of the ark to enable him to look all round, and he perceived that the waters were entirely gone, and that the face of the ground was dry.

Still he was not in haste to leave the ark, but waited fifty-five days longer, when God commanded him to go forth and all that were with him in the ark.

"And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth after their kinds, went forth out of the ark."

It was one year that they were shut up in the ark; and during this time not one of them had died. All were preserved in life and safety. It is easy for God to do what he pleases, and while he is destroying the wicked who will not love and obey him, to keep from harm those who put their trust in him, and do what he commands them to do.

Noah felt truly thankful to God for the great deliverance which had been afforded him and his family; and as one way of showing his gratitude, "he builded an altar

unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar."

God was pleased with these offerings, for they showed Noah's thankfulness and faith. He promised that he would never again curse the ground, on account of the wickedness of man: nor bring another deluge of water upon its inhabitants to destroy them.

"And God said unto Noah, This is the token, (or mark,) of the covenant which I make between me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you, and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."

You have seen the bright and beautiful rain-bow, on a summer's day towards evening, stretching quite across the eastern sky.

It was this that Noah saw, when God made the covenant with him, never again to destroy the inhabitants of the earth by a deluge. Noah often saw it again, and told others of what it was a token or sign. His children and his children's children heard of it, and rejoiced in this promise of God. And you too may rejoice in it, whenever you see the rain-bow in the sky. Let it remind you of the deluge, and of what God did to preserve Noah and his family; and how long-suffering he is, not to bring another dreadful flood upon the earth, notwithstanding there is still so much wickedness in it.

Has not God been very long-suffering towards you? Have you not deserved to be cut off on account of your sins? How kind and merciful he is in not destroying you as he did the wicked persons in Noah's time!

He is giving you time for repentance. He is inviting you to come to Christ, and trust in Him, and have all your sins forgiven, and be safe under his protection and blessing, both in this world, and in that which is to come. Think of these things, and do as Noah did. Obey him. Love God. Trust in him.

H

Do all that he tells you to do in the Bible, and he will be your friend, as he was the friend of Noah.

STORY X.

THE TOWER OF BABEL.

IT is very probable that Noah and his family, for many years after the deluge, continued to live near the mountains, on the top of one of which the ark rested. They increased in number. Many children were born, and these grew up and had families, and so the earth began to be filled again with inhabitants. Noah lived to see a great many of his descendants, and died, at last, at the great age of nine hundred and fifty years.

At length, many of the people thought they would remove from that place; and journeying, they found a large level country, called the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. It was a pleasant and beautiful country, on the banks of the river Euphrates.

The soil was good for making brick, and there was something found there which answered very well for mortar.

They began to think of building a city, and in it a very high tower, both of which should remain for a long, long time, and be the wonder of all who might see them. In this way too, they hoped to keep themselves together, and become a very great and powerful people. The work was begun with great industry and spirit. Hundreds were engaged in it. One house after another was built, and the tower continued to ascend in height, till it could be seen, pointing upwards to the sky, at an immense distance. Indeed they had said in their pride, that its top should reach unto heaven.

As they were carrying up the bricks, and laying them one upon another, and making it all strongly bound together with the mortar, they hardly knew when they should stop, it looked so firm and beautiful. Often too, when they were on the highest part of it, they looked over the delightful country which stretched miles and miles around the tower, and thought how their descendants would increase and spread over it, and what