selves. They often quarrel about places at table, at school, and at church. This is my place and that is your place. You shall not sit in my seat. This is mine, and that is yours; when perhaps they are so much alike that you can hardly tell the difference. It is very wicked to be so quarrelsome. It is very uncomfortable and unhappy to be of a quarrelsome disposition. Children are often a torment to themselves, a trouble to others, and a great grief to their parents. They often injure their parents very much, because they are so troublesome. They cannot go out on a visit to their friends, because their children quarrel with each other. They dare not leave them at home alone, because they quarrel with each other. They cannot take them to the house of God, because they are so restless, that they disturb every body that sit near them. They take off the attention of their parents and others from the sermon. The servants of Abram and Lot quarrelled about the goodness of the land, the grass or the water; so children often quarrel about trifles. Because other children do not do just as they please, or play just as they would have

them,

them, they quarrel with them and speak very cross to them. So did not Abraham to Lot, though he was the oldest. Elder children should behave well to the little ones, and love them and not tease them. Some children will quarrel with other children, because they are more peaceable and quiet than themselves. Let all peaceable and good children imitate Abram. Let all wicked and quarrelsome children take heed, lest they choose that which is bad, and be punished for it, as Lot was. Children should respect those who are older than themselves, and ask their advice and abide by their judgment. Seek that peace of God, which passeth all understanding. Remember the words of Christ, who said, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

Amen.

A HYMN.

A HYMN.

Abram and Lot.

WHEN Abram with his nephew Lot,
Came up from Egypt's land,,
With flocks and herds and many men,
They were a num'rous band.

Their substance was so very great,
That near they could not dwell,
Between their men a strife arose,
The cause we cannot tell.

But Abram was a man of peace,
His words let children mind,
Let there no strife arise I pray,
For we are brethren kind.

The land is all before your face,

Go, where you please and stay,
If the right you bend your steps,
The left shall be my way.

Lot chose the plain of Jordan, where
Much water did abound,

Near Sodom did he pitch his tent,
And thus he chose his ground.

But his was not a happy choice,
With sinners he did dwell,
Whose wickedness was very great,
Whose righteous doom was hell.

R.M,

LECTURE

ABRAM AND MELCHIZEDEK.

GEN. 14. 18. 19. 20. And Melchizedek king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine. And he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And bles sed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

IN the beginning of this chapter we have

an account of the first battle that was ever fought. We find no less than nine kings engaged in this battle. Four kings with five. Chedorlaomer appears to be the most powerful king among them. To him the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela paid tribute; twelve years they served Che dorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. The allies that were with Chedorlaomer wasted the country through which they passed, and enriched themselves with the plun

der

der of the inhabitants. The place where this battle was fought was "the vale of Siddim, which is the Salt Sea." After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain, this fruitful valley became a large lake which is called the Salt Sea, or the Dead Sea. It should seem that this vale was full of pits, out of which they dug slime, a kind of pitchy earth, useful for making mortar. "The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there." Their soldiers being but little skilled in the art of war, could not keep their ranks on this slippery ground, and so they were defeated and obliged to retreat to the mountains. Many no doubt were killed in the pits as well as by the sword, and the rest no doubt hid themselves among the trees, with which the neighbouring mountain was most probably covered. After the five kings were put to flight, the victorious army plundered the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, carried away all the goods and provisions, and made the inhabitants prisoners. Lot, who lived near Sodom, was taken prisoner. "And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. And there came one that had escaped, and

told