17. JE-HO-A-HAZ, the son of Josiah, did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

18. JE-HOI-A-KIM, the son of Josiah, was a wicked king. Ne-bu-chad-nez-zar, King of Babylon, attacked Judæa. He carried into Babylon the treasures of the temple and many captives, including Daniel, the prophet.

19. JE-HOI-A-KIN, the son of Jehoiakim, followed the wicked example of his father.

Ne-bu chad-nez-zar came to Jerusalem, took away what remained of the treasures of the temple, the king, and the chief of the inhabitants.

20. ZE-DE-KI-AH was the last of the kings of Judah. He was very wicked. Having revolted against Ne-buchad-nez-zar, that monarch laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed it. After having the king's eyes put out, he loaded him with fetters of brass, and took him to Babylon, where he died.

And thus did the word of the Lord come to pass, which was spoken by the prophet Ezekiel, "And I will bring him to Babylon, yet shall he not see it,

though he shall die there."

QUESTIONS.

Who was the son of Hezekiah? What sort of a king was he? How was he punished? What was the effect? How did he shew his sorrow? Who was Josiah? Tell me some of his good deeds. Describe his character. How did he die? What king took Jerusalem? What became of the temple, and the people? Who was the last king? What happened to him?

THE LOST SHEEP.

I WAS a wandering sheep,
I did not love the fold:

I did not love my Shepherd's voice,
I would not be controlled.

I was a wayward child,
I did not love my home,

I did not love my Father's voice,
I loved afar to roam.

The Shepherd sought His sheep,
The Father sought His child;
They followed me o'er vale and hill,
O'er deserts waste and wild.
They found me nigh to death,
Famished, and faint, and lone;

They bound me with the bands of love,
They saved the wandering one.

They spoke in tender love,
They raised my drooping head;
They gently closed my bleeding wounds,
My fainting soul they fed.

They washed my filth away,

They made me clean and fair; They brought me to my home in peace,-The long-sought wanderer!

Jesus my Shepherd is,

'Twas He that loved my soul, 'Twas He that washed me in His blood, 'Twas He that made me whole. 'Twas He that sought me lost, That found the wandering sheep; 'Twas He that brought me to the fold, "Tis He that still doth keep.

I was a wandering sheep,
I would not be controlled;

But now I love my Shepherd's voice,
I love, I love the fold!

I was a wayward child,
I once preferred to roam;

But now I love my Father's voice,
I love, I love His home.

Bonar.

CHAPTER LXXI.

THE PROPHETS:

THE last portion of the Old Testament was written by prophets. Their books are called the Prophetical Books, so named because they chiefly foretell future events.

There are sixteen prophetical books, four written by the Greater Prophets, and the remaining twelve by the Lesser Prophets.

The Greater Prophets are so named because their writings were more numerous than those of the Lesser Prophets.

The writings of the Lesser Prophets are very valuable in giving us much information about the state of the country during the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel. They also give warnings of the fate of Babylon, Nineveh, Damascus, Sidon and Tyre, as well as describe the coming and character of the Messiah.

What is a prophet? In which part of the Bible are the books written by the prophets to be found? Why are they called Prophetical Books? How many prophetical books are there? How are they divided? Why are some called Greater? Why some Lesser? Why are the writings of the Lesser Prophets so valuable? What are some of their contents? Name the Greater Prophets. Name as many as you can of the others.

THOU, GOD, SEEST ME.

AMONG the deepest shades of night
Can there be one who sees my way?
Yes;-God is like a shining light,
That turns the darkness into day.

When every eye around me sleeps,
May I not sin without control?
No!-for a constant watch He keeps
On every thought of every soul.

If I could find some cave unknown,
Where human feet had never trod,
Yet there I could not be alone;
On every side there would be God.

He smiles in heaven, He frowns in hell,
He fills the air, the earth, the sea;
I must within His presence dwell,
I cannot from His anger flee.

Yet I may flee, He shews me where;
Tells me to Jesus Christ to fly;
And while He sees me weeping there,
There's only mercy in His eye.

Mrs. Gilbert.

CHAPTER LXXII.

THE PROPHETS BEFORE THE CAPTIVITY.

PSAL. cxxxix. 7, 9, 10.- Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

MATT. xii. 40.-As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

JONAH (dove) was the son of Amittai, of Gath-hepher, in the tribe of Zebulon, and he prophesied in the reign of Jeroboam II., King of Israel. He was the first of those prophets who wrote a book which has come down

He was ordered by God to go and tell the people of Nineveh, that in forty days their city should be destroyed; but he was afraid to go: so he ran off to