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History of Lucy Jackson and other books for children and youth
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WAYN L STATE: UN IVERSITY* U BRARY
3 9343 00681212 6
THE-EMJOISDRAMSEYOOLLECTION
\
V
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HISTORY OF LUCY JACKSON,
AXD OTHER
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.
28 CORN HILL, BOSTON.
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A
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CONTENTS.
9. HISTORY OF LUCY JACKSON.
10. HYMNS FOR CHILDREN.
11. HISTORY OF HONEST ROGER.
12. HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
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HISTORY
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.
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LUCY JACKSON.
At a small village in the south of England
lived Mr. North, who was the rector of the place.
From the windows of Mr. North’s house you may
see the churchyard, and a low white building, cov
ered with jessamine, which stands hr it. This
building was fitted up for the use. of the Sabbath-
school when Mr. North came to the parish, and a
great number of children met there every Sabbath
to learn to read God’s word, and thus be made
“ wise unto salvation.”
Mr." North and his daughter made it a con
stant rule to visit the school every Sabbath to
hear the children read, to give them lessons, and
to distribute occasional rewards to those whose
good behavior and attention to learning appeared
to deserve it.
One Sabbath evening Miss North brought to
the school a parcel of little books on moral and
religious subjects, to give to such children as de
served them. Among the good children who re
ceived these rewards was Jane Clarke, a little girl
whose parents were both dead; but she lived with
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THE ..HISTORY OF
her -grandmother,' who had endeavored to instruct
her in the right way.
Jane was very much pleased with a new. gilt
book that was given her, and thanked Miss North
for her kindness. -As she was returning home
from school, a dirty, ragged girl ran up to her and
snatched the book from her hand. This little girl
was Lucy Jackson. She was the eldest daughter
of a carpenter who lived not far from Jane Clarke.
Poor Lucy’s parents would scarcely work, or do
any thing to maintain their family. Tom Jack
son, her father, had scarcely any business; for peo
ple did not like to employ a man who spent what
he earned at the tavern. He passed almost all
his time in idling about; and his wife, discouraged
by her husband’s sad conduct, gave herself up to
idleness and drinking. You may suppose, that
Lucy had been quite neglected. She did not know
how to read or work; nor was she taught that
swearing and lying are heinous sins ; for her par
ents never took any care of her themselves, nor
sent her to the Sabbath-school.
Jane begged Lucy Jackson to give her the book
again; but Lucy refused to do it. “You are tear
ing the leaves,” said Jane; “what will Miss
North say to me if she finds my book torn ?”
“ I only wanted to look at the pictures,” said
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LUCY JACKSON.
7
Lucy, as she threw the hook on. the ground.'
“There, take your.hook, for I don’t care about
it.”
Jane stooped down to pick up the hook, and at
the same time shed some tears. Jane did not cry
merely because Lucy .had torn her . hook, .but be
cause she was so wicked. . When'Lucy and Jane
were very, little children they'used often to be
playfellows, hut of late Lucy had become so
naughty, that Jane did not care to play with her,
though she still loved her; for she thought, that
if any body had taken a little trouble with her,
and taught her what was right, she might have
become a good girl.
“What is . the ; matter, my 'dear?” said her
grandmother to Jane, who continued weeping after
. she entered her cottage. After Jane had told her
all that had happened, her grandmother thus
began: ■
“ The best return, my dear child, that you can •
make to God for his kindness to you in giving,
you friends to take care of you, and good clothes
and food, is to try to be useful to those poof people
who are not so well provided for as yourself. . It
is true, that you have not. money to give to others
as rich people have, hut then you may he useful
in another way. It is your duty, and the duty of
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THE HISTORY OF
every body, whether rich or poor, to do as much
good as they can. Poor Lucy Jackson has no kind
friends to teach her what is right as you have
she does not go to the Sabbath-school; and her
parents are very wicked, and teach her to dp
things which she ought not to do. Now, perhaps,
if you were to take some pains with her, and teach
her gently and kindly what is right, and try to
convince her of the'wickedness of lying and stead
ying, she may mind what you say, and you may,
by the help of God, be the means of her becoming
a good girl. She is now alone in the cottage, as
her parents are both gone out, and have taken the
four younger children with them. But, my dear
Jane, if Lucy, instead of minding what you say,
should begin to talk wickedly, tell her how wrong
it is, but do not stay long with her. It is never
the duty of any body, much less of so young a
person, as you are, though you may mean ever so
■ well, to continue in bad company, lest they make
you as bad as they are themselves; for St. Paul
says, ‘ Evil communications corrupt good man
ners.’ ” 1 _
Jane, jumping up, said, “ I will go to poor Lucy
Jackson, and I will tell her how she may become
a good girl, that God may love her, and take her
to heaven when she dies.”
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LUCY JACKSON.
9
“Butbefore you go,” said tire old woman, “put
up your books in the drawer; for you know, my
dear Jane, all good children take care of the books
and rewards that their teachers are so kind as to
give them.” Jane did as her grandmother bade
her, and then ran out of the cottage to look for
Lucy Jackson, whom she found crying as if her
heart would break.
“ I am sorry to see you crying,” said Jane, run
ning up to Lucy; “I wish, indeed, I could give
you the book you want; but you know I must not
part with the rewards that Miss North is so kind
as to give to me; that would not be right at all;
but I tliink I know how you could get a book
quite as pretty.”
“ How ?” cried Lucy, who still looked very an
grily at her.
“ Oh, Lucy,” said she, “ if you would but be a
good girl, and go to the Sabbath-school, you would
get many books as pretty as mine; and, what is
better than that, God would love you, as he does
all good people. I know that you have not such
good advisers as I have, or many other little girls,
who have kind friends to teach them what is right;
but yet, if you would make the best of the oppor
tunities you have, you might learn to read the
Bible.” ’
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THE HISTORY OF
“ I should he ashamed to go to the Sabbath-
school,” said Lucy, “for I am as old as you are,
and I don’t know my-letters, and you can read in
the Testament.”, ,
“Well, then,” answered Jane, “though you.,
might go to school even now, as ignorant "as you
are, yet I will teach you a little ; and then you
will be more willing to go to Mr. North’s school.”
“I have no time for learning,” said Lucy ; “I
am forced to nurse my little brother almost all
day.”' / ' : -
, “ I am sure you cannot spend your time better
than in nursing your little brother,” answered
Jane; “but I think you may contrive to learn to
spell when your brother is asleep. I will come
and try to teach you to pray to our heavenly Fa
ther, the giver of all good, that he would give you
his grace to amend your ways, and to dispose your
heart to learn. Do you know that it is said in
the Bible by God himself, that all liars will have
their portion in a lake burning for ever with fire
and brimstone? Mind, you must never take any
thing which belongs to another person, nor use
naughty words, nor quarrel, nor fight; for if you
do these things God will be very angry with you,
and punish your soul for eyer after--your body
dies..” • '
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LUCY JACKSON.
11
“Indeed!” said Lucy, “is this all true? for I
never heard of it before.”
“ I am very sorry your parents have riot taught
you these things; but I as sure youthey are very
-true.”
- “ What, then, shall I do ?” said Lucy, crying;
“for I am sure God.must be angry with me, for
I have often told lies, and stolen other people’s
things; and I have quarrelled with my playfel
lows, and called them names.”
“ If you are sorry for what you have done,”
said Jane, “and will try to amend your doings,
and sincerely pray to G-od, especially every morn
ing and evening, to assist you by his Holy Spirit,
that you may not wilfully disobey his command
ments, he is so good and merciful that he has pro
vided a mediator, Jesus Christ our Lord, who died
to redeem sinners like you—and through whom
you may be forgiven; and when you die he wall
take your soul to heaven, where you will live
with angels, and the spirits of good people made
perfect.”
“I will try to be a good girl,” said Lucy, “ and
I hope that God will love me. Nobody ever told
me so much as you have ; and we never go to
church to hear Parson North.”
“I shall always be glad to teach you what I
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THE HISTORY OF
know,” answered Jane, “ and I will pray to God
that you may become a good girl. Another day
I will come and see you again ; but I cannot stay p
any longer with you now, for I know my grand-' /
mother will want me.” ■' 0
' The.two girls then parted, aird Jane ran hornet
to her grandmother with great joy to tell her of
all she said to Lucy.
u ,God bless you, my dear child,” said the old
woman, “ for your readiness to, instruct this poor
girl; and may God bless your instructions to the
good of her soul.”
Jane then sat down by her grandmother to eat
her supper, while the old woman read a chapter
out of the Bible, which she always did on an even
ing, and afterwards she committed their souls and
bodies to the care of the blessed God in humble,
prayer.
As soon on Monday morning as Jane had swept
the house and breakfasted, her grandmother gave
her the book and her knitting to take to school.
Jane set off that morning somewhat earlier than
usual, that she might call upon Lucy Jackson,
and see how she had taken what had been said
the night before.
Jane knocked some time at Lucy’s door before
it was opened; at last Lucy came and unlatched
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■ LUCY JACKSON.
13
the door; but she seemed hardly awake, though
it was eight o’clock. “ Well,” said she, “ come
in, Jane.”
“This place is very unlike my grandmother’s '
little cottage,” said Jane to herself; “how I pity
Lucy, who has such had parents.” The floor
looked as if it had not been swept for a month;
every thing was in disorder ; and the three young
er children were sprawling upon the ground, and
screaming for their breakfast.
