already purpling a new and glorious morning. The condition of these tried and suffering ones, abandoned by swallow friends, misunderstood by their oldest acquaintances, and tormented most unmercifully by the reproaches, suspicions, and bitter words of narrow-minded bigots, under the hypocritical garb of mourners and comforters, may be seen in the picture on the above named page.

PICTURE NO. III. PAGE 72.

The Desolation of Job.

According to the sacred history, Job lived in the land of Uz. This land was somewhere in the East, as it is said in the third verse of the first chapter of the book which bears his name: "this man was the greatest of all the men of the East." Arabian writers always mention Job as a real person, and his grave is shown to this day, on the eastern limits of Arabia, and close to the Euphrates. His residence was undoubtedly in some part of Arabia Deserta, between Palestine and the Euphrates. At the close of the Septuagint translation of the book of Job from the original Hebrew, the following remarkable account of him is appended: "And it is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord will raise up. This is translated out of a Syrian book. He dwelt indeed in the land of Ausitis, on the confines of Idumea, and Arabia. His first name was Jobab; and having married an Arabian woman, he had by her a son whose name was Enon. He was himself a son of Zare, one of the sons of Esau, and his mother's name was Bosorra: so that he was the fifth in descent from Abraham. And these were the Kings who reigned in Edom, over which country he bore rule. The first was Balak, the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dannaba. And after Balak, Jacob, who is called Job, and after him, Asom, who was governor from the region of Thaimanitis; and after him, Adad, son of Barad, who smote Madian in the plain of Moab, and the name of his city was Getham. And the friends who came to him were

Eliphaz, of the sons of Esau, the king of the Thaimanites, Bildad, the sovereign of the Saucheans, and Zophar, the king of the Manaians." It is supposed by the best authority that he lived somewhere between the age of Terah and Jacob, and that he was cotemporary with the most distinguished patriarchs. In character he "was perfect and upright." He had seven sons and three daughters. His substance was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household. He was a distinguished Judge, and the greatest man in that part of the world. In all his surroundings he seems to have been singularly prospered, honored, and happy. At this period the most sudden and overwhelming calamities befel him. The Sabeans fell upon his oxen and asses and took them away, and slew the servants who were ploughing with them, and tending them in the field. The fire of God fell from heaven and consumed the sheep and the servants that watched them. The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels and carried them away, and slew the servants that guarded them. A great wind from the wilderness smote the four corners of the house where all his children were feasting, and it fell upon them, and killed them. Under these sudden and dreadful calamities he rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground and worshiped. But his afflictions did not end here. He was smitten with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. He took a potsherd to scrape himself withal, and sat down among the ashes. In this desolate attitude İ have represented him. His cruel wife turns against him, and against his God, and advises him to curse his God and die. But instead of doing this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. He said: "Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: There is a man-child conceived. Let that day be darkness, let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. Why died I not from the womb? For now should I have lain still and been quiet; I should have

slept; then had I been at rest.

There the wicked

cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet, yet trouble How many others, under similar or more aggravating circumstances, are now sitting down in the ashes? Reader, if this be you, then you will more perfectly comprehend and realize the desolate and pitiable condition of Job, as represented by the cut above referred to.

came."

PICTURE NO. IV. PAGE 77.

Job represented by Eliphaz as an old lion that has lost his power, through age, to devour more prey.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey.

JOB iv. 2.

These words are employed by Eliphaz in reply to Job. He means to tell him that the pitiable condition of the old lion, whose bravery, strength, teeth, rage, and ferocity are now all in vain by reason of the feebleness of old age, resembles his helpless and miserable state; that he has been a very wicked and savage man, devouring the poor and weak; but that now he is old and wasted away by reason of his calamities; that he is perishing now for lack of more prey. It is the language of invective and acrimonious reproach. The accusation which it covertly implies was false and inhuman. It is the unworthy speech of a self-righteous and uncharitable man, incapable of understanding and pitying the upright and noble sufferer, and seeking to account for his afflictions by supposing them

to be the result of his heinous and monstrous sins. Instead of a comforter Eliphaz was a false accuser and an aggravating tormentor. How often do narrow-minded religionists, moved by false zeal, censure and taunt a good man, whom they cannot comprehend, as a vile sinner and hypocrite, in consequence of his misfortunes? But God condemned Eliphaz and accepted Job.

PICTURE NO. V. PAGE 80.

Eliphaz Sees a Spirit.

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: it stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof; an image was before mine eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice saying: Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker? JOB iv. 12-17.

The object of Eliphaz was to use the authority of a spirit, returning from the other life, to convince Job that he was less just and pure than his maker; and that therefore he was not righteous and free from sin. This spirit was unquestionably not an angel that never dwelt in a human form, but a returned intelligence that once dwelt upon the earth. This is obvious from the difference between the terms spirit and angel. The picture represents Eliphaz looking up, in a state of trepidation, in the direction of a luminous influx from the clouded heavens. The spirit is not shown, because in the first place it is impossible to represent by an engraving the celestial aspect of such a heavenly messenger; and secondly, because Eliphaz says he could not discern "the form thereof," but that only an image was before his eyes. The spirit therefore is supposed to be visible to Eliphaz alone, through a luminous opening in the direction of his vision. This is

the only positive demonstration of immortality to be found in the whole Book of Job. Sheol expressed Job's idea of the future world—a land of total darkness.

PICTURE NO. VI. PAGE 124.

Job in the Stocks.

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks.

JOB Xiii. 27.

The word stocks denotes the wooden frame in which criminals were confined for punishment. The position is constrained and distressing. It is supposed by Rosenmüller and others that Job was literally confined within certain limits, beyond which he was not allowed to go. This restraint, he supposes, was effected by binding his feet with a cord to the stocks, so that he could not go beyond a certain distance. But this interpretation is not supported by any other authority save a very lively imagination. The meaning is far deeper than this. Job is replying to the arguments of his friends. They asserted the free agency, responsibility, accountability, and blame-worthiness of man. They consequently alleged that Job's calamities were the results of his sins. Job denied this, and taught, in opposition, the almighty sovereignty of God in the government of the world; that, in his inscrutable wisdom, human beings are not treated according to their apparent characters and conduct; that an absolute, divine control extends to every human volition, and every action and condition consequent thereupon; and hence that he is the victim of unalterable and uncontrollable circumstances, ordained by God for the wise and benevolent purpose of developing man from an embryotic and infantile condition of ignorance, angularity, and imperfection, to higher planes of wisdom, truth, love, justice, and divine knowledge. It is in the light of these considerations that Job continually and vehemently denied that his calamities came upon him as the result of his sins. He felt that they were God's