Chapter I: HAVE told you about your little body. Was your body always as big as

it is now?—No. Once it was very small indeed.

What were you called when your body was very small?—A baby.

Now you can take a little care of yourself, but then you could take no care at all. Can babies walk, or talk, or feed themselves, or dress themselves?—No.

But God sent you a person who took great care of you when you were a baby.

Who was it?—Your dear mother; she took care of you then. She nursed you in her arms, and fed you, and took you out in the air, and washed you, and dressed you. Do you love your mother?—Yes.

I know you do. But who gave you a mother? It was God who sent you to a kind mother.

A little while ago there was no such little creature as you. Then God made your little body, and he sent you to your mother, who loved you as soon as she saw you. It was God who made your mother love you so much, and made her so kind to you.

Your kind mother dressed your poor little body in neat clothes, and laid you in a cradle. When you cried she gave you food, and hushed you to sleep in her arms. She showed you pretty things to make you smile. She held you up, and showed you how to move your feet. She taught you to speak, and she often kissed you, and called you sweet names.

Is your mother kind to you still?—Yes, she is, though she is sometimes angry. But she wishes to make you good: that is why she is sometimes angry.

Your mother has sent you to this nice school, and she gives you supper when you go home. I know she will be kind to you as long as she lives.

But remember who gave you this mother. God sent you to a dear mother, instead of putting you in the fields, where no one would have seen you or taken care of you.

Can your mother keep you alive?—No.

She can feed you, but she cannot make your breath go on.

God thinks of you every moment. If he were to forget you, your breath would stop.

Do you ever thank your mother for her kindness?—Yes. You often say, “Thank you,” and sometimes you put your arms around her neck, and say, “I do love you so much, dear mother!” Will you not thank God who gave you a mother, and who keeps you alive? You should kneel down when you speak to God; then you should say, “O God, how good you have been to me! I thank you, and love you.”

Would God hear your little thanks?—Yes, God would hear and be pleased.

Who fed me from her gentle breast,
And hush’d me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheeks sweet kisses press’d?
My Mother.

When sleep forsook my open eye,
Who was it sang sweet hush-a-by?
And rock’d me that I should not cry?
My Mother.

Who sat and watch’d my infant head,
When sleeping on my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.

When pain and sickness made me cry,
Who gazed upon my heavy eye,
And wept for fear that I should die?
My Mother.

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My Mother.

Who taught my infant lips to pray,
And love God’s holy book and day,
And walk in wisdom’s pleasant way?
My Mother.

And can I ever cease to be
Affectionate and kind to thee,
Who wast so very kind to me?
My Mother.

Ah no! the thought I cannot bear,
And if God please my life to spare,
I hope I shall reward thy care,
My Mother.

When thou art feeble, old, and gray,
My healthy arm shall be thy stay,
And I will soothe thy pains away,
My Mother.

And when I see thee hang thy head,
’Twill be my turn to watch thy bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed,
My Mother.

For God, who lives above the skies,
Would look with vengeance in his eyes
If ever I should dare despise
My Mother.

LESSON III.

OF THE SOUL.

HAS God been kind to dogs? Has he given them bodies?—Yes.

Have they bones, and flesh, and blood, and skin?—Yes.

The dog has a body as well as you. Is the dog’s body like yours?—No.

How many legs have you?—Two.

How many legs has the dog?—Four.

Have you got arms?—Yes, two.

Has the dog got arms?—No, it has no arms, nor hands. But the dog has legs instead. Your skin is smooth, but the dog is covered with hair.

Is the cat’s body like yours?—No; it is covered with fur.

Is a chicken’s body like yours? How many legs has the chicken?—Two.

And so have you. But are its legs like yours?—No; the chicken has very thin, dark legs, and it has claws instead of feet.

Have you feathers on your skin? Have you wings? Is your mouth like a chicken’s beak? Has the chicken any teeth?—No; the chicken’s body is not at all like yours. Yet the chicken has a body—for it has flesh, and bones, and blood, and skin.

Has a fly got a body?—Yes, it has a black body, and six black legs, and two wings like glass. Its body is not at all like yours.

Who gave bodies to dogs, horses, chickens, and flies? Who keeps them alive?

God thinks of all these creatures every moment.

Can a dog thank God. No; dogs and horses, sheep and cows, cannot thank God.

Why can not they thank God? Is is because they cannot talk?

That is not the reason.

The reason is, they cannot think of God. They never heard of God. They cannot understand about God.

Why not?—Because they have no _souls_, or spirits, like yours.

Have you got a soul?—Yes, in your body there is a soul which will never die. Your soul can think of God.

When God made your body, he put your soul inside. Are you glad of that? When God made the dogs, he put no soul like yours inside their bodies, and they cannot think of God.

Can I see your soul?—No; I cannot see it. No one can see it but God. He knows what you are thinking of now.

Which is the best, your soul or your body?—Your soul is a great deal the best. Why is your soul the best?—Your body can die, but your soul cannot die.

Shall I tell you what your body is made of?—Of dust. God made the dust into flesh and blood.

What is your soul made of?—Your soul, or spirit, is made of the breath of God.

That little dog will die some day. Its body will be thrown away. The dog will be quite gone when its body is dead. But when your body dies, your soul will be alive, and you will not be quite gone.

