them the land of Canaan for their own. And he charged them not to bury him in Egypt, but in the land of Canaan, because that was the land which God had promised to his family for ever. And, after many years, Joseph died, and so did his brethren; but they left many children, and these grew and increased exceedingly, and became a great nation, and they were called the children of Israel, or Israelites; and they continued in Egypt many years. And there came a bad king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph, nor fear God. And when he saw that the children of Israel were increased to such a number, he said, "This people will be more, and mightier than we, and they will get our country from us. So he used the Israelites very ill, and made them work hard all day long, and set task-masters over them, who beat them if they did not do their tasks. And he said to his people, "When the Israelites have any male children, you shall take them and throw them into the river, but you shall save the girls alive" and they did so. And the Israelites were in great affliction and trouble; but God remembered his promises which he had made to Abraham: and you will hear how they were saved, and brought out of Egypt. Questions to be asked, after the child has read the Lesson. Q. Did Israel die in the land of Egypt? A. Yes; when he was a very old Q. Where did he tell his sons to bury him? A. In the land of Canaan. Q. Did he tell them that God would, one day, bring them back into the land of Canaan? A. Yes; and that he would give it them for their own. Q. What were Jacob's children called? A. Israelites. Q. Did they increase very fast? Q. What was Pharaoh king of gypt afraid of?. A. That they would get his kingdom from him. Q. What did he do to them? Q. What did he do to their male children? A. Made them to be thrown into the river. Q. Was this the same king Pharaoh that had been so kind to Joseph ? A. No; it was another king, who was a very bad man. Q. Who saw all his wickedness? Q. Did God see the trouble of the Israelites ? A. Yes. Q. Did he remember his promise, and save them? A. Yes. Q. What was his promise? A. To bring them safe into the land of Canaan. Q. What else? A. To make of them a great nation. (To be continued.) THE RATTLE-SNAKE. MANY snakes are quite harmless. Most of those which we have in England are so. The viper is venomous. The poison of a serpent is contained in a long hollow tooth, or fang. The animal bites with this tooth, and throws his venom, at the same time, into the wound. The rattle-snake is a dangerous creature, happily, however, for us, he is not found in En. gland. The poison which is containd in his fangs is of a very deadly na ture, often producing the speedy death of the person bitten. Providence has, however, wisely contrived that we shall have notice of being near this animal, by a particular noise which it makes with a sort of rattle at the end of its tail; this rattle is composed of several hard pieces, or scales, one over another, which the creature shakes together, and thus produces its peculiar rattling noise. ANIMALS. IT is curious to see the different methods which birds and other animals have of protecting themselves. Many of them employ a sort of watch, to give them notice when danger is at hand. The Field-fares, which breed in Norway, and come hither in the cold season, for winter-berries, appear to keep a regular kind of watch. When a number of them are sitting on a tree, there seems to be one at the end of a brauch, whose business it is to look Fout. When he sees danger, he raises |
