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tions," said Philoth; "and let man, whose duty it is, resist them."

"Resistance in some cases would be vain," exclaimed Almodan; "it must not be forgotten that the race of Ham have revived the Cainite establishment of castes, and the caste of the Nebrodians is that of soldiers. What resistance can a rural population offer to a horde of martial ruffians?"

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Every resistance," returned Philoth, "when defending the ordinances of God. But haste we to the council. Watch over the children, my Enah, I shall be with you again anon. So saying, he kissed his wife and departed.

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thoughts, but he checked its emotions as they rose in his bosom, aware that the authority of Asshur was delegated by the Lord of all. But where were his wife and children? whither had they fled with their fleecy charge? The name of Enah was sounded through the welkin by his voice, but Enah answered not his calls. He wandered about, lost in wonder, till his eyes were rivetted to the earth by the sight of one of his children weltering in its blood. A few paces farther lay the corse of his bride; and by her side was his aged neatherd Shelah, using some feeble efforts to restore her, though himself bleeding The mind of Asshur was full of profusely, and apparently ready to confusion. The venerable Patriarch, faint. unwilling to sacrifice either his patri- "What meaneth this, Shelah?" mony or his children, had assembled exclaimed Philoth, as soon as he the elders around him, to debate on could collect his scattered thoughts the steps which should be taken. from the wanderings of phrensy. The gathering power of the Nebro- The servant bowed. "My Lord," dians had spread an alarm among other nations, and their only choice, as they were marked for their first victims, was either to forsake the land which God by Noah had given them, or sacrifice themselves as a pattern to the world, in defending their territory from the foe. To the latter none but Philoth assented. His heart was enlarged by valour; and his soul swelled indignant within him as he thought on the pride of the apostate. But his wishes were overruled by numbers; and it was finally agreed to remove their tents and depart.

said he, "the Cuthite came upon us, to take away thy flocks. We resisted as far as we were able; and my mistress demanded their authority, when their leader plunged his sword into her bosom, and exclaimed, 'Know that the sword is the authority of Dedan son of Raamah.' Thy servant hastened to the assistance of his mistress, but the blow was followed by others, and he too was wounded. This was a signal for general slaughter. They fell upon us till all but I were slain; then carried away thy herds and flocks in triumph."

"God of Heaven!" ejaculated the agonized man, "what have I done that all this should come upon me." He tore the hair from his forehead, and flinging himself on the earth, in the madness of despair, burst into tears.

A cloud was on the brow of Philoth as he bent his slow footsteps towards his home. And must he then depart from the shadow of those vines which he had reared with careful hand? Must he leave those tall figtrees, which had yielded their abundance to his children? those plains, which had fattened all his flocks and herds. Rebellion against the will of exclaimed, his Patriarch found a place in his done, and

Not long did he remain in this state of torpor. Suddenly starting up he "The will of heaven be the command of God to

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Noah be obeyed. Whoso sheddeth brod in person, by Girgash son of

man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.' Yes, the blade of the avenger is tempered for the blow, and Philoth of Asshur, or Dedan the son of Raamah, ere long shall bite the dust."

Next day the edict of Nebrod was proclaimed through the land of Shinar, and Asshur departed northward toward the region of Arphaxad; but one of the elders was wanting among them; Philoth was nowhere to be found.

Daily the strength of the Nebrodians was accelerated by wanderers from other tribes, who joined them in their proud and lawless scheme to make the whole earth as one. They made bricks, and burned them thoroughly; and gathering slime from the vale of Siddim, laid the foundation of a city which should surpass in splendour the cities of the ante-diluvian world.

Canaan, or Dedan son of Raamah. When their monarch was with them the two inferior leaders never dared to provoke the hostility of the neighbouring tribes; for the designs of Nebrod were yet far from their completion; and he sedulously avoided the commission of any acts which might make the sceptre of the tyrannis more obnoxious to the people than the basilean rod of the Patriarchs, whose chief study was to rule their tribes in peace. But the daring spirit of his subordinate chiefs, uncurbed by higher designs of ambition, would sometimes break out in his absence, and their rapacity occasioned frequent skirmishes with the people of Asshur.

