In the southern part of Palestine, and about thirty miles south-east from Jerusalem, stands the Dead Sea. It is a lake of about forty miles in length, with an average breadth of ten miles. On the east and the west, steep, rugged, and barren mountains of limestone rise up to the height of two thousand feet, and enclose the waters as in a huge cauldron. A death-like stillness prevails all around, unbroken save by the scream of the wild fowl on the bosom of the lake, or the footstep of some daring and solitary traveller. Its sh.o.r.es are deserted. No human habitation exists within miles. Even the wandering Arab approaches it with superst.i.tious dread. Nothing can exceed the gloomy grandeur of its scenery. Rocks piled upon rocks, like ruin upon ruin, look down from the east and the west, and are reflected in its sluggish waters. In its immediate vicinity all vegetation languishes and dies, and the sh.o.r.es are covered as with a coat of salt. In the waters themselves no living thing exists. Everything contributes to the ideas of solitude, silence, sterility, mystery, ruin, and death.

Now there was a time when the Sea did not exist--when the ground which it now covers formed part of a lovely, extensive, and fertile plain. So lovely was this plain that it was likened to the garden of paradise, on account of its fertility. Everything which was pleasant to the eye and good for food grew there. There was one valley in this plain which was beautiful beyond all others; it was the vale of Siddim. In this vale were built the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, and some others. Now, the fertility of the ground caused the inhabitants of these places to be very rich and very idle. They forgot the goodness of G.o.d in placing them in such a lovely spot; and instead of thanking Him for His kindness towards them, they gave way to such a beastliness and licentiousness of conduct as one cannot think of without shuddering.

Their very name lives to our times to designate all that is filthy and abominable in the conduct of men. They were not only licentious, they were proud; not only proud, they were greedy and uncharitable. Although they possessed in such abundance all that was necessary for the happiness and sustenance of man, yet would they not give anything to a.s.sist the poor and the needy. The Prophet Ezekiel says, "Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom; pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness, was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy, but was haughty, and committed abomination before Me." All the worst of sins in the greatest excess were to be found among these inhabitants of the cities of the plain.

At this time there was living among them a man of the name of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. One evening, as Lot sat in the gate of Sodom, two angels, in the form of men, appeared unto him. "And Lot, seeing them, rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; and he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night." They did not wish to enter; but Lot pressed them, and they went in, and he gave them some refreshment.

That very night the angels communicate to Lot the intelligence that the Lord had sent them to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the cities of the plain, for the sins of the people had become so great that they were an abomination in the land. And the angels said unto Lot, "Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place." This awful news must have made Lot very anxious for the safety of his family, and accordingly he goes out and tells his relations, and bids them get up and leave the place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city. "But he seemed as one that mocked, unto his sons-in-law." Lot entreats them like a kind father who desires the safety of his children; but they only mock him in return--"Why should to-morrow differ from other days? Who ever saw it rain fire, or whence should the brimstone come? Or, if such showers must fall, how shall nothing burn but this valley?" "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city." How destruction hunts the wicked! As soon as it is morning, Lot is told to hurry out of the guilty city, lest he should be consumed in its iniquity. Lot looks upon it, and thinks, perhaps, of his property which he must leave to perish. He looks, and lingers; but the angels "laid 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 him forth, and set him without the city." No sooner are they beyond the walls of the city than the angels say unto him, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed."

The command terrifies Lot. "Escape to the mountain--to a wild, barren, desert spot, where I cannot find food to eat, and where the wild beasts may destroy me? I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die. Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live." The prayer of Lot is graciously accepted. "See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar." As Lot enters the little city of Zoar the sun is shining. Everything was as usual. The sun is shining upon the cities and the beautiful vale of Siddim. The inhabitants, heedless and careless as before, are wantoning and revelling. Suddenly the windows of heaven are opened, and floods of fiery rain pour down upon the guilty cities and all within them. The ground takes fire; the wicked inhabitants fly, shrieking, from place to place, but all too late. The swift devouring flames follow them, and in a short time the cities, the people, all that was fair to look upon in the vale of Siddim, even the solid earth itself, are in a blaze! Presently a noise like that of thunder is heard.

The earth, like some huge animal, opens wide its mouth; the cities sink into its jaws and are swallowed up; floods of water, filled with sulphur, rush over the place where they stood, and nothing is seen but a thick cloud of smoke rising from the water. That water is the Dead Sea.

These were not all the horrors of that dreadful day. Lot escaped into Zoar, but his wife, who was behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. The angel had told them not to look back. G.o.d was at that time showing her the greatest mercy, yet, contrary to His commands, she looked back, and became a pillar of salt. It may be that the swift flames overtook her as she loitered, or that G.o.d, offended at such ungrateful disobedience, punished her on the spot by immediately turning her into a pillar of salt. It matters not to us which way it was. In either case it was the result of disobedience.