“Where is your mother?” said Jane; “is she
not up yet ?”
“ She never gets up very early,” answered
Lucy; “so there is nobody but myself to dress
the children.”
“ But I hope you will get up earlier,” said Jane ;
“ for if you do, I can come and teach you the let
ters and the catechism before she comes down.”
“ Sometimes I am forced to get up early,” said
Lucy; “but if you.will come and teach me my
catechism, I will gladly get up as soon as you
like.”
“Indeed,, Lucy,” said Jane, “if you wish to
have God’s blessing, and be of some use to your
parents, you should always get up early in the
morning, and sweep the house, and wash and dress
the children, and as your mother comes down so
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THE HISTORY OF
late, you may get all this done, and offer up a
prayer to God, and sometimes learn to spell a few
words before she is down; and then, when you
have had your breakfast, you should try tp' help
her in any thing she has to do; for yourare old
enough now to do a great many useful things ; so
when you have any time, don’t waste it in idle
play, hut try to. mend your clothes, or learn your
catechism, or even teach any thing that you know
to your eldest brother.” .
“ Well, I will try to do these things,” said Lucy.
“ God will assist you in your endeavors,” said
Jane, “if you pray to him fervently from the
heart, for his help. Have you prayed to him this
morning?”
• “Hot yet,” answered Lucy; “I don’t know
how to pray.”
“ Come, then,” said Jane, “ we will pray to
gether.” So, kneeling down, she bade Lucy repeat
the Lord’s prayer after her.
. “ When we are engaged in prayer,” said Jane,
“ we should try to think of God, and not of our
household work, or our play; for you know God not
only sees what we are doing, but he can tell what
we are thinking of; and if we think of things we
ought not to think of, he will he angry With us.
“ I will just repeat to you the'prayers which I
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LUCY JACKSON
15
have learned hy heart; and when you come to
see me, my grandmother will tell you the mean
ing of every line in them ; for we should not think
G-od accepts or answers a mere set of words, while
we are careless about their meaning. This is
appearing to draw near to God with our mouths,
while our hearts are far from him.
MORNING PRAYER.
“Preserve me, Lord, amidst tlie crowd,
From every thought that’s vain and proud;
And raise my wondering mind to see
Ilow good it is to trust in thee :
. From all the enemies of thy truth
Do thou, 0 Lord, preserve my youth;
And raise my mind from worldly cares,
From youthful sins, and youthful snares:
Lord, though my heart’s as hard as stone,
Let seeds of early grace he sown;
Still watered hy thy heavenly love,
Till they spring up to joys above !”
' EVENING PRAYER.
“I go to bed as to my grave,
And pray to God my life to save •,
But should I die before I wake,
I pray to God my soul to take :
Blest Jesus, now to thee I cry,
To grant me mercy ere I die,
To send me light, and grant me grace,
That heaven may he my dwelling-place.”
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THE HISTORY OF
“ They are very pretty,” said Lucy, bursting
into” tears; “ but 0, will God forgive me my wick
edness, and will he indeed hear me when I pray
to him ?”
“Yes, my dear Lucy,” replied Jane, with her
heart full of tenderness, “ God will hear and for
give you, for the sake of Jesus Christ.”
Jane then sat down and taught Lucy the first
four letters of her alphabet, and then she left her,
for it was time to go to school.
When Jane was gone, Lucy immediately set
about sweeping the room, and making it clean,
and getting breakfast ready. Indeed, said she to
herself, I see it is very easy to be of some use; it
is much better to clean the house than to idle
about, and quarrel with my brothers and sisters.
She then sat down on the step, and while she was
washing her little brother, she repeated the four
letters to herself; and afterwards she tried to teach
them to her eldest brother. This is a very good
method, and I wish all boys and girls would fol
low it. When they have learned any useful thing,
if they would teach it to one of their little play
fellows, they would remember it a great deal
better themselves, and at the same time make
themselves very useful to others.
By and by her mother, Mrs. Jackson, came
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LUCY" JACKSON
17
down stairs. When Lucy saw her she began to
be afraid, for she appeared very cross, and soon
began to scold her. Indeed, almost all the time
that her mother was at breakfast she was finding
fault with her on various accounts, for which the
poor child was not to blame. Lucy felt almost
ready, as usual, to say something unkind to her
mother; but she remembered that Jane Clarke
had told her that if she would bear her mother’s
anger with patience, and obey and love God, God
would love her, arid make'her'one of his children.
She therefore endeavored to bear with meekness
all the angry words of her mother, not answering
again.
Tliis is certainly the best way; for if you answer
people gently who are cross and unkind, they will
much sooner get into good-humor than if you con
tinue to provoke them with harsh words; for it
is said in the Bible, “ A soft answer turneth away
wrathand I must say for Mrs. Jackson, that
she was more kind to Lucy when she found her so
mild and so ready to do any thing to assist her.
Whenever Jane called upon her, Lucy always
knew her lesson, and she would talk to her about
good thirigs ; hideed she had become quite another
sort of child, and the household things began to
look clean and neat. Lucy’s father, though he
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THE HISTORY OF
was an idle, drinking man, was very glad to find
his supper ready for him in a clean dish when he
came home and I do think that this more encour-
aged him to work than all the good advice he had
received from his neighbors. /
One Saturday, morning, I think it might be
about two months after. Lucy, had begun to attend
to her learning, Jane said to her, “I don’t see
what is to hinder you from going to the Sabbath-
school, now you can read a little ; for indeed you
might have-gone when you did not know one
letter from an oth er. ” . .
“ Oh, if my mother would let me,” said Lucy,
“ how glad I should be; but then who will take
care of my little brother when I am away ?”
“Let us go to my grandmother,” said Jane;
“she can tell you best what,to do.”
When the old woman saw Lucy, and knew
that she wanted to go to the Sabbath-school, she
said, ■ . .
“ I have heard, my dear child, of your good
conduct; I, will go myself to your mother, and
.speak to her.about sending you to the Sabbath-
school, and beg her to take care of your. little
brother while you are gone ; but first let me look
at your gown.. Little girls that go to. the, Sab-
bath-school should try to make themselves as neat
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LUCY JACKSON..
19
as they can, and this gown might he mended so
as to look mnch better.”
While the old woman was gone to talk with
Mrs. Jackson, Lucy mended her gown. When
she came hack she said, “Well, Lucy, your mother
has consented at last to let you go.” When Lucy
heard this she almost cried for joy, and thanked
her and Jane many times for their kindness.
“ You deserve every thing I can do for you,
Lucy,” said the old lady, “ for the pains you have
taken to become a good girl. Now return home,
and let your mother see that you are thankful to
her for permitting you to go to the Sabbath-
school.”
Lucy did as the old lady bade her,.and thanked
her mother for her kindness, and before she went
to bed she remembered also to thank God for the
kind friends he had given her.
The next morning she rose at a very early hour,-
and at eight o’clock called upon Jane Clarke, with
whom she was to'go to the Sabbath-school. It was
a beautiful summer’s morning, and the village
bells were ringing cheerfully, and might have
brought to one’s mind the exhortation of the apos
tle Paul: “ Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead; and Christ shall give thee light.”
When Jane Clarke saw Lucy coming she ran
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THE HISTORY OF
out, and brought her into her grandmother’s cot
tage.
The old woman, looking kindly at her, said,
“ My dear Lucy, you have made such good use of
the little opportunities you have had of learning,
that I have no doubt you will mind all that is
said to you at the Sabbath-school. Endeavor to
learn all you can. When you have said your
lesson, you will go to church with the other'chil
dren ; but as I am afraid you have not often been
there, I will try to explain the nature of the Sab
bath, and for what purposes we go to the house
of the Lord.”
Lucy and Jane were silent, and the good woman
thus began“ God is a spirit, and, knows our
thoughts as perfectly as we know them ourselves;
and therefore, to be acceptable in his sight, ‘we
must worship him in spirit and in truth.’. This
may be done anywhere, and at any time, by
truly Christian people; and God, the giver of all
good, is prayed to- and praised daily, by all who
know their own unworthiness and sinfulness, and
desire his forgiveness and favor. We meet, how
ever, with so many hinderances while engaged in
our lawful callings, that our good and gracious
God has commanded us to lay aside worldly cares
and labors for one day, at least, in every seven.
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LUCY JACKSON.
21
The Sabbath was instituted that the poor may
rest from their toils, and the rich from their anxi
eties, and meet together as children of one Father—
who ‘ maketh poor and maketh rich,’ who hring-
eth low, and raiseth up—and as seekers of the
same common salvation, which is promised to
penitent sinners through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Public worship, or worship in which many people
unite, is as complete a representation of heaven
as any thing upon earth can possibly he. It is
ordained by Christ, the head of the church, as
the means of grace, or the method whereby true
worshippers on earth are prepared for the perfec
tion of worship and of happiness in heaven. He-
member, therefore, to keep holy the Sabbath-day ;
for if you keep holy the Sabbath, God the Holy
Ghost will sanctify you, and direct your way
comfortably through this life to a better.
“ In our way to the house of God we should
avoid all trifling and foolish discourse. What it
may be lawful to converse about on the working-
days, may be sinful conversation on the Sabbath ;
for our Sabbaths ought to be employed on better
things—on subjects whereby we may learn to love
God more and serve him better. When we enter
the church, we should lift up our hearts to G od in
prayer. It ought to be our desire that God wxrald
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THE HISTORY OF
make the service profitable to our souls, as oui
weekly labor has been to our subsistence—that he
would enable us to worship him aright by the
influence of the Holy Spirit on our hearts—that
those things may. please him in whibh we are
about to be engaged—that the rest of our lives
here.after may be sincere and holy—and that, at
the last, through Christ Jesus, we may come to
his eternal kingdom and glory.”
