gold into his hand, and bidding him beware how he opposed the servants of God again, sent him away in stupid bewilderment.

As the storm raged with unabated violence it became necessary to look out for shelter. Their search in the pitchy darkness, for the last gleam of daylight had now died away, seemed likely to prove fruitless; but by the time, the pitiless rain had thoroughly drenched them, a glimmering became visible in the distance, which they found, on making towards it, came through the chinks in the door of a poor hut. They knocked and asked for shelter, which was readily granted by the old woman who lived there alone. She showed them all the hospitality her scanty store permitted, and when they told her their names and errand, held up her aged hands in thankfulness, and prayed God to bring His Israel home, to worship in the holy place once more. From her simple story the friends gathered that she was the last of a little band of true worshippers, who, in that neighbourhood, used to keep alive their faith in Jehovah, by "speaking often to one another," and who had, for the most part, descended from the holy "remnant," the 7000 that had not bowed their knees to Baal in the days of Ahab, Jezebel, and Elijah. The next day Azriel and Benaiah went on their way under a serene sky, and in four days more reached Jerusalem.

The Passover, that was held soon afterwards, passed away much as the Passovers usually did, much as Christmas does with us; that is, there was a good deal of feasting, visiting, and jollity, but also some solemn

ity, devoutness, and thankfulness. We shall see something of its higher aspect, if we look into the house of Hananiah during the days of the festival.

On the 10th of Nisan the old general visited his flock, and having carefully examined all the lambs a year old, found at last one without blemish, which he separated from the others, putting it in a kind of pen apart. On the 14th all leavened bread was scrupulously removed from his house, and the lamb slain before the altar, at the foot of which its blood was duly sprinkled by the priest. The lamb was then roasted, or rather baked, in an oven of stone that had been previously heated, and was brought to the table with a salad of bitter herbs. There were present sixteen people; the families of Hananiah and Elkanah, Benaiah and his mother, with their servants, among whom was Carmi with his wife and children. As the supper proceeded several cups of wine were passed round to the guests, and hymns of praise sung. The later Hebrews, on such occasions, chanted Psalms cxv.-cxviii., but at the table of Hananiah, with greater propriety, all lifted up their voices in the mighty words of Moses' hymn of victory, while Azriel played upon the lyre or kinnor, and Benaiah on a triangular harp, called the nebel. A pause then followed, during which, as instructed no doubt by his mother, Carmi's youngest child asked the meaning of "this service," whereupon Elkanah, in eloquent language and with ardent enthusiasm, described the sufferings of Israel and the cruelties of their oppressors, the day of vengeance and deliverance drawing near, the Egyptians abandoned to destruction, while

the sprinkled blood warned the destroying angel from the doors of God's people, the peaceful security within, the frantic terror without.

On the 16th of Nisan, a sheaf of the wheat harvest, now fast ripening, was presented to the Lord, in acknowledgment of His sovereignty and gracious providence. From this day greater laxity was permitted, and Azriel mingled much with the people who had come out of the various tribes of Israel, among whom he met with holy delight the youth who had insulted him so grossly, but upon whom, as it proved, his words and conduct had made a deep impression, and who had not only himself journeyed to Jerusalem, but had induced others to accompany him. He also fell in with the true old Hebrewess, who had sheltered himself and Benaiah on that stormy night, and repaid her kindness by providing for her a home in Jerusalem, where she passed her few remaining days, close to the courts of the Temple of her God.

On the 21st of the same month there was a great assembly of the people, which concluded the high festival. The strangers then returned again to their home and their labours, but all were better for those few days of holiday religion; cares had been forgotten, pious feeling excited, animosities laid aside, a sense of nationality deepened, and a few nobler and more devout spirits brought into closer communion with their fathers' God.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE COUNCIL.

SOME eight months had passed away since the events recorded in the last chapter, and winter had set in with unusual severity, that is, there had been heavy falls of rain, succeeded by days and nights so cold that snow not only fell, but even remained unmelted on the housetops from morning to evening; the gloom of the season thus strangely according with the sad forebodings of the faithful few, who thought with equal disquiet upon Judah and Assyria. Among these true Israelites was, of course, the King himself, whose apprehensions had now taken a more definite form in consequence of the following letter which he had just received from a Tyrian merchant.

"To Hezekiah, King of Judah, Abedbaal of Tyre, his servant, sends greeting.

"Let the King live for ever!

"Thy servant, my Lord the King, has been to Nineveh, and has learned the purposes of the king of Assyria. Sennacherib has returned from the north country, having subdued all his enemies, with much

spoil of men and cattle, of silver and gold, and now sets his face against Judah, saying, Why doth Hezekiah withhold the tribute he paid to my father? Also he thinks to come to Judah, and to encamp there as soon as the rains are over, and prepares him great store of darts, spears, and shields for the war. Nay, he has even commanded the painters to stay their hands on the walls of his palace, that place may be left for depicting his exploits in thy land. These things thy servant has learned, and at the peril of his life sends to thee. Peace be with thee."

There was, then, no time to be lost; so the very next day the King summoned the magnates of Judah to his palace, that he might confer with them as to this disastrous intelligence. The assembly met at the appointed time in the great hall of the house of the forest of Lebanon, an edifice built by Solomon, and so called from the number of cedar pillars that adorned it. The apartment in question was a spacious room, 150 feet long, having a wide central aisle, and on either side a double row of columns of the precious wood that the servants of Hiram had cut down from the sides of the mountain, and transported by sea to Joppa, just 300 years ago. But the splendour of David's magnificent son had passed away; the stones and wood were the same, but the freshness and richness had gone, the gilding and colouring had faded, and the On the present occawhole told of wear and decay. sion the throne occupied by the King stood in the centre, while the nobles reclined on couches, ranged