thrash and winnow the wheat, but which also measured the grain, recorded the quantity accurately, and placed it in bags ready for market. Contrast with this an ancient method still followed in some countries, of thrashing by means of the feet of cattle!

6. The improvements made within the last fifty years have enabled the farmers of the United States to do at least double the amount of labor with the same number of men and teams. Ten acres can be raked with the horse-rake more easily than one by hand; and fifteen acres of grain cut by the reapingmachine in less time than one with the sickle or cradle.

What most important machine for gathering grain? What will a mowing-machine do? What gathers the hay swiftly? What are among the most important inventions of modern times? What is said of the thrashing-machine? What of the winnowing-machine? What was shown at the New-York Crystal Palace?

Has an hour so swiftly sped?
Gone by with the silent dead?

And the new year come to birth,
To haste o'er the rolling earth,

And after a while in its turn to die,
With the ashes of hope in its urn to lie!

"Two!"

The moaning winds are sad.

"Ding! Dong!'

With its accents strong

It speaks to the good and bad.
Two worlds, two lives, two ways,-
This world, and that to come!
This life, and glory's home!
One path that leads from heaven,
And one to us is given

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.

5.

Tick, tick, tick!

Let it take us near to heaven,
In the path of peace,

In the strength of hope,
Where the portals ope
That shall never cease!

"One, Two, Three!"
The year is on its way.

O Father, let me be
Thy servant every day!

And when this life's old year
Has passed, and I shall hear
The angel call my waiting soul,

Let me with thee be found

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?

tempt lamb

stretch

LESSON LVII.

yon-der with-hold
wor-ship sad-dle
thick-et moun-tain

A-bra-ham
Mo-ri-ah

of-fer-ing

THE TRIAL OF ABRAHAM.

Genesis xxii. 1-13.

A

ND it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, AbraAnd he said, Behold, here I am.

ham

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.