which it, in some sense, bears a resemblance. For instance, truth is sometimes called a jewel, because a character for truth, is to be highly valued.

Allegory. Sometimes a whole story is told in the style of metaphor. Instead of the person or thing that is really intended, something that has a resemblance to the person or thing is introduced. For instance, there might be a story of two young and defenceless children, who had strayed away from home and lost their way; there would be something in the situation of the two children like that of two lambs who had wandered away from the fold; so that, in the story, they would be called lambs, and the person who found them and carried them back to their homes, might be called a shepherd. If all through the story, the children were represented as lambs instead of children, the story would be called an Allegory. There are many very beautiful allegories in the Bible.

Comparison.

Two things are sometimes compared together, which are very different in their natures, and yet which, in some sense are alike. For instance, we may say "the wicked are like the troubled ocean." In one sense, there is a great difference between an ocean and a man. One is a living being, and the other is a body of water. And yet, there is something in the ocean, when it is agitated, that reminds us of the agitated and troubled feeling that wicked persons so often suffer; and hence, we may compare the two things together.

Personification. When we represent an inanimate object, as seeing or hearing, or speaking, or acting, in any way, like living persons, we are said to personify that object; that is to treat it as if it were a person. As, for example to say-"The sea

saw it and fled,"-would be to represent the sea as having eyes and understanding like a person.

Apostrophe. An apostrophe is an address to some absent person or thing as if present and listening to us. It is very common to use the form of address to a person who is dead, as if he could hear us; as when King David addressed his son who had been slain—“ Oh Absalom, my son, my son !"

Interrogation. By interrogation we commonly mean asking a question for the sake of information. But sometimes a person will put a sentiment into the form of a question, only for the sake of enforcing the truth of it. It is as much as to ask if it is a thing that any body can deny.

Irony. We sometimes say things exactly contrary to the truth, and yet without any intention to deceive; as when for instance, a person should say upon a very warm day in summer, "Why what freezing weather we have." There are very few instances of ironical expression in the Bible.

When the meaning of these figures is clearly understood, exercises may be assigned under each. An older sister might assign it as a lesson to several of the younger ones to look out a certain number of examples of any one of these figures, in the Bible. She must make her explanations perfectly clear, in the first place, giving a number of simple examples under each figure, until she is sure they are understood. She can explain one at a time, and let the examples be selected before she proceeds to the next. Let her explain the meaning of figurative language in general, to begin with. This she can make familiar by giving a number of examples of both plain and figurative language, asking the children to tell

which they are. For instance she might say "The

sun shines, is that language plain, common language, or is it figurative ?"—" Plain," they would answer. Then she could express the same idea in another way,- "The sun lights up the heavens.”—“ Figurative," they would say. She might go on, proposing a number of similar examples, until the subject was perfectly familiar, and then proceed to give them the lessons to be studied by themselves.

Each of the children could look out the examples separately, putting marks into the Bible at the places, or writing the references to the chapter and verse upon a piece of paper. When all were prepared, they could meet together as a little class, and read their examples aloud in turn. Each will have some examples different from any selected by the others, if the lesson is studied by each one separately, so that, in all, the number of examples will be greater than if all studied together.

A few examples under each figure, are here inserted as specimens. If the children would select as many more as they could find, and write them down, they could make quite a little book full of them, out of the whole.

METAPHOR.

GEN. XV. 1.-I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Ps. iii. 3.-Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Ps. xviii. 35.-Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

Ps. xci. 4.-His truth shall be thy shield.

PROV. XXX. 5.-He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Ps. cxv. 9, 10, 11.-0 Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.

O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.

Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.

EPH. vi. 16, 17.—Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

Ps. xviii. 31.-Who is a rock save our God?

DEUT. xxxii. 4.-He is the rock, his word is perfect: a God of truth.

Ps. lxii. 2.-He only is my rock.

Ps. lxxxix. 26.-He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. Ps. xciv. 22.-But the Lord is my defence: and my God is the rock of my refuge.

Ps. xcii 15.-To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Ps. lxi. 2.-When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

1 COR. X. 4.-For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. DEUT. xxxiii. 27.-The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Ps. ix. 9.-The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Ps. lxii. 8.-God is a refuge for us.

Ps. xci. 2.-I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

JER. XVI. 19.-O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction.

ROM. xi. 26.-There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

Ps. xviii. 2.-The Lord is my buckler.

2 Sam. xxii. 31.-He is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

PROV. Xviii. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Ps. lxi. 3.-Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

2 SAM. xxii. 51.-He is the tower of salvation for his king: and showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

Ps. xliii. 2.-Thou art the God of my strength. Ps. xciii. 1.-The Lord is clothed with strength. Ps. lxxiii. 26.-My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for

ever.

Ps. lix. 17.-Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence.

Ps. cxliv. 1.-Blessed be the Lord, my strength.

ALLEGORY.

Ps. lxxx. 8-16.-Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way, do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

ISA. V. 1-7.-Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.