person about our having come here: you must keep it a secret." When the spies had said this, they went away, and they hid themselves among the hills for three days, lest the men of Jericho should be watching by the river to kill them. At the end of three days they got over the river, and came back to Joshua, and told him all that had happened. Joshua was glad to hear that the people of Jericho were so much frightened, and he felt sure that God would help him to conquer all the people in Canaan.

The spies told Joshua about Rahab. They said, "You will know which house is Rahab's, because she has bound a red rope to the window." Joshua desired that nobody would kill the people in the house with the red rope on the window.

Do you think that Rahab forgot to bind the red rope on her window? O no! she bound it there, and she brought her father, and mother, and brothers, and sisters, into her house; and she did not tell any of the wicked people of Jericho about the spies. Nobody knew why she bound a red rope to her window.

Do you think that Rahab felt frightened now? Could she not trust the spies? Would they break their word? How Rahab must have thanked God for promising to save her, when the people of Jericho would be killed!

My dear children, is there a day coming when a great many wicked people will be killed and burned in the fire? You have heard of the judgment

day. Do you not hope that God will save you in that day? Then do as Rahab did. Ask God to promise to save you. He will save you if you ask him. If you are really afraid of God, as Rahab was, you will not do wicked things to make him angry; but you will often pray to him to make you good and to forgive you for Jesus Christ's sake.

God will hear you, and he will remember his promise in the judgment-day, and he will not let you be hurt.

With softest step and troubled air,
In silence Rahab climbs the stair
Screen'd by darkness of the skies
Upon the roof, with Israel's spies,
She trembling stands; before them falls,
And earnestly for mercy calls.

"O people, whom the Lord has led,

Your deeds have fill'd the earth with dread;
We've heard how once you crossed the sea,
And how you made two nations flee.
What pangs of terror then we felt!
How did the hearts of warriors melt!

Against your God what can we do?
The only God, the great, the true-
Your armies soon will tread this shore,
O now for mercy I implore!"

Thus Rahab pours her humble prayer;
Nor do the spies refuse to swear
Their kind deliverer's life to spare.

How gratefully poor Rahab hastes
fo bind a cord around their waists:

The spies observe its scarlet hue,
And choose it for their token true;
Gently to earth they both descend,
"Let Rahab now attend;

Then cry,
This cord unto your window bind,
So you and those you love shall find
Beneath that roof a safe retreat,
When all besides destruction meet."

How gladly Rahab binds the thread
Which shall from danger shield her hea
How quickly bids her kindred come,
And find a refuge in her home!

CHILD.

Is there no thread that I may bind,
And in the judgment mercy find?
Ah! yes, the blood that Jesus shed,
Was imag'd by that scarlet thread,
O! may this blood my soul adorn,
In the tremendous judgment morn.
Let none mistake me while I sing:
I speak not of an earthly thing;
This blood is sprinkled upon all
Who on their dying Saviour call;
By angels shall the mark be seen;

That sign from death their souls shall screen *

And I would join in Rahab's prayer,

And cry,

"O God, my kindred spare!

My father, who protects my youth,

O let him know, thy power and truth;

Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.

Elect... unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.-1 Peter i. 2

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds.-Matt. xxiv. 31

And her who nursed my infancy,
And those who share her love with me,
Within some secret chamber hide,

When thousands fall on every side."*

CHAPTER XXXVII.

JOSHUA, OR THE RIVER JORDAN.

Joshua iii. iv. v. 1, 11, 12.

THE people of Israel were now close to Canaan; but a deep river ran between the wilderness and Canaan. It was called the river Jordan. How were the Israelites to get over it?

Could they go over in boats?

How could wood be got to make boats for so many people?

Could they make a bridge? The people in Canaan would have shot arrows at the Israelites while they were making a bridge.

Could they swim over?

How could the children and the women swim?

and how could they take their tents over?

God could help them to get over.

they got over the Red Sea ?

How had

You shall hear what God told Joshua to do. Joshua rose up early in the morning, and he said

* Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers; hide thysel. as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. Isaiah xxvi. 20.

to the people, "Look and see where the priests take the ark, and do you follow them, but do not go too near.

Then Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark, and walk on."

The ark (which was a golden box) was covered with a blue cloth, that none might see it, or see the golden angels on the top. Two long sticks were run through little rings joined in the ark, and the priests held the ends of the sticks.

The priests took up the ark when Joshua bade them. They went to the edge of the water, not knowing what they were to do. They were dressed in white, and their feet were bare.

Joshua called to them, and desired them to stand still. Then he spoke to all the people. "Now," he said, "you will see a great wonder that God is going to do; when the priests put their feet in the water, a dry path shall be made."

All the people were come out of their tents, they had got all their things ready for their journey, and were looking at the priests.

Then Joshua desired the priests to put their feet into the water.

As soon as they touched it, the water stood up like a wall on each side, and there was a dry path made through the river. The priests walked along, till they came to the middle of the river; then they stopped, and Joshua said to the people, "Now do you pass over Jordan."

While the people were crossing, the priests stood