Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-02-19
I S72.
BY MRS. NJ. A. HALL0CK.

During the 1872 before Christ, Abra-
ham was living, not many miles from
the eastern shore of the Mediterranean
sea in the promised land. Thousands of
cattle and sheep owned by him, covered
the hillside, while the tents of his herds
men and shepherds, spread over the
plains like the whitened sail upon the
bosom of the ocean. He was rich in gold
and silver, in cattle and servants. He
was prince in the land, and associated
with kings who delighted to honor and
pay him tribute.
Look at his venerable form as he sits
in his home, dressed in the flowing robes
of the times. He is over hundred and
twenty years old, but has the life and
elasticity of a younger man. His long
white beard lies low upon his breast,
and his bleached and thin hair falls
loosely upon his shoulders. His loved
Sarah is by his side, fresh and lovely
still though near hundred years of age;
and near them both, is Isaac-the long
looked for-the heir of all his fathers
wealth and of the promises. The boy
has seen several summers already, but
every year added to his life binds him
more closely to the hearts of his parents.
He is affectionate and respectful, and in
loving tones prefxes the words, "My
father" when he has a question to ask,
or a request to make. To his inquis-
itiveness in regard to things in the past
we imagine the aged patriarch answer
ing him in words like these:
"When l was a child, my father Te-
rah lived in the northern part of Chal-
dea. l had two brothers, Major and
Haran, but after several years Haran
died leaving one son named Lot and two
daughters. Major married one of these
girls, and your mother is the other. She
was young and very beautiful them
Lot came with his sisters into our fami-
ly and we cared for him.
All our neighbors and friends wor-
shipped the sun, moon, and stars, and
so did my father. Thus matters went
on till I became seventy-fve years old,
when God, the God whom | have taught
you to worship, called me to leave my
fathers house, and 90 to land which
he would show me; and 1 gathered my
focks together, and with my father and
Lot, set forth, not knowing whittier l
went My father died on the way, only
about thirty miles from his home, and
there l buried him.
Our journey from that grave was te-
dious, being more than three hundred
miles towards the south, but we finally
arrived at the promised land and built
an altar and worshipped.
A famine soon drove us to Egypt
where we remained for three or four
years, but when it was past L returned
to the altar l had builded, and sacrificed
to Jehovah.
Lots focks as well as my own having
greatly increased, it seemed best that
we should separate, and he went to Sod
ON. have told you of the three an
gels who stopped and ate with us, and
predicted your birth, and then went
down to destroy Sodom. Lot was ruin
ed-but God is righteous. For more
than twenty five years 1 waited anxious
ly for you, and my faith was sorely
tried. have also told you of Hagal
and my son Ishmael. 1 loved the lad
but when he Knocked at you as the prom
ised heir, obeyed God and sent hin
away. You can remember what has be
fallen us since. God is faithful to hi
promises, my son, and this land will b.
given to you and your posterity.'
Abraham retired to his bed one nigh
in this year. of 1872 before Christ, hap
Ply in his family, and strong in faith
But that night was momentous. God ap
peared and commanded him to take hi
beloved Isaac the child of promise, anc
sacrifice him for burnt offering on
mountain in the land of Moriah. VIVA
a command What trial Did Abra
ham hesitate 3? He rose up early in tn
morning, saddled his ass, called two ser
wants and Isaac. cut the wood for the al
tar, and set forth to obey the command
His way was north, and for three lony
days they travelled towards the fata
spot. They reached the mountain, tn
wood was laid upon Isaac, and Abraham
with the fire and the knife, walked b
his side.
At length the silence is broken an
the confding voice of Isaac repeats tn
familiar words, "My father ?' What
thrill ran through that aged frame a
the child added, ''Behold the fire an
the wood, but where is the lamb for
burnt offering p Isaac was laid apo
the altar, type of that lamb which Go
provided for the sins of the world, an
which was sacrificed intermediate b.
tween the '72 of Abraham's time, an
the ~ which now dawns upon us.
A blaze of light pours upon the 70
to-day which could not have been con
pretended or believed by Abraham, ha
it been revealed. Then, scarce a chris
tian worshipper was found outside
Abraham's family; now, the earth
literally girdled by churches where IL
true God is known and worshipped.-
Then, there was no literature, not eve
Bible. Now the earth groans undo
the issues of the press, and it can |
truly said, 'of the making of books the
is no end" To this the telegraph
added which brings US within speakir
distance with all the inhabitants of ii
world
Is it possible that another 1872 yea
can produce as great changes ?-Chri
tian Weekly.
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CAST Nor OFF IN TINE OF OLD AG