what the Bible, which every body would read, would require them to be.

4. About the year 1530, William Tindal, an Englishman, resolved to translate the Bible, but he was afraid of being punished for his attempt, so he repaired to Antwerp, and with the assistance of two learned men completed his design. One of these men was afterwards burnt for heresy, (or unbelief of the Catholic faith) in England, and the other suffered the same cruel death, on the like account in Portugal.

5. The English bishops at this time published a prohibition against reading the scriptures, and burned all the English Bibles they could find. Persons who concealed Bibles, when it was discovered, were compelled to ride about in a ridiculous dress with their faces turned from the horses heads, and after being led through the streets in this manner, to throw their bibles into a bonfire, and to pay a fine. The people who witnessed this, thought those who ordered it must be wicked, or that the Bible itself was a bad book, so, as many as could obtain it, got the Bible, read it, and afterwards wished to possess it.

6. Henry VIII. king of England, caused Tindal to be imprisoned in Germany; and the emperor of Germany ordered him to be strangled. His last words were, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes," which meant, Instruct him in the knowledge of thy word, and in his duty to give it freely to his subjects. In the very same year, Henry ordered another translation of the Bible to be placed in the churches, "for every man that would to read therein, and to discourage no man from reading any part of the Bible either

in Latin or in English, but rather to exhort every man to read it as the word of God, and the food of a man's soul."

7. "It was wonderful," says an old writer, "to see with what joy this book was received, not only among the more learned, but generally all over England, among all the common people; and with what greediness God's word was read, and what resort there was to the places appointed for reading it. Every one who could, bought the book, and busily read it, or heard it read: and many elderly people learned to read on purpose."

8. On the title page of our common Bible is printed, "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments; translated out of the original tongues, and with the former translations diligently compared and revised. By his majesty's special command." In 1604, James I., king of England, gave orders to fifty-four learned men in his kingdom to make a new translation of the Bible. The translation was begun in 1607, and finished in 1611.*

9. This translation is that which we have in common use. Other nations of Europe, and European colonies, possess the Bible in their respective languages. You have read how dangerous and difficult it once was to obtain or read the scriptures, but in this better and happier age of the world it has gone forth to "all nations,

*The facts_stated in this article may be found in Rees' Cyclopedia. I have not usually given authorities, because I have written for children; theirs is not the age of research. But because they cannot detect inaccuracies, I trust I have not been careless or unfaithful in respect to truth or probability. AUTHOR.

kindreds, and tongues," and by the blessing of God, on the means of its diffusion, the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

LESSON IV.

Origin of Society.

Ir is supposed that Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and the parents of all mankind, were placed in the western part of Asia somewhere in the country which lies on the river Euphrates. The flood, or deluge, which destroyed all mankind, except Noah and his family, happened 1656 years after the Creation.

2. The people who lived before the flood are called Antediluvians. It is not now known how many of these there were, or how large a portion of the world they inhabited, but they were taught by God himself, or they learned by their own invention and industry many useful arts. They knew how to construct tents to live in, and to take care of cattle; to make and to play upon instruments of music, and to manufacture brass and iron.

3. "Jabal was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron."

4. The Antediluvians were not a savage people.

Whether they had laws and governors is not known, but there were good and bad men then as at all times, and there was religious worship among them.

5. Religious worship was probably first taught by God to his creatures. It is said that God spoke to Adam and Eve, but it is also said in another part of the Scripture, that "no man hath seen God at any time," so we must believe that God taught men his will and their duty to him, by informing them in some other way than by appearing and speaking to them. He made some whom

he appointed for this purpose to feel and understand his designs in their minds. This instruction from God is called Inspiration. Persons so taught are said to be inspired men. God does not teach men so in these days, though it appears from the Bible that he once used to teach them in this manner.

6. The first worship mentioned in the Bible is sacrifices. Those who believed that all the good things they possessed were gifts of a gracious father and friend, used to take some of the best things they had, and offer them to God; and though every thing that grows and lives is God's without being offered to him, he was willing to accept, as an expression of thanks for his bounty, whatever should be presented to him by his creatures. But God did not value these offerings unless they were presented with a sincere and humble heart.

7. Adam's two sons, Cain and Abel, each made a sacrifice, one brought fruits of the ground, and the other "firstlings of his flock," but God accepted Abel's offering, while he had not respect

to Cain's, is a lesson never to be forgotten-that God is not pleased with the wicked even if they pretend to be religious. Those who do well only will he accept and bless.

6. The more men increased, and the older the world became, the worse they grew. "The earth was filled with violence," with quarrels, and vices that make men unfit to live. God therefore determined to destroy the whole human race, except Noah and his family-that good man found grace, or favour with God on account of his goodness, and God chose to preserve him and his children from the flood.

7. God informed Noah of his intention to drown the world, and instructed him to prepare a vessel that would float upon the waters where his family and a multitude of animals might be kept in safety. Noah obeyed the divine command, and was accordingly saved when all his fellowmen were drowned.

8. After the deluge was over, and plants had begun to vegetate again, the earth had become in a manner new: Noah and his family were its only human inhabitants. How grateful and happy must they all have felt for this great deliverancehow deeply affected by this wonderful display of God's providence, who in the midst of judgment remembers mercy, and who spares even while he punishes his creatures!

9. Noah knew that destruction had been brought upon the former inhabitants of the earth on account of their wickedness, and he knew that to enjoy God's favour men must be pious and good, therefore he resolved to keep up the true religion and to worship the Maker and Father of men.