with a mixed multitude of thieves and vagabonds, all sleeping on the bare ground, she was sent to her native town in the North of Poland, having to walk all the way by the side of a Cossack who was on horseback. After a month she walked back to Warsaw, provided with a passport obtained at her native place, and presented it to me with great delight, thinking that now all was right; but the passport ought to have been delivered at the gate of the city where she entered, and for having neglected this, and also in consequence of the arrears of the former daily tax and fines remaining unpaid, she was again arrested and put in prison for a week, in order to be passed again to her native place, under the escort of a Cossack. Her sufferings in prison were great, and she was in the deepest distress, but as at last I ascertained the rights of the case why she was imprisoned, and that by paying to a Jew who had farmed the tax, all his demands, she would be set at liberty, I got this matter settled through the aid of a respectable inquirer. The poor girl got released at the moment when she was just about to be carried off again by the Cossack, who was already mounted on his horse, she standing by his side in the courtyard, and when she was really at liberty and placed in clean lodgings with a Protestant couple, her joy was unspeakable. She burst into tears, and hardly knew any bounds to her gratitude. She was now taken under regular instruction by Brother Becker, as I was then on the eve of leaving Poland, and after due preparation for three months, she was baptized by the Rev. Mr. Spleszynski on the 30th July, in the Protestant Church, in the presence of a large congregation who had assembled to witness the interesting ceremony. One of the missionary families have kindly received her into their house, in order to teach and qualify her better for service in Christian families. That secret inquirer, who interested himself so much in poor Sarah's case, and by his personal exertions got her release, has since become a regular candidate for baptism. He was a worldly-minded young man, who was brought up by his so-called enlightened parents in entire ignorance of religion, but my frequent conversations with him opened his eyes and excited a desire to know the Gospel. He had to endure much persecution from his rich relatives, which at one time made him again stagger in his resolution, but yet he perseveres, and is now preparing for baptism under Mr. Becker. MOUNT HERMON. * HAVE you ever wondered why Mount Hermon should have so many different names in Scripture? Sometimes simply Hermon. Then BaalHermon, Sirion and Shenir, names given it by the Sidonians and Amorites. Again, Sion, which is translated by the Samaritans as "Snowy Mountain." It is true that from such texts as Joshua xiii. 11, you perceive the reason of this from the words, "All Mount Hermon"! But a view of the mountain fully explains the enigma. It is not a conical mountain, like Tabor, with one high sum * From Van de Velde's Narrative of a Journey through Syria and Palestine. mit, and a base distinctly marked. It is a whole cluster of mountains, many day's journey in circumference, with a broad ridge of summits, the highest in the Holy Land. According to the English engineers, they rise 9376 feet above the sea. These peaks are surrounded by extensive ranges of mountain ridges, in whose deep gloomy valleys the largest rivers of the land have their sources, and on whose slopes of incomparable loveliness once lay large cities, such as Baal-Gad, Baal-Hermon, Beth-Rehob, and others. Thus Hermon is not a mountain, but a mountain chain. The blessing is compared to the "dew of Hermon," which descended upon the mountains of Sion. Sitting at the foot of Mount Hermon, I see how, from its woody crags and ravines, where the snow lay nearly the whole year round, the watery mists must ascend in much greater abundance than those from other mountains, whose bare tops do not rise to such a height. The waters, drawn up by the sun's warm rays, are reduced to vapour, which is diffused through the atmosphere, and descends at night in cool refreshing dews on the lower hills that branch out on every side around. The Psalmist compares the spiritual blessings to the most excellent dew, like that which falls in the regions around Hermon, and is to be found no where else in the country. You must see Hermon yourself to realize the figure. 66 Some of its deep light-green valleys lie before me. Exactly opposite is the Wadi-Shebah, with the village Hebasiëh on yonder slope of the mountain, and several neighbouring valleys, all covered with pines and shrub-oaks. Behind the first dark-green range are seen the peaks of higher mountains; and here the pine woods are sprinkled with silver by the snow, giving a wonderful contrast of light and shade. Behind these ridges, and high above them all, rises one broad summit, on which rest deep masses of all but eternal snow, transformed by the sunlight to a transparent pale gold tint, with intermingled gleams of pearly lustre, such as never yet have been expressed by painter's art. This magnificent snowy peak, towering up to Heaven's own blue, is the source from whence descends the dew of Hermon, so rich and fruitful. The Arabs call it the Chief of Mountains. A Chief, it is indeed; not the man of ancient days," as some will have it, who see in its snowy ravines a likeness to the white beard of an old man, and nothing more: a royal prince art thou, an image of the Great King; and that book of majesty on which we never tire of gazing; that brow of gold, glittering in the dark blue sky; those dewy mists, softly falling on thy woods and level downs; those ravines of dark shade, and those tall cliffs, smiling in the sun's bright rays, never shall the remembrance of these beauties pass away! 66 HAGAR. HER'S was a mother's heart, That poor Egyptian's, when she drew apart, Her child beloved in its last agony. When her sad load she laid, In her despair, beneath the scanty shade Aside, and long and passionately wept. Yet higher, more sublime, How many a mother, since that ancient time, Has shown the mighty power Of love divine, in such another hour! Oh! higher love to wait Fast by the sufferer in his worst estate, One pang, but aye in courage to abide. And though no Angel bring In that dark hour unto a living spring Stilling her voice of turbulent lament, Oh! higher faith to show, Out of what depths of anguish and of woe To an all-loving Father hymns of praise. REV. R. C. TRENCH. ISHMAEL. From Hankinson's Seatonian Prize Poems, 1835. AND Ishmael grew a stalwart man, |