these congregated or collected vapours, reflect all the rays of light which are composed of the colours of the rainbow. Before a child knows this, he may imagine the rainbow to be formed of solid gold, topaz, garnet, and emerald, or any of the brilliant stones called gems; and while he is very young, and is delighted with every new object, he may be better pleased with the rainbow than after he has learned its real substance.

God does not let the type grow pale with age. The hues of the rainbow are as bright and beautiful now as when Noah first saw it. The words type, token, and symbol, signify one thing or sign which represents or suggests the idea of another thing or circumstance. When we see the rainbow, we immediately think of the promise of God, and thus it becomes the type, token, or symbol of his goodness and truth, and of our safety under his protection and government.

LESSON V.

1. THE Old Testament consists of thirty nine different books, the list of these is called the Canon of Scripture. These books were selected from different writings of the Hebrews. The Bible is a moral book which teaches men what God requires of them, what he has done for them, and what he intends for them in another life; and it is also a history of the Hebrews, and in part of some other nations of antiquity.

2. The books of the Old Testament are the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible supposed to have been written by Moses; the historical books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; sixteen books of prophecy; Ruth and Job-two histories of remarkable individuals; the Psalms of David, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and the Lamentations.

3. Genesis signifies the creation. This book describes the creation of the world, the history of our first parents and the Antediluvians, the Deluge, the origin of languages, the call or appointment of Abraham, the lives of his descendants, of Isaac, of Jacob, and of his twelve sons, and it concludes with the death of Joseph, B. C. 1635, embracing a period of 2369 years.

4. Exodus signifies the going out-the departure from Egypt. Seventy of the family of Jacob went to dwell in Egypt with their brother Joseph B. C. 1706, their posterity remained there till 1491 -215 years, and they were increased to six hundred thousand persons; they then returned to Canaan, the country of their ancestors.

5. Exodus relates the bondage of the Hebrews in Egypt, the birth and education of Moses, the Hebrew legislator; the oppression which the Israelites suffered from the Egyptians; the conduct of the Israelites during their sojourning, or abode in the country between Egypt and Canaan; and the appointment of Aaron and his sons to the office of priest of these Aaron was the chief priest. This book also contains the ten commandments, and a description of the ceremonies to be observed in the public worship. Moses

born B. C. 1561. Exodus includes the period from the slavery of the Israelites B. C. 1635, to the rearing of the tabernacle in the wilderness 1490-145 years.

6. Leviticus contains laws respecting meats, worship, civil usages and social duties. This book was called Leviticus, because the care of it, and the ministration of the law were entrusted to the descendants of Levi, Jacob's son; and these ministers were afterwards called the Levites.

7. Numbers describes the numbering of the people by Moses; their discontents in the wilderness; their rebellions against God; their wars with people through whose countries they passed; some additional laws; the appointment of the Levites, of cities for their residence, and property for their support; the division of land and other property among the tribes, and a second enumeration of them. By the last enumeration it was shown that all the original emigrants from Egypt except Caleb and Joshua had died in the wilder. ness, so that no person besides Moses, Caleb and Joshua survived who was more than forty years old. Numbers includes thirty eight years, and brings the Israelitish history to B. C. 1451.

9. Deuteronomy continues and recapitulates the history; repeats some of the laws and adds others; describes the blessings of obedience, and the pu nishments of disobedience to God; and concludes with Moses' song and death, B. C. 1451. The conclusion of this book could not have been written by Moses because it describes his death.

10. Joshua. This book bears the name of the successor of Moses. God appointed Joshua to lead the Israelites into Canaan: it relates the wars

of the Israelites with the inhabitants of the and of which they were to take possession; the conquest of the country and the division of it among the tribes; it ends with the death of Joshua B. C. 1427, twenty-four years after that of Moses.

11. Judges, first and second books, relates the exploits of the chiefs of Israel who exercised some civil authority among the people, and carried on wars with the princes of the neighbouring countries and with the people of the land who yet remained in it. At that time grievances were laid before an assembly of the people," there was no king in Israel, and every man did what was right in his own eyes." The last date of the second book of Judges B. C. 1400.

12. Ruth is the history of an amiable and affectionate female of the tribe of Judah, from whom was descended David, one of the kings of Israel.

13. Samuel two books. Samuel was of the tribe of Levi, and was devoted to the services of religion from his birth. He was the first person mentioned as a prophet or seer in the Old Testa ment. He judged Israel all his days. The first book of Samuel describes the appointment of Saul to be king, B. C. 1095; it relates the wars of the Israelites with the Philistines; the anointing of David as Saul's successor; the achievements of David against the enemies of Israel, and concludes with the death of Saul, B. C. 1056.

14. Samuel, second book, commences with the reign of David. "David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over the tribe of Judah seven years and six months; and in Jeru salem he reigned thirty and three years over all

Israel and Judah." Samuel describes David's wars and his government to B. C. 1027.

15. Kings-two books. The first book of the Kings continue the reign of David to his death B. Č. 1015; records the events of the forty years of Solomon who succeeded his father David, and who died B. C. 940; and the division of the twelve tribes into two separate kingdoms. One of these kingdoms included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and was called the kingdom of Judah; and the other kingdom, including the other tribes, was called Israel. The first book of Kings brings the history of these kingdoms to B. C. 897, and relates the actions of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

16. Kings, second book, continues the history of these kingdoms. Israel was conquered by the king of Assyria B. C. 721; Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon conquered Judah B. C. 588.This event forms the conclusion of the second book of Kings.

17. Chronicles-two books. Like the Kings, these books are a register of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. The first book contains genealogies of the tribes, and the second terminates at the date B. C. 588.

18 Ezra and Nehemiah describe what happened to the Jews on the return of a small portion of them, about fifty thousand, B. C. 536 to their city of Jerusalem, after their whole people had been captives in Babylon. Nehemiah's book ends at the date B. C. 434. Nehemiah ends the scripture narrative of Jewish History.