QUES. 33.-In Genesis 6 :19, 20, Noah is directed to take into the Ark " two of every sort," of fowls, cattle and creeping things. In the 7th chapter, verses 2 and 3, the " clean beasts and fowls" are to be taken by sevens. Again, in chapter 7 :8, 9, it was " two and two" of clean and unclean beasts and fowls that went in. What is the explanation of this apparent discrepancy?

ANS.-In the first statement (chap. 6 :19, 20), the purpose is the perpetuation of all the creatures; therefore a pair of each kind -male and female.

The next statement (chap. 7 :2, 3) has an additional, not contrary feature :of the clean beasts and fowls (none of the "creeping things were "clean"), there were to be seven pairs each. One object for this was to enable Noah to do as mentioned in chapter 8 :20. Another was, probably, to hasten the multiplication of what was "clean," as these were more needful for man.

In the last statement (chap. 7 :8, 9), it is the fact that all was done as commanded, in view of the perpetuation of all the creatures, male and female ; no notice taken of the larger number of the "clean"-they all went in "two and two" (male and female). There is difference in the statements because of the reasons above given, we believe, but no discrepancy.

QUES. 34.-I am sending you a tract on "Systematic and Proportionate Giving." Would you please say through Help and Food if the method described in it is consistent with what we get in. 1 Cor. 16:1-3 ; 2 Cor. 8, and Phil. 4 :10-19 ?

ANS. The tract is quite scriptural, in our judgment. The only objection we see in it is that its teaching in some places would seem to make the giving of money the one great Christian virtue.

Men of intelligence, even apart from the word of God, see the justice of proportionate giving. The government of the United States has just issued a table of taxation, beginning with one per cent, on the smaller incomes, and rising up to six per cent, on the greater ones. As to being systematic, a man might as well have no regular hours for his meals as to have no settled proportion in his giving to the Lord. If he does not settle it in his mind what proportionate part of his earnings he will bestow on the Lord, it may result in very meager giving, or nothing at all. Satan will invent good excuses for holding fast to what he has. But mark, in 2 Cor. 8:9, how the language of the apostle shows his ^anxiety that Christian giving savor not of covetousness-that it be not as if begged of them, but as coming spontaneously from grateful, thankful hearts who put their offerings as it were in the very band of the Lord Jesus as grateful worship. Money pulled out of people is a reproach to Christianity, whose principle and spirit is grace, not law. Moreover, asking and receiving from those who are not Christians is unholy. The unconverted cannot give as an expression of worship, for that is not in their heart toward Christ. To put Christ or His people in the attitude of asking from the world is an insult to the Giver of all good.