XIV. 9.- "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle." (Judges ix. 8. See on 1 Kings x. 1.; also on Ps. xlix. 4.)

We have here another beautiful instance of the way in which the ancients conveyed instruction or reproof in parables, apologues, or riddles. Jehoash, the king of Israel, the author of the parable, compares himself to a cedar: and Amaziah, the king of Judah, to a thistle. It would no doubt be very annoying to Amaziah to be represented by a thistle ! and his opponent by a cedar.

Some years ago, two magistrates, who were much superior to their predecessors, in reference to the way in which they had discharged their duties, were appointed to take charge of separate districts. The natives, as usual, did not speak plainly as to their merits, but under "the similitude of a parable." One of the districts was very famous for the banyan tree, the fruit of which is only eaten by the flying fox, birds, and monkeys. The people, therefore, to show how much better their present magistrate was than the former, said, "Ah! the banyan of our country is now giving the fruit of the palmirah."

Those of the other district (where the palmirah was exceedingly plentiful) said of their magistrate, "Have you not heard that our palmirah is now giving mangoes? "+

Some men are always known by the name of certain trees. Thus, a person who is tall, and stoops a little, is called the

This fruit is nutritious, when young; it contains a gelatinous pulp, called noongu, which is cooling in hot weather. When ripe, and dried in the sun, it serves for food in the wet monsoon. Its seeds, when planted, produce a fine edible root, which serves either for gruel or vegetables.

This is a delicious fruit, and much esteemed by the natives. The tree is sacred to Cama, the god of love, whose arrows are tipped with its leaves.

cocoa-nut tree, and he who has long legs and arms is called the banyan, which spreads its arms, and lets fall its supporters to the ground. It is, therefore, not very improbable that Jehoash was known by the name of the cedar, and Amaziah by that of the thistle.

XVII. 10, 11.—"And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree; And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen."

Thus did the wicked Jews imitate the heathen. The whole verse might be a description of the localities, and usages of MODERN heathenism. See their high hills; they are all famous for being the habitation of some deity. On the summit there is generally a rude representation, formed by nature, or the distorted imagination, into the likeness of a god. In going to the spot, images are set up in every direction, as so many sentinels and guides to the sacred arcana.

See the Ficus religiosa, and numerous other trees, under which various symbols of idolatry may be seen. Fastened into the roots of one, we discover the trident of Siva: under another, an emblem of Ganesa: there we see a few faded flowers, a broken cocoa-nut, an altar, or the ashes of a recent fire.

17.-"Caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire." The Tamul translation has "to pass or tread on the fire." Deut. xviii. 10. 2 Kings xxiii. 10. xxi. 6. Lev. xviii. 21. Jer. xxxii. 35. are rendered" step over" the fire.

To begin with Lev. xviii. 21. "Thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord." The marginal references to "profane the name of thy God," are chap. xix. 12. "And ye shall not sWEAR by my name falsely,

* Reminding us of the Druid and his oak. The name is said to be taken from Apvg, an oak.

neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God." (See also chap. xx. 3. xxi. 6. and xxii. 2. 32. Ezek. xxxvi. 20.) Connected, therefore, with passing through the fire, as mentioned in Lev. xviii. 21., and the marginal references, it is clear that the name of God was profaned by SWEARING. The Tamul translation of Lev. xviii. 21., for "pass through the fire," has "step over the fire," which alludes to the oath which is taken by STEPPING Over the fire.

It is a solemn way of swearing to innocence, by first making a fire, and when stepping over it to exclaim, “I am not guilty." Hence the frequency of the question (when a man denies an accusation), " Will you step over the fire?" But so careful are the heathen in reference to fire, when they are not on their oath, that they will not step over it. See a traveller on his journey; does he come to a place where there has been a fire, he will not step over it, but walk round it, lest any evil should come upon him. I think it, therefore, probable, from the words, "profane the name of thy God," as mentioned in connection with passing through the fire, and from the Eastern CUSTOM, that the ancient idolaters did take a solemn oath of allegiance to their gods, or of their innocence of crime, by thus stepping over the fire.

