in eastern countries, prostration to the ground is used as a mark of humiliation even in the presence of earthly superiors. CHARLES.

"And he spake unto

Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to-morrow the Lord will show who are His, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto Him: even him whom He hath chosen will He cause to come near unto Him. This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; and put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to-morrow and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.”

MAMMA. No doubt, when Moses fell on his face he prayed God to direct him how to act in this emergency, and this was the result.

CHARLES.

What is the meaning,

Mamma, of Moses telling Korah and all his company to take censers ?

MAMMA. Censers were used by the priests to burn incense in; and as Korah and his companions aspired to the office of priests, it is probable that Moses, by direction of the Holy Spirit, told them, that they might attempt to exercise the functions of priests, that it might be proved whether or not they were approved by the Lord.

CHARLES. "And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And He bath brought thee near to

Him, and all thy brethren, the sons of Levi, with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?"

MAMMA. In this speech, Moses reminds Korah and his companions that they had already been greatly honoured by being appointed to attend on the priests, and asks them whether such a privilege ought to be lightly esteemed by them. Then he expostulates with them on the injustice of their outcry against Aaron, who owed his superiority over them to the appointment of God alone.

CHARLES.

"And Moses sent to

call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab which said, We will not come

up: Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? of these men? we will

not come up."

in

MAMMA. The conduct of Dathan and Abiram was extremely blameable; in the first place, in refusing to obey the commands of Moses, their divinely appointed ruler ; the next, in making such a rebellious and ungrateful speech, using the same expressions in speaking of Egypt, the land of their captivity and suffering, that the Almighty had used of the land of promise when holding

out to them the prospect of deliverance from their enemies.

CHARLES. How could they be so ungrateful to forget all they had suffered from their cruel enemies the Egyptians, and the goodness of God in leading them forth and supporting them in such a wonderful and merciful manner!

MAMMA. It is indeed sad and humiliating to think this is the nature of man in his fallen state.

CHARLES.

"And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not Thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them." No wonder that Moses was wroth, I am sure he had sufficient cause to be so.

MAMMA. It is probable, however, from our knowledge of his general character of meekness, that the anger