make provision for the people sufficient to sustain them for three days, and then they were to cross over the river Jordan, which alone divided them from the land of Canaan.

Ellen. How did they get over Mamma?

the river,

Mamma. Not without a remarkable instance of Almighty power, exerted in their behalf. For there was no bridge across the river, and they had no boats to take them. So that God again caused the waters to divide as he had formerly done at the Red Sea; and as soon as the priests which bore the Ark touched the edge of the water, it divided, and a path was made on dry ground for the passage of the people.

Ellen. What was the Ark, Mamma ?

Mamma. The ark was the tabernacle; that is, the place where the Israelites worshipped, as we worship in churches. This was always to be carried with them from place to place, wherever they went.

Ellen. Did the Israelites take possession of the land of Canaan, directly they passed over Jordan, Mamma?

Mamma. They were first directed to send two men on before the people to spy out the land,

and to bring back word what sort of a place was the town of Jericho, which was the first town of which they were to take possession.

Ellen. What sort of people were the inhabitants of Jericho, Mamma?

Mamma. They were a very wicked race of persons, and did not believe in God; and, in consequence, God had determined to destroy them. But there was one woman in the city, named Rahab, who feared the name of God, and who received into her house the two men who had been sent as spies to the city, and who took care that no harm should happen to them. Therefore, to reward her, God permitted that her life and the lives of all her family should be spared. And accordingly there was an agreement made between her and the men, that when the people of Israel should come into the city, they should look for a scarlet thread, which was to be hung in her window; and when they saw this thread, no harm should happen to any of the people in the house.

Ellen. Why was a scarlet thread to be put in the window, Mamma?

Mamma. Because, without this, the people of Israel would not have known the house of Rahab

S

from that of any other of the inhabitants of Jericho. Having agreed upon this with Rahab, the men returned to Joshua, to report in what state they had found the city.

Ellen. Did they go and take the city then, Mamma?

Mamma. Joshua sent them up to take the city; but God was not willing that the people should obtain possession of it by their own exertions, lest they should be proud and vain of their deeds. He told them to walk seven times round the city walls, at the same time blowing the trumpets; and at the seventh time of their walking round, God caused the walls of the city to fall down, and all the people therein fell into the hands of the Israelites.

Ellen. What became of the inhabitants, Mamma? Mamma. They were all so wicked, that God ordered them to be destroyed; all excepting Rahab and her family, who had received a promise from the Israelites that their lives should be spared.

Ellen. Were all the Israelites to live in Jericho, Mamma?

Mamma. No-there were many other cities, and villages, and portions of land to be divided

amongst them; and these were distributed by lot to each of the tribes or families, according as God directed, and as Jacob their forefather had foretold should take place. The book of Joshua in the Bible contains an account of all these things, and a very interesting and amusing relation you will find it, when you come to read the Bible regularly through, as I hope you will do many times in the course of your life. At present it will be sufficient for you to be told that the land of Canaan was divided amongst the children of Israel, without entering into the several parts to be possessed by the several families amongst them.

Ellen. Did Joshua live long, Mamma, after the people had taken possession of the land? Mamma. He lived to the age of a hundred and ten years. And during his life time the children of Israel were obedient to his commands, and served the Lord their God with steady uprightness. Before his death, Joshua took great care to instruct the people in their duty, and to warn them of the danger of forsaking it; and having done this, he died, and was doubtless taken to heaven, to be rewarded for the faithfulness with which he had served God on earth.

DIALOGUE VIII,

JUDGES-SAMUEL,

Ellen. Who governed the people after the death of Joshua, Mamma?

Mamma. There were persons set over them, called Judges, and a great many of these persons followed one after the other in directing the people. The next book to Joshua, in the Bible, is called Judges, because it gives an account of all the Judges who ruled over Israel. Of some of them there is not a great deal said, but there were a few very remarkable persons amongst them; and of these none is more interesting than Samuel, whose history, which I will relate to you, is given in a book called by his name,

Ellen. There is a picture in the Bible, Mamma, with Samuel in it, is there not?

Mamma. Samuel was then a little boy; though, little and young as he was, he was even then old enough and big enough to serve his God in the house of prayer. A great part of the book of Samuel is supposed to have been written by him.