SUNDAY.--BIBLE STORIES.--CAPPING BIBLE VERSES.--BIBLE CLASS.
Sunday morning arose upon the earth, so clear, and calm, and beautiful,
that it almost seemed as if it were conscious of the blessings bestowed
by it upon millions of the human family. Happy day! when the man bent
under the heavy load of oppressive labor and corroding care, may take
the rest which the Maker of his frame intended for him, from the very
beginning. Now, throwing off the weight, he can realize that he is a
man--made in the image of his Creator, and made for happiness and
immortality. Now, he can afford to think: he is no longer the mechanical
drudge; he is no longer one little wheel in the great social machine; he
is to-day a reflecting being, and the desire for mental and spiritual
elevation throbs strongly within his heart. He sits at his hearth,
whether in the proud palace or in the humble cottage, for the
working-man is equally to be found in both, and feels himself to be the
centre of the home. He enjoys sweet converse with the wife of his youth,
and his children cluster round him, delighted to have his society. He
walks to the House of Prayer, surrounded by those he loves, and joins
with his fellow-men in adoration of the Great Supreme. He is happy, and
is prepared by the sweet Sabbaths below for the bliss above.
Nor should we forget, on this day, the numerous attractive circles to
be found throughout our highly-favored land, gathered together for
Sunday-School instruction. Here, the voluntary system works to a charm:
both teachers and scholars, drawn together by love, assemble, with
sparkling eyes and kindly words, in their respective classes. Here, all
ages can find something to interest them: the rosy-cheeked, chubby child
runs along to its Infant School, fearing to be one moment behind the
time, and singing,
"Oh, let us be joyful, joyful, joyful,"
with a full understanding of at least that part of the duty to be
performed. And the adult walks quietly to the Bible Class, where mutual
study and conversation about some passages of the Sacred Word elicit its
meaning, and throw new light upon the holy page. And, in the ages
intermediate between these two extremes, how bright and joyous are the
groups clustered around each loving teacher! If the toil be great, how
much greater the reward! how delightful is it to see the young mind
expand, and the warm affections glow, beneath the hallowing influence of
religion! And how pleasant and how good is it to find the hearts of
adults and of children, of rich and poor, knit together by a common
feeling of interest in the common cause!
Some such thoughts arose in the minds of our party at The Grange, and
were fostered by the lovely calm of nature, which is so observable on
Sunday in the country, where the very animals seem to know that they are
included within the merciful commandment of rest. Mr. Wyndham was
religiously observant of the day, but exceedingly disliked the gloom by
which many worthy people think it a duty to lessen their own happiness,
and to throw a chill and constraint upon that of others on this joyful
festival. He thought that the weekly commemoration of the Saviour's
resurrection should fill us with bright hopes and an enlivening piety;
and that an air of cheerfulness should be thrown around it, which might
say to all who had not yet entered within the gates of Zion, "Come ye,
and taste that the Lord is gracious." People are doubtless much
affected, in these minor shades of difference, by their natural
temperaments. Mr. Wyndham's frame of mind was so kindly and hopeful, and
so open to all that is pleasant and animating, that his religion partook
of the genial influence. On Sunday, his face beamed with a more radiant
smile than on other days, and he appeared to realize that it was indeed
the foretaste of eternal joy.
In the morning, both old and young repaired with one consent to the
little country church, in which they filled up quite a number of pews.
Being the last Sunday in the year, the venerable clergyman, whose
earnest manner and silver hairs made his message doubly impressive to
the hearts of his hearers, exhorted all, of every age, to bring back to
their minds the fleeting days of that division of time which was so soon
to pass away, and to be numbered with those laid up against the
Judgment. When that year had begun, what resolutions of improvement had
been formed, what vows of greater fidelity had been made? And how had
they been kept? All had, during the seasons past, received new proofs of
the kindness and long-suffering of the Father above; but had the
goodness of the Lord led them to repentance? or had it fallen upon hard,
unfeeling hearts, which it could not penetrate? How stood they in their
accounts? Not their ledgers, not their cash-books did he now call upon
them to examine; but records of a far higher character, which affected
their heavenly interests, as well as their temporal prosperity--the
deeds, the words, the cherished feelings of that year, which had left an
impress upon their souls forever, and made them richer or poorer for
eternity. They owed debts to their Maker and Redeemer, and to their
fellow-men: how had they paid them? They continually received--did they
also dispense the goodness of God? If unwilling now to think of these
unsettled accounts, they should remember that one debt, notwithstanding
all their reluctance, they would be obliged to pay--the debt of nature:
and then would follow the final adjustment of all things--then would
each one reap as he had sowed below.
