their husbands, and any of his relations in the city, and bring them away from it before it was destroyed. Lot never doubted their words for one moment, and he went out and told his sons-in-law, bidding them come quickly away from Sodom, as GOD was going to destroy it.

But like many people who are living carelessly in sin, they would not be warned, and only laughed at Lot, just as the men before the Flood had laughed at Noah's warnings.

So Lot was obliged to come back alone, and leave his heedless children to perish. Very early in the morning, when day began to break, the angels roused Lot, and bid him rise up quickly, and take his wife, and his two young daughters, who lived at home in their father's house, and get out of the doomed city. Lot lingered a little, probably because he could not bear to leave his other children behind to certain destruction; perhaps he thought that this morning they might be persuaded to listen to the warning they despised the night before. But when men have refused to listen to God's Voice and be saved, He does not always give them another trial, and so it was in this case; and now the angels with severe kindness would not let Lot tarry, but took hold of him and of

his wife and daughters, and led them forcibly without the city, "the LORD being merciful unto them.”

Then the angels spoke and bid Lot escape for his life. They bid him escape at once to the mountains lest he should be consumed by GOD's avenging anger; and they forbid him even once to look back upon the place he was leaving. Perhaps they knew that if he looked back, the desire to save some of those left behind would be so strong, that Lot would be tempted to return to Sodom, and so perish.

Lot, however, was afraid of flying to the mountains; he fancied that in their solitary wildness he and his family would die; forgetting that the Same GOD Who had just saved them from death in the city, could provide for them in the mountain, if He saw fit to send them there. But while he thanked GOD for having thus "magnified His mercy" in saving their lives, Lot intreated that instead of going up into the mountains, they might take refuge in a little town that was near.

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Perhaps greater things might have been in store for Lot, had he at once done as he was directed; since the path GoD chooses for His şervants must always be better than any they

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can choose for themselves; and we see in Abraham's story how much GOD is pleased with those who have great faith; that is, who believe all He says to them, whether they themselves see it to be best at the time or not. But He is very gentle and pitiful over His weak children, and so now He gave Lot leave to go to this little town of Zoar; and the angel bid him make haste to escape thither, as nothing could be done till he was in safety.

So soon after sunrise Lot and his wife and daughters entered into Zoar, and immediately the LORD rained down fire and brimstone upon the guilty city of Sodom, and upon the other cities in the plain, and destroyed every one living there, and everything that grew upon the earth around. Lot and his daughters obeyed the angels, and never looked behind, great as their terror and curiosity must have been; but his wife was less obedient. Perhaps she thought to herself, as people are apt to do about some order which they do not quite want to obey: "It cannot really much matter doing such a very little thing;" forgetting that nothing ordered by GOD can be little. Anyhow she disobeyed the angels, and looked back to see what was happening; and very terrible was her punishment,

for she was immediately turned into a pillar of salt; and became even as the brimstone that fell upon the earth. Lot and his daughters, however, escaped. But when Abraham went out to his devotions as usual that morning, instead of seeing the rich plain and its stately cities, he looked and saw nothing but one great cloud of smoke rising up, as if the whole country were a furnace.

Then, doubtless, more than ever, Abraham believed in the certainty that whatever GOD said would be fulfilled, whether He threatened punishment to the sinful, as to Sodom, or love and kindness to His faithful servants, as to Abraham himself.

THE BIRTH OF ISAAC.

Ar length the time came when it pleased GOD to reward Abraham's faith by giving him a son. He was then a hundred years old. Both he and Sarah were very much delighted; and Sarah said in the gladness of her heart, "GOD hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh (or rejoice) with me." And truly so it was, beyond what Sarah meant

or knew of; since from that son of hers now born, should descend the SAVIOUR CHRIST Our LORD.

GOD had told the parents to call their son Isaac, which they did; circumcising him (which was then in the place of baptizing him) when he was eight days old, and giving him solemnly the name of Isaac.

When the time came for weaning little Isaac, Abraham and Sarah made a great feast to celebrate it. Now it happened on that day that Sarah heard Ishmael mocking her and her darling son, and she was very angry. It would have been kinder to Hagar, and more grateful to God Who had so blest her herself, if Sarah had passed this affront over, and not been angry; but this Sarah forgot. So she went to Abraham in great displeasure, and begged him to send Hagar and Ishmael away, and not let Ishmael live as if he was little Isaac's equal.

Abraham was very sorry, for Ishmael was his son too, and he loved him, and though Hagar was a slave, he cared for her also, and most likely he felt that Sarah was hasty and unjust in her anger. But while he was grieving, and thinking how he could keep peace in his family, GOD, Who was always in his thoughts, and Who