face of society. Yet, this odious practice prevails throughout the whole heathen world. But what makes you weep, my dear Elizabeth?

Elizabeth. O, mother, I was thinking what we owe to the Lord Jesus, and how ungrateful I have been to him for the benefits he has purchased for me with his own blood.

Mother. Yes, my dear; females in this happy land, owe all their elevation to the influence of the Christian religion. No ingratitude can be greater than for us lightly to esteem Jesus, the "Rock of our salvation." Among the heathen, females are generally degraded almost to the condition of slaves; and they are often treated like the brutes; and in some counties, it is supposed they have no souls. Female education is unknown, except where the influence of the Gospel is felt. In some places, their condition is so wretched that life is considered a burden; and parents often destroy their female children, to save them from the miseries of life. Among the Mohammedans, women are not allowed to appear in public. Some of their great men have many wives. They keep them shut up in a kind of prison, which they call harems.

These women are subject to the will of their lordly master; and if he is displeased with them he has power to cut off their heads! In India, when a man died, they used to make a great pile of dry wood, and put his dead body upon it, and bind all his wives and lay them by his side, and then set the wood on fire and burn them all together.

But, we are wandering from our story. About this time, Mohammed pretended that he made a journey, one night, in company with the angel Gabriel, from Mecca to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to the seventh heaven.

Peter. Why, mother, he must have travelled very fast, to have made such a journey in one night.

Mother. Yes; and his followers must have had great confidence in him, to have believed that he spoke the truth. He gives a very partic ular description of all that he saw on the way, and in heaven; but it is too impious to be repeated. The story was so absurd and ridiculous that several of his followers forsook him at once. His cause came very near being ruined by it. But Abubeker, the chief man among his friends,

said to the rest, "If Mohammed affirms it, it is undeniably true, and I will stand by him. I believe every word of it. The Lord's elected cannot lie." This removed all doubts from the minds of his followers. After this, he was able to make his disciples believe any thing he pleased. So this senseless story, which came very near overturning his whole scheme, turned out greatly to his advantage. Abubeker was afterwards called "The faithful witness."

Samuel. Why, mother, do you think Mohammed's followers really believed such foolish stories?

Mother. It is probable that Abubeker, and a few others of his leaders, were in his secret, and knew that he was imposing upon the people. But I suppose the great mass of his followers believed that these things were really so.

Elizabeth. Why, mother, how could they believe what was so contrary to their common sense?

Mother. The Bible explains it. God gave them up to 'strong delusions, to believe a lie.* And here we see the danger of embracing false

*II Thess. 2: 11.

doctrines. Although at first we may depart but a little from the truth; yet, when the mind gets thoroughly under the influence of error, no absurdity is too great to be believed.

QUESTIONS.

What measures did Mohammed pursue to make converts to his religion? What was his success? What did the people demand of him? How did he answer them? What did the chief men of the tribe of Koreish do? What did Abu Taleb try to do? What answer did Mohammed give him? What did he do then? What did the Koreish do to Mohammed's followers? What did they do? What happened in the sixth year of the mission? What did Mohammed then do? What did he do at the time of the yearly pilgrimage? What success attended his preaching? What did Mohammed do to strengthen his interest at Mecca? What falsehood did Mohammed palm upon his people about this time?

CONVERSATION VI.

The People of Medina offer to receive and defend Mohammed,-The Koreish formed a plot against his life, He flies to Medina,-He is well received, and the government of the city given into his hands,—He changes his doctrine,-Comparison between the means employed for the establishment of Christianity and Islamism.

Caroline. O, mother, I want to hear more about Mohammed. Will you tell us more about

Mohammed?

Mother. Yes, my dear. He continued to be opposed, scorned, and derided, at Mecca. But his reputation was growing, and his doctrines secretly spreading at Medina. This city was about seventy miles from Mecca. It was inhabited by Pagan Arabs, Jews, and professors of Christianity, who had forsaken the truth and embraced error. It was distinguished as a place of learning. The Arabs, who inhabited this city, belonged to two tribes, the Kareites and Awsites. There was a quarrel of long standing