ALEXANDER'S PILLAR, NEAR CABUL.

THIS is supposed to mark the boundary of Alexander's conquests in Asia and the East. It is related by one of the historians who gives a complete account of his military enterprises, that when he was compelled to desist from further advances in that direction, he built several large stone altars, to mark the spot to which his conquests had extended. But another historian, of a later time, declares that a pillar was erected at that place for the same purpose; and the period is perhaps too distant to allow of its being ascertained which account is the most

correct.

Alexander is the great king who was represented in the prophecy of Daniel under the figure of a leopard with four wings, signifying his great strength, and the unusual rapidity of his conquests (vii. 6); also as a one-horned he-goat running over the earth so swiftly as not to touch it, attacking a ram with two horns, overthrowing him, and trampling him under foot without any being able to rescue him (viii. 4-7). The he-goat prefigured Alexander; the ram, Darius, the last of the Persian kings. In the statue which was beheld by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, which corresponds in many respects with the two former figurative prophecies, the belly of brass was the emblem of Alexander. All these figures unite to show that he was destined by divine Providence to obtain a remarkable degree of power, and a most extensive dominion. After more than 200 years the person who was thus foretold ascended the throne of a small kingdom to the north of Greece. Before he was twenty-four years of age, so great was his ambition, courage, and determination, that he had already conquered many powerful kingdoms, and overrun the richest provinces of Asia, adding them to his dominions. It is also related that he went up to Jerusalem after the conquest of Tyre, with the intention of reducing the Holy City; but being met by the high priest of the Jews dressed in his ornaments and robes, he was suddenly so changed in his determination, that instead of punishing the high priest and revenging himself on the city, he treated him with the greatest

reverence and respect, and bestowed many distinguished favours on the Jews. History relates that Jaddus, who was then the high priest, fearing the resentment of the king, had recourse to earnest prayer to God, and that he was directed in a dream to take the method just named, and to open the gates of the city to Alexander. It was doubtless, therefore, by divine Providence that the mind of the conqueror was turned, and Jerusalem spared that fate which every other kingdom suffered.

The victories and conquests of Alexander after this time proceeded as rapidly as before. He overcame every nation that opposed him, and the greater part of the known world came under the power of his sceptre. Although however his ambition was insatiable, the strength and spirits of his troops at length began to fail. They were weary of the dreadful labours and fatigues of war, and prayed to be conducted home by their victorious leader. For a long time he would not consent to their reasonable request; but finding at last that they would no longer obey his orders to advance, he had no other course left him but to return. At this point his conquests terminated, and he afterwards embarked on the river Indus, and from thence marched his army to Babylon, where he died a miserable and disgraceful death, brought on by excessive drinking. Although he was an instrument in the hands of God to punish and humble the pride of the Persian monarchy, and has on that account been mentioned in the prophecies of Holy Scripture, yet we can only regard him, in his own character, as a wicked and ambitious prince, who sacrificed every thing to his selfish lust of power, and delight in war. The same Almighty hand which raised him up for a certain purpose, was also employed to humble him when he "gave not God the glory." His career of conquest was stopped, his ambitious views baffled; he was bitterly punished in his own mind by the disappointment he deservedly suffered, and at length fell from his glory and majesty into a dishonoured grave, unable to enjoy the power he had acquired, because not disposed to exercise it for the good of mankind.

AFTERNOON INSTRUCTION FOR ADVENT SUNDAY.

(Continued from page 262.)

Intended either as a subject for Family Reading, or for an assistance to Teachers in Sunday Schools.

Isaiah ii. being the first lesson for the evening of Advent Sunday, the following brief exposition of it, and questions, are subjoined to furnish subjects for instruction. This chapter clearly foretels our Lord's first Advent, but may also be taken as a prophecy of his second coming to judge the world.

At his first coming, idol worship was abolished, and the light of the Lord (see ver. 5.) made known to those who before sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. The exhortation to walk in the light of the Lord agrees with that of St. Paul, to cast off the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light. (See the Epistle for this Sunday.)

All nations, not, as before, only the people of Israel, were, by our Lord's Apostles, taught of his ways (see ver. 2): our Lord's command was, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." The first five verses of this chapter foretel what took place after the Gospel had been published among all nations: but its complete fulfilment is not yet accomplished; nor will it be, till all the kingdoms of the earth shall have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.

The sixth and three following verses point out why God gave up his ancient people the Jews to their enemies; their own wickedness caused their God to forsake his people; Jesus, as we read in the Gospel of this day, instead of finding the Jewish people true worshippers in God's house of prayer, found that they had made it a den of thieves. For this cause, the Lord brought them low, and finally permitted their city and temple to be so utterly destroyed that there was not one stone left upon another.

Viewed as a prophecy of Christ's second coming to judge the world, the last thirteen verses of this chapter are awfully solemn and striking. They describe the terrors of that day of which St. Paul speaks in the Epistle as at hand, and for which we pray in the collect to be pre

pared, of that day when He shall come in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead. On that day, the wicked, we are told by our Lord, will call on the mountains to fall on them, and to the hills to cover them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. (Compare Rev. vi. 15, 16, 17; Luke xxiii. 30.) The one great lesson to be drawn from this is to fear God, to dread nothing so much as his anger, not to fear them who can only kill the body, but to cease from man, who shall die, from the son of man who shall be as grass, and to put our whole trust in Him who alone shall be exalted in that day; even in the Lord our maker, who hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. This fear is the beginning of wisdom; it will lead us to flee from sin as from the face of a serpent, and to rely only on the mercy of our God for pardon for our manifold transgressions, and for grace to live in a state of constant watchfulness and preparation for the day when He shall arise to shake terribly the earth. If then we be found in the rock which He hath hewn for us, to be a refuge from the storm and a shadow from the heat, that rock whence flow the streams of salvation, that rock which is Christ, we shall not fear though the earth be moved, and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea; for the Lord of hosts will be with us, the God of Jacob will be our refuge.

QUESTIONS ON THE FOREGOING.

To what do the first five verses of this chapter refer? -To our Lord's coming on the earth and to the preaching of his Gospel.

Why did the Lord forsake his ancient people the Jews? -For their sins.

To what do the last thirteen verses refer?-First, to the destruction of Jerusalem: secondly, To our Lord's second coming to judgment.

What are the lessons to be learnt from this chapter?To fear God, who hath power to cast into hell.

Quote some Scriptures which teach this duty? Psalm cxi. 10; Deut. iv. 6; Luke xii. 4, 5; Isaiah li. 12, 13.

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