All listened with deep attention to the discourse, which was well
calculated to arrest the most careless trifler; and thoughts were
suggested, and resolves were formed that day, which acted, long
afterward, as a stimulus to the discharge of duty. The hand which
scattered that precious seed has since been laid low in the dust; but
the "winged words" did not fall to the ground: they still live, and
produce results, in immortal spirits.
There was no service in the afternoon. "Oh dear!" said George, "I
suppose it's not right to say so, but it's rather stupid, I think. How
we do miss Sunday School! We can't play to-day, and a fellow like me
doesn't want to read the whole time: what on earth can we do? Cousin
Mary, are you too much engaged with your book to help us poor souls?"
With a smile, Mary shut it up. "How would you like Bible stories?" said
she. "If you please, I'll tell you one, keeping to Scriptural facts, but
clothing them in my own language, and omitting the name, or giving a
false one. And then you are to find out whom it is I have been telling
you about, and to answer the questions I may ask you. How would you like
that?"
It was agreed that it would be delightful: so Mary began by telling the
story of
The Good Grandmother.
In ancient times, in a country of the East, there lived a Queen Dowager,
whose heart was eaten up by ambition. She was a king's daughter, and had
ever been accustomed to rule. While her husband lived she had exerted
great influence at court, and had turned away his heart from the true
and established religion of the state to the cruel worship of the idols
of her native land; and this she accomplished, although he had been
religiously educated, and was the son of an eminently good man. Little
did it affect her, that a highly-distinguished prophet of God wrote a
letter to the king her husband, foretelling the evils that should befall
himself, his family, and his kingdom, and that this prophecy had been
literally fulfilled. Little did it humble her proud spirit, that by the
common consent, her degenerate husband, who, through _her_ persuasions
and example, had been led away from the path of duty, was judged
unworthy to be interred within the sepulchres of his ancestors, and was
buried apart. She had too much of her mother within her to be daunted by
such trifles as these; for both of her parents had acquired an eminence
in wickedness which have made their names by-words: but her mother's
especially is considered almost a synonym for every thing that is
unlovely in woman.
After her husband's death, her son succeeded to the throne, and he also
did wickedly, for he had been educated under his mother's eyes, trod in
her footsteps, and courted the society of her connections. And this was
the cause of his death; for while paying a visit at the court of his
uncle, her brother, they both were killed together in a successful
insurrection. And now, if ever, if any thing of the woman was left in
her nature, the queen's heart would be softened and humbled: at one fell
swoop, death had carried off her only son, her brother, and every member
of her father's house; she only was left, of all that proud and numerous
family. Her aged mother, aged, but not venerable, although now a
great-grandmother, had met her fate in a characteristic manner.
Determined, if she must die, to do so like a queen, she had put on her
royal robes, and adorned herself with jewels, and caused her withered
face, upon which every evil passion had left its mark, to be painted
into some semblance of youth and beauty. Her eyelids were stained with
the dark antimony still used in the East, to restore, if possible, the
former brilliant softness to eyes of hard, blazing, wicked blackness.
Gazing from an upper window of the palace upon the usurper, as he drove
into the courtyard, the fearless woman, resolved to show her spirit to
the last, railed upon him, and quoted a notable instance from history of
one who, like him, had been a successful rebel, but had reigned for only
seven days. Enraged at her insolence, her enemy, looking up, asked, "Who
in the palace is on my side?" At these words, some officers of the
household cast her down from the window: thus ingloriously she died, and
the prancing horses of the chariot trampled over her. He who now was
universally acknowledged to be the king, soon gave orders that she
should be buried, observing that, wretch as she was, she was of royal
blood. But the vulture and the jackal had been before him: naught
remained of that haughty, revengeful, and heaven-defying woman, save the
skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands. Thus, to the very letter,
was fulfilled the prediction of a prophet, one of her contemporaries: it
was the same individual who had sent an epistle to her son-in-law, the
late husband of our heroine, announcing his fate. This fearless reprover
of kings did not live to see the accomplishment of the divine messages
he was commissioned to deliver, and yet he had not died: read me that
riddle, if you can.
When the queen, who, from one distinguishing act of her life, I have
called _the good grandmother_, heard the sad tidings of the death of her
only son, of her mother, and of all her kin, what did she? mourn, and
weep, and give herself up to melancholy? she was quite incapable of such
weakness. If she had no children left, she at least had
grandchildren--she must take care of them--the tender little playful
babes, her own flesh and blood, and all that was left upon the earth of
her late son. And she did take care of them--the care that Pharaoh took
of the Israelitish infants--the care that Herod took of the nurslings at
Bethlehem--the care that the tiger takes of the lamb. She was worse than
the tigress; for the latter will at least defend her young ones from all
attacks, even at the peril of her own life. But she--shame of her
sex!--commanded the immediate execution of all the children of her son,
that she might reign alone, and never be called upon to resign the
sceptre to a lawful heir.
They are slain! The shouts and laughter of that band of little ones is
stopped forever--the galleries will never more re-echo to their youthful
voices; vainly did they rush into the arms of their nurses for
protection. They are slain; all save one! For if they have a grandmother
they also have an aunt, and one who is ruled by different principles.
She is the sister of their father, but probably had not the same mother
as he: she early chose the paths of piety and goodness, and was wedded
to a man of uncommon firmness and of the noblest character--the high
priest of the nation. Soon as she had an intimation of the intentions of
the queen, she hastened to the palace. But one only could she save--a
little crowing babe, whom, with his nurse, she secreted in a safe place,
until, under cover of the night, she was able to convey them to her own
abode.
There, in the house of the Lord, the young child was reared. For six
years he was hidden, and tenderly and carefully trained in the fear of
God, while his grandmother reigned supreme in the land, to the
subversion of all law and order. But when the prince was seven years
old, the high priest, his uncle, took measures to secure to him the
possession of his rights. He consulted with the wisest of the nation,
and brought together the Levites from all parts of the land, and divided
them into bands, giving each a particular post, to guard against
surprise. He then brought forth from the treasuries of the temple the
spears, shields, and bucklers which had belonged to King David, and
distributed them among the captains of the several divisions. When all
arrangements were made, and the people who were gathered together in the
spacious courts for worship, waited to see what was about to happen, he
retired; and came back, in his priestly garments, with the mitre upon
his head, on which was written, on a golden plate, HOLINESS TO THE
LORD--this sentence showing the intention of the priestly office. His
robe, or under-garment, which hung in rich folds down to his feet, was
of deep blue, and around the hem were alternate pomegranates of
brilliant colors, and little golden bells, which made a tinkling sound
as he moved along. Above this was worn the ephod, splendidly embroidered
in gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with a long and broad girdle
at the waist, manufactured of the same gorgeous materials. Upon his
bosom flashed the breastplate, composed of twelve large precious stones,
all different, upon each one of which was engraved the name of a tribe
of Israel; so that the High Priest bore them all upon his heart, when he
ministered before the Lord. Well was this magnificent dress, which was
made "for glory and for beauty," calculated to set off the dignity of
the holy office, and to make the people gaze in admiring awe. But it was
not the splendor of the pontifical robes, it was not the inspiring
person of the high priest, at which the assembled multitudes eagerly
gazed, when the Head of the Church again appeared before them. It was a
little boy, of seven years old, who now attracted their attention--a
pretty child, arrayed in royal garments, who was led forward by the
venerable man. His stand was taken beside a pillar, and the guards, with
drawn swords, gathered round him: his uncle placed upon his clustering
curls the golden circlet, the symbol of how much power, what heavy
cares, and what fearful responsibility! And when the people, long
crushed to the earth by tyrannical rule, beheld it, hope again awaked in
their hearts, and, with one accord, they clapped their hands, and
shouted out, "God save the King!" And the trumpeters sounded aloud, and
the harpers struck up the notes of praise and joy, and the full choir of
trained singers joined in the jubilee. And thus was the young king
proclaimed--while, in the innocence of childhood, he wonderingly looked
on.
But the queen heard the shouts in her palace. For the first time in her
life, it is most probable, she came to the house of God--but she came
not to worship. "What means this riotous assembly?" she thought. "Can it
be, that the vile rabble dare to think of revolt--against _me_? I will
go, even alone, and awe them by my presence: it shall never be said that
my mother's daughter feared aught in heaven above or the earth beneath."
She went, that audacious woman, with all her crimes upon her head, and
entered alone into the temple of the Holy One. She went to her death.
The people made way for her, although they gazed upon her with loathing;
and within the sanctuary she beheld the grandson, whom she had long
thought to be numbered with the dead, in royal array, with the crown
upon his head. When she saw this, she rent her clothes, and cried
loudly, "Treason! treason!" But none joined in the cry: an ominous
silence pervaded that vast assembly, and looks of hatred were cast upon
her from the crowd. Seeing plainly that all were against her, her
insolent pride gave way, and she turned to flee from that mass of stern,
relentless eyes, all gazing, as it were, into her black and
blood-stained heart. As she passed along, the people shrank back, as if
an accursed thing were near them; and when she had passed from the
consecrated limits, she was slain. None shed a tear over her grave, but
the people enjoyed rest and peace, now that her tyranny was terminated.
"And that was the end of her!" said George. "And well she deserved her
fate. A good grandmother, indeed! But who was she?"
"That's the very thing I want to know," replied Mary. "But perhaps some
of you can tell me who her very lovely mother was?"
"There is no mistaking her," said Amy. "There is only one Jezebel in the
world, I hope. Think of the horrid old thing, painting herself off, and
trying to look like a beauty! I wonder if she thought she could possibly
captivate the murderer of her son!"
"Hardly that, I should think. Perhaps it was on the same principle that
Julius Cæsar drew his robe around him, before his death--an idea of the
proprieties becoming the station they occupied. It reminds me of a
passage in Pope, describing 'the ruling passion strong in death:'
"'Odious--in woollen! 'twould a saint provoke,'
(Were the last words that poor Narcissa spoke;)
No, let a charming chintz and Brussels' lace
Wrap my cold limbs, and shade my lifeless face;
One would not, sure, be frightful when one's dead:
And--Betty--give this cheek a little red.'
And now, can you tell me who was that prophet that sent a letter to the
husband of 'the good grandmother,' and who predicted the fate of her
parents, Ahab and Jezebel?"
"He who did not _live to see_ their accomplishment, and yet was not
dead," said Cornelia. "Oh, I remember well about that: it was Elijah,
the Tishbite, who had ascended to heaven without dying. By the way, how
do you understand that saying of Elisha's, Mary--'My father, my father!
the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof?' I never knew rightly
whether the latter part of his exclamation referred to the ascending
prophet, or to the chariot and horses of fire."
"I once asked our clergyman that very question; and he told me that it
alluded to Elijah himself, and meant to say, that he was the defence of
the country, and a whole host in himself: comprising cavalry, and those
heavy chariots filled with warriors, and armed with scythes on either
side, which did such deadly execution in ancient warfare. I suppose
Elisha thought, How can _I_, how can our country exist without you!"
"I remember now the name of 'the good grandmother,'" said Ellen,
smiling. "It was Athaliah--and a worthy daughter she was for Ahab and
Jezebel to leave as a legacy to the world. And her son was Ahaziah, who
was killed in Samaria, while on a visit to his uncle, King Jehoram. And
now I think some one else should tell who the usurper was, under whose
chariot-wheels the wicked Jezebel was slain."
"It was Jehu, the furious driver," answered her brother Tom; "the same
eminently pious individual who invited a friend to 'go with him and see
his zeal for the Lord,' when he intended to murder the rest of Ahab's
relations. A fine way of showing goodness, that!"
"And who was the good aunt?"
"You must really let me look for that," said Amy, getting a Bible. "It
was Jehosheba, and her husband, the high priest, was named Jehoiada, and
the little king was Joash, or Jehoash. I'm sorry to see that he was only
kept straight by his uncle: as soon as he died, the young monarch,
appears to have become as bad as any of them."
"And now, Cousin Mary, tell us another story!" said Harry.
"Very well, if you wish it. I'll call this tale
The Prophet and the Fortune-Tellers.
In former times there was a king of Judah, an excellent man, who,
through some unaccountable ideas of policy, had entered into an alliance
with a very wicked king of Israel, and had even encouraged his son to
marry the daughter of his idolatrous neighbor. On one occasion, he was
paying a visit to his ally, when the latter proposed to him that they
should join together in recovering a city which had formerly belonged to
the Jewish nation, from their enemy, the King of Syria. He replied, that
they were of one blood, and had but one interest, and that he should
most gladly aid him; but cautiously added, that it was his particular
wish that God's oracle should be consulted, as he did not like to
undertake any thing without His direction. To gratify this superstitious
whim, as he considered it, the Israelitish monarch collected together
about four hundred false prophets, who were ready to say any thing that
would give him pleasure, and asked whether he should or should not go up
against the city. Of course, they obsequiously replied, "Go up; for the
Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king."
