on Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other wicked cities of the plain; and in a short time the whole was reduced to a state of irreparable destruction.

When Lot beheld the dreadful calamity that had befallen the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, he began to think himself not safe in Zoar; he therefore withdrew to the mountains to which he was first directed, and, for want of a proper habitation, lived for some time with his daughters in a cave. In his caverned retreat a new and unexpected evil befell Lot. His daughters, like all eastern women, and especially all women of Bedouin parentage, looked upon the possession of children as the best and brightest hope of their existence; but they saw none on earth whom they might expect to marry. They knew not that any of their father's family and connexions existed, to become their husbands; and the example of their sisters, who had perished in Sodom with their husbands, made them afraid, if willing, to entertain the notion of a marriage with Canaanitish husbands. They therefore most wickedly managed, on two successive nights, to intoxicate their father with wine, and in that condition, and without his clear knowledge of what was done, to procure issue by him. A son to each daughter was the result of this transaction. The eldest daughter gave to her son the name of Moab ("from a father"), and the younger called hers Ben-Ammi ("son of my people"), which latter name, intimating the mother's satisfaction in the fact that the child was a son of her own race, corroborates the view we have taken of the motives by which the women were influenced, and which seems to us far preferable to the notion that they supposed that all the inhabitants of the earth, except their father and themselves, were destroyed in the overthrow of Sodom. We do not see how it is possible that they could have entertained any such impression. Be this as it may, the sons which were born to them were the progenitors of the Moabites and Ammonites,-nations well known in a later age for their enmity to the house of Israel. Thus much of Lot, of whom the sacred history takes no further notice. We now proceed to consider the peculiar dispensation of Providence with respect to his faithful servant Abraham.

At the time of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the pious patriarch resided at Mamre; but as soon as he beheld that fatal catastrophe, struck with a proper sense of the Divine vengeance, and the great power he had over his creatures, he removed thence to the southward, and took up his residence in Gerar, one of the principal cities in Palestine.

On his first entering this place, he had recourse to the same policy he had before practised when in Egypt, and an agreement was made between him and his wife that they should pass for brother and sister. Abimelech, the king of Gerar, supposing this to be their real affinity, and being captivated with the person of Sarah, who, though far advanced in years, possessed some distinguished charms, ordered her to be brought to his palace, with an intent of making her his concubine. But the Almighty warned him in a dream from committing the iniquitous act, by assuring him, that if he took to his bed a woman, whose husband was a prophet, his conduct should be punished with immediate death.

In consequence of this, Abimelech sent for Abraham, whom he severely reprimanded for having endeavored to impose on him, by calling her his sister whom he footstep, save that of the wild Arab; and its desolate but majestic features are well suited to the tales related concerning it by the inhabitants of the country, who hold it in superstitious dread, and speak of it with terror.

We can not forbear subjoining the lively account which Mr. Stephens gives of the "water of the Dead

sea:"

"From my own experience I can almost corroborate the most extravagant accounts of the ancients. I know, in reference to my own specific gravity, that in the Atlantic and Mediterranean I can not float without some little movement of the hands, and even then my body is almost totally submerged; but here, when I threw myself upon my back, my body was half out of the water. It was an exertion even for my lank Arabs to keep themselves under. When I struck out in swimming it was extremely awkward, for my legs were continually rising to the surface, and even above the water. I could have lain and read there with perfect ease. In fact I could have slept; and it would have been a much easier bed than the bushes at Jericho. It was ludicrous to see one of the horses as soon as his body touched the water, he was afloat, and turned over on his side: he struggled with all his force to preserve his equilibrium; but the moment he ceased moving, he turned over on his side again, and almost on his back, kicking his feet out of water and snorting with terror. The worst of my bath was, after it was over, my skin was covered with a thick glutinous substance, which it required another ablution to get rid of; and after I had wiped myself dry, my body burnt and smarted as if it had been turned round before a roasting fire. My face and ears were incrusted with salt; my hairs stood out, each particular hair on end,' and my eyes were irritated and inflamed, so that I felt the effects of it for several days. In spite of all this, however, revived and refreshed by my bath, I mounted my horse a new man."