Where would you be put if you were dead?—Your body would be put in a hole in the ground, but your soul would not be in the hole. Even a baby has a soul, or spirit.

One day as I was walking in the streets, I saw a man carrying a box. Some people were walking behind, crying. There was a dead baby in the box. Was the soul of the baby in the box?—No; its soul was gone up to God.

Will you not thank God for giving you a spirit? Will you not ask Him to take your spirit to live with him when your body dies?

Say to God, “Pray, take my spirit to live with Thee when my body dies and turns into dust.”

CHILD.
Tell me, mamma, if I must die
One day, as little baby died;
And look so very pale, and lie
Down in the pit-hole by his side?

Shall I leave dear papa and you,
And never see you any more?
Tell me, mamma, if this is true:
I did not know it was before.

MAMMA.

’Tis true, my love, that you must die;
The God who made you says you must;
And every one of us shall lie,
Like the dear baby in the dust.

These hands, and feet, and busy head,
Shall waste and crumble quite away;
But though your body shall be dead,
There is a part which can’t decay.

What is that part which can’t decay? It is your soul.

Your body will decay; it will turn into dust; but your soul will live forever: it will never decay.

LESSON IV.

OF THE GOOD ANGELS.

YOU know that God lives in heaven. He has no body, for he is a spirit.

Does he live in heaven alone?—No; angels stand all round his throne.

What are angels?

Angels are spirits. They are bright like the sun, but they are not so bright as God, for he is brighter than the sun. The angels are always looking at God, and it is God that makes them shine so bright.

They sing sweet songs about God. They say, “How good God is! how wise! how great!”

There is no night in heaven, for the angels are never tired of singing, and they never wish to sleep. They are never sick, and they will never die.

They never weep; there are no tears upon their cheeks, but sweet smiles, for angels are always happy.

If the angels were naughty, they would be unhappy. Naughtiness always makes people unhappy. The angels are quite good. They love God very much, and mind all he says.

They have wings, and can fly very quickly. God sends them down here to take care of us. As soon as God tells an angel to go, he begins to fly. They are very strong, and can keep us from harm.

Should you like the angels to be near you at night? Do you know this pretty verse or hymn?

I lay my body down to sleep,
Let angels guard my head,
And through the hours of darkness keep
Their watch around my bed.

You must ask God to send the angels, for they never go, except when God sends them.

God is their Father. They have not two fathers, as you have. The angels are the children of God, and live in God’s house in heaven. When you mind what your father tells you, then you are like the angels who mind God.

The angels love us very much. They wish us to grow good, and to come to live with them in heaven. When a child is sorry for its naughtiness, and prays to God to forgive it, the angels are very much pleased.

When a little child who loves God falls sick, and is going to die, God says to the angels, “Go and fetch that little child’s soul up to heaven.” Then the angels fly down, the little darling shuts its eyes, it lays its head on its mothers bosom, its breath stops;—the child is dead. Where is its soul? The angels are carrying it up to heaven.

How happy the child is now! Its pain is over; it is grown quite good; it is bright like an angel. It holds a harp in its hand, and begins to sing a sweet song of praise to God. Its little body is put into a grave, and turns into dust. One day God will make its body alive again.

Dear children, will you pray to God to send his angels to fetch your souls when you die?

Around God’s glorious throne above
The happy angels stand,
And ever praise the God they love,
And fly at his command.

Their faces, like the sun, are bright,
And sweetest smiles they wear;
They never sleep; there is no night,
Nor need of candle there.

But though the angels live so high,
They love us men below,
And hope to see us in the sky
In garments white as snow.

And when a dying infant lies
Upon its mother’s breast,
The angels watch it while it dies,
And take its soul to rest.

LESSON V.

OF THE WICKED ANGELS.

WHEN did God begin to live in heaven? God always lived in heaven.

Once there was no such little child as you, but there always was God.

Once there was no sun, but there always was God.

Once there were no angels, but there always was God.

No one made God; God was the first of all things, and God made everything.

A very long while ago God made the angels. How many angels did he make? No one could tell how many. There were more than could be counted. They were all good and happy.

But some of the angels grew bad. They left off loving God, and grew proud, and disobedient.

Would God let them stay in heaven after they were bad? No; he cast them out, and put them in chains and darkness.

One of these bad angels was called Satan. He is the chief, or prince of the bad angels. He is called the devil.

The devil is very wicked, and hates God. He can never go back to heaven again, but he comes here where we live, and he brings the other devils with him.

We cannot see Satan, because he is a spirit, but he is always walking about, and trying to make people naughty.

Satan loves mischief; he does not wish to be good. It pleases Satan to see people in pain and in tears; but it pleases him best to see them naughty, because then he thinks that they will come and live with him in his dark place. He wishes that there should be a great many people in hell, so he tries to make us do wicked things, and keep us from praying to God.

I cannot tell you how very bad Satan is. He is very cruel, for he likes to give pain. He is a liar and teaches people to tell lies. He is proud, and wishes people to mind him more than God. He is envious, and cannot bear to see people happy.

The devil hopes very much that you will come and live with him when you die. He knows that if you are bad like him, you will live with him. So he tries to make you like himself. When you are in a passion, you are like the devil. When you say, “I don’t care,” you are like the devil. When you think yourself good, you are proud like the devil.

Can God keep you from minding the devil? Yes; he can: for God is a great deal stronger than Satan. Besides this, God is always near you, for God is everywhere. Now Satan cannot be everywhere at the same time. It is true that Satan has a great many angels who go where he tells them; and that Satan and his angels come near you very often. But God is always with you; he is before you and behind you, and on every side of you; he is about your bed when you sleep, and about your path when you walk. Therefore you need not be afraid of Satan; only ask God to help you, and he will do so.

Satan is much stronger than you are; but God is stronger than all. If anybody were to come to hurt you when you were alone, you would be frightened; but if you saw your father coming you would run to him, and you would not be frightened any more. Now God is our father; he can keep Satan from hurting you. Pray to him, and say, “O dear father, keep me from being wicked like the devil, and from going to hell.”

Satan was once an angel bright
And worship’d God on high;
But now he dwells in darkest night
And endless misery.

Daring his God to disobey,
He lost his happy state:
Sinners above could never stay
Around God’s throne to wait.

Thousands of angels with him fell,
Who own him as their king;
Hoping with us to share their hell,
They tempt our souls to sin.

CHILD.

God, unto thee I’ll lift my pray’r,
(He’ll hear an infant cry,)
“Save me, O Lord, lest I should share
In Satan’s misery.”

_On the subjects of the preceding Lessons._

God lives on high—beyond the sky,
And angels bright—all clothed in white,
The praises sing—of heaven’s king.

This God can see—both you and me;
Can see at night—as in the light;
And all we do—remembers too.

’Tis he bestows—my food and clothes,
And my soft bed—to rest my head,
And cottage neat and mother sweet.

And should not I—forever try
To do what He—has ordered me,
And dearly love—this Friend above?

I always should—be very good:
At home should mind—my parents kind;
At school obey—what teachers say.

Now if I fight—and scratch, and bite,
In passions fall—and bad names call,
Full well I know—where I shall go.

Satan is glad—when I am bad,
And hopes that I—with him shall lie
In fire and chains—and dreadful pains.

And liars dwell—with him in hell,
And many more—who cursed and swore,
And all who did—what God forbid.

And I have not—done what I ought;
I am not fit—with God to sit.
And angels bright—all clothed in white.

I will confess—my naughtiness,
And will entreat—for mercy sweet
O Lord! forgive—and let me live.

My body must—be turned to dust.
Then let me fly—beyond the sky,
And see thy face—in that sweet place.

LESSON VI.

THE WORLD.—PART I.

GENESIS i. 1-10

THIS large place we live in is called the world. It is very beautiful. If we look up we see the blue sky, if we look down we see the green grass. The sky is like a curtain spread over our heads, the grass like a carpet under our feet, and the bright sun is like a candle to give us light. It was very kind of God to make such a beautiful world, and let us live in it.

God was in heaven, and all his bright angels around him, when he began to make the world. God’s Son was with him—for God always has a Son, just like himself.

His Son’s name is Jesus Christ. He is as good and as great as God his Father. The Father and the Son are God: they always lived together, and they love each other exceedingly. The Father and the Son are one God, and they made the world.

How did God make the world?—By speaking. First of all, God made the light. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. No one can make things by speaking but God: God made things of nothing. He only spoke, and the light came.

Then God made the air. You cannot see the air, but you can feel it. The air is everywhere. You can sometimes hear the noise it makes, for you hear the wind blow, and the wind is air.

Next God put some water up very high. The clouds are full of water, and sometimes the water comes down, and we call it rain.

God made a large deep place, and filled it with water. God spoke to the water, and it rushed into the deep place. God called this water the sea.

The sea is very large, and it is always moving up and down, and tossing itself; but it cannot get out of the large deep place in which God has put it; for God said, “Stay there.”

When the wind blows hard, the sea makes a loud noise, and roars.

God made some dry land for us to walk upon: we call it ground. We could not walk upon the sea nor build houses on the sea: but the ground is hard, and firm, and dry.

Now I have told you of five things that God made:—

1. The light. 2. The air. 3. The clouds. 4. The sea. 5. The dry land.

Let us praise God for making such a large and beautiful world.

’Twas God who made this world so fair,
The shining sun, the sky, the air;
’Twas God who made the sea, the ground,
And all the things I see around.

When he began the world to make,
These were the mighty words he spake;
“Let there be light;” his voice was heard,
And the obedient light appeared.

The angels saw the light arise,
And with their praises filled the skies.
“How great our God! How wise! How strong!”
Such is their never-ending song.

LESSON VII.

THE WORLD.—PART II.

GENESIS i. 11-19.

WHEN God made the dry land, there was nothing on it: it was bare. So God spake, and things grew out of the ground.

Trees came out of it; they were covered with green leaves of different shapes. Some were called oak trees, and some were called elm trees, and some beech trees. And some bore nice fruit, such as plum trees, apple trees, orange trees and fig trees.

Vegetables grew out of the earth; potatoes and beans, cabbages and lettuces: they are called vegetables.

Corn came out of it. Some corn is called wheat, and some corn is called barley, and some is called oats. The ears of corn bend down when they are ripe, and look yellow like gold.

God made the soft green grass to spring up, and flowers to grow among the grass: flowers of all colors, and of the sweetest smell. The yellow buttercup, the white lily, the blue violet, and the rose, the most beautiful of all flowers.

I have told you of five sorts of things that grow out of the earth:

1. Trees. 2. Vegetables. 3. Corn. 4. Grass. 5. Flowers.

The world looked very beautiful when it was covered with grass and trees. But only God and the angels saw its beauty.

Afterward God placed the sun in the sky, and bade it shine all day, and go from one end of the world to the other. God made the moon to shine at night, and he covered the sky with stars.

You never saw anything so bright as the sun. It is very large indeed, only it looks small, because it is a great way off. It cannot fall, for God holds it up. God makes it move across the sky. Did you ever hear this pretty verse about the sun?—

My God, who makes the sun to know
His proper hour to rise,
And to give light to all below,
Doth send him round the skies.

The moon does not shine as brightly as the sun, for God lets it be dark at night, that we may rest and sleep soundly.

Who could count the stars?—No one but God. He knows their names and their number too. When we look at the moon and stars, let us think, How great God is! Yet he cares for the little birds, and loves little children.

CHILD.

I saw the glorious sun arise
From yonder mountain gray;
And as he travel’d through the skies,
The darkness went away;
And all around me was so bright,
I wish’d it would be always light.

But when his shining course was done
The gentle moon drew nigh,
And stars came twinkling, one by one,
Upon the shady sky.
Who made the sun to shine so far,
The moon and every twinkling star?

MAMMA.

’Twas God, my child, who made them all
By his almighty skill;
He keeps them, that they do not fall,
And guides them as he will:
That glorious God who lives afar,
In heaven, beyond the highest star.

LESSON VIII.

THE WORLD.—PART III.

GENESIS i. 20-25.

GOD had made a great many things, but none of these things were alive. At last he made some living things. He spoke, and the water was filled with fishes, more than could be counted.

Some were very small, and some were very large. Have you heard of the great whale? It is a fish as long as a church. Fishes are cold, and they have no feet, and they cannot sing, nor speak.

God made some creatures, more beautiful than fish, to fly about in the air. The birds:—they perched upon the trees, and sang among the branches.

Birds have wings, and are covered with feathers of all colors. The robin has a red breast; the goldfinch has some yellow feathers; and the jay some blue ones: but the peacock is the most beautiful of birds. It has a little tuft upon its head, and a long train that sweeps behind; sometimes it spreads out its feathers, and they look like a large fan. The thrush, the blackbird and the linnet can sing sweetly: but there is one bird that can sing more sweetly still—it is the nightingale. At night, when all the other birds have left off singing, the nightingale may be heard in the woods.

Some birds swim upon the water; such as geese, and ducks, and the beautiful swan, with its long neck and its feathers like the snow.

Some birds are very tall. The ostrich is as tall as a man. It cannot fly like other birds, but it can run very fast indeed.

The eagle builds its nest in a very high place. Its wings are very strong, and it can fly as high as the clouds.

The gentlest of the birds is the dove. It cannot sing, but it sits alone and moans softly, as if it were sad.

I cannot tell you the names of all the birds, but you can think of the names of some other kinds.

There is another sort of living creatures, called insects. God made them come out of the earth, and not out of the water, like fishes. Insects are small, and creep upon the earth; such as ants. Some insects can fly also; such as bees and butterflies. The bee sucks the juice of flowers, and makes wax and honey. How gay are the wings of the butterfly! they are covered with little feathers, too small to be seen.

All the insects were good and pretty when God made them.

At last God made the beasts. They came out of the earth when God spoke. Beasts walk upon the earth; the most of them have four legs. You know the names of a great many sorts of beasts. Sheep and cows, dogs and cats, are beasts. But there are many other sorts besides: the squirrel that jumps from bough to bough, the rabbit that lives in a hole underground, and the goat that climbs the high hills; the stag with his beautiful horns, the lion with his yellow hair, the tiger, whose skin is marked with stripes. The elephant is the largest of beasts, the lion is the strongest, the dog is the most sensible, the stag is the most beautiful, but the lamb is the gentlest. The dove is the gentlest of the birds, and the lamb is the gentlest of the beasts.

Now God had filled the world with living creatures, and they were all good; even lions and tigers were good and harmless. I have told you of four sorts of living creatures:

1. Fishes. 2. Birds. 3. Insects. 4. Beasts.

All these creatures have bodies, but they have not souls like you. They can move and breathe. God feeds them every day, and keeps them alive. The Lord is good to them all.

When God first clothed the earth with green
And sprinkled it with flow’rs,
There was no living creature seen
Within its pleasant bow’rs.

Soon by his word God fill’d the earth,
And waters underneath,
With things above the plants in worth,
That feel and move and breathe.

The fishes, cover’d o’er with scales
In ocean swiftly glide;
With their vast tails the wondrous whales
Scatter the waters wide,

The birds among the branches sing,
And chief the nightingale:
The peacock shines with painted wing,
The dove does softly wail.

Insects with humming fill the air,
And sparkle in the sun:
The butterfly by colors fair
Surpasses every one.

The beasts tread firmly on the ground;
The goat has nimble feet,
The stag’s with branching antlers crown’d;
The lamb’s most soft and sweet.

Pleasure the whole creation fills;
They leap, they swim, they fly;
They skim the plains, they climb the hills,
Or in the valleys lie.

With herb for meat the Lord provides
His numerous family;
The lion with the lamb abides,
The dove and hawk agree.

In all the woods and no sound of strife,
Or piteous moans arise;
None takes away his fellow’s life,
And none expiring lies.

Those happy days, alas! are past,
And death has entered here;
Why did they not forever last,
And when did death appear?

LESSON IX.

ADAM AND EVE.

GENESIS i., 26, to the end of Chap. ii.

NOW I shall tell you of the last thing God made.

God took some of the dust of the ground, and made the body of a man; then he breathed on it, and gave it a soul; so the man could understand about God. Adam was quite good like God. Adam loved God very much.

God put him in a very pretty garden, full of trees covered with fruit. This garden was called the garden of Eden. God showed Adam all the beasts and birds, and let Adam give them what names he pleased. He said to Adam, I give you all the fishes, and insects, and birds, and beasts; you are their master. So Adam was king over all things on the earth.

God said to Adam, You may eat of the fruit that grows on the trees in the garden. Still God did not let him be idle, but told him to take care of the garden. You see how very kind God was to Adam.

But Adam had no friend to be with him; for the beasts and birds could not talk to Adam. Then God said he would make a woman, to be a friend to Adam. So God made Adam fall fast asleep. God took a piece of bone and flesh out of his side, and made it into a woman. When Adam woke, he saw her. He knew that she was made of his flesh and bone, and he loved her very much. Her name was “woman,” and afterwards her name was Eve.

You have heard of all the things God made. They were all beautiful: and all the living things were quite happy; there was no pain, and no sighing, and no sin in all the world.

God had been six days in making the world. And when he had finished it, he rested on the seventh day, and made no more things.

The angels saw the world that God had made: they were pleased, and sang a sweet song of praise to God. Jesus Christ the Son of God was pleased, for he loved Adam and Eve.

How did I know about the world being made? It is written in the Bible, which is God’s own book.

Let us count over all the things that God made:

1. Light. 2. Air. 3. Clouds. 4. Sea. 5. Dry land. 6. Things that grow out of the earth. 7. Sun, moon, and stars. 8. Living creatures.

LESSON X.

THE FIRST SIN.

GENESIS iii.

ADAM and Eve were very happy in the garden of Eden. They talked to each other, and walked together, and they never quarreled, and they praised God for all his kindness to them.

God used to talk with them sometimes. They were pleased to hear his voice, for they were not afraid of him.

There was one thing that God had told them not to do. There was a tree in the middle of the garden. Some beautiful fruit grew upon it; but God said to Adam and Eve, You must not eat of the fruit of that tree; for if you eat of it, you shall die. Adam and Eve liked to obey God, and they did not wish to eat of this fruit.

You know that the wicked angel, Satan, hates God, and he hated Adam and Eve. He wished to make them naughty, that they might go to hell and be burned in his fire. So he thought he would ask them to eat of that fruit. He went into the garden, and looked like a serpent. He saw Eve alone near the tree. He said to her, Why do you not eat of this fruit?

Eve answered, No, I will not; we must not eat of that fruit. If we do, God has said we shall die. Then the serpent said, You shall not die; the fruit will make you wise.

Eve looked at the fruit, and thought it seemed nice and pretty, and she picked some and ate it; and she gave some to Adam, and he ate it.

It was very wicked of them to eat this fruit. Now they were grown naughty, and did not love God.

Soon they heard God speaking in the garden; then they were frightened, and they went and hid themselves among the trees. But God saw them; for he can see everywhere.

So God said, Adam, where art thou? Then Adam and Eve came from under the trees.

God said to Adam, Have you eaten of the fruit that I told you not eat? And Adam said, It was this woman who asked me to eat some.

And God said to Eve, What is this that thou hast done? And Eve said, The serpent asked me to eat.

God was very angry with the serpent, and said he should be punished forever and ever.

God said to Adam and Eve, You shall die. I made your bodies of dust, and they will turn to dust again.

God would not let them stay in the sweet garden. He made them go out. He would not let them come back. He told one of his bright angels to stand before the gate with a sword of fire and to keep Adam and Eve out of the garden.

Near Eden’s land in days gone by,
A lovely garden stood:
The trees were pleasant to the eye;
The fruit was good for food.

Two holy creatures spent their days
Within that garden fair:
In love they dwelt; they sang God’s praise,
And humbly knelt in prayer.

In that sweet land one tree was placed,
Their faithful love to try
“That fruit,” said God, “you shall not taste:
Who eats shall surely die.”

O why did Eve to Satan’s lies
So readily attend?
Upon the fruit why fix her eyes,
Then pluck it with her hand?

No more shall Eve or Adam stay
Within that garden fair
An angel stands to guard the way,
That none may enter there.

LESSON XI.

THE SON OF GOD.

GENESIS iii. 14-15.

ARE you not very sorry to hear that Adam and Eve were turned out of the garden?

It was not so pleasant outside of the garden. A great many weeds and thistles grew outside; but in the garden there were only pretty flowers and sweet fruits.

Adam was forced to dig the ground till he was hot and tired, for he could not always find fruit upon the trees.

Now Adam felt pain in his body sometimes; and his hair became gray, and at last he was quite old.

Eve was very often sick and weak, and tears ran down her cheeks. Poor Adam and Eve! if you had obeyed God you would have been happy forever.

Adam and Eve knew that they must die at last. God gave them some little children; and Adam and Eve knew that their children must die too. God had told them that their bodies were made of dust, and that they must turn to dust again.

But there was something more sad still. They were grown wicked. They did not love praising God, as they once had done, but they liked doing many naughty things. They were grown like Satan; so Satan hoped that when their bodies were put into the ground, their spirits would be with him; for Satan knew that the wicked could not live with God in heaven.

And they would have gone to hell, and all their children too, had not God taken pity upon them. God, who is very kind, had found out a way to save them.

To his Son, a long, long while before, God had said, Adam and Eve and all their children must go to hell for their wickedness, unless you die instead of them. My beloved Son, I will send you; you shall have a body; you shall go and live in the world, and you shall obey me, and you shall die for Adam and his children.

The Son said to his Father, I will come: I will do all that you desire me to do. It is my delight to obey you.

So the Son promised that he would die for Adam and Eve, and for their children.

How kind it was of the Father to spare his dear Son, whom he loved so very much! How kind it was of the Son to leave his throne of light, his bright angels, and his dear Father, and to take a body and to die!

You know that we are some of Adam’s children’s children. It was for us that Jesus came to die. We are wicked, and we should go to hell, if Jesus had not promised to die for us. We ought to love the Father and the Son, because they had pity on us.

Let us praise God with the angels, and say,—

“We thank thee, O Father, for thy tender love, in giving up thine only Son.

“We thank thee, O Son, for thy tender love, in coming down to bleed and die.”

The Father waited a long while before he sent his Son down to be a man.

All the time the Son waited in heaven he thought of what he promised to do; but he would not go and be a man till his Father pleased to send him.

Adam has sinn’d: and on the ground
Shall thorns and thistles grow;
His body lies in dust; his soul—
Ah! whither shall it go?

Shall one who dared to disobey,
With God forever dwell?
When angels sinn’d God did not spare,
But cast them down to hell.

Yet long before the world was made
Our God contrived a plan,
By which his sinful soul to save,
And pardon guilty man.

The Father said his Son should die,
The Son replied, “I will:
A feeble body I will take;
This body men shall kill.”

Father, how great thy love to man,
To send thy Son from high!
How great thy love, O glorious Son,
To come, and bleed, and die!

LESSON XII.

THE VIRGIN MARY.

LUKE, i. 26-55.

GOD told Adam and Eve that he would send his Son down some day to die for them. But Adam and Eve did not love God; for they were grown wicked.

Could God make them good?

Yes; he could: for there is the Holy Spirit in heaven, and the Holy Spirit could come into them and make them good.

You know, my little children, we are wicked, and God can make us good with his Holy Spirit. If God puts his Holy Spirit in us, we shall not go to hell, and live with Satan.

I hope you will ask God to give you his Holy Spirit. Say to God, O give me thy Holy Spirit, to make me good!

Adam had a great many children and grandchildren, and they had more children; at last the world was full of people—more people than you could count.

After Adam and Eve had been dead a long while, and when the world was full of people, God said to his Son, Now, my beloved Son, go down into the world.

But God chose that his Son should be a little baby at first—because everybody is a little baby at first.

God sent his Son to be the baby of a poor woman. This woman’s name was Mary. Mary had no little children. She was a good woman and loved God. God’s Holy Spirit was in her, and made her meek and gentle.

One day an angel came to her. When Mary saw the bright angel, she was frightened: but the angel said, “Fear not, Mary; God loves you. He will send you a baby, that shall be the Son of God. You shall call his name Jesus. He will come to save people from Satan.”

Mary was much surprised at what the angel said. She thought she was not good enough to have such a baby as the Lord Jesus.

When the angel was gone back to heaven, Mary sang a sweet song of praise to God for his goodness.

Mary said, My soul praises God, and my spirit is glad because of my Saviour.

Mary called her baby her Saviour, for she knew that he would save her from hell.

I wonder not that Mary fear’d
When Gabriel to her appear’d:
How could she know he came to bring
So sweet a message from his King?

Full long the Son in heaven had stay’d
Since first the promise had been made
To shed his blood for Adam’s sin,
And happiness for man to win.

But yet the Son had ne’er forgot,
And what he said he changed not;
The time was come he should be born,
And in this world should live forlorn.

Mary shall be the mother dear,
Who in her arms the child shall bear;
The angel came this news to bring,
And Mary listen’d wondering.

And did the Lord a poor maid choose—
And all the great and rich refuse?
High honors God delights to place
On those who humbly seek his face.

LESSON XIII.

THE BIRTH OF JESUS.

LUKE, ii. 1-7.

MARY had a husband called Joseph. He was a good man, and very kind to Mary.

Now before Mary’s baby was born, a great king said that everybody must have their names written down. So Mary and Joseph left their house, and went a great way off. At last they came to a town called Bethlehem.

It was night. Where could they sleep? They went to an inn, and said, Do let us in. We have come from a great way off.

But the master of the inn said, I have no room in my inn for you.

What could poor Mary do? Must she sleep in the street? Mary said she would sleep in the stable, if the master would let her.

So Mary and Joseph went into the stable. There were cows and asses in the stable.

While Mary was in the stable, God sent her the little baby he had promised her. She knew he was the Son of God, though he looked like other little babies.

She wrapped him in some long clothes, called swaddling clothes; but she had no cradle for him to sleep in, and she could not lay him on the ground, lest the beasts should tread upon him; so she put him in the manger, and she sat by him to take care of him.

How dearly Mary loved this sweet babe!

This baby had not a naughty heart, as other babies have. Jesus had no sin, but was quite meek and lowly. Yet other babies have cradles and soft pillows, while Jesus lay in a manger.

I will tell you a verse to say to your little baby brother when you rock his cradle:

Soft and easy is thy cradle;—
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay
When his birthplace was a stable,
And his softest bed was hay.

LESSON XIV.

THE SHEPHERDS.

LUKE, ii. 8-20.

THERE were some fields near Bethlehem. On the night when Jesus was born, some shepherds were sitting by their sheep in those fields. Why did they sit up at night? To keep their sheep from the wolves and lions which walk about at night. There are no lions where we live, but near Bethlehem there were some.

These shepherds saw a great light. A beautiful angel came from heaven. The poor shepherds were afraid; but the angel said, Fear not, I have sweet news to tell you. God has sent his own Son from heaven to save you from hell. He is a baby now, lying in a manger. Go to Bethlehem, and you will find him.

When the angel had done speaking, hundreds and hundreds of bright angels filled the sky, and began singing and praising God for having sent his Son to save men.

At last the angels went back to heaven, and the shepherds were left alone.

Did they stay with their sheep? No; they said, Let us go and see the Son of God.

They ran to Bethlehem, and went to the stable of the inn. There was a babe in the manger; Mary and Joseph were sitting by. The shepherds said, This is the Son of God. Angels have spoken to us to-night, and told us where to find him.

All the people in Bethlehem were much surprised when the shepherds told them about the angels and the Son of God.

Blessed Babe! what glorious features!
Spotless, fair, divinely bright:
Must he dwell with brutal creatures?
How could angels bear the sight?

Was there nothing but a manger
Wretched sinners could afford,
To receive the heavenly stranger?
Did they thus affront the Lord?

See the kinder shepherds round him
Telling wonders from the sky;
Where they sought him, there they found him.
With his virgin mother by.

See the lovely babe a-dressing,
Lovely infant, how he smiled!
When he wept, the mother’s blessing
Sooth’d and hush’d the holy child.

LESSON XV.

THE WISE MEN.

MATTHEW ii.

THERE were some wise and rich men. They lived a great way from Bethlehem. They knew that God had sent his Son to be a babe but they did not know where to find him; so God put a beautiful star in the sky, and God made it move toward the place where Jesus was. So the wise men left their houses, and set out on a long journey; but first they said, Let us bring some presents for the Son of God: for he is a king. They took some gold, and some sweet-smelling stuff to burn. They looked at the star as they went. At last it stopped over a house in Bethlehem. The wise men were very glad indeed. They longed to see the Son of God. They went in, and there they saw Mary and her child Jesus: they fell down, and began to praise him, and to call him the Son of God, and the King.

They took out their presents, and gave them to him. Mary was poor; but now she had some money to buy things for her little baby.

LESSON XVI.

KING HEROD.

MATTHEW, ii. LUKE, ii. 51, 52.

THERE was a very wicked king called Herod. He lived a little way from Bethlehem. He heard that a babe was born in Bethlehem, and that some people said that the babe was a king.

Now Herod did not like that there should be any other king besides himself. Herod did not like that even the Son of God should be king. So Herod said, I will kill this babe that is called a king.

Herod knew that this babe was in Bethlehem; but there were many babes in Bethlehem, and Herod did not know which was the babe that was called a king.

Some people knew which it was; but they loved Jesus, and they would not tell Herod. A very wicked thought came into Herod’s mind. He thought, I will kill all the babes in Bethlehem. Do you think God would let Herod kill his Son? No. God knew what Herod meant to do. God sent one of his bright angels to speak to Joseph when he was asleep.

The angel said, A wicked king wants to kill the baby. Get up, Joseph; take Mary and the baby a great way off. So Joseph got up quickly; he took his ass, he put Mary on it, and she held the baby. It was dark when they set off. Nobody saw them go.

The next morning some men came with swords. Herod had sent them. They were come to kill all the babies. They opened every door, and said, Is there a baby here? Then they snatched it from its mother, and killed it, and the poor mother cried bitterly. Had you walked down the streets, you would have heard nothing but women weeping and crying out, My pretty babe is dead; I shall never see it more!

Was Jesus killed?

No: he was gone far away. His Father, God, had sent him away. Herod could not kill him, for God would not let him die so soon.

At last King Herod died. Then God sent an angel to speak to Joseph when he was asleep. The angel said, Joseph, go back to your own country; Herod is dead. So Joseph took the ass, and Mary, and the sweet child, Jesus, and they all came back to their own country.

Joseph was a carpenter. Jesus lived with Joseph and Mary, and minded all they said. He was a wise child, and loved to think of God. God his Father loved him, and everybody loved him, because he was so meek and kind. The older he grew the more they loved him.

LESSON XVII.

THE TEMPTATION.

MATTHEW iv. 1-11.

AT last Jesus grew to be a man. He knew that he must go from place to place, and teach people about God.

But first he went into a place by himself—called a wilderness. He had no house to sleep in there, no friend to speak to, no food to eat. In the night it was cold, in the day very hot.

There were no men, but there were lions, wolves and bears. At night they roared and howled; but Jesus trusted in his Father.

He ate nothing for forty days and forty nights, God kept him alive. When Jesus was alone, then he spoke in his heart to his dear Father.

At last someone came and spoke to him.

Who was it?

Not a man, not a bright angel, not God; it was Satan. I do not know how he looked. He was come to tempt Jesus to do wickedly, and not to mind God his Father. Satan knew that Jesus was hungry. He said to him, Turn these stones into bread! but Jesus would not, for God had promised to feed him himself.

After that, Satan took Jesus to the top of a great building, that was much higher than a church. It is dreadful to be on the top of a very high place; it makes one tremble to look down from the top.

Satan said to Jesus, Throw yourself down from this place; your Father will send his angels to keep you from being hurt, for you know that he has promised to take care of you.

Would Jesus have done right had he thrown himself down? No: Jesus knew that his Father would be displeased if he threw himself down; and Jesus always did the things that pleased his Father.

Then Satan took him to the top of a very high hill. He showed him the most beautiful things in the world, gardens and houses, ships and carriages, and fine clothes and feasts. He said, Look at these fine things. I will give them all to you. You shall have all the world for your own; only kneel down and call me God.

But Jesus said, I will pray to my Father, and not to you.

Jesus loved his Father better than all the things in the world.

Adam and Eve minded Satan, and disobeyed God; but Jesus did all his Father had told him. Adam was disobedient, Jesus was obedient.

Then Satan went away, and angels came from heaven and fed Jesus.

Satan goes about, trying to make children naughty. A lion could only eat your body, but Satan wants to have your soul and body in hell. Satan hates you. He is your enemy. But God is stronger than Satan. Say to God, Keep me from minding Satan, and God will keep you.

Upon that mountain’s height
Two mighty princes stand;
Jesus the Prince of Light,
Satan at his right hand.
Below them lies the prospect fair
Of all earth holds of rich or rare.

Tables are seen around,
Spread with delicious meats;
Gardens where fruits abound,
And thousand tempting sweets:
Silver and gold and precious stones,
Chariots and palaces and thrones.

Satan did once prevail
On Eve to disobey:
And now why should he fail
To tempt the Lord astray?
For Eve abundant food possess’d,
While Christ with hunger is distress’d.

In vain the tempter tries
The Saviour to deceive,
For Jesus left the skies
Our misery to relieve:
His Father dear he sought to please,
Nor wish’d for earthly joy and ease.

He had seen brighter things,
And sweeter joys had known,
Where angels touch the strings
Around his Father’s throne.
And shall he from that throne descend
Before the evil one to bend?

No! He will hunger bear,
And suffer sharpest pain,
Till God shall hear his prayer,
And his weak life sustain.
And lo! ashamed the tempter flies,
And angels feed him from the skies.

LESSON XVIII.

THE TWELVE DISCIPLES.

MARK, i. 16-20.

WHEN Jesus was a man, he began to teach people about his Father. Jesus used to preach.

Where did he preach?

Sometimes he preached to people in a place like a church; sometimes he preached in the fields; sometimes he sat on the top of a hill and preached; and sometimes he sat in a ship, and the people stood by the edge of the water to hear him. Jesus did not always live in the same place: he used to walk about from one place to another.

Did Jesus walk about alone? No; he had twelve friends always with him. He called them his twelve disciples.

How many are twelve? Let us count the little children in this room. Here are twelve. Jesus had just so many disciples.

One was called Peter, and another John, and another James, and another Thomas. I will not tell you the names of all, lest you should forget them.

Peter was a fisherman. He had a little ship, and he used to catch fish in the day and in the night. James and John had another little ship, and they used to catch fish.

One day Jesus passed by their ships, and Jesus saw Peter and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the sea to catch fish, and Jesus said to them, Come with me. And Peter and Andrew left their nets, and their ships, and went with Jesus.

And Jesus went a little further, and he saw James and John sitting in their ship, mending the holes in their nets, and Jesus said to them, Come with me; and they left their nets and went with Jesus.

Jesus called what people he pleased to come with him.

Shall I tell you why Jesus chose to have twelve friends always with him? What do you think was the reason?

Jesus wished to teach them about God his Father, that they might teach other people about him. They liked being with him, and listening to his words. Would you have liked to be always with Jesus?

When Jesus was alone with his disciples, he used to tell them secrets about God and heaven. They loved him very much indeed; they called him Master, and Lord. Jesus loved them still more than they loved him, and he called them his friends.

Jesus used to give them part of his things. But Jesus had no house to live in, and he had very little money. Sometimes Jesus and his friends were very much tired with walking far, and sometimes they were very hungry and thirsty. But kind people often asked them to come into their houses, and gave them food. Other people laughed at Jesus, and called him names.

Were the disciples good?—They were bad like us; but Jesus put his Spirit into them, and made them better. The disciples were not quite good like Jesus; they often quarreled with each other, and sometimes they were unkind to poor people.

How happy they who shared the bread
Of Jesus here below!
From place to place he traveled,
And they with him did go.

What though they never had a place
Where safely to abide,
They saw their loving Master’s face,
And followed by his side.

They heard him preach from hills and ships
Of things to men unknown;
But sweeter words dropped from his lips
When they were all alone;

For then he would the things explain
They could not understand,
That heav’nly wisdom they might gain,
And teach it through the land.

CHILD.

’Tis true I can not here below
With thee, my Saviour, dwell;
To heaven I one day hope to go,
And there to know thee well.

LESSON XIX.

THE FIRST MIRACLE.

JOHN, ii. 1-11.