But the King of Judah wag not satisfied. He had seen real, true prophets
of God, and they had neither looked nor acted like these very smooth,
courtier-like men. He mistrusted these pretenders, and said to his
brother-monarch, "Is there not another, a prophet of Jehovah, of whom we
could inquire the Lord's will?"
The latter answered, "Yes, there _is_ another man; but I did not send
for him, for I hate the very sight of his face. Instead of predicting
good, he makes a point of foretelling evil; I detest that man." But his
more amiable and pious friend said, "Pray, do not speak so, your
Highness: it is not right." Seeing that he was unwilling to go until he
had consulted the prophet, the King of Israel ordered the latter to be
sent for. The two sovereigns awaited him in state, in their royal robes
upon their thrones, at the large open space always left in Oriental
cities at the entrance of the gates, for public meetings, business, and
courts of justice.
Before the messenger returned, the false prophets had renewed their
predictions of a safe and successful career to the two kings; and one of
them had distinguished himself by making horns of iron, which he placed
upon his head, agreeably to the allegorical style of the East, and said:
"Thus shalt thou push against thy enemies, and shalt overcome them,
until they be utterly consumed."
Meanwhile, the royal messenger approached with the prophet; and being a
good-natured man and a courtier, he begged the latter not to affront his
master, by speaking differently from the other seers, who all, with one
accord, joined in predicting peace and success. But the undaunted man of
God replied, that what Jehovah revealed to him he would speak, neither
more nor less.
At last, they arrived in the presence of royalty; and the King of Israel
said to him, "Speak, and declare the counsel of God: shall we go up
against the city, or shall we abandon our undertaking?" With a manner of
cutting irony--for he well knew that the monarch neither cared to know
the will of the Lord, nor would obey it, when known--the prophet
answered, quoting the language of the fortune-tellers around him: "Go
up, and prosper; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the
king." But it was so evident that there was something behind this
satire, that the idolatrous prince replied to him, "How often must I be
compelled to tell you to speak the truth, and to declare the will of
Heaven?"
Then the prophet spoke, and this time the mockery had vanished from his
tone and manner, and his voice was serious and sad: "I see a vision that
distresses me: all Israel is scattered upon the hills, like sheep which
have no shepherd. And Jehovah says, 'These have no master: let each one
return to his house in peace.'"
When he heard this, the King of Israel turned to his friend: "Now you
see a proof of my words," said he. "Did I not tell you that he would
never predict aught but evil of me?"
But the prophet still spoke on: "I have a parable to tell thee, O mighty
King. I saw, sitting upon his lofty throne, one mightier than thou--the
King of kings; and upon his right hand and upon his left were ranged all
the host of heaven. And he said, 'Who shall persuade the Lord of Israel
to go up against Ramoth-Gilead to his destruction?' And various counsel
was given from different sources. At last, a Power spoke, and offered to
go forth as a lying spirit in the mouth of all the king's prophets. The
Lord answered him, 'Go, and thou shalt likewise succeed.' This, O
monarch, is my parable: a lying spirit has gone forth into thy prophets;
for truly, Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee."
At these words, the man who had made himself so especially prominent in
predicting good fortune to the expedition came up to the prophet, and
struck him upon the cheek, with an insulting speech; and the king
commanded that he should be carried to the governor of the city, and
kept closely confined, upon bread and water, until he returned in peace
and triumph, having conquered all his enemies. But the prophet answered,
"If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me."
But, unrestrained by any thing he said, the two princes went forth to
the battle. More completely to insure his safety, the Israelitish
monarch disguised himself, and requested the King of Judah to wear his
royal robes, which he accordingly did. But the Syrians had received
orders to aim only at the enemy's head and leader, and not to attack the
common people. This nearly caused the death of the King of Judah, who
wore his friend's conspicuous garments, and who was pursued, and almost
slain, before the mistake was discovered. But notwithstanding his
precaution in wearing a counterfeit dress, the fated king did not
escape. An arrow, shot by chance, struck him in a vital part, and he
died. When the death of their lord was known, all Israel fled in dismay,
and every man sought the shelter of his own home. We may presume that
the true prophet was liberated from his confinement, and that the base
and impudent impostor was punished as he deserved.
"Are not these kings near relatives of 'the good grandmother?'" said
Charlie Bolton.
"You are right," replied Mary. "They are her father, Ahab, and her
father-in-law, Jehoshaphat. Who was the true prophet, and who the
false?"
"The true prophet was Micaiah, the son of Imlah; and the other--I think
his horns should have been made of _brass_, impudent fellow that he
was--was called Zedekiah."
Other Bible stories were called for, which were found so interesting,
and, as the younger children confessed, so _new_ to many of them, that
all agreed to begin a more systematic mode of reading the
Scriptures--that treasury of historic truth, of varied biography, and of
poetic beauty. John Wyndham remarked that the best thing about the
romantic incidents in the Bible was, that you could be sure they had all
really happened: and the events were told with so much simplicity, and
the characters were so natural and life-like, that even a dull fellow
like him, who had no more imagination than a door-post, could see it as
if it were passing before his eyes. And another thing that struck him
was, that all was related without the exclamations, and the comments
upon the incidents and the people, which you find in common books: you
were treated as if you had both sense and conscience enough to find out
the moral intention of the narrative, and that made you think a great
deal more than if it was explained out in full. The young people all got
their Bibles, and counting the chapters, formed a plan for reading
through the whole book once a year. They found that if they read three
chapters a day, and occasionally an extra one, they could accomplish it:
and resolved to begin in Genesis, the Psalms, and St. Matthew's Gospel,
in order to give more variety. When this point was settled, Amy proposed
capping Bible verses: she said they could have their books before them
to help them a little, if their memories failed. One was to recite a
verse, and the next another, beginning with the letter which ended the
preceding passage; and if the person, whose turn it was, hesitated, any
one else who first thought of a suitable sentence should recite it. But
it ought to be something which made good sense, when disconnected from
the adjoining verses: and it was a rule of the game, that if any one
present did not understand the meaning of a quotation, they should talk
it over until they got some light upon the subject.
Amy began: "'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.'"
"Stop!" cried Lewis. "For if that means that gentle, patient, forgiving
people, shall become rich and great, I don't understand it at all."
"Certainly it cannot mean that," replied his sister Ellen. "I have heard
it explained in this way:--they shall possess the best blessings of
earth, by living in love and peace, and having easy consciences."
"That makes a very good sense, I think," said Tom; "but I have heard
another explanation given, which I like better. The earth, in that
place and in many others, can be translated _land_, with equal
propriety; and as the land of Canaan was promised to the Jews as a
reward, the heavenly Canaan is held out as a recompense to Christians."
"I'm satisfied," said Lewis. "Let me see--h--'Hear, O heavens, and give
ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken.'"
"'Never man spake like this man,'" added George.
"I think there are some words in the verse before that N," said
Gertrude.
"But that is of no consequence," replied Amy. "When a clause makes a
complete sense in itself, that answers, even if it is not at the
beginning of a verse. You know that the division of the Bible into
chapters and verses is quite a modern thing."
"Indeed, I did not know it," said Gertrude. "Are you quite sure?"
"Oh, yes, certain. I don't know when, or by whom it was divided into
chapters--but my Sunday-school teacher has told me that the books of the
Old Testament were not parcelled out in that way among the Jews. They
had other, and longer divisions, one of which was read every Sabbath day
in the synagogues, so that the whole was heard by the people, in the
course of the year. She told me that the New Testament was first
distributed into chapters--it was not originally written so--and then
the Old; and that in some places it would make better sense if the end
of one chapter was joined to the beginning of the next."
"And how is it about the verses, Amy?"
"It was first separated into verses by Robert Stephens, a publisher,
when riding on horseback between Paris and Lyons: he marked it thus as
he rode along. He was about to publish an edition of the Bible, and a
concordance, and divided it for facility of reference. This was in the
middle of the sixteenth century."
"There is one thing I've always wanted to know," said John. "Along the
margin, among the references, every now and then there are a few
words--generally, _or_ so and so. What is the meaning of that?"
"That occurs when the translators were doubtful which of two words gives
the right meaning," said Mrs. Wyndham, coming forward. "And I have
frequently noticed, that the one in the margin is preferable to the
other."
"Another point I wish to have explained," said Cornelia. "Why is it that
in all Bibles some words are put in Italics? There must be a reason."
