They had not been in prison very long when they were in great trouble. It is said that "they dreamed a dream, both of them, each man his dream, in one night,”—and you remember, I dare say, that in those days dreams were considered very important, and much attention was paid to them. So, in the morning, when Joseph came in unto them, he saw that they were sad, and he asked them, "Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day?" They answered, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it."

W. They would not have said that if they had known Joseph; and had known how much he talked to God.

P. No. Only God could guide the mind of Joseph, or of any other man, so that he might be quite sure of the meaning of a dream. I dare say that Joseph lifted up his heart to God, immediately, and that at the same moment God made him see the truth.

Joseph then said to these men, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand." As soon as Joseph had heard these words, their meaning came to his mind. He told the butler that the three branches were three days, and that in three days he would be taken out of prison, and restored to his place in Pharaoh's house. At the same time Joseph said to him, "When it shall be well with thee, I pray thee, show kindness unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house; for I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."

When the chief cook found that the interpretation of the chief butler's dream was good, he was encouraged to tell his dream also. He said, "I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head."

Then Joseph explained to him that this was not a good dream, but that in three days the king would decide on his case also; and would cause him to be hanged on a tree, where the birds of the air would come and feed on his flesh.

And all this happened just as Joseph had said. In three days it was the king's birthday. According to custom (for the kings used to keep their birthdays then just as you children do now), there was a great feast in Pharaoh's house. The king then decided on the cases of the two servants; and, according to Joseph's interpretation, the chief cook was hanged, and the chief butler was set at liberty. We find, however, that Joseph was left in prison, and there he remained two years longer; for the chief butler, it is said, "did not remember Joseph, but forgot him."

L. Then he was in prison three years, papa! I dare say he wondered why God let him remain there so long. He might have begun to think that God had forsaken him.

P. But I have no doubt that he was faithful to God all this time, for the day of deliverance came at last. It happened one night that King Pharaoh himself dreamed a dream. As he lay fast asleep, he thought that he was standing by the bank of the great river Nile. In the very hot weather in Egypt, it is a common thing, as it is in England, for the cattle to enter the water, and there stand to cool themselves. Pharaoh dreamt that he saw some oxen thus standing; and that seven of them which were fat-fleshed and "well-favoured," came up out of the river to feed in a meadow. Presently, seven more oxen came, which were lean-fleshed and ill-favoured, "such as the king had never seen in all Egypt for badness." As the king looked on these fourteen oxen, he observed a remarkable circumstance the seven which were lean, walked up to the other seven which were fat, and devoured them. Pharaoh then awoke. Soon after he fell asleep a second time, and had a second dream. He dreamt that seven ears of corn, which grew on one stalk, and were "full and good," were devoured by seven ears which were withered and thin, and blasted by the east wind.

These dreams troubled the king very much. It was not pleasant to have dreams and not know their meaning. As he thought of them they seemed to be really very important, and he thus became more and more anxious to have them interpreted. He sent for the magicians, and the wise men of Egypt, to tell him their meaning, but not one man was found able to do so. At last the chief butler remembered JOSEPH, and told the king how, when he was in prison, Joseph had interpreted his dream, and that of the chief cook.

Thus, on the same morning, messengers came to the prison for Joseph; and as soon as they had found him, they told him to make

haste, for he was wanted at Pharaoh's palace. He had little time to wait or to think, only a few moments to shave his head and beard, when he was hurried off, and brought into the presence of the king, whose countenance was still troubled. The king then said to him, “I have heard say of thee that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it."

Here was an opportunity for Joseph to be proud! He, the poor humble prisoner, was standing before the king of one of the greatest nations of the earth! and that king was telling him how clever he was! What would you have said to Pharaoh?

W. I should have spoken out boldly, and have said, "Yes, your majesty, I can do it!"

P. Then you would not have answered so well as Joseph did. Joseph was still faithful to God, and he would not let the king be deceived. If he had not explained to the king that it was God only who knew, he would have acted as badly as if he had told an untruth. He therefore answered with the exact truth. "It is not in me, GOD shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." He then listened to Pharaoh's dream. God told him the answer, and he gave it to the king in this

manner:

"The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years the dream is one. And the seven thin and ill-favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. . . . Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: and there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; . and for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass."