The kings of Gerar were generally called by the title of Abimelech, in the same manner as those of Egypt were called by that of Pharaoh.

knew to be his wife. In excuse for the fiction Abraham alleged he did it for his own safety, being apprehensive that, had it been known she was his wife, he might, in order to possess her, have robbed him of his existence. He farther said, that the report he had given of her being his sister was not, in fact, a falsity, for though she was not born of the same woman, yet she was begot by the same man.

This apology pacified the king, who not only restored Abraham his wife, but also gave him many valuable presents, with full permission to settle himself in any part of his dominions.

The Almighty had not only threatened the king with death should he violate the chastity of Sarah, but also afflicted him and all the women belonging to him with a kind of impotence. Abraham, therefore, in return for Abimelech's civility, prayed to God to remove these imperfections, which he being pleased to grant, the king's disability left him, and the queen, with the rest of the women belonging to him, were restored to their natural fertility.

Soon after this the Divine promise (made by the Almighty to Abraham) was fulfilled. The time appointed was now elapsed, and Sarah brought forth a son, whom Abraham, agreeably to the sacred injunction, called Isaac ;† and on the eighth day he was circumcised.

Sarah having long considered Ishmael as the presumptive heir of her family, had reared and continued to treat him with the most affectionate tenderness. But on the birth of Isaac she became apprehensive with respect to his inheritance, imagining, that in case of Abraham's death, Ishmael's superiority of years would give him every advantage over her own son. Stimulated by such fears, she resolved to get rid of Ishmael, and it was not long before an opportunity offered for accomplishing her design.

Though Sarah was far advanced in life (being now upward of ninety years old) yet, by the Divine power, nature was completely perfect. She was bountifully sup

ABRAHAM'S EQUIVOCATION.-This was not a subject which the fertile fancies of Abraham's rabbinical descendants were likely to leave unimproved. Accordingly, we have a Talmudical story, which tells us that, on approaching Egypt, the patriarch put Sarah in a chest, which he locked up, that none might behold her dangerous beauty. "But when he was come to the place of paying custom, the collectors said, Pay us the custom.' And he said, 'I will pay the custom.' They said to him, Thou carriest clothes. And he said, 'I will pay for the clothes.' Then they said to him, Thou carriest gold;' and he answered them, I will pay for my gold.' On this they said to him further, Surely thou bearest the finest silk;' and then he replied, I will pay custom for the finest silk.' Then said they, Certainly it must be pearls that thou takest with thee; and he only answered, I will pay for pearls.' Seeing that they could name nothing of value for which the patriarch was not willing to pay custom, they said. 'It can not be but that thou open the box, and let us see what is within.' So they opened the box, and the whole land of Egypt was brightly illumined by the lustre of Sarah's beauty."

The word Isaac implies laughter, and alludes to the smile of disbelief which appeared in Sarah's countenance when the angel informed her that she should become pregnant.

PRIMITIVE LONGEVITY.-We need not remind the reader that the age of man before the deluge made a near approach to a thousand years, but, after that event, rapidly declined to the present standard (which it had certainly reached before the time of David), at which it has remained, unaffected but by local influences. Many reasons have been given for the antediluvian longevity, and for the subsequent abridgment of human life; but they all fail in some point or other, excepting that which, proceeding on the observation that air is the agent by which, under all circumstances, the duration of life is most affected, infers that the superior purity of the air before the deluge-or, more properly, its superior fitness for the conservation of the living principle in man-was the operating cause of the long duration of antediluvian life; and that the gradual but quick contraction of man's life, which afterward took place, was probably owing to some signal deterioration, caused by the deluge, in the wholesome properties of the primitive air. How the deluge may have produced such a change is another question, into which we need not enter.

