your beard.' We give above, No. 1, the beard of the modern Egyptian; No. 2, a modern Persian: the other group of eight heads was copied from Egyptian monuments, and exhibits the head dresses, beards and aspects of nations bordering on Egypt and Palestine. The upper edges and hair of the upper lips are seen to be chiefly shaven away.

These two engravings give very correct imitations of the beards worn by the ancient Israelites; No. 3, is that of an Arab; No. 4, that of a Syrian Jew.

In this cut No. 1, is a head and beard found in a Babylonian figure; No. 2, is a very curiously curled Persian beard, as worn by royalty; No. 3, is taken from sculptures recently found in Asia Minor; No. 4, is a Græco-Syrian head, found at Palmyra.

THE ORIENTAL BEARD.

3

From these various sketches, it must be evident to our young readers, that the beard is held in high estimation. The absence or deficiency of it is thought a disgrace, the profusion of it is thought an honour and an ornament. Hence, it is cultivated with extreme care by eastern nations. The dressing of it with oils and perfumes has always been one important feature of the daily toilet: Ps. cxxxiii. 2. The taking away of the beard was one of the severest punishments: 2 Sam. x; while the shaving off half the beard was the punishment for cowardice among several ancient nations: Ezek. v. 1, 5. The neglect of it was a chief mode of expressing the deepest grief: 2 Sam. xix. 24: Ezra. ix. 13: İs. xv. 2: Jer. xli. 5. The pulling of it was the greatest indignity: none were permitted to touch it but the nearest and most faithful friends. This fact will strikingly illustrate the base conduct of Amasa, when he professed a wish to kiss Joab's beard, and immediately stabbed him. 2 Sam. xx. 9. The prohibition against shaving the corners of the beard in Jer. xix. 27, was intended to render the Jews a people separate and different from some that surrounded them, who did thus shave the corners of the beard, in honour of a heathen deity. The ancient Egyptians shaved their beards, but wore artificial ones. Thus they gratified a love of cleanliness, and yet kept up the semblance of manly vigour. These artificial beards were exceedingly various in their forms, according to the rank of the person. Kings had them square at the bottom. Gods had them curled. Private persons had them very short.— The annexed engraving exhibits these varieties: Nos. 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, being the beards of royalty: 2, 3, 5, 11, those of divinities: 7 and 8 those of private characters.

In conclusion, we may observe, that the remarks now

made, will enable us to understand why Achish regarded David as insane, from the fact, that he let his spittle fall upon it: 1 Sam. xxi. 13. Let us rejoice now when so many are learning to read the Bible, and such delightful efforts are made to distribute it universally, that it is receiving such illustrations from our increased acquaintance with the habits, views, and customs of the people among whom it was written. May our readers see increasing beauty in the word of God, and receive in their hearts the great truth, that God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, might not perish, but have everlasting life.'

We beg with pleasure to acknowledge our obligations to the Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature for the cuts used in this article, a work which we regard as one of the most important contributions to the cause of scripture truth, which our country has ever produced.

A DEVOTED SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.

In a town of New England, there once flourished a Sabbath school. It stood foremost, in point of numbers and interest. It shared largely in the revivals of religion, which visited that place. It was the nursery of the church. But after a few years, this school began to decline. I marked its downward course; first the church grew remiss in praying for it, and sustaining it by their presence. One member after another left it; and, the classes left in rapid succession. But there was one honorable exception, a pious female, who had a class of young ladies. This faithful teacher dedicated herself to the school, when she entered into covenant to be the Lord's. She was never absent except by sickness. She walked to the school two miles, and in feeble health. Her kind and prompt attendance gained the love of her class, and it was always full. It was not enough for her to get the lessons, and hear them recited, she would enforce them upon the hearts of her pupils. Faithful to each scholar, her object was to prepare them all for heaven. And God blessed her labour of love; for of about fifty scholars forty have united with the church of Christ. During the past winter, she with her class have met alone from Sabbath to Sabbath-the only representatives of this once flourishing school.

