daughter of her God. Obedience, for her hand is as that of him who directs; activity, for how soon are all things in readiness; skill, for under her superintendence a dish is made ready, of which angels eat; modesty and dignity, for thou, in all this time, and amid all these personages, hast not discovered her, while even the guests are inquiring, as if in wonder, "Where is Sarah ?" "Behold, in the tent," is the response; and such it should have been. Would not a more noisy or ostentatious lady-one of more bustle, but of less skill of more words, but of less dignity and grace-would she not have been seen or heard amid all those hospitable preparations? But there is no confusion-no exposure-no complaint. There is no being "cumbered about much serving." All is order, as well as dispatch—propriety, as well as efficiency. "She is like the merchant ships-she bringeth her food from far. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land."

Of the latter Dispensation, as well as of the former, inspired fingers pointed back to Sarah; and two apostles, under two aspects of exceeding beauty, have registered her name. Paul presents her in the celebrated galaxy of the ancient believers-one of those who obtained a good report through faith, and that compose the great cloud of witnesses beholding from their spheres of light

the progress of successive generations of the Christian combatants, as they run up the path of life. Peter presents her as the lovely woman and companion, discarding exterior adorning, and coveting the adorning of the heart, the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, being in subjection, in the appropriate sense, to her husband, observing toward him the most respectful address and the most exemplary deportment. Paul records her dutifulness to her God; Peter, that to her husband. Paul writes her a believer; Peter, a welldoer also. Paul shows her a saint, looking upward; Peter represents her a saint, forbearing, amid her heavenly visions, to step aside from the proprieties of life. Paul exhibits her as an exemplar for believers; Peter, as the mother of the daughters that do well. The one tells you of her hand being in God's; the other, that, her hand being there, she was not afraid with any amazement.

Lot's Wife.

ARISE, take thy wife," said the angels to Lot, as they urged him away from the city devoted to destruction. Her relation only is noticed, and neither her name nor those of her daughters appear upon the inspired page. Of her origin, also, we have no information; and the angelic announcement quoted above, is the first allusion to

her in the sacred Scriptures: It appears quite probable that she was a native of Sodom, and became united to Lot after his commencing to reside in that wicked and ill-fated city. When the hour of judgment had come, and while Lot still lingered, the angel men are represented as laying hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him forth, and set him without the city, and said, "Escape for thy life! Look not behind theeneither stay thou in all the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." But as they fled from the city, his wife looked behind her, and became a pillar of salt.

A single melancholy allusion is made to her in the New Testament, and by the lips of Christ. As he instructs his disciples touching their flight from the impending ruin of Jerusalem, and warns them, as their flight commences, against returning to their houses for the purpose of taking any of their effects with them, he very naturally refers back to the destruction of Sodom, and to the conduct of her who, as she fled from the city, "looked behind her." "Remember Lot's wife," is the concise and significant warning; and such is the only use for which her name is adduced. She is not recalled, like Sarah, as an example of faith, but is pointed to as a beacon of warning. She is not, like Anna, produced as an illustration of looking to God always, but rather as representative

of those who, at times at least, look another way. She had not the promptness of Deborah, as she assures Barak, “I will arise and go with thee;" but she lingers, and hesitates, and pauses. She did not, as did the apostle, press toward the mark; but, as he did not, she remembered the things which were behind. Nor did she, like Mary, have respect to angel voices; but rather, like Sapphira, she listened to the suggestions of covetousness. It was not sufficient that a divine messenger should assure her of the destruction behind, she must look if it certainly be so.

Yet was it not natural? That city had been her home, perhaps from infancy. Hers was, doubtless, no mean residence there, for her husband was princely in his possessions. There, too, were some of her dear children, whom, as she fled, she had been compelled to leave behind her. Must they, also, be lost in the threatened destruction? Then, again, what would she do in the future? Whither was she flying? Would she find another home, or would she be cast forth-a forlorn exile-to pass her slight remnant of life in poverty, suffering, and weeping?

We marvel not that she "looked behind her.” All the natural sentiments of her heart prompted her to such an act. Yet should she not have consented. There are times when the soul must rein itself up to a desperate effort,-when a momentary yielding to natural impulses, or a slight wandering of the eye, or a single word or act of

indiscretion, leads on to consequences affecting the destiny and happiness of a life. Especially is disregard of an express injunction of Divine authority pregnant with the most imminent danger. If a heavenly voice whisper, "Look not,” then is the time to beware. No matter whether the interdicted vision be of the wine sparkling in the cup, or seductive forms stealing away the heart from God, or terrestrial bowers of beauty too often preferred to heaven, or golden wedges and garments of magnificence captivating the affections, or even home, dear home, where linger those we love better than life-look not on themone or all of them-if such be God's bidding. Restraining thine eye, may be as if it should be plucked from its socket; thy right hand pointing forever heavenward, may be to thee as though cut off and cast from thee; pressing always, and to the last, after God's leadings, may be as if one should "die daily;" yet let thine eye look right on, and thine eyelids straight before thee; tarry not in all the plain; but fly, for thy life, toward the city and mount of everlasting safety.