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Benjamite, who escaped, arrived first at the city of Shiloh. His clothes rent, and earth upon his head, expressive emblems in those days of excessive sorrow, declared the fatal tidings. The tumult and cries of the people soon reached the ears of poor old Eli; who, blind and decrepid, had seated himself at the gate of the city, where he might hear the earliest intelligence from the army. His two sons he had already resigned; but the capture of the "ark of God" was unexpected. Too feeble to endure so many sad disasters at once, he fell from his seat, his neck was broken by the fall, and he died, being ninety-eight years of age; forty-four of which he had been judge and priest. The wife of Phinehas, too, fell a victim to the blow: her husband slain the ark of the covenant taken-and now her excellent father-in-law dead-she survived only to exclaim, the glory is departed from Israel;" and to call a son, who was born in that sorrowful hour, by the name of Ichabod, which implies, "the glory has departed.”

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CHARLES. These infidels would not value the arkwhat did they do with it?

MRS. M. They not only knew how highly it was esteemed by their adversaries, but had themselves feared its influence: therefore, carried it as a proud trophy to the temple of their idol in Ashdod, and placed it before his image. But mark the consequence of their sacrilege. Day after day the god Dagon was found prostrate before the ark; and at length broken in pieces! The citizens of Ashdod too were visited with disease, until persuaded that it was inflicted by the God of Israel for their profanation of his dwelling, they sent the ark away from them to the city of Gath. Here, too, the same effects were produced, and the ark was in consequence carried thence to

Ekron, but universal terror preceding it, the people of Ekron refused to admit it within their borders. The princes and priests of the Philistines then held a council, and concluded to appease the God of Israel, by sending home the ark, which had now been with them seven months, Fearing, however, to approach this tremendous scourge, yet unwilling to acknowledge its agency in the evils they had suffered, they determined the question by sending off the ark in a cart without any visible guide. If the cattle which drew the cart were directed by instinct straight forward to the land of Israel-then sacrilege had been committed, and a trespass offering accordingly laid beside the sacred shrine; but if otherwise, then their suffering had been accidental. Five lords of the Philistines followed at a distance, and returned the same day to Ekron with the report, that the kine had taken the direct road to Bethshemesh, a Levitical city, on the border of Judah; and had halted in a field of wheat. This was the fact. It was harvest time, and the field was full of reapers. Many crowded from the town to behold this wonderful thing, and many indulged their curiosity by looking into the ark: these were immediately smitten to death, for their presumption. Rejoicing was now changed into lamentation, and the awe-struck spectators, desirous only to remove from them a monitor so holy, so jealous, sent off to Kirjeth-jearum, entreating the inhabitants to receive the ark. To that place, therefore, it was removed, and set up in the house of Joshua, whose són, Eleazer, was consecrated to take charge of it; and there it remained the fifty succeeding years, with but little interruption.

Meanwhile Samuel, who had succeeded to the civil administration on the death of Eli, improved all these events

to awaken Israel to a sense of their heartless superstition. The visible emblem of Jehovah, and the exterior observance of rites, he told them, would avail them nothing, without repentance and reformation: the altars of Baal and Ashteroth must be cast from them, and the God of Israel alone receive their homage. Animated and encouraged by a man whom they venerated, to set about the business in earnest, the work of destruction was soon completed, and all Israel obeyed his summons to observe a day of fasting and prayer, at Mizpeh.

Whilst the nation was assembling from all quarters, the Philistines heard of the solemn convocation, and rejoiced in the opportunity it afforded of surprising them unprepared. The experiment was made; but the Israelites, now in the exercise of faith and penitence, were fit subjects for mercy, and their deliverance was effected by a dreadful storm of thunder, which completely discomfitted their enemies. Pursued and driven into their own territory, they did not venture again to disturb the Israelites during all the remaining days of Samuel.

This interval of peace and freedom, obtained by the piety and patriotism of the prophet, was faithfully devoted to the improvement of his people. Taking an annual circuit round the country-inquiring into their condition, and hearing their causes-he instituted amongst them those seminaries, that were afterwards known by the name of Schools of the Prophets so that he was in letters, as in religion, a public benefactor.

CATHERINE. We who are so happy as to live at a time when literature, both sacred and profane, are so highly cultivated, may be able to estimate the value of such a man in a less favoured age.

MRS. M. There is not a more estimable character in the sacred records, than that of Samuel. Administering the laws with integrity, and teaching the Israelites their duties, he maintained an ascendancy over all classes of the people, and they were contented under his government, until the feebleness of old age, induced him to associate with him his two sons, in the performance of his extensive work. Joel and Abiah, like the sons of good old Eli, were degenerate men, and undermined, by their misconduct, the fair edifice their upright father had erected. Instead of imitating his probity, they took bribes of the suitors, and the people became greatly dissatisfied.

The elders of Israel, seeing the laws daily perverted, and becoming contemptible in the eyes of the nation, consulted together how the licentiousness and anarchy which they apprehended, on the death of their judge, might be averted. But the authority which his virtue had obtained, restraining them from taking any important step without his concurrence, they repaired to him, and, representing the disorders occasioned by the irregularities of his sons, entreated that he would provide for their future safety, by making them a king, whilst yet he lived.

Confiding in that gracious providence which had hitherto sustained the chosen people, Samuel was displeased with their request, yet he, nevertheless, consented to lay it before the Supreme Ruler. He did so, and returned with permission to make them a king, but he was commanded to warn them previously of the consequences of their impiety.

With a code of laws given by Jehovah himself, and governed by Him in a visible manner, they had abundant

evidence that prosperity would continue to be, as it ever had been, the reward of obedience. To remain under the institutions of His choice was their obvious duty; but in vain were they admonished that their wilful dereliction would be its own punishment; in vain were they reminded, that Jehovah was, in fact, their king-that Jehovahnot Samuel was rejected!" that the king whom they should set over them would oppress them to aggrandize himself that he would raise armies of their sons, and involve them in wars-that their free-born daughters would be his cooks, and his bakers, and his confectionaries that he would take their fields and their vineyards, even the best of them, and give them to his ser vants-that he would take the tenth of the produce of their lands for his officers---that he would take the tenth of their sheep---and their goodliest young men to do the meanest of his work---and, after all, when the cries of their servitude ascended to Heaven, no answer would be given." The reproof and the warning, and the menace, were alike unavailing." Nay, but we will have a king, like the nations," was their obstinate determination, and Samuel was accordingly commanded to take Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, and anoint him privately, and afterwards to take him, by lot, from the tribes and the families of Israel, in the presence of all the people at Mizpeh. Thus the government of Israel, which had been administered by judges for more than three centuries, was now changed into a monarchy. (B. C. 1095.)

CATHERINE. Was it no longer then a theocracy? MRS. M. It was still a theocracy, for the king had no power to make a new law, or to alter those delivered to Moses. He was but the vicegerent of the Most High, and

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