Balaam's arts were ineffectual against the people whom the Lord had blessed; but, being anxious to secure the reward offered by Balak, he advised that the women of Midian should be sent to invite the Israelites to a feast in honour of their gods. Israel accepted the invitation, and thereby brought upon them the indignation of God, who not only punished his own people, but caused a war to be undertaken against the Midianites, in which Balaam, and about 24,000 of the Midianites, were slain. Some of these people seemed to have joined Sihon, king of the Amorites, for, when Moses conquered that king, he slew at the same time five dukes of Midian. When Israel had become idolatrous after the death of Moses, Joshua, and all the elders that outlived these eminent men, the Midianites succeeded in bringing them under their command, and for seven years Israel was tributary to Midian. During this time the conquerors seized or destroyed the increase of the earth, till there was no sustenance left for Israel, and the distressed and terrified people made themselves dens, caves, and strongholds in the rocks. From this bondage, Gideon, with three hundred men chosen by the special direction of God, delivered Israel. Gideon and his little company in the silence of the night surrounded the sleeping hosts of Midian. They suddenly blew their trumpets, exposed their burning lamps, and raised their war-cry, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" A panic ensued, the host ran, and cried, and fled; the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, and the result was that Midian was almost annihilated. The few stragglers who succeeded in recrossing the Jordan never again formed a nation, but were incorporated with their neighbours Moab and Ammon.

W.

Anecdotes of the Great and Good.

JOHN HAMPDEN.-On Chalgrove Field, in the standing corn, Hampden and Rupert met. In the first charge Hampden received two bullets in the shoulder, which shattered the bone and lodged in his body. With his shattered arm hanging by his side, and his head bending down, he rode feebly off the field of battle. After six days of intense anguish he felt that the struggle was almost over; he received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and spent the remainder of his time in prayer. His last words were, "O Lord God of Hosts, great is thy mercy, just and holy are thy dealings unto us sinful men. Save me, O Lord, if it be thy good will, from the jaws of death. Pardon my manifold transgressions. O Lord,

66

save my bleeding country. Lord Jesu, receive my soul. O Lord, save my country. O Lord, be merciful to- His voice failed him; he fell back and expired.

REV. JOHN JANEWAY.-Whenever professing Christians engaged in unprofitable conversation in the presence of this pious man, he took some method for reminding them of their fault. On one occasion he perceived that the talk was drifting into a vain and useless pastime, so he silently took out pen and ink and then wrote down in shorthand the entire discourse of the company. After a while he read his paper to them, and solemnly asked whether their talk was such as they would be willing for God to record.

SIR PHILIP SYDNEY.-As a writer, a soldier, and a gentleman, Sir Philip took a very high position in the world. His fame spread to Poland, and he was invited to compete for the vacant crown of that country. At the early age of thirty-two he received a mortal wound on the battlefield of Zutphen, in the Netherlands. Excessive bleeding caused intense thirst, and after great difficulty water was obtained for him. As he was raising it to his mouth a poor soldier desperately wounded was carried by. He looked with eager eyos at Sydney's cup, and that truly generous man instantly delivered the beverage to him, saying, "Thy necessity is greater than mine."

RICHARD REYNOLDS.-It is probable that during the life of this good man he bestowed more than £200,000 in acts of charity. He, however, knew well that his only hope of heaven lay in his faith in the merits of Christ, and not in his good works. After great importunity he consented to sit for his portrait. His directions were, "Let me be painted sitting among books; let the Bible be on the table, open at Romans, the fifth chapter and first verse, and let these words be legible, 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through' our Lord Jesus Christ.'"

BOLESLAUS.-It is reported of Boleslaus IV., king of Poland, that he constantly carried about with him a picture of his father. This he had set in gold, and whenever he was about to transact any business of importance he took the pleasing monitor from his neck, and, having kissed it, said, "My dear father! may I do nothing unworthy of thy name."

ALFRED THE GREAT.-For several years after the accession of Alfred to the throne he found it impossible to obtain possession thereof because of the presence of the Danes. After one of his defeats he withdrew to Athelney, in Somersetshire, where he was reduced to great extremities. While there a beggar called at his little castle and requested alms. His queen assured him that they had only one small loaf remaining, which was insufficient for themselves and their friends who had gone abroad in quest of food. The king replied, "Give the poor Christian the one-half of the loaf. He that could feed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, can make that half of the loaf suffice for our necessities." The poor man was relieved, and the king's faith was speedily honoured by the return of his people with abundance of provision.

Useful Statistics.

LONDON BRIDGES.-No fewer than fourteen bridges now span the Thames between London Bridge and Battersea Bridge. These vary greatly in the materials of which they are made, wood, iron, and stone being used in length, Charing-cross railway bridge measures 1,536 feet, while Southwark only measures 800 feet, and Vauxhall 840 feet; and in the cost per square foot from £11 6s. for London stone bridge to £2 5s. for Chelsea suspension bridge. Old London Bridge was commenced in 1176, and after enduring many mutilations from fire, frost, and riots, it gave place to the present one, which was commenced on the 15th of March, 1824, and was opened to the public on the 1st of August, 1831. The old bridge was about 60 feet above the level of the water; the new one is only 29 feet 6 in. even in its central arch. The new bridge is 928 ft. long, being only two feet longer than its predecessor. Old Blackfriars was commenced in 1771, and Waterloo in 1816. Southwark Bridge is of iron, and contains nearly 14,000 square feet less than London Bridge; its cost per square foot was 2d. less. Waterloo Bridge contains a greater superficial area than any bridge in London except Westminster Bridge, which is more than twice the size of Southwark Bridge. The passenger traffic over the London bridges (not including the railway bridges) is above 120 millions per annum, and of this vast number one-half pass over London Bridge at the rate of 160,000 per day.

M