RULE. In reading the various names of the SUPREME BE ING, great care should be taken to pronounce them distinctly, and with reverence; but the custom of giving them an unnatural and drawling pronunciation, must be always avoided.

DANIEL, CHAPTER VI.

1. Ir pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hun dred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

2. And over these,three presidents, of whom Daniel was first; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

4. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5. Then said these men, We shall not find any oecasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

6. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever.

7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

8. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

9. Wherefore king Dariu signed the writing and the decree.

10. Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

11. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

13. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

14. Then the king, when he heard these words, waз sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

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15. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee.

17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him and his sleep went from him.

19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions

20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions ?

21. Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for

ever.

22. My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believ ed in his God.

24. And the king comnanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

25. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for He is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end.

27. He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

ERRORS.

2. Danil for Daniel; accouns for accounts. 5. lawr for law. 7. counslers for counsellors; cap'ns for captains. 19. airly for early. 22. mouze for mouths.

QUESTIONS.

What Rule is over this Lesson ?

Where should you look for the proper mode of pronouncing the names of persons and places? On which syllable is Darius accented?

RULE. When a word ends with s, and the next word be gins with s, or has much of the sound of s, the first word must be pronounced very distinctly before you begin to pronounce the second.

Examples. Theirs is; righteousness' sake; Jesus said; was said.

MATTHEW, CHAPTER V.

1. AND seeing the multitude, He went up into a mountain and when He was sat, His disciples came unto Him.

2. And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,

3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.

7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.