After waiting seven days, he sent forth the dove a second time. Toward evening she returned again, but this time with an olive leaf in her mouth, by which joyful token Noah perceived that the waters had abated, But he waited seven more days, after the lapse of which he sent forth the dove for the third time. But she returned no more, so that Noah knew that the waters were dried from the earth.

Now God said unto Noah: "Go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and the wives of thy sons, with thee, and all living creatures." And Noah went forth from the ark, together with all living beings. The first thing which he then did, was to thank God for his deliverance. He built an altar, and, according to the custom of his time, offered a sacrifice upon it. This act of gratitude pleased God so much, that He said: "I will not again curse the earth any more for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I smite any more every thing living as I have now done." And He blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them: "Behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your descendants; I shall not again send a flood upon the earth, nor shall the order of the universe be disturbed any more. While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." At this moment, when Noah raised his eyes towards the sky, he beheld a rainbow with its soft brightness and majesty in the clouds. And God said: "This rainbow shall be for a token and pledge of my covenant, and of my mercy wherewith I look down upon the earth. But follow ye also my commandments; ye may rule over all the beasts of the earth, and every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; but ye shall not eat the flesh thereof as long as there is life in it. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man. be ye fruitful and multiply."

But ye,

Noah again tilled the ground, and discovered the vine, and improved and cultivated it. But not knowing the great power of wine, he drank too much of it, became intoxicated, and lay uncovered in his tent. How heinous a

vice is drunkenness! His son Ham saw him, and laughed at him scornfully. But his other two sons, Sem and Japhet, who were more respectful children, covered him in a most delicate manner. When Noah awoke and heard of the rude conduct of Ham, he punished him, but blessed and praised Sem and Japhet, and appointed them to rule over their unfeeling brother. God also punished Ham and blessed his brothers.

§ 6. THE DESCENDANTS OF NOAH. [Genesis x. xi.]

The sons of Noah now became the progenitors of the human race. The number of their descendants gradually increased; but the more they multiplied, the more extensive pastures they required for their flocks, and the more room for themselves; so that they were compelled to separate from each other. Now, as this was not agreeable to them, they resolved to build a tower that should reach to heaven, in order that it might be visible to all, and serve them for a place from which they could be speedily called together, whenever it was necessary. They immediately set to work, burned bricks and prepared mortar, and began the building; but forgot God, without whose blessing nothing can be accomplished. On this account, God scattered and dispersed them, that in consequence at last, they could not understand each other's speech. The place where they intended to erect the tower, received in memory of this event, the name of Babel (confusion.) They were compelled to desist from their work, and spread over the earth. There are every where good and beautiful things ordained by Divine Providence to be enjoyed by man. For this reason the human race was scattered, that they should behold every where the glorious works of God, and employ them for their own purposes. But whatever He wills, man can not change.

II.

THE PATRIARCHS

§ 7 ABRAHAM, THE PROGENITOR OF THE ISRAELITISH NATION [Genesis xii] 2000 A.M

Terah, one of Shem's descendants, lived in Ur of the Chaldees, and had three sons, Abram, Nahor, and Haran. After the death of Haran, Terah took his sons, Nahor and Abram, Sarai, the wife of the latter, and Lot, the son of Haran, and moved to the city of Haran, in the land of Mesopotamia, and made it his dwelling-place. Terah and his family, like all their countrymen, did not know the true God; instead of worshipping Him, theyworshipped the sun, moon and stars, images and animals. But Abram knew how foolish and wrong it was to pay that adoration to created beings, which we owe to God alone. He therefore placed his entire confidence in God alone, and manifested true piety, while all his fellow-men, in his time, were more or less wicked. On this account, God looked with special favor upon him, and cared for him with true paternal kindness; nay, He even conversed with him very often to make known His holy will to him. Once God said to Abram: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy father's house, and from thy kindred, unto a land which I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great and distinguished nation, and through thee shall all the generations of the earth be blessed." At first, this promise did not appear to be followed by its fulfilment; for Abram had no children. Yet Abram knew that whatever God promised would be fulfilled. Therefore, he firmly believed in the word of God, left all those that were dear and near to him, and went with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot to the land of Canaan. When he reached the city of

Sichem, the Lord appeared to him and promised that his descendants should possess this land, Abram continued his pastoral life, moved about in the country, built altars unto the Lord in various places, and proclaimed, wherever he sojourned, the name of the Almighty.

8. ABRAM SHOWING HIS PEACEFUL DISPOSITION AND HIS GENEROSITY. [Genesis xiii. xiv.]

Abram grew very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. They themselves lived in peace, as it becomes relatives, but their herdmen began to quarrel. Abram therefore said to Lot: "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we are brethren! Let us rather separate; choose thou whither thou wishest to move, and I will be satisfied. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Lot chose the region of Sodom, and removed there: but Abram remained in the land of Canaan. It is true, the country which Lot chose for himself was beautiful and fertile, but its inhabitants were very wicked; therefore, his selection was not a good one. Besides, a war soon broke out in that country. Chadorlaomer, king of Elam, together with some other kings, with whom he had concluded an alliance, defeated the king of Sodom, plundered the city and the country around, and took men, and beasts, and all their substance with them, as booty. They took also Lot, and his goods, and departed. When Abram heard this, he armed his servants, three hundred and eighteen in number, pursued the conquerors, took them by surprise by night, defeated them, delivered Lot, the women, and the people from the hands of the enemy, and brought back all the goods. On his return, Melchizedek (who was a priest of the Most High), went forth to meet him, and brought bread and wine, and said: "Blessed be thou, Abram, of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the most

high God, who has delivered thy enemies into thy hands." Abram gave him tithes of all. Also the king of Sodom came, and said to Abram: "Give me only the persons, and the goods take to thyself." Then answered Abram: "I have lifted up my hand (for an oath) unto the Eternal, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take even a thread or a shoe-latchet, of all that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich. Only that which the servants have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol and Mamre, let them take their portion."

Thus acts a generous man.

§ 9 ABRAHAM, THE MAN OF FATTH. [Genesis xv. xvi.]

Abram was still without children, when God appeared to him and said: "Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and exceedingly great shall be thy reward." And Abram answered: "Lord! for what purpose wilt thou give me, seeing that I have no children, and that strangers shall be my heirs?" Hereupon God brought him forth abroad, and said: "Look toward heaven; numberless as the stars shall be thy posterity." And Abram believed God, and He counted it to him for righteousness.

On the same day, God made a covenant with Abram, that his posterity should inherit the land of Canaan.

Shortly afterwards, Hager bore a child unto Abram, when he was eighty-six years of age; and Abram called his son Ishmael.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God appeared again unto him, and said: "I am God, the Almighty; walk before me, and be thou pious." When Abram heard these words he fell on his face, and God continued, saying: "Behold! thou shalt be the father of many nations, and kings shall be among thy descendants. Therefore, thy name shall no longer be called Abram, but it shall henceforth be ABRAHAM, (that is, father of a great multitude,)