When the good woman had ended her discourse,
Lucy thanked her for what she had told her, and
promised never to forget it. The two children
then set out for the school, talking all the way
about what they should do there, and of what
they had just heard. As soon as they were come
to the Sabbath-school room, Jane placed Lucy
upon one of the benches where the little boys and
girls were sitting.
As soon as Miss North saw Lucy, she said to
her, “ I am very glad to see you here ; I hope that
you will come regularly, and hot play about on
Sabbaths, as you have done.” Miss North then
asked Lucy if she knew her letters. She was
afraid to speak for a minute, but afterwards she
told the lady what trouble Jane Clarke had taken
to teach her, and how by her persuasion she had
come to the Sabbath-school. When Miss North
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LUCY JACKSON.
23
heard this, she called Jane Clarke to her. “ I am
very much pleased,” said she, “ with what I hear
of your kindness to this child ; I am sure, my dear
girl, it will provide you friends in this world, and
God’s Blessing will rest upon you. You see, my
little friends,” she added, turning to the other chil
dren, “ that it is in your power, young as you are, to
do. a great deal of good, and I hope you will all fol
low the example that Jane Clarke has set you. We
cannot Begin too early to endeavor to Be useful to
our fellow-creatures.” Miss North then gave a
pretty Book of stories to Lucy to encourage her,.
When the children , had said their lessons, they
walked very orderly and thoughtfully to church.
When the service was over, the children sepa
rated and returned . home to dinner. Thomas
Jackson was very much pleased when his daugh
ter Lucy showed him her new Book; for though
he was But a Bad sort of man himself, he was
glad to see any improvement in his daughter’s
conduct. .Lucy went to the SaBBath-school again
in the afternoon; and at night, Before she lay
down in Bed, she thanked God for the opportu
nity he had given her, and which so many poor
children had never enjoyed.
On Wednesday morning, Mr. North called at
their cottage while Thomas Jackson and his wife
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THE. HISTORY OF
were at breakfast, and Lucy was gone on an er;
rand for her mother. “I am come,” said he, as
he sat down by the door, “ to talk ,to you ahout
your little girl. My daughter was .(very much
pleased with her . coming to the SaTobatK-school;
but I am afraid she does hot owe much of the
good she has learned to any pains you have taken
with her. Indeed, Thomas,” added Mr.. North,
“to speak plainly to you, I must say that I have
seen very much in your conduct which, if you
wish well to your family or to your own soul, you
must think of amending immediately. You are
answerable to G-od for more than you seem.to.be
aware. It is your duty, at least, to bring up. your
family in as decent a way as you can—to turn
what you can obtain honestly to the .best account,
and to spend it in your family. You will be an
swerable at the day of judgment for.the use you
make of your time, and the words that fall from
your lips. This is a serious matter, and I would
have you think seriously of it. For any care you
have taken' with Lucy, she may be an idle, un
godly woman, and die under the wrath of God ;
and are you sure that your other children may not
be inclining to wicked courses, which.they.may
follow through life, and which may lead them to
everlasting destruction ?” •
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LUCY JACKSON.
25
Thomas laid down his bread and cheese, and
looked on the ground, while the tears almost came
from his eyes ; but his wife did not seem to care
for what Mr. North said. She looked angry, and
could scarce hinder herself from telling Mr. North
that he had no right to interfere with other peo
ple’s affairs.
“ I have spoken so plainly to you, Thomas,”
said Mr. North—who saw that the man’s mind
was softened—" not to make you uneasy, but that
you may, in time, repent of your faults, and be
come a better man. Believe in Christ, and you
will not find amendment so, difficult as you may
think; and I promise you, that if you love and
serve him, and pray for his forgiveness and grace,
and endeavor to lead a sober life, I will be your
friend; what is more, God will be your friend,
and then his blessing will rest upon you in time
and eternity.”
Mr. North, turning to Sarah Jackson, added,
" What I have said to your husband will not, I
hope, be lost upon you. Whatever faults you have,
it is as much your duty as it is his, to pray to God
to be forgiven; and remember, Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners.” The woman
made no answer, but turned sullenly away. Thom
as followed ,Mr. North to the door, but could not
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26
THE HISTORY OF
speak a word. “ Well, Thomas,” said Mr. North,
“ think of what I have said; another day I will
call upon you again.”
When the minister was gone, Thomas went to
his workshop very thankful for the' good advice he
had. received, and resolving in his mind that he
would do the best'he could, and try to avoid re
peating his old faults. Indeed, for some time,
when he was by himself, and no bad companions
were present to tempt him to evil, he was both
diligent and sober. It must be confessed, it is a
very hard thing for sinful creatures as we are,
when we have formed evil habits, to lay them
aside; and for that reason we should he very
careful, that in our youth we take the advice of
good: people, and not fancy, as some young folks
foolishly do, that /it is time enough to think of
doing well when, by bodily infirmities, we are act
ually unable any longer to lead a riotous life.
■ Thomas as yet did not even try in the best way
he could to pray to God in private, that God would
keep him by his grace from falling into sin, and
enable him to lead a new life; arid, for want of
asking God’s help through Christ, he often neg
lected what he had learned, and fell into evil.
Sometimes he seemed to be very well inclined,
and sorry for his past sins ; he would resolve never
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LUCY. JACKSON.
27
to go to the tavern again; and perhaps the next
hour one of his old companions would come to
entreat him to go with him there ; and he hut too
readily would consent. Thus he was continually
forgetting the good advice Mr. North gave him,
and would often return to his evil habits, because
he had not courage to bear a laugh from a few of
his worthless, drunken companions. After a time,
however, he became more sober and serious. I
wish I could say his wife regarded what Mi'. North
said as much as her husband did; but she was a
very bad woman, and had such foolish pride; that
she. thought it beneath her to be advised by others.
When Thomas used to tell her of her faults, she
would fly into such a passion, and make use of
such words, that it was quite shocking to hear
her. Lucy felt very thankful to G-od for having
inclined her father to attend to the concerns of his
soul; and she thought it her duty to do all in her
power to lead him to heaven by reading the holy
Scriptures to him, as all children should' do, when
they can. Sometimes, when her mother was
scolding, and would not mind what Thomas said
to her about the wickedness of her tongue, he also
would give way to passion, and threaten, that if
he could not be quiet at home, he would go to the
tavern, and try to be quiet there. Lucy'would
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28
THE HISTORY OF
always on these occasions talk to him so dutifully
about any good things she knew, that he would
presently become pacified, and feel happy that she
had prevented his going from home. As he could
not read himself, she would in the evening read
to him some good hook that Miss North had lent
her, as a reward for her regular attendance at
school. By these means she often kept her father
from bad company, and, by the grace of God, put
serious thoughts into his mind.
About this time Sarah Jackson was taken very
ill/and confined at home. For some time she
would not have the doctor sent for. She dreaded
to be told her life was in danger, so much was
she afraid of any thing that put her in mind of
death. At last, about two months after she had
become sick, Thomas sent for the doctor. She
was now wasted almost to a skeleton, and at times
tormented with pain, and was moreover so fierce
and impatient, that it was dreadful to see her.
"When the doctor came, he said “ there was no
hope, as the woman could, not live many days.”
Thomas then begged Mr. North to come and pray
with her; for he wished that his wife might be
brought to a sense of her sins, and obtain the for
giveness of God. When Mr. North came, he found
her in a most shocking state. Her eyes looked
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LUCY JACKSON.
29
wild, and cold sweats came over lier, and she
seemed to have lost her reason. When she ap
peared composed, Mr. North "began to talk to her
on the wickedness of her life, and recommended
her to pray to God, that, for Christ’s sake, he
would have mercy upon her never-dying soul,
though at almost the last hour of her bodily life.
The dying creature could hardly hear to hear
him.
“No,” she said, “do not talk to me of repent
ance—it is too late—I cannot hope for mercy—I
have been a very wicked sinner—I have neglected
my family, and taught my children, by my exam
ple, to lie and steal and swear and disobey God’s
commandments; and now, by my own fault, I
have brought on myself this dreadful disorder,
which will put an end to my wretched life, and,
what is more, I fear I shall he miserable for ever.
My portion will be among the wicked in hell, and
I dare not, I cannot hope for mercy.”
Poor Lucy, who was almost always standing by
the bedside, when she heard her mother speak in
this way, would cry as if her heart would break.
“ Oh, Lucy,” cried the poor woman, “ you have
no cause for grief; you have early taken the right
path, and God will he your friend, and bless you
here and in the world to come. May you never
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30.
THE HISTORY OF
forget tire- dying state of your wretched mother,
and learn from that to flee the. ways of wicked
ness, which end in death eternal.”.
This unhappy woman soon lost' her speech, and
seemed determined not to listen do what Mr. North
said, but appeared to be in the greatest agony of
mind. In that state she remained for some days,
and died as if in absolute despair of forgiveness.
Whether it was so or not, God only knows.
The shocking death of his wife, and the repeat
ed conversations of Mr. North, had, by the grace
of God, such an effect upon Thomas, that he ever
after abhorred his former evil courses, became dili
gent and conscientious, and regularly frequented
public worship; and as . might be expected, was
a very industrious man through the latter part of
his life.
