that he made him reside with him in his own room. This continual intercourse soon ripened into warm affection. The friends of Mr. Hales now perceived the highest advantages and honours of the university lay open to him. A fellowship of Trinity was then, as now, and it is to be hoped ever will be, an office of high distinction. The examination (public) extended over the whole circle of classics and science. Mr. Hales commenced preparation for it while an under-graduate, and continued to distinguish himself until he became B.A., A.D., 1768. A fellowship became vacant. He determined to undergo the formidable ordeal. At the close of the examination, which lasted several days, he was declared the successful candidate. He was then in his twenty-second year. Mr. Hales now became a college tutor. His lectures were attended by large classes of students, who came from all parts of the country to enter under his tuition. His appearance was so youthful, that several hesitated to place their sons under his care. His friends advised him to wear a white wig, such as was worn by the clergy and members of the learned professions: this had the desired effect, for it is amazing what a white wig will effect. In 1774, his pupils were nearly twice as numerous as those of any other tutor. His attention was devoted, not only to the temporal, but the eternal interests of those confided to his care: he watched over them with the solicitude of a parent. His pupils were greatly attached to him. He was a great advocate for early rising if he found them late in bed, he used to administer to them a "cold pig," namely, a copious sprinkling of cold water. He gave regular scriptural instructions, and every Sunday evening explained fully the truths and blessings of the gospel. In due time he was ordained deacon and priest. In 1778, Mr. Hales published his "Sonorum Doctrina," designed to explain and vindicate Sir Isaac Newton's theory of sounds, and confirm it by the experiments of recent philosophers. This was followed, in 1782, by a dissertation, "De Motibus Planetarum," and in 1784, by "Analysis Equationum;" on the publication of which he was highly complimented by the celebrated La Grange, who wrote to him from Berlin. He was now in the full career of life; his reputation extending daily, and his society cultivated by men of the first distinction. The university, to mark their sense of his high character in a way most gratifying to his feelings, without solicitation or expense, conferred the degree of D.D. on his father. Dublin was now the resort of numerous nobility and gentry; and at his rooms were often assembled the most remarkable characters in politics and literature. Here, and at his old tutor's, were frequently to be seen the earl of Shannon; Dr. Newcome, bishop of Waterford, afterwards primate; Dr. Woodward, rector of St. Werburgh's, afterwards bishop of Cloyne; and other noblemen and gentlemen of distinction. He was zealous, we have seen, in cultivating religious knowledge in his pupils; but, though well informed on theological subjects, he had not yet had the opportunity of devoting himself much to them. The duties of his office as tutor rendered it incumbent on him, much to his disadvantage, to spend a considerable part of his time in the study of science and of classical literature. His thoughts, it would appear, were more particularly directed to theology whilst hearing the conversation of Dr. Priestly, and other Socinians, while he was at Trinity. Their doubts respecting the doctrines of the church, made him resolve to devote more time to the study of the scriptures and he frequently used to express with thankfulness the conviction resulting from this determination. The difficulties of sacred chronology peculiarly fixed his attention; and in his endeavours to unravel these he found so much improvement and : interest as induced him to design his work on chronology, which occupied so much of his life. He resigned his fellowship and professorship of oriental languages in 1788; and accepted the rectory of Killesandra, in Cavan, that he might have more leisure for this. His activity in the sacred office was unwearied; and he joined with this, manners so amiable that he equally pleased the gentry and the lower orders. In summer he entertained the respectable tradesmen of the town on Sunday evenings. With the members of his flock he went to church, while those who were of different religious opinions took a walk; but all returned to tea. He entered a great deal into society of all classes, as desirous of making himself agreeable and useful to the trades-people as the gentry: he would occasionally dine with respectable shopkeepers, and had their sons as pupils. Utterly free from pedantry and from that university rust which often renders an excellent college tutor a most inefficient parochial minister, he would enter with facility on the most trivial matters, and listen with patience to the grievances of others, however tiresome. This proceeded partly from his benevolence, and