When we see flashes of lightning, in the evening, in a very distant cloud, without hearing any sound, are we to suppose, that they are always accompanied with thunder? We are. In what part of the sky do we see the rainbow? Generally in the east, but sometimes in the west.

In what part of the day is it seen? evening, but sometimes in the morning.

Generally towards

Where must the sun be then? Opposite to the cloud in which the rainbow appears.-If the rainbow is seen in the east, the sun must of course be in the west; and if the rainbow is in the west, the sun will be in the east.

Can we ever see a rainbow at noon? We cannot; for its appearance must be in the opposite hemisphere.

How is the rainbow produced? By the shining of the sun upon the drops of water in a shower :—that is, by the refrac tion and reflection of the sun's rays at that time in a circula manner, caused by the sun and the surface of the earth being circular.

THE SUN.

What is the sun? It is that vast, luminous body in the heavens which gives us light and heat.

How far from us is the sun? Ninety-five millions of miles. How large is it? More than a million of times larger than the earth.

Is the moon as large as the sun? No; the moon is merely a secondary planet, and is forty times smaller than our earth.

Is the moon as far distant from us as the sun is? No; it is only 240,000 miles distant from us, which is a distance less than one fourth of a million.

Is the sun always in the same place in the heavens? The sun does not revolve around any other heavenly body to form an orbit like that of any of the planets; as it is the great centre of all their revolutions; still it moves round on its own axis, and in a very small orbit.

What is that light of the sun called which is seen before his rising? Dawn.

What name is given to that light which is seen after the sun sets? It is called twilight.

Would it not be as well, were there no dawn? No; for

the light of the sun would then burst upon us so suddenly, that it would dazzle and injure our eyes.

Suppose there were no twilight, what would be the inconvenience? Then, at the setting of the sun, we should all be left instantaneously in darkness, which would involve many in great perplexities respecting the arrangement of their business, by their being frequently unprepared for so sudden

an event.

Can you see any light of the sun, when it is cloudy? Yes, much light shines through the clouds.

What is the zenith? That point in the sky which is directly over our heads, is called the zenith.

Which way from this point is the sun at noon? South. In what direction from us in the heavens is the sun at midnight? He is then south of the nadir, which is the point directly opposite to our feet.

When does the sun pass the highest in the heavens, and the nearest to the zenith and nadir in his course? On the 21st of June, which is the longest day in the year.

When is his circuit the farthest south of the zenith and nadir? The 21st of December, which is the shortest day in the year.

THE MOON.

Is the moon always really of the same shape? It is. Why does it exhibit to us such varied appearances? Because we discern only the different parts of its various situations, upon which the sun shines.

How much of the moon is always bright? One half is always bright, except when it is eclipsed for a few minutes by the earth, passing directly between it and the sun.

Why does not the sun appear thousands of thousands of times larger than the moon? Because he is at a distance from us immensely greater than that of the moon.

When the moon and the sun are nearly in the same part of the sky what happens? Then is the time of the new moon it is then shaped like a bow as to its bright appearance; and this takes place when both the sun and moon are in the western horizon.

What is the appearance of the moon, when it is in the south at sunset ?. It is then half moon.

Suppose the moon is in the east about the time of sunset, what is its shape? Then it is full moon.

Does the moon rise earlier or later every evening? It rises about three quarters of an hour later.

How long is the time from one new moon to another? About 29 days, 12 hours.

THE STARS.

What are stars? The fixed stars are vast, luminous bodies, situated in the heavens at such an immense distance from us, that they appear like mere shining points.

Are the fixed stars opaque bodies like the planets? They are not they are doubtless suns to other worlds, as our sun is to this, and to the other planets in our system.

Are all the stars of the same size? They are of different magnitudes, and exhibit different degrees of brightness.

Do the stars merely fade away in appearance as the sun rises in the morning, or do they actually move away from the sky? They simply disappear from our sight on the account of the superiour effulgence of the sun; for there are as many above our heads at mid-day in the starry heavens as there are at midnight.

Where do the stars rise and set? They generally rise in the east and set in the west.

Do not all the stars thus rise and set? They do not : those in the northern part of the sky pass continually round one star, called the North, or polar star.

Do the stars move among themselves? They do not: they all pass round together.

Are there not any stars which move about among the other stars?--There are a few which are called planets; but they are opaque bodies, wandering worlds; and are not suns like the fixed stars; for they derive their light from our sun.

In what do the fixed stars and the planets differ in their appearance? The stars twinkle; and the light of the planets is more steady.

Reasoning for the child.-The sun is 96,000,000 of miles from the earth; and as we live on the earth we must be 96,000,000 of miles from the sun.

The sun is more than a million of times larger than the

earth, consequently the earth must be more than a million of times smaller than the sun.

The sun is four hundred times farther from us than the moon; hence the moon must be 400 times nearer to us than the sun. If it would take a year for a bird to go to the moon, then it would require four hundred years for the bird to go to the sun.

BIBLICAL QUESTIONS.

Who was the first man in the world? Adam.

Who was the first woman? Eve.

Out of what was Adam made? Out of the dust of the earth.

From what was Eve formed? From one of Adam's ribs. What is the relation of Adam and Eve towards us? They are called our first parents.

Where did the Lord put them? In the garden of Eden. For what end? To dress the garden, to serve God, and be happy.

What trees grew in the garden? Every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food: the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Of which tree were they forbidden to eat? knowledge of good and evil.

Who gave names to the animals? Adam.

Of the tree of

Did our first parents eat of the forbidden fruit? They did. Who ate first? The woman.

Who tempted the woman? The serpent.

Who gave the fruit to Adam? Eve.

What were the names of Adam's first sons? Cain and Abel.

What were their employments? Cain was a tiller of the ground, and called a husbandman; but Abel was a keeper of sheep, and styled a shepherd.

Who was the first murderer in the world? Cain.

Who was the first martyr? Abel.

What other son of Adam does the Bible mention? Seth, who is the root of the faithful.

Who was the father of such as dwell in tents, and have cattle? Jabal.

Who was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ? His brother Jubal.

Who was the instructer of every artificer in brass and iron? Tubal-Cain.

What took place in the days of Enos, the son of Seth? Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord; to separate themselves from the irreligious by a publick profession of the religion, appointed by the only living and true God.

Who was the oldest man in the world? Methuselah, who lived 969 years.

What was the character of Enoch? He walked with God. What became of him? He was translated to heaven: he did not die as other men, but his body was changed into a glorified body.

How was the old world destroyed? By the flood.

At what time? About 1656 years after the creation. For what were the people of that generation destroyed? On the account of their grievous sins against God.

What are the inhabitants of the world sometimes called, who lived before the deluge? Antediluvians.

Who were saved from that great destruction? Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives.

How many persons were in this family? Eight.

How were they saved? By the ark which Noah built. Can you give a description of the ark? The length was 300 cubits; the breadth 50 cubits; and the height 30 cubits.

How long was Noah in building the ark? One hundred and twenty years.

Why so long? To give warning to the world, and space to repent of their sins.

Was he therefore called a preacher of righteousness? He was.

How long was the rain and flood in coming? Forty days and forty nights.

How long did the waters prevail upon the earth? One hundred and fifty days, besides the period of raining, forty days and forty nights.

How long was Noah in the ark?

One year, or 365 days.