Every morning on week days there it was, and they had all to come out and pick it up. But they must get up early to gather it, for when the sun was hot it would melt away. And they could not keep it--it grew bad and was not fit to use the next day; but there was always just enough for everybody to have all they wanted. There was only one day in each week that more came down, and that was the day before the Sabbath-day, which they had instead of Sunday. Then each one could get twice as much as could be eaten in one day, and it did not spoil so fast. For on the Sabbath-day God would have them rest, and so no manna was to be found anywhere, so that they might learn to keep the Fourth Commandment--Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. [Illustration: PRIEST] [Illustration: HIGH-PRIEST] [Illustration: LEVITE] All the time they stayed in the wilderness, the sweet white manna lay on the grass in the morning for them to pick it up--twice as much on the sixth day of the week, and on the Sabbath-day none at all. Was not that very good of God? QUESTIONS. 1. Where were the Israelites? 2. What had they to drink in the wilderness? 3. What else did they want? 4. Why could they not get bread? 5. What did God give them instead? 6. What was the manna like? 7. Where did it lie? 8. When was the manna on the grass? 9. Who were to eat it? 10. Who sent it? 11. What became of it in hot sunshine? 12. Would it keep? 13. What was the day when it could be kept? 14. How much came down the day before the Sabbath? 15. What might not be done on the Sabbath? 16. What is the Fourth Commandment? 17. So why did they get twice as much manna the day before? 18. When did no manna come? 19. What day have we instead of the Sabbath? [Illustration] Thirteenth Sunday. _BALAAM AND BALAK._ FIRST READING. "Thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."--_Numbers 22:12._ [Illustration] THERE was a prophet called Balaam. A prophet means a man to whom God made His will known, and who was thus much wiser than other men. This prophet one day saw some rich great men come to his house. They brought him a message, that a king named Balak wanted him to come with them, and would give him great rewards for coming. Balaam said he must wait for one night, and God would make known to him what he was to do. And at night God told him he was not to go; for what Balak wanted of him was to curse the children of Israel, and God would not have them cursed. So Balaam said he must not go, and the messengers went away.