At the time this history opens, the duration of life was about threefold that to which it ultimately fell; and, notwithstanding the gradual abridgment which took place, it remained twofold till about the time of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. Terah himself died at the age of 205, which must have seemed but a reasonable old age, as it is considerably within the age attained by any of his ancestors, except his own father Nahor, who died prematurely at 148 years of age.

But the operation of the abridging influence is best shown by figures, thus: Noah lived 950 years; Shem, 600; Arphaxad, 438, Salah, 433; Eber, 464; Peleg, 230; Reu, 239; Serug, 230; Nahor, 148; Terah, 205. Here we see that Noah, nearly two thirds of whose life had passed before the deluge, lived as long as an antediluvian; whereas his son Shem, most of whose life passed after the deluge, has one third of the average duration of antediluvian life struck off from his. His son Arphaxad was born two years after the flood, and therefore may be taken to represent the first generation of entire postdiluvians, whose term of life is made one third shorter than that of the semi-antediluvians, and (in two generations) is reduced to one half that of the pure antediluvians. A rest at this point of reduction was allowed for three genera tions, after which the existing term of life was again halved, reducing it to a quarter of the antediluvian term. After three more generations, another reducing process commenced, not, as before, by abrupt halving of the previous term of life, but by a gradual reduction, which in about 500 years reduced the previous term of 230-'40 years to about one half, or 120 years; and in about 500 years more, we find that this term also had been nearly halved and brought down to the present standard; for at that time it is that David said: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten: and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow." Psalm xc. 10. The progress of the abridgment may be illustrated by a few more figures. Abraham died at the age of 175, being 40 years less than his father's age; and yet he is said to have died in a good old age; an old man and full of years:" in like

plied with food for her infant son, whom she suckled herself, and at the usual time weaned him. On this joyful occasion Abraham made a great feast, in the height of which Sarah observed that Ishmael treated her son with derision and contempt. Enraged at this circumstance, as soon as the guests were gone, she communicated the particulars to her husband, and importuned him to turn both Ishmael and his mother from their habitation, intimating, that the son of a bond-woman had no title to that heirship which solely belonged to her son Isaac.

The good old patriarch now found himself in a very intricate situation. He loved Ishmael, and was loth to part with him. Not knowing, therefore, in what manner to proceed on so trying an occasion, he applied himself to God, who was pleased to confirm what Sarah had requested. At the same time the Almighty promised Abraham that he would make Ishmael (because he was his son) a populous nation, though his portion and inheritance was not to be in that land which was all along designed for the descendants of Isaac.

Thus was it determined, by the Divine appointment, that Hagar should once more become a wanderer; nor could the fondness of Abraham for his son Ishmael prevent her fate it was the Lord's command, nor durst the patriarch refuse to obey.

Early in the morning, therefore, Abraham, calling Hagar to him, told her she must leave his house, and that her son must be the partner of her banishment. Hagar was of course greatly surprised at this sudden command, but finding her master absolute, she was obliged to submit. That she might not be distressed for want of proper refreshment, he supplied her with a quantity of provisions, together with a large bottle of water, having done which he gave her a final dismission.

After travelling some days in the dreary wilderness of Beersheba, her provisions grew short, and her bottle of water was quite exhausted. It unfortunately happened that Ishmael was at this time in a high fever, and Hagar not being able to get water to quench his thirst, there was little hope of his existing much longer. Thus distressed, she knew not what to do, but at length, to shelter her son in some degree from the violent heat of the weather, she placed him under a tree, and retired at some distance, that she might not be a spectator of the dying pangs of her beloved Ishmael.

A melancholy scene now took place: the feeble tongue of the child begged relief from its tender parent, whose woes were doubled by her inability to give it the least assistance; his pressing demands could only be answered by a flow of tears, and the only prospect before them was despair and death. But the ears of boundless mercy are ever open to the cries of distress, and the Lord of Omnipotence is ever ready to relieve the indigent.

