2. Has an hour so swiftly sped? And the new year come to birth, And after a while in its turn to die, "Two!" The moaning winds are sad. "Ding! Dong!" With its accents strong It speaks to the good and bad. One path that leads from heaven, To lead us by Faith's celestial rays. 3. Tick, tick, tick! Swiftly the hours are flying. Tick, tick, tick! How swiftly we are dying! Yet we hail the year Which shall lay us by; For we do not fear We shall this year die! "Oh, not for me shall the angel call!" 4. Is the voice of hope, and the cry of all. Tick, tick, tick! Let the year to God be given. O Father, let me be Thy servant every day! And when this life's old year Has passed, and I shall hear Where glory circles round, And heaven's New Year in endless bliss shall roll! OWARD the close of the year 1839, a vessel of Tow very suspicious appearance was observed in the vicinity of New York. She seemed to be a long, low, black schooner, and was manned by negroes. Notice of her was sent to the various sea-ports; and a steamer and some revenue cutters were sent in pursuit of her. 2. She was captured, and proved to be a Spanish slaver named the "Amistad." In consequence of the brutal treatment they received, the slaves on board of her had broken their chains, risen upon the crew, and taken possession of the vessel with the design of returning to their native country. 3. There were forty-four of these Africans; and they had for a leader one of their own number, named Cinque, a man of extraordinary natural capacity. They were all natives of the Mendi country, and possessed an unusual share of intelligence. Of course their capture excited the most lively interest among all classes here. 4. The two Spaniards who claimed to be the owners of these Africans caused them to be at once indicted for piracy and murder; and they were lodged in jail at New Haven to await their trial. But a number of benevolent gentlemen interested themselves in their welfare, and watched over their interests wisely and carefully. 5. The trial of their case at law was long and tedious; but it ended in their acquittal and restoration to freedom. Then the friends who had assisted them chartered a ship to convey them to their native land. Before they sailed, an excursion through several portions of this country was made with a few of them, to raise funds for their outfit and passage. 6. They were anxious to improve their opportunities for learning while thus detained; and several of them made good progress in reading, writing, singing, and arithmetic. One of them said, "We owe every thing to God. He keeps us alive, and makes us free. When we get home to Mendi we tell our brethren about God, Jesus Christ, and heaven." 7. So they were at length sent home with five missionaries and teachers in the year 1841. Many of them had a parent, wife, brother, sister, or child there. What a joyful meeting must that have been, when they saw and greeted each other once more on the hills of Mendi! In what year was the Amistad taken? Why had the slaves risen ? How many were they in number? Who was their leader? Who claimed the ownership of them? How was the trial decided? When and how were they sent back? ND it came to pass after these things, that God A it capt to after these that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abra ham And he said, Behold, here I am. 2. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand and a knife: and they went both of them together. 7. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? 8. And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering: so they went both of them together. 9. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order; and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. he said, Here am I. And 12. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the |