What was the judgment denounced against the Israelites for their ingratitude and rebellion at this time? What lesson ought the history to teach? Moses was prohibited from entering the promised Canaan. Can you say why? Was Joshua's appointment to the government of Israel after the death of Moses according to the will of God? Mention the first city in Canaan which was taken by the hosts of Israel. What precautionary steps were taken before the attack was made upon the city? By whom were the two spies protected when they entered into Jericho ? What is said in Hebrews respecting the woman Rahab? Do you remember the particular directions which were given for the taking of the city? What was the next event of importance that occurred under the administration of Joshua after the destruction of Jericho ? What loss was sustained on the side of Israel when the 3,000 men were repulsed by the inhabitants of Ai? Do you remember what was the secret cause of this defeat? May we not learn from this history an instructive lesson ? What are the objections which have been urged against the miracle of the sun and the moon standing still at the command of Joshua? How may these objections be met? Can the event be accounted for on purely natural principles ? Mention the transactions connected with Joshua's closing history as given in the lesson. How long is it supposed Joshua lived after having conducted the Israelites into Canaan? What was his age at the time of his death? May Joshua in some respects be regarded as an illustrious type of the Saviour? THE EDITOR'S DESK. QUERIES AND ANSWERS. QUERY 1.-ON CHRIST BEING was free from every imperfection, MADE PERFECT THROUGH and therefore did not need SUFFERING.-Hebrews ii. 10. making perfect. Yours truly, DEAR SIR,-Will you kindly INQUIRER. inform me what is meant by the passage which speaks of our Lord being made perfect through suffering, Hebrews ii. 10? I always thought that Jesus Christ ANSWER.-Jesus Christ always was perfect in his nature. His divine nature was always perfect, for he is God, and in him there can be no imperfec- tribes of Israel, and over surtion. His human nature was rounding nations. But we always perfect, for he was born should remark that, in the paswithout sin and lived and died sage before us, we see the lion without sin. But as an example, in two attitudes-first, he is a he could not be perfect without young lion, fierce and full of showing us how to endure and vigour, rising from his prey; and conquer; and as a Saviour, he then, as an old lion, couching could not be perfect without and lying down, as if quiet and atoning for sin. Now it is evi- satisfied with his meal. Now we dent, that in order to show us have here a prophetic indication how to endure he must himself of Judah in both the early and suffer, and in order to atone for later periods of his history. our sins he must agonize and First-warlike, conquering, and die. It was thus by suffering he became both a perfect example and a perfect Saviour. QUERY 2. JUDAH, A LION's WHELP.-Genesis xlix. 9. DEAR SIR,-In the Book of Genesis, xlix. 9, we read "Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?" An explanation of the above passage, through the medium of the JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR, will much oblige, yours truly, J. M. D. H. making the nations tremble before his power; and then, in the later period of his kingdom, enjoying with calm satisfaction the possessions he had acquired, without molesting and troubling others. QUERY 3.-JEREMIAH FORBID- MR. EDITOR.-DEAR SIR,— Being struck with the fund of information received from your valuable little magazine, especially when you so kindly answer questions respecting Scripture, I shall feel obliged ANSWER.-These words are if you will please to tell me the part of the prophecy of the meaning of that part of scripture dying patriarch Jacob, in which in Jeremiah xiv. 11,-" Then he briefly sketches the character, said the Lord unto me, Pray and foretels the history of each not for this people for their tribe of Israel. The whole prophecy is highly figurative and poetical. Each tribe is set forth by some emblem. The emblem of Judah is a lion, and that animal was a fit representation of the boldness, the daring, and the kingly attitude of Judah; for, as the lion is the king of the forest, and reigns ascendant over other animals, so Judah gained the ascendancy both over the other good." Yours truly, ANSWER. - The meaning is this:-The iniquity of the people was full; past forbearance had been in vain, and further forbearance would be without effect; therefore the day of vengeance was just at hand. Because mercy had waited in vain for their repentance, punish- tilence. Whether the above ment must come at last; it was places are of this character we therefore useless for Jeremiah do not know, but we hope some to intercede for them any lon- judicious Sunday-school teacher ger. It is remarkable that on will answer for us. There is one several special occasions the rich and profitable source of inprophet was forbidden to pray struction open to our schools at for this people. See chapters a small charge-viz., Biblical vii. 16 and xi. 14. The events Dioramas, or Lectures on the which followed show that com- Lands of the Bible, illustrated passion was now turned to ven- by beautiful paintings of the geance; for, shortly after this, principal scenes and cities menJerusalem was besieged and tioned in Scripture. In King destroyed by the Babylonian William Street, Strand, London, army; many of the people pe- there are lectures and illustrarished by the sword, famine, tions of this kind three days and pestilence, and nearly all each week-Mondays, on the the rest were taken into capti- Wanderings of the Israelites; vity. From this we learn that Wednesdays, on Nineveh, the though in general the prayers Buried City; Saturdays, on of the righteous avail much with Palestine and the Holy Land. God, yet there is a period in We have attended these lecthe history of some sinners tures, and