CHAP. 13.-Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams.

Pharaoh makes him governor of Egypt. Joseph's

new name. His marriage. A regard to truth and

duty the surest way of securing the confidence of

others.

CHAP. 14.-Providence of God. Our duty to submit to

it, and to trust in it. Joseph lays up the grain. His

two sons--reasons of their names. The famine

begins.

CHAP. 15.-The Egyptians regard Joseph as their Sa-

vior. Jesus Christ a far better Savior. The Egyp-

tians buy grain of Joseph. The famine in Canaan.

Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy food.

CHAP. 16.-His brethren bow down before Joseph. Why

he did not make himself known to them. He puts

them into prison. He tells them they may carry

grain home, but one must stay in prison till Benja-

min is brought.

CHAP. 17-Joseph affected at what his brethren say of

their guilt. Simeon chosen as the one to stay. Jo-

seph's brethren set out for Canaan with the grain.

Difference between good and wicked men. To which

class does the reader belong? Let conscience do its

work.

CHAP. 18.-One of Joseph's brethren finds his money in

the sack. All are in great alarm. A guilty con-

science. Jacob's distress at what his sons tell him.

Reuben's foolish and wicked speech. Jacob cannot

let Benjamin go. Judah tries to persuade him tc

do this.

CHAP. 19.-Jacob consents to let Benjamin go. Gifts

prepared to carry to the governor of Egypt. Jacob's

sons set out on their journey. They come before Jo-

seph. Their great fear. Guilt causes fear. The

steward of Joseph allays their fears.

CHAP. 20.-Simeon brought out of prison. The brethren

of Joseph present their gifts to him. Joseph can

hardly restrain his feelings. His brethren dine with

him. Remarks on temperance, and the duty of pro-

moting it.

CHAP. 21.-Joseph's brethren again set out for home.

His steward overtakes them, and charges them with

having stolen the governor's cup. What was this

cup? The cup found in Benjamin's sack. They all

return and come before Joseph. Judah's confession

of their guilt. Why did he make it?

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CHAP. 22.-Joseph still keeps his brethren in suspense.

Remarks on his conduct. His reply to Judah. Ju-

dah's expostulation.

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CHAP. 23.-Joseph inakes himself known to his breth-

ren. His address to them. His forgiveness of them.

The duty of forgiveness. Has the reader this

spirit?

CHAP. 24.-Pharaoh and his household glad to hear that

the brethren of Joseph are come. Pharaoh tells

Joseph to invite his father and all his family to

come to Egypt. Joseph furnishes them with things

necessary for their removal. His parting advice

to them. Peace-making.

CHAP. 25.-His sons, on their arrival, tell their father

that_Joseph is alive. Jacob's joy. They all set out

for Egypt. They stop at Beer-sheba. An interest-

ing spot, and why. God's promise to Jacob. Their

arrival in Egypt.
131

CHAP. 26. Joseph meets his father in Goshen. He pre-

sents five of his brethren to Pharaoh, who grants

them leave to dwell in Goshen. Joseph presents his

father to Pharaoh. What Jacob says. Life short.

What is death? Is the reader prepared to die?

CHAP. 27.-Jacob and his family settled in Goshen.

God's goodness to them. His goodness to the read-

er. Is the reader grateful to God?

CHAP. 28.-The Egyptians give their cattle to Joseph

for food. They are again in want, and give them-

selves and their land. He gives them seed to sow.

A perpetual law that one-fifth of all the produce

shall be the king's. Remarks on the conduct of

Joseph.

CHAP. 29-Jacob drawing near the close of life. Joseph

visits him. What is an oath? Its solemn obligation

explained. Jacob requires Joseph to swear that he

will bury the body of his father in the cave of Mach-

pelah. Joseph takes an oath to do this.

CHAP. 30.-Joseph goes to be with his father when he

dies. He takes his sons with him. Jacob considers

them as his own children. He blesses them. Ex-

planation of this blessing.

