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To those who object to the Bible being made a school-book, and yet are anxious to have their children acquainted with sacred story, this little work must be welcome, while a more entertaining and instructive manual could scarcely be found for the learner."

United Presbyterian Magazine.

"Arguing from the general use of historical abridgments as reading-books in schools, the editor of this little manual bespeaks for it a share of public favour, as a compendium of the best of all histories. It presents in outline the leading events in the Bible record, and briefly sketches the lives of the more prominent Scripture characters. It is written in language chiefly scriptural, and sufficiently simple to be intelligible and interesting to young children, while each chapter is followed by a series of questions to facilitate examination on the text. The chapters connecting the Old and New Testaments, and continuing the history of the Jews to the fall of Jerusalem, are valuable features in the book. We think it is worthy of the attention of teachers."

A

SUMMARY OF SACRED HISTORY,

IN BIBLE LANGUAGE,

FOR

THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES;

WITH

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION AT THE END OF EACH

CHAPTER.

BY

ALEXANDER TAYLOR,

66

TEACHER, LATE OF CRIEFF.

EDITOR OF THE ECONOMICAL COLLECTION FOR SCHOOLS."

AUTHOR OF "FARM BOOK-KEEPING," "A TREATISE
ON NATIONAL EDUCATION," &C.

"Search the Scriptures: they are they which testify of me"-CHRIST.

Second Edition.

EDINBURGH:

JOHN MENZIES, 2 SOUTH HANOVER STREET.
LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO. GLASGOW: H. CAMPBELL.

PORTOBELLO: ALEXANDER TAYLOR.

MDCCCLXI.

106. f. 5.

[blocks in formation]

CHARLES GIBSON, PRINTER, THISTLE STREET, EDINBURGH.

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

In the day in which we live, much has been said and written respecting National, Denominational, Secular, and Religious Education. Bills have been framed, brought in, and thrown out of Parliament, again and again, without settling to us, the Inhabitants of Scotland, what our national system of education at present really is. Thus, "hope deferred hath made the heart sick." In the public discussion of these all-important subjects, much has also been said as to the time and manner in which religious instruction should be conveyed, and the sources from which it should be derived.

Having taught a Primary School for more than fifty years, were I to be asked to give my humble opinion as to the time when the training of the young, both for time and eternity, should begin, I would say, with the wisest of men, and the greatest of monarchs-in childhood. "Train up a child in the way he should go," &c.

Those who believe in this royal and sacred mandate, believe also, that education, for good or for evil, for God and His glory, or for sin and its miseries, begins as soon as children can form an idea or express a feeling. Children, at a very early age, are capable of reasoning, comparing different objects with each other, and drawing conclusions from them. Hence the

mode in which a child is trained during the two or three first years of its life, will in a great measure depend the comfort of its parents and its own happiness during the succeeding periods of its existence. How necessary, then, that every parent commence the early establishment of an absolute and entire authority over his children. I need no apology for quoting what Mrs Wesley has said on this subject. "In order to form the mind

of children, the first thing to be done is to conquer their will, and the sooner done the better. As self-will is the root of all

sin and misery, so whatever cherishes it in children, insures their wretchedness and irreligion; whatever checks and mortifies it, promotes their future happiness and piety."

It is not my design in this Introductory Notice, to give any lengthened exposition, either on the Physical, Intellectual, or Moral Training of the rising generation. Out of the many valuable works published on these highly interesting subjects, I would most heartily recommend "The Philosophy of Education," by the late James Simpson, Esq., Advocate, Edinburgh ; and "The Home School," by the Rev. Norman Macleod, D.D., Glasgow. Having thus merely glanced at the time when Training should begin, I shall now as briefly notice the sources from which it should proceed, and some of the means to be employed in its communication. It has been well stated, that the work and responsibility of training children for two worlds must commence and rest with parents. This is undeniable. Parents, because they are parents, must look their duty fair in the face. No one person in the world has such unbounded influence over the understanding and affections of another, as a judicious Christian parent can command among his own children. Occupied as many parents are, they are obliged to engage others

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