unleavened bread.' Then the father took some of the bitter herbs, dipping them into the mixture, which had very much the appearance of mortar, and, indeed, was intended to remind them of the mortar which their fathers worked in, whilst in Egypt. He gave a portion to each one present to eat. He then took the horseradish, and cut a piece off it, placing it between two pieces of matzoth, ate some of it, giving a piece also to each of the family, The supper was next brought on. We then, however, took our leave, thanking our kind-hearted friend for his civility, and returned to our lodgings. It is on this evening that the Jews sing, after their supper, the well-known hymn, The mighty God shall build his temple speedily.'

THE JEWISH GIRL.

BACK from the dwellings of the poor,
Returning on my way,

My path by the Jew-merchant's door,
In the grey twilight lay.

As rose to view his gathered heaps
Of fruits from many a shore,

I thought of one whose feverish sleeps
Might need their juicy store.

So pleasant looked the Jewish girl,
So pleasantly she spake,
As, standing in the shop, she sold
The fruit I stopped to take,→→

I thought," To leave the Word of God
I've been unto the poor;

Why pass in utter silence by

The poor Jew-merchant's door?"

Her kindly words emboldened me,
Her glad and gentle air;

And, in my satchel, deep I sought,
And drew forth what was there.

"You will not let me give to you,
I fear, this little book!"

She saw its leaves of shining gold,
And she the volume took.

Oh! strange the contrasts of this world!
Strange things unnoted pass!
The sceptred Judah's flag is furled,
His courts are green with grass.

A daughter of his royal race,
'Mong strangers dwells despised;
And lo! a stranger comes, who knows
The fallen and disguised.

A stranger gives into her hand,
The archives of her line,
The destinies that wait her land,
The fate of Palestine!

The hidden secret, written plain
For those who can discern,
That Judah's Monarch yet doth reign,
And He shall yet return.

Alas! 'twas but the shining leaves,

That pleased her eyes, I fear!

I fear the veil is on her heart,
The dulness in her ear.

Yet keep the book, young Jewish girl,
If but to fling it by,

Thy careless finger may unfurl

Its leaves of prophecy.

And God may on the holy page,
Thy wandering glance arrest,
And show thee thy lost heritage,
In CHRIST again possest!

Macintosh, Printer, Great New-street, London.

THE JEWISH ADVOCATE.

SEPTEMBER, 1846.

BIBLE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

CHAPTER XVI.

FOR three days they journeyed: the ark of the covenant going before them until they entered the wilderness of Paran, when the cloud again rested on the tabernacle and they stood still. At Taberah the people murmured, and the fire of the Lord burned among them until, at the prayer of Moses, it was quenched.

By this time they began to weary of the manna, and to long for the refreshing fruits of Egypt; the melons and cucumbers, the leeks and the onions, that grew abundantly on the banks of the Nile. They also desired flesh meat, and wept, saying, "Who shall give us flesh to eat?" "Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent," a sad sound to the heart of their leader. He sought the Lord, and laid his burden before him, saying, "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me."

So God commanded him to bring seventy men of the elders of Israel to the tabernacle, saying, "I will come down and talk with thee there and I will take of the Spirit which is upon

thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." God also promised to fulfil the lust of the people and give them a supply of flesh so abundant, that they should eat of it for a whole month till they loathed it. Moses was astonished, and asked, "Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together?" And God said, "Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not."

Meanwhile the seventy were chosen and gathered about the tabernacle; and God came down in a cloud, and took of the Spirit that was upon Moses, and gave it to them; so that they prophesied and did not cease. Two of their number, for some reason which we know not, did not go up to the tabernacle, but remained in the camp; but on them also came the same spirit of prophecy, to the great surprise of all the congregation. Their names were Eldad and Medad.

The Lord fulfilled His word: He brought up from the sea such flocks of quails that they fell in heaps round about the camp. A day and a night did the people stand and gather them; and so continued to eat till they were surfeited, and a dreadful pestilence raged amongst them. Many died; and the place where they were buried was called Kibroth-Hattaavah, that is, the graves of lust. So God " gave them their request; but

sent leanness into their soul."

At Hazeroth, the peace of the congregation was disturbed by Miriam and Aaron, who were jealous of Moses' supremacy, and spoke against

him because of his Ethiopian wife, Zipporah. For this sedition, God smote Miriam with leprosy; but, at the intercession of Moses, he suffered her to become clean again, after a certain purification. She was to be shut out of the camp to dwell alone for seven days. (Lev. xiii. 46.) And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

By this time they had reached the borders of the promised land. At the command of the Lord Moses sent twelve men, one out of each tribe, to go before and search out the land, to bring word of the people who dwelt therein, whether they were strong or weak, few or many; what the land was, whether good or bad, and what cities the inhabitants dwelt in, "whether in tents or strong holds."

and

It was now the season of the firstripe grapes, the beginning of vintage. The twelve men went; and after forty days returned, bearing with them pomegranates and figs, and one cluster of grapes so large that two of them bare it between them on a staff. "Surely," they said, "the land floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it;" but they said also that the cities of the land were walled and very great, and the people many strong; some of them the sons of Anak, giants, in whose sight themselves were but "as grasshoppers." And they persuaded the Israelites that it was in vain to hope, that they would ever become masters of the land, against such a people. Only Caleb and Joshua, two out of the twelve, lifted up their voices against such a report; they stilled the people before Moses, and said "Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." But the other fearful spies prevailed; and the people were disheartened.