THE BIBLE AND ITS CLAIMS.

I do not know whether you have seen Mr. Smiles' life of our late friend George Moore, but in it we read that, at a certain dinner-party, a learned man remarked that it would not be easy to find a person of intelligence who believed in the inspiration of the Bible. In an instant George Moore's voice was heard across the table saying boldly, "I do, for one." Nothing more was said. My dear friend had a strong way of speaking, as I well remember, for we have upon occasions vied with each other in shouting when we were together at his c.u.mberland home. I think I can hear his emphatic "I do, for one." Let us not be backward to take the old-fashioned and unpopular side, and say outright, "I do, for one."

Where are we, if our Bibles are gone? Where are we if taught to distrust them? If we are left in doubt as to what part is inspired and what is not, we are as badly off as if we had no Bible at all. I hold no theory of inspiration. I accept the inspiration of the Scriptures as a fact.

Those who thus view the Scriptures need not be ashamed of their company, for some of the best and most learned of men have been of the same mind.

Locke, the great philosopher, spent the last fourteen years of his life in the study of the Bible, and when asked what was the shortest way for a young gentleman to understand the Christian religion, he bade him read the Bible, remarking, "Therein are contained the words of eternal life.

It has G.o.d for its Author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any admixture of error, for its matter." There are those on the side of G.o.d's Word whom you need not be ashamed of in the matter of intelligence and learning; and if it were not so, it should not discourage you, when you remember that the Lord has "hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." We believe, with the Apostle, that "the foolishness of G.o.d is wiser than men." It is better to believe what comes out of G.o.d's mouth, and be called a fool, than to believe what comes out of the mouths of philosophers, and be therefore esteemed a wise man.--_C. H. Spurgeon._

MANKIND'S MISTAKES.

It is a mistake to labour when you are not in a fit condition to do so.

To think that the more a person eats the healthier and stronger he will become.

To go to bed at midnight and rise at daybreak, and imagine that every hour taken from sleep is an hour gained.

To imagine that if a little work or exercise is good, violent or prolonged exercise is better.

To conclude that the smallest room in the house is large enough to sleep in.

To eat as if you had only a minute to finish the meal in, or to eat without an appet.i.te, or continue after it has been satisfied, merely to gratify the taste.

To believe that children can do as much work as grown people, and that the more hours they study the more they learn.

To imagine that whatever remedy causes one to feel immediately better (as alcoholic stimulants) is good for the system, without regard to its after effects.

To take off proper clothing out of season, simply because you have become heated.

To think that any nostrum or patent medicine is a specific for all the diseases flesh is heir to.

POSTAL SERVICE STATISTICS

The Right Hon. H. C. Raikes, her Majesty's Postmaster-General, has issued the thirty-fourth annual report on the working of the postal services in the United Kingdom for the year ended March 31st last. The record starts with a table, the figures of which convey some notion of the magnitude of the task undertaken. It is estimated that during the year the number of letters entrusted to the department for delivery was 1,512,200,000, in addition to 188,800,000 post-cards, 389,500,000 book packets and circulars, 152,300,000 newspapers, and 36,732,000 parcels, making a gross total of 2,279,532,000. Compared with the previous year these figures show an increase of 3.6 per cent. in letters, 4.8 in post-cards, 5.6 in book packets and circulars, 0.8 in newspapers, and 11.8 in parcels, the increase in the total being 3.9. It is calculated that the average number of letters addressed to each person was 41, of postcards 5, of book packets and circulars 10, of newspapers 4, of parcels 1; or a grand average of 61. The distribution of these figures over given areas was marked by the usual disproportion. Of the total delivery about 85 per cent. was in England and Wales (28 per cent. being in the London postal district), 9.0 per cent. was in Scotland, and 6.0 per cent. in Ireland. The total number of letters registered was 10,814,722, being an increase of 0.3 per cent.

The constantly growing work of the department necessitates an increase in the numerical strength of the staff. The Postmaster-General shows that the permanent establishment consists of about 56,460 persons, being an increase of 1,609 over last year. Of the 3,872 females employed, 751 are engaged as clerks in the central offices in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh, and 3,121 as telegraphists, counter-women, sorters, &c., throughout the kingdom. In addition to this staff about 48,900 supernumeraries are employed in the country to a.s.sist in the general work of the Post Office. Of these 16,000 are females.

The Parcel Post continues to be much used for the transmission of flowers, game, &c. It is calculated that over 12,000 parcels, containing upwards of 45,000 grouse, were received in London last autumn, and in the month of March vegetables in considerable quant.i.ties arrived in parcels from Algiers, while it was also noticed that in one week 3,787 parcels containing hats were posted in London alone. As an ill.u.s.tration of the use made of this service by certain firms, it may be mentioned that two firms in London each posted 70,000 parcels at one time, while a third posted 5,000 parcels. The total postage paid on these parcels amounted to 1,875.

