34

THE LAND DIVIDED.

AND the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?

:

Give out from among you three men for each tribe and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.

And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.

Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.

But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.

And the men arose, and went away and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh.

And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.

And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.--JOSH. xviii. 1-10.

THE GOLDEN TEXT.

"The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." -Prov. xvi. 33.

Subject." The Land Divided."—Josh. xviii. 1-10. OUTLINE LESSON.

Israel now peacefully settled in Canaan. Land to be divided among the tribes. Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, already have their shares. Now, Judah, Ephraim, and the other half of Manasseh -leading tribes-have theirs first, in centre of country. Then

the rest of the land divided into seven parts, for the others. I. This division was a fair one-by lot.

I.

2. Yet not by chance, for G. Text is true.

3. Not all equal, for all the cities not yet conquered, so the shares partly depended on the tribes themselves. See chap. xv. 63, xvii. 11-18, &c.

OUR LOT-temporally. Is it a hard lot, or a happy lot? (a) God gave it us, so it must be really good; no such thing as "bad luck." (b) Yet something depends on ourselves: do we always "make the best of it"? II. OUR LOT-spiritually. (a) Here, too, all the grace we have is from God. (b) Yet here, too, something depends on our. selves; for "He giveth more grace," and if we "have not," it is because we 66 ask not," Jas. iv. 2, 6.

God says to us about our temporal lot-" In every thing give thanks," 1 Thess. v. 18.

God says to us about our spiritual lot—" Covet earnestly the best gifts," I Cor. xii. 31.

HOW DIFFERENT MEN CHOSE AND USED THEIR LOTS :Adam and Eve: what lot did God give them? what lot did they get for themselves?

It was Joseph's lot to be hated, sold, falsely accused, im-
prisoned, forgotten. Still he was steadfast (Gen. xxxix. 9),
faithful (ver. 1-6, 21-23), kindly (xl. 6-8); and then-what?
Why did Moses give up a prince's lot to take a slave's lot?
Heb. xi. 25, 26.

Who could have a happier earthly lot than King Solomon?
What did he think of it? Eccles. ii. 1-11.

Who could have a harder lot than Job? What did he think of
it? Job i. 21, ii. 10.

A man who had much, and used it badly: Luke xii. 16-21.
A man who had little, and used it badly: Matt. xxv. 24-30.
A woman who had much, and used it well: Acts ix. 36, 39.
A woman who had little, and used it well: Mark xii. 41-44.

HOW TO BE CONTENT. ONE who had experienced a change of fortune, said, "When I was rich I possessed God in all things, and now I am poor I possess all things in God." Contentment depends more on the disposition of the mind than on the

OUR SAVIOUR'S LOT. As a poor man was sitting by his fire, one cold evening, with his wife and children, he said to them, "I have been thinking a great deal to-day about that part of the Scripture, 'The Son of man hath not where to lay His head.' How wonderful it is, that we who are so sinful, unworthy, and helpless, should be more favoured than He was!"

"It is wonderful, indeed," said the eldest girl; "for though our house be mean, and our victuals scanty, compared with the houses and way of living of great folks, yet it seems that Jesus Christ was not so well provided as we are." "I am very glad to hear you speak in that way, Sarah," said the wife. "How happy we all are in our little dwelling this cold night. As soon as we wish, we have beds to rest ourselves upon; there, sharp and piercing as the frost is, and bleak and stormy as the winds blow, we shall be comfortable and warm; and yet the Son of man, as your father has just told us, had 'not where to lay His head' ! Oh, that this thought may make us thankful for our many mercies."

If others are wealthy while we are but poor,
We still may be happy as they;

For mod'rate desire, not immoderate store,
Best keeps discontentment away.

The noblest and richest have troubles to bear,
Amid their possessions untold;

Of suff'ring and sorrow they all have their share,
In spite of their titles and gold.

Our sleep is as sound and our food is as sweet
As any which they can enjoy ;

And time never passes so pleasant and fleet
As when spent in useful employ.

"Tis doing our duty, not changing our lot,

That brings truest pleasure and peace ;

And whether we share in earth's treasures or not,
We may share in its joys if we please.

If duty be done 'tis a far greater thing
Than riches or honours to gain :
With this ev'n a cottage will happiness bring,
Without it a palace were vain.

From "Rhymes Worth Remembering."

THE SECRET OF BEING SATISFIED. A CERTAIN bishop was remarkable for his happy and contented disposition. He met with much opposition, and encountered numerous difficulties, in his journey through life; but it was observed that he never repined

at his condition, or betrayed the least degree of impatience. An intimate friend of his, who highly admired the virtue which he thought it impossible to imitate, one day asked the prelate if he could communicate the secret of being always satisfied. "Yes," replied the good old man, "I can teach you my secret, and with great facility. It consists in nothing more than in making a right use of my eyes." His friend begged him to explain himself. "Most willingly," returned the bishop. "In whatever state I first of all look up to heaven, and reflect, that my principal business here is to get to that blessed abode. I then look down upon the earth, and call to mind that, when I am dead, I shall occupy but a small space in it. I then look abroad into the world, and observe what multitudes there are who, in every respect, are less fortunate than myself. Thus I learn where true happiness is placed; where all our cares must end; and how very little reason I have to repine, or to complain."

I

am,

"OH, DO I THANK GOD AS I OUGHT?" Он, do I thank God as I ought,

For all His many mercies shown,
The watchful care and kindly love

Which I through all my life have known?
Oh, do I thank Him that He watched
Over my helpless infancy,

Gave me a mother's tender care,
A father's ever-watchful eye?
Oh, do I thank Him as I ought,

For daily mercies which are given
In rich abundance round my path,

Even as manna fell from heaven?
Oh, do I thank Him as I ought,

That Jesus died on Calvary-
Offered His life that I might live?
Oh, boundless love to die for me!
Oh, can I thank God as I ought?

Attune my heart, dear Lord, to praise,
Teach me to live in Thy dear sight,

And walk in Thy most holy ways;
Oh, let me thank Thee as I ought
For all the blessings Thou hast given,
For joys beyond this fleeting earth,
And for the glorious hope of heaven.

To Sunday and Day-school Teachers, &c.

C. E. R. P.

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