can speak with conwhen prayer can have no fur-fidence of the instruction they ther effect, and men are given give and the interest they imup to the hardness of their part both to young and adult hearts. See Ezekiel xiv. 14-21, persons. We hope our London Jeremiah xv. 1. QUERY 4. - BELLE-VUE GARDENS, &C. scholars and teachers will avail themselves of this privilege, and those in the country, too, whenever an opportunity occurs. It It would much oblige a Sun- is usual to give a treat to Sunday-school teacher if any of day scholars once in the year. your readers could state the Now we know of no treat in true character of such places as which recreation and instruction Belle-vue Gardens, Manchester, are so happily blended as in and the Zoological Gardens, lectures and illustrations of this Liverpool. Are they worthy kind. the patronage of Sabbath-school teachers? A TEACHER. ANSWER. Much depends upon the sort of exhibitions presented at these places, and the mode in which they are conducted. In the present day there are many polluting and unholy sources of attraction which must be shunned as a pes QUERIES ALREADY ANSWERED. -The questions by J. R. T. on the circumstances attending Paul's conversion; of E. H. S. on Hebrews vi. 4, 5, 6; and of J. B. on Melchisedec, and several other inquiries, have been answered before. We have a considerable number of queries still on hand. OUR CHILDREN'S PORTION. PAPA'S LETTER FROM NORWAY TO HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER IN STAFFORDSHIRE. Christiania, 1854. MY DEAR LITTLE GIRL,-AS papa has the opportunity of sending a few lines home, he gladly spends a little time in writing a little note to his dear little girl. If you will ask mamma to lift you up to see the large map, she will show you the place from which I write. Christiania is many, many miles from England; and to get here, we have had to cross the sea in a great boat. On the way we saw many strange things, such as very curious fishes, that looked bright in the water like so many tiny lamps, and birds that had flown away from their nests, out of sight of land, and floating about in the rough sea, just the same as those swans you saw when we were living at your "Sandon Home." On Sunday papa sat at the very end of the ship, and read out of mamma's bible, and thought of home, and of dear mamma, and of his little girl, and of his boys at the Sundayschool, and of many other things; for though he was many hundreds of miles away, he could not help thinking of you. He also thought how very good God had been in keeping him in safety on his voyage, and he felt thankful for God's goodness. I hope that while I am away, you will be very kind to mamma and very good, and give as little trouble as possible. I hope you do not let either "Miss Passion" or "Miss Pert" come into the house, but that you are gentle and obedient. I have many tales to tell you about the children here, and when I come home I will take you on my knee and tell you how they dress, for they dress quite differently from English children,-and how they talk, for you could not understand them. Do you know they say "Ya" for "Yes?" Isn't that funny? "A nice little girl" they call "smokke pige we should say, "smoky piggy!” or as And do you know we saw a hawk, more than a hundred long miles out at sea, and he flew about our ship as though he would like to perch there; but we soon lost sight of him. Then, the moon shone so brightly we could see to read as we walked about the ship; and as the waves rolled by us, they looked just like bright silver. Sometimes the sea was very rough, and our At Christiansand we saw a ship rode up and down the little girl and boy not much waves; and when the water bigger than you are, rowing a seemed just ready to break over boat in the open river, just the the vessel, then we were far same as if they were man and away in a minute; for you must woman; and the women here know that our ship was moved never wear bonnets, but put by steam, like the railway car-handkerchiefs over their heads, riages are in which you have so and very neat some of them often had a ride. look. The houses are built of wood happy, my dear," said her ad painted different colours, mother. "I think I noticed nd the roofs are all covered the tears upon your cheeks. ith red tiles. The people eat I will not say it is a little thing, 1 sorts of queer things, and for the troubles of children ook in all sorts of queer ways. seem great to them; but I trust ut all these things I will tell you will be patient, and wait ou when I return home, if you patiently for good weather." re a good little girl. Papa sends you his very, very est love, and many kisses for his ear little girl and her dear namma. He hopes to be at ome soon, and will then say what he has not time to write "Mother, you have told me that God knows everything, and that he is always good. Then he must certainly know that there is but one Saturday afternoon in the week, and that this is all the time.I have to play with my little friends. He must know that it has rained now these three holidays, when I wished so much to go abroad. And can he not make sunshine whenever he pleases?" "We cannot understand all the ways of God, my child; but the Bible tells us he is wise and good. Look out into your little garden, and see how happy the rosebuds are to catch the soft rain in their bosoms, and how the violets lift their sweet faces to meet it; and as A few months ago, some the drop falls into the quiet wolves were near the house where I now write this note. But as I have many more letters to write, I must conclude with again sending you love and many, many kisses from YOUR VERY AFFECTIONATE stream, how it dimples with THE LITTLE GIRL AND for want of food." "I hope you will not be un Then the good mother told her daughter of the sandy deserts in the East, and of the camel, that patiently bears thirst for many days; and how the fainting traveller watched for the rain-cloud, and blessed God when he found water; and she showed her the picture of |