The Lord said, "I will not destroy it for twenty's sake."

“Oh, let not the Lord be angry," replied Abraham, “and I will speak yet but this once. Peradventure ten shall be found

there."

Again the Lord answered, "I will not destroy it for ten's sake."

There is, perhaps, nothing more affecting than this instance of love and kindness towards the sinful race of man. The endurance and mercy of the Deity, who, for the sake of those whom he had endowed with his likeness, and into whom he had breathed life and purity, thought rather of pardon than of punishment, and was willing to allow a little virtue to outweigh numberless crimes and vices, are a study for humanity. If we thought of the goodness of the Almighty and of his care and kindness, few of those scenes of violence and outrage which so frequently occur among mankind, would be witnessed.

At even two angels presented themselves at the gate of Sodom, where Lot, the nephew of Abraham, sat to enjoy the cool breeze wafting from the lake that laved the walls of the city. And Lot rose to meet the angels, and bowed before them, and invited them to partake the hospitality of his house : but they answered, "Nay; we will abide in the street all ni At length, however, his entreaties prevailed on them

to accept the shelter of his roof; and a homely feast was prepared by the favoured household for its heavenly visitants.

It was soon rumoured in Sodom, that Lot had strangers in his dwelling; young men, unknown in the city, who might, therefore, be wealthy and virtuous, and disposed to regard with evil eyes the proceedings of the inhabitants. Now, there were a great number of idle and desperate persons in the place, whose only occupation and amusement were plundering and abusing the unwary and timid. A rabble of such soon surrounded the house of Lot, and clamoured loudly to have the young travellers brought forth to them; but Lot refused, and urged them to abandon their wicked designs. Then the multitude became furious, and cried unto Lot, Stand back! lest we sacrifice thee for coming between us and our desire." And they argued with each other: "This fellow came hither to sojourn; who hath made him a judge over us?" At last, they rushed forward to break the door of his habitation; but the angels protected Lot, and smote those who would have injured him with blindness; so that they wearied themselves in vain to find the entrance to his house.

When the uproar in the streets was stilled, and the darkness and silence of night had fallen upon the great city, the

angels spake to Lot, saying, "Is there any of thy family in Sodom, save those we have seen? for whatsoever thou hast, sons, daughters, and sons-in-law, take them from the city. The Lord hath sent us to destroy the place, because the cry of its abominations is great before Him." So Lot went to his daughters and their husbands, and told them the words of the angels, entreating them to arise and flee with him from the destruction which God was about to bring upon the city; but his sons-in-law scoffed at his words, and believed him not; thinking that he did but jest with them, because they worshipped not the same God as he, but partook of the idolatry and wickedness of their brethren. At the earnest supplication of their father, however, the daughters of Lot agreed to accompany him on the morrow towards the plain

of Zoar.

Early in the morning, ere light had broken, the angels called Lot, and said, "Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters, and go hence, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city." Then, seeing that the family still lingered upon the threshold, their celestial guests caught them by the hands, and hastened them from Sodom, nor left them till they were at a safe distance from the devoted city. And when they turned to depart, the angels said to Lot,

'Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountains, lest thou be consumed."

In awe and agony of heart, Lot prayed unto the Lord. "Behold, now," he cried, "thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewn unto me in saving my life, I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil overtake me, and I die. A city is near to flee unto-a little one. Oh, let me escape thither (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."

Then the Lord, by the mouth of his angels, spake unto Lot, "See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city for which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything until thou be come thither."

As Lot and his family journeyed towards the city of refuge, the day began to dawn. Never broke morning light more fearfully over the earth. It grew up in strange and fitful streaks of purple and crimson and yellow and ashey-grey, flitting away into the dun sky like the commingling colours which glow round the mouth of a heated furnace. The air seemed charged with liquid fire; and the sultry and sulphurous atmosphere grew thick around, till the breasts of men and of animals laboured heavily in the work of respi

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ration. Not a leaf stirred in the groves; but the boughs hung loose and flagging, as though their moisture had been exhaled by deadly blight. The very lake that lay, stretched like a slumbering giant, between Sodom and Gomorrah, seemed to have undergone a change of hue, and to have lost the life which it formerly derived from the springs in its bosom.

The inhabitants of the doomed cities awoke, and went forth before their usual hour to seek for freshness in the broad streets and noble avenues, which led to the temples of their gods; but the pestilential vapour of approaching death and destruction was everywhere diffused; and horror began to fill the countenances which were seen from the terraced roofs of the houses, from the lattices, and in the public places. Fear, an indefinite consciousness of pending evil, began to spread among the citizens, who looked eagerly towards the east for the rising sun-their supreme deity: but they were destined to feel his reviving beams no more. Thick, lurid clouds were gathering from all points of the horizon and feeble lightnings flew, with a hissing sound, through the foliage of the stately trees, and over the surface of the dark lake.

At length, rain-drops began to descend-scalding those upon whom they fell, like drops of molten iron. A shriek,