Let the Teacher in using this book examine all the Scripture references, and in order to do so let him take but a small portion at a time for study.

Regular study of the Bible is the bounden duty of a Teacher. I should recommend the reading one chapter of each Testament every day-beginning with Genesis in the Old and St. Matthew in the New Testament. Reading the Testaments in this way, side by side, has great advantages. A Christian ought, so to speak, to imbibe the flavour of the whole Bible, and not, as is too. commonly the case, neglect the Old Testament.

It is useful, while studying the Scriptures, continually to refer to a good map, in order to ascertain the position of the towns and other places mentioned in the sacred narrative. By doing so, we shall find our ideas of Scripture narratives much increased in clearness. D'Oyly and Mant's Commentary, published at a very cheap rate by the Christian Knowledge Society, contains some excellent maps and valuable engravings; in the study of the Old Testament, I have found this commentary very useful in explaining textual difficulties, and allusions to Eastern customs. As a spiritual commentary, however, it is inferior to Scott or Henry; on which excellent works I need say nothing, as they are so well known.

Let me only add, on the subject of commentaries, that in their use care is requisite. Every student of the Scriptures will at once confess the great use he has de rived from commentaries. But care must be taken not to allow the commentary to take the place of the word of God. Many parts of the Bible are clear enough in themselves. Let us use the commentary only when, after diligent search, we are unable to ascertain the meaning of the sacred text.

Let me add, in concluding this paper, that the best of all commentaries is a prayerful spirit. I have somewhere met with this expression, "Let us think upon our knees, and our difficulties will be few indeed."

ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCRIPTURE.

1. "BECAUSE thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.' "-2 KINGS xix. 28.

On the sculptures recently discovered at Nineveh, (1847,) there appear certain prisoners with chains running through a ring which pierces the lower lip.

2. "She [Aholibah] saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion, girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity."-EZEKIEL Xxiii. 14, 15.

Bas-reliefs have been discovered painted at Nineveh, (1847.)-Quarterly Review.

3. Beni Hassan, (a village not far from Assouan, on the Nile,) contains some of the most curious and ancient painted tombs in the world. In them is the figure of a scribe introducing bearded strangers, shod with sandals, into the presence of a chief officer of Pharaoh. These strangers bear gifts, and are accompanied by asses. This painting has been supposed to represent the arrival of Joseph's brethren from Canaan.

4. ISAIAH Xviii.

The winged globe is found on all the edifices in Egypt and Ethiopia, and the vessels of bulrushes are still used in the interior of the latter.

5. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."-JOHN X. 27.

"At Ramleh we passed through a cemetery in the twi light, and saw flocks of goats and sheep following their shepherds to the pasture."

6. "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. ."-PSALM CXxxiii. 2,3.

"The “dew of Hermon" fell so heavily during the night that it ran off our capotes in rivulets, when we shook them; one of the thousand instances of the faithful re flection of the past in the present."

D.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

Catechism of the History of the Early Church in England and Wales, from its Foundation to the Norman Conquest. By Mrs. ROBERT SEWELL. London: Longman and Co. Pp. 111.

A well written and interesting account of the leading features in the history of the Early English Church. As a specimen, we extract Mrs. Sewell's description of the Druids and their religion.

Q. What was the religion of Britain at the time that our Lord commanded his apostles to go and teach all nations, A. D. 33?

A. Druidism was the native religion. By this time, however, the Romans had made themselves masters of a great part of England, and had therefore introduced their own paganism here. This, however, was chiefly, if not wholly, confined to the Roman troops and their followers.

Q. Why was the religion of the Britons called Druidism?

A. From the Druids, who were their ministers of religion, and who formed one of the orders of Bardism.

Q. What do you mean by Bardism?

A. It was a very ancient and venerable institution, into which persons were only finally received after twenty years of trial and study. Its members were held in the highest possible respect, and were divided into three distinct orders-Bards, Druids, and Ovates. Q. What was the office of the Bards?

A. They wrote and kept all the historical records of the country; composed and sung national poems; and upheld all the privileges of their system. They wore a blue robe as a token of peace, and their presence and authority were so imposing, that it is said contending armies instantly laid down their weapons, if a Bard suddenly appeared between them in his robe of peace.

Q. What office did the Druids hold?

A. They devoted themselves wholly to religious duties, and were clad in white robes, as an emblem of purity. They carried in the hand a wand, or staff; and wore, hung around the neck, an amulet or charm, which was called the Druid's egg. They had short hair, and long flowing beards.

Q. What have you to say of the Vaids, or Ovates?

A. They were physicians and diviners, clever in natural philosophy and astronomy, and they employed themselves in the study of nature, the arts, and sciences; wearing a green robe, as a symbol of nature.

