...

the black board, and that the teacher points to them in their order.] In the north of Palestine we have the mountains of. Lebanon. These mountains run through the whole ... country, from north to... south, at an average distance of from twenty to... thirty miles from the sea. The highest points in these mountains are always covered with ... snow. On the sides of the southern extremity of these mountains a people live called ... Druses. They were at first a sect of... Mahommedans. They came to Lebanon about the beginning of the... eleventh century. They are noted for their kindness and ... hospitality, but they are careless and indifferent about ... religion. North

...

of the Druses live the Maronites, so called from ... Maro... their first ... bishop. They are in connexion with the Church of... Rome. The second mountain I mentioned was the Mount of ... Beatitudes. It lies a little north of the sea of Tiberias. The third mountain was

...

... Tabor. This lies lower down towards the ... south, between ... Nazareth and the sea of... Tiberias. A few miles lower down are the mountains of ... Gilboa. They form a mountainous tract of land running from the north west to the... south-east. The first plain I mentioned was the plain of... Lebanon. This plain is in length about ... 90 miles, and in breadth about 12 miles. It lies between the mountains of ... Lebanon, and is considered the most fertile plain in all ... Syria. The second plain was the plain of... Esdraelon. This lies at the southern extremity of... Galilee. It is in shape like a ... triangle, and covers an area of about... 200 square miles. The soil is very · fertile, but poorly... cultivated. This plain is above the sea nearly... 500 feet.

LESSON V.-Rivers and Towns of Galilee.

DIVISION OF SUBJECT.

I. Rivers and Brooks.

II. Towns.

DEVELOPMENT.

I. 1. The Leontes (Nahr-el-Litany).

Source,

Cole Syria. Length, 90 miles. Empties itself into

the Mediterranean, a little north of Tyre.

2. The Kishon (Nahr-el-Mukutta). Source, Tabor. Length, constant, 7 miles; occasional, about 20 miles. Empties itself into the bay of Acre.

II. 1. DAN, near the source of the Jordan. Marks the northern limit of Palestine. Not in the original territory of the Danites.

2. CAPERNAUM, CHORAZIN, BETHSAIDA, and TIBERIAS (Tabaria). All on the western shore of the sea of Galilee. Sites of the first three unknown. Tiberias built by Herod Antipas.

3. CANA OF GALILEE. (KEFR KENNA.) About 15 miles west of Tiberias. Here Christ performed his first miracle.

4. NAZARETH. Towards the northern extremity of Esdraelon; about 5 miles south of Cana of Galilee. Here lived the parents of Jesus. Population about 3000.

5. NAIN, or NAIM, NEIN. About 3 miles southwest of Tabor. Here Christ raised the widow's

son.

6. SHUNEM. (SOLAM.) About 6 miles south-west of Tabor. Here the Philistines encamped before Saul's last battle; and here lived the woman with whom the prophet Elisha lodged.

7. BETHSHAN. (BEISAN, ancient name Scythopolis.) Between the Jordan and the mountains of Gilboa; about 18 miles south of the sea of Tiberias. Saul's body was fastened to the walls of Bethshan. Contains about seventy houses, inhabited by Moslems.

8. ACRE, ACCHO, PTOLEMAIS. Situated on the north-western extremity of the bay. Here St. Paul rested on his journey to Jerusalem. Has suffered much from political revolutions, being possessed in turn by Romans, Saracens, and Christians. In the twelfth century the principal scene of contest between the Saracens and the Crusaders. Remarkable for its gallant defence by the Turks against Bonaparte in 1799. Taken by Napier in three hours in

LESSON.

Having told you something about the mountains and plains of Galilee, we now come to the rivers and towns. There are few places in the world of greater interest to man than this little province of Galilee. It was here that our blessed Saviour resided for thirty years of his life. Here, too, lived his parents; and from this place came all, or nearly all, his disciples. Galilee was the first place to witness the Almighty power of Jesus; and it cannot fail to be interesting to us to visit, in our minds, those fertile plains and ruined cities which, eighteen hundred years ago, were trodden by the hallowed feet of the world's Redeemer.

