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THE

SUNDAY TEACHERS' TREASURY.

MEMORABLE PLACES OF SCRIPTURE HISTORY.

HEBRON.

WHAT a number of associations does the name "Hebron" call forth to the Biblical student! and, if he be thoughtfully, philosophically disposed, what melancholy feelings arise when he reflects upon its past greatness and its present abasement and insignificance! One of the oldest cities of Palestine, near to which dwelt Abram, "in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron;" in which dwelt Isaac, in "the city of Arbah, which is Hebron ;" once held worthy to be the residence of King David, before he conquered Jerusalem, "where David himself and his men were wont to haunt: now is it a poor, mean, unimportant place, inhabited by scarce 5000 people. Its grapes, its vines, and its fruits still flourish and abound; its scenery is still varied and picturesque but the place itself stands there, another testimony to the greatness and power of that Creator in whose will rests the ordinance of all things, in whose hands man is but as the dust of the earth-another testimony to the poverty and feebleness of our earthly state.

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Hebron may be regarded as one of the oldest cities in the world, having been in existence in the time of Abraham, nearly, two thousand years before Christ; and even at this JANUARY, 1868.

period it must have been in a flourishing state, as it would seem to have been held in high estimation. It lies south-south-west of Jerusalem, at a distance of twenty-one miles, and is situated in the valley of Eshcol, in a rather low position, but not wanting in pleasing effect to the eye of the traveller. Its ancient name was Kirjath-arba; which means the city of Arba, the progenitors of that gigantic race the Anakim. Concerning this people, opinion is somewhat divided; and, as they have been more or less connected with this ancient city, a few words about them will not be inappropriate in this place.

Some Biblical critics do not consider the Anakim to be Canaanites, from their being omitted from the list of devoted nations; others conclude, from the fact that mention is always made only of three individuals or families, that the name is appellative rather than gentile, and that the Anakim were only certain tribes of the numerous and powerful Amorites, who were distinguished for their immense stature. Still, that they were a mighty people cannot be questioned; for we find the men whom Moses sent to search the land of Canaan speaking of them as a strong people, having walled cities and very great, amid whom were

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seen the children of Anak; men of great stature; giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants, in the presence of whom the messengers by their own report felt themselves dwarfed to the insignificance of grasshoppers. The destruction of this people by Joshua, and the flight of those who survived to the land of the Philistines, is well known to the student of Scripture. From the fact of the fugitive Anakim taking refuge in the strong places of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod, it has been supposed that Goliath must have been one of the race. The word "Anak," it may be stated, means necklace; and "Anakim" is said to mean "long-necked men," or men of great height.

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"The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence (Num. xiii. 24)." Here we have the explanation of the name of the narrow valley in which Hebron is situated, "Eshcol" meaning a cluster of grapes. place is still famous for the produce of the vine, for pomegranates, figs, and olives. A church was erected in Hebron by the mother of Constantine, the Empress Helena, on the spot where Abraham is supposed to have been buried; but it has since been converted into a mosque. At the present time to the eyes of the curious traveller there are tombs shown, said to be those of the patriarch and his family. Those who are sufficiently credulous no doubt will look upon them with a feeling of reverence and surprise. It may be mentioned, however, that the real tombs are stated to be beneath the building, and that the locality of these tombs is purely matter of tradition. Palls of various-coloured silk are called into requisition to set off the place with an air of attractiveness

and grandeur. But the pious mind will thrust these gaudy surroundings on one side, and wander in thought far back into the ages to the simple, unsophisticated home, primitive Mamre, "where Abram and Isaac sojourned."

Hebron is now called El-Khulîl, "the friend of God," in allusion to Abraham. Of the inhabitants of the place upwards of fifty families are Jews; and it is said that hostilities are continually occurring between the El-Khulilites and the Bethlehemites, who are distant but a few miles south. There is a glass manufactory in the town; but the vine, which is so unusually prolific in the neighbourhood, is not turned to account in the manufacture of wine. This perhaps is due to the presence of a large number of Mohammedans, whose religious code of course does not allow of their partaking of that liquid. These people are also mainly the cause why so few pilgrims visit the site of ancient Hebron, as the followers of Mohammed offer considerable obstruction to all travellers.