Q. How were the doctrines of the druidical religion preserved from generation to generation?

A. They were handed down from the master to the disciple by traditionary poems. The Druids did not commit to writing any of the principles of their religion; they therefore had the power of altering their doctrines at any time if they desired it, and of interpreting them as they pleased.

Q. What effect must this system have had upon the people?

A. It must have tended to keep them in great ignorance, and in

complete subjection and obedience to the will of their teachers; thus procuring for the Druids themselves great power and profit.

Q. Can you give me any account of the doctrines which the Druids taught?

A. But very little. They sacrificed human victims; but, in many other respects, their religion was purer than other forms of heathenism. They adored one only God, the Creator and Governor of all things, and taught the people to strive after holiness here, that they might be happy in the world to come.

Q. Do we not sometimes hear of Druidesses?

A. Yes; and they seem often to have been very clever ladies, celebrated for their learning and writings. The Druids were the only instructors of youth, and they educated both princes and princesses.*

Q. You said that the Bards wrote the historical records of the country. What did they write them upon ?

A. In early times, upon the bark of trees prepared for the purpose, or upon smooth tables of birchwood, called poets' tables. Upon these they cut out the letters with a sharp instrument.t

Q. How many grand religious festivals were held in a year?

A. Four. One upon the eve of May-day, to pray that the seed then just sown might grow and bring forth plenteously; one upon Midsummer Eve, to obtain a blessing upon the fruits of the earth, then ready to be cut; one on the eve of the first of November, to offer a thanksgiving upon the conclusion of the harvest; one upon New Year's Day (which was the 10th of March), to seek for the venerated All-heal, or Miselto, which was cut, with great solemnity, by the chief Druid, with a golden knife.

Q. Can you tell me any thing more of these festivals ?

A. Vast fires were kindled on May Eve on all the cairns in the country. These cairns were heaps of stones with a flat stone on the top of each, and, as one cairn was always within sight of another, the blaze really extended all over the kingdom. On the ground, near to each cairn, there was a second fire lighted, and between these two fires the men and beasts who were to be sacrificed were obliged to pass.+

Q. Can you tell me any thing about the festival of thanksgiving held on November Eve?

A. Similar fires were then kindled, accompanied by sacrifices and feasting, and upon this evening all the people put out their own fires, and repaired to the nearest cairns to carry home from thence some of the consecrated fire. They supposed that this would ensure them prosperity throughout the year. If any one unluckily had not paid the last year's dues to the Druids, he was forbidden to take any of this fire, and his neighbours did not dare to give him any of theirs, for fear of excommunication.

* We hear of two Irish princesses in the fifth century, who had been educated by the Druids, who were able to maintain a long dispute with St. Patrick against Christianity. They were the daughters of Laogirius, one of the Irish kings.

It is probable that they in time learned to write upon parchment; but the date of the introduction of parchment into Britain is unknown. The Romans MIGHT have brought it with them; but we have no account of it. The Bards are said to have used letters formed somewhat like those of the Greek alphabet. These fires are said to have been in honour of the sun, called by the Druids Beal, or Bealan.

Q. Did the Druids then excommunicate those who sinned, or offended them?

A. Yes; and this sentence was indeed a heavy one: it excluded persons from all benefits of society, sometimes even deposed princes, and occasionally devoted the offender to certain destruction.

Q. Was the Druidism of Britain the same as that of Gaul and its neighbourhood?

A. It was the same in some respects; but the system and educa tion here were far superior to those elsewhere, and the British Druids were much more learned than their brethren of Gaul. Foreigners came over in great numbers to receive education from the Druids in Britain.

Q. What particular maxim of the Bardic Institution was likely to promote the Christian faith among its members when they had once heard it preached?

A. It was one which bound them to search diligently for truth upon all occasions, and, when they had found it, to uphold it with all their power.

Q. Where did they generally solemnize their worship?

A. In sacred groves of oak trees, venerable from their age and size, under whose shade the Druids mostly dwelt. There were also Bardic circles of large unwrought stones in different places, within which they occasionally held solemn assemblies.

Lessons on the Travels and Voyages of St. Paul: for the Use of Schools. By a Lady. London: Groombridge and Son. Pp. 35. A clearly written digest of the leading facts in St. Paul's history; but we wish that a map of his travels had formed part of the book, for the convenience of those who may not have access to one.

Portions of the Morning and Evening Services of the Liturgy of the Church of England catechetically explained, compared with Scripture, and briefly commented on; with the date and origin of each portion annexed, so far as they have been ascertained: for the Use of Sunday schools. By the Rev. CHARLES MILLER, A. B., Perpetual Curate of Ballymakenny, Diocese of Armagh. Dublin: Curry and Co. London: Longman and Co., and Seeley and Co. Pp. 38.

The nature of Mr. Miller's useful little book is fully explained in the title. The more our excellent Church Services are studied, the greater will be the love of the devout Christian for them.