this plain. After a time the wickedness of the cities became so great, that the Lord resolved to go down and see whether they had done altogether according to the cry of it which had come unto Him. After examining into the truth of the report, He prepared the way for their destruction.

The words of Christ, which remind us of the destruction of this woman, must be taken in a figurative sense. Through her unlawful looking back she has become the type of that worldly-mindedness and selfishness, which seeks to preserve the material and the temporal at the sacrifice of the spiritual and the eternal. The lesson which our Saviour desires to inculcate as flowing from the untimely end of this woman is this, "Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it!"

The relations which we sustain to our fellow men and the material world, and our associations with these, have a lasting influence in favor either of our weal or woe. Sometimes these associations and their influences are the sources of our spiritual degradation and destruction of our spiritual prospects. This will enable us to realize the force of the old maxim of the apostle, when he declares that "evil communications corrupt good manners.'

Lot and his spouse did not seem to have a cognizance of this truth, or if they had, they did not render allegiance to it. After an examination into their condition and habits, we cannot forego the conclusion that their unfavorable position and associations were the occasion of her sad misfortune and sudden destruction. This must assume the character of a selfevident fact, when we come to consider the significance of their residence in Sodom.

Her separation from the society of good men was the first step in her downward course. For the sake of attaining a temporal advantage, she sacrificed her communion with those solemn and elevating associations which no believer can afford to lose, and without the aid of which he cannot maintain his integrity in the face of the ungodly influences of this present evil world. Thus her separation from her kinsmen in the flesh and in the faith opened the way to her degradation and final destruction.

The reasons for this separation were insufficient. The pastures had become scant. This brought the herdsmen of the numerous and rapidly increasing flocks into collision. For the sake of restoring peace, she is moved to erect an altar in a heathen land and among a strange nation. The love of peace, falsely so called, the love of the material, and her desire to gain and to hold it, were the entering wedges to her subsequent misfortunes.

An investigation into the spirit of the occasion shows, that it was not so much the love of the material world, as the disagreements and contentions which had arisen between the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot, which led her to make this choice. There can be no doubt, that it was her desire to escape these contentions and seek a refuge where she might repose in peace. In this desire she labored under improper influences, and in the end failed in the realization of her expectations.

She labored under that strange but common impression, that whenever some disagreement arises among the people of God, a separation must ensue in order to a reconciliation. Now no position is more dangerous than

a life apart from the Church of Christ and beyond the reach and influence of her sacramental graces and forces. Such a line of conduct is worse than madness, and must end in destruction. How much better and nobler to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season! In their unfavorable position Lot and his wife soon discovered their imprudence and endured their first chastisement. The kings of five cities in the vale of Siddim had united in rebellion, after a subjection of twelve years, against Chedorlaomer, the king of Elam. This king succeeded in defeating the rebels, and carried away many captives, and with them Lot. Abraham, having received tidings of his capture, went out with his three hundred and eighteen trained servants, smote the conquerors, and brought back the captives and his kinsman Lot.

This episode demonstrates the fact, that their choice was unfortunate, and that they did not attain that freedom from contention, nor the peace which they had sought. Thus matters stood for a season. The next information which reaches us, is, that the cities in the plain had increased in wickedness to such a degree, that rumors of it had reached the ear of the Lord, and He is on His way down, halting with and announcing his intention to Abraham, to examine into the truth of the report which had come unto Him.

The choice which Lot and his wife had made and the dangerous condition into which it served to bring them, continued for some time. Now the case began to assume a new aspect. After the Lord had gone down and satisfied Himself in reference to the rumors which had reached Him, He determined upon the overthrow of those wicked and riotous cities. This determination was followed by an almost immediate and a most terrible destruction.

At this point Abraham appears as an intercessor in their behalf. The Lord had revealed His mission and intention to him, and this emboldens him to make that fearless and marvellous intercession. There can be no doubt that this had its intended effect, and that it influenced the Lord to save Lot and his household. For this reason it seems measures are inaugurated and carried into execution for their deliverance.

