close the cause of their perplexity-We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. Gifted with inspiration, he first cautions them to remember that all prophecy and supernatural interpretation belong unto God; and then, at once to satisfy their anxiety, and give an earnest of the excellent spirit that was in him, he hears the relation, and gives to each its respective interpretation, predictive of their fate;-to the butler's, that, within three days, Pharoah would restore him to his former office and privilege; to the baker's, that, within the same time, the king would punish him with death; both of which, as the historian informs us, were precisely fulfilled-On the third day, being Pharoah's birth-day-he restored the chief butler into his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pharoah's hand; and he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

Having made known to the chief

butler the grateful intelligence, he craves his remembrance, when restored to his honorable office, and brought near the king. Joseph, in all probability, had shown him much lenity and kindness while in the prison, and, being now the herald of good fortune, he claims his interest and regard in words remarkable for their modesty and simplicity—But think on me, when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharoah, and bring me out of this house. For, indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. In this entreaty, there is something so plaintive and ingenuous, that it seems impossible that it should fail to deeply interest the heart. One would have thought that such a request, at such a time, had roused up all the benevolent feelings of our nature, and made such an indelible impression

upon the mind of the chief butler, that, on his re-instatement in the royal favor, no means would be left untried to effect his deliverance. But, no: restored to his liberty and his office, he bestows not one kind thought upon the friend of his captivity and affliction-that friend, who, doubtless, had frequently soothed his sorrows and comforted his mourning -doubtless, I say, for it is the excellent characteristic of virtue, that she is ready at all times to dispense that consolation, of which she too often stands in need; like a kindly mother, who, regardless of her own sickly and toil-worn frame, is anxious only to supply the wants, and watch the pallid countenance, of her child. But prosperity too frequently deadens the feelings and corrodes the heart; and thus we find, that the officer of Pharoah no sooner is translated from the scene of affliction and bonds, than he forgets at once the friendless condition of Joseph, and all the obligations

that were due to him. But the Almighty forgot him not! He had not given these dreams and their interpretations in vain, nor were they sent merely to foreshow the fate of Pharoah's servants; but to minister to his Providence, and deliver the oppressed and faithful Joseph from prison and from judgment, as we shall learn from the sequel of the story.

To this intent, at the end of two years, God sent two significant dreams to Pharoah-they are too remarkable to be omitted-Behold there came out of the river seven well-favored kine and fat fleshed, and fed in a meadow. And behold, seven other kine came up after them, ill-favored and lean fleshed, and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river; and the ill-favored and lean kine did eat up the well-favored and fat kine. So Pharoah awoke. And he slept and dreamed a second time, and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one

E

stalk, rank and good. And behold seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears, devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharoah awoke. Two dreams so analogous-so evidently bearing upon the same subject, and which might seem to involve the interests of his kingdom, troubled the spirit of the king, and, desirous of obtaining information concerning them, he calls in the wise men and magicians, but among them all no interpreter could be found. We had wondered had it been otherwise -we had wondered to have found men, wise in their own conceits, and vain in their own imaginations, reading the mysterious doings of Jehovah. This was reserved for a worshipper of the only true God. It was a revelation sent from him-it was of a spiritual nature, and, like the gospel now, could only be spiritually discerned.

And now, either smitten with com