While Hagar was lamenting her direful situation, a Divine agent appeared before her, and, for her present relief, directed her to a well of water which she had not

manner, Isaac, who lived to 180, is said to have been "old and full of days." And if these expressions do not imbody the ideas of a writer who, from living in a later day, when the term of man's life was much shortened, naturally considered these as extreme old ages, we should be entitled from them to concludeas was probably true after all-that a man was in those days called old with reference to the age at which his contemporaries, rather than his predecessors, died. The patriarchs were very sensible that the term of life was undergoing abridgment. Thus, when Jacob stood before the Egyptian king, and was asked his age, he replied: "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years: few and full of evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." He lived to 147 years. His son Levi lived to 137 years; and another of his sons, Joseph, only to 110 years. Amram, the son of Levi, lived to exactly the same age as his father; and Moses and Aaron, the two sons of Amram, both lived to 120. Our information of the steps by which life declined to "threescore years and ten" before the time of David, is less distinct. But we principally wish to remind the reader of the probability-or rather the moral certainty that the seasons of life, its childhood, youth, maturity, and age, were distributed over the whole period of life, however long, in much the same proportions as at present; so that the prime and old age commenced later and ended later than under a more abridged term of life. Thus, we should not suppose, that when the term of life was 140 years, a man of seventy was constitutionally older than one of thirty-five is now. This seems so obvious as to require little argument; and we are not disposed to discuss the question even were argument needed. But we may just observe that there is not wanting much positive proof in favor of this view. Thus we see those whose ages when their eldest son was born is recorded, are only in one instance under thirty-and that one instance is in the case of a man (Teran's father) whose whole age little exceeded half the average of his time. We see, also, that none of the Hebrew patriarchs had a son before he was forty. And when we take into account the general disposition to early marriages in the East, this may show that the age of manhood was reached much later than it has been since, and the activity and vigor, mental and bodily, which these same persons evince at an age far passing the present extreme term of life, shows that constitutional old age began late in proportion. The admiration which the beauty of Sarah excited when she was nearly seventy years of age, also affords a strong corroborative illustration. The subject is one of considerable interest, and deserves a more attentive consideration than it can here obtain.

before perceived. Having filled the bottle, she gave some of the water to Ishmael, who was greatly refreshed with it, and, in a few days, so far recovered from his illness as to be able, with his mother, to pursue their journey. Hagar's intentions were, at first, to have gone into Egypt, but she now altered her mind, and fixed her abode in the wilderness of Paran, where Ishmael (whose health and strength were now greatly increased) in a short time became so expert an archer, that he was able to obtain a sufficiency of provisions both for himself and mother.

*

When Ishmael grew up to the years of maturity, his mother, who was an Egyptian, married him to a woman of her own country. By this woman he had twelve sons, whose descendants dispersed themselves in that part of the country situated between Havilah and Shur, that is, in several parts of Arabia Petræa, the western part whereof, toward Egypt, is, in scripture, called Shur, and the eastern part, toward the Persian gulf, Havilah.

Το

In the meantime, Abraham continued to reside in the land of Palestine; and as his riches and power every day increased, Abimelech grew jealous of him, being fearful that he might, some time or other, endeavor to supplant him in the government. prevent this, by the advice of his general Phicol, he formed a solemn league of friendship with Abraham, and thereby removed those fears which, for some time, had given him great uneasiness. A dispute had arisen between the servants of Abimelech and those of Abraham, relative to a well, which the latter had dug; but after a proper explanation, the matter was adjusted to the satisfaction of all parties, the well being declared the property of Abraham.†

The place where Abimelech and Abraham entered into this solemn covenant was, thenceforth, called Beersheba.‡ Here Abraham intending to end his days, should it be the will of Providence for him so to do, planted a grove for a place of worship,

The names of these sons were as follow: Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: "twelve princes according to their nations." Gen. xxv. 13, &c. + It may perhaps, at first view, appear strange that a dispute of any consequence should have arisen on account of a well of water but it must be remembered, that, in those hot and dry countries, a well of water was an inestimable treasure, and the digging it a work of prodigious labor, which arose from the rockiness of the soil, and the great depth it was necessary to dig before they could find a spring.

