MOLOCH.

"I WANT now to ask you about Leviticus xviii. 21. • Thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch ?'

Moloch, father ?”

Who was

"A dreadful idol god of the East. A learned Jew gives the following description of him; It was a statue with the head of an ox, and the hands stretched out as a man's, who opens his hands to receive something from another. It was hollow within; and there were seven chapels raised, before which the idol was erected. He that offered a fowl, or young pigeon, went into the first chapel; if he offered a sheep or a lamb, he went into the second; if a ram, into the third; if a calf, into the fourth; if a bullock, into the fifth; if

an ox, into the sixth; but he only who offered his own son, went into the seventh chapel, and kissed the idol. The child was placed before the idol, and a fire made under the statue till

it became red-hot.

Then the priest took the child, and put him into the glowing hands of Moloch. And lest the parents should hear his cries, they beat drums to drown the noise. The place, therefore, was called Topheth, from a word signifying drums."

"How very shocking!"

"It is indeed, Harry. Well does Milton

say,

Moloch! horrid king, besmear'd with blood

Of human sacrifice and parents tears!'

"But idolatry is altogether an awful subject. How degrading to rational beings, that they should pass by the great, and good, and

wise, and just, and gracious God, the King eternal, immortal, invisible,' the Creator, the Father and the Friend of man, to bow down

to dumb idols, which have eyes, but see not; and ears, but hear not; and hands, but handle not; and feet, but walk not.""

"And be so cruel!"

True, Harry. Dr. Buchanan tells us, that he knew he was approaching the temple of Jaggernaut, the Moloch of the East, sixty miles before he actually arrived at it, by the human bones which he saw every where bleaching on the sands. How thankful ought we to be for the pure light of Divine Revelation! and how ought we to respect good men, of every denomination, who leave their native land to do away such abominations from the face of the earth!"

GARMENTS.

"WAS not the dress of the people in the East very peculiar, father?"

"No doubt it was. It is curious to think how dress has varied since our first parents were clothed with skins in Paradise; though a large proportion of our race, who are uncivilized, still wear them."

"And they would be very comfortable to the Esquimaux, whom Captain Parry speaks of in his Journal; for they are always among snow and ice, would they not?"

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Surely they would; and he tells us that they are thus clothed. But the people in the East are generally clothed in a much superior way. Joseph's coat, wrought on purpose for him by the indulgent fondness of his father,