Abraham continued his intercession and the men, who had accompanied the Lord, turned their faces thence and went to Sodom. They arrived at the gate at even, and Lot seeing them rose up, and after pressing them conducted them to his house, and they tarried there. The cordial reception which they received at his hands and the solicitude he manifested in the rescue of his kinsmen, were additional incentives to render him all the assistance in their power in order to his escape from the fate so near at hand.

The gathering of a riotous gang around Lot's house, satisfied his visitors concerning the rumors and opened the way for announcing the object of their visit. Lot is instructed to seek out his kinsmen, and to bring them out of that place. The destruction is at hand. Thus the Lord comes, investigates, judges, pronounces and carries the sentence into execution; in the meantime stretching out His arm to save those willing to abandon their sinful associations and companions.

The Lord himself arranges the preliminaries and then dispatches His agents and messengers. These proclaim His determination, and are willing to assist in the flight those who believe His gracious word. In a general sense, we may regard this as a shadow of one, who came in a later

age and joined our nature to his own, in order to our redemption and salvation. Everything is in Lot's favor and he can have no excuse if he fails to escape.

In a state of nature we are in the same dangerous condition. Our relations and associations are sinful and material in their character. Our kinsmen in the flesh cannot become our saviours. To Lot and to Sodom, but one messenger came. To us the Lord comes in His Church, in His word and Spirit. Our sinfulness grows with our growth, so that there is no health nor soundness in us.

But the Lord has come down in the incarnation of His Son and united our nature to His own. He is willing to render assistance to all who receive and believe His Word. But we must renounce the Siddims of this world and the associations and companions of Sodom. This involves the assumption of the place provided for us in the kingdom and Church of His Son. This prepares the way for another consideration.

The morn of destruction dawned upon Sodom. Then the angels hastened Lot, saying, "Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are here; lest they be consumed in the iniquity of the city." Lot lingered and the men lain hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters: the Lord being merciful unto him; and they brought them forth, and set him without the city. But the dangers are not yet passed.

Lot did not seem to comprehend his perilous situation.

For this rea

son he is again commanded to escape for his life, not to look behind, neither to stay in all the plain, and to escape to the mountain lest he be consumed. But again his courage fails him, and he bids the angel to allow him to seek refuge in a city nearer at hand. This too is granted and Lot and his household once more move forward.

From this narrative we are led to draw the inference, that Lot was forced to abandon his flocks in order to save his person. This is corroborated in part in view of the fact, that he planted a vineyard at a later day and thus changed his occupation. In the present he must secure his personal safety. In this he is finally successful, and he enters Zoar when the sun was risen upon the earth.

Some distance from the eastern shores of the Dead Sea, which covers the ancient plain of Sodom, there is a long chain of hills running down from the mountains in the north of Palestine. About midway between these hills and an arm of the Dead Sea is the supposed site of Zoar. The name signifies, small, and was given to it, because Lot had insisted on the smallness of the town as a place of refuge.

When we come to consider the various circumstances attending this strange event, we are strongly inclined to arrive at the conclusion, that the Lord would have us regard this city as a figure of His Church. It served Lot as a refuge for the time being. Thus all, who are threatened with destruction and who desire that their souls should live, may seek a refuge and find a shelter in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is one remarkable fact in connection with the location of this town. It is situated on the peninsula which divides the Dead Sea into two unequal portions, and which resembles a tract of land that has escaped the violent convulsion, to which the entire region had been exposed. This is significant. The Lord provides a refuge for us in the midst of dangers and preserves us in His refuge.

The Church is our true home. There are numerous scriptures in which this fact is brought to our attention. The Church is the place in which, and the sacraments the means through which, the Lord delivers men from destruction and defends them in the salvation which He has purchased for them. Lot had to share the doom of Sodom or flee to the place commanded by the Lord. There was no medium position remaining for him to occupy.

And there is none for us. We may persuade ourselves that there is salvation for us out of the Church, but there is none. The Lord will save those in whom He discovers a disposition to use His means of grace. There can then be no alternative for us. We must share the destruction which is certain in its advent, or seek a shelter and a home in the household of our adorable Lord and Master.

The wife of Lot was unfortunate in the highest degree. Her husband continued in his flight and entered Zoar when the sun had risen. His wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. There are those, who shudder at the bare thought of such a sudden and terrible doom; and yet, forsooth, are in the same condemnation. Unless they move forward they will be overtaken by a more terrible destruction.

This women made a start to reach Zoar, but she did not continue in her flight. This was the cause of her misfortunes. Men oftentimes start out for the kingdom of heaven, and they come so far as to enter the pale of the Church through the initial sacrament, and afterwards obtain a confirmation of the grace there bestowed upon them-and then stand still and look back! Now the fault is not in the Church, but in the failure to move forward of those in the Church.

Lot and his wife had separated from their kinsman, Abraham, and chosen the vale of Siddim, in order to advance their material interests and to attain freedom from contentions. We have reasons to suppose, that Lot has suffered the loss of his flocks in the rebellion of the five cities against their king. The fact of his residence in Sodom indicates, that he had abandoned the nomadic life. The pleasures and the follies of city life turned their heads and hearts from the Lord.

This accounts for their reluctance in the flight. The men of the Lord were compelled to use physical force, in order to transport them beyond the reach of danger. All this shows how much, they were under the influences of worldly inclinations and desires. The messengers of the Lord understood this and warned them not to look back. Lot's wife, unable to resist her natural impu'ses, turned and involved herself in terrible destruction.

She failed in realizing the necessity of exercising confidence in the wisdom and love of the Lord. The immediate future was dark and uncertain. She was unable to grasp the import and the issues of the strange events, which followed one another in such rapid succession. She had forgotten, that, in order to her redemption, she must move forward and run in the race set before her. Covetousness must then end in infidelity. This is an hard saying, who can hear it. Covetousness elevates material and temporal objects to an equality with God. Covetousness enervates our Christian character and blunts our spiritual desires. This present evil world is one of the instruments in the hands of our adversary in order to our destruction. How true that we cannot serve God and the mammon of this world!

She was one of a large class who halt between two opinions. She had not fallen from grace so far as her sons-in-law, to whom Lot seemed as one that mocked. She foresaw the dangers of such a course, and hence she was prepared to sacrifice the pleasures of the world for a season, in order to save her person from the threatened doom. As soon, however, as she was beyond the reach of immediate danger, she turned and looked back.

Thus she has become the emblem for all ages of a numerous class in the Church of Christ. There are those who have come out of the world and enlisted under the banner of the cross. These are in the Church with their bodies and their hearts remain in the world. These are the barren fig trees that cumber the ground. These are the persons for whose benefit the monument of imperishable salt has been erected in the ancient vale of Siddim, and upon whom our Saviour calls to remember Lot's wife.

THE SEVENTEEN-YEAR LOCUSTS.

(CICADE SEPTENDECIM.)

BY PERKIOMEN.

CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 268.

"It may

TOWNSEND GLOVER, in an article on Insects (1855), says however, be observed, that the true Locust is not the insect generally known by that name in the United States, which is in reality a "Harvest Fy" (Cicada) usually inhabiting trees, where it makes an incessant burring noise, which may be heard at a great distance during the summer and autumnal evenings. The shape of the Harvest-Fly is much clumsier and broader than that of the real Locust, and the under wings are not folded up like a fan, under a wing-case, but transparent, stiff, and veined. The real Locust is similar to the Grasshopper in shape, but the body is more robust, the antennæ shorter, and its flight much longer and more vigorous." This is some authority, at all events. No one will charge upon us, after this, that we have only covered ourselves up and over in mere high-sounding assertions. Still, some may ask : "Who is Townsend Glover?" This is our answer: He is an entomologist of no mean repute. From a report on the entomological exhibition in Paris, in 1865, we extract the following key to the man: "The grand gold medal of the Emperor yet remained to be decreed, and the jury sought to ascertain to whom the high award was due; when, at a late hour, a stranger, an American-M. Townsend Glover-attached to the Department of Agriculture at Washington, presented himself with a Work on Practical Entomology, applicable to Agriculture. This work, comprising, on 130 copper plates, the useful and noxious insects of North America, belonging to all the orders, established by Naturalists, Coleoptera, &c., is designed and executed by the exhibitor himself from Nature, and presents them in the three forms of Larva, Pupa and Perfect Insects. In brief, this work which cost the