CHAP. 31.-Conclusion of Jacob's blessing on the sons

of Joseph. Joseph's portion. Jacob's prophecy, and

blessing his sons. His death. Does the reader wish

to die as Jacob did?

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163

CHAP. 32.-Joseph's grief at his father's death. He or-

ders the body to be embalmed. Mourning for Jacob.

His funeral. He is buried in the cave of Machpe-

lah. The fear of Joseph's brethren lest he should

punish them. Pains of a guilty conscience.

CHAP. 33.-The brethren of Joseph implore his forgive-

ness. He is very kind to them, and allays all their

fears. Their obligations of gratitude to him and to

God. Has the reader done wrong to others? How

does he feel about it?

CHAP. 34.-Joseph near to death. He makes his breth-

ren swear that his body shall be buried in Canaan;

whither he assures them the Israelites shall go. He

dies, and his body is embalmed. Why did he direct

his body to be kept in Egypt till the Israelites should

go to Canaan? Wonderful providence of God.

CHAP. 35.-The character of Joseph. His strong faith

in God. This the foundation of all real excellence

of character. Has the reader this faith in God?

CHAP. 36.-Joseph's affection and dutifulness to his

father. These traits of character, if real and per-

manent, must grow out of faith in God. How does

the reader treat his parents? Joseph was kind and

affectionate to his brethren. Faith in God and

Christ produces love to others. Has the reader

this love?

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CHAP. 37.-Joseph's fidelity in the discharge of his du-

ties. Instances of it. It grows out of his faith in

God. Has the reader the same fidelity growing out

of the same faith?

CHAP. 38.-Joseph's resolution in resisting temptation.

It grows out of his faith in God. The reader has

his temptations. How to get strength to overcome

them. Joseph's dependence on God, and submission

to his will. These grow out of his faith in God.

Has the reader this dependence and submission?

CHAP. 39.-Joseph's humility. Proofs of it. Humility

in good men grows out of their faith in God. Has

the reader this humility? Without it we can have

no interest in Christ.

CHAP. 40.-Joseph had general benevolence of charac-

ter. This grew out of his faith in God. The read-

er can do good in many ways. Has he a desire to

do good? Does this desire lead to action. Where

there is no such desire and conduct there is great

guilt and danger.

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PREFACE.

'Do, tell me a story," said a smiling little boy, who was sitting in his father's lap-" do, father, tell me a story."

So, his father told him one; and again the request was made-" do, father, tell me another pretty story, and a long one too."

The story was told, and Robert listened to it with the deepest attention and interest.

Do, do, father, tell me one more story-just one more, and I will not ask you again."

"My son," said his father, "I have told you two stories; and now I wish to talk with you a little about that verse in the Bible which you repeated to me this morning."

Robert continued to beg for one more story.

"No, my son," said his father, "I have no more stories to tell you now. Sometimes I must talk to you about God, and our Savior, and what we must do, that we may be prepared, when we die, to go to heaven, and be good and happy there, for ever."

In saying this his countenance became serious, though his look was mild and pleasant; and his voice had a tone of solemnity, without being harsh or forbidding.

Robert perfectly understood it. He knew that it was required of him to be attentive. He also became serious, and listened to the instructions of his father with an interest which showed how much parental authority, mingled with kindness, can effect, when the child is accustomed to reverence this authority, and to love this kindness.

Did the father do right?

Certainly," you say; "it is important that children should be taught, at proper times, to listen to instruction, and to acquire the habit of patient and serious attention to religious truth. It will not do to be always entertaining them with amusing stories."

Well, if it is important, sometimes, thus to talk to children -it is equally so, thus to write for them. If they ought to acquire the habit of listening attentively to the good instruction which is given to them in conversation, at home-or in the Sabbath school, and in the church; it is equally important that they should acquire a similar habit of reading attentively such books as are prepared to teach them their duty to God, to their fellow-men, and to themselves.

If they read none but story books, intended almost entirely