Luke xv. 16.-" AND HE WOULD FAIN HAVE FILLED HIS BELLY WITH THE HUSKS THAT THE SWINE DID EAT."

1884. Carob or Locust Tree.-The Greek word repartov, here rendered husks, no doubt refers to the fruit of the carob or locust tree, or Ceratonia siliqua of Linnæus, of the order of leguminous plants. The Rev. H. B. Tristram, in his "Natural History of the Bible," says, "The tree is very common in Palestine from Hebron northwards, growing in every variety of situation, and is a conspicuous and attractive object, with its deep green and dense foliage. Its leaves are like those of our ash, but the leaflets more rounded, and very dark, glossy, and evergreen. It blossoms at the end of February, and the pods are found in enormous quantities in April and May. They are flat and narrow, from six to ten inches in MAY, 1868.

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length, of the shape of a horn, whence the Greek name. Before they are ripe, they are agreeable and sweetish when chewed, reminding me somewhat of the pods of the Tamarind in the West Indies, and, like that fruit, are often used steeped in water to supply a pleasant and cooling drink.

“These ‘husks' are to be seen on the stalls in all Oriental towns, where they are sold for food, but are chiefly used for the feeding of cattle and horses, and especially for pigs, where, as at Caiffa, these animals are kept by the Christian population. Both Horace and Juvenal speak of the pods of the Locust tree as the food of the very poorest and most miserable, as in the parable our Lord represents the prodigal, when reduced to the most abject misery, fain to fill his belly with the husks which the swine did eat a type of the sinner who has wandered from God, and has to be content with the unsatisfying husks of this world's enjoyment.

"In the valleys opening on to the Plain of Acre we found Locust trees of very large size, under which the animals were driven to feed on the fallen pods. The tree is grown in all the countries bordering on the Mediterranean, and in Malta is cultivated for exportation to England, where the fruit is used for horses, under the name of locust beans."

Some have supposed this to have been the food of John the Baptist referred to in Matt. iii. 4, but this is improbable; certainly the assumption is not justified by the original arpis, which signifies literally a locust, and is the same word used in Rev. ix. 3 and 7. Our engraving gives an excellent idea of the leaves and fruit of the carob.

Romans xii. 10.-"IN HONOUR PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER. 1885. Learning to Profit.-The Loving Scholar-At a Sunday School Anniversary, two little girls presented themselves to receive the prize, one of whom had recited one verse more than the other, both having learned a large number of verses of Scripture. The gentleman who presided inquired, "And could you not have learned one verse more, and thus have kept up with Martha ? "

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'Yes, sir," the blushing child replied; "but I loved Martha, and I kept back on purpose."

"And was there any one of all the verses you have learned," again inquired the president, "that taught you that lesson ? "

"There was, sir," she answered, blushing still more deeply,-" "In honour preferring one another.'"

Ecclesiastes xi. 1.-"CAST THY BREAD UPON THE WATERS: FOR THOU SHALT FIND IT AFTER MANY DAYS."

Psalm xix. 7.-"THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT, CONVERTING THE

SOUL.

1886. The Preacher Encouraged.-The Rev. Rowland Hill.The late Rev. Thomas Jackson, of Stockwell, records the following incident, of which he was an eye-witness :

"After Mr. Hill had preached for the Missionary Society in Princes Street Chapel, Devonport, two tall, venerable-looking men, upwards of seventy years of age, appeared at the vestry door. After a short pause they entered, arm in arm, and advanced towards Mr. Hill, when one of them, with some degree of trepidation, inquired, Sir, will you permit two old sinners to have the honour to shake you by the hand?' He replied, with some reserve, 'Yes, sir;' when one of the gentlemen took his hand, kissed it, bathed it with tears, and said, 'Sir, do you remember preaching on the spot where this chapel now stands, fifty years ago?' 'Yes, I do,' was the reply. The old man then proceeded to say, 'Oh, sir, never can the dear friend who has hold of my arm, or myself, forget that sermon. We were then two careless young men in his Majesty's dockyard, posting to destruction as fast as time and sin could convey us thither.

