The Deluge.
This event, described in the sixth and seventh chapters of Genesis, is one of the most wonderful that is recorded in the history of the world. It was a judgment sent upon the earth by the Almighty, in consequence of the great wickedness of mankind. His purpose was to destroy not man only, but the animal tribes, except a pair of each species, so as to repeople the earth, after having thus set before the world, for all future time, a fearful warning against disobedience of his commands.
This great catastrophe occurred 1656 years after the creation, and more than 4000 years ago. We have not only the testimony of the Bible to assure us that this event actually occurred, but most nations, particularly those of high antiquity, have either historical records or traditions of such an occurrence. The account given of it in Genesis is one of the finest pieces of description that has ever been penned; but it is very general, and gives us few details, or minute incidents. Yet the imagination can easily portray many affecting scenes that must have been witnessed in the fearful overthrow of the great human family.
Noah, who was a good and wise man, was forewarned of the coming destruction, and, by the command of God, he built an ark, of vast dimensions, and which cost him the labor of a hundred years. It was a sort of bark, being shaped somewhat like a chest or trunk. It was larger than the largest vessels of modern times. It is a large ship that measures a thousand tons, yet Noah’s ark measured forty-two thousand tons!
Into this ark Noah collected his family, and a pair of each kind of bird, each kind of quadruped, and each kind of reptile. Under the guidance of the Almighty, this vessel and its numerous inhabitants floated safely on the water for a whole year. Here they were fed, and here the lion was made to lie down with the kid. When, at last, the waters had subsided, and the ark rested upon the land, then they all came forth.
This story of Noah and his family is not only interesting as a wonderful piece of history, but it conveys to us an important lesson. It teaches us that wisdom is imparted to the children of God, which is not enjoyed by the wicked; that there is an ark of safety provided for the true believer, while the scoffer is left to work out his own destruction.
Anecdote.—On Saturday last, says the Philadelphia North American, Lord Morpeth visited the Philadelphia Alms-House, Blockley. Considerable anxiety was manifested among the inmates to obtain a sight of the distinguished stranger. After he had departed, a little boy, the son of Mr. S——, who was present, remarked to his mother that “he did not know that there were two Lords—he thought there was but one, who lived up in the sky.”