"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Ps. xlii. 1. The more common way that the pious teacher or parent takes, is to pass over the emblem, and at once proceed with the spiritual lesson--_thus beginning at the end_--without any natural picture having been presented to the mind's eye of the pupils, by which they maybe assisted to the analogy--_as_ and _so_, as the Natural, so the Spiritual--which is so uniformly done by the Spirit of God in Scripture. _Points in the Natural Picture to be brought out._ 1. Some points in the natural history of the hart--different names given to the animal--swiftness of foot--where generally lives. 2. Frequently hunted. 3. Where to flee to in a mountainous country, as Judea, when pursued--hills or valleys. 4. Heat, drought, dust--effect on the animal, particularly after running--thirst. 5. Running about seeking for water--increasing--not merely a drink, but a brook, where it may plunge in as well as drink. 6. Why, then, a brook, and not stream?--picture out a brook. 7. Brooks more likely to be found in plains--but animal pursued there. 8. The hart, heated and thirsty, therefore _pants_--what is panting? 9. Has the hart ever bathed in water brooks before? If not, would it have panted and longed for it? The full picturing out of these points (even in the incomplete and imperfect manner that can be done on paper) would greatly exceed our limits. The natural picture or condition of the hart being visible to the minds of the children, the analogy to the circumstances in which David was placed will appear, viz., pursued by his enemies, and especially by his own son, Absalom--fleeing to the mountains for safety--away from the sanctuary, etc., etc. He, no doubt, on seeing the harts near him panting and seeking for water brooks, mournfully and longingly expressed himself: "So panteth my soul after thee, O God." _Teacher._--I must tell you, children, before we commence our lesson, that it is supposed this psalm was written by David, who was obliged to flee from his enemies to the land of Jordan, and that when there he probably took up his abode in the mountains, away from the public worship of ... _God's house_, and seeing the harts running ... Where? _about the hills_, and panting for thirst, most likely induced him to use the ... What metaphor or emblem did he use? Look at your books. David says: "As the hart panteth after the ... _water-brooks_ (read on, children), _so panteth my soul after thee, O God_." The first thing we must speak about in this picture is the ... _hart_. What is a hart? Can you tell me any other names given to the hart? _Stag_--_deer_--_gazelle_--_roe_. Very right; these are the names given to ... _this animal_, or ... _species_.