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ter-in-law did not survive the painful intelligence; the loss of a father or of a husband may be alleviated by the

birth of a son, but what shall compensate for the loss of the ark, or rather of the Divine presence, which it symbolized. That was a gloomy day for Israel; the glory was departed, the ark of God was now, for the first time, fallen into the hands of the enemy.

The triumph of the Philistines was soon done away. They had defeated the Hebrews, but they had not defeated the God of the Hebrews. An invisible power showed them their folly in worshipping idols. Dagon fell before the ark, even as the kingdom of Satan must fall before the kingdom of Christ. The fishy stump of the idol remained, even as the remains of evil in the heart of the Christian remind him of the state in which he once was, and tell the danger of again setting up an idol in his heart. The carrying about the ark might be intended at first as a procession to celebrate their victory, but it was made the means of showing the weakness of the Philistines; the sufferings inflicted

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THE ARK RESTORED.

[B. C.

on their bodies, and the destruction of their property, made its approach an object of dread. The manner in which the Philistines were compelled to restore the ark, without the intervention of human force, and the unwillingness with which these idolaters yielded to the conviction of the power of Jehovah, are very instructive; while their futile attempts to present bits of gold as a trespass offering, showed at once their ignorance of the Divine requirements, and their anxiety to provide some remedy of their own. Such votive offerings of models in silver or gold, either of parts of the body which have been afflicted, or of the objects which have been rescued or endangered, have been usual among the heathens in all ages. They may now be seen in the idol temples; and not unfrequently in the churches where popery prevails, being one of the points of similarity between the practices of Romanists and those of heathens.

We read, also, that golden images of mice were sent back with the ark this shows that the Philistines had not only been plagued with bodily diseases, but that their property had been destroyed by swarms of a little animal, insignificant in itself, but very destructive when Divine providence employs it as an instrument of chastisement. Frogs were such in Egypt, and mice in Philistia. History also records other times when mice have been caused to abound in such numbers, as to lay waste the fields of Syria and Palestine. This was the case so late as the beginning of the twelfth century, when a council of ecclesiastics was held at Naplous, formerly Shechem, especially to pray for the removal of this judgment, which had devastated the land. We read in ancient history, also, that the plague of field mice once was so great in one of the districts of Italy, as to oblige the inhabitants to leave their abodes.

The ark was drawn by two kine, unaccustomed to the yoke, whose calves were shut up at home; but though unguided by man, they were urged forward by

1141.] THE MEN OF BETH-SHEMESH SMITTEN.

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an impulse they could not resist, thus showing the direction of an all-controlling Power. How great the surprise when the Hebrew reapers in the valley of Beth-shemesh beheld a procession appear on the neighbouring height, the attendants halting, while a cattle-drawn car, unguided and alone, proceeded down the steep descent! How loud, and how general the exclamations of joy, when the cry of "The ark!" The ark of God!" was heard. The car draws nearer, till entering a plot of ground by the road side, it stops. How gladly the reapers throw down their sickles, and crowd around. The Levites pressed foremost, and lifting the ark from the car, clave the wood of the carriage, and raising a pile on a large stone, near which the kine had stayed their course, offered the cattle in sacrifice to Jehovah. The lords of the Philistines who had followed the ark returned home convinced, but not changed.

An instructive warning is next recorded. The men of Beth-shemesh, desirous to pry into forbidden mysteries, looked into the ark: this was an offence; it was contrary to the word of Him, of whose presence the ark was a symbol. Eleven hundred and seventy of their number were smitten for their profane curiosity. Such is the original, when reckoned according to the eastern manner of notation, or, as Josephus relates, seventy died. The survivors were struck with fear, but instead of humbling themselves for the error which had been committed, they sought to have the ark removed. They sent to the men of Kirjathjearim to fetch the precious symbol of the Divine presence. How often do we see sinners, in like manner, endeavouring to thrust away their convictions, instead of profiting by the Divine correction, and ceasing from what is displeasing in the sight of God!

SAMUEL-REFORM IN ISRAEL-INVASION BY THE AMMONITES-THE PEOPLE DESIRE A KING-APPOINTMENT OF SAUL TO THE KINGLY OFFICE-SAMUEL CONTINUES TO JUDGE ISRAEL.

THE men of Kirjath-jearim gladly took charge of the ark, and found that blessings were the result of their attention to it. There it remained twenty years, before Israel was stirred up thoroughly to seek the Lord; it was left there for a farther period afterwards. During these twenty years, Samuel appears to have laboured incessantly to bring the people to a right sense of duty. He was earnest in prayer; the psalmist especially points him out as such, Psa. xcix. 6, together with Moses and Aaron, adding, They called upon the

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Lord, and he answered them." The account is short, but it implies that the revival, when brought about, was one of the most complete recorded in Jewish history. All Israel assembled at Mizpeh, and there held a day of humiliation before the Lord. Water was poured forth with solemnity, as emblematical of repentance and sorrow for sin. This was and still is a ceremony used in the east, in confirmation of solemn vows; it showed that the promises were made without reserve, and were as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up. On this occasion the Hebrews appear to have publicly acknowledged Samuel as their leader and judge, but he doubtless had been the person looked up to among them from the time of Eli's death.

We are taught, from sacred history, that

Satan trembles when he sees

The weakest saint upon his knees;

the sight of a whole nation turning, as with one heart and soul, to seek the Lord, would excite the prince of evil to a desperate effort to preserve his empire. Accordingly we read that the Philistines went up to attack the assembled Israelites. The latter now had learned what was the weapon for them to use, before they had recourse to those of human warfare. It is beautifully described by Bunyan as the weapon, "All-prayer," which has often been found to avail when other arms prove of little use. The Lord heard and answered the supplications presented by Samuel. The Philistines were defeated by the elements, and then pursued by Israel. In commemoration of this victory, Samuel set up a stone, and called the memorial Eben-ezer; or, "The stone of help;" saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

National prosperity returned with the increase of national piety. The Philistines, though not subdued, were restrained from troubling Israel, and Samuel conducted the government in peace. He resided at