Having heard that a young clergyman was to preach out of doors, we determined to go and have some fun. We loaded our pockets with stones, intending to pelt you; but, sir, when you arrived, our courage failed, and as soon as you engaged in prayer, we were so deeply impressed, that we looked at each other and trembled. When you named your text, and began to speak, the word came with power to our hearts; the tears rolled down our cheeks; we put our hands into our pockets, and dropped the stones one after another, until they were all gone: for God had taken away the stone from our hearts. When the service was over we retired, but our hearts were too full to speak, until we came near to our lodgings, when my friend at my elbow said, 'John, this will not do; we are both wrong,-good night.' This was all he could utter, he retired to his apartment,-I to mine; but neither of us dared to go to bed, lest we should awake in hell. From that time, sir, we humbly hope we were converted to God, who, of His infinite mercy, has kept us in His ways to the present moment. We thought, sir, if you would permit us, after the lapse of half a hundred years, to have the pleasure of shaking you by the hand before

we go home, it would be the greatest honour that could be conferred on us.' Mr. Hill was deeply affected,-the tears rolled down his venerable cheeks in quick succession; he fell on the necks of the old men, quite in the patriarchal style; and there you might have seen them, locked in each other's arms, weeping tears of holy joy and gratitude before the Father of mercies. The writer is aware he cannot do justice to the scene, though he feels, at this distance of time, something like celestial pleasure in recording what he witnessed."

1 Kings xviii. 46.

-" AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS ON ELIJAH; AND HE GIRDED UP HIS LOINS, AND RAN BEFORE AHAB TO THE ENTRANCE OF JEZREEL."

1887. Girding up the Loins.-Many allusions are made in the Bible to the custom of girding up the loins, both as a record of fact, and especially in the New Testament, as a figure to convey spiritual instruction. A messenger has to run several miles for his master, and to return with speed. He must gird up his loins. No loose or hanging garments must impede his progress or entangle the freedom of his limbs. All impediments to swiftness and sureness of footing must be laid aside, and he needs also to be "girded with strength," and the support of the frame so needful in all enervating climes. We will describe a scene so constantly witnessed in India, namely, the palanquin bearers, when preparing for a long journey. They are ordered to be in readiness at a certain hour, and the fourteen men assemble a short time previously. One man holds the end of a piece of cloth some yards long, and about the width of a man's body, while another, who is about to gird himself, takes the other end, and holding it out at its fullest extent, proceeds to wrap himself in it, running round and round till he reaches his companion, who then gives him his end of the cloth to fasten. In this manner all are equipped, and as they stand ready with their torches lit, theirs is truly the waiting attitude, and we cannot fail to be reminded by them of our Saviour's admonition, "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord."-C. W.

Psalm lxxvi. 10.-" SURELY THE WRATH OF MAN SHALL PRAISE THEE. Matthew v. 10.-"BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE: FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN."

1888. Persecution overreaches itself.-David, the Christian Slave. The late Rev. William Knibb relates the following:-A plantation slave, one of the members of the Baptist Church at Montego Bay, was banished from his home, and sent to the estate where a slave named David lived, to be cured of his praying. By the pious conversation of this exiled Christian negro, David was brought under serious concern for his soul, which ended in his conversion to God. Acting up to the Christian negro's motto, that "what good for one negro, good for him brother too," David spoke to his fellow-slaves about Jesus, and His love in dying for poor sinners. God, who despiseth not the humblest instrument, blessed the efforts of this poor negro, and in a short time about thirty on the estate began to pray, and at length built a small hut, in which, after the labours of the day, they might assemble and worship God. Tidings of these things reached the ears of the white persons employed on the estate, and David was summoned before his attorney, and asked whether he was teaching the slaves to pray. On replying in the affirmative, the hut was demolished and burnt, and David was stretched upon the earth, and flogged with the cart-whip till his flesh was covered with his blood. Next Lord's day I missed David at the house of God. His afflicted wife came and told me the sad tale of his sufferings, and informed me that his hands were bound, and his feet made fast in the stocks. Often did I inquire after him and for him, and the same answer was returned, "Massa, him in the stocks; "till one morning, as I sat in my piazza, he appeared before the window. There he stood-I have his image now before me; he was handcuffed, barefoot, unable to wear his clothes from his yet unhealed back; his wife had fastened some of her garments round his lacerated body. I called him in, and said,"David, David, what have you done?"

With a look of resignation I shall never forget, he replied, "Don't ask me, ask him that bring me, massa."

Turning to the negro who had him in charge, I said,

"Well, what has this poor man done?"

"Him pray, massa," was the reply, "and Buckra sending him to the workhouse for punishing."

I gave him some refreshment, for in the state I have described he