I am sorry, however, to say, that Jackson’s
former habits of sottishness were supposed to have
been the cause of the had state of health which he
often experienced. This was a hard trial for Lucy.
Through his frequent illness, her father’s labor
was not enough to maintain a whole family; so
she tried, with the help of her two eldest brothers.,
who were stout, hearty boys, to obtain a little
work of various kinds from the people of the vil
lage. Very diligent indeed they were; and with
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LUCY JACKSON.
31
what their father could occasionally do, they kept
themselves docent and comfortable. An honest,
industrious person, though he may be in a state of
poverty, need never despair; for he may be sure
God has sent that trial upon him for the good of
his soul, and that he will deliver him out of his
distress in the best time and way. Thus it was
with Thomas and his family. They did as much
as they could; and then they, knew they might
trust to God for the rest. .
Lucy, young as she was, was much respected
throughout the village, and her dutiful and kind
- behavior to her father was not overlooked by the
neighbors. It Was a pleasing sight to see Thomas
and his family sitting together in an evening, and
Lucy, who, with God’s blessing, had been the
means of all the good in the house, diligent at her
work, while one of the younger children was read
ing a chapter of the Bible, or a portion of some
religious book which was lent them. The father,
when ill health prevented his going out, used to
say, that he never was so happy as when he was
listening to one of his children while reading a
good book to him, or when he was giving them
any seasonable advice. He considered it as a par
ticular blessing, that God had put his children in
the way of obtaining religious learning, as he,
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32 THE HISTORY OF LUCY JACKSON.
poor man, had often pursued very evil courses
from not knowing how to read his Bible, or to find
happiness at home. -
It need only be added, that Jane Clarke, by
whose first instructions so happy a change had
been produced in Jackson’s family, dutifully at
tended upon her good grandmother, who had be
come blind through age, and had bequeathed to
Jane the freehold cottage in which they lived.
After the death of this good woman, Jane was
married to a respectable man, became a teacher
at the Sabbath-school, and continued to be beloved
by all who knew her. •
SlOBAG'S I
52,628 \ .
16 1 „ .
bah* i
!
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H YMNS
FOR
CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
— 10—
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.
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TABLE OF FIEST LINES.
No.
A sinner, Lord, behold I stand, - 28
Christ the Lord is risen to-day, - 17
Come, humble sinner, in -whose
br« ast, - 41
Cim:, let us join our cheerful
songs, 13
Come, my soul, thy suit pre
pare, 30
Come, thou Fount of every
blessing, 18
Come, ye sinners, poor and
-wretched, - 23
For the mercies of this day, - - - 39
From all that dwell below the
skies, - - 5
Glory to God on high, 12
God, “ only wise,” to thee Ilook, 37
Gracious Spirit, love divine, - - - 34
Great God, how infinite art
thou, 2
Hasten, 0 sinner, to be wise,-- 20
Holy Bible, book divine, 1
How blessed was the day, 8
How dreadful, Lord, will be the
day, 47
How gracious is my God, 3
Jesus, and shall it ever be, 10
Jesus, Lord, we look to thee, - - 33
Jesuswas once despised and low, 9
Lo, at noon, ’tis sudden night, 10
Lord, dismiss us with thy bless
ing, ' 48
■ Lord, I have dared to disobey, - 29
Lord, I would own thy tender
care, - - 4
Lord of the Sabbath, I rejoice, 35
My God, thy service well de
mands,— 44
No.
Now that my journey’s just be
gun, 40
Now the morning’s cheerful
light, - 3S
Once more, before we part, 49
Praise God, from whom all
blessings flow, 50
Shalllpresume to venture near, 25
Soon as my youthful lips can
speak, - 32
Stop, poor sinner, stop and
think, ; 21
Swift as the winged arrow flies, 42
Thee we adore, eternal Name,- 40
There is a fountain filled with
blood. - 15
There is a path that leads to
God, - 2-1
This is the day when Christ ^
Thou Guardian of our youthful
days, 11
’Tisbutashort,uncertainspacc, 19
’Tis religion that can give, 22
To thee I look, OLord, 30
What is there, Lord, a child
can do, 27
When daily I kneel down to
When 'languor and disease in
vade, 43
When marshalled on the night
ly plain, 14
Where shall I be when I shall
go, - 45
When to the house of God wo
R°, 7
With humble heart and tongue, 31
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HYMNS
FOR
CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
EXCELLENCY OF THE BIBLE. 7’:
1 HOLY Bible, book divine;
Precious treasure, thou art mine;
Mine, to tell me whence I came;
Mine, to teach me what I am:
2 Mine, to chide me when I rove;
Mine, to show a Saviour’s love;
Mine art thou, to guide my feet,
Mine, to judge, condemn, acquit:
3 Mine, to comfort in distress,
If the Holy Spirit bless;
Mine, to show by living faith,
Man can triumph over death :
4 Mine, to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner’s doom:
0 thou precious book divine ;
Precious treasure, thou art mine 1
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HYMNS FOR
2. GOD INFINITE AND ETERNAL. C. M.
1 GREAT God, how infinite art thou;
What worthless worms are we!
Let the whole race of creatures bow,
And pay then- praise to thee.
2 Thy throne eternal ages stood,
Ere seas or stars were made :
Thou art the ever-living God,
Were all the nations dead.
3 N ature and time quite nalred lie
To thine immense survey,
Erom the formation of the sky
To the great burning day.
4 Eternity, with all its years,
Stands present in thy view :
To thee"there’s nothing old appears;
To thee there’s nothing new.
5 Our lives through various scenes are drawn,
, And vexed with trifling cares;
While thine eternal thought moves on
Thine undisturbed affairs.
6 Great God, how infinite art thou;
What worthless worms are we !
Let the whole race of creatures bow,
• And pay their praise to thee.
3. THANKSGIVING FOR HEALTH. ' S. M.
1 HOW gracious is my God,
Who gives me more than wealth,
And more than mortals could bestow,
: The precious gift of health. '
2 That health I would devote
To spread his praise abroad,
And would my youthful hours employ
To love and serve my God. ■
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CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
5
3 How many children'lie
On beds of grief and pain;
They hope and wait for health and ease,-
But hope and wait in vain.
4 Oh, may I ne’er forget
My God so good and land,
But serve him with my every power
Of body and of mind.
4. BLESSINGS OF PROVIDENCE.' C. M.
1 Lord, I would own thy tender care,
And all thy love to me;
The food I eat, the clothes I wear,
Are all bestowed by thee.
.2 ’Tis thou preservest me from death
And dangers, every hour;
-I cannot draw another breath,
Unless thou give the power.
3 My health and friends, and parents dear,
To me by God are given;
I have not any blessing here, 1
But what is sent from heaven.
4 Such goodness, Lord, and constant care,
A child can ne’er repay;
But may it be my daily prayer,
To love thee and obey.
. 5. UNIVERSAL PRAISE. L. M.
1 PROM all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise;
Let the Redeemer’s name be sung
Through every land, by every tongue.
2 Eternal are thy mercies, Lord,
Eternal truth attends thy word;
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns shall rise and set no more.
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HYMNS FOE.
6. LORD’S DAY MORNING. C. M.
1 THIS is the day when Christ arose
So early from the dead; :
Why should I keep my eyelids closed.,
And waste my horns in bed ?
2 This is the day when Jesus broke
The power of death and hell;
And shall I still wear Satan’s yoke,
And love my sins so well ?
3 To-day with pleasure Christians meet
To pray and hear the word :
And I will go with cheerful feet,
' To learn thy will, 0 Lord.
4 I’ll leave my sport, to read and pray,
. And so prepare for heaven;
0 may I love this blessed day,
The best of all the seven. . *.
ATTENDING PUBLIC WORSHIP. L. M
WHEN to the house of God we go,
To hear his word and sing his love,
We ought to worship him below
As saints and angels do above :
Eor God is present everywhere,
And watches all. our thoughts and way?
He marks who humbly join in'prayer,
And who sincerely sing his praise.
The triflers too his eye can see,
Who only seem to take a part;
They move the lip and bend the knee,
But do not seek him with their heart.
0 may we never trifle so,
Nor lose the days our God has given;
But learn, by Sabbaths here below,
To spend eternity in heaven.
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CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
8. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. S. M.
1 HOW blessed was the day
When Christ appeared on earth;
Angels and men together join
To hail the Saviour’s birth.
2 How kind that he became
A little child like me;
A child of poor and lowly name
The Saviour deigned to be.
3 The stable was his room,
The manger was his bed;
The birthplace of the King of kings
Was where the oxen fed.
4 Hail, gracious heavenly Prince !
To thee let children fly;
And on thy kindest providence
0 may we all rely.
9. CHRIST’S CONDESCENSION. C. M.
1 JESUS was once despised and low,
A stranger, and distressed;
Without a home to which to go,
Or pillow where to rest :
2 Once he was bound with prickly thorns,
And scoffed at in his pain;
Now a bright crown his head adorns,
And he is King again.
3 But what a condescending King!
Who, though he reigns so high,
Is pleased when little children sing,
And listens to then cry.
4 He sees them from his heavenly throne,
He watches all their ways,
And stoops to notice for his own
The youngest child that prays.