The scenery around Hebron-we cannot adopt any other than the familiar Scripture designation-is really delightful. Hills and valleys, forests of oak and fir, and open spots of country, all contribute to the general effect. The land, too, is well cultivated; evidences of which are afforded in the prospect of numerous fields of corn and other crops, amid which are to be seen numerous busy labourers, with noblelooking cattle interspersed, all working in the glowing sunlight, engaged in rural occupations, which doubtless carried on with similar implements and in the same simple modes as in patriarchal times.

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There is one curiosity in connection with the surrounding country,

about which it will not be wise to give the imagination too much the rein-Abraham's oak. This oak, Josephus tells us, was called Ogyges. It is about a mile from Hebron, and is situated amid a cluster of vineyards beside a spring of pure water. The oak is one of the largest in Palestine; it is thirty-three feet in girth, and spreads its leafy covering over so large a space as ninety feet. This is the venerable covering beneath which Abraham pitched his tent-so says the story-teller; but the giant of trees tells no such tale himself; nor, on the face of it, is the fact at all likely. The tree has the appearance of no very great antiquity. Further, Jerome speaks of the oak of Abraham having disappeared about the time of Constantine.

We have touched but little on the Scriptural references to Hebron : these the reader may refer to in connection with our short and imperfect sketch. He will call to mind the field with a cave, which Abraham bought to bury his dead in; the further history of

Hebron, when the Hebrews invaded Palestine; its assignment to Caleb ; its becoming a city of refuge; David's choice of it as a residence ; its apportionment to Judah under Rehoboam; and many other circumstances, which space will not here permit us to mention.

The writer has but few words to add. In the limits of this brief paper we have seen the same drama, the same solemn solemnity gone through that humanity has been now enacting for some thousands of years. Mighty men, strong places, old and cherished ideas, not unmixed with fanciful illusions-all rise up and disappear one by one; while, through all, the mysterious purposes of Deity are being worked out with unerring skill-purposes unrevealed till that great day when every hidden thing shall be brought to light. Let us rest satisfied with the thought that the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob abideth for ever; the Giver of all good things and the Taker-away; whose will be done, and to whom be all praise.

HYMN FOR THE NEW YEAR.

HARP, awake! tell out thy story

Of our love and joy and praise;
Lute, awake! awake our glory!
Join, a thankful song to raise !
Join we, brethren, faithful-hearted,
Lift the solemn voice again
O'er another year departed

Of our threescore years and ten!

Lo! a theme for deepest sadness,
In ourselves with sin defiled;
Lo! a theme for holiest gladness,
In our Father reconciled!
In the dust we bend before Thee,
Lord of sinless hosts above;
Yet in lowliest joy adore Thee,
God of mercy, grace, and love!

Gracious Saviour, Thou hast lengthened
And hast blessed our mortal span,
And in our weak hearts hast strengthened
What Thy grace alone began!
Still, when danger shall betide us,
Be Thy warning whisper heard;
Keep us at Thy feet, and guide us
By Thy Spirit and Thy word!

Let Thy favour and Thy blessing
Crown the year we now begin;
Let us all, Thy strength possessing,
Grow in grace and vanquish sin!
Storms are round us, hearts are quailing;
Signs in heaven, and earth, and sea:
But when heaven and earth are failing,
Saviour, we will trust in Thee!

H. DOWNTON.

ON THE RELIGIOUS TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

NEGLECT of the religious education of children-so important and deeply interesting a department of the Church's heritage was long the reproach of Protestant Christendom, especially during the last century. Thank God, in our generation much of this sin cannot be laid to our charge, although a great deal yet remains to be accomplished. We can truly say that there is arising a more just appreciation of the importance of the subject, and that more earnest inquiries are made as to the duties of each class of persons, as well as of every individual.

With these few preliminary words we venture to place before our readers the following thoughts upon the matter.

