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more intelligible. We can ask even for special direction in particular cases: not that we can resort to any high-priest, as of old, with the Urim and Thummim, and receive the divine response; nor that we can hope for a miraculous agency in our behalf: but having our hearts right with God, and our principles and motives what they should be; acting under the guidance of the general truths and precepts of the sacred Scriptures; watching the indications of Providence; taking counsel of the experienced, wise, and devoted disciples of Christ; striving to keep a conscience void of offence, and then exercising our best judgment, we may expect and believe that we shall go right, that we shall act so as to promote the honor of God, and secure his favor and blessing.

Do you, my young friend, seek direction of the Lord with this spirit and in the use of these means? Happy indeed are you if you do; for the meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.

CHAPTER XXIV.

DAVID BRINGS THE ARK TO JERUSALEM.

DAVID before this time, and probably soon after getting possession of mount Zion, had consulted with his principal men and with the great body of the people around him, who were assembled for that purpose, respecting an object which lay very near his heart. "If it seem good unto you," *said he, "and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto me: and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul."

This symbol of the divine presence, it will be recollected, was now at Kirjath-jearim, a city about nine miles from Jerusalem in a north-western direction. It was placed there at least seventy years before, after having been restored by the Philistines, in the house of Abinadab, and intrusted to his care. David well knew the importance of having it at Jerusalem, the seat of his government, that he might thus inspire both himself and his people with renewed confidence in the divine guidance and protection. His proposal

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for its removal met with universal approbation; but the incursions of the Philistines, and his battles with them, prevented him at the time from carrying his pious design into effect.

Now feeling secure against any fresh attack, and having, as we have every reason to believe, obtained the divine direction so to do, David made the necessary preparations to bring up the ark to Jerusalem. He summoned together "all the chosen men of Israel”—the chief priests, with the high-priest at their head, the princes, the rulers, and the leaders of the tribes, to go with him on this momentous errand. It was not long before they were all assembled, to the number of thirty thousand, and on their way in solemn procession • to the place of their destination.

Having arrived at Kirjath-jearim, they soon found the ark, "the ark of God," as it is termed, "whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubim." They placed it on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab which stood on an eminence, his sons Uzzah and Ahio driving the oxen. The occasion was one of great religious joy, and as a manifestation of it, those who attended the ark on its way filled the air with their sacred songs and music. The king himself, we are told, "and all the house of Israel, played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of firwood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals."

David is supposed at this time to have composed the sixty-eighth psalm, a most beautiful and sublime specimen of Hebrew poetry; and it was probably recited or sung as the ark was moving from Kirjath-jearim. The reader would do well to pause in the narrative and peruse it.

When the procession had arrived at Nachon's threshing-floor, the oxen that drew the ark stumbled and shook it, which Uzzah perceiving, took hold of it to prevent its falling. This was a rash and unwarranted act; for even the Kohathites, who were appointed from among the Levites to carry the ark, were permitted to do this—after it had been covered by the priests-only by taking hold of the staves; and they were forbidden so much as to touch it on pain of death. The penalty therefore must be inflicted upon the present offender, who being himself a Levite, was undoubtedly well acquainted with the divine injunction. "And the anger of the Lord," we are told, "was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God."

This was a severe blow to David. He yielded to a sinful impetuosity of temper, and "was displeased" at this act of divine justice, probably giving vent to his feelings in some outward expression of discontent, and calling the place by the name of Perez-uzzah-or the breach of Uzzah--which it afterwards bore. He was struck

too with consternation, not knowing, as it would seem, what course to take, and exclaimed, "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?" He feared to attempt again, certainly at present, its removal to Jerusalem, and caused it to be placed in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, which was close by. There it remained three months, being treated with the greatest care and reverence, and drawing down the choicest blessings upon Obededom and his household, and all that pertained to him.

David being informed of this, and concluding that the divine indignation against the late irreverence shown towards the ark had passed by, determined once more to attempt its removal to Jerusalem. He had already prepared a suitable place and tabernacle for its reception, and was resolved to have every thing done at this time in strict conformity with the prescribed directions. Again the august assembly were convened for this purpose from all parts of the land, and the solemn injunction was laid by David upon the priests and Levites, "Sanctify yourselves, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order." The chief of the Levites too were directed to appoint certain of their brethren to be singers of the sacred songs on the occasion, "with instruments of mu