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HYMNS FOR
10. NOT ASHAMED OF CHRIST. L. M.
1 JESUS, and shall it ever be,
A mortal man ashamed of thee ?
Ashamed of thee, whom angels praise,
Whose glories shine through endless days ?
2 Ashamed of Jesus ! sooner far
Let evening blush to own a star;
He sheds the beams of light divine
O’er this benighted soul of mine.
3 -Ashamed of Jesus ! just as soon
Let midnight be ashamed of noon;
’Tis midnight with my soul till He,
Bright Morning-Star, bids darkness flee.
4 Ashamed of Jesus ! that dear Eriend ,
On whom iny hopes of heaven depend !
No; when I blush, be this my shame,
That 1 no more revere his name.
5 Ashamed of Jesus ! yes, I may,
When I’ve no guilt to wash away,
No tear, to wipe, no good to crave,
No fears to quell, no soul to save.
6 Till'then, nor is my boasting vain—
Till then I ’11 boast a Saviour slain:
And 0 may this my glory be,
That Christ is not ashamed of me.
. CHRIST THE CHILDREN’S FRIEND. C. M.
1 THOU Guardian of our youthful days,
To thee our prayers ascend :
To thee we’ll tune our,songs of praise;
• Thou art “the children’s Eriend.”
2 From thee our daily mercies flow,
Our life and health descend: 1
0 save our souls from sin and woe,
Jesus, “ the children’s Eriend.”
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CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
9
3 Teach us to prize thy holy word,
And to its truths attend;
Thus shall we learn to fear the Lord,
And love.“the children’s Triend.”
4 Lord, draw our youthful hearts to thee,
Trom every ill defend;
Help us in early life to flee
To thee, “the children’s Triend.”
5 0 may we taste of Jesus’ love,
To him our souls commend;
Tor Jesus left the realms above,
To be “the children’s Triend.”
6 Let all our hopes be fixed on high,
And when our lives shall end,
Then may we live above the sky
With thee, “the children’s Triend.”
12. LOVE OF CHRIST. S. M.
1 GLORY to God on high,
Let peace on earth abound;
Ye angels shout through all the sky,
And men repeat the sound.
2 Jesus appeared on earth,
Not as a prince or king;
He came a child of humble birth,
Good-will and peace to bring.
3 The young received his love,
His blessing and his care;
And now he reigns supreme above,
May we that blessing share.
4 This day may he impart
The riches of his grace,
That we may now, with broken heart,
In earnest seek his face.
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10
HYMNS' FOit
5 .Thus may tlie young begin
To love the ways of truth;
To shun the slippery paths of sin,'
. And walk with God hi youth.
13. WORTHY THE LAMB. C. M.
1 COME, let us join our cheerful songs
With angels round the throne;
■ Ten thousand thousand are their tongues, ■
But all their joys are one.
2 “Worthy the Lamb that died,” they cry,
“ To be exalted thus : .
“ Worthy the Lamb,” our lips reply, .
“ Eor he was slain for us.”
3 Jesus is worthy to receive
Honor and power divine:
And blessings more than we can give,
Be, Lord, for ever thine.
4 Let all that dwell above the sky,
And air and earth and seas,
Conspire to lift thy glories high,
And speak thine endless praise.
5 The whole creation join in one,
To bless the sacred name
Of Him that sits upon the throne,
And to adore the Lamb. '
14. THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM. L. M.
1 WHEN, marshalled on the nightly plain.
The glittering host bestud the sky,
One star alone of all the train
Can fix the sinner’s wandering eye.
2 Hark! hark ! to God the chorus breaks
Erom every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks,
It is the Star of Bethlehem.
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\
CHILDREN XND YOUTH.
3 Once on the raging seas I rode;
The storm was loud—the night was dark—
The ocean yawned—and rudely blowed
The wind that tossed my foundering hark
4 Deep horror then my vitals froze,
Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem;
' When suddenly a star arose,
It was the Star of Bethlehem.
5 It was my guide, my light, my all,
It made my dark forebodings cease;
And through the storm and danger’s thrall,
It led me to the port of peace. _
6 Now safely moored, my perils o’er,
I’ll sing, first in night’s diadem,
For ever, and for. evermore,
The Star, the Star of Bethlehem.
15. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. C. M. ;
1 THEBE is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
2 The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there would I, though vile as he.
Wash all my sins away.
3 Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
. 4 Ere since by faith I saw the stream
.Thy flowing wounds supply,
Hedeeming love has been my theme.
And "Shall be till I die.
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HYMNS FOR
Then in . a nobler, sweeter song,
I ’11 sing thy power to save;
When This poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies, silent in the grave.
,16. CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST. 7’s.
1 LO, at noon ’tis sudden night!
Darkness covers all the sky !
Locks are rending at the sight!
Children, can you tell me why ?
What can all these wonders be ?
Jesus dies at Calvary!
2 Nailed upon the cross, behold
How his tender limbs are torn !
Tor a royal crown of gold,
They have made him one of thorn: .
Cruel hands, that dare to bind
Thorns upon a brow so kind!
3 See, the blood is falling fast
Trom his forehead and his side !
Hark ! he now has breathed his last!
With a mighty groan he died !
Children, shall I tell you why
Jesus condescends to die?
4 You were wretched, weak, and vile;
You deserved his holy frown :
But he saw you with a smile,
And to save you hastened down :
Listen, children—this is why
Jesus condescends to die.
17. RESURRECTION OF CHRIST! 7’a.
1 CHLIST the Lord is risen to-day!
Sons of men and angels say;
Laise your joys and triumphs high:
Singj ye heavens, and earth Teply.
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© ,
■ CHILDREN AND YOUTH. 13
2 Love’s redeeming work is done;
Fought the fight, the hattle won :
Lo, the sun’s eclipse is o’er,
Lo, he sets in blood 110 more.
3 Vain the stone, the watch, the seal,
Christ has burst the gates of hell:
Death in vain forbids his rise;
Christ has opened Paradise.-
4 Lives again our glorious King!
“Where, 0 Death, is now thy sting?”
Once he died our souls to save ;
“Where’s thy victory, boasting grave?”
18. GRATITUDE TO CHRIST. 7’s.
1 COME, thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace ;
Streams of mercy never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
2 Teach me some melodious measure,
Sung by raptured saints above;
Fill my heart with sacred pleasure
While I sing redeeming love.
3 Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He to rescue me from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.
4- Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to he;
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
Find my wandering heart to thee.
19. DANGER OF DELAY IN RELIGION. C. M.
1 ’TIS but a short uncertain space
Allowed us here to live :
Death, unperceived, comes on apace,
And may no warning give.
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HYMNS FOR
2 Nor great, nor small, nor old, nor young,
His fatal dart can fly;
The rich, the poor, the weak, the strong,
Without distinction die.
3 This day, for any thing we know,
May prove to he our last;
Tor death may strike the fatal blow,
Ere the next hour he past. -
4 And shall we trifle and delay,
And still keep sinning on;
Neglect ourselves from day to-day,
Till life and time are gone ?
5 The present moment let us seize,
Eor this alone is ours :
Now set ourselves our God to please, •
With all our active powers.
6 To-day, while it is called to-day,
Let us regard this truth;
Since danger must attend delay,
To every thoughtless youth.
20. DANGER OF DELAY. L. M.
1 HASTEN, 0 sinner, to he wise,
And stay not for the morrow’s sun;
The longer wisdom you despise,
The harder is she to he won.
2 0 hasten, mercy to implore,
And stay not for the morrow’s sun;
For-fear thy season should he o’er,-
Before this evening’s stage be rim.
3 0 hasten, sinner, to return,
And stay not for the morrow’s sun;
For fear thy lamp should cease to burn
Before the needful work is done.
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CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
15
4 0 hasten, sinner, to be blest,
And stay not for the morrow’s sun;
For fear the curse should thee arrest,
Before the morrow is begun.
5 0 Lord, do thou the sinner turn;
Now rouse him from his senseless «tatej
Oh, let him not thy counsel spurn,
Nor rue Iris fatal choice too. late.
21. ALARM. P.M.
1 STOP, poor sinner, stop and think.
Before you further go;
Will you sport upon the brink
Of everlasting woe ?
Once again, I charge you, stop !
For unless you warning take,
Ere you are aware, you drop
Into the burning lake !
2 Say, have you an arm like God,
That you his will oppose ?
Fear not you that iron rod
With Avhich he breaks his foes ?
Can you stand in that dread day,
When he judgment shall proclaim,
And the earth shall melt away,
Like wax before the flame ?
3 Pale-faced Death will quickly come
To drag you to his bar;
Then to hear your awful doom
Will fill you with despair :
All your sins will round you crowd,
Sins of a blood-crimson dye,
Each for vengeance crying loud,
And what can yon reply ?
4 Though your heart be made of steel,
Your forehead lined with brass,
God at length will make you feel,
He will not let you pass :
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HYMNS FOR
Sinners then in vain will call,
Though they now despise his grace—
“Rocks and mountains on us fall.
And hide us from his face.”
" 22. THE PLEASURES OF RELIGION. 7’s.’
1 ’TIS religion that can give
Sweetest pleasures while we live ;
’Tis religion must supply
Solid comforts when we die.
2 After.death its joys shall be
Lasting as eternity:
Be the living God my friend,
Then my bliss shall never end.
23. COME TO CHRIST. 8, 7, 4.
1 COME, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore,
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Eull of mercy, joined with power :
He is able, 1 '
He is willing : doubt no more.
2 Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you ’re better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.
3 Yiew him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Saviour lies!.
On the bloody tree behold him :
Hear him cry before he dies,
“ It is finished!”
Sinner, will not this suffice ?
4 Lo, the incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of his blood :
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17
Venture on liim, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude 5
None hut Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
24. THE LITTLE PILGRIM. C. M.
1 THERE is a path that leads to God,
All others go astray;
Narrow, but pleasant, is the road,
And Christians love the way.
2 It leads straight through this world of sin,
And dangers must be past;
But those who boldly walk therein,
Will come to heaven at last.
3 How shall an infant pilgrim dare
This dangerous path to tread;
For on the way is many a snare
For youthful travellers spread;
4 While the broad road, where thousands go,
Lies near, and opens fair;
And many turn aside, I know,
To walk with sinners there ?
5 But lest my feeble steps should slide,
Or wander from thy way,
Lord, condescend to be my guide,
And I shall never stray.
25. CHILDREN ENCOURAGED TO SEEK THE LORD. C.M.
1 SHALL I presume to venture near
A God so just and true?
Or, sinful as I am, appear
Before his piercing view ?
2 How oft I grieve his holy eye,
And break his righteous law,
And think some thought of vanity
With every breath I draw.
20
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3 Yet, Lord, a sinful child may turn
To wisdom’s pleasant ways;
Lor Jesus’ sake, thou wilt not spurn
My feeble prayer and praise.
4 He died, that sinners such as I
May have their sins forgiven.;
He died, that sinners when they die,
May live with him in heaven.
5 It is for this I come to pray,
And on his grace depend,
That even at the judgment-day
The Lord may he my friend.
AGAINST WANDERING THOUGHTS. C. M.
1 When daily I kneel down to pray
As I am taught to do,
God does not care for what I say,
Unless I feel it too.
2 Yet foolish thoughts my heart beguile.
And when I pray or sing,
I’m often thinking all the while,
About some other thing.
3 Some idle play or childish toy,
Can send, my thoughts abroad;
Though this should he my greatest joy,
To love and seek the Lord.
4 Oh, let me never, never dare
To act the,trifler’s part;
Or think that God will hear a prayer
That comes not from my heart;
5 But if I make His ways my choice,
As pious children do,
Then, while I seek him with my voice,
My heart will love him too.
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27. FOR A CHILD THAT FEELS IT HAS A WICKED
HEART. C.M.
1 WHAT is there, Lord, a child can do,
Who feels with guilt opprest ?
There’s evil, that I never knew
Before, within my breast.
2 My thoughts are vain; my heart is hard;
My temper apt to rise;
And when I seem upon my guard,
It takes me by surprise.
3 Often when I begin to pray,
And lift my feeble cry,
Some thought of folly or of play,
Prevents me when I try.
4 On many Sabbaths, though I’ve heard
Of Jesus and of heaven,
I’ve scarcely listened to thy word,
Or prayed to be forgiven.
5 0 look with pity in thine eye
Upon a heart so hard :
Thou wilt not slight a feeble cry,
Or show it no regard.
6 The work I cannot undertake,
I leave to thee alone;
And pray thee, for thy mercy’s sake,
To change this heart of stone.
28. A CHILD’S CONFESSION AND PRATER. C. M.
1 A SINNER, Lord/behold I stand,
In thought and word and deed ;
But Jesus sits at thy right hand,
For such to intercede.
2 ■ From early infancy, I know,
A rebel I have been;
" And daily, as I older grow,
I fear I grow in sin.
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20 HYMNS FOR '
3 But God can change this evil heart,
And give a holy mind;
And his own heavenly grace impart,
Which those who seek shall find.
4 Then let me all my sins confess,
And pardoning grace implore;
That I may love my follies less,
And love my Saviour more.
29. FOR A CHILD THAT IS SORRY FOR A FAULT. L. M
1 LORD, I have dared to disobey
- My friends on earth, and thee in heaven;
0 help me now to come and pray,
Dor Jesus’ sake, to be forgiven.
2 I cannot say I did not know,
Dor I’ve been taught thy holy will,
And while my conscience told me so,
And bade me stop, I did it still.
3 But thou wast there to see my crime,
And write it in thy judgment-book;
0 make me fear, another time,
A sinful thought, or word, or look.
4 Dorgive me, Lord, forgive, I pray,
This wicked thing that I have done;
And take my sinful heart away,
And make me holy like thy Son.
30. THE SOUL CAN NEVER DIE. S. M.
1 TO thee I look, 0 Lord,
Oh hear my early cry,
And on my memory this record,
“ The soul can never die.”
2 Each day, in all I do,
May I sincerely try
This solemn thought to keep in view
“The soul can never die.”
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21
3 May I the Sabbath, keep,
And fear to tell a lie :
And always think, before I sleep,
“The soul can never die.”
4 * If some so wicked are,
From thoughts like this to fly,
They, though too late, the truth must hear,
“ The soul can never die.”
5 May I on earth be blest
Beneath thy gracious eye,
My soul then in;thy presence rest,
Where it shall never die.
31. EAELY DEVOTION TO GOD. S. M.
1 "WITH humble heart and tongue,
Great God, to thee I pray;
0 may I learn, while I am young,
To walk in wisdom’s way.
2 Now, in my early days,
Teach me thyself to know;
0 God, thy sanctifying grace
Betimes on me bestow.
3 My heart, to folly prone,
Eenew by power divine;
. Unite it to thyself alone,
And make me wholly thine.
4 Make my defenceless youth
The object of thy care; ; ;
Help me to choose the ;way of truth,
And flee from every snare.
5 0 let thy word of grace .
My warmest thoughts employ;
Be this, through, all my following days,
My treasure and my joy.
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32. LORD, REMEMBER ME.. C. M.
1 SOON as my. youthful lips can speak
Their feeble prkyer to thee,
0 let my heart thy favor seek;
Dear Lord, remember me.
2 In all life’s following years, my tongue
Tuned to thy praise shall he;
And this th’ expressive, humble song,
Dear Lord, remember me.
3 From every sin that wounds the heart,
May I be taught to flee;
Oh, bid them all from me depart;
Dear Lord, remember me.
4 "When with life’s heavy load opprest,
I bend the trembling knee,
Then give my suffering spirit rest;
Dear Lord, remember me.
5 0 let me, oh the bed of death,
Thy great salvation see;
And cry with my expiring breath,
Dear Lord, remember me.
33. BREATHING AFTER HOLINESS. 7’s.
1 JESUS, Lord, we look to thee,
Meek and humble may we be;
Pride and anger put away,
Make us holy day by day.
2 May we hate a lying tongue,
Never seek another’s wrong;
Prom all paths of fraud abstain,
Leading to eternal pain.
3 Teach us for our friends to pray,
And our parents to obey; •
Richest blessings from above,
Give them for their tender love.
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23
4 May we find the sweets of prayer
Sweeter than our pastimes are;
Love the Sabhath, and the place
Where we learn to seek thy face.
5 Cleanse our hearts, our sins forgive,
Form us new, that we may live—
Live to love thee, live to rise
To thy temple in the skies.
34.' PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT. 7’a.
1 GRACIOUS Spirit, love divine,
Let thy- light within me shine;
All my guilty fears remove;
Fill me full of heavenly love.
2 Speak thy pardoning grace to me;
Set the' burdened sinner free;
Lead me to the Lamb of God;
Wash me in his precious blood.
3 Life and peace to me impart;
Seal salvation on my heart;
Enter thou within my breast—
Earnest of immortal rest.
4 Let me never from thee stray;
Keep me in the narrow way;
Fill my soul with joy divine;
' Keep me, Lord, for ever thine.
35. YOUTH’S PRAYER FOR SABBATH MORNING. C. M
1 LORD of the Sabbath, I rejoice
Thy holy day to see;
May I; assisted by thy grace,
Begin this week with thee.
2 I go this day to hear thy word,
To sing, to pray, and praise;
To learn of thee, my. gracious Lord,
Religion’s pleasant ways.
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HYMlfs FOR
3 0 may the Holy Spirit hless
These sacred means of grace;
That I may learn thy righteousness,
And seek in youth thy face.
4 Creation on this day began—•
This holy mom was hlest,
When Christ, who died for sinful man,
Ascended to his rest. '
5 There, though he reigns exalted high,
The young he deigns to see;
He hears the contrite sinner’s sigh,
And stoops to notice me.
36. ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAYER. Vs.
1 COME, my soul, thy suit prepare,
Jesus loves to answer prayer; ;
He himself has bid thee pray,
Therefore will not say thee nay.
2 Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring;
For his grace and power are such,
None can ever ask too much.
3 With my burden I begin—
Lord, remove this load of sin;
Let thy blood, for sinners spilt,
Set my conscience free from guilt.
4 Lord, I come to thee for rest,
Take possession of my breast;
There thy blood-bought right maintain,
And without a rival reign.
6 Show me what I have to do, •
Every hour my strength renew,
Let me live a life of faith,
Let me die thy people’s death.
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25
37. PRAYER FOR ASSISTANCE IN LEARNING. C. RI.
1 GOD, “only ■wise,” to thee I look;
On me thy grace bestow,
To read and understand my hook,
That I may wiser grow.
2 0 may I love thy word of truth,
And all my lessons learn;
Because these precious days of youth
"Will never more return.
3 Give me an humble, active mind,
From sloth and folly free;
Give me a cheerful heart, inclined
To truth and piety.
