will hear, and will increase learning," verse 5; and that "when wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from evil," Prov. ii, 10–12. And let it always be remembered, that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge," see Prov. i, 7. No learning can be really good, if contrary to God's word. The learning of the Jewish children, therefore, chiefly depended upon the instruction they received from their parents, whom they accompanied as they went about their employments.

Even king Solomon speaks of having been taught by his father, and tells us, in the Book of Proverbs, what that instruction was: see Prov. iv, 4–9. If king David, amidst his wars and the cares of government, could instruct his son, his custom should remind parents amongst us of their duty, and encourage them to undertake it: children also should be more attentive than in general they are, to the instructions of those parents who give up many pleasures and pursuits to teach them. Especially let them remember what David said, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind," 1 Chron. xxviii, 9.

This method of instruction was plainly commanded in the law of Moses, Deut. vi, 6, 7: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.' This instruction was given rather by conversation than by regular lessons: "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up," Deut. xi, 19. Instruction so continually given doubtless produced considerable effect: but, alas! men forgot the words of the Lord in this as in other things. It is too much the same in our day, and we should be very thankful that there are persons who come forward to give this instruction, for "that the soul be without knowledge it is not good," Prov. xix, 2.

Thus the greater part of the Israelites were made acquainted with whatever was necessary for them, both as to general knowledge and their own particular occupations. There were, however, some who applied themselves more particularly to study: we read of men of the tribe of

Issachar who "had understanding of the times," 1 Chron. xii, 32; and the priests and Levites, being in a great measure provided for, had more time for study, and it was required of them: see Mal. ii. The Jews relate that the men of the tribe of Simeon were generally employed as schoolmasters. On this account they were dispersed among the other tribes, which was prophesied respecting them by Jacob, Gen. xlix, 7.

There were also schools of the prophets, such as those which Samuel taught at Naioth, 1 Sam. xix, 19, 20; and at Bethel, where Elijah, and afterwards Elisha, gave instructions: but these were not so much for children as for all persons, whatever their age might be, who desired to know divine truths more fully than they could learn them in a general way. From 2 Kings vi, it appears that they labored, and partly maintained themselves.

In later times, the public teachers became more like our schoolmasters, though even then they rather resembled the professors and teachers in the universities. The scholars usually addressed their instructors by the title of Rabbi, which means great, or master. This was often applied to our Lord, and also the title of Rabboni, (John xx, 16,) which signifies, My great master. We are told that in the Jewish schools this title was only bestowed upon seven persons. Teachers were also sometimes called fathers, and their disciples were called sons, Matt. xii, 27; xxiii, 9. Paul speaks (Acts xxii, 3) of having been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, alluding to the manner in which scholars sat at their master's feet. The disciples of the Pharisees, (Matt. xxii, 15,) who were sent, hoping that they might "entangle Jesus in his talk," or hear him say some words that they could misrepresent, were scholars of that sort, and evidently must have been young men, not children.

CHAPTER XIV.

MARRIAGES.-CHILDREN.

MARRIAGES.

MARRIAGES in the East are celebrated with much pomp and ceremony, and very large expense is often incurred. The pasha of Egypt is said to have expended five hundred thousand dollars in 1845, when marrying his daughter.

There are many allusions in the Bible to the ceremonies attending marriages. The union itself often is alluded to as illustrating the union of Christ, as our Lord and Saviour, with his Church, his faithful people of every age and nation. The book called Solomon's Song, or Canticles, is wholly based on this. Under the form of a poem, or poems, illustrative of the marriage ceremony, or marriage union, the union of the blessed Redeemer with believers, and the various changes in the spiritual state of the soul, may be plainly traced. The reader who refers to Clarke's or Benson's Commentary will trace these analogies; and, by the explanations there given, will be assisted to understand this remarkable book. This is the more necessary; for the good men who translated it, three hundred years ago, knew very little about Eastern customs, and therefore have, in some places, mistaken the original; and in others have not so plainly shown its meaning as they would have done if they had possessed the advantages now enjoyed from the accounts of travelers. See also Eph. v, 23; Rev. xxi, 2.