It will be generally agreed that from the beginning God turned the hearts of parents to their offspring for religious instruction. Abel was taught of the promised "Seed," and how to bring an "acceptable sacrifice" to the Lord; and Noah how to please God and become an heir of the righteousness which is by faith. The piety of the patriarch Abraham was recognised in commanding his household to keep the way of the Lord; and this was "established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel;" and it was re-issued as

a statute when Christ came. Young Samuel, under the Old Testament dispensation, and young Timothy, under the New, were early taught to know the Holy Scriptures. In the first ages of the Christian Church classes of "catechumens were formed for instruction in the Christian faith, composed largely of the young. Increased attention was paid to this duty after the Reformation. Schools, bearing some resemblance to modern Sunday-schools, are said to have existed in certain districts on the Continent since the Reformation, and in Scotland in the last quarter of the last century.

Among all evangelical Christians it is matter of common consent that the conversion of the soul is a necessary condition of salvation. The declaration of our Lord to Nicodemus, that a man must be "born again" that he may see the kingdom of heaven, is received in its plain and obvious sense. Accordingly, the Christian parent prays devoutly and always that the Divine Spirit may accomplish His saving work upon the hearts of his offspring, and that they may be made early partakers of renewing grace. The Church, in her solemn ordinances, prays in behalf of each child brought to it in holy baptism,

that he may receive "that which by nature he cannot have ;" and the religious teacher of the young, whether his ministrations are public or private, labours to bring them to a serious conviction that they must be converted, in order to enjoy peace with God or to become entitled to everlasting life. But with this almost universal agreement upon these cardinal points, there have been the widest differences of opinion, and consequently of practical efforts, as to the practicability of the conversion of children and the methods to be adopted by which to secure that greatlyto-be-desired end.

About a century or so ago it was deemed sufficient by many Protestant teachers that, with the approach of old age, people should begin to think seriously of the interests of their souls, and addict themselves earnestly to religious duties. A later and more actively religious age insisted that with the assumption of the duties of mature life, and especially those of heads of families, should be associated an active devotion to personal religion. Our own times have seen the Church accepting the truth that youth, as well as approaching maturity, is eminently a fitting period to consecrate one's heart and life to Christ. Through all these times there have also been those who, either from their own experience or from cases that have come under their observation, have declared the fact that young children have been converted and lived in the enjoyment of religion. But such statements have usually been received by the Church with much doubtfulness, and generally they have been explained away as not sufficiently attested or as exceptional cases. More recently, and largely through the agency of Sunday-school instruction, large numbers of children have professed saving faith in Christ, and brought forth the fruits of good living that in adults would be accepted as undoubted evidence of genuine conversion. By these facts the Church is compelled, putting aside Scripture testimony, to accept the great truth that childhood, not less than more advanced life, may be, and therefore should be,

devoted to the service of God and the enjoyment of His grace. The most important problem now offered to evangelical Protestantism relates to the relation of young children to the Gospel, together with their capabilities to receive and retain saving grace, and the consequent duties of the Church and the family as to their religious nurture.

Such a theme, so inviting by reason of its great promise of happy results, is not without its peculiar and formidable difficulties. It involves nearly every chief point in theology, and implies a practical determination of nearly every question that has been discussed in the past ages of the Church. Assuming, as may be done, the correctness of the orthodox faith respecting God and Christ, and the agency of the Holy Spirit, and of the fall of man and his need of redemption, there are yet other questions of scarcely less practical interest inseparably connected with the subject of the moral and religious relations of children. The federal relations of the child to Adam, and the nature and extent of the inherited curse, constitute a theme respecting which evangelical theologians are not all of one mind. The doctrine of special election and of irresistible grace comes in as a disturbing element among the practical agencies of Christian culture; while, on the other hand, the dogma of baptismal regeneration shuts up all the efforts of the pious within the often confined limits of ecclesiastical agencies. And beyond these arise the profound metaphysical problems of the nature of sin, the freedom of the will, and its apparent opposite, the law, of sin in man, and the nature of regeneration. These are questions that must arise wherever there is the mental acumen necessary for their appreciation; and, as a matter of fact, they produce no little embarrassment. Yet these questions must be met, and thought through by the aid of the word of God and the impulses of the Christian life. We must grapple with them and accomplish their solution; for on them depend matters of momentous consequence.

Yet another difficulty arises from the fact that when a subject of this nature

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