On the east of the land of Shinar, in the cave of a mountain which com. municated with those of Armenia, dwelt a maniac whose extraordinary appearance had frequently attracted The tribe of Asshur too, as a pro- the notice of the hunters when, in tection against the usurpation of their that direction, they pursued their lawless neighbours, occupied them- game. His wild hair hung loosely selves in building the cities Nineveh, over his breast and shoulders; and Resen, Rehoboth, and Calah, and re- a scanty and tattered vestment was all solved to defend themselves against all the clothing he wore. Often by his farther incursions, though the noblest gestures had he pointed out the track spirit among their elders, the bold of the wild beasts they were pursuing, and determined Philoth, was lost though he appeared incapable of utto them for ever. terance beyond that of an idiot laugh. Many conjectures were formed as Nebrod regarded this extraordinary to the fate of the absent Chief, but no-creature with some feelings of superthing could be elucidated respecting it. The general opinion was that he had been slain by their enemies, while defending his little patrimony which he was determined not to forsake.

Even on the borders of Arphaxad the Asshurians were menaced by the foe; for while thousands were busied in building the city of the plain, others of their body employed themselves in hunting excursions to provide food for the industrious artisans. These sports were chiefly conducted by Ne

stitious veneration; but Girgash and
Dedan made him often their jest and
sport. His mind appeared in a state
of continual aberration, and he had
shown no symptoms of consciousness,
till once when the mention of the
name of Dedan made him start. A
confused recollection of something
which once had passed seemed then
to float across his brain; and he fol-
lowed the chieftain with his
eye till
the whole band were out of sight.
After this the maniac was missing

from his usual haunts. Week after laugheth at the mountains of the week the hunters traversed the same Lord! The thunders of the Highest scenes; but their old companion was shall smite it to the dust. Spread not there. Yet once more they be- thy kingdom abroad in the earth, and held him. Dedan then was the bid nations obey thee; let thy name leader of the party; and had out- become a proverb for the days of other stripped his companions in the chase, years. Thy authority shall be taken when he reached the sequestered cave. away, the staff of thy power shall be At once the wondrous being sprang broken, and the sceptre shall fall from out upon him, and grasping him by thy impotent hand. Ha! ha! ha! the shoulders, tore him from his steed. Confusion be upon thee, O Nebrod, "Wretch!" he exclaimed, "where and the curse of a father who has are my children? Murderer! where gazed upon his children's blood. Thy is my wife?" And seizing him by city is fallen, and Asshur is revenged. the hair of his head, with the strength Ha! ha! ha!" and he expired in a of a giant dragged along his prostrate fit of hysterical laughter. T. R. form.

The Cuthites ran to the assistance of their leader; but his assailant had unsheathed the sword of Dedan, and thrice plunged it in his bosom. “There, there, there !" he exclaimed, "feel now the revenge of Philoth! ha ha ha!" and he laughed in his phrenzy till the rocks re-echoed with the sound.

By this time the Nebrodians had reached him; but Philoth grinned in token of defiance as he brandished the sword of Dedan in the air, and beckoned them with wild gestures to the conflict. At length they succeeded in disarming him, and returning in haste to the city, carried him bound before the self-styled monarch of the world.

A gaze of vacancy was all that was elicited from him as the form of his trial proceeded; and he heard from the lips of authority the sentence of death. Then again his eye was lit with extraordinary brightness, and he burst forth in prophetic exclamations. "Ha ha ha! Gather up thy hosts, proud King, in the city of thy glory! Let the sun gild with splendour thy palaces and spires! My God shall confound thee, and bring thee down to shame. Raise the tower of thy greatness up to heaven, till it

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING
OUR CHRISTIAN PROFESSION WITH
DIGNITY.

66

(For the Young Men's Magazine.) THERE is nothing more important, and in every respect due to the religion we profess, than the maintaining our Christian profession with a befitting dignity, under the deep impression that we are following a high and holy calling. No dignity inconsistent with the deepest humility is here meant: on the contrary, as will afterwards be shown, if properly felt and borne, it will only tend to humble us more. Though we see our calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence: yet still to all who are called, it is, in the fullest sense, a "high vocation."

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For what is it we are called to? should give us more independence of

