ably exceed those of last year, and are more than those of any previous year. Our greatest want is more teachers; there are 104 scholars, and not more than eight teachers, and these not always all able to attend. May God send labourers into the vineyard and bless our school; and next year may we have to report a more favourable account in this respect, and also a still more encouraging time than this, the most encouraging we have ever had. J. PIXTON.

LICHFIELD CIRCUIT.-On Lord's-day, November 8, 1868, our friends at Chase Town celebrated their second juvenile missionary society meeting. Mr. J. Dainty preached the afternoon sermon, and at six p.m. our chapel was well filled. Mr. W. Pritchard opened Divine service, after which one of our juvenile band moved that Mr. James Dainty preside, and another little fellow seconded the motion. This raised an interest and a sympathy which continued during the service. Mr. Little read the report, which, at the close, showed that £4 0s. 11d. had been collected for this anniversary-nearly double that of last year. Miss Craddock and Miss Stephens collected £1 1s. 7d. amongst their fellowservants at the county asylum. Mr. J. Bacon (superintendent) next addressed the congregation upon "Africa: its moral and spiritual needs." The remainder of this happy service was occupied by several recitations given by some of our senior boys and girls, which were received satisfactorily. This small subscription is offered to the committee for our African Mission Fund. You tell us about good Dr. Livingstone, and we want to send a Livingstone, as there is room for many in that land. A. SMITH.

Queries and Answers.

No. I.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,-The 2nd and 3rd verses of the 3rd chapter of Exodus read as follows: "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush : and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." Was it material fire that burned around the bush? or was it the presence of God that illuminated the bush and made it appear as fire to Moses? An answer in your next issue will oblige,-Yours, &c., J. W.

ANSWER.-Fire was often connected with the Divine appearances mentioned in the Scriptures. So it was at Sinai; so we read in the 18th Psalm; and so in the ode of Habakkuk, chapter 3. Christ will come at last in flaming fire, 2 Thess. i. 8. The descent of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost was in the aspect of 'cloven tongues of fire." It was not material fire that enveloped the bush, but the Divine shekinah threw that fire-like appearance about the spot. Hence God called to Moses out of the bush and said, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham," etc. verse 6.

No. II.

DEAR EDITOR,-In Revelation ix. 1, 2, something is said about a star falling from heaven "unto the earth; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." A correct explanation of the above through your magazine will greatly oblige,-Yours, D. S. B.

ANSWER.-The star that fell to the earth denotes an angel, or some military leader. In Job xxxviii 7, the angels are called morning stars; and often in the Old Testament the phrase host of heaven means the angels, as in 1 Kings xxii. 19; 2 Chron. xviii. 18; Psalms cxlviii. 2; Josh. v. 14. That the word refers to an intelligent being is clear from the fact that the key of the

bottomless pit was given to him. This cannot be said of a literal star. This name is given to angels in part because every star was supposed to be under the guardianship of an angel, and thus the same name might in many cases stand for both. Whether the word refers to an angel proper or to a leader or chieftain, the idea that lies at the root is splendour or magnificence. "Key," the symbol of power and authority, see Rev. iii. 7. The abyss is here represented as being locked up, so that its contents may not escape. The abode of the wicked is often thus represented: Psalm xxx. 10; Isaiah v. 14; xiv. 15; and the door or gate of the under world is referred to in Psalm ix. 13; Isaiah xxxviii. 10; Matt. xvi. 18; Rev. xx. 1-3. The meaning seems to be that this star or master-spirit would have power to summon the contents of this nether region, who at his bidding would fill this earth with desolation.

"And he opened the pit," etc., verse 2. The image in this verse must have been familiar to those who lived about the Mediterranean in the vicinity of Etna and Vesuvius. These mountains, or perhaps the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, may have suggested this imagery. Allusions to this figure are found in Rev. xiv. 10; xix. 20; xx. 10; Psalm xi. 6; Isaiah xxx. 33; Ezek. xxxvii. 22.

"And the sun was darkened, and the air, by the smoke of the pit." This language refers to the severity and extent of the calamity that was about to be let loose upon the earth. The whole passage is highly figurative. EDITOR.

No. III.

The "tree of life," and the "tree of knowledge of good and evil," were they one tree, or two trees? (Gen. ii. 9.) Will the readers of the Juvenile, who are able, supply the writer with an F. RIVERS.

answer.

THE TOWER OF LONDON.

THIS ancient structure is built on the bank of the river Thames, and stands on the brow of the eminence called Tower Hill. It occupies twelve or thirteen acres just beyond the old walls of the City of London.

Judging from its position, it seems probable that it was intended to defend the approach, by water, to the Metropolis of the British Empire. There is a broad and deep moat encircling a lofty battlemented wall, with strong towers at intervals throughout the entire course. In the interior many modern structures have been erected for the accommodation of the garrison and other inhabitants; and a great central space, where stand the White tower, the lofty keep of the old fortress, with the horse armoury at its base; whilst around the sides of the area, against the inner walls, are in different parts, the ancient chapel, the remains of the grand storehouse or armoury, the jewel office, and the buildings of the Board of Ordnance.

There are many points of interest about this celebrated fortress. The first that we shall notice is the Bloody tower, so called, it is supposed, from the suicide or murder within its walls of the eighth Duke of Northumberland, sent here by Elizabeth for his treasonable correspondence with the unfortunate Mary. The Traitor's gateway is generally pointed out to the visitor. This was, during the long period the Tower was used as a state prison, the principal entrance for the prisoners. When Elizabeth was brought here, she at first refused to land; but seeing force would be used if she did not, she cried out, "Here landeth as true a subject, being a prisoner, as ever landed at these stairs; and before thee, O God, I speak it, having none other friend than thee."

The White tower is a large quadrangular structure, measuring on its north and south sides 96 feet, and on its