sand labourers, the subjects of the two kings, were employed in this immense work, all of whom were provisioned by Solomon. Another numerous party quarried, squared, and polished the stones for the walls, which were so exquisitely finished, that no hammer, or tool of iron, should be heard in the erection of the building.

All things being prepared, the foundation of the temple was laid in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon, and the four hundred and eighth year after the exodus from Egypt.

CHARLES. Was it placed in the city of Jerusalem?

MRS. M. It was within the city, on that consecrated eminence where the patriarch Abram had prepared to offer up his son Isaac, eight hundred years before. It was called indifferently Mount Moriah, or Mount Zion.

In seven years the temple of Solomon was finished, and stood an edifice of stupendous magnificence. The tabernacle of the sanctuary was the model of its construction. It was superbly adorned with precious stones, with sculptured wood, and silver and gold; the immense weight of the latter, which is said to have been expended on every part of the house, is almost incredible. With its lofty porticoes, its courts and its offices for the accommodation of the worshippers, the Levites, the guards, and other inferior offices, it covered half a mile in circumference.*

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When this wonderful assemblage of beauty and splendour was completed, the solemn dedication of it followed,

* The Levites, in number 38,000, were divided into twenty-four classes, each class serving a week in rotation; whilst they were upon duty they were lodged in the templc. For a particular description of the temple, see Prideaux's Connection of the Old and New Testaments, vol. I. Book 3.

and perhaps the human eye never beheld a grander spectacle. In the midst of a multitude of people besides the princes, the elders, and chiefs of all Israel, the Priests brought in the Ark of the covenant, and deposited it in the Holy of Holies, whilst the Levites, arrayed in white linen garments, stood beside the altar, and one hundred and twenty priests sounded their trumpets in unison with a full chorus of cymbals, of psalteries, of harps, and vocal performers, singing praises and thanksgiving to the Lord." For he is good-for his mercy endureth for ever." At this impressive moment, the cloud descended to the mercy seat, and filled the court with such resplendent light, that the priests were compelled to retire. Yet the grand exhibition was not finished, the pious prince himself now ascended a brazen scaffold, which he had ordered for this purpose, and spreading forth his hands to heaven, whilst he knelt in the midst of his people, he poured out the devotion and gratitude of his soul-beseeching the Omnipotent to accept the offering he was making, and answer the supplication which should ascend from the holy walls of his dwelling. There cannot be a nobler piece of composition than this fine dedicatory prayer of Solomon. When he ceased speaking, fire descended from heaven on the altar, where the sacrifices had been previously prepared, as it had done when the first offerings were made in the sanctuary, and the splendour of divine glory illumined the whole temple! The astonished people, overpowered by awe, prostrated themselves on the earth repeating in deep reverence," for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever!" Yet another demonstration of Divine favour was bestowed upon the king of Israel. When the sacrifices and feasts of the dedication, which lasted fourteen days, and seem to have been attended

by a great proportion of the whole nation, were concluded the God of Abraham again appeared by night to him, and graciously declared his acceptance of the prayers that should arise from the dwelling he had chosen, even in the days of calamity, which the sins of his people might thereafter bring upon this land, their penitent supplications from that hallowed place should turn away his just wrath, and procure them relief!

This whole account of the building and dedication of the temple is remarkably beautiful, and perhaps the eloquence of Solomon's prayer is not surpassed by any portion of scripture. A young monarch, surrounded by all the magnificence of the East, and by hundreds and thousands of his admiring subjects, himself assuming the office of the priest, kneeling in humble adoration before the Majesty of heaven, is a most interesting spectacle, and peculiarly fitted to make us feel the insignificance of man! Nor can I omit the opportunity it offers, particularly to remark the prophetic sentence which concludes the gracious answer it obtained, because its wonderful fulfilmeht even to the very letter, is an everlasting testimony to the truth of the narrative. "But if," said the Lord, "ye turn away and forsake my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them: and this house which I have sanctified for my name will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a bye-word among all nations. And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it, so that he shall say, why hath the Lord done thus ?' and it shall be answered; Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers which brought them

forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshipped them, therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them!"

FANNY. Solomon himself at least, it might be hoped, would not apostatise in the face of this awful warning.

MRS. M. Indeed, my dear, it is humiliating to human nature to confess that he did-his whole reign was the reign of peace and prosperity-and prosperity corrupted his excellent heart! Respected, feared, and caressed by his subjects, his allies, and his neighbours, he became powerful beyond all other potentates upon the earth. Jerusalem was adorned with stately palaces for himself, and for his queen; his throne was of ivory and pure gold, and all the furniture of his table was of gold. In his armoury were two hundred targets and three hundred shields of beaten gold. Presents of immense value poured in from the neighbouring kings, and his merchant ships supplied him with all the spices of Arabia, and the wealth of the East. Not distracted, like his father, by wars, he had leisure to strengthen his empire. Going in person to Elath and Ezion-geber, he fortified those ports, and built a navy: by which judicious measures, the trade from the Red Sea became so profitable, that the abundance of gold in Jerusalem reduced the comparative value of silver to little acount in his glorious days. The queen of Sheba, also, came herself with a great train, not only to bring her presents of precious metals to do homage to the celebrated Solomon, but to behold the magnificence, and to listen to the wisdom that were now blazoned through the world. Happy," cried she when she had seen all these things, and felt herself humbled in his presence" Happy are

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thy servants who stand continually before thee."

"It was

a true report which I heard in mine own land, yet I believed not the words; behold the half was not told me, thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard!"

Solomon was, nevertheless, for the greater part of his reign, a reighteous king, and a strict observer of the laws and statutes of Moses. But, towards the close of his life, perverted by his alliances with the heathens, he married their daughters, and became the victim of their arts. For them he dishonoured his high character, by erecting altars to their deities, and burning incense in their temples.

These flagrant defections could not go unnoticed in a nation the peculiar care of the Deity, whose extraordinary providence was ever perceived in sensible manifestations of his approbation on their national virtue, and sensible punishment on their apostacy. Accordingly the old enemies of Israel, the Edomites and the Syrians, became troublesome in the latter years of Solomon. But, in his own house, the most formidable enemy arose in Jeroboam, a man of considerable note amongst his subjects, and whose conspicious abilities had obtained him a post of honour under the government.

A prophet, named Abijah, who is now first mentioned, was sent privately to Jeroboam, to inform him, in the symbolical manner of the ancieuts, by rending his mantle into twelve pieces, and putting ten into the hand of the latter that thus should the kingdom be rent for the sin of Solomon; ten parts should be given to Jeroboam, whilst two should remain, for the sake of Jerusalem, the seat of the temple, and for the sake of David, his father, with the house of Solomon. By what means this sentence was re