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javelin, or lance, principally in size and length. The spear was a long wooden staff, with a metal point at one end. The Grecian spears were sometimes twenty-five feet long, and the Arabs now use them fifteen feet long. They were required to be long enough to reach beyong the front rank, by those who were in the second. The javelin was a short spear, generally thrown with the hand. The dart was still smaller, and used in a similar manner.

3. Bows and arrows. The arrow was a slender missile, shot from the bow, as in modern times. It was first used in hunting, but soon became of so much importance, that care was taken to train the Hebrew youths early to the use of the bow. Arrows were made of reeds, or any light wood, the bows of flexible wood or steel, and the bow-string of leather, horse-hair, or the tendons of animals. Allusions to the bow and arrow are very numerous in the Scriptures. A deceitful bow is one that springs back, and wounds the archer himself; or one which, from weakness or defects, fails to project the The point of the arrow was barbed, like a fish-hook. Allusion is made in Job vi. 4 to poisoned arrows; and fire was often conveyed by the use of juniper-wood, which kindled upon the baggage of an army. Arrows were used for divination. Ezekiel, chap. xxi. 21, informs us that Nebuchadnezzar, when putting himself at the head of his armies to march against Zedekiah, and against the Ammonites, stood at the parting of two ways, to mingle his arrows together, to divine which way he should march. The quiver, which was slung over the shoulder, contained the arrows. The drawing the bow was a a test of strength. Hence the allusion Psal. xviii. 34.

arrow.

4. The sling was an early weapon of war, by which stones were thrown with great force, and amazing accuracy of aim. Judg. xx. 16. The Benjamites are celebrated for their equal adroitness with either hand. The sling was made of plaited thongs, somewhat broad in the middle, to lodge the stone or lead. Stones could be cast above four hundred feet, and leaden bullets as far as six hundred feet.

5. The battle-axe. Jer. li. 20. This was evidently a most powerful weapon, but its form cannot now be ascertained. It was probably a mace or club, formed of wood, and plated with metal. The Egyptian battle-axe had also a sword upon it.

ous.

The allusions to armour in the Scriptures are very numerIn Eph. vi. 11-18, the graces of the Christian character are represented as the armour of God. Believers must see that they abound in these graces, and then they will be able to conquer all their enemies.

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OUR engraving represents an Arabic door-way, or a gate to an Eastern mansion. A splendid gate is a usual mark of wealth in Eastern countries, and hence rich men were ambitious to have such an ornament to distinguish their habitations.

The gates of cities, in ancient times, were the places

of judicature and common resort. Here the governors and elders of the city went to hear complaints, administer justice, make conveyances of titles and estates, and, in short, to transact all the public affairs of the place. And from hence is that passage in the Psalmist, "They shall not be ashamed when they speak to their enemies in the gate," Ps. cxxvii. 5. It is probable that the room, or hall, where the magistrate sat, was over the gate, because Boaz is said "to go up to the gate;' and the reason of having it built there, seems to have been for the convenience of the inhabitants, who, being all husbandmen, and forced to pass and repass every morning and evening as they went and came from their labour, might be more easily called, as they went by, whenever they were wanted to appear any business.

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Captain Hamilton,* giving an account of Fort St. George, observes, that "the gate of that town, called the sea-gate, being very spacious, was formerly the common exchange, where merchants of all nations resorted about eleven o'clock, to treat of business or merchandise." Astronomy, deriving its birth in Asia, and exploring nature and language for new symbols, soon seized upon this allegorical expression as highly descriptive of romantic ideas; and the title was transferred from terrestrial houses to the spheres, or planets and stars. It may here be remarked, that the expression occurs frequently in holy writ, often in the former sense, and sometimes even in the astronomical allusion of the word. In the former acceptation we read in Esther ii. 19 of the Jew, Mordecai, "sitting in the king's gate;" in Lamentations v. 14, that "the elders have ceased from the gate." In Ruth iii. 13 it is used in a sense remarkably figurative, "All the gate (that is, house) of my people know thou art virtuous.” In the second acceptation, the word as well as the attendant symbol itself, our astonishment occur in the account of Jacob's vision of the ladder, "Whose top reached to heaven," and in the exclamation, "This is the gate of heaven." It is hence manifested to have been an original patriarchal symbol. A similar idea Occurs in Isaiah xxxviii. 10: "I shall go to the gates of the grave;" and in Matt. xvi, 18: "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Matthew vii. 13, "Enter ye in at the strait gate." At the banquets of the ancients, the guests entered by a gate designed to receive them. Hence Christ, by whom we enter in to the marriage feast, compares himself to a gate. (John x. 1, 2, 7, 9.) This gate on the coming of the guests was made narrow, the

