THE TOWER OF BABEL.

(Gen. xi. 1-9.)

FOR Some time after the flood, all the people of the earth spoke the same language; and that they might not be separated and scattered abroad, but might live together as one nation, they resolved to build a city, and a very high tower, which might be seen a long way off-so that, if ever they went to a distance, they might look for this tower, and find their way back.

But God did not like them to build this tower, and he made them speak different languages;-upon which, not being able to understand each other, they left off the work which they had begun, and went away into different countries of the earth.

It is the will of God that men should speak different languages, and that they should live in different countries. But

we must not love those of other nations the less for this, since God is the Maker of all the people who dwell on the earth, and we are all children of Adam, and ought to regard each other as brethren.

THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH.

(Gen. xviii. 17-33, xix. 1-29.)

SODOM and Gomorrah were two cities, the inhabitants of which were so shamefully wicked, that God determined to destroy them. He told Abraham what he was going to do; and when Abraham intreated him, he promised that he would spare Sodom if fifty righteous men could be found in it. Now Abraham knew that there were not fifty righteous men to be found there; so he prayed God to spare it, if there were only forty-five.

God promised that he would, if there were forty-five, or if there were thirty, or twenty, or even ten: but as there were not ten, he resolved to destroy it.

There was, however, one good man who lived there, of the name of Lot. And God kindly sent two angels, who told him what was going to happen, and led him, and his wife, and his two daughters, away out of the city very early in the morning. They told him that he must run away as quickly as he could, and not look behind him.

So Lot and his two daughters did as they were told; and escaped into another city, where they were safe. But his wife would not mind the directions which were given her. She went with them a little way, and then stayed behind; and for this she was turned into a pillar of

salt.

As soon as Lot and his family were gone out, God rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah; and destroy

ed these cities with all their wicked inhabitants. He also caused a salt lake to be where these cities had stood, so that nobody ever lived there again.

As God saved Noah and his family, when he destroyed mankind by a flood, so did he also save Lot and his daughters when he destroyed Sodom. He always loves good men, and bestows upon them his blessing and his favour. But it is not so with the wicked: they often bring upon themselves pains and losses in this world, and come to their death sooner than the righteous: and after they are dead, God will judge them according to their deserts, and punish them for all their sins.

The example of Lot's wife should teach us carefully to mind what is told us, and not to think that we may do this or that, when we have been forbidden to do it.

JACOB AND ESAU.

(Gen. xxv. 27-34, xxvii. to xxxiii.)

ISAAC, the son of Abraham, had two sons, Esau and Jacob. These young men were of very different dispositions. Esau was a skilful hunter, and loved to rove abroad in the fields in search of game: he had great strength, and was of a hasty, impatient temper. Jacob, on the other hand, was a plain and quiet man, who liked better to stay at home; he had not the strength and activity of his brother, and sought to gain what he wanted by fraud.

Esau was the older of the two; but one day, when he came in, very much tired and hungry, from hunting, he saw his brother preparing a nice dish for dinner. He asked him to give him some; and Jacob said that he would, if Esau would give up his birth-right to himwhich means, if he would let him be