Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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The Mary Baldwin Seminary. Then Abraham spoke to his servants : My warriors, rest you here In these places, we will come again After we have performed the errand of us two For the King of spirits. Then the prince departed, and his ow ' n son, To the boundary which the Lord showed him, To travel over the forests ; The son bore the wood. The father the fire and sword. Then the man, young in winters, Began to question Abraham in words : Here, my Lord, we have the fire and the sword. Where is the offering that thou, glorious, to God Thinkest to bring for a sacrifice ? Abraham spoke — he had continuously resolved That he would do as the Lord commanded him : The true King, the Guardian of mankind, Himself will provide as seems to him fit. Then the valiant one mounted a steep hill, up with his heir, As the Eternal One commanded him. Until he stood on the roof of the high land. On that place which to him the strong One, The faithful Lord, showed in words. Then he began to load the pyre, to arouse the fire, And bound the hands and feet of his own son. And then raised into the fiie The 3 oung Lsaac, and quickly grasped His sword by the hilt. He was about to kill his son With his own hand, to quench the fire With the blood of his kinsman. Then a servant of the Lord from above, A certain angel, called Abraham With a loud voice. He, fixed, awaited

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The Annual of With the edge of the sword ; And then, with black fire, Burn the body of thy loved one. And offer a sacrifice to me. He did not delay on the journey, But he soon began To hasten on the way. Dreadful to him was the word Of the Lord of angels, and his Lord dear. Then the holy Abraham deserted his couch. Not at all did he disregard The command of the Saviour ; But the hol} man girded Himself with a grey sword. He made known that to him the fear Of the Guardian of spirits Dwelt in his breast. Then he began to bridle his asses, The ancient dispenser of gold. He commanded two young men To journey with him ; His own kinsman was the third. And he himself the fourth. Then he, eager, departed From his own dwelling, Leading Isaac, his young son, As the Lord commanded him. Then he hurried very much. And he hastened forth on the way As the Lord showed him The ways over the desert, Until the glorious-bright beginning of the third day Rose up over the deep water. Then the holy man saw A high hill rise up. As the Lord of heaven before said to him.

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The Annual of The voice of the angel. Quickly then to him, above from the skies, The glorious spirit of God spoke with words : Abraham, beloved, slay not thy own son, But snatch thou the child Alive from the fire, thine heir. The God of glory grants him. Man of the Hebrews, Through the hand of the Holy One, Of the Heavenly King, Thou thyself shalt receive meeds, True rewards of victory, liberal gifts. The Keeper of Spirits will requite thee with honor, Because his peace and favor Were dearer to thee than thine own child. The fire stood kindled. The Lord of mankind had bles.sed The breast of Abraham, the kinsman of Lot, When he gave to him his child, Isaac, alive. Then the holy warrior, the brother of Haran, Looked over his shoulder, And there he saw a ram Not far thence, standing alone Fast in the brambles. This Abraham seized And raised on the pyre very quickly. In the place of his child. Then he smote it with the sword. He adorned the sacrifice, the alter reeking With the blood of the ram. He offered the sacrifice to God. He gave thanks for the favors. And for all the blessings Which the Lord of gifts had given to him, Earlier and later. Florence Best, Ronceverte, West Virginia.