2. PAUL'S DEFENCE BEFORE FESTUS AND AGRIPPA.

I THINK myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews; especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews; wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own Nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth; which thing I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Whereupon, as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests, at mid-day, O King! I saw in the way a light from Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying, in the Hebrew tongue, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads." And I said, "Who art thou, Lord ?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest; but rise, and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness, both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the People, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

Whereupon, O King Agrippa! I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision; but showed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having, therefore, obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say

should come, that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the People, and to the Gentiles.

3. OMNIPOTENCE OF JEHOVAH.-Job, translated by Rev. G. R. Noyes.

THEN spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

Who is this, that darkeneth my counsels by words without knowledge? Gird up thy loins like a man!

I will ask thee, and answer thou me!

Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Declare, since thou hast such knowledge!

Who fixed its dimensions? since thou knowest!

Or who stretched out the line upon it?
Upon what were its foundations fixed?
And who laid its corner-stone,

When the morning-stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Hast thou penetrated to the springs of the sea,
And walked through the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee,
And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth?
Declare, since thou knowest it all!

Where is the way by which light is distributed,
And the East wind let loose upon the earth?
Who hath prepared channels for the rain,
And a path for the glittering thunderbolt,
To give rain to the land without an inhabitant,
To the wilderness, where is no man;

To satisfy the desolate and waste ground,

And cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades,

Or loosen the bands of Orion?

Canst thou lead forth Mazzaroth in its season,

Or guide Arcturus with his sons?

Knowest thou the ordinances of the Heavens ?

Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,

So that abundance of waters will cover thee?

Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go,
And say to thee, "Here we are"?

Who hath imparted understanding to thy reins,
And given intelligence to thy mind?

Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom?

Hast thou given the horse strength?

Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust?

How majestic his snorting! how terrible!

He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength,
And rusheth into the midst of arms.

He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not,
And turneth not back from the sword.
Against him rattleth the quiver,

The flaming spear, and the lance.

With rage and fury he devoureth the ground;
He standeth not still when the trumpet soundeth.
He saith among the trumpets, Aha! aha!

And snuffeth the battle afar off;

The thunder of the captains, and the war-shout.

4. TRUE WISDOM.-Job, translated by Rev. G. R. Noyes.
WHERE shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof;

Nor can it be found in the land of the living.

The deep saith, It is not in me;

And the sea saith, It is not with me.

It cannot be gotten for gold,

Nor shall silver be weighed out as the price thereof.
It cannot be purchased with the gold of Ophir,
With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

Gold and crystal are not to be compared with it;
Nor can it be purchased with jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of crystal,
For wisdom is more precious than pearls.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be purchased with the purest gold.

Whence, then, cometh wisdom?

And where is the place of understanding?

Since it is hidden from the eyes of all the living,
And kept close from the fowls of the air.

The realms of Death say,

We have heard only a rumor of it with our ears.

God alone knoweth the way to it;

He alone knoweth its dwelling-place.

For He seeth to the ends of the earth,

And surveyeth all things under the whole Heaven.
When He gave the winds their weight,
And adjusted the waters by measure,
When He prescribed laws to the rain,
And a path to the glittering thunderbolt, -
Then did He see it, and make it known;

He established it, and searched it out;

But he said unto man,

Behold! the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;

And to depart from evil, that is understanding.

5. A NATION'S STRENGTH.-Psalm 33, translated by Rev. G. R. Noyes. HAPPY the Nation whose God is Jehovah ;

The People whom He hath chosen for His inheritance.

The Lord looketh down from Heaven;

He beholdeth all the children of men ;

From His dwelling-place He beholdeth all the inhabitants of the earth; He, that formed the hearts of all,

And observeth all their works.

A King is not saved by the number of his forces,

Nor a hero by the greatness of his strength.

The horse is a vain thing for safety,

Nor can he deliver his master by his great strength.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him;

Upon them that trust in His goodness;

To save them from the power of death,

And keep them alive in famine.
The hope of our souls is in the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
Yea, in Him doth our heart rejoice;
In His holy name we have confidence.

May Thy goodness be upon us, O Lord,
According as we trust in Thee!

6. EXHORTATION TO PRAISE GOD.-Psalms.

PRAISE ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps: fire, and hail; snow, and vapors; stormy wind fulfilling his word: mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars; beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl; kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth; both young men, and maidens; old men, and children; let them praise the name of the Lord for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

Praise ye

the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in

the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

7. THE JOYFUL MESSENGER.— Isaiah, translated by Bishop Lowth.

How beautiful appear on the mountains

The feet of the joyful messenger, — of him that announceth peace! Of the joyful messenger of good tidings,

salvation!

of him that announceth

Of him, that sayeth unto Sion, Thy God reigneth!

All thy watchmen lift up their voice: they shout together;
For, face to face shall they see, when Jehovah returneth to Sion.
Burst forth into joy, shout together, ye ruins of Jerusalem!
For Jehovah hath comforted His people; He hath redeemed Israel.
Jehovah hath made bare His holy arm, in the sight of all the Nations;
And all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Depart, depart ye, go ye out from thence; touch no polluted thing: Go ye out from the midst of her; be ye clean, ye that bear the vessels of Jehovah!

Verily not in haste shall ye go forth;
And not by flight shall ye march along:
For Jehovah shall march in your front;

And the God of Israel shall bring up your rear.

THESE are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty thine this universal frame,

Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous, then,
Unspeakable, who sitt'st above these Heavens,
To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light,
Angels; for ye behold him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heaven,
On earth join, all ye creatures, to extol
Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end.
Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,

Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn