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height. The leaves, when the tree has grown to a size for bearing fruit, are six or eight feet long; are very broad when spread out, and are used for covering the tops of houses, &c.

The fruit, which is called "date," grows below the leaves in clusters: and is of a sweet and agreeable taste.

A considerable part of the inhabitants of Egypt, of Arabia, and Persia, subsist almost entirely upon its fruit. They boast also of its medicinal virtues. Their camels feed upon the date stone. From the leaves they make couches, baskets, bags, mats, and brushes; from the branches, cages for their poultry, and fences for their gardens; from the fibres of the boughs, ropes and rigging; from the sap is prepared a spirituous liquor; and the body of the tree furnishes fuel.

In the temple of Solomon were pilasters made in the form of palm-trees. 1 Kings vi. 29. It was under a tree of this kind, that Deborah dwelt between Ramah and Bethel. Judges iv. 5. To the fair, flourishing, and fruitful condition of this tree, the Psalmist very aptly compares the righteous: Psalm xcii. 12, 13, 14.

The trunk of the tree is remarkably strait and lofty. Jeremiah x. 5. speaking of the idols that were carried in procession, says they were upright as the palm-tree. And for erect stature and slenderness of form, the spouse, in Cantic. vii. 7. is compared to this tree.

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A branch of palm was a signal of victory, and was carried before conquerors in the triumphs to this, allusion is made Rev. vii. 9. and for this purpose were they borne before Christ in his way to Jerusalem, (John xii. 13.)-Harris.

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The cedar is a large and noble evergreen tree. Its lofty height, and its far extended branches, afford a spacious shelter and shade. (Ezek. xxxi. 5, 6, 8.) The wood is very valuable; is of a reddish colour, of an aromatic smell, and reputed incorruptible, which is owing to its bitter taste, which the worms cannot endure, and its resin, which preserves it from the injuries of the weather. The ark of the covenant, and much of the temple of Solomon, and that of Diana, at Ephe sus, were built of cedar.

The tree is much celebrated in Scripture It is called "the glory of Lebanon." (Isaiah lx. 13.) On that mountain it must in former times have flourished in great abundance. There are some now growing there which are prodigiously large. But travellers who have visited the place within these two or three centuries, and who describe the trees of vast size, inform us that their number is diminished greatly; so that as (Isaiah x. 19.) says, "a child may number them.'

Maundrel measured one of the largest size, and found it to be twelve yards and six inches in girt, and yet sound; and thirty-seven yards in the spread of its boughs. Gabriel Sionita, a very learned Syrian Maronite, who assisted in editing the Paris Polyglott; a man worthy of all credit, thus describes the cedars of Mount Lebanon, which he had examined on the spot. The cedar grows on the most elevated part of the mountain, is taller than the pine, and so thick five men together could scarcely fathom one. It shoots out its branches at ten or twelve feet from the ground; they are large and distant from each other, and are per petually green. The wood is of a brown colour, very solid and incorruptible, if preserved from wet. The tree bears a small cone like that of the pine."-Harris.

CHRISTIAN NEGROES.

The following remarks of one of the Chris. tian Negroes form a simple and forcible illustration of the apostle's words,-I was alive, without the law once; but, when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died: :

"Yesterday morning, when you preach, you shew we that the law be our school. master to bring us to Christ. You talk. about the ten commandments. You begin at the first, and me say to myself, “Me guilty!"-the second: "Me guilty!"-the third: "Me guilty!"-the fourth: "Me guilty!"-the fifth: Me guilty!"-Then you say the sixth-Thou shalt not kill. Me say, Ah! me no guilty! me never kill some person." You sav, "I suppose plenty.

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people live here, who say— Me no guilty of that!" Me say again in my heart. “Ah! me no guilty." Then you say, “Did you never hate any person?-Did you never wish that such a person, such a man or such a woman, was dead?"-Massa, you talk plenty about that; and what I feel that time I can't tell you. I talk in my heart, and say, "Me the same person!" My

heart begin to beat-me want to cry-my heart heave so much me don't know what to do. Massa, me think me kill TEN people before breakfast! I never think I so bad. Afterward you talk about the Lord Jesus Christ, how he take all our sin. I think I stand the same like a person that have a big stone upon him head, and can't walkwant to fall down. O Massa! I have trou. ble too much I no sleep all night. (Wept much.) I hope the Lord Jesus Christ will take my sins from me! Suppose he no save me, I shall go to hell for ever."

At one of the Saturday evening meetings, a man said

"Massa, them words you talk last Sunday morning sweet very much to my heart; they comfort me, for true. That time me come to church, me so much trouble-my heart full up with sin. Me stand the same like sick person. Oh me so sorry for my sin! Me sit down, and by and by, when you begin talk them words in Matt. ix. 12. you say, "Sick people want doctor, but then people no sick no want doctor." Me say, Ah! that true; suppose me no sick, me can't go for doctor." By and by you ask, "Who is sick in this congregation ?" aud then you tell us who them sick people be the Lord Jesus Christ talk about in the

Bible; and then you begin to talk about them heart-sick people. Ah, Massa! what you talk about them, same thing live in my heart; and me say, "Them words God send to me this day!" By and by, you talk about the Lord Jesus Christ-Him the doctor for heart-sick people. Oh them words make me glad! You talk plenty about the medicine he give; and that he take no money--he give it freely. O Massa! that make me so glad. That time me go home, me comfort very much. Thank God! the Lord Jesus Christ take Him own blood for medicine, and take all my sin away."

LINES ON THE DEATH OF A FIRST-
BORN CHILD.

When at thy sacred throne, O Lord,
I knelt, with Hannah's fervent plea;
The precious gift I then implor'd,
I vow'd to consecrate to thee.

And shall this trembling heart repine,
Or vent its grief in transports wild,
That thou hast early claim'd as thine,
The dear, but dedicated child?

More blest than Hannah's infant son,
My babe beholds thee face to face,
And offers at thy holy throne
The incense of unwearied praise.

A mother's fond affection wrought
The youthful prophet's holy dress,
But higher, nobler love has wrought
My babe a robe of righteousness.

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