*Voyage, vol. i. p. 368.

wicket only being left open, and the porter standing to prevent the unbidden from rushing in. When the guests were arrived, the door was shut, and not to be opened to those who stood and knocked without. See the parable of the teu virgins. (Matt. xxv. 11.)

Ezekiel xliv. 2: "This gate shall be shut." Amongst other instances of the extreme distance and profound awe with which eastern majesty is treated, Chardin says,*" It is a common custom in Persia, that when a great man has built a palace; he treats the king and his grandees in it for several days! then the great gate of it is open: but when these festivities are over, they shut it up never more to be opened. This account may serve as a comment on the words of Ezekiel: "Then said the Lord unto me, This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it: because the Lord God of Israel hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince. In referring to the New Jerusalem in heaven, it is said that "the gates shall not be shut at all by day; and that there shall be no night there.” xxi. 25. This denotes that heaven is free to all men.

Rev.

OUR CHILDREN'S PORTION.

SCENES FROM THE HISTORY OF ELIJAH.
No. I. THE ASSEMBLY AT CARMEL.

In a shady grove great multi- | idol stood the king, queen, and tudes of people were walking to nobles. The furnace, heated to and fro. Passing between the its highest pitch, was sending up stately rows of trees, they came its roaring flames, and the whole to a large open space, where was image glowed with heat. Upon a huge brazen statue of Baal. a given signal from the priests, Its form was that of a man in a a number of men and women sitting posture, with the arms stepped forward, bearing in their extended to receive gifts. Under hands little innocent babes, which it was a furnace, which was in- they tossed into the arms of the tensely heated. idol. The shrieks of the infant sufferers were drowned by the priests, who sounded drums, cymbals, and other noisy instru*Tom. iii. p. 69.

It was the time of sacrifice. The people were engaged in their devotions, and near to the

ments.

The people shouted state, attended by all his principal officers and servants. Four hundred and fifty of the prophets of Baal were there, and one solitary prophet of the LordELIJAH. It was at his request that this assembly had been

madly; and the parents, who had themselves offered up their own children, stood gazing unmovedly upon the writhing victims, till they fell into the furnace, and were utterly consumed.

Yet these inhuman wretches called. Undaunted he stood up before them, and, speaking in an impassioned tone, said, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him." As the people

were descended from the father of the faithful; and at this time they appeared to be more mad upon their idol than ever. Their idolatry had brought upon them

a great national punishment; and the prophet of the Lord, who had foretold this, was, after being long fed by ravens, now hiding himself in a distant

country.

raised no objection to this proposition, he continued, “I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them, therefore, give us two bullocks, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and call ye on the name of your gods, and

Three years and a half before the crops had failed greatly, in consequence of the latter rains being withheld; and during the long interval that followed, not a shower had fallen to refresh the ground. The brooks and fountains were dried up, the pastures were all scorched and I will call on the name of bare, and scarcely a blade of grass, or an ear of corn, was to be found. Cattle died; men looked anxiously one upon another. Famine, with all its horrors, was among them.

the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God." Seeing the fairness of the test, the people immediately expressed their approbation.

This they

Elijah then desired Baal's In the extremity of the famine prophets to erect an altar, lay the king issued a proclamation, the wood in order, and dress that all Israel should assemble their bullock first. at Mount Carmel. They obeyed. Among the moving crowd was the king, riding in his chariot of

did.

Then approaching the altar they began to call loudly on Baal to answer their prayers,

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