American Correspondent.

A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS TO SUNDAY SCHOLARS.

BY THE REV. J. A. JAMES, OF BIRMINGHAM.

MY DEAR CHILDREN.-Last year I published a new year's address to your teachers, and now I deliver one to you and I begin with you, as I did with them, by wishing you, which I do from the bottom of my heart, according to the custom of the season, a happy new year. And more than this, I proceed to show you how you may have such a year, if God permits you to live. Happy, happy,' say you, I should certainly like to be happy. To be sure you would; and so we should all. We could not wish

otherwise if we would, and we ought not if we could. Mark this, my children, God made us to be happy, and sinful as is our nature, and sorrowful as may be our lot, he has provided us with the means of being happy; but then we must take God's way to be happy and not our own. Men, and women, and children are miserable, just because they take their own way to be happy, and not God's. Well,' say you, what is God's way to make us happy? for surely if God undertakes to make us happy, in his own way, we had better give up all our own plans, and follow his.' Now I will first show you what is not God's way of making people happy. Of course it is not by sin. I know that sin has its pleasures, but they are only for a season,' are very empty while they last, and end in misery. It is not by riches, for many rich men are very wretched, and many poor ones very happy. It is not by high rank in society, for the crown of the monarch, and the coronet of the nobleman often covers an aching heart. Nor is it by knowledge, for as Solomon says, 'In much wisdom there is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.' Nor is it by worldly pleasure, for the same wise man said to his heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold, this also is vanity. Eccles. i. 2. So that sin says, if it told the truth, happiness is not in me. Wealth saith, it is not in me. Honour saith, it is not in me. Knowledge saith, it is not in me. Pleasure saith, it is not in me. But, hearken, there is another voice-it is the voice of RELIGION-and RELIGION says, 'I am happiness; come ye children of men unto me, for all my ways are pleasantness and all my paths are peace." Blessed sound! Hearken to it my children. Religion is bliss. You know that the word "blessed' very often occurs in the Bible; now 'blessed,'

means happy. Turn, for instance, to such passages of scripture as the following:- Blessed,' that is, 'happy, is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate, day and night.' Psalm i. 1, 2. Blessed,' that is, 'happy, is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered: happy is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.' Psalm xxxii. 1, 2. Blessed, that is, happy, is every one that feareth the Lord, that walkǝth in his ways.' Psalm cxxviii. 1. See also Matt. viii. 1-12.

Now my dear children, if you would have a happy new year, yea, if you would have a happy life, a happy death, a happy judgment day, a happy heaven, a happy eternity, you know the way, it is by-RELIGION.

Religion, what treasure untold,

Resides in that heavenly word,

More precious than silver or gold,

Or all that this earth can afford.'-CowPer.

Suppose you learn that verse, and make it your guide through all your future years, and future life. But what is religion? Not merely being baptized, or confirmed, or going regularly to church or to chapel, or reading the Bible, or saying prayers-no-religion is more than all this. The seat of religion is the heart-it is deep conviction of sin-true faith in Christt-a real change of heart-the supreme love of God- -a holy life. This is the religion that will make you happy. Now in order to have this religion, you must diligently read the Bible, earnestly pray to God in faith for the teaching and help of his Holy Spirit. You must be in earnest-you must set your heart upon it-you must consider it the great end of life, the one thing needful. You must very seriously take up that great question, 'What shall I do to be saved?' Acts xvi. 30.

If, by the grace of God, you obtain this religion, you will not fail to be happy; and the more you have of it, the happier you will be. I do not mean to say you will have no sorrow-but you will have that which will comfort you in sorrow. I do not mean to say you will be perfectly happy in this world, for none are; but what I intend is this, that true religion will give you satisfaction, contentment, peace. I mean what those beautiful and simple

words express,

'Tis religion that must give

Sweetest pleasures while we live :