Dear Mr. Editor:Years ago, when Mr. Grant was coming to Brooklyn, we were studying Jonah, and he asked us all to write papers on the subject. Recently, a brother asked me to make him a copy of the one he read at that time. I did so, incorporating into it at the same time some further thoughts suggested while going over the subject with a class of girls-both Christians and unsaved. The theme is very great. This article is but an outline; and much is left out for the sake of brevity. Showing it to another, it was urged that I submit it to you for publication, if you see fit.

Yours in Christ, A. H. C.

Second in the third group of the Minor Prophets. 3 stands for witness and 3 for resurrection.

Jonah (meaning "a dove") the son of Amittai (meaning "true"),is a type of resurrection, as Jesus said:'' As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

After the flood, Noah sent forth a dove, which brought back an olive leaf, showing the storm past, and promise of favor on the renewed earth. The dove, therefore, became a messenger of resurrection; how fitting that this bird of love and peace should bring such glad news. Jonah (the dove) carries, in the power of resurrection, the truth to Nineveh. Jonah's message:" Nineveh shall be destroyed," was mingled with hope of, yea, intended mercy; for forty days (forty standing for testing and trial) were given them in which to repent. How tenderly God, in love, sends His messengers to man to save him from judgment. Judgment is God's "strange work," and He waits in long-suffering, which is salvation to many, " not willing that any should perish." Jonah knew something of God's mercy, though he showed little of that spirit himself. In this we see the failing man; God did not choose His prophets on account of their perfection. They were men of like passions with us, on whom the grace of God was bestowed, like to ourselves.

Jonah is a type in three ways :

I. The individual or personal side is for our own instruction or correction, or reproof. God spoke to Jonah. Let us be careful, when God speaks to us, to listen and obey; unless, like Jonah, we would give ourselves and others much trouble. Jonah (as we have often done) ran away from his plain duty, and he distressed a ship full of persons, who nearly perished. Disobedience to God is far-reaching ; one never knows the outcome of what may seem a very small sin. Jonah almost destroyed the ship and its crew instead of carrying the glad news of truth and mercy to them.

God's command to Jonah was, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness is come up before Me." It is not an easy matter for a servant of God to go to a great city, nor to a great sinner, with a message from God. Our Lord Jesus, God's gracious and holy Servant, came down here with such a message, and men nailed Him to the cross for it. Many of God's servants too have been stoned, burned to death, tortured (Heb. 11:35).

" But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa and
he found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."

It was not fear of the great city that impelled Jonah to flee, but because he knew God was "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness," and so he expected to be made a fool of, by going with such a message, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown."

God has preserved to us this account of Jonah's doings and thoughts for our profit. Who can read our thoughts but God ? Who knows the naughtiness of our hearts as He does ? He knows our thoughts afar off. Jonah started down to Joppa to flee from the presence of the Lord-how like Adam! Departing from the Lord is always going "down." In seeking to lift himself, man always falls-goes down. Jonah preferred to see Nineveh destroyed rather than have his honor brought down. Being aware of God's mercy, he felt reasonably sure that God would forgive if repentance followed the preaching. He knew that much of God's ways; so instead of carrying such a message, he turns off in the opposite direction. What will not pride do ?

Our Lord, the Second Man, from heaven, came down, down, down! He humbled Himself, "Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him."

He who was in the bosom of the Father took the body prepared Him for service-came here amongst men to suffer for us-suffer what none of us can ever know, and by His death to save from eternal torment all who come unto God by Him.

Tarshish (now called Spain) was in the opposite direction to Nineveh, where God would send Jonah,
and far away too from God's land-Palestine. He was turning away from both to fall in company of others going to Tarshish. "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." But wind and waves are in God's hand, His messengers to do His will, and Jonah is finally brought back to the place from whence he started to go away from God. God can, and does, use all this to make Himself known to the mariners, brought in distress through Jonah's disobedience. '' They cried unto Jehovah; " they "feared Jehovah exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows [to Him]" (chap, i:14, 16).

(To be completed, D. V., in next issue.)