Where did he burn incense?

A. In the temple of the Lord.

What is meant by its being his lot to burn incense? A. Various daily services were distributed among the priests by lot. Thus it fell upon one to kill th sacrifice upon another to sprinkle the blood-upor another to burn incense, &c. According to this cus tom the lot fell upon Zacharias to burn incense. On what did the priest burn incense?

A. On an altar.

How was the altar of incense made? See Ex.xxx. 1-6 Was incense the same as burnt sacrifice?

A. No: burnt sacrifices required an animal to b offered.

10. What were the people doing without? A. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. Was this customary among the Jews?

Verses 11-23.*

1. Who appeared to Zacharias?

A. It was

4. There appeared unto him an angel of the Lord. Where did the angel stand?

A. On the right side of the altar.

What is an angel?

A. A spirit: a being sent forth in the service of God. Are there few or many angels? Repeat Rev. v. 11. Are there any wicked angels? 2 Peter ii. 4. Jude 6th verse.

12. How did Zacharias feel when he saw the angel?

A. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

* Such lessons as are supposed to be too long, are divided in thes manner.

13. What did the angel say to Zacharias? A. And the angel said unto him fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son.

What is prayer?

A. It is the offering up of our desires to God.
What was he to call his son?

A. And thou shalt call his name JouN.

14. What was Zacharias to have? A. Joy and gladness.

What would many do at the birth of John? A. And many shall rejoice at his birth.

15. What was he to be in the sight of the Lord?

A. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord.
How was John great in the sight of the Lord?
A. In the part he bore in preparing the way of the
Lord; in a life holy and devoted to God.

What else is said in this verse?

A. He shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb.

Who is meant by the Holy Ghost?

A. The Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart?-Repeat Gal. v. 22, 23.

16. Whom was John to turn to the Lord? A. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

Who were meant by the children of Israel?

A. The descendants of Jacob-the Jewish nation. In what state were the Jews at John's birth?

A. They had departed greatly frori the spiritual worship of God, and were under subjection to the Romans.

What promise is made in Daniel xii. 3. to those who turn many to righteousness?

A. They shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. Froin what should sinners turn?

A. From their sins.

17. Ilow was John to go before the Lord? A. In the spirit and power of Elias.

For what purpose?

A. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lo.d. Who is meant by Elias?

A. Elijah the propl et.

In what respect was John like Elijah?

A. In his personal appearance and dress; but more particularly in his manner of life-in his honest piety-in his holuness in reproving the wickedand in his success in convincing sinners.

18. What did Zacharias say to the angel? A. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old inan, and my wife well stricken in years.

19. What did the angel say concerning himself?

A. And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.

What is meant by tidings?

A. Something told-news.

What were the glad tidings he brought?

A. The birth of a son, who was to go before the Lord. 20. What did he tell Zacharias should come upon him?

A. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to

speak, until the day that these things shall be performed.

Why should he be dumb?

A. Because he believed not the words of the angel which should be fulfilled in their season.

How will those finally be punished who do not believe God's word? Repeat Mark xvi. 16.

Will God's word certainly come to pass? Repeat Matt. xxiv. 35.

21. What were the people doing?

A. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22. When he came out what took place? A. And when he came out he could not speak to them. What did they perceive?

A. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

What is meant by a vision?

A. A supernatural appearance-one of the ways in which the Lofd revealed his will to man. 23. What came to pass?

A. And it came to pass, that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

What is meant by the days of his ministration? A. The days during which it was his duty to minister in the temple.

How long did one course of priests minister in the temple at one time?"

A. One week; for they came in on the Sabbath, and went out on the following Sabbath. 2 Chron. xxiii, 4-8.

SERIES II.*

To whom did Luke write?

A. To Theophilus.

Why did he write his gospel?

A. To instruct Theophilus and others in the history and doctrine of Christ.

Who was Luke?

A. He was a physician-a companion of Paul in his travels.

Of what nation was he?

A. It is not certainly known: it is probable he was a Greek.

Had ho a perfect understanding of what he wrote? A. He had of all things from the beginning.

How many histories of Christ have we in the Bible? A. Four; by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Did any more than these attempt to write his history? A. Many had undertaken it, as St. Luke informs us in the preface to his gospel.

How long after the birth of Christ was Luke's gospel written?

A. It is not certain; probably about 63 years
What does the word Theophilus mean?

A. A friend of God.

Is it not important that we know the certainty of these things?

A. It is of vast importance.

What was the character of Herod?

A. He was exceedingly wicked and cruel.
What did he do for the temple at Jerusalem?
A. He rebuilt, enlarged, and ornamented it very much.
Can you mention any of his cruel deeds?

A. He slew the children at Bethlehem-He caused Aristobulus, his wife's brother, to be murdered, when 18 years of age--He put to death Hyrcanus, at the

*This second series is composed of more difficult questions and is designed for Bible Classes and older scholars.