"Yes, my dear, there certainly is. The translators did not find these in
the original text, but thought them necessary to make up the sense. You
know that you are obliged to take such liberties in rendering any
foreign language into English. But they very properly distinguished
_their_ words from those found in the original; and occasionally, when
the former are omitted, the passage is more forcible, and gives a
slightly different sense. It is well to remember this."
"But we have wandered very far from our game," said Charlie Bolton.
"'Never man spake like this man,' was the last--another N--'Not unto us,
O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory.'"
"'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be
hid.'"
"'Divers weights and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination
unto the Lord.'"
"'Drink waters out of thy own cistern, and running waters out of thy own
well.'"
"'Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty.'"
And so the game went on, until, to the surprise of all, Cæsar announced
that tea was ready, and they found that the afternoon had quite passed
away, in pleasant and profitable talk.
In the evening, Ellen Green asked her aunt if she would not consent to
convert them into a Bible-class, as an hour could be spent very
agreeably in that way. Of course, Mrs. Wyndham agreed to the
proposition, and requested the young party to bring Bibles in as many
different languages as they could understand. They had Latin, Greek, and
German versions in the library, which the boys would find useful, as all
the older ones were pretty well versed in the classics, and Tom Green
was studying German; and as she had seen Amy reading her French
Testament, and Ellen the Italian, she knew they were provided for.
Accordingly, they ran to get their books; and by comparing the various
translations, they found that the sense was frequently made clearer.
Each one read a verse; and then, before the next person proceeded, Mrs.
Wyndham explained it, and asked questions, which frequently led to the
most animated conversation. By requiring a definition of all words which
were not perfectly familiar, she arrested their attention. When she, or
any other member of the class, thought of a passage in Scripture which
threw light upon the subject, all searched for it, with the aid of the
Concordance. Any peculiarity of rites, manners, customs, etc., was made
more intelligible by the Bible Dictionary; and when the whole lesson was
finished, the young people gave a summary of the religious truth, and
practical inferences to be deduced from it.
A quotation from the Book of Daniel led to some pleasant talk about that
prophet, his greatly diversified life, and the important changes in the
world's history which he witnessed. Mrs. Wyndham remarked that the Jews
have a tradition which in itself is very probable, that the venerable
man pointed out to Cyrus, after his conquest of Babylon, the verses in
Isaiah, wherein he is spoken of by name, as conquering by the power of
the Lord, and giving orders to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple: and
also that other passage, in which the destruction of the Babylonish
empire by the Medes is foretold, both prophecies being recorded more
than a hundred years before the birth of the mighty king by whom they
were accomplished.
"I never heard of that," said Cornelia. "But, of course, it would be the
most likely thing for Daniel to do. You can imagine the interest with
which Cyrus would listen to these predictions about himself--and from
the lips of such a noble, lovely, white-haired man as Daniel must have
been. I don't wonder at all that he gave the decree to rebuild
Jerusalem."
"This reminds me of another Jewish tradition, recorded in Josephus,"
rejoined Mrs. Wyndham. "This one, I think, is not at all probable; but
as it would interest you, I will narrate it. Alexander the Great, while
engaged in the siege of Tyre, sent orders to the high priest at
Jerusalem, to furnish his army with provisions, as they had been in the
habit of doing to Darius. But Jaddus, the high priest, gave answer that
they were still bound by their oath to the King of Persia, and that,
while he lived, they could not transfer their allegiance to another.
This noble response awakened the rage of Alexander, who, as soon as Tyre
was reduced, marched towards Jerusalem, determined to inflict signal
vengeance upon that city. The inhabitants, totally unable to withstand
the conqueror, were filled with consternation. Their town was, indeed,
admirably fortified; but since Tyre, the Queen of the Sea, had been
subdued, how could they hope to escape? Weeping and loud lamentations
were heard throughout the streets. The high priest knew that his only
hope was in help from on high: he ordered prayers and sacrifices to be
offered up, and awaited the result, confident that he had at least
discharged his duty.
