city of Nahor. Mesopotamia means Aram, of the two rivers, Aram or Syria, was between the Euphrates and the Tigris. It is supposed to be about 460 miles from the place where Abraham dwelt. After many days journey he' came early in the evening to a well of water near the place where he intended to stop. He therefore rested himself by this well, in order to consider what way he had best proceed. He made the camels kneel down at the time of the evening, even the time that the women go out to draw water. In Bengal this is a very common practice for the women to fetch wa. ter morning and evening in round pots called kulsees. They generally go in companies of. six, eight and ten in number. Some times one may be seen going and returning alone.

III. Let us attend to the PRAYER of this GOOD SERVANT.

And he said, O Lord God of my Master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my Master Abraham. Behold I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: and let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall

say,

say, let down thy pitcher I pray thee that I may drink; and she shall say drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and hereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my Master." This is his prayer. He had been taught by Abraham to acknowledge God in all his ways. He prayed for the blessing of God on his errand, and pleads the promise of God to his Master. What an excellent prayer. He had learned of Abraham to pray. This was the prayer of faith, of one that was sure that God would bless him. He seems to wish that Isaac may have a kind, affable, industrious partner, one in whom simplicity of manners, humility of mind and kindness to strangers, were united. In a word, such a person as the Lord knew would be suitable for Isaac and worthy of being the wife of such a man.

IV. The REMARKABLE ANSWER which he received to this PRAYER.

And it came to pass before he had done speaking, that Rebekah came out of the city with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

By her appearance he thinks that she is the person designed for Isaac, and that the Lord had heard his prayer. He however allows her to pass and he said nothing, and she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. It should seem that this was a public tank, which had steps down to the water's edge. The same as the tanks have in this country, similar to the ghauts by the river side. When she came up, he ran to meet her, and said, let me I pray thee drink a little water of thy pitcher: and she said, drink my Lord, and she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink. It seems that Rebekah carried her pitcher on her shoulder. The women in Bengal carry them under their arm, the water pot resting on the hip or side. And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also until they have done drinking, and she did so; and the man wondering at her, held his peace.

This kind and amiable conduct of Rebekah

quite astonished him. It answered exactly as he had prayed. She did not hear his prayer, he did not pray aloud, because it was a mental prayer: and therefore she could not

have heard him; he wondered at her. Can it be possible, thinks he, that the Lord has indeed heard my prayer and answered it so soon: It was no small labour for Rebekah to draw wa ter for ten camels, for they drink a great quan- · tity of water. He had also servants with him, who might have spared her the trouble of drawing so much water; but he would not hinder her, and at the same time he watched her corduct with great surprize. After the camels had done drinking, he then presented her with a golden ear-ring, a jewel or ornament supposed to have been worn on her forehead. The Hindoo girls wear jewels on their foreheads and bracelets on their arms, full as heavy as those which Eliezer gave to Rebekah; one is said to be half a shekel and the other ten shekels weight of gold. He then inquired who she was, and whether there was room enough for him and those who were with him to lodge in; and she said, we have both straw and provender enough and room to lodge in.

V. His GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS to GOD, for what he had done for him.

When he heard that Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, a near relation of his Master's,

Master's, and that they had sufficient room for him and his company to lodge at their house, he could no longer contain himself: his heart is full. He bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord. This was probably done in the presence of Rebekah and the men that were with him. He thanked God and said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master, Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth; I being in the way, the Lord hath led me to the house of my Master's brethren. Here we see a humble, grateful mind, thanking God for his goodness and mercy. Rebekah heard his prayers: she was full of joy and surprize. She runs home with the bracelets and the ear-ring, and told her family what she had seen and heard. That you may not be weary and tired I will leave off here and give you the rest of this History in the next Lecture.

VI.

CATECHETICAL QUESTIONS.

What are the words of the Text? And he said I am Abraham's servant.

Who did Abraham require his servant to swear by? The Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of earth.

Why