partly from a wish to create such feelings of good will as would facilitate his religious instruction. His manner of performing the church service was most impressive. A relative of his said, "he read the lessons and church service in a manner which some at least who have heard will never forget. His voice and manner, the justness of his emphasis, resulting from a deep acquaintance with holy writ, and the elevated expression of his fine countenance, were peculiarly striking. I have never heard any one read the communion service like him." Shortly before accepting the living of Killesandra, a controversy occurred between Dr. Woodward, bishop of Cloyne, and Dr. Butler, titular archbishop, Mr. O'Leary, &c.; in which Dr. Hales distinguished himself by "Observations on the political influence of the doctrine of the Pope's Supremacy," published in 1787 and 1788. In 1789, when at Cork, he was seized with a violent fever, which for some time interrupted his course of usefulness. His physicians were accused of treating him injudiciously, especially by administering too much laudanum. He returned to Killesandra, against their advice, but he was exceedingly enervated. A deep depression which hung on his spirits was in some degree removed by an excursion to England; but on his return he was utterly unable to resume his literary exertions. This deprivation he bore without complaint. His habitual devotion supported him under what seemed, to him, a loss of his intellectual powers. In 1791 he married Mary, second daughter of archdeacon Whitty, an amiable and religious woman, with whom he lived happily for many years. Some time after his marriage he was relieved in a remarkable manner. Having read of a great author who, in a fever, had taken laudanum, on which fire had flashed from his eyes (which had occurred to himself), and that he had recovered his health by perseverance in great exercise, he determined to try the experiment, and walked every day in his garden with such rapidity and exertion, that he was frequently obliged to change his clothes from heat. One day during his walk, a sudden and great discharge of clear water ran from his nose, and he instantly felt as if a great weight were removed from his brain. He was hardly able to get into the house, where it was some time before he could compose his feelings of joy. From that time he felt his mental faculties almost clearer than ever. He mentioned the circumstance to many physicians, who said that his disorder apparently had been water on the brain, but they had never known a similar instance of recovery. He was now enabled to resume his literary labours. The French revolution was shedding its baleful influence | promise, that "a cup of cold water given in his name to a disciple should in no wise lose its reward," gave him the greatest comfort. His wife was in a remote part of the kingdom on account of her health, but his sister and niece, who loved him much, came immediately from Dublin to attend him. He was composed and happy, and his mind raised beyond the concerns of this world. He frequently repeated sentences from the scriptures. While in this fever almost every person in the neighbourhood was afraid even to approach the house. But there was one who came and earnestly solicited to see him-Dr. Brodrick, bishop of Kilmore, afterwards archbishop of Cashel, his diocesan; a name which will ever be revered by those who can estimate genuine heartfelt piety, and which will be handed down to posterity as that of one devotedly but whose boundless benevolence embraced that of the whole family of man. Dr. Hales would not consent that this admirable man should incur the danger, as he thought his life too valuable to avail himself of his kindness; but the bishop would come again and find his way to the sick bedside. Dr. Hales had two sons and two daughters, whom he chiefly educated himself, and who were much in his society. He could so concentrate his mind in study, that his children played for hours in his library while he was writing his chronology. He was particularly fond of the psalms, and at one time designed a new translation of them. He made his children commit many of them to memory, hearing them repeat these as they walked in the fields, parti-anxious, not only for the spiritual welfare of Ireland, cularly on Sunday morning. His varied stores of information were drawn forth for their instruction and amusement, so as to surprise his friends by showing his acquaintance with subjects most unlikely to have engaged his attention. After a day spent in the deepest and most abstruse studies, he roused from his evening nap to play the favourite game of "wild horses" with his children. During the long winter evenings he frequently related to them the most interesting histories of scripture. These scenes dwelt long on their minds, as well as his care to direct their thoughts to eternal subjects. His countenance would light up with animated expression, and hope full of immortality. "It is little," he used to say, "to