4 A faithful memory bestow,
With useful learning store;
And still, 0 Lord, as more I know,
May I obey thee more.
5 May I things excellent discern,
Hold fast what I approve;
And more than all, delight to learn
The lessons of thy love.
3S. YOUTH’S MORNING PRAYER. 7’b
1 NOW the morning’s cheerful light
Drives away the gloom of night;
Rise, my soul, in praises rise,
Far above the lofty sides.
2 Keep me, gracious God, this day,
Dangers press around my way;
Every sinful passion quell,
Let no secret thought rebel.
3 Let no sin an entrance find,
To pollute my youthful mind;
Guard my soul from every snare,
Keep me with almighty care.
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4 Whither shall a sinner fly
When temptation hovers nigh ?
Unto Jesus Christ alone—
He the tempter’s power has known.
5 Eeeling weakness, I would rest
On my Saviour’s tender breast;
May his wisdom, grace, and truth,
Guide me through the snares of youth.
39. YOUTH’S EVENING PRAYER. 7’s.
1 FOE the mercies of this day,
Thanks to thee, my God, I pay;
Now, as I retire to rest,
Let my soul by thee be blest.
2 Through each dark and silent hour,
Oh preserve me by thy power;
Keep me safe from every fear,
Thankful that my God is near.
3 Let the sms which I have done
All be pardoned through thy Son;
Erom whose dying sacrifice
All my hopes and joys arise.
4 Saviour, I my soul resign,
To those piercdd hands of thine,
Which shall keep my sleeping breath,
Which shall guard my sleep in death.
. 5 In the morning let me wake,
Of thy goodness to partake;
Or, if I am called to die,
Eaise me to thy throne on high.
40. EARLY WILL I SEEK THEE. C. M.
1 NOW that my journey’s just begun,
My road so little trod,
I’ll come before I further run,
And give myself to God.
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2 What sorrows may my steps attend
I never can foretell;
But if the Lord will be my friend,
I know that all is well.
3 If all my earthly friends should die,
And leave me mourning here,
Since God can hear the orphan’s cry,
0 what have I to fear ?
4 If I am poor, he can supply
Who has my table spread;
Who feeds the ravens when they cry,
And fills his poor with bread.
5 If I am rich, he’ll guard my heart,
Temptation to withstand;
And make me willing to impart
The bounties of his hand.
6 But, Lord, whatever grief or ill,
• Bor me may be in store,
Make me submissive to thy will,
And I would ask no more.
41. THE SUCCESSFUL RESOLVE. C. M.
1 COME,-humble sinner, in whose breast
A thousand thoughts revolve;
Come, with your guilt and fear opprest,
And make this just resolve:
2 “I’ll go to Jesus, though my sin
Hath like a mountain rose;
I know,his courts, I’ll enter in,
Whatever may oppose.
3 “Prostrate I’ll lie before his throne,
And there my guilt confess;
I ’11 tell him I’m a wretch undone,
Without his sovereign grace.
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4 “I’ll to the gracious King approach,
Whose sceptre pardon gives;
Perhaps he may command my touch,
And then the suppliant lives.
6 “ Perhaps he will admit.my plea,
Perhaps will hear my prayer;
But if I perish, I will pray,
And perish only there. :
6 “I can but peris'll if I. go;
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away,; I know '
I must for ever die.” ■
42. "THE. SWIFTNESS OF TIME. C. M.
1 SWIFT as the wingdd arrow flies,
My time is hastening on;
Quick as the lightning from the skies,
My wasting moments run.
2 My follies past, 0 God, forgive;
My every sin subdue;
And teach me henceforth how to live,
With glory, in my view. r .
3 ’Twere better I had not been born
Than live without thy fear;
For they are wretched and forlorn
Who have then portion here.
4 But thanks to thine unbounded grace,
That in my early youth
I have been taught to seek thy face,
And know; the way of truth.
5 0 let thy Spirit lead me still 1
Along the happy road;
Conform me to thy holy will,
My Father, and my God.
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43. IN SICKNESS. C. M. :
1 When languor and disease' invade
This trembling house of clay,
’Tis sweet to look beyond our cage,
And long to fly aw;ay.
2 Sweet to look inward, and attend
The whispers of his love;
Sweet to look upward to the place
Where Jesus pleads above.
3 Sweet on His faithfulness to rest,
Whose love can never end;
Sweet on his covenant of grace
Tor all things to depend.
4 Sweet, in the confidence of faith,
To trust his firm decrees;
Sweet to lie passive in his hands,
And know no will but his.
5 If such the sweetness of the streams,
What must the Fountain be,
Where saints and angels draw their bliss
Immediately from thee ?
44. RECOVERY FROM SICKNESS. C. M.
1 MY God, thy sendee well demands
The remnant of my days;
Why was this fleeting breath' renewed,
But to renew thy praise ?
2 Thine arms of everlasting love
Did this weak frame sustain,
When health and life both ebbed apace
From every sinking vein.
3 Back from the borders of the grave
At thy command I come;
Nor would I urge a speedier flight
To my celestial home.
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HYMNS FOR
; !• 4 Where thou appointest my abode,
sli There would I choose to be;
( ^ Tor in thy presence death is life,
!!i|^ And earth is heaven, with thee.
fl ■
III 45. ON HEATH. L. M.
I ■ |i: 1 WTHERE shall I he when I shall go
| III From this vain world of care and woe ?
j i. None ever have returned to tell
1 r The joys of heaven or pains of hell,
ti; 2 Yet heaven must be a world of bliss,
H|' Where God himself for ever is;
Where saints around his throne adore,
■i And never sin nor suffer more.
3 And hell’s a state of endless woe,
ji Where unrepenting sinners go; .
.'i: Though none that seek the Saviour’s grace
| j Shall ever see that dreadful place.
jiji 4 0 let me, then,- at once apply
i nr: To Him who did for sinners die;
jjlii 1 . And this shall be my great reward,
| | l i To dwell for ever with the Lord.
| |j 46. ON THE FRAILTY OF LIFE. C. M.
1 THEE we adore, eternal Name !
m!. And humbly own to thee,
How feeble is our mortal frame :
| 'i!| 'What dying worms are we !
1 2 Our wasting lives grow shorter still,
As months and days increase;
And every beating pulse we tell,
i Leaves but the number less.
3 Great God, on what a slender thread
; i Hang everlasting things;
Th’ eternal states of all the dead
Upon life’s feeb!strings.
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4 Infinite joy, or endless woe, '
Attends on every breath;
And yet how unconcerned we go
Upon the brink of death!
5 Waken, 0 Lord, our drowsy sense,
To walk this dangerous road;
And if our souls are -hurried hence,
May they be found with God.
47. THE'DAY OF JUDGMENT. L. M.
1 HOW dreadful, Lord, will be the day
When all the tribes of dead shall rise;
And those who dared to disobey
Be dragged before thy piercing eyes !
2 The wicked child who often heard
His pious parents speak of thee,
And fled from every serious word,
Shall not be able then to flee.
3 While they appear at thy right hand,
With saints and angels round the throne,
He, a poor guilty wretch, shall stand,
And hear thy dreadftd wrath alone!
4 No parent then shall bid him pray
To Him who now the sinner hears;
Lor Christ himself shall turn away,
And show no pity to his tears.
5 Great God, I tremble at the thought;
And at thy feet for mercy bend;
That when to judgment I am brought,
The Judge himself may be my friend.
48. DISMISSION. 8,7,4.
1 LORD, dismiss us with thy blessing;
Bill our hearts with joy and peace :
Let us each, thy love possessing,
Triumph in redeeming grace:
0 refresh us,
Travelling through this wilderness.
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2 Thanks we give, and adoration, ;
For thy gospel’s joyful sound;
May the fruits of thy salvation
In our hearts and lives abound; >
Ever faithful
To the truth may we be found.
3 So whene’er the signal’s given
TJs from earth to, call away,
Borne on angel-wings to heaven,
Glad the summons to obey,
May we ever
Reign with Christ in endless day,
49. AT PARTING. S. M.
Once more, before we part,
We’ll bless the Saviour’s name;
Record his mercies, every heart,
Sing every tongue the same..
50. PRAISE. L. M.
PRAISE God, from whom all blessmgs flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
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s TORAq e
5 2,629
16
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THE HISTORY
OF
HONEST ROGER
-11 —
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NJISSAU-STEEE T, NEW YORK
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THE HISTORY
OF.
HONEST ROGER.
Some years ago I was travelling in Wales, at a
season of the year when every thing around me
was-interesting in the highest degree, for it was
just before the beginning of harvest, .when “the
pastures were clothed with floclts, the valleys were
also covered with corn,” the woods were clad with
foliage, where “ the fowls of the heaven had their
habitation, and sung among the branches,” and
the orchards. presented innumerable trees laden
with fruit. How kind, thought I, is the great
Parent of the universe. “ The earth is full of his
riches.” “ 0 that men would praise the Lord for
his goodness.”
In pursuing my journey, the lofty mountains at
a distance raising their heads in' the clouds, af
forded me subjects for thought; great things seen
even afar off are important. Could we but see by
faith “the things that are eternal,” how profit
able as well as noble would be our reflections.
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THE HISTORY OF
The scenes around us, though charming and de
lightful, would lose their power to engross our
affections, and our minds would soar in holy con
templation to the “ everlasting hills which never
can be moved.”