The word Beer, in the Hebrew language, signifies a well, and Sheba an oath, so that the Jews called it the Well of the Oath; because of the oath that Abraham and Abimelech had made at that place.

WORSHIP IN GROVES (See Engraving). - The use of groves as places of primitive worship is natural and easily understood, though it could only have arisen in an early state of society, or be preserved where society remained in a primitive condition. It was the thought of a people who had not made any advances in architecture-who dwelt in tents or in huts-and who, while they did not feel that these dwellings were unsuitable or inadequate for themselves, could not but be sensible that they were so unimpressive, that it seemed revolting to associate with them, in any more formal service of worship, the idea of that God who fills all nature, and of whose grandeur they had no unworthy notions. They therefore preferred to seek intercourse with him, and to render him their service amid the vastness of his own creation, and under the shadow of those ancient woods, which insensibly inspire us with awe, and fill us with reverential feelings, which turn and vent themselves upon whatever has been customarily before the mind as the proper object of its reverence. Happy when that object is God!-as it was to the patriarchs. There is no doubt that men had this use for groves, almost universally, before any temples existed; but it is not so clear to us that, as some suppose, groves were used for religious purposes, before even altars were known. But Noah constructed an altar as soon as he left the ark; and this use of groves must, therefore, have been antediluvian, if it existed before altars: and this is certainly more than we know. It is certain, however, that, under the operation of the ideas we are tracing, altars were placed in the groves; and the next step was probably to build a hut near at hand to contain the implements of sacrifice; and when men had begun to build in their groves, the idea of a chapel or oratory for use in inclement weather, and when the trees were, in winter, bare of foliage, would naturally have been suggested. When, at last, the increased resources of constructive art, coupled with a weaker and more humanized idea of God, led men to entertain the bold idea of rearing fabrics-"temples made with hands"-which might make impressions on the mind worthy of his worship and service, the influence of old habits and old associations still operated. Most nations took care, when in their power, to plant groves around these buildings, for the most part with an enclosing ditch, hedge, or wall; and these groves were not only consecrated to the gods in whose honor the temples in the midst of them had been built, but were themselves places of sanctuary for criminals who fled to them for refuge.

As to the corruptions which became, in the end, associated with groves, and which led Moses to prohibit them very strictly, and to command that the groves which were found, in the land of Canaan, consecrated to idols, should be cut down, another opportunity will be afforded us of considering this part of the subject. Meanwhile, we only wish to call attention to the point alluded to in the text, respecting some points of analogy in this matter between the practices and the ideas of the patriarchs and those of the Celtic Druids. Among them we seem to find preserved, down to a late date, many of the ideas and practices which equally belong to the patriarchal ages, and which are doubtless to be regarded as relics of the religion which was common to all men in the first ages, and which they carried with them to the several places of their dispersion. In process of time these primitive institutions were in almost every country wofully corrupted, or, indeed lost, in various modifications of ceremony, idolatry, and unbelief. The Hebrew patriarchs doubtless exhibit in purity the religion of anterior ages, and what had been the sole religion of mankind; and thus he who studies the history of religious notions and practices is supplied with a test which enables him to ascertain the traces of this primitive religion, which may have been preserved in different and distant nations. Now, we know not of any people who preserved, mixed with many and awful corruptions, so many traces of this ancient religion as existed in the Druidical institutions

and in it erected an altar, that he might not be anywise deficient in the discharge of his religious duties.