look forward to spending a few years together here; but that we should all be united a thousand years hence, that is worth consideration; and to share the society of the angels, of the spirits of just men made perfect! Think of conversing with Abraham; of inquiring from Daniel what he had meant in some of his prophecies, which had appeared dark to our finite capacities!" "A sense," said he, " of the omnipresence of the Deity is one of the first ideas I endeavoured to impress on the minds of my children, and it is astonishing how soon it may be conveyed." The political horizon meanwhile grew black with clouds, and the insurrection organised in Ireland, broke out in 1798. The French troops had landed at Killala, taken prisoner the bishop, Dr. Stock, and were expected to pass through Killesandra on their route to Dublin. Dr. Hales sent his family to a place of safety, but remained himself to encourage the inhabitants. He applied to government for troops, when a neighbouring peer refused to do so, and procured such a force as tranquillized the neighbourhood. In 1801, Dr. Hales was attacked by an alarming illness. He was riding to dine with lord Farnham, when he saw a miserable shed on the road side, and learned that it contained a poor beggar-woman, a stranger, lying under a violent fever, whom no one would approach. He immediately alighted and went in, and found the poor wanderer sensible, but suffering intensely from cold and thirst. He procured some drink for her, and also a blanket and some straw, and hired one of the neighbours to attend her. He then prayed at her bedside, and endeavoured to impart instruction and consolation. The following morning, as he returned home, he visited her, and, commending her to the protection of God, departed, intending to see her daily. Before he reached home he felt that he had caught the infection, and said that "from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot there was no whole part in him." His physicians prononnced it malignant yellow fever. His life was in great danger, but by God's blessing the strength of his constitution triumphed, and the tranquil calmness of his mind aided materially in his recovery. He retained his senses, and said that the Dr. Hales recovered rapidly from this fever. It left, however, a deep impression on his mind, and through the grace of God very materially increased the seriousness of his religious views. He often used to refer to it with devout thankfulness, as a means which God had sanctified for his soul's health. The poor woman, though unremitting attention was paid to her, fell a sacrifice to the disorder. T. OPIUM SMOKING IN CHINA. THE following is an extract from the private journal of Dr. Hill, late surgeon of the bark Sunda, which was lost on the island of Hainan in October, 1839, and whose crew were conducted to Canton, under protection of the Chinese government: "On the evening of our arrival at the city of Hainan (which is about six miles from the northern extremity of the island of the same name), one of the soldiers who formed our body guard requested permission to smoke his opium in the apartment allotted to the captain, chief-officer, and myself. To this, as we had not previously had an opportunity of properly witnessing the whole process, we cheerfully agreed. "The apparatus, which was contained in a leather bag, consisted of a small box of opium, a pipe of a peculiar construction, a lamp, and a steel bodkin about six inches in length. "The opium, which was contained in a wooden box not much larger than a lady's thimble, was a clear, dark, semi-fluid substance, resembling tar or treacle, though of rather more consistence, and prepared, so far as I could understand, from the crude drug by boiling, straining, and evaporating. "The pipe, which was made of ebony, was about eighteen inches in length, and three-quarters of an inch in diameter, and had a brass bowl near its further extremity, which was closed. In shape the bowl resembled a pear, having its upper surface smooth and flattened, with a small aperture in its centre, sufficient to admit a needle of moderate size. The use of the lamp and bodkin, which need not be described, will be seen presently. "Drawing a table with his apparatus to the side of a bamboo couch, upon which he seated himself crosslegged, after the manner of the Turks, our hero began by lighting the lamp, over which he placed a glass shade, so as to render the flame strong and steady, and prevent its smoking. He then took a small quantity of the drug (of the size of a pea) on the point of the bodkin, and held it for a few seconds in the flame of the lamp, when it swelled and took fire, emitting a head policeman, as he was called, half a dozen soldiers, four palanquin bearers, and three wheelbarrow men), there were generally to be found several opium pipes, which were made use of occasionally in the course of the day's march. Tobacco, however, was principally made use of during the day, the opium being reserved till the evening, when