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We are called from the pursuits of feeling; we should accustom ourselves folly to the study of the highest wis- to reflect more upon what our calling dom; from fixing our hopes and de- really is, and our feelings and genesires upon earth and all its uncertain, ral conduct will be influenced accordvain, and perishable joys, to set our ingly. Then, though with meekness, "affections upon things above," and gentleness, and often silence, yet upon heavenly and eternal objects, with dignity and firmness, shall we and to find the joy and delight of stand up against the sneers and oppodoing so only begun and tasted here, sition of the world, moved only to sorwhile we rejoice in the hope of the full row and pity for its opposition; fruition hereafter and for ever, "to an though in this, as in every other trial, inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, we shall need the support of Almighty and that fadeth not away: we are grace, But it is not only in meeting called, also, to an intimate communion the opposition of the world that we with our heavenly Father, who is are liable to forget the importance goodness, wisdom, power, and every and dignity of our calling, but it is to excellence itself" the Father of be feared that young Christians do lights;" a communion, which while too much forget it in the ordinary it can add nothing to Him, to us is intercourse of life, in the character the continual and abundant source of which they suffer their religion to asthe highest blessings. And in fol- sume in the eyes of the world. Our lowing these hopes, and seeking "fel- religion should form us, and that altolowship with the Father, and with his gether. In taking up our profession Son Jesus Christ," we receive the we should yield up ourselves entirely blessings of the Holy Ghost shed on to the renewing influences of the Spius abundantly, and we are conti- rit: "Whatsoever things are true, nually experiencing his renewing in- whatsoever things are honest, whatfluences, purifying and elevating our soever things are just, whatsoever spirits, and making us daily more things are pure, whatsoever things meet for "the inheritance of the are lovely, whatsoever things are of saints in light." Through the merits good report, if there be any virtue, and and atoning blood of Christ we are if there be any praise, think on these raised from the condition of con- things: and, on the contrary, we demned rebels into the adoption of should diligently eschew every thing children. Made the "sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty," "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ."

of an opposite character, avoid every thing having the least tendency fairly and unnecessarily to bring contempt Now what can possibly be higher upon our profession; any unnecesthan this calling? And if we profess sary peculiarity of speech, tone, or to be following it, should not a deep gesture; anything like religious slang sense of its dignity and importance be in our conversation. By neglecting ever impressed upon us? But is there this we too often form, or rather denot generally too little a sense of this, form, the character of our religion, especially amongst young Christians? instead of suffering it wholly to mould We are all apt to be too much influ- us. The writer has often been enced by the opinions and feelings of pained by hearing remarks from infithe world in our ideas of our calling dels and irreligious characters upon and profession, and it is natural that this or that peculiarity of manner in it should be so; but our Christianity pious persons; and this is invariably

But it is also to be remarked that these habits are generally formed when young, and becoming second nature, the individual is unconscious of their peculiarity when his riper judgment might have preserved him from forming them.

sneered at as cant, and represented as generally does.
proceeding from their religion; and
even amongst educated persons, many
of these unnecessary and unseemly
peculiarities are often painfully no-
ticeable; thus an unnecessary stumb-
ling-block is often thrown in the way
of others. Nor is it always confined
to innocent peculiarity of manner; but
in many cases it approaches to irre-
verence. The common use of the
name of God and our Saviour, either
in manner or on occasions, are too
often not attended even among Chris-
tians with those feelings of reverence
which become his disciples. In this,
and in the mention of serious topics
generally, there is often a lightness
and familiarity quite inconsistent with
their importance and seriousness.
At the same time it must be observed,
that a heavy dull solemnity of manner
is equally contrary to the spirit of the
Gospel.

Let a young Christian take a clear and enlarged view of what his vocation really is, and yield himself wholly to the renewing influences of the Holy Spirit, and he will naturally assume in every thing a manner consistent with, and gracing his profession; and as his principles take deeper root in his heart, so his general deportment will assume more and more purity, simplicity, and propriety. But it may seem inconsistent with this last statement that many eminently pious per

sons have much of what is thus complained of in their mauner, and also that even the discourses and conversation of many excellent Ministers are tainted with it. To this it may be replied, first, that there is a great difference in the natural good taste and good sense of persons. And perhaps it is too much to expect that religion will altogether overcome any natural deficiency in this respect, though it may be contended that it ought to do more in this way than it

Whilst a proper sense of the true dignity of the Christian character will thus produce a deportment suitable to it, its great tendency will also be to make the individual more humbled in gratitude before his God and Saviour, that he should have been called to partake of such exalted privileges,— to bear so high a profession. The higher sense we have of our calling, the greater call for humble gratitude will there be when we "look to the rock from whence we were hewn, and the hole of the pit from whence we were digged," remembering that it is free, unmerited grace, alone, which has chosen and called us with so high a calling.

USEFUL EXERCISES.

No. VII.

IN what sense are we to understand

that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God?"

THE DAY OF DECISION.

YES, there impends an awful day,
When earth and time shall pass away,
A day of dread decision!
As some frail fleeting vision!

Hark! the shrill trumpet wakes the earth,
Through all death's regions swelling;
Gives to the various passions birth,
On all her sharp notes dwelling.
Fearful, aghast, yet unsubdued,

The sin-stained myriads rising,
Envy the saints by grace renew'd,
No longer proud, despising.

Guilty and sad they know their doom,
With bitter hate despairing;
Driven to hell's darkness-horrid gloom!—
The' Eternal's vengeance bearing.

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