More than two-thirds of the events of Bible history are associated with the land of Palestine, and a knowledge of that country and its principal places is needed by every Sunday School scholar and Bible student. Any Superintendent who will take ten minutes of the Sunday School session for the purpose or teaching Bible Geography, can in less than three months give to his school a sufficient knowledge of Palestine for the general needs of Bible study. The requisites are: a blackboard; some crayons (of various colors, if possible to obtain them); a clear idea on the part of the instructor of what he proposes to teach; precise statements of the things taught, in as few words as possible; giving nothing except the important facts which are to be remembered; and frequent reviews, from the beginning, of all the facts acquired. The lessons here given have been taught many times in Sunday Schools and children's classes at Assemblies, and are now published in the hope that they may be made generally useful.

LESSON I. LINES AND WATERS.

I. Draw in presence of the class, in white chalk, the two lines, one representing the Coast Line, the other, the Jordan Line. Notice that the cape on the Coast Line is one-third the distance from the top of the map; that the second of the three lakes is directly opposite to the cape; and that the distance between the second and third lakes is just six times that between the first and the second. The teacher may draw the lines in advance of the lesson, with a soapstone slate pencil, which will make a faint mark, not distinguishable at a distance, but seen by the teacher, and easily traced in presence of the class with white crayon. Let the class repeat the names of the two lines. 1. Coast Line. 2. Jordan Line.

II. Locate the different Bodies of Water, indicating their names by initial letters. 1. The Mediterranean Sea, on the west, called in the Bible "the Great Sea." 2. The river Jordan, flowing from north to south. 3. Lake Merom, on the north. 4. The Sea of Galilee. 5. The Dead Sea, into which the Jordan flows. Show the class that this sea lies so low, that, if a canal were cut to the Mediterranean, the ocean would run in, instead of the Dead Sea running out. Drill the class on: 1. Lines. 2. Bodies of Water.

LESSON II. NAMES AND DISTANCES.

Draw the same map as in Lesson I., but omit the lettering, and review the Lines and Waters.

I. State and drill upon the Names by which the land has been known in different times. 1. In the earliest ages it was called Canaan, because its best-known people were the Canaanites. 2. After the Israelites conquered it, it was known as the Land of Israel. 3. In the time of Christ it was generally called JudÆa because the Jews were its inhabitants. 4. Its name is now Palestine. [Write an initial or syllable of each name, and recall it from the class.]

II. Give the Distances. 1. Begin with the country best known, and state first the distance from America to Palestine, 7,800 miles. [Write on the board A. P. 7,800.] 2. The Coast Line, from a point opposite the source of the Jordan to a point opposite the lower end of the Dead Sea, 180 miles. [Write C. L. 180.] 3. The Jordan Line, from its source to the lower end of the Dead Sea, 180 miles. [J. L. 180.] 4. From the Jordan to the Mediterranean, on the north, 30 miles. [J. M. 30.] 5. From the Dead Sea, at its southern end, to the Mediterranean, 90 miles. [D. S. M. 90.] 6. The most northern town in Palestine was Dan [mark D. on the map]; the most southern was Beersheba [mark B.]. Hence, to show the extent of the land, they said "from Dan to Beersheba," which was 150 miles in a straight line. [Write D. B. 150.] 7. Palestine, between the Jordan and the sea, includes about 6,600 square miles, which is a little smaller than Massachusetts. [Write S. M. 6,600.] Review the facts already given from the beginning. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Distances.

LESSON III. NATURAL DIVISIONS.

Draw, as before, the outline of the map, and review all the facts already taught. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. Test the memory of the class on these without giving the initials.

There are four Natural Divisions to Palestine; that is, four sections in the country, lying parallel with each other. Indicate them on the map in brown chalk, not making them very prominent.

1. We find the Sea-Coast Plain [S. C. P.] extending along the Coast from north to south, narrow at the north, and wider at the south.

2. Further inland, we come to the Mountain Region [M. R.], the backbone of the country, a section of hills and mountains, and the home of the Israelitish people.

3. Passing over the mountains, we find the Jordan Valley, a deep gorge, and deeper the further we travel southward, until, at the Dead Sea, it is more than 1,300 feet lower than the Mediterranean.

4. Still further eastward, we climb the steep mountains again, and reach the Eastern Table-Land, a lofty plain sloping gradually to the great desert beyond it.

Review, as before. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Natural Divisions.

LESSON IV. MOUNTAINS.

Review, as usual, from the beginning, before commencing the advance lesson. The events of the Bible are often associated with Mountains, of which there are many in Palestine. We select eight of the most important, group them in pairs, and state with each the fact which gives it interest.

On the north of the country, near the source of the Jordan, we find two mountains, nearly opposite to each other. 1. Mount Hermon, on the east, the highest mountain in Palestine, and the place where the Saviour was transfigured. 2. Mount Lebanon, on the west, famous for its cedars.

Next, we find two mountains nearly in line with the Sea of Galilee, one directly west and the other southwest of it. 3. Mount Carmel, by the Mediterranean, where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the altar. 4. Mount Gilboa, where King Saul fell in battle with the Philistines.

In the centre of the country we find two mountains, where Joshua read the law to the Israelites. 5. On the north, Mount Ebal, the mount of cursing. 6. On the south, Mount Gerizim, the mount of blessing.

In the south, directly in line with the northern end of the Dead Sea, are two mountains. 7. On the west, Mount Olivet, or the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended. 8. On the east, Mount Nebo, where Moses died.

With each of these mountains the event associated might be briefly related. At the close, review as before. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Divisions. 6. Mountains. Be sure that the class can name the event with each mountain.

LESSON V. PLACES.

This lesson may well be divided into from two to four sections, according to the time which can be given to it. Draw the map, as usual, from the beginning; and, as each subject is presented upon it, review the pupils, until all their past lessons are clearly fixed in mind. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Natural Divisions. 6. Mountains. See that with each mountain, as it is located, the event connected with it is named.

We have now to fix the most important Places in Palestine. We locate them by their arrangement in the Natural Divisions, and name an event for which each place is remembered.

I. Places in the Sea-Coast Plain. [These may constitute one lesson, if desired.] 1. Gaza, where Samson pulled down the idol temple upon the Philistines and himself. This lies on the Mediterranean, directly in line west of the middle point of the Dead Sea. 2. Joppa, the seaport of Palestine, from which the prophet Jonah started on his voyage. This lies nearly half way between Gaza and Mount Carmel. 3. CÆsarea, where Paul made his defense before King Agrippa, and was a prisoner for two years. This is a little more than half way between Joppa and Mount Carmel. 4. Tyre, the city which sent ships to all lands; a little further north of Mount Carmel than CÆsarea is south of it. As each place is named, locate it on the board, and mark it by an initial letter.

II. Another lesson may include the most important Places in the Mountain Region. 1. Beersheba, the home of Abraham; opposite the lower bay of the Dead Sea. 2. Hebron, where the patriarchs were buried; opposite the middle of the Dead Sea, and in line with Gaza. 3. Bethlehem, where David and Jesus were born, 6 miles south of Jerusalem. 4. Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine, where David reigned, and where Jesus was crucified; directly in line with the northern end of the Dead Sea. 5. Bethel, 10 miles north of Jerusalem, where Jacob saw the vision of the heavenly ladder. 6. Shechem, between the twin mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, where Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria. 7. Nazareth, where Jesus spent his boyhood; directly in line with the southern end of the Sea of Galilee.

III. Places in the Jordan Valley. Two of these are near the northern end of the Dead Sea. 1. Jericho, west of the Jordan, where the walls fell down before the Israelites. 2. Bethabara, east of the Jordan, where Jesus was baptized. Two more are near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. 3. Capernaum, where Jesus lived during his ministry, and wrought many miracles; on the northwestern shore of the sea. 4. Bethsaida, where Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves; on the north of the sea. 5. The last is at the source of the river Jordan, Dan, the most northerly town in Palestine.

IV. Places in the Eastern Table-Land. There are not many in this section, because few events of Bible history took place there. 1. MachÆrus, where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded; opposite the northern part of the Dead Sea. 2. Penuel, on the brook Jabbok, where Jacob wrestled with the angel. This is about midway between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. 3. Mahanaim, where David wept over Absalom's death. This is about half way between Penuel and the Sea of Galilee. 4. CÆsarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, where Jesus taught his disciples.

It may be desirable not to give these places in a single lesson, but to divide it into two, or even four sections, and give one at a session. In that case, with each lesson all the places already located should be reviewed, together with the events associated with them. If the places can be marked upon the board in bright red chalk, they will be prominent.

LESSON VI. PROVINCES.

Review from the beginning, as usual. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Natural Divisions. 6. Mountains. 7. Places.

In this lesson we are to learn the Provinces, or parts of the country, in the time of Christ. We do not take the division by tribes; as that is more difficult to learn, and not often referred to in history. At the time when Christ was among men, Palestine was divided into five Provinces, though two of these were under one ruler.

I. Draw the boundary line of JudÆa, and write its initial, J. This was the southern province, and the largest. [Review the names of the places contained in it.] Its people were the Jews, or men of the tribe of Judah, and its principal city was Jerusalem.

II. North of JudÆa was the province known as Samaria, having Shechem as its principal city. Its people were the Samaritans, with whom the Jews had no dealings. In Christ's day JudÆa and Samaria were under one government. It contained the twin mountains Ebal and Gerizim.

III. North of Samaria was Galilee, where Jesus lived during most of his life. Its people were also Jews, but were called "Galileans" by the Jews in Jerusalem; and in Christ's time it was under the rule of Herod, who slew John the Baptist. Notice the mountains and towns situated in it. Mountains: Lebanon and Gilboa; towns: Nazareth, Capernaum and Dan.

IV. On the east of the Jordan, and south of the Sea of Galilee, was the province of PerÆa, a word which means "beyond"; so named, because it is "beyond Jordan." Here Jesus taught at one time during his ministry, and blessed the little children. The places which we have noticed in it are MachÆrus, Bethabara, Penuel and Mahanaim; and its mountain, Nebo. This province, in Christ's day, was also ruled by King Herod.

V. The province north of PerÆa and east of the Sea of Galilee is not named in the New Testament. We will call it by its Old Testament name, Bashan, a word meaning "woodland." It was ruled by a brother of Herod, named Philip, whose title was "tetrarch"; hence it is sometimes called "Philip's Tetrarchy." The mountain we have noticed in it is Hermon, and the two places, Bethsaida, and CÆsarea Philippi, or "Philip's CÆsarea," to distinguish it from the other CÆsarea, by the sea-shore.

At the close of the lesson, review once more from the very beginning of the series; then erase the map, and, pointing to the places on an "invisible map," call for their names from the class. There can scarcely be too much reviewing of these leading facts, in order to impress them on the scholar's memory.