palm-trees, and willows of the brook." The booths or tents were erected in the streets, open places, and suburbs; also on the flat roofs of houses. Lev. xxiii. 40-42. Q. Why were they to spend the time in tents ? A. That succeeding generations might know that the Lord made their fathers to dwell in booths, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. Lev. xxiii. 42, 43. Q. Give an account of the Sabbath of the seventh year. A. It was ordained that the land should have rest every seventh year, in which the people were neither to sow their fields nor plant vineyards. It was called the Sabbatical Year. Lev. xxv. 1–7. Q. How often did the Year of Jubilee occur? A. After seven returns of the Sabbatical year, the next year, being the fiftieth, was the year of Jubilee. Lev. xxv. 8–13. Q. What took place in the year of Jubilee ? A. It was announced by the blowing of trumpets, proclaiming liberty throughout the land. All male and female slaves of Hebrew origin (but not for. eigners) were set at liberty. All sold or mortgaged estates returned to their former possessors; a general remission of debts to poor debtors took place. There is, however, reason to doubt whether this institution was ever faithfully carried into effect. LESSON XIII. LAWS OF HUMANITY AND JUSTICE. Q. What law was given to prevent excessive punishments? A. The punishment by stripes was appointed for certain offences, but the number of stripes that might be inflicted was limited to forty. Deut. xxv. 1-3. Q. What reason is given for limiting the number of stripes? A. "Lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee." Exod. xxv. 3. Q. In their dealings, what law was given to prevent dishonesty? A. They were not to use false weights or false measures. "For all that do such things are an abomination unto the Lord thy God." Deut. xxv. 13-16. Q. In time of war, who were excused from joining the army? A. Any who had built a house and had not dedi cated it, or had planted a vineyard, and not yet eaten of the fruit of it, or betrothed a wife, and not yet married her, and, finally, all who were fearful and faint-hearted, were excused. Deut. xx. 5-8. Q. In approaching any city in war, what was first to be proclaimed? A. An offer of peace, on condition of submission. If the city chose to submit, it should be made tributary, but not be destroyed. Deut. xx. 10. Q. In carrying on war, what law of humanity is given respecting the injury of property? A. Fruit-trees should not be destroyed, even to employ them in the siege, "for the tree of the field (olive and fig, for instance) is man's sustenance." Deut. xx. 19, 20. Q. What is the law respecting the removal of landmarks? A. The landmarks were not to be removed. Be fore the extensive use of fences, landed property was marked out by stones or posts. It was easy to remove one of these landmarks, and thus the dishonest man might enlarge his own estate, by contracting that of his neighbor. Deut. xix. 14. Q. In order to secure justice; how many witnesses were required? A. One witness should not be sufficient to convict a man of any charge. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established." Deut. xix. 15. Q. What was the punishment of a false witness? unto him as he thought to have done unto his brother." Deut. xix. 16–21. LESSON XIV. LAWS TO PROMOTE HUMANITY. Q. What direction is given respecting lending to the poor? A. To lend to them freely and kindly, sufficient for their need. Deut. xv. 7-11. Q. Was the poor man allowed to redeem a possession which he had sold? and in what way? A. He could redeem it. He might reckon the value of the possession for the remaining time until the next year of Jubilee, and on the payment of that amount to the creditor, his land should revert to him. Lev. xxv. 25-28. Q. What command is given respecting relieving the poor? A. If any Hebrew were become poor and fallen into decay, he was to be relieved, though a stranger or a sojourner. Lev. xxv. 35. Q. What is said of taking usury of the poor ? Q. What command is given respecting the release of Hebrew servants? A. "If thy brother, a Hebrew man or woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years, then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free." Deut. xv. 12. Q. When released, how was he to be sent away? A. “Thou shalt not let him go away empty; thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine-press, of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee." Deut. xv. 13, 14. Q. If the servant wished to remain, what was to be done? A. He could not, unless he went with his master before the judges, and had his ear bored through with an awl, as a perpetual proof that it was his choice to remain in servitude. Exod. xxi. 5, 6. Q. What rules of kindness are given respecting the restoration of property and the aid to be given one another? A. If one find the ox or the ass of another gone astray, he shall bring it to the owner; or if the owner be unknown, keep it until he be found, and then restore it. In like manner with all lost things. If a neighbor's ox or his ass fall down, it is commanded to help them. Deut. xxii. 1-4. Q. Were there any laws for preventing cruelty to animals, and what? A. If one find a bird's nest with the mother bird and her young, he may take the young, but must spare the mother bird. In building a house, one must be careful to protect the roof with a battlement, to prevent accidents by falling thence. In Eastern countries the roofs of houses are usually |