The Almighty, in his wise Providence, had, in divers instances, and on many occasions, put Abraham's faith and obedience to the test; but now he resolved to try him in the tenderest point, in which every tie of parental affection bound him, and to give up which required a degree of resignation uncommon to the best of men. He is required, by his God, to sacrifice his son-to embrue his hands in the blood of his darling offspring.

Ishmael was now no more to him; he had parted with him at the divine command, and had transferred his affections solely on Isaac; and this son, this only son, who had been given him by Divine promise, and in whom all his future expectations of happiness centred, must fall a victim by the unalterable decree of Heaven. Hard task to flesh and blood! Severe trial to human nature! But if the flesh shuddered, the spirit was absolute: God commands-the patriarch obeys.

Early, therefore, the next morning, Abraham arose, and, without giving any notice to his family, prepared himself for the appointed business. He sat out, accompanied only by his son Isaac, and attended by two servants, who led an ass laden with provisions, together with the wood, instruments, and other things necessary for the sacrifice. After travelling three days he came within sight of the spot God had appointed for the dreadful scene, which was a particular mountain in the land of Moriah. Here he ordered his servants to stop with the ass, while he and his son went to a spot at some distance to perform their religious duties.

Abraham having laden his son with the wood and other materials for a burnt-offering, they proceeded on their journey. The harmless Isaac, ignorant of the design of his pious and affectionate parent, went cheerfully on with him, and the good old patriarch, relying on the faithfulness of the Divine promise, overcame the strugglings of a natural affection, which might have retarded his compliance with the will of God, and proceeded with a resolution worthy the father of the faithful.

As they approached near the appointed place for executing the awful injunction, Isaac, recollecting that a proper victim (the most essential requisite for the sacrifice) was wanting, innocently asked his father, where was the lamb for the burnt-offering? Such a question, at such a time, was enough to have startled any heart less firm than Abraham's; but, fixed in the resolution to obey the divine command, he coolly replied, "My son, God will provide one himself."

Being now arrived at the spot which the Almighty had directed, the first thing Abraham did was to erect an altar; after which, having prepared the instruments, and laid the wood in order, he embraced his son, and then bound him. Here the sacred historian, like a great painter, hath drawn a veil over the sorrow of Abraham, and the resignation of Isaac, that the imagination of the reader might paint to him more forcibly the struggles of the parent, and the agonies of the son, than words can possibly express.

Every preparation being now made, Abraham, taking up the knife, stretched forth his hand to give the finishing stroke to the life of his son; when, behold! God is satisfied with the faith and obedience of the father, and the piety and resignation of the son. The voice of a heavenly messenger is suddenly heard, saying unto Abraham, "Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him." The uplifted arm was now withheld, and the fatal blow happily averted. The divine sound intimated, that the Almighty neither delighted in human sacrifices, nor wished to make a father the murderer of a son whom he had bestowed on him as a peculiar favor; but that the command had been given to try if his obedience to God exceeded his feelings as a man, and if his natural affections could submit to his religious duties. and religion of the Celtes. It is true they had idols, and that many wild notions were entertained, and many horrid rites practised by them; but, amid all, they believed in one Supreme Being, to whom all other gods were far inferior. His symbol was the oak, and him, exclusively, they worshipped amid the groves. They never had images of him, or erected temples to him; and Tacitus, speaking of the Senones, who were a branch of the Celtes, and had the same religion, tells us that its principle consisted in the acknowledgment that the Deity whom they worshipped in the groves, the God without name, was he who governed all things, on whom all things depended, and whom all beings were bound to obey.

There are other resemblances which would render our position inore clear if we could bring them into one view. But the purpose of the present note does not require this; and we need only now observe, that these remarkable analogies between the patriarchal (or say the Hebrew) and Druidical religions are late discoveries of our own day; but the antiquity and wisdom of the Druidical religion, and its conformities with that of the Jews, were adduced so long ago as the time of Celsus, in opposition to what that writer was pleased to consider the novelties of the gospel.