LESSON XXI.

THE UNGODLY RACE OF CAIN. GEN. IV. 16—24.

Text-Matt. xvi. 26, first clause.

First. Lead the children to see that Cain went from the presence of God. He lived without God in the world. Sin always drives us away from God. Adam hid himself when he sinned. Jonah fled from God, and Cain goes from the presence of the Lord. Second. The character of Cain's descendantsclever, skilful, powerful; but one thing they lacked, they had no religion, not one follower of God.

Third. Let the children observe that what they sought they obtained, success in the world; but how would they be prepared for the next?

By application ask-Whom are they prepared to serve? The Scriptures declare the impossibility of serving two masters.

LESSON XXII.

THE FAMILY OF SETH, THE PEOPLE OF GOD.-GEN. V.

Text-Matt. vi. 24, last clause.

Having read the chapter, let the children first remark what is said of all the descendants of Seth,

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and then select those of whom more particular mention is made. Methuselah is recorded as the oldest man who ever lived. Dwell on the character of Enoch and his reward, and on that of Noah. Then lead them to compare the two races of men-those who serve God, and those who serve mammon. Men have always been divided into two classes. The application of the lesson should be the question to which class they belong, or wish to belong.

LESSON XXIII.

THE SPREAD OF WICKEDNESS.-GEN. VI. 1-7.

Text-1 Cor. xv. 33.

First. Lead the children to consider the exceeding sinfulness of man, every imagination evil and that continually, and also the cause of this great spread of wickedness. The Lord's people formed marriages with Cain's evil race, and became corrupted.

Second. Let them consider what they learn of God from this Scripture. That he sees everything, and knows all our thoughts, that he cannot endure sin, but will punish it; yet that he is long-suffering, and that his spirit long strives with man. One hundred and twenty years did he preach to them by Noah. The application to the children should be, the danger and sin of choosing bad companions.

LESSON XXIV.

THE BUILDING OF THE ARK.-GEN. VI. 13-16.

Text-Prov. xiv. 26.

The endeavour in this lesson should be, to make the children realise the stupendous size of the ark, and the miracle that such a building could float on the water. It was four hundred feet long, seventyfive wide, forty-five high. To form an idea of this they should compare its size with that of their school-room. It was large enough to hold as much as thirteen of our largest ships could. It was miralous that such a stupendous building could float on the waters; it was miraculous that Noah could build it, but he was instructed by the Almighty.

What is the wages of sin?

Second. By considering for what purpose the ark was built, they may be led to say of what it is a type. What are we all? How can we escape eternal death? What refuge is offered to us? How is the ark like Christ? Of what then is the ark a type?

The lesson is obvious: we are warned of a coming destruction, and that it is only in Christ that we can be safe. Have we sought safety in him?

LESSON XXV.

THE FILLING THE ARK.-GEN. VII. 1-9, 13-16.

Text-1 Pet. i. 5. "KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD."

The points to which the children's attention should be drawn, are,

First. The persons who entered the ark— Righteous Noah and his family-eight souls-the animals. Why seven clean and two unclean?

Second. The astonishing fact that all animals, savage as well as tame, birds as well as beasts, should unresistingly enter the ark and live together in peace. By dwelling on this point, the children will see that it must have been the almighty power of God that brought them together, and made them continue together in harmony.

Third. When all had entered, it was God that shut them in, and they were safe; kept by the power of God.

LESSON XXVI.

THE DELUGE.-GEN. VII. 10-12, 17-24.

First.

Text-Psalm ix. 17.

The immediate cause of the deluge. The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the

windows of heaven were opened. From above and below, the waters of destruction rushed in.

Second. The time-forty days was the flood upon the earth; and one hundred and fifty days the water prevailed upon the earth.

Third. The effects-all the mountains and hills were covered, nothing to be seen but an expanse of water; every thing that had life, man and beast destroyed. Help the children to picture to themselves this awful scene, and to think how they all must have felt who had mocked at Noah's warnings and preaching, and gone on eating and drinking till the deep poured forth its waters, and torrents descended from above. Let them think of that one bright spot in the midst of desolation. Noah and his family borne up in the ark on the waters-kept by the power of God. have thus endeavoured vividly to picture to the children the awful punishment of the antediluvians and the preservation afforded by the ark; lead them to think of the end of the wicked, and the safety of those who have fled to Christ for salvation.

LESSON XXVII.

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THE ASSUAGING OF THE WATERS, AND NOAH'S QUITTING THE ARK.-GEN. VIII.

Text-James i. 3.

The facts to be established in the children's minds, are that the waters prevailed for nearly half a year,