also appear with him in glory!" ›

Ellen. Oh happy, happy thought-appear with him in glory!-our frail and corruptible bodies, fashioned like unto his glorious body! In answering my first question, mamma, you said, you now firmly looked for a reigning Messiah. Do you think he is to have a visible throne and kingdom, to be shared by his redeemed people?'

Mrs. R. 'I do indeed, my child, for how else can I understand Dan. vii. 22-27; Matt. xix. 28; Rev. iii. 21; v. 10; xx. 4. ? The throne on which he is now seated he calls his Father's throne, (Rev. iii. 21.), but the PROMISED throne is totally distinct from this. Daniel tells us, the kingdom is not in heaven but under the whole heaven, the government of which is shared by the people, the saints of the Most High. Do not prophecies such as these clearly teach us that there is some throne to be set up, some kingdom to be established, at some future period of the world's history, the honours and privileges of which those who own Christ as their Lord and King now shall enjoy? It needs but little knowledge of history, to show beyond

fear of contradiction that the saints never have either reigned or ruled." Would to God," says St. Paul to the saints in his day, " that ye did reign, that we might reign with you.”

Ellen. The 11th chapter of the Hebrews, mamma, is quite enough to prove, that at the setting up of the SPIRITUAL kingdom the SAINTS did not bear rule. "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, &c."'

Mrs. R. 'Yes, dear Ellen, and there is also another point of importance to be noticed. The setting up of the spiritual kingdom was gradual. It began with only twelve fishermen, without influence, without wealth, without power; but by turning again to Daniel, chapter ii, we shall find that the promised kingdom is not to be established by any gradual spread of the Gospel. In fact the Gospel is only the good news of the future kingdom. The fourth kingdom was a divided kingdom, partly strong, and partly broken or brittle, before the appearance of the stone, suddenly cut out of the mountain. Now, we know, both from profane and Sacred history, that at the commencement of the gospel kingdom the Roman empire was not divided nor weakened, but was the most powerful, extensive, and consolidated in the world. Nor is the agreement less unsound with regard to the visible power of the stone.' The gospel kingdom, instead of breaking down, and rooting out all other kingdoms, was oppressed and broken, (though not rooted out) by the ruling power. This lack of agreement between the type, and what has been looked upon by a certain class, as the antitype, affords to my mind irrefragable proof, that the introduction of the

marks upon her past, her present, and her future history, as connected with, or unfolded in the scripture.

1st. With respect to the past. 1st. As far as we know at present, Egypt was the most highly-civilized country of the ancient world. From the wonderful love of delineation possessed by the Egyptians, they were led to crowd their tombs, their temples, and their public buildings, with figures of every description, pourtraying every event upon their walls, from the conquest of kings and heroes down to the most ordinary details of humble life. In fact, they had a passion for illustration, surpassing even that of the present day. It is to this passion that we are indebted for the knowledge we possess of their great civilization. Nor is this fact unimportant to the Christian student. He may see from it that civilization is not, as the infidel dreams, the result of the wants of man developing his faculties, but of early revelation; from which, as man recedes, he sinks from the companion of angels to the naked savage, occupied only in providing for a bare subsistence. Let him who doubts this fact, repair to the tomb of an Egyptian king, and see what article of luxury, which modern refinement can desire, was wanting to the monarch, who reigned but a few generations from the time when the earth was a vast sea of water. But, another argument may be drawn from the civilization of Egypt. The history of the wanderings of Israel have been a fashionable theme for the sneers of pseudo-philosophers, who have triumphantly enquired how the tabernacle could be erected; the precious stones engraved, the fine linen woven and dyed, and the various metals refined and wrought into shapes of beauty by a wandering horde of emigrants in a desert. The sojourn in Egypt explains the whole. The pastoral patriarchs were sent