and stones thrown by slings, or the machines represented on pp. 118, 119. Those used by Uzziah, 2 Chron xxvi. 15, must have been similar. Arrows are very often mentioned in Scripture. As for slings, my readers will at once remember David's encounter with Goliath, 1 Sam. xvii. and how God enabled David to prevail, with a few smooth pebbles from the brook. The picture on the 116th page represents an ancient slinger; but sometimes stones were hurled by the hand, as those among David's men, mentioned 1 Chron. xii. 2.

The numbers of the armies mentioned in the Bible often seem to be very large; but in the east there are a great many servants and other followers to an army: the numbers mentioned probably include these. Also in those days every man able to bear arms went forth to war, when required. Of the miseries caused by war there are many striking descriptions in the Bible, perhaps none stronger than that which speaks of the interference of Oded, 2 Chron. xxviii. in behalf of the people of Judah when taken captive; see also Deut. xxviii. 49–58.

Though the Bible contains many accounts of war and battles, they are given in a very different manner from the accounts of poets or common historians. There is nothing to make war attractive, or to cast a glare over the deeds of the conquerors. War, indeed, cannot be too much abhorred by the real followers of Christ. Remember the words of our Lord, Matt. xxvi. 52, ، All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."

In ancient times the warriors wore armour made of plates of metal. We read of the armour of the Philistine, and of Saul, 1 Sam. xvii. But the most particular and important reference to armour is Eph. vi. 11-17. The apostle there speaks of the warfare in which the Christian has to engage against the enemies of his soul. He describes each piece of armour separately, and applies it to some Christian qualification or grace. Thus the girdle is to be truth; the breastplate, righteousness; the shoes, or defences for the legs, the gospel of peace; the helmet, the hope of salvation. But above, or over all, the necessity for the shield of faith is described, as the means

wherewith to quench the fiery darts of the wicked onethe temptations and doubts of Satan. The only weapon of offence appointed for the Christian is the sword of the Spirit, "which is the word of God." Now these things show us the defences to be used by the followers of Christ, and the only weapon they should use to attack their adversaries-THE BIBLE. A soldier who was not skilled in the use of his sword, was very easily overcome in ancient times; so we shall do little against the enemies of our souls, or the adversaries of the truth, unless we are well versed in the Scriptures. In this respect every Christian should be "a man of war from his youth." The panoply, or complete armour, is represented at page 120.

The insufficiency of all human means, of armies or armour, are shown in the case of Goliath, slain with a pebble from the brook; the army of Midian and others, as grasshoppers for multitude, "without number," Judg. vi. 5, overcome by three hundred men with pitchers, torches, and trumpets; all the host of the Syrians flying at a mere noise, 2 Kings vii. 6, but especially in the destruction of 185,000 men in one night, by the angel of the Lord, without a blow from any mortal hand, 2 Kings xix. 35.

THE art of writing is of great importance; it conveys our thoughts by certain marks or representations: there are several methods by which it was practised in former times, and in later days. One method, used by some Indians and other untaught nations, is a kind of picture writing, or drawing, to represent the things which the writer desires to tell to others. The Rev. T. H. Horne, in a work which he has written about books, copies a drawing of this sort made by some North American Indians, which represents one of their expeditions against their enemies. Similar drawings of the ancient Mexicans have been copied by other authors. Another sort of picture writing, probably an improvement on that just mentioned, was much used by the Egyptians; it is called hieroglyphic writing. The first sort of picture writing only represents things, but this represents ideas or thoughts. For instance, an eye represented God, who sees all things; a sword, a cruel tyrant; an eye and sceptre, a king; a lion represented courage; armies were meant by hands with weapons. There are cards and

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