magnitude of his army, his power, and his ferocity. Which, when all the people heard, they were greatly alarmed, but confiding in the mercy of God, they all joined in prayer to him, for his compassion on their distress, to bring down the pride of the boaster, and protect them from his power. After this, their spirits revived, they comforted and commended Achior, and one of the governors took him to his own house, and made a feast for him, to which he invited all the elders and principal people, and after it was over, they again all offered up their prayers to the Almighty for his help and protection.

The next day Holofernes gave orders for his camp to be removed, and placed before Bethulia, being fully determined to make war against the children of Israel without further delay. The army was now greatly augmented, (though so prodigious at first), from the various nations who had either been conquered, or through fear had submitted to the power and dominion of Nebuchodonosor; all these, together with the necessary attendants and followers, had become so numerous, that they now could scarcely be calculated, so as to speak with certainty as to their amount. This multitude encamped near Bethulia, and when the men of that city saw them spreading over such an

immence tract of country, their hearts failed them, and they gave themselves over for lost.

The second day Holofernes exercised all his horsemen in sight of these poor people, for the purpose of striking further terror in their hearts, and carefully examined all the passages that led up to the city, and came at last to their fountains of water, and set a garrison of men of war over them, after which he retired to his tent. In the mean time these harrassed people were exerting themselves to the utmost, to meet, or rather counteract the threatened danger, but it appeared that every effort must prove in vain, for the next day some that were of the council of Holofernes advised him, that it were better, instead of attacking them in their city, which would be very hazardous, on account of the mountainous situation of it, to destroy them, without his losing the life of even one soldier, which might easily be effected by hi keeping possession of the fountains, which was the only water to be procured by the inhabitants of Bethulia, and if deprived of that resource, all his opposers must either perish, or submit themselves to his pleasure, as life could not be long sustained without an ample supply of water.

This advice pleased Holofernes so much, that he immediately adopted it, and placed such a numerous guard of warriors about the fountains,

that all access to them by the besieged, was rendered totally impracticable. In this distress, in which the whole nation was involved, the hearts of the people sunk in hopeless despondency, and they began to think they had better submit, or be killed at once, by the unfeeling conqueror, than thus to see their families perishing by thirst; and on this resolution gaining strength amongst them, they became exceedingly clamourous with their governors and priests, and principal people, instantly to surrender to Holofernes, and by that means to save the lives of their wives, their infants and themselves.

The rulers of the city were much grieved by this impatience of the people, they were also suffering under the same calamity, yet still had hope in the mercy of God. However the governors tried to comfort and raise the dejected spirits of the people, and earnestly entreated them to forbear the giving up their city, for five days longer, at the expiration of which time, if that God hath not sent them deliverance from their enemies, the resolution of the people should be no longer opposed. To this arrangement they reluctantly consented, and each one returned to his own habitation, though scarcely knowing how life would be sustained so long.

At this period there resided in Bethulia, a

woman of unexemplary piety and virtue, whose name was Judith, she was also uncommonly beautiful, and had great possessions, in silver and gold, in servants and cattle, in houses and lands. She had been a widow for three years, (at this time) her husband Manasses died suddenly, from the effect of the sun's rays having darted fiercely on his head, as he was giving orders to his work people in his harvest fields. Judith and her husband Manasses, having been most affectionately attached to each other, her affliction at the unexpected loss she thus sustained, was so great, that from the day of his death, (though she was very young), she had shut herself up from all society, devoting all her time to mourning and devotion, so much indeed, did she indulge in this unavailing sorrow, that she had a solitary tent pitched on her house top, as a retreat from all observation, and where she might, without fear of interruption, pass her melancholy hours. Here attired in habits of the deepest mourning a widow could assume, the beautiful Judith gave way to her grief, except on such days, as the duties of her religion obliged her to relinquish the severe fasts she imposed upon herself, by compelling her to attend the feasts and sabbaths appointed to be solemnly celebrated at the stated times.

But even in this solitude, the dreadful state the

eity was in, could not remain unheard of by her, neither the desolating distress occasioned by the want of water, or the fatal intelligence of the resolution entered into, of surrendering Bethulia into the hands of the Assyrian general, if without assistance from Heaven in the course of the short space of time which had been specified. Shocked by the alarming intelligence which had reached her ear, she immediately sent her favorite and principal female servant, to request that the princes, governors, and elders would come to her house, which summon they instantly complied with, as they all entertained the highest opinion of the wisdom and discretion of Judith, and were anxious to hear whatever she might wish to communicate.

When they were introduced to her presence, she severely reproved them, for appearing to doubt the power and mercy of God, by limiting the hopeof his interference in their behalf, to a certain number of days; for even (she said), should he not do it in that time, he was yet able to save and defend them in the last extremities; and that it was wrong and sinful ever to despair, to remember always the temptations, sorrows, and trials their forefathers had endured, and in that recollection, to bear with patience and fortitude, whatever calamity the Almighty might judge proper to inflict.

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