HOME FRIEND; A Weekly Miscellany OF AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION. PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS; 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE; 16, HANOVER STREET, HANOVER SQUARE; AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. Society. The Biblical critic recognises in the discovery of the inscriptions and monuments of this great city of three days' journey, an important link of the chain of evidence to the truth of Scripture; he welcomes them as illustrative of manners and customs; and as setting at rest chronological doubts. The ordinary reader sees in them the fulfilment of prophecy; with admiration he observes the veil of twenty-five centuries withdrawn, exposing the ruin which Isaiah denounced; and beholds on its walls the pictures which Ezekiel has so glowingly described. Are not things like these worth knowing? Ought we not to be thankful that, at a price which makes it attainable by the humblest man, the tenant of the lowliest cottage, the Society can publish a work which a century ago could only be purchased by the opulent few, and be read by the learned in public libraries? Much attention has been paid to the works of creation, and to the wonders of nature: these may impress themselves upon a mind which would close every avenue to direct religious instruction; while to those, who from their youth have loved their Creator, these proofs of his power, his wisdom, and his mercy, always afford a delightful source of holy contemplation. Finally, whatever be the labour bestowed upon this little work, it will be amply repaid, if it assist, even in the smallest degree, the removal from the minds of any of our countrymen of that fearful darkness, the darkness of ignorance, which renders the uncultivated intellect unfit to receive Christian knowledge. Prejudices may be overcome; unbelief may be reasoned with; but utter ignorance defeats every means of making men wiser and better. The Editor thanks his many correspondents for their advice, nay, even for their censure: his aim will be to justify the confidence the Committee have reposed in him. December 1852. NOTICE. It is hoped that "The Home Friend" will be found very useful to clergymen, for distribution among their poorer parishioners, and also a welcome addition to lending libraries. The work is published in Numbers, Parts, and Volumes; each Number contains 24 Pages; a Part contains 4 Numbers; a Volume 26 Numbers. THE HOME FRIEND; A WEEKLY MISCELLANY OF AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION. PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY, BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, No. 1.] [PRICE 1d. THE Country of the Hebrews has been known under different appellations. It was termed the Land of Canaan, from Canaan the son of Ham, whose posterity had possession of it. It was afterwards named Palestine, from the people called by the Hebrews Philistines, and by the Greeks and Romans Palestines. It is spoken of in Scripture as the Land of Promise, in reference to the promise which the Almighty gave to Abraham; as the Land of Israel, from the Israelites becoming masters of it; and subsequently as Judæa, from the tribe of Judah being the most considerable of 17 the twelve; ultimately being sanctified by the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, it has received the name of the Holy Land. At the period of our VOL. I. B HOME FRIEND; A Weekly Miscellany OF AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION. PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL LITERATURE AND EDUCATION APPOINTED BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; SOLD AT THE DEPOSITORY, GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS; 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE; 16, HANOVER STREET, HANOVER SQUARE; AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. |