The most decided allusion to the marriage procession, however, was made by our Lord, to show the evil of being negligent in the concerns of the soul. It is in the parable of the Ten Virgins, Matt. xxv, 1–12. Ward describes a

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marriage at Serampore, where the bridegroom came from a distance: after waiting some hours, his arrival was announced, at near midnight, in the very words of Scripture, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." All the persons employed then lighted their lamps, and ran to take their places in the procession. Some had lost their lights, and were unprepared; but it was then too late to

seek them the procession moved forward, and after remaining a short time at the entrance, the bridegroom went into the house, the door of which was immediately shut and guarded." Mr. Ward and others entreated for admission, but it was in vain. In Luke xii, 35, 37, our Lord also spoke of the men watching for their lord's return from the wedding.

MESH-ALS, OR LAMPS.

The lights carried in bridal processions, called massals, or meshals, are formed of linen rags, forcibly pressed together, and put in a vessel of copper, upon which oil is from time to time poured from a bottle: "the vessels with the lamps," Matt. xxv, 4. Or sometimes, as here represented, they are frames of metal, at the end of a pole, and filled with small pieces of burning wood. Lane describes these as used in Egypt.

At these feasts the guests are sometimes supplied with robes more magnificent than their own, Matt. xxii, 12.

M'Cheyne speaks of a delay at a Jewish marriage, from the bridegroom having neglected to bring a bridal ornament, her friends refusing to let the ceremony go forward without it. He quotes Jer. xi, 32.

Others describe the palanquin in which the bridegroom is carried in India: probably what is translated Solomon's chariot and bed, (Cant. iii, 7, 9,) was a sort of palanquin.

In many Eastern countries the husband now pays a sum

of money as a sort of purchase of his wife, as Hosea iii, 2. The contract is made through a confidential friend, or agent, as Abraham's steward, Gen. xxiv, 3. Grant describes these customs, especially among the Nestorians. Lane describes the negotiations in Egypt as very similar; but when the bride is of rank, her wedding-presents, jewels, slaves, and attire, amount to a considerable value. Buckingham speaks of the money paid for a wife among the Arabs, as varying from fifty to a thousand piastres, according to their beauty and connections. In China, lately, an Englishman was asked how much he had paid for his wife? when he in joke replied, two thousand dollars; but was soon reminded that he had done wrong to utter a falsehood, for he was offered five thousand, and even seven thousand dollars for her. Let women in Christian countries be thankful that they are not thus made articles of merchandise, though too often marriage is a mercenary bargain.

Herschell, in his Sketch of the Jews, has described the ceremonies attending a Jewish marriage, and shows how they illustrate Scripture. First, the betrothment, the solemn engagement formed some months before-hand, (Matt. i, 18-20,) often with much ceremony and presents, Cant. iii, 11. The night before the marriage ceremony was called the watch-night, in which the bridesmaids and others watched for the appearance of the bridegroom, as already described from Matt. xxv. But they do not meet till the next day: the bride is then dressed in her most splendid attire, with much ceremony, Psa. xlv, 13-15; Isa. xlix, 18; lxi, 10; Rev. xix, 7, 8; xxi, 2; and a veil placed over her head, as a mark of subjection. A large canopy, supported on four posts, is erected in the garden, or in towns, sometimes in the street. bridegroom places himself under it, and the bride, closely veiled, is then led there. The Rabbi then reads the contract of marriage, and gives an exhortation, and the bridegroom places a ring on the forefinger of the left hand of the bride. They then return to the house, and the marriage feast follows, which is a very joyful scene, as described John ii, and to which many guests are invited: it lasted for several days, Matt. ix, 15.

The

Jowett describes the feasting as continuing for several