But it is also a custom amongst these heathen to pass through, or rather to walk on, the fire. This is done sometimes in consequence of a vow, or from a wish to gain popularity, or to merit the favour of the gods. A fire is made on the ground, from twenty to thirty paces in length, and the individual walks on it barefoot, backwards and forwards, as many times as he may believe the nature of his circumstances require. Some say that these devotees put a composition on their feet, which prevents them from being much burnt; but I am of opinion this is not often the case.

To walk on the fire is believed to be most acceptable to the cruel goddess Kali*, the wife of Vyravar, who was the prince

There are many Kālis; but she to whom walking on fire is acceptable is the wife of Vyravar.

of devils. When a man is sick, he vows, " O Kāli, mother, only cure me, and I will walk on fire in your holy presence.' A father, for his deeply afflicted child, vows, " O Kāli, or, O “O Vyravar, only deliver him, and when he is fifteen years of age your divine divine presence."

he shall walk on fire in

37.-"Ye shall not fear other gods.'

The most prominent effect of heathenism on the minds of its votaries is FEAR; and no wonder; for how can they love deities guilty of such repeated acts of cruelty, injustice, falsehood, dishonesty, and impurity? Strange as it may appear, European descendants, as well as native Christians, are in danger of FEARING the gods of the heathen. There are so many traditions of their malignity and power, that it requires strength of mind, and, above all, faith in Jesus Christ, the conqueror of devils, to give a perfect victory over it.

On this account the missionaries sent out by Denmark, more than one hundred years ago (and some of their successors), have not approved of the native Christians studying the heathen books and superstitions. This, however, has had an injurious effect, because it disqualified the members of the church to expose the errors of heathenism to the people, and also conveyed an idea of something like inadequacy in the Gospel of Christ to meet such a system. In view of this, the missionaries of the present day, and many of their converts, have like Ezekiel, (chap. viii.), looked into this vile arcana; have dragged the monstrous transactions to light, exposed them to public gaze, and driven from the field of argument the proud and learned Brahmin.

XVIII. 20. "Vain words." The Hebrew has, for vain, "word of the lip."

"

The Hindoos say of boasting words, or those which do not proceed from the heart, they are "words of the MOUTH; but to speak evil of a person is called a chondu-chadi, a hint of the LIP.

27. (Isa. xxxvi. 12.)

This insulting and blasphemous message was delivered by Rab-shakeh, the heathen general, to Eliakim, and Shebna, and Joah, the servants of Hezekiah. These disgusting allusions are in keeping with heathenism at this day; and are often used to denote extreme contempt for the individual, and his future desolation.

XIX. 3.

"The children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth."

When a person has all but accomplished his object, when only a very slight obstacle has prevented him, it is then said, "The child came to the birth, but there was not strength to bring it forth." Some time ago, an opulent man accused another, who was also very rich, and in office, of improper conduct to the government: the matter was well investigated by competent authorities; but the accused, by his superior cunning and by bribes, escaped, as by the "skin of his teeth;" and the people said, "Alas! the child came to the mouth, but the hand could not take it." When a person has succeeded in gaining a blessing which he has long desired, he says, "Good, good! the child is born at last." Has a person lost his lawsuit in a provincial court, he will go to the capital to make an appeal to a superior court; and should he there succeed, he will say in writing to a friend, "Good news, good news! the child is born." When a man has been trying to gain an office, his friend meeting him on return does not always ask, "Is the child born? or did it come to the birth?" but, "Is it a male or a female?" If he say the former, he has gained his object; if the latter, he has failed.

26. "Therefore their inhabitants were of small power." The Hebrew has, instead of small power, "short of hand."

This figure is much used here, and is taken from a man trying to reach an object for which his arm is not long