they would commence after supper, and smoke until they could no longer put the pipe into their mouths. As can easily be imagined, the habitual use of opium, at least as made use of by the Chinese, produces the most inju smoke of a strong, aromatic, and not unpleasant odour. Instantly blowing it out, he rolled it for a short time on the bowl of the pipe (by swiftly twirling round the bodkin between the fore-finger and thumb), and again applied it to the flame of the lamp to undergo the same process for two or three successive times. After being sufficiently burned, he next introduced the bodkin into the aperture of the bowl, twisting it gently round, so as to detach from its point the opium which was left adhering to the edges. Lastly, having made a deep expiration in order to expel the air as much as possible from his lungs, herious effects upon the constitution, still more, proput the pipe into his mouth, applied the bowl to the flame of the lamp, and took one long inspiration, by which the opium was almost entirely dissipated and converted into a dense smoke, which, after retaining in the chest for a short time, he emitted through his nostrils. The same process was repeated eight times in the course of twenty minutes, when he lay down on the couch and fell into a profound sleep, which lasted nearly three hours. On awaking, which he did of his own accord, he appeared stupid and confused, and seemingly not a little surprised at finding himself in the company of foreigners, when, recollecting himself, he burst into an immoderate fit of laughter. "In the present instance, that of a young man about 24 years of age, after the second inhalation of the drug, the eyes became full and sparkling, the face began to flush, and the pulse to increase in quickness and fulness; the breathing likewise became more frequent, and the whole system seemed considerably excited. These symptoms continued to increase until the seventh application to the opium pot (which took place about a quarter of an hour from the commencement), at which time the pulse was full and bounding, and beating at the rate of 120 in the minute. "After the next two applications, which were completed within five minutes more, though much less dexterously than the previous ones, he appeared quite stupified by the drug, and lying down on the couch, instantly fell asleep. "Being desirous of ascertaining how long he would continue in this state, we did not disturb him, although he snored most profoundly, but allowed him to awake of his own accord, which he did in about three hours afterwards. "Considerable depression seemed now to have followed the previous excitement; the eyes, though still full and projecting, being dull and heavy, and the whole countenance having a languid and stupid expression. The breathing was likewise heavy, and the pulse considerably below the natural standard, being full and labouring, and scarcely beating 60 in the minute. "The immediate effect, therefore, of the drug in the present instance, and likewise in any other which afterwards came under my observation, was that of a strong stimulant. This, however, was soon succeeded by a still more powerfully sedative effect, which takes place sooner or later, according to the habits of the individual. An old hand will frequently smoke for hours before being completely under its influence, while a beginner, as we observed in the case of our cook, will sometimes be stupified by two or three whiffs. "Amongst the Chinese, the use of opium is almost universal, at least among the male portion of the community, and is far from being confined to the higher or wealthier classes, being equally prevalent amongst the very lowest, many of whom would rather want their dinner than be deprived of the intoxicating drug. Notwithstanding the severe penalties incurred by those found making use of it, it scarcely ever appeared to be made a secret of, smoking shops abounding in every town and village through which we passed. In addition to a tobacco-pipe, which each carried along with him, amongst our guard of honour (consisting of bably, than that of ardent spirit. The peculiar languid and vacant expression, the sallow and shrivelled countenance, the dim and sunken eye, and the general emaciated and withered appearance of the body, easily distinguish the confirmed opium smoker. The mind likewise soon participates in the general wreck of the body, and the unhappy individual, losing all relish for society, remains in a state of sottish indifference to every thing around him but the deadly drug, now his only solace, which sooner or later hurries its victim to an untimely grave. "The most inveterate opium smoker that came under our observation during a journey of two months through the interior of the country, was the head policeman, under whose charge we were from the island of Hainan to the mainland of China. This individual was evidently an old stager, and went through the operation with great neatness and dexterity. Commencing soon after he came on board (about 5 o'clock in the afternoon), he continued without intermission until midnight, when, tired with observing him, I fell asleep. "The refuse of the pipe likewise is much prized, especially where a superior specimen of the drug has been made use of, and is generally the perquisite of one of the servants, who forms it into pills by mixing it with a little oil, to which he treats himself while his master is in a state of oblivion." arms. MEMORY OF THE PAST. THE COAL-BLAST. IT was a hot and sultry evening in the early summer of 181-, that, with other noisy children "just let loose from school," in the county of Durham, I was preparing to join in a game at cricket, when suddenly on all sides were to be heard the deep wailings, the hysterical sobs, the frantic screeches of women running recklessly in all directions with babies in their Even on the school-boy's ear the sound made an impression; the bats and the wickets were in a moment thrown down, and the eager enquiry was, the cause of the village uproar? The answer-" The pit has blasted." Who can describe the agonies of the wives, for aught they knew, widows, deprived not only of their husbands, but of the means of support? Who can tell the deep anxiety pourtrayed in every countenance, as some of the swarthy miners entered the village, to bear the record that so and so were safe, and so and so were in the pit? Years have passed away since the event, yet often in my night dreams do I revert to that close and thundery evening, and seem to hear the heavy moan of those who uever were on this side of eternity to behold again the husband, the brother, the father, the child-no, not even to behold the corpse, for the fragments of some of the mutilated bodies could scarcely be distinguished; their bones, to use the language of the psalmist, lay "scattered before the pit, as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth." The public mind and the feelings of the neighbour hood were at the time tenderly alive to the dangers to which pitmen were exposed. Accidents were continually happening. But a few weeks before, seventyfive persons had perished at Heaton * colliery, near Newcastle, by the influx of water, to rescue whom every attempt was made in vain. The remembrance of the fearful accident at Felling t, by which nearly 100 persons lost their lives, was still in vivid remembrance. The note of alarm soon spread, and the quiet peaceful village was, as might be supposed, in a moment thrown into a state of consternation. The pit had blasted. This was apparent to the men at work upon the bank, from a cloud of dust and smoke seen to issue from the mouth of the shaft. A few minutes afterwards, one of the trappers, a boy about six years old, cried out to be drawn up. He was speedily followed by fourteen men and boys, most of whom were fearfully scorched. In a very short time, to their credit, several pitmen, regardless of their own personal safety, descended into the mine, where they found the corpses of fifty-seven of their fellow-workmen, some of whom appeared to be burned to death, but the greater number to have been suffocated by the after-damp, or azotic gas left by the combustion of the hydrogen with the oxygen. A few still retained signs of life, but died when brought up into the atmospheric air. It was soon after the circumstance now referred to, that the safety lamp was introduced—whether the invention of sir Humphrey Davy or not, I pretend not to say, for that is a controversy on which I have no desire to enter. Certain it is, that the frequent recurrence of such accidents, continually occurring with greater or less fatality, had directed the minds of men of science to the consideration how far it might be possible to avert the mischief, for all the care taken to ventilate the mines on the most approved principles were unavailing. Dr. Clenny and Mr. W. Brandling's lamp were introduced to the notice of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle, towards the close of 1815; Mr. Stephenson, of Killingworth colliery, had made a similar attempt; while Dr. Murray and sir Humphrey Davy brought forward their respective plans. At a general meeting of the coal trade of the Tyne and Wear, a deputation from that body waited upon sir Humphrey, to testify their respect and admiration for his discovery of his safety-lamp, for exploring mines when charged with inflammable gas. In the autumn of 1817 he was invited to a sumptuous dinner at Newcastle, where a splendid service of plate of the value of 2,000 guineas was presented to him: with peculiar disinterestedness he refused taking out a patent for his invention. A handwas afterwards also presented to Mr. some sum Stephenson. There existed in the minds of many of the pitmen a most strange unwillingness to make use of an instrument which would effectually secure their safety. In consequence of this, repeated accidents continued • Heaton is about a mile and a-half from Newcastle. On the morning of the 31st of May, 1815, a fearful torrent of water from