improvement of his class, by judiciously catechising them after the reading.

It is of primary and, indeed (from the sacredness of the books), of indispensable importance that they should be read in a reverential tone and manner; and any approach to levity, flippancy, carelessness, hurry, or indistinctness, should be promptly checked.

In respect to rules, those already given for correct reading, apply generally to the reading of the Holy Scriptures; but the feeling of reverence, to which reference has just been made, causes the ordinary tones to be slightly reduced, as compared with secular reading. At the same time, it must not be supposed that reading reverently implies a drawling, nasal, unvarying, and unimpressive monotone, as if piety and pretence were the same thing; or as if the object to be aimed at was the mere affectation of a pious manner. such pretentious modes of reading should be carefully checked.

All

The Holy Scriptures, as any other composition, must be read in a clear, distinct, natural voice; and although they allow more recourse to the monotone than most other writings, they do not exclude that variety of tone and expression which the subjects, in their own nature, properly require.

II.-Punctuation and Pauses.

The division of the Holy Scriptures into chapters and verses, although indispensable for reference, is frequently prejudicial to correct reading; inasmuch as children, and persons improperly taught, are apt to regard the end of a verse as the place where a kind of full stop must necessarily be made. This division is merely a human invention, and is frequently very imperfect and incorrect.

In some instances the division of the chapters is objectionable, as separating subjects that ought to be connected.

The Paragraphs (usually marked thus, ¶) may generally be depended upon, as introducing new subjects, or separating parts of the same subject.

To read the Holy Scriptures with effect, the Pauses must be governed by the sense, and not necessarily by either the punctuation or the artificial divisions of verses and chapters.

The following extracts, which the pupils should read, will show the necessity of study and thought in the use of the pause and full stop.

(1.) IMPROPER DIVISION OF CHAPTERS.

Here the teacher, by questioning or direct instruction, should show the pupils the necessity of connecting the portions of Holy Scripture separated by the two chapters, and of reading them in continuation.

1. Judah's Pathetic Appeal to Joseph separated from its effect. Genesis xliv. and xlv.

Ch. xliv. 33. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that ́shall come upon my father.

Ch. xlv.

1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

2. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharoah heard him.

2. Conversation separated from Time and Place.

Numbers xxii. and xxiii.

Ch. xxii. 41. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the

high places of Baal, that thence he might see the (utmost part of the people.

Ch. xxiii.

1. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 3. Israel's zeal against Idolatry separated from its cause. 2 Chronicles xxx. and xxxi.

Ch. xxx. 26. So there was great joy in Jerusalem : for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

27. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven.

Ch. xxxi.

1. Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

4. Parts of the Inspired Prophecy, respecting Messiah, separated. Isaiah lii. and liii.

Ch. lii. 13. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14. As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men :

15. So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which hath not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Ch. liii.

1. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

5. An Address abruptly separated from its occasion.

Acts xxi. and xxii.

Ch. xxi. 40. And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

Ch. xxii.

1. Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence, which I make now unto you.

Other examples, the pupils may readily find for themselves.

(2.) PERIODS IN THE PLACE OF MINOR STOPS.

In this case, the sense of the passage cannot be conveyed, if the periods are marked by a complete fall of the voice, as is usual at a full stop.

[Except in the last instance, the Semicolon should be substituted for the Full Stop.]

1. Job ix.

5. (God) which removeth the mountains, and they know not: (;) which overturneth them in his anger. 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7. Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

8. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

9. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

2. Mark vi.

10. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.

11. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them.

The pupils themselves can select other examples.

(3.) VERSES WHEREIN THE FULL TERMINAL PAUSE IS PREJU

DICIAL TO THE SENSE.

The following extracts should, in each instance, be read first with a full pause at the end of every verse, as indicated by the dash; and afterwards as re-arranged.

The teacher should then question upon the different effects; and, if necessary, explain the greater clearness of the latter. He should also caution his pupils against pausing without sufficient reason at the end of verses generally.

1. Deuteronomy xviii.

15. The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken ;

16. According to all that thou desirest of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Re-arranged.

15. The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, - of thy brethren, like unto me (unto him ye shall hearken), accord16. ing to all that thou desirest of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, - saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.