as it seemed to cease, we heard it renewed with increased vehemence. It was the usual ceremony of bewailing a deceased person by means, of female mourners hired for the occasion; they exhibited the most frightful distortions; having their hair disheveled, their clothes torn, and their countenances daubed with paint and dirt; they were relieved at intervals by other women.'"* "This seems very foolish." "Yes, and very sinful too; to affect a sorrow which they do not feel, and merely for a little paltry gain, is sad hypocrisy. When we lose a friend, we cannot but mourn; yet it is our duty to be resigned to the will of God." "It is said in the Scriptures, that the Egyptians mourned for Jacob threescore and ten days. His funeral is described in very remarkable terms. The sacred historian informs us, that when Joseph went up to the land of Canaan to bury his father, there went with him all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt; and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house; and both chariots and horse Why is this practice sinful? * Clarke's Travels, vol. iii. p. 72. men, a very great company. And they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation; and he made a mourning for his father seven days.' When Sir John Chardin was at Ispahan, in 1676, the mistress in the adjoining house died. The instant she expired,' he says, 'about thirty persons set up such a lamentation as quite alarmed him; and they repeated these wailings at intervals, for forty days. In like manner, many of the Jews came to mourn with Mary and Martha after the loss of their brother; they followed Mary to the grave, supposing that she was going to weep there.' "On these occasions, there were often very unjustifiable practices. The people cut themselves, and tore off their hair. This was forbidden by the law, Deut. xiv. 1. The Prophet Jeremiah refers to this, chap. xvi. 6. Deut. xiv. 1. Ye are the children of the Lord your God; ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. Jer. xvi. 6. Both the great and the small shall die in this land; they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. How long did the Egyptians mourn for Joseph? Describe the funeral. What does Sir John Chardin say of a funeral at Ispahan? Who mourned with Martha and Mary? What did the people do in cases of mourning? Repeat a verse from Deuteronomy, and one from Jeremiah. "When the Israelites were smitten at Ai, it is said, that Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord, until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.' This must have been very unpleasant, father. "Truly so, Harry; but it was very expressive of their humiliation before God, and of the greatness of their affliction. It was by no means uncommon among the people in the East. When Job's friends approached him, they lifted up their voice and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust on their heads towards Heaven.' So the king of Nineveh, when the prophet announced the destruction of that city, arose from his throne, and laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes." "Did the Romans or the Greeks express their grief in this manner ?" "Yes, both these nations did so. Virgil, speaking of Latinus, says, - He tears his garments as he goes, Both for the public and his private woes ; How did Job's What did Joshua do when the Israelites were smitten? friends approach him? What did the king of Nineveh do? How did the Romans and Greeks express their grief? Repeat some verses from Virgil. With filth his venerable beard besmears, And sordid dust deforms his silver hairs.' "Homer also, when speaking of Achilles bewailing the loss of Patroclus, says, 'Cast on the ground, with furious hands he spread The scorching ashes o'er his graceful head; Those he deforms with dust, and these he tears.' "Thus also the same Poet represents Priam bewailing the loss of his son Hector : - With frantic hands he spread A show'r of ashes o'er his neck and head.' "Many other instances might be selected of the same nature. Yet Christians, to whom God has given His gracious promises of mercy, ought not to mourn thus immoderately, and as the heathen; they ought. rather, when in trouble, to say with Eli, 'It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good!' Or, in the language of that beautiful and comprehensive prayer which our Lord taught His disciples, 'Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!' Repeat some verses from Homer. How did Priam bewail the loss of Hector? How ought Christians to mourn? What ought they to say in trouble? MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS. 1 KINGS ii. 9. "You know, Harry, I have often remarked, that passages of Scripture, which, at first sight seem strange and difficult, when examined by a devout critic, not only appear to be excellent sense, but are really in a high degree beautiful. "I met with a fine illustration of these observations yesterday, in reading Dr. Kennicott's Remarks on 1 Kings ii. 9. In this passage, David is represented as finishing his days with a command to Solomon to slay Shimei; a most unchristian mandate, to say the least, because, you know, our Lord has enjoined us to love our enemies. Indeed, to do so, was contrary to David's own solemn engagement; for he had sworn, 1 Kings ii. 9. Now therefore hold him not guiltless; for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do to him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood. What may be said of many passages of Scripture? ted to say to Solomon ? Repeat a verse from Kings. tian mandate? What had David sworn? What is David represen- |