The tame ass is a very different animal to the wild one. It is patient, enduring, and contented. Some people say it is obstinate, and stupid, and it may be so sometimes; but how much of these bad habits are encouraged by the cruel, rough way in which it is used. Often have tears risen in my eyes to see the cruel manner in which both men and boys have treated this patient animal, beating and pulling it as if it had no feeling at all. How I wish all people would remember the words of the Bible,-"A good man is merciful to his beast." In eastern countries the ass is thought of and valued quite as much as the horse; it is more useful for travellers in the mountainous districts of Palestine, as it can climb rough and steep places with far greater safety than the horse, and is also stronger in proportion to its size. It is so superior an animal in the east, that we must believe the better treatment and food it there receives, are the reasons why it is so much more intelligent and active than with us. From what Solomon says of it, we cannot help thinking that naturally the ass requires the whip less than the horse, though perhaps it has less quickness in finding its way. Perhaps you know the verse,-"A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back." (Prov. xxvi. 3.) The patriarchs, or great men of very early times, had many

asses, as well as sheep and oxen. Abraham had, and rode on one when he went that sad journey, believing at the end of it he should have to offer up his only son Isaac. Jacob was rich in these animals; and Joseph, when providing for his old father's journey, sent asses laden with the good things of Egypt as provisions for him to eat by the way. Job had five hundred she-asses, seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen. Asses were used for various things in Bible times, as they are now. Both men and women rode on them. Perhaps you have read of the woman who was so kind to Elisha, and to whom God gave a little boy, for the prophet's sake: he died afterwards from what is called a sun-stroke, or sudden illness brought on from the sun's heat. When her child was dead, she immediately rode on an ass to go to Elisha, because she wished to see him quickly. (This beautiful story is written in 2 Kings iv.) To ride on white asses was a sign of honour and riches, and in the Book of Judges you may several times read of relations of the judges who rode on these animals.

Sometimes even asses were used in war. (See 2 Kings vii. 7-10.) Isaiah speaks several times of the uses of the ass (Isa. xxx. 24); and he saw a vision of chariots of asses. (Isa. xxi. 7.) He tells us that as the ox knoweth his owner, so

does the ass "his master's crib," or stable (Isa. i. 3): showing that it was not without instinct and quickness.

There were many laws about the ass in the time of Moses. If it went astray it was to be brought back by those who found it, to its master. If it was too much burdened, and fell down under its load, it was to be helped to rise again by passers by. It was not to work on Sunday, neither was it to be coveted; as you will remember in the Fourth and Tenth Commandments. Being an unclean animal, of course it was not to be eaten; but on one occasion, when Samaria was besieged, and the people were perishing with hunger, the ass was eaten, and its head alone was sold for eighty pieces of silver. Indeed, at that fearful time, we read of a woman who boiled and ate her own son. (2 Kings vi. 25.) When the ass was dead, it was thrown out as a loathsome and unholy thing, outside the walls of Jewish cities. It was in reference to this that Jeremiah the prophet spoke of the wicked king Jehoiakim of Judah, who was to die unloved and unlamented, and to be "buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem." (Jer. xxii. 19.) What a shocking end!

When Jacob blessed his sons he compared Issachar with "a strong ass (Gen. xlix. 14)

crouching between two burdens: " which meant that Issachar's portion in the Holy Land should be between two enemies, who should make him pay for living in peace; and this happened, as I may tell you at greater length some other time.

Of course you remember Balaam's ass, and how it spoke to, and rebuked, its wicked master. (Numb. xxii. 28.) Also how Samson killed a thousand men with the jaw-bone of an ass. (Jud. xv. 16.) Of the disobedient prophet, too,

who rode on an ass to Bethel, to take God's message to wicked Jeroboam, but who afterwards disobeyed God and was slain by a lion, which did not touch the ass, because God intended to show it was His punishment on the sinner. (1 Kings xiii. 24.)

Saul was seeking for his father's asses when Samuel saw him, and told him how God had chosen him to be king of Israel. But the greatest and most interesting event connected with the ass, was on that day when Jesus rode upon one into Jerusalem. Multitudes followed Him, with branches of palms in their hands, crying out, and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." (Matt. xxi. 9.) And Jesus, even the Son of God, when He drew near to Jerusalem, that beloved city, wept over it, because of its sins, and of His knowledge of the awful punishments that should come upon it, because it had rejected its Lord and King. If the poor deluded Jews had but listened to the words of their prophets, they must then have known that Jesus was indeed their King. Hundreds of years before, Zechariah had written these words, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass,