80 CHRISTENING OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. No foreigners fear our flag-but hail On a thousand ships through the ocean going VI. These be his new generation's aims! Till, in manhood's wisdom by faith made pure, He shall grieve to take up and rejoice to bear on NOTE 1.-The name of Windsor from the ancient Windesore and Windlesore has been appropriately interpreted the winding shore. NOTE 2.-The Union Jack, first adopted by Protector Cromwell, and compounded of the English Cross, and the Scots' Cross en Sautoir. C. History of Ishmael. In the history of Abraham, we mentioned that the "father of the faithful" being childless, he was induced by Sarai his wife, to marry her domestic slave, or handmaiden, named Hagar; she was a native of the land of Egypt, a country watered by the river Nile, and famous as being the place where most of the early arts and sciences first flourished. As soon as Hagar perceived G herself likely to become a mother, she foolishly grew proud, and despised her mistress; upon which Sarai inflicted upon her some kind of punishment, probably a severe one, for in those early times, slaves-even when married to their masters-were scarcely considered as human beings: and such is the wickedness of men even in our own day, that slavery is still upheld in many places. This we must tell our young readers is very displeasing to God, who loves all mankind as his children, and would have them never to injure, but always love and do good to each other. Hagar could not endure this harsh treatment; she fled from the house of Abraham, and would no doubt have perished through want, had not the good providence of God recalled her at once to a sense of her duty and interest. An angel met her in the wilderness, by a fountain of water, "And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence comest thou? and whither wilt thou go?" She, with a simple frankness, which we hope all our young readers will imitate, replied, "I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai: And the angel of the Lord said unto her, return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." She immediately prepared to comply with this injunction, when he told her that she should have a son who would be of a fierce and warlike character, and would be surrounded by numerous enemies, but that he would be the father of a numerous posterity, and would dwell in the presence of all his brethren. The angel then departed: and Hagar perceived that it was God himself who had thus graciously made himself known to her; "and she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her-Thou God seest me:" piously adding, "Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" Hagar now we may be sure lost no time in returning to the house of her mistress, and in due time became the mother of a boy, who was by his father called Ishmael, according to the direction of the Lord, when he found Hagar in the wilderness. Ishmael signifies "God shall hear." Ishmael grew up a fine boy, and was doubtlessly instructed in the fear and love of God, by his pious and excellent father: at thirteen years of age, he was admitted into the family of God by the sacrament of circumcision, which was then first instituted. In process of time, it pleased the Lord to fulfil his promises to Abraham, by the birth of Isaac, in whom all the divine promises were made to centre, and from whose posterity the Lord resolved to take a human form, when he should come into the world to redeem mankind, by conquering their spiritual enemies, and delivering them from the influence of false principles and evil practices. On the day that Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a great feast; and during the festivity, Sarah observed Ishmael mocking his little brother. This was very wrong; and like all wrong things, it brought its punishment along with it. Sarah insisted that neither Hagar or her son should be suffered to remain any longer in the family. Abraham, on being assured by God that this determination was right and proper, com plied; and, giving to Hagar a supply of provisions and water, sufficient for them until their arrival at the place of their destination, sent them away. The engraving at the head of this article represents their departure. In those days, and in that country, there were no roads as we now have them—no guides to direct travellers on their road—and, by some mistake, Hagar and Ishmael lost their way, and wandered about in the hot and sandy wilderness, till all their water was exhausted; and Ishmael, dying with thirst, could proceed no further. Hagar placed the child under one of the shrubs, and then with a heart torn with anguish "she sat herself down over against him a good way off," for she could not bear to witness the dreadful death which she supposed awaited him. Only think, my dear children, of the distressing situation of Ishmael, and his kind mother, at this awful moment, the child dying with thirst under the burning rage of an eastern sun, and the mother tempted to disbelieve the promises and to distrust the goodness of God. At this dreadful moment, God saw their distress, and sent instant deliverance. "He spake to Hagar from heaven, by an angel, and told her to raise Ishmael and hold him up, for he would make him a great nation." Her eyes were then directed to a new-sprung fountain, which, with joy and gladness, she beheld bubbling at her feet, the refreshing waters of which soon restored the parched and fainting youth. After this affecting incident, we have little to tell our young readers, respecting Ishmael. He dwelt in the wilderness, and be |