stances, mentions it as a mark of great honour, that some bones of mutton, with half the meat gnawed off them, were sent him from the table of the Emperor. Several nations do not, to this day, use knives and forks as we do.

"We read, that Abraham prepared the feast for the angels under the shade of a tree, Gen. xviii. 8. They often in the East still take their meals out of doors. The people generally dine about noon; but supper, as was the case among the Jews, is often the principal meal, Mark vi. 21. Martha and Mary invited our Lord to a supper, John xii. 2. Luke xiv. 16. The communion of the Saviour with those who love him,

Gen. xviii. 8. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Mark vi. 21. And when a convenient day was come, Herod on his birth-day made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee.

John xii. 2. There they made him a supper, and Martha served.

Luke xiv. 16. Then said he unto him, a certain man made a great supper, and bade many.

Repeat a verse from Genesis. Where do the people in the East frequently take their meals? What is often the principal meal? Repeat verses from Mark, John, Luke, and Revelation.

is described as a supper, Rev. iii. 20. The feast of the Passover was also celebrated in the evening."

"The Jews would not eat with every one, father ?" "True; they were very particular on this subject. But how did you know this, Harry ?"

"In the sermon on Sunday morning, about the woman of Samaria, the preacher read the passage, that the Jews did not eat with the Samaritans, John iv. 9. But why would they not do so?"

"No doubt but they had some good reason. It is probable, that the Samaritans mingled some idolatrous rites with their meals, in which the worshippers of the true God could not join without offending Him. It was on this very ground that Peter objected to go and

Rev. iii. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.

John iv. 9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou being a Jew, askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

When was the feast of the Passover celebrated? Would the Jews eat with every one? Repeat a verse from John. Why would the Jews not eat with the Samaritans ?

preach the gospel to the Gentiles, Acts xi. 3-8. The Jews were accustomed to break the vessels and cast them away, which had been touched by an unclean animal; this indeed was according to the divine command, Levit. xi. 33. Dr. Clark tells us, that having been one night entertained very hospitably by a family in the East, he returned to his host the next morning, for a book which he had left the preceding evening; he found him and his family busily engaged in breaking the plates and dishes out of which his friends had eaten, and purifying other articles by passing them through water or fire. No doubt but these ceremonies were originally designed to keep the Jews at a distance from the neighboring nations, that they might not be infected with their abominable idolatries.”

Acts xi. 3. Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcized, and didst eat with them.

8. But I said, not so Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

Levit. xi. 33. And every earthen vessel whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.

Repeat a verse from Acts. What were the Jews accustomed to do? Repeat a verse from Leviticus. What does Dr. Clark tell us? For what were the Jewish ceremonies probably designed?

"Our Lord gave thanks before he broke the bread: do the Jews do so now ?"

"Yes, all of them, who have the smallest pretensions to piety. Before they come to their meals, they still wash their hands, as the Evangelists inform us they used to do. Then the master takes a loaf of bread, and as he breaks it, he says, 'Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the World, who producest bread out of the earth;' to which all present say, 'Amen!' And then the bread is distributed. The chief person then takes the vessel of wine, and says, Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the World, who hast created the fruit of the vine.' Then the twentythird Psalm is repeated. At the close of the meal, the master fills a glass of wine, and takes a piece of bread, which has been laid by for the purpose, and says, 'Let us bless Him, of whose benefits we have partaken.' The guests reply, 'Blessed be He who hath heaped favours on us, and has now fed us on His goodness.' The head of the family then prays God to restore Jerusalem, the Temple, and the throne of David to

What do the Jews do before their meals? breaks the loaf of bread? What when he What does the

What does the master say as he takes the vessel of wine? What master do at the close of the meal? What reply do the guests make? What prayer does the head of the family make?

psalm is then repeated?

their former glory, and especially to send the Messiah to raise them from their low and degraded condition. To which the whole company add their Amen; and they finish the ceremony by repeating the ninth and tenth verses of the thirty-fourth Psalm."

PRESENTS.

HARRY, you may now show me the presents which your uncle was so kind as to send you. I had not leisure to notice them when they came, last evening. "Well,―a Bible! And a most beautiful edition of it too. I hope, my dear boy, you will read it with care, and value it for the giver's sake, but more especially for its own worth. That is, as Young says,

A page, where triumphs immortality !'"'

"Uncle William has written a verse in the blank leaf."

"So he has; I did not observe it. What is it ?”

How is the ceremony concluded? What does Young say of the Bible? Re

peat a verse of Cowper's.