The "Dead Letter" department, as it is popularly known, has been called upon to deal with 13,436,600 letters, newspapers, postcards, packets, and parcels. These figures mark a decrease of 785,387, which is attributed firstly to the absence of a general election, and secondly to the progress of education, "which causes letter writers to exercise more care and accuracy in addressing letters." The report continues:--

"Of the total number received 412,122 were unreturnable; 175,408 were registered or contained enclosures of value, and 25,726 were wholly unaddressed. Of these unaddressed letters 1,553 contained money and cheques, &c., amounting to 7,111. The careless and insecure manner in which the public send articles through the post is shown by the facts that no less than 24,727 articles of all sorts, including 289 coins, were received, having escaped from their covers or wrappers, and that the addresses had become detached, through insufficient fastening, from 4,578 parcels, many of which contained matter of a perishable nature, which was thus lost to the owners.

"During the year ended December 31st, 1887, the deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank numbered 6,916,327; the amount being 16,535,932, as compared with 6,562,395 deposits, amounting to 15,696,852 the year before, being an increase of 353,932 in number and 839,080 in amount.

The sum credited to depositors for interest was 1,244,074, an increase of 74,484 over the previous year. The total amount standing to the credit of depositors at the end of the year was 53,974,065, being an increase of 3,099,727 over last year. This total is exclusive of the sum of 3,345,106 Government Stock held by depositors. The number of new accounts opened during the year was 794,592 as compared with 758,270 in 1886; and the accounts closed were 574,252 as compared with 562,499."

Dealing with the Telegraph business, it is shown that the number of messages forwarded during the year was 53,403,425, being an increase of 3,159,786. A reminiscence of the Queen's Jubilee is fittingly recorded.

The events connected with the celebration caused an immense increase in telegraph work in London, amounting to nearly 60 per cent. over the ordinary average, and on the day preceding the Jubilee ceremony no less than 30,597 local messages were transmitted through the central station, the total number of messages dealt with on that day in the Central Office being 124,291.

THE most valuable, pure, useful, and durable of all metals, is tried gold; so is tried faith, among all the Christian virtues.--_Jackson._

IT is not enough in this world to "mean well." We ought to do well.

Thoughtfulness, therefore, becomes a duty, and grat.i.tude one of the graces.

NATURE HER OWN SURGEON.

Equally worthy of admiration, and all but equally complex, is the process by which Nature repairs a fractured limb, especially when the injury is such that the broken ends of bone cannot be brought exactly into their proper positions. It is remarkable, too, how she adapts her process to the different habits of her patients. In the case of a simple fracture, if the parts that have been disjoined are set close together in their normal line--if it be the leg of a dog, for example--there is first a hard sheath, called a "callus," formed round the fracture, and this "callus" permits a restricted use of the injured limb, even before the two parts have grown together. It is, however, only a temporary provision, necessitated by the natural restlessness of the lower animals. After the fracture has completely healed the "callus" gradually disappears. A human case is treated differently. Here, unless it be a broken rib (which requires the provision in consequence of its incessant motion in respiration), the healing takes place ordinarily without the formation of any _outer_ "callus." Sometimes the broken ends cannot be--or at all events are not--brought into their proper relative positions. Is it possible, it may be asked, that Nature can provide the means for meeting such an emergency, when, that is to say, the two portions of bone to be joined are all awry, and something quite new--in fact, a kind of bridge, and a bridge not merely serving the purpose of a solid connection between opposite banks, but like the bridges which carry the appliances of modern civilization, connecting the nerves, which answer to the telegraph wires, and the veins and arteries corresponding to our water and other conduits, has to be constructed?

Nature's engineering is equal even to this task.--_Quiver._

ABOUT SWEARING.

A CHAT WITH MY BOYS.

Some boys seem to think that it is manly to swear. Pa.s.sing along the street, one is shocked to hear oaths from well-dressed, intelligent boys, who evidently belong to cultivated Christian families. I am going to tell the boys a true story about swearing, which I trust will influence them to break themselves of this ungentlemanly and wicked habit.

"When I was a young lad," said a gentleman, "I learned to swear. I had a good Christian mother, and she had taught me what a heinous sin it is to use the name of G.o.d in vain. But I heard other boys swearing, and I thought it was very manly to swear as they did, and I tried it too. At first the words of an oath came stumbling along, and I felt all the time I was using them that G.o.d would strike me dead. But after a while I could swear as easily and fearlessly as some of my companions. But I never swore before my mother. I used the Lord's name in vain so often that it seemed as if He had forsaken me, and left me to my sins. I became wicked and reckless.