the neighbouring wastes rushed into a pit. Seventeen persons escaped; but every possibility of retreat was cut off from seventy-five. Some faint expectations were entertained during the first day, that a communication might be opened to release the sufferers, by uncovering and descending an old shaft, but the surrounding earth fell in. Twenty-four widows and seventy-seven orphans, besides Mrs. Miller (wife of the under-viewer) and eight children, had to deplore this fearful calamity. Thirty-seven horses were in the mine. + On the morning of the 25th June, 1812, a dreadful accident took place at Felling, near Gateshead, the property of C. J. Brandling, Esq., when nearly the whole of the workmen were below (the second set having gone down before the first lad come up), a double blast of hydrogen gas took place, and set the mine on fire, forcing up a volume of smoke that darkened the air to a considerable distance, and seattered an immense quantity of small coal from the upcast shaft. Ninety-three men and boys perished. The bodies were buried in the chapelyard of Nether Heworth, in the parish of Jarrow; an obelisk has been erected, inscribed with their names and ages. | to occur, not from any defect of the lamp, but from the perverse obstinacy and unpardonable carelessness of those at work in the mines. But it is extremely difficult to divest some minds of prejudice, and to get them to acknowledge the utility of any new discovery or invention. The employment of gas as a means of lighting; of navigation by steam; the possibility of railroad conveyance-all in course have been turned into ridicule, and all have triumphed over the pertinacious opposition of those who looked upon every advancement in art or science as a fearful innovation fraught with danger to the lives and liberties of the people. It seems to me but as yesterday, when, seated in the parish church of -, on a Sunday afternoon, five coffins were brought in in the first instance. The service was read by one of the curates, who, when he had left the church for the burying ground, was succeeded by his fellow labourer at the head of twenty-seven others. No pen can describe the scene. The arrangement of the coffins in the aisle; the bitter lamentations of the relatives; the suffocating smell of the mangled remains; the consignment of the bodies to the large deep hole in which they were interred-all made a lasting impression on my mind, which time can never obliterate. More bodies were consigned to the grave on the following day, and, to add if possible to the solemnity of the scene, several children were baptized, whose fathers had been among the sufferers. Perhaps in no country churchyard lie more of the remains of those who, some seventeen years afterwards, fell victims to the cholera. The subject to which I have adverted, naturally leads to the consideration of the vast importance of religious instruction to the persons thus employed in the coal districts, and with regret to the negligence too long testified to their spiritual necessities. In the present instance, nearly three-score persons were in a moment summoned to the bar of God. The pitmen of Durham and Northumberland are a very peculiar race. Their appearance denotes this. In their habits, opinions, views, and feelings, they appear to differ in toto from those around them. They have their peculiar customs, peculiar songs. Their worldly calling necessarily exposes them to imminent danger—the greater reason that they should be always readyand naturally excludes them from many religious privileges which the agricultural population around them enjoy, and by which they ought to seek to benefit. Who can look upon the rows of pitmens' houses which every where present themselves in this district, without putting the question, What has been done? what is now doing for the moral improvement, the spiritual instruction of the offspring of these labourers and useful men; nay, not merely for their offspring, but for the men themselves, who are hourly placed in the position of being summoned into eternity? May not many of their strikes, as they are termed, be referred to sheer ignorance? Most assuredly they may. At the time referred to, there was comparatively absolutely nothing done for the pitmens' spiritual instruction. Uneducated, thoughtless, careless-no man seemed to have any concern for their souls. Large and populous townships, far from the parish church, rendered it extremely difficult to afford religious instruction to the people; and no effort was made to afford that instruction. They lived and died ignorant of the simplest truths of the gospel. A better state of things is now prevalent. New churches have been erected, and are erecting. Schools have been established; and a more faithful and energetic ministry is exercised. High time verily that it should. Still I fear that, from peculiar influences in certain quarters, while the intellectual improvement of the pitmen has been one great object, there has not been an adequate anxiety shown for their spiritual instruc tion. The mechanics' institution has been erected. Well-has the temple been erected also for the worship of the living God? I rejoice to know that it has, that there is now what there was not before; in the minds of many-a zealous anxiety that the neglected pitmen may be brought to a knowledge of the "truth as it is in Jesus." Still much, very much, remains to be done. the words before us-"What is your occupation?"