...

Joseph then added that he thought the king should find some wise and discerning man, who could attend to the matter; this man should gather up the corn, and other abundant food, during the seven good years, and store it away until the seven years of famine arrived.

You may now see by the king's answer how much Joseph had pleased him. The king soon felt confidence in the man who had been so careful to speak the truth. Joseph had not flattered Pharaoh, but had only spoken out directly the thoughts which God had given him. The king-not only struck by his honesty, but by his wisdom in inter

preting the dreams, and in proposing such excellent plans-said unto his servants, "Can we find another man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?" And turning to Joseph, he said, "Forasmuch as God has shown thee all this, there is none so wise and discreet as thou art: thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou." The king then invested him in his high office by taking off his ring from his hand and putting it on that of Joseph—as he did so he said to him, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt!"

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There is a true lesson for you and all children!

When the king met with Joseph, how quickly did he feel that he was a great man! It was because he had the wisdom which comes from the Spirit of God! He who prayed to God, and received God's Spirit, and spoke out the truth that was in him in a plain, straightforward manner, although he was a slave, a prisoner, and was very poor-he told the king by his conduct that he was a great man.

Yes, his true greatness came out at last; he had kept it in the prison all those three years, but now it was proclaimed to all people! He was arrayed in "vestures of fine linen," such as only royal and high persons wore, a gold chain was placed, by the king, around his neck; he was conducted in grand procession through the city, seated in the second chariot of the king, and men went before him crying to all who met him, "Bow the knee!"

All children may be truly great, like Joseph, for God gives his Holy Spirit freely to all who ask it.

Chirty-fifth Sunday.

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.

Ir was certainly a great change for Joseph-from the prison to the palace. But I do not think that such a change would make him proud. W. Not when the men before him cried, "Bow the knee"?

P. I should hope not. If Joseph still continued his faith in God, he would remember that it was to Him that he owed all his greatness. But I was going to say, how great a change was now made in his circum

stances. Egypt is, as you know, situated in Africa, around the river Nile. It was then a far more important country than it is now. It was a country with many learned and rich people,-where the king and his subjects were far more civilized than the people with whom Joseph had lived. And yet Joseph was to govern these Egyptians! He had little occasion to feel proud, for as soon as he began to think, he would see how much he needed wisdom from above.

The fact that Joseph was a foreigner, would be no recommendation to the haughty people of Egypt-they would be likely to despise any one who came from a country less important than their own; and would be still more likely, in spite of their king, to despise Joseph when they knew that he had been a slave, and in prison. Pharaoh was aware of this; and in order that the fact of his being a foreigner might not be constantly before the people, Pharaoh changed his foreign name "Joseph," to the grand title of ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH, which means the "revealer of secrets."

Ion. But, really, the altering of his name would only do him good for a time. The people would not care how fine a name he had, unless he was really good within.

We read also that the

P. No, they would soon forget his name. king caused Joseph to be married to the daughter of one of the most important priests of the country, so that he might belong to a family of high rank. These things were of some importance, but I should not think that they would make Joseph proud.

Joseph soon began the work appointed him. He travelled through the land in order to notice the fields, and the crops, and the people; and to consider carefully what he should do when the seven years of plenty should come. After Joseph had done this, and had visited the principal cities, the people who lived there were much surprised to find that immense buildings were being erected in their cities; they were large plain buildings, I dare say, with plenty of space inside;—they were, in fact, the granaries in which Joseph intended to store the corn, which he knew would grow so abundantly. The Egyptians soon discovered for what purpose they were intended, for according to Pharaoh's dream, the time of plenty came. Then, in every town, Joseph appointed discreet men as the king's officers; and it was their business, when the harvest time arrived, and the corn was abundant and cheap, to buy it of the husbandmen, and store it in the great granaries.

This plan was continued during all the seven years, and then came