6. The most painful part of the history of Africa is that which belongs to the slave-trade. From the earliest ages, when human society was yet in a rude state, it was the custom to make slaves of those who were taken in war. This practice was continued in after times; and thus, for thousands of years, slavery was established in nearly all nations of the earth.

7. But in those countries where the Christian religion prevailed, slavery came into general disusę. In 1482, however, the Portuguese began the horrid traffic of the slave-trade, and the English followed in 1563. For at least two hundred years, this traffic was carried on to a great extent. The custom was for vessels to go to the western coast of Africa, and purchase of the African princes such prisoners as they had for sale.

8. Sometimes, however, the captains of the vessels would rob the people of their children, or they would go on shore with a body of armed men, and carry away the inhabitants of a whole village. It was by this cruel trade that slavery was introduced into various parts of America and the West Indies.

9. Many missionaries are now laboring in Africa as well as in Asia, and many earnest Christians are longing for the time when God's promise shall be fulfilled, "Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."

10. Liberia is a republic on the western coast of Africa, settled by persons of African descent who emigrated from this country. It has a good government, good schools, and a Christian civilization.

grass
house

shoe

LESSON CXXV.

au-tumn

blos-som

bram-ble

OLD HUMPHREY'S WALK.

NE day in the autumn I was in the country when it rained very fast. I had a few miles to walk to the house of a kind friend, and set off with a thin pair of shoes on my feet. It rained very fast. It was wet enough over head, and still wetter under my feet; but on I trudged along the dirty lanes, holding up my umbrella. My thin shoes were a poor defense against the mud and rain. "Well, well," said I, they will not all be dirty lanes; I shall soon come to the fields."

66

po-ta-to
vex-a-tion

res-er-voir mis-er-a-bly

um-brel-la

sat-u-rate

2. To the fields I came, but they were no improvement on the road, for the long grass made me miserably wet. "Well, well," said I, "the fields will not all be grass." I soon came to a piece of clover, and the round clover-blossoms, filled with rain, kept striking against my legs, and made me wetter than before. "Well, well," said I, "the fields will not all be clo

ver."

3. The next was a potato-field; and if the grass was bad, and the clover worse, the potato-field was worst of all; for the straggling stems and broad leaves of the potatoes were so many vessels of water, which emptied themselves upon me every time my foot caught a stem.

4. "Well, well," said I," they will not all be po

tato fields;" so on I went, till I came into a snug lane, where the brambles, hanging in festoons from the hedges, were covered with blackberries, a fruit of which I am uncommonly fond.

5. The storm abated, the road became dry, the sun shone, and I feasted on the blackberries. Now, when you meet with any commonplace vexation, even if it be a little more trying than usual, be not discouraged about the matter; think of Old Humphrey and his blackberries, and by and by you will not only forget your trouble, but find yourself, with a grateful heart, "singing of mercy."

НЕ

E is no longer on earth in human form, but has returned to heaven. There you may find him, seated on a throne of mercy, waiting to give eternal life to all who come to him. You may think it far to go; but the prayers of sinners reach heaven the very moment they are uttered, and are listened to by Jesus with kind attention.

2. Yet, if this seems hard to understand, know assuredly that Jesus is not only in heaven, but on earth too. He is God, and therefore is everywhere.

He said to his disciples, "I am with you alway." He is constantly present among us.

3. In the sick-chamber there is Jesus, ready to comfort the afflicted disciple who lies on that bed of pain. In the secret spot to which the sinner has retired to confess his sins, there is Jesus, waiting to say, "Be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee: go in peace."

4. In the church or the room where many or few have assembled to praise and pray, there is Jesus, waiting to supply their wants. He says, "Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

5. Reader, he is near to thee. Now, while thine eye reads this page, he stands close at thy side. He whispers in thine ear. He invites thee to seek him. If anxious to find him thou hast no long journey to take, no long time to wait before thy request can reach his ear.

6. He is nearer than the friend sitting beside thee; for he is at thy heart's door, knocking for entrance. Wherever thou goest he follows thee, his hands laden with blessings, which he offers to thee freely. He compasses thy path and thy lying down; but it is always to do thee good.

7. In the morning he stands at thy bedside, offering to clothe thee with his white robe of righteousness; and when thou art seated at the table, he asks thee to eat that bread of life which will save thy soul from death. He is so near that he will notice thy first faint effort to come to him, and will stretch out

his hand to help thee. He is so near that he will see thy first tear of penitence, and catch thy first sigh for pardon.

8. He is so near that before you call he will answer, and while you are yet speaking he will hear. Sinner, wherever you are, there is Jesus. So that in all countries, under all circumstances, by day and by night, at home and abroad, you may come to Jesus.

HEN

WH

you have found a man, you have not far to go to find a gentleman. You can not make a gold ring out of brass. You can not make a gentleman till you have first a man. To be a gentleman does not depend upon the tailor. Good clothes are

not good habits.

2. A gentleman is just a gentle-man; no more, no less; a diamond polished that was first a diamond in the rough. A gentleman is modest. A gentleman is courteous. A gentleman is generous. A gentleman is slow to take offense, as being one that never gives it. A gentleman deems others better than

himself.

3. Sir Philip Sydney was never so much a gentleman as when, upon the field of Zutphen, as he lay in