-a most reasonable enquiry to make, it will be said. Nothing was more natural than that Pharaoh should wish to know the situation and circumstances of these strangers who had so lately arrived in his kingdom; more particularly when viewed in their close connection with that wonderful man who, under God, had been raised up as the deAnd thus, PHARAOH'S QUESTION TO THE BRETHREN liverer of his land and people. OF JOSEPH: A Sermon, BY THE REV. SAMUEL COATES, M.A., Incumbent of Thirsk, Yorkshire. GENESIS xlvii. 3. "What is your occupation?" It is the privilege of the sincere inquirer after the "truth as it is in Jesus," to gather instruction and warning from the plainest and simplest statements contained in the word of God. The exhibition of some particular character which, if presented to their notice, is suffered to pass unheeded by the generality of readers of the bible, supplies him at once with a model by which to shape his own conduct, and a test by which to try his own character. The mention of any striking incident which is looked upon by others as no more than one of the every-day events of common life, is laid hold upon by him who peruses the page of inspiration with a prayerful spirit, as a subject of serious admonition to himself, as well as a ground for deep meditation upon the wondrous "ways of God to men." Nay, even a simple expression or an apparently casual question, which seems designed to answer no end beyond the immediate occasion which called it forth, awakens in his mind a train of reflections which frequently tend to the most important and salutary consequences. Look, for example, at the plain and brief enquiry in the text: nothing could be more natural than the question there asked. It appears that, after Joseph had made himself known unto his brethren upon their second arrival in Egypt to buy corn, he immediately. took measures to have his father and all his family removed from the country in which they were dwelling, and placed under his own especial care. As soon as they reached Egypt, he at once proceeded to introduce his venerable parent and some of his brethren to the Egyptian monarch; from a desire, probably, to interest him on their behalf, and, possibly, from a wish to that effect expressed by the king himself. Upon the introduction of five of the brethren to Pharaoh, the first enquiry which he made of them was that contained in as I before remarked, the casual or careless reader of the bible will regard the question in our text. The question is that of Pharaoh to the brethren of Joseph: it is asked as a matter of course, and so it is passed over. But not thus will it be with the thoughtful Christian. When he meets with such a passage as that before us in the page of holy writ, he will immediately make a pause; and, while the whole scene in Egypt is at once present to his mind's eye-while he seems, as it were, to hear Pharaoh again propounding this simple but expressive enquiry to the sons of Israel, the application will directly be made to himself. He will be struck with the forcible conviction that to himself is the same query proposed by a "greater than" Pharaoh; and a voice that will be heard seems to be sounding in his ears, and makes this forcible appeal to his conscience-"What is your occupation?" My brethren, it is to such a salutary purpose that I would, by the divine blessing, apply the words of the text; and, transferring the occasion of them from the brethren of Joseph before Pharaoh, to ourselves as standing in the presence of the all-seeing and heartsearching God, I should wish this important question to be carried home to each heart, as now made by that God himself" What is your occupation?" A consideration of the enquiry, together with the answer to be rcturned to it, may afford subject for profitable meditation. The words of the text I. Evidently imply that each of us has, or is intended to have, an "occupation." II. They teach us to ask, what is the nature of that occupation with respect to different classes of individuals? I. Now the word "occupation," in its primary meaning, signifies" employment" or "business;" and the text leads us to infer that each individual amongst us has some such employment or business, for the due discharge of which we are accountable to him whose providence has imposed it upon us. Had man been sent into the world with no other object than merely to spend a few days or years in this fleeting scene, and then to pass off the stage of life and cease for ever to exist, the question as to any occupation he might have need never be raised. The more |