With such reflections as these, suggested, I
humbly trust, by the Spirit of God, I arrived^early
in the day at the place of my destination, where
business was to detain me for a few days. • After
refreshing myself and providing for my faithful
beast, I took a walk in the evening through the
village. It was situated on the banks of a small
rivulet; the houses were plain, rural, and clean.
The inhabitants were industrious and apparently
content; order and decency pervaded the place;
while all appearance of profaneness, which I had
frequently witnessed with pain on my journey dur
ing the day, .seemed to be studiously avoided. In
several houses I heard the sound of singing, but
the tunes were not those of foolish songs, but such
as accompany “ psalms and hymns.” I more than
once saw groups of various ages returning from-
their labors in the field, whose “mouths were filled
with the praises of God.” The romantic scenery
and fruitful fields, gardens, and orchards which on
every side surrounded me, together with the sim
ple and virtuous manners of the people, gave to
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HONEST ROGER.
7
my mind a degree of pleasure which may be more
easily conceived by those “ who approve the things
that are excellent,” than can he described by my
pen.
Thus pleased with, and interested in all that
came under my observation, my walk led me up ,
a lane, on each side of which a row of oaks inter
mingled their branches over my head, forming a
shade which was calculated to inspire a train of re
flections truly solemn and highly profitable. In a
few steps I found my walk terminate at the gates
of the churchyard. Ah, thought I, how many
will experience an end like this to all their pleas
ing reveries. Delighted with their good things
on earth, they soon shall awake from their dreams
of worldly felicity at their near approach to “ the
house appointed.for all living.”
I entered with solemn delight into the sacred
ground where many a hillock proclaimed to me,
“ Thou art mortal.” The church was a modern
structure, built in the gothic style of architecture;
the doors were open, as if to invite a. stranger to
enter. Having been educated according to the
rites of the establishment, and having, I humbly
trust, imbibed the spirit of piety which the Scrip
tures breathe, the invitation was irresistible. The
inside was in every way suited for a place of wor-
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8
THE HISTORY OF
ship; every thing indicated that “ God’s sanctuary
was reverenced.” The very first appearance of the
church accounted for the manners of the inhabi
tants which I had already so much admired. .
While examining the various parts of thisinter-
esting place, I often wished for a small ray of that
light which shines in the Meditations of Hervey
in his walks among the tombs. I had consola
tion, however, in reflecting that the same. God
who receives the tribute of the higher orders of his
servants, will also graciously accept the service ol
the lowest. I rejoiced in the opportunity afforded
me to offer up my thanks to Him who had cast my
lot in this land. 0 what thanks ought I to give
daily to Him who caused me to be born in a land.
of gospel light, and not in the dark heathen lands
of India—to Him who has taught me to worship
the true God in a Christian church, when I might
have been offering bloody rites in a pagan temple.
“ Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within
me, bless his holy name.” 0 give him thanks for
my “creation, preservation, and redemption; for
the means, of grace, and the hope of glory.”
In returning towards the village, I met a fu
neral procession moving slowly up'the hill towards
the church. As every one’s countenance and be
havior seemed to indicate unfeigned sorrow and .
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HONEST ROGER.
9
mourning, I returned with the multitude. The
burial service was performed in a very solemn and
impressive manner by a minister whose heart
seemed to feel the important truths which he pro
nounced ; hence, it is no wonder that his hearers
felt_ them. While the thirty-ninth Psalm was
alternately recited by the minister and all the
people in a slow and reverential tone, how insig
nificant did all the affairs of this world appear in
comparison with those sublime advantages which
religion confers. In the appropriate chapter, 1 Cor.
15, which had been selected for the occasion, the
glorious Redeemer was presented to our view in
such a way as was calculated to raise in us the
most fervent gratitude and love. The triumph of
faith over death and the grave, as exhibited in
that chapter, appeared to excite in every breast a
desire to live the life and die the death of the
righteous. •
When the chapter was ended, after a solemn
pause of a few minutes, which was only inter
rupted by the tolling of the bell and the sighs of
the mourners, the verses from the Olney Hymns,
“ Oft as the bell, with solemn toll,
Speaks the departure of a soul, •
Let each one ask himself, ‘ Am I
Prepared, should I he called to die ?’ ”
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THE HISTORY OF
were sung by all present, which produced an ef
fect which I shall never forget. Singing is gener
ally the most enlivening part of divine worship,
but on this occasion it seemed to elevate the soul
from earth to heaven.
We afterwards proceeded to the grave, where
the rest of the' service was conducted in a manner
the most instructive that I ever attended. No
sooner had the coffin been lowered into the grave,
and “the earth cast upon the body” committed
to its long home, than the following words were
sung : “ I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto
me, Write; from henceforth blessed are the. dead
which die in the Lord : even so saith the Spirit
for. they shall rest from their labors.” Then the
whole congregation kneeled, according to the pious
custom of that part of the country, during the
prayers which followed. -
After the apostolical benediction was pronounced,
and the congregation rose from their knees, the
minister exclaimed with tears and with uplifted
hands, “ Now I have buried the most honest man
in the parish.” This drew tears from many
around him, for all seemed to feel the force of
the assertion.. Many answered, “ Yes, yes,?'with
great emphasis. The impression made on my
mind was astonishment mixed with a desire to
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HONEST ROGER.
11
learn the particulars in the life of a man who had
been thus publicly honored after death. My de
sire was happily granted soon afterwards by the
excellent minister himself, who gave the following
account of the education, life, and death of honest
Roger.
His father was once a wealthy freeholder, who
led a “ quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and honesty,” training up a numerous family of
both sexes “ in the way wherein they ought to go.”
Through becoming security for some of his friends
in distress, he was so reduced in his circumstances
as to he obliged to sell all his property, and to
spend the rest of his life in a cottage as a day-la-
borer. His children consequently were obliged to
provide for themselves as well as they were able.
The day when this good hut unfortunate man
was about to leave his paternal estate, and have
his children separated from him, he called them
all together, and after family prayer, which he had
never omitted, he thus addressed them :
“ My dear children, I had hoped to see you all
grow up under my own roof in peace and plenty;
hut God in his wisdom has thought fit to dis
appoint my hopes. J-Tis blessed will be done. I
thank God that I have been able to give you all a
little learning : you can read and write ; and each
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THE HISTORY OF
of you has a copy of the Holy Bible. This is all
the portion I can give you ; but, blessed he G od, it
is a good one if you use it well. You remember
how your dear mother and myself accustomed our
selves to use our Bible, which we found the best
companion both in prosperity and adversity. Let
me beseech you all to follow our example.
‘-Rise early, that you may have time to pray
in private, and to read your Bible for a few min
utes ; then go to the business of the day with
cheerfulness. Remember what God has com
manded you : ‘ six days ’ of the week you are to
‘ labor and do all your work ’ faithfully and honest
ly. Conclude the day in the same pious manner
as you began it, then your sleep will he easy and
pleasant. Keep in mind during the day the por
tions of Scripture you have read in the morning,
and they will preserve you from evil thoughts and
make your work doubly sweet.
“Remember also the Sabbath-day to keep it
holy. On that day, which God has blessed for
your good, you must ‘ do no manner of work ’ but
that of necessity or charity. Go, as you have been
taught, to church early, and twice. Pray to God
with a penitent and humble heart. Hear the ser
mon with attention and prayer. Examine your
selves every Sabbath evening, that you may know .
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HONEST ROGER.
13
what good you have learned hy the instructions
which you have received.
“ You have a Father in heaven who will he al
ways with you, if you apply to him through his
Son Jesus Christ. He loves you infinitely more
than I can. Trust in him and you will never
want. He may correct you hy sending you afflic
tions, hut it will he for your good. Remember
Joseph :- it is better to suffer than to sin. Re
member Moses, who chose rather to suffer afflic
tion with the people of God, than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season.
“At least once every year you must all come
to see me, when we shall go together to church
Let me hear from each of you every month. I
shall always pray for you—-pray for me. -The
Lord bless you. The Lord'he with you all for
ever. Farewell.”
After this solemn and pious address, a written
copy .of which he gave to each of them, this inter
esting family separated, thenceforth • to provide for
themselves by their individual exertions. Their
separate histories abundantly testify the advan
tages of the early instruction they received. But
we will confine our attention to the history of
honest Roger, who was the youngest, and whose
age then did not exceed twelve years.
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THE HISTORY OF
Before we proceed, it may not be amiss to ask
those parents who have now read the above ac
count, if they have taught their children to read
their Bible, and to join sincerely in the worship of
God ? Beloved friends, can your children read
the Bible, and have they Bibles to read ? Have
they been taught to work during the week, and
to “ hallow the Sabbath ?” These questions ought
to be considered by you now, for an answer will
be required in the day of judgment. >
Honest Roger was employed by a farmer who
was a man that truly “ feared God and wrought
righteousness.” His house was a Bethel. The
Lord was there daily “ worshipped in spirit and. in
truth.” He was a father not only to his own
children, but to all the members of his household.
He taught them all, both by precept and example,
to “keep the way of the Lord, and to do justice
and judgment.” By his kind and judicious con
duct he made all under his roof to love and fear
him. His commands were readily obeyed, because
they were reasonable and right.
Nor were the working-days alone pleasant to
all this good man’s domestics; the Sabbath was
in the highest degree a day of joy and delight to
them. The week’s work was always so contrived
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HONEST ROGER
15
that nