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PREFACE.

Scripture truths have always appeared to the Author to be expressed most clearly and most forcibly in the language of the Bible; he has therefore strictly adhered to it in this little work, which contains the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.

The Key, by means of which this Catechism may be taught even to children of tender years, furnishes every necessary explanation, and it is hoped that by making use of it the Christian Instructor, and especially the Sunday School Teacher, will without difficulty comprehend the manner of teaching portions of Scripture, on the Lesson System, and of leading children to draw inferences of practical utility from what they read and learn.

The Author feels pleasure in giving the following extract from an American Review of the Lesson System:

"No finite mind can estimate the blessings which might be expected to flow from the universal adoption of a system, which effectually links all its pupils by strong, though unseen bonds, with the realities of a future state of existence. The child, habituated on the

one hand to draw some practical maxim from every Scripture expression which he sees, and on the other, to connect each incident of his life with a corresponding event recorded in the sacred volume, would by his own acts, be continually summoning around himself the objects and interests of the invisible world. He would live with an abiding consciousness that the eye of Omniscience was upon him; and in moments of temptation or unguarded passion, the fearful warnings of holy writ would rush unbidden upon his soul, and recall him to his duty. It would require no common degree of hardihood to impel a man to the perpetration of crime, whose conscience was thus armed with the delegated terrors of the law, and who felt at every step, he was striking chords which sent their vibrations upwards to the throne of God, and onward to the judgment seat of Christ. We do not assert that even then we should have found a complete antidote to vice, but we do affirm that a most salutary restraint would be imposed upon the corrupt propensities of the human heart, and that we should be provided with the surest safeguard against the practice of iniquity which it is possible to have, short of the universal conversion of men to God. We regard it, therefore, as the highest recommendation of the Lesson System of education, that it aims to accomplish, by simple, but efficient means, a result so noble and philanthropic, and so full of promise to the church, as that which is here contemplated. We are aware that the same end has been attempted in the existing systems of instruction, but with how little prospect of success, as compared with the system under review, we need not stop to determine."

I. OF GOD.

1. Is there any God but one?
There is but one God.'

2. There is one God but three persons, which are they?

The Father-the Son-and-the Holy Ghost." 3. What is God?

God is a Spirit.3

4. How is he described to us?

The king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God.

5. Is he holy?

The Lord our God-is holy."

6. Is he a God of truth?

A God of truth-is he."

7. Is God just? Just and right is he."

8. Is he a God of love? God is love."

9. Is he merciful? God-is rich in mercy.9 10. Is he good?

10

The Lord is good to all.1o

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11. What does God declare of his own unchangeableness?

I change not.1

12. Is God present every

where?

Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. 13. Does he know every thing? God-knoweth all things.3

14. Does he see every one and in every place? The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.*

15. Can God do every thing? With God all things are possible.3

II. OF CREATION.

16. Who made the heavens and the earth? God created the heaven and the earth."

17. Did he make all things? God-created all things."

18. Who made us?

The Lord-hath made us.8

19. Of what was man formed?

The Lord God formed man of the dust of the

ground.9

1 Mal. iii. 6.
2 Jer. xxiii. 24.
3 1 John, iii. 20.

4 Prov. xv. iii.

5 Mat. xix. 26.
6 Gen. i. 1.

7 Ephes. iii. 9.
8 Ps. c. 3.
9 Gen. ii. 7.

20. What is in man? There is a spirit in man.'

21. How did man receive the breath of life? The Lord God-breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

22. How was Eve, the first woman, made? The rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman.3

III. OF THE FALL OF MAN.

23. In whose likeness was man created? God created man in his own image.*

24. Where was Adam, the first man, placed? The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it." 25. What was commanded to Adam?

The Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat.6

26. Did Adam eat of this tree?

He did eat.7

27. Was Adam allowed to remain in the garden after he had disobeyed God?

The Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden.8

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