wickedness of their inhabitants. It took place about 1897 years B. C. during the life of Abraham, who interceded for the cities, but in vain.

This catastrophe, and its various preparatory cir Qumstances, are recorded in the 18th and 19th chapters of Genesis, from which it appears that Lot, (Abraham's nephew) and his two daughters, who sojourned in Sodom, escaped barely with their lives. Other cities of less consequence, viz. Zebo'im and Adma, were destroyed at the same time.

The plain on which these cities stood is described to have been pleasant and fruitful. It is now covered with water, forming what is called the Dead Sea, or Lake of Sod'om. This sea and the adjoining country have many peculiarities. The water is said to be salt, bitter and nauseous to the taste, and to have a sulphurous smell. Quantities of bitumen, which resemble pitch, are gathered in the vicinity.

3. The Arrival of In'achus in Greece, from Phoenicia, is connected with the foundation of the kingdom of Argos. This event took place 1857 years B. C.

In'achus is called the son of the ocean, because he came to Greece by sea. By some he is said to have been the last of the Titans, a Phoenician colony who gave the Greeks the first notion of civilization and reJigion, and introduced the worship of their own gods -Saturn, Jupiter, Ceres, &c.

The aborigines of Greece, who were denominated Pelas'gi, Hiantes, &c. were extremely barbarous. They wandered in woods without law or government, having but little intercourse with each other. They clothed themselves with the skins of beasts; retreated for shelter to rocks and caverns; lived on acorns, wild fruit and raw flesh, and even devoured the enemies they slew in battle.

4. The Selling of Joseph into Egypt, by his brethren, was the effect of their envy and hatred, but overruled by the providence of God to

bring to pass very important results. We date this event about 1729 years B. C.

The very affecting story of Joseph is recorded ir several of the last chapters of Genesis, and is probably well known to the reader. A very brief outline is the following.

Joseph was the youngest son but one of the patriarch Jacob. He was greatly beloved by his father on account of his piety; and on the same account, aided by Jacob's partiality, hated by his brethren. An occasion being presented of injuring him, they, after various projects, found an opportunity of selling him to a company of Ish'maelites, who were travelling into Egypt.

Here he was sold again, and after various trials and changes, became by his merit connected with Pha'raoh, married Potiph'erah's daughter, and arrived to be the person of the greatest consequence in the kingdom, next to the sovereign.

A famine which prevailed in that part of the world at that time, led his brethren into Egypt to buy corn, where great quantities of it were deposited, and of which Joseph had the distribution. Joseph, who knew his brethren while they were ignorant that it was he, after having sufficiently humbled and proved them, made himself known to them, to their utter astonish ment and terror.

But forgiving their crime, and inviting his Father and family into Egypt, he settled them there, where they increased at length to a great nation

5. The Persecution of the Israelites by Pha'raoh occurred after the death of Joseph, and under the administration of another king by the name of Pharaoh, "who knew not Joseph." It commenced about 1580 years B. C.; and was designo to retard the progress of the Israelites in power and numbers.

The children of Israel had become so numerous ano Dowerful, that they began to be an object of fear to the

Egyptians. The latter therefore took methods to pre vent their prosperity; methods marked by great injustice and cruelty. The lives of the Hebrews were made wretched by hard service, and their male children were ordered to be drowned at their birth.

Nothing however could be done to prevent their increase ; and after suffering great extremities, God at length raised them up a deliverer. The particulars of this persecution of God's chosen people, are given in the 1st and 5th chapters of Exodus.

6. The Founding of Athens, by Cecrops, an Egyptian, who carried thither a colony from the Nile, is dated 1556 years B. C. This event had an important connexion with the subsequent refinement and literary distinction of Greece.

Cecrops, after fixing down in Attica, attempted to civilize the wild and barbarous natives of that region. Constructing twelve small villages, which afterwards united to the city of Athens, he prevailed upon the wandering tribes to fix their residence in them.

He enacted laws, and introduced the deities and religious worship of the Egyptians, which proved the first step towards that elegance which afterwards rendered Athens the most distinguished city on earth.

It may be here observed, that the Chronicle of Paros, preserved among the Arundelian marbles at Oxford, fixes the dates of the most remarkable events in the history of Greece, from the time of Cecrops to the age of Alexander the Great.

Distinguished Characters in Period XXX. 1. Abraham, the immediate progenitor of the Hebrew nation.

66

2. Melchisedec, king of Salem, and “ priest of the Most High God."

3. Sesos tris, an Egyptian hero and con

queror

4. Joseph, the first ruler of Egypt under Pharaon.

1. Abraham was born at Uz, in Chalde'a, and died in his 175th year. He was eminent for piety and the veneration in which he was held by many Eastern nations. See Genesis chap. 12 to 26.

2. Melchisedec met Abraham after his defeat of the king of Sodom and blessed him, receiving at the same time tithes from the patriarch. See Genesis chap. 14.

3. Sesos'tris having succeeded to his father's throne became ambitious of military fame and made the conquest of Lybia, marched through Asia, invaded Europe, and subdued the Thracians. At his return home he employed his time in encouraging the fine arts and improving the revenues of his kingdom. See Lempriere's Classical Dictionary.

4. The fortunes of Joseph were various and extraordinary, and his abilities doubtless great. He owed his distinction to his merits. See Genesis chap. 27 to Exodus.

Miscellaneous Observations on
Period XXX.

1. This period, like the last, includes a portion of the world's history, which is but partially illustrated by any records that we possess concerning it. The Bible contains the principal materials. It was the period of commencing civilization with one or two nations, and of considerable advancement in it, with some others.

In general the East was a number of ages in advance of the Northern or Western nations in civilization; and before the latter began to make much progress, the former was nearly at its height.

2. The dispensations of God towards his church hitherto, deserve our attentive study. When man first sinned and fell, God immediately promised a Saviour. This supported the piety of his people in the antediluvian age. When however their number decreased, and that of the wicked so increased, that the earth was filled as it were with iniquity, he destroyed it inhabitants.

After the re-peopling of the earth, and the vast a igmentation of wickedness again, God, since he had resolved not to punish in a similar manner his offending creatures, separated a family from the rest of mankind, for the purpose of communicating, through them, the true religion to all succeeding generations.

The train of operations which, during this period, was laid by Jehovah, have had a most important influence on the moral state of the world ever since. Doubtless, but for the separation of Abraham and his family from the rest of mankind, the whole world would ever since have been overrun with idolatry.

3. We may safely infer that the arts and sciences made some progress during this period, though we have no very definite information on the subject Probably some of these wonders of art, which yet exist in Egypt, may have been commenced during this period. The art of writing seems as yet to have been unknown, although the Egyptians in particular had a certain mode of transmitting and recording knowledge, termed kieroglyphics. These consisted of emblems and figures, which represented those ideas that were intended to be conveyed.

4. The Eastern nations bordering on seas, began, during this period, to send colonies into countries at a distance. Thus Greece was colonized, and afterwards other countries in Europe and in Africa. Besides Argos, founded by In'achus, and Ath'ens by Cecrops, the kingdom of Sycion, near Corinth, was founded some time before.

5. The traffic of nations between one another has been an employment which has progressively advanced from the earliest ages. During the time of Abraham, it had advanced so far, as that metals had become a medium of exchange.

We find a place of sepulture paid for by a certain weight of silver. A general superabundance of the necessaries of life must be produced, before nations determine a certain quantity of gold or silver substanres, to be an equivalent for the exchangeable value o any commodity in barter.