"But on the night before the mighty Greek arrived, Jaddus received
directions, in a dream, to array the streets with flowers, and to go
forth, in his pontifical robes, to meet the victor, followed by the
people, dressed in white. He awoke, with fresh hope and energy, told his
dream to the assembled populace, and gave orders that the city should be
decked with garlands, triumphal arches, and gay streamers, and that the
gates should be left open. When all preparations were made, he marched
out, agreeably to the commandment, at the head of the priests and
people, and awaited the approach of the invaders, at a point commanding
a beautiful view of the city, with its open gates, unarmed walls, and
smiling environs. At last, the clank of weapons was heard; and, with
military music, the victorious army moved along, anxious for fresh
conquests. But how different was their reception from that they had
anticipated! Many, it is true, had come out to meet them, but all in the
garb of peace; dressed in white, and crowned with flowers, as if for a
festival. Hostility died away in the bosoms of the warriors, as they
gazed on these defenceless men,--few are so brutal as to attack the
unresisting and the friendly. But what was the astonishment of the whole
army, when they beheld the fiery Alexander himself go forward towards
the Jewish high priest, who headed the brilliant procession, and humbly
kneel down at his feet! Then rising, he embraced him. The Israelites
themselves were amazed, and acknowledged the merciful interposition of
God. At length, Parmenio addressed the king, and asked why he, before
whom monarchs and nations trembled, and at whose feet all were ready to
fall, should condescend thus to do homage to a man? Alexander replied,
'that he did not bow down to the man, but to the mighty name which was
written upon his forehead--to the great God to whom he was consecrated.
For that, while he was yet in Macedon, meditating the expedition to
Asia, he had been favored with a remarkable dream, in which he had
beheld this very man, in his pontifical robes, who had addressed him,
encouraging him to persevere in his undertaking. He told him that he,
Alexander, was acting under the immediate guidance of God, and that he
should prosper. And now,' continued the king, 'I do not pay obeisance to
the man, but to the God whose high priest he is, and who has given
success to my arms.'
"The Jews escorted him into their capital with shouts of applause and
loud rejoicings. The Grecian monarch then entered the temple, and
offered sacrifices, complying with all the requirements of the law: and
Jaddus showed him, in the Book of Daniel, the prophecy concerning
himself and his kingdom overcoming the Medo-Persian realm. Mary, will
you be kind enough to read it?"
Mary opened the book at the 8th chapter, 3d verse: "Then I lifted up
mine eyes, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two
horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other,
and the higher came up last.
"I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that
no beast might stand before him, neither was there any that could
deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became
great.
"And as I was considering, behold, an he-goat came from the west on the
face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a
notable horn between his eyes.
"And he came to the ram which had two horns, which I had seen standing
before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
"And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler
against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was
no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the
ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the
ram out of his hand.
"Therefore the he-goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the
great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones towards the
four winds of heaven."
And at the twentieth verse it says: "The ram which thou sawest having
two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
"And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn which is
between his eyes is the first king.
"Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms
shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power."
"This is very plain, Aunt Lucy," said Mary; "and I suppose that the
larger horn of the ram, which came up last, refers to the power of
Persia, which overshadowed Media, originally so much its superior. If
you notice, the ram comes from the east, and pushes westward, northward,
and southward: while the he-goat comes from the west to attack the ram,
and so rapidly, that he is represented as not touching the ground."
"I suppose that is a poetical expression," said John; "but if it were
anywhere else but in the Bible, I'd say it was far-fetched."
"It is exactly in unison with the figurative language of the East,"
replied Mrs. Wyndham. "The Arab praises the swiftness of his steed, at
this day, by saying, that before his hoof touches the ground, he is out
of sight. That's a bold figure for you."
"I love poetical expressions," said Amy.
"And I prefer plain English, not Arabian," answered John.
"I think I can answer for one thing," said Charlie. "When Jaddus showed
Alexander that prediction, he did not lay much stress upon the verse
about the great horn being broken while it was yet strong, and four
others coming up in its place. It all came true enough, but Alexander
would not have liked that part as well as the rest, about his
conquests."
"Do you, who are fresh from school, remember the names of the four
generals and kingdoms who succeeded him?" rejoined Mrs. Wyndham.
"Ptolemy seized Egypt; Seleucus, Syria and Babylon; Lysimachus, Asia
Minor; and Cassander took Greece for his share of the plunder. But
though these were notable horns, they were none of them in _his_
power--none could compare with Alexander."
"Auntie," said Amy, "don't you think Alexander must have seen these
predictions--you know how much he favored the Jews, and what especial
privileges he gave them in his city, Alexandria?"
"Well, perhaps so," said Mrs. Wyndham, smiling. "I see you want to
believe it, at any rate. There is no proof to the contrary, so you might
as well indulge your organ of wonder."