year, is the mere fact that he took a wife, whose name was "Sarai."

Ancient history and tradition undertake to fill up this blank in his early history by informing us of his search after the true God, his discovery of the impotence of idolatry, and of his persecution for righteousness' sake. Nevertheless, seeing that Abram must have already known the God who required him to quit for His sake all that he held dear, and whom he even to that extent obeyed; and seeing that he had acquired this knowledge while the member of an idolatrous family, he had doubtless meditated much on these things, and had been favored with special communications by that God who intended to make his name great, and to render him a blessing to many nations.

At seventy years of age the word of the Lord came to Abram, saying, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land that I shall show thee."

The country to which he was to go was not indicated; he was simply required to detach himself from all the ties of kindred and country, and procced in a direction to be indicated. This was a hard command; but Abram obeyed it, and forthwith quitted his native land.

His father and brother were, however, willing to go with him. But they halted on the way, at Haran, in Mesopotamia, from some unknown cause, till the death of Terah, when the command to Abram was renewed, and the country to which he was to proceed was clearly indicated.

This was the land of Canaan, destined to become the possessions of this man's descendants.

It may be conjectured that the Divine intention was to isolate Abram and his seed completely, by removing him to a strange land; it did not consist with that purpose that he should thus be accompanied by his family into Canaan; but that, in regard to his filial affection, he was graciously permitted to remain at Haran, and lay his father's head in the tomb, before any further indication as to the course of his journey was afforded.

As he comes to the very land in which he is promised so

much blessedness, he finds, instead of plenty, a grievous famine! Who in his circumstances would not have gone back to his own country and kindred?

Still he is not troubled; prudence directs him to turn aside and go to Egypt, till God shall choose to remove this famine. Is it to be wondered at that in this tried state, he should have serious apprehensions for the safety of his life?

Sarai, his affectionate wife and faithful companion, he supposes he shall lose; her beauty, he suspects, will cause her to be desired by men of power, whose will he shall not be able to resist. If he appear to be her husband, his death he supposes to be certain; if she pass for his sister, he may be well used on her account; he will not tell a lie, but he is tempted to prevaricate by suppressing a part of the truth.

Here his faith was deficient. He still credited the gener al promise, and acted on that faith in reference to it; but he did not use his faith in reference to intervening circumstances, to which it was equally applicable.

This course of conduct, however, so far from producing the desired results, was attended by those he most dreaded and labored to avert.

The counsel of the Lord remained unshaken, and therefore he was delivered.

The peace-loving spirit of Abram is beautifully exemplified in his intercourse with Lot, where he sacrifices his worldly advantage for the sake of harmony, but what he lost in mere earthly gain was more than compensated in his Lord's blessing. He became rich and prosperous; victorious and great.

Repeated manifestations of God's presence were granted, and promises of incalculable good made to him.

One in his ninety-ninth year assured him of the all-sufficiency of God's power; gave him a surety of the fulfillment of the promise which had previously been made, of the birth of a son, and a numerous posterity.

Then was his name changed to Abraham, a name more significant of the promise.

Again the Lord appeared with a confirmation of the

good, attended by angels; and here we are furnished with that beautiful example of Eastern hospitality; at once simple and grand. Notwithstanding a numerous retinue of servants, Abraham and Sarah with their own hands minister to the weary strangers, withholding nothing their comfort demanded. While directing them on their way, the Lord disclosed to Abraham his purpose concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, which gave rise to those successive intercessions that the place might be spared in consideration of a sufficient number of righteous persons being found; at first fifty, and finally reduced to ten.

The lack of even these insured the destruction of the city, and Abraham soon left Mamre, and journeyed toward Gerar. On his way he seems to have been guilty of prevarication, similar to that shown on a former occasion, in denying the true relation between himself and Sarah. It was an unworthy expedient, which the circumstances may palliate, but not justify.

