I'TigFACL` 'd'0 "THE CATECHISM OF SCRIPTUi2,ALNAME3."I WE have the unspeakable.blessing of the word of God among na: We are furnished with a divine history of the transactions of God with men from the beginning of the world. It would be a shame therefore if christian fami- lies in our land should know nothing of these important affairs. Even from their earliest infancy, children should betrained up inthe knowledge of some of the greater and more remarkable names and actions which are recorded is this divine book. Our holy religion, and the gospel of Christ, depend upon some of these ancient facts, nor can the doctrines and duties of christianity he well learned without some knowledge of sacred history ; it isindeed a real and substantial part of our religion : An early acquaintance with these things, will not only lead children to understand many parts of the gospel the better, but it will allure them to read their bible c for it will give them a delightful taste of it beforehand, no that this sort of catechism seems very necessary toward a christian education. Now to render this work more easy, there are two catechisms of this kind composed. The first is called a catechism of scripture-names, forit gives only the name with some single character or action of the person. The second enlarges both on persons and things, and it is called the historical catechism. As for theshort catechism of names, the child may begin to learn it as anon as be can speak plain, at the same time that he beginsthe first of thefore- going catechisms of the principles of religion, which is provided for young children. You see the name is always contained in the question ; hut in order to teach children to pronounce the names as well as tolearn the character of the person, parents or teachers may ask thesamequestion backward and forward, viz. Q. Who wasAdam ? A. The first man that God made ; And then, Q. Whowas the first man that God made ? A. Adam. By learning this perfect, children will have learned several things in the historical catechism, before they are required to learn it as their properbusiness. And to render these things yet more familiar to children, t wouldpropose thatthe historical catechism,and also the largercatalogue of nameswhich are drawn out of scripture, be appointed as lessons to be read at school andat borne, by children while they are learning their younger and shorter cate chistus. There will be found hard names enough in them to eseroise End improve their reading and spelling : And the perpetual variety of new things occurring may allure them to take delight in perusing it. Children of mod memories will learn a great part of it byheart in this manner ; The scripture histories will stick upontheir minds because they strike the young imagina- tion with pleasure and'give an agreeable entertainment.
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