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Mothers and Daughters of the Bible.

SARAH.

BY THE EDITOR.

Of all periods since the flood, the least known is that of the dispersion from Babel. From the fall of Nimrod to the call of Abraham, the sacred books afford us no glimpse through the darkness that wraps the cradle of idolatry, save where dimly shines the lamp of patriarchal succession in the line of Shem. In that dark age the princely Sarah became the spouse of her half-brother Abram, the tenth in descent from Noah by the line of Shem, whose old age was passed among his posterity in the sight of the mountain. where the holy family descended from the ark. Nine generations at once are settled around him, and their swelling youth rise up to bless him whom God has honored as the patriarch of the new world. Almost a century before his departure, when idolatry had begun to obtain footing also among his race, the voice of God called Abram and his family to leave their new Gods and the land of their fathers, for another dwelling in the ends of the earth.

The sons of Cush have driven the children of Shem from the land of Assyria, or laid their remnant under tribute, and commanded them to bow down to the star of their Remphan and Merodach, as to Gods that made heaven and earth. But the mighty hunter has lost his empire with the dispersion of his profane crew, and other kings hold revel in the halls of Babel. Amraphel becomes confederate with Arioch, whose dominion is over "the children of Eden that dwell

in Thelassar," and with Tidal, the leader of many nations from Bactriana and the springs of Indus; while all are found owning as their paramount the mightier Chedorlacmer, king of Elam. The race of Shem have now risen in their might to avenge their wrongs upon the reprobate Cuthim. As timorous flocks the sons of Ham flee before them to the west, and mingle with their allies in Palestine. Over the whole north the victorious legions hover like thunder-clouds, along the shores of Abana and Pharpar, and the springs of Jordan or Leontes that roll with blood to their seas from the steeps of Lebanon or Hermon. The smoke of a hundred cities marks the path of the avengers. The reedy fields by Merom's waters around Leshem or Hazor, grow red with slaughter, and the fish of Genesareth are made fat with the flesh of heroes.

Esdraelon groans next with heaps of slain, and ancient Kishon runs purple to the sea. The hawks of heaven rejoice with the abundance of spoil, and scream over myriads of slain. Scarcely within their Cyclopean walls escape the Tyrians, and the Philistines by the sea-shore; and the conquerors turn all their force towards the valley of the Jordan and the Dead Sea. Along the foot of Carmel or Engaddi they assemble their forces to drink bloody water flowing warm from purple rocks walled up to the clouds. The cities of the plain along the southern verge of Asphaltis are deemed an easy prey by the rude and stalwart Orientals, and in the vale of Siddim they pitch their covered camps. The vicious and effeminate inhabitants fly to arms in vain under their five kings, and are overwhelmed by the first assault of heroes trained to war upon other terms than "pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness." Twelve years of enthralment and tribute next afford them proof how bitter is the state of that nation which has discovered too late the loss of its liberties.

But these are years of sorrow to the mother of a great nation. Life soon passes, and the young race crowd the victims of inexorable Time towards the tomb, contemptuous of their grey hairs and palsied limbs, and holding with scorn