people were accustomed to make 'themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts.' The prophet Jeremiah tells us, that the Israelites sometimes offered incense to their idols on the roofs of their houses." (Jer. xxxii. 29.)

"And Peter, you know, father, went up to the roof at the house-top to pray." (Acts x. 9.)

"True, Harry. And Isaiah speaks of the inhabitants of a city having gone up 'to the house tops.' Houses in the East are built with a court within, inhigh place to the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

26. And they rose early; and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel abroad.

Jer. xxxii. 29. And the Chaldeans that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods to provoke me to anger.

Acts x. 9. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.

Repeat two verses from Samuel. What was done at the Feast of the Tabernacles? What does the prophet Jeremiah tell us? Repeat a verse from Jeremiah. What is said in Acts concerning Peter? What does Isaiah say? How are houses built in the East ?

to which, chiefly, the windows open; those which open to the street are so obstructed with lattice-work, that no one, either without or within, can see through them. Whenever, therefore, any thing is to be seen or heard in the streets, any remarkable spectacle, or any alarm of a public nature, every one immediately goes up to the house-top, to satisfy his curiosity. In the same manner, when, any one had occasion to make any thing public, the readiest and most effectual way of doing it was to proclaim it to the people from the house tops. The people all running to the roofs of the houses, is a lively image of a sudden general alarm. '*

"Dr. Pocock tells us in his Travels, that when he was at Tiberias in Galilee, he was entertained by the chief's steward (as the chief himself was particularly engaged); and that, for coolness, they supped on the top of the house, according to their custom, and lodg ed there likewise, in a sort of closet about eight feet square, of wicker-work, plastered round towards the bottom. but without any door, each person having his separate apartment.

What do the people do if any thing remarkable is to be seen or heard in the streets? Where was a proclamation generally made to the people? What presents a lively image of alarm in the East? What does Dr. Pocock say in his travels?

* Bishop Lowth.

"A more recent traveller informs us, that when in the East he often slept on the house-tops. We found,' says he, this way of sleeping extremely agreeable, as we by this means enjoyed the cool air, without any other covering than the canopy of the heavens, which presents itself in pleasing forms on every interruption of rest, when silence and solitude strongly dispose the mind to contemplation.' Mr. Barker, our Consul at Aleppo, was sleeping at the top of the house when the late earthquake happened; and from thence he descended into the street, without passing through the house. So, you see, houses in the East had often stairs, or fixed ladders, on the outside; and for the convenience of going up and down within-side of the house, they had often a trap-door, or a lattice, with a covering, on the flat of the roof.

"Dr. Shaw thinks that the expressions of the Evangelist, they let the paralytic down 'in the midst,' mean the court-yard round about which the house was built, and that Our Lord was preaching there. He supposes that the bearers of the paralytic might carry him up the stairs, which commonly went from the gateway, and having got to the flat roof, might take down

What does a more recent traveller tell us? What happened to Mr. Barker ? How did he descend into the street? What conveniences have the houses in the East? What does Dr. Shaw think is meant in the Scriptures by "the midst ? How does he suppose that the man sick of the palsy was let down ?

inwards a part of the balustrade or parapet wall, and so let down the bed with cords by the side of the glazed and perhaps painted tiles, which might beautify the walls of the house towards this court.'

"They could easily get on such a house, father, and so let the poor man down 'in the midst."

"Truly, they could; and you see how plain and natural the history now appears to you, though this morning it seemed so singular and strange.

"Houses in the East are built of various materials; some are formed of stone or brick; but those of the poor are commonly of wood or of mud. The heat often cracks the walls which are formed of the latter material, and serpents frequently find a shelter in them. To this the prophet alludes where he says: 'As if a man went into his house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him."

"It is said in the Gospels, that our Lord's disciples prepared an 'upper room' in which they might celebrate the Passover. These, with us, are regarded as the meanest parts of the habitation; but this is not the case in the East; even to the present day, the upper rooms are valued as the principal apartments."

Of what materials are the houses of the East built? How do serpents find their way into the houses? What does the Prophet Amos say respecting serpents? In what part of the house did the disciples celebrate the Lord's supper? How is the upper part of a house regarded with us? How are upper rooms valued in the East?

"Was their furniture, father, similar to our's?" "Certainly not, Harry. The walls of their rooms were often adorned with beautiful hangings of cloth, or silk of different colours, and the ceilings of their best mansions were sometimes painted, or gilt, or carved. This is alluded to in Jer. xxii. 14. Hag. i. 4.

"The floors of the dwellings of the rich are usually of tiles or plaster, and are covered with fine carpets. Mattresses and cushions are placed by the sides of the walls, on which any one may recline: these are referred to in Amos, vi. 4. Thus, also, we are told that Hezekiah, resting on his mattress or couch, turned his face from his attendants towards the wall when he prayed, 2 Kings, xx. 2.

Jer. xxii. 14. That saith, I will build me a wide house, and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermillion.

Hag. i. 4. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste.

Amos vi. 4. That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch theurselves upon their couches.

Kings 2. xx. 2. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord.

How were the walls and ceilings of rooms adorned? Repeat the verses How are the floors of the best houses made, and with what What are placed by the sides of the walls? Repeat a What are we told of Hezekiah? Repeat a verse from

from Jer. and Hag. are they covered? verse from Amos.

Kings, concerning him.