I. THE RIVERS.

1. THE LEONTES. We shall very soon get past the rivers of Galilee. In the last lesson I spoke to you about two plains, the plain of Cole Syria, and the plain of Esdraelon. In this lesson I shall mention but two rivers, and it so happens that these two rivers are in these two plains, so that you can never be at any loss in remembering them. The first river I shall speak about is the river Leontes. This river drains the southern portion of Cœle Syria. It has its source in a high ridge of land in the centre of the plain, and is fed by numerous streams which run down the sides of the mountains. Now, since you know the general direction of the mountains enclosing the plain, can you tell me what must be the general direction of the river? Yes, it does flow from the north-east to the south-west; and it empties itself into the Mediterranean a few miles north of the city of Tyre. After leaving Cole Syria it takes a turn in this direction, [I suppose that the teacher always has his own sketch of the map on the black board, and that he fills it up as he goes along.]

flows westward, with a slight inclination towards

the north, into the sea. In length this river is about 90 miles. It is not mentioned in Scripture.

2. THE KISHON. The second river I shall mention is the Kishon. This, however, does not deserve the name of river; it is more properly a brook. It has its source in Mount Tabor, and, running in a north-westerly direction, skirts the ridge of Carmel, emptying itself into the bay of Acre. In the rainy season it is about 20 miles in length, which diminishes in the summer time to 7 miles. The intense heat of summer dries up the small stream of water from Tabor to Carmel; but from the northern side of Carmel, at a distance of about seven miles from the sea, it constantly receives a number of little streams, which prevent this part of the brook from being dried up. During the rainy season it sometimes becomes a rapid and impetuous torrent. Many streams from the north and south flow into it, and contribute to the resistless force and rapidity of its waters. The host of Sisera, when defeated by Barak and Deborah, in endeavouring to cross this river was carried away by the force of the current, and perished. In the triumphal song of Deborah and Barak, it is said, "The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon." (Judges v. 21.) It was here that Elijah commanded the prophets of Baal to be slain. (1 Kings xviii. 40.)

Examination.

In what province did our Saviour give the first proof of his Almighty power? How long did our Saviour live in Galilee? Who among the disciples of Christ came from Galilee? How long ago is it since Christ was in Galilee?

What river drains the southern portion of Cole Syria ? Where is its source? Where does it empty itself? Near to what city? North or south of it? What is its general direction? What determines that direction? When it leaves the plain what direction does it take? What is its length?

What is the name of the second river I mentioned ?

LESSON.

Having told you something about the mountains and plains of Galilee, we now come to the rivers and towns. There are few places in the world of greater interest to man than this little province of Galilee. It was here that our blessed Saviour resided for thirty years of his life. Here, too, lived his parents; and from this place came all, or nearly all, his disciples. Galilee was the first place to witness the Almighty power of Jesus; and it cannot fail to be interesting to us to visit, in our minds, those fertile plains and ruined cities which, eighteen hundred years ago, were trodden by the hallowed feet of the world's Redeemer.

I. THE RIVERS.

1. THE LEONTES. We shall very soon get past the rivers of Galilee. In the last lesson I spoke to you about two plains, the plain of Cole Syria, and the plain of Esdraelon. In this lesson I shall mention but two rivers, and it so happens that these two rivers are in these two plains, so that you can never be at any loss in remembering them. The first river I shall speak about is the river Leontes. This river drains the southern portion of Cole Syria. It has its source in a high ridge of land in the centre of the plain, and is fed by numerous streams which run down the sides of the mountains. Now, since you know the general direction of the mountains enclosing the plain, can you tell me what must be the general direction of the river? Yes, it does flow from the north-east to the south-west; and it empties itself into the Mediterranean a few miles north of the city of Tyre. After leaving Cole Syria it takes a turn in this direction, [I suppose that the teacher always has his own sketch of the map on the black board, and that he fills it up as he goes along.]

flows westward, with a slight inclination towards