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 Cœle 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

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

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 ?

What plain does it drain? Where is its source? What is its direction? Where does it empty itself? What is its greatest length? When is it that length? How long is it at other times? Where is its permanent source? What is it which causes the greater part of this river to be dried up? What does it become in the rainy season? Who was defeated near this place? By whom? What became of the host of Sisera? For what other event in Scripture history is this brook remarkable ?

II. THE TOWNS.

The first

1. DAN. Now we come to the towns. I shall speak of, as being the most northerly, is the town of Dan. It was situated here, [mark it on the map] near the source of the river Jordan, and southwest from Mount Hermon. Its name was Laish or Leshem, at first, and it seems to have belonged to the Sidonians, a people who lived up here [shew it] on the sea-shore. Here the people dwelt quiet and secure till the time of the Danites. Now the Danites lived down in the south-western part of Palestine, between Ephraim and Simeon, but being unable to drive out the Philistines and Amorites who occupied some portion of their country, and finding it too small for the wants of so large a tribe, they travelled northward till they came to Laish, where, after driving out the inhabitants, and burning the city, they built another and called it Dan, "after the name of Dan their father." (Judges xviii.) The name of the city is well-known from its frequent repetition in the proverbial saying, "from Dan to Beersheba," denoting the extent of Palestine from north to south.

This city is chiefly remarkable from its having become one of the chief seats of Jeroboam's idolatry. It was here that he set up a golden calf, and caused the people of Israel to sin, for they went and worshipped it.

2. CAPERNAUM, CHORAZIN, BETHSAIDA. Many of the towns of Galilee were on the western coast