The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-02-09

people of China as we learned Rom Mr. Anterior s
! lecture
THE TEMPTER-A HEBREW TALE.
| It was fast approaching the eleventh hour; The
busy hum of the Holy City, had sunk into compar-
alive stiffness, and, struggling wayfarer
and field laborers returning from their daily toll
| few pas senges were TO be in the streets Of
Jerusalem. One middle.aged man alone kept his
seat in the Water-gae, looking with placid smile
along tho road which led down TO the alley OF Je-
hoshapbat silver gerah, was held between his
fingers, as in the act Of giving aims; but for some
minutes no object appeared on whom ii might prop
erly be bestowed. He from his seat and gath
ering his cloak around him, was preparing to de.
part, when the figure Of an old man, to,tering slow
ly up the steep, arrested hs attention The old
man meanly clad, and as he leaned ieebly on
| his staff TO take breath, after his tosome ascent,
his glance rested upon the person Of the sage Rab
bi Abimelecb--for it vas he who sat in the gate
distributing his aims TO the poor, the hungry, and
the way farer.
"The Lord direct thy goings.ou and thy com
ngs in said the rabbi, with selfsatsfed smile,
dropping tho coin into the extended palm of the
stranger stLo! have tarried from the ninth hour,
until the towers and p:nnacles Of the temple have
thrown their dark shadows across the brook of Ce
dron, even unto the base of the Mount of Olives,
to bestow this last oil forty serahs in Minis,
ding TO a which made last Pentecos; and be
| hold, thou art here 10 receive it,
| Precious is the gift which cometh from the
heart. more precious than the Arabian franklin
censc, sweeter than the rich honey of Hebron II
| night know my lords name, my heart would
not forget 1t when lift up my voice in prayer to
the Ruler Of Israeli, said the stranger respectfully.
81 am called the Rabbi Abmech."
Gle whom men term the sinless- hose
voice is as the neighing of warhorse in the tenn
plo whose works fireworks Of righteousness;
who clothes the naked, feeds the hungry, and Civ
eth arms ofthe tenth part of his substance? asked
| the stranger
"The same, answered the self gIorifed rabbi,
"and now let me pray of thee thy name; and in
what city art thou dweller!"
"Alas." an swered the stranger, 'I reproach
to my kindred, and my name is defemen, TO the
| lips of anil sraelile."
sUnfortunate man in what hast thou offended a.
gainst the Iaw?"
ssIn this thing have offended. Behold, went
forth al the astvintage season into the Vineyards,
and the vintagers pressing the grapes into the
wine presses; and the red wine into the watts,
even the red wine of Lebanon; and being weary
and, in my foolishness, ! did drink OF the wine
which, should have been abomina'ion unto me, see
ing that am Nazarite from my youth"
The scrupu ous rabbi shrunk from the degraded
Israelite from tainted eper, and elevating his
brow, said 18th sanctimonious air, 'tThe way of
the wise is pleasant, but the feet of the fool
tread in the mre."
| "Stop said the stranger the rabbi was depart,
ing ISIS it also said that the vain glorious man
shall fall into the snares Of his own proud heart?
Rabbi Abmelech thy life has been righteous; but
fire hath not yet tried thee, nor the water purified
thee. See that Mou stand fast ,ohen the time COM
eh"
At these words the stranger, with more alert
ness than his seeming feebeness indicated, turn
! ing into obscure street, while Abme lech, pom
derng on the warning of the strange man. took
| his way unto his dwelling, Upon reaching
| his own house. Abimelecf retired 10 his private
chamber 1t wasa small closet, or oratorio, on the
housetop, furnished in style of simplicity aP-
preaching to rudeness, and cold, its cherries APP
pearance being increased by the dim twilight.
There was still, however sufficient light for Abme
i 18Th to distinguish female figure standing in a
thoughtful position in the center of the apartment.
n rich, mellow ray fell upon her figure, which ex-
ceeded in height the usual standard of her sex, but
yet so exqusitely proportoned, as 10 convey only
an idea of graceful dignity in the beholder. Her
eye. as she turned it upon Abimelech, seemed dark
and lusrous, and her smile was the sunbeam on
the bosom ofthe still waters. The rabbi stood