millions of suns; there lives the Supreme Siva, and from his head flows a sacred river. There are the five trees, which give whatsoever is asked of them: their names are Arechanthanum, Katpagam, Santhānam, Paresātham, and Manthāram. There are also four other trees in the celestial mountain. "To go to the mount of Siva" signifies to go to the heavenly world.

In reviewing this account the mind can scarcely fail to be struck with the following particulars: The seven heavens of the Jews, the Hindoos, and the Mahometans; the heavenly city; its situation, a mountain, Rev. xxi. 10; its guards, Rev. xxi. 12; its materials; its shape, four square, Rev. xxi. 16; its light, Rev. xxi. 23; its river, Rev. xxii. 2; its trees, Rev. xxii. 2, 14; and the Supreme Siva.

CHAP. XVI.

I came forth from the Father.-Verse 28.

The worshippers of Siva or Vishnoo call their god "Father," when they appeal to him on any solemn occasion. A goddess is called "Mother."

CHAP. XXI.

Children, have ye any meat?-Verse 5.

Thus did the risen Saviour address himself to his disciples. In this manner also do spiritual guides, men of learning, and the aged, address their disciples or dependents. In the Scanda-Purāna, it is related: "Sooran asked Käsipan what he should do to which he replied, 'Children, I will mention one thing as a security for you, which is, to perform glorious austerity."". Again, in the same work: "Thus proceeding, Singa Muggam, who was to him as his own life, following Velly, took him into his hall, and seated him, and heartily welcomed him with good words, and asked, 'Children, what are you come for?""

He girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.-Verse 7.

The fishermen in the East, when engaged in their vocation, are generally naked, excepting a small strip of cloth round their loins; so that, without any inconvenience, they can cast themselves into the sea.

ACTS.

CHAP. IV.

As many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet.-Verses 34, 35.

WHEN a person takes a present or an offering to a priest, to a spiritual guide, or to a distinguished scholar, he does not give it into the hands of his superior, but places it at his feet. It is called, the patha-kāniki, that is, "the feet-offering." Ananias and Sapphira also brought a part of the price of the land, "and laid it at the apostles' feet."

CHAP. IX.

Brother Saul.-Verse 17.

Those who are not relations address each other in the same fraternal way. Thus, Suppan Anni, that is, "Brother Suppan," (or anni connected with any other name,) is very common. In English, it agrees with received usage for a military man to talk of a brother-officer; or for a judge or civilian to apply the same term to one of his profession; but when a Christian speaks of another in the same way, it too often excites a smile on the countenances of those who are unacquainted with the true communion of saints.

CHAP. X.

Certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.-Verse 23. six brethren accompanied me." (Chap. xi. 12.)

"These

The people of the East have a general propensity for associates in all their transactions and all their journeys. Has a man from a distant village some business to do with you? he does not come alone as an Englishman would; he brings a large company of his neighbours and friends. Go, ask any of them, "Why have you come?" the reply is, (pointing at the same time to the man of business,) "I came because he did." It is often surprising to see people at a great distance from their homes, having no other reason than, "We came with him." See the man going to a court of justice: he is accompanied by a large band of his acquaintances, who canvass all the probabilities of the case, and who have a salvo for every exigency. Perhaps a love of show is one motive; but the desire to have witnesses of what has been said or done,

and to have help at hand in case of any emergency, are other reasons for their love of company. The Oriental is like the granivorous animals of his native deserts, that are all more or less gregarious in their habits; and as it is now, so it was in the most remote antiquity. The Psalmist thus describes those who were travelling to the temple at Jerusalem: "They go from strength to strength;" but the margin has it, "from company to company." Thus did they stretch onwards, from one party to another, till each of them appeared before God in his earthly Zion.

of

In the conduct, therefore, of Peter and his six companions; in the arrangement of our Divine Master in sending forth his disciples "by two and two;" and in very numerous passages scripture; we see the simplicity, caution, and affection of those who were concerned.

CHAP. XIV.

The priest of Jupiter brought oxen and garlands.-Verse 13. When the gods are taken out in procession, their necks are adorned with garlands, with which the priests also are decorated. On all festive occasions, men and women wear their sweet-scented garlands; and the smell of some of them is so strong as to be offensive to an Englishman. Does a man of

rank offer to adorn you with a garland? it is a sign of his respect, and must not be refused. In the latter part of 1832 I visited the celebrated pagoda of Rami-seram, the temple of Rāmar. As soon as I arrived within a short distance of the gates, a number of dancing-girls, priests, and others, came to meet us with garlands. They first did me the honour of putting one around my neck, and then presented others for Mrs. Roberts and the children.

CHAP. XIX.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen ; whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.Verses 24-28.

The silversmiths of Ephesus carried on a lucrative business by making shrines and idols of their great goddess Diana; and when the energetic and daring Paul said, "They be no gods," and there was danger of the craft being injured, they raised a tumult, which was only quelled by the judicious and timely interference of "the town-clerk."

These shrines were, I doubt not, similar to some of those used in the East at this day. They are made of silver or gold, copper or brass. They are often formed into the shape of a temple, and hang in front of the person, being suspended from the neck by a string. Devotional motives prompt the people to this practice, as they are thus constantly reminded of the holy place; and possessing an emblem of the deity, they are under his protection. Sometimes the god is enclosed in a shrine which has a door to exhibit him to the admiring and confiding eyes of the beholder.+

See the two wood engravings in page 389.

I have seen an image of the Virgin Mary carried about in the same manner by the Papists in the Island of Madeira.

CHAP. XXI.

He took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle.-Verse 11.

This was significant of what was to occur to the apostle. Does a person wish to dissuade another from some project? he acts in such a way as to show what will be the nature of the difficulties or dangers. Thus, should he doubt his personal safety, or fear disgrace, he puts off his sandals, to intimate that he will die, or be beaten with them; or he takes off his turban, unfolds it, and ties it around his neck; or gropes as if in the dark, to intimate great difficulty.

Saying that they ought not to walk after the customs.-Verse 21. See also Lev. xviii. 30; Jer. x. 3; Acts xxviii. 17.

In every part of the world, man is too often the slave of custom; but in all the old countries of the East, where innovations have not been made, the people are most tenaciously wedded to their customs. Ask, "Why do you act thus?" the reply is, "It is a custom." Their implements of agriculture, their modes of sowing and reaping, their houses, their furniture, their domestic utensils, their vehicles, the vessels in which they put to sea, their modes of living, and their treatment of various diseases, are all regulated by the customs of their fathers. Offer them better implements, and better plans for their proceedings, they reply, "We cannot leave our customs: your plans are good for yourselves, ours are good for ourselves: we cannot alter."

Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue.-Verse 40.

The object of Paul in beckoning with his hand was to obtain silence. See that man who has to address a crowd, and who wishes for silence: he does not begin to bawl out, "Silence!" that would be an affront to them; he lifts up his hand to its extreme height, and begins to beckon with it, that is, to move it backwards and forwards; and then the people say to each other, Pasathe, pasāthe! that is, "Be silent, be silent!"