The time hastened for the fulfillment of the promise, and to their inexpressible joy, Isaac was given unto them. "The child grew and was weaned," and amid the rejoicings of the feast made on that eventful day, "Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which she had borne unto Abraham, mocking."

This excited her indignation, and procured the expulsion of both mother and son. With a scanty supply of provision, and a bottle of water, they were sent away, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba, till both were well nigh spent, and death seemed inevitable.

To screen her child from the intense heat, Hagar placed him in the shade, and departed a little way that she might not witness the dying scene.

As she sat in tearful silence, her eyes were opened to discover a well of water, upon which she eagerly filled her bottle, and hastened to the fainting sufferer, who was immediately revived by the refreshing draught, and enabled to go on his way.

For some time he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, but afterward had intercourse with Isaac, as will be seen.

But little is said of Isaac's early youth, yet the momentous period in his history arrives.

Isaac, the heir of the promises, has grown up to be a young man, probably not less than twenty years of age; and the father rests happy in his tent, blessed with the favor of God, and beholding in his son the accomplishment of all his hopes.

Suddenly the command comes: "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."

Every word was fit to rend his heart, and did doubtless rend it. And what did he say? Nothing.

We may conceive much that he might have said; but Abraham said nothing; he did as he was commanded.

He was not only obedient, but he was prompt and forethoughtful in his obedience.

There might be no suitable materials for the intended. sacrifice at the spot to which he was going; he therefore prepares everything before he sets out; even the wood to form the fire which is to consume his son, he prepares and takes with him. He appears anxious that there shall be no sign on his part of lingering, reluctant delay. He rises early in the morning," and attended by two servants and his only child, proceeds on his painful journey.

What must have been his feelings as upon the third day the mountain loomed upon his sight.

Bidding his servants tarry behind, the father and son went on, and what must have been the feelings of the former, as the question fell upon his ear, and touched his heart, "My father, where is the victim?" Doubtless the heart of the youth was satisfied, as the reply came back, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering."

They arrive at the spot; the altar is made; the wood is laid on, and Isaac is bound, and laid upon the altar. The father's hand is uplifted to fall upon the life of his son; but it fell not. The stroke is stayed by a quick and sudden word from Heaven to desist, for the purpose was gained.

With fingers tremblingly glad did the father then unbind his son; and with what rejoicing spirits did not both father and son join in offering up the victim which the Lord had provided a ram caught by the horns in a thicket hard by.

The world's history presents nothing like this. The instances which have sometimes been cited as parallel, will not stand comparison with it.

The Lord's own estimate of its importance and value is shown in the crowning recompense of his high approval and blessing; a blessing the most full, emphatic, and solemn ever pronounced by God upon man.

Soon after this he is called to part with his beloved companion, and obtaining from the "sons of Heth" a buryingplace, his affectionate Sarah was buried from his sight. Deeply he mourned for her, but doubtless his faith enabled him to look up and bless the hand that took. He seems now to have reached an advanced age, and to be fully conscious that his earthly pilgrimage was drawing to a close.

Desirous of seeing his son finally settled in life before his departure, he called his faithful confidential servant to his side, and bade him go to his own country and kindred, and select there a partner for Isaac, for there the true religion had been in some measure preserved, and from the pious circles alone he would choose his bosom companion.

A doubt being expressed by Eliezer of his probable success, Abraham replied: "the Lord will send his angel before thee," thus showing his strong confidence in God, that the great designs for which he had brought him from his own kindred to propagate the true religion in the earth would be accomplished; and that therefore, when earthly instruments failed, heavenly ones should be employed.

The Divine blessing secured to them a satisfactory result, and Abraham proceeded to arrange his worldly affairs ere his final exit from earth. Having awarded a portion to each of his sons, he sent them from Isaac, leaving the latter to the undisturbed enjoyment of his whole possession. This done, Abraham "died in a good old age," having seen a hundred threescore and fifteen years.