ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING.

OUR engraving represents the great brazen Altar of Burnt Offering, as formed by king Solomon, for the sacrifices in his temple at Jerusalem. Several altars are mentioned in the Scriptures; and it will be well for our young readers to refer to the texts, as we mark them for their instruction.

An altar is a sacred hearth, on which sacrifices and incense were burned in worshipping God, before the coming of Jesus Christ. Noah, therefore, built an altar for his offerings, after he had

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left the ark-Gen. viii. 20; as it appears had before been done by Abel.-iv. 4. Moses was

commanded to "make an altar of earth," or rough stones.-Exodus xx. 24, 25; and for the daily sacrifices in the Tabernacle, one of wood covered with a grate of brass.-xxvii. 1-4. That for Solomon's temple was very large, made of brass.-2 Chron. iv. 1—3. Another altar was constructed by the command of God, on which to offer incense, which was rich perfume, at the time of sacrifice.-Exodus xxx. 1-10. These two altars, with all the other Levitical utensils, and the priests with their offerings, were "shadows of good things to come," all foreshowing our blessed Saviour, as the one High Priest of mankind, the great and perfect sacrifice, which He offered once on the altar of the cross, once for all, for the redemption of the world.-Heb. ix. 114, x. 1-12.

THE CHILD'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE.
CHAPTER VII.

Noah's Preservation from the Deluge.
Genesis vi.-ix.

MANY children who are yet unable to read the Bible, have learned much about Noah and his family, with many living creatures, being safely preserved in the ark. But all who can read should acquaint themselves with the history of the ruin of the wicked world by the deluge.

Men had grown more wicked from the time of Enoch. "And God saw that the wickedness of

men was great in the earth. God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air: for it repenteth me that I have made them." -Gen. vi. 5, 7, 12.

This was a very dreadful purpose of the Almighty. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.". ver. 8, 9.

Young people must find it difficult to gain a correct idea of the vast size of Noah's ark. Reckon a cubit at only eighteen inches, that huge vessel was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high, or many times larger than the largest of our greatest ships. But they must remember that its size and form, rooms and fittings, were all according to a plan which God gave to the patriarch.

Having completed it, Noah stored it with all sorts of food, for man and beasts. Many had probably assisted Noah in the work, but did not enter the ark. He took with him into the vessel cattle and sheep, beasts and fowls, which flocked around him, as God had commanded him, and the LORD shut him in."

Noah being thus safe in the ark, things remained quiet to the seventh day; when for forty days and nights, "All the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened," to pour forth their waters, "and all flesh died that moved upon the earth, and every man. And Noah only remained alive, and

they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days."-vii. 21—24.

Noah being thus a sailor for a whole year, the waters were dried up, and the ark rested on Mount Ararat, in Armenia. Then God called him to come forth with his family, and all the living creatures. He obeyed joyfully; and, with his family offered sacrifice on an altar, when God blessed him with a new covenant of safety, making the rainbow a token that he would no more destroy the earth by a flood.

In reading this we see the evil of sin, and how God loves the righteous. We shall never witness such a flood; yet, "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the element shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burnt up." ."-2 Peter iii. 10. Through Christ, therefore, may we, like Noah, "find grace in the eyes of the LORD," and in all holy obedience "walk with God."

CHAPTER VIII.

The City and Tower of Babel. Genesis xì. THE history of Babel in Scripture explains two things, at which many, besides young people, have often wondered -1, How the world came to be overspread with people: and, 2, How they came to speak different languages.

Babel signifies confusion; and this name was given to the famous city and tower, because of the people being thrown into confusion, their

works being displeasing to God. This event is believed to have taken place, about two hundred years after the death of Noah; though some have supposed that he was yet alive. When he offered sacrifice after leaving the ark, God gave him command to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth; and he settled with his sons in Armenia; though afterwards they removed, about twelve hundred miles, to the land of Shinar.. Here they increased exceedingly, in three great families; and Noah counselled them to divide among them the whole earth for their portions.

The counsel of Noah was disregarded, through the advice of Nimrod, a bold and "mighty hunter," who wished to be king. He pretended that they would be far more secure and happy, if they kept together; and persuaded them to build a fine city, and a great tower, to unite them in one place. Gen. x. 6-10 ;-xi. 1-9. They set to work, "And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do, and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth : and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."- -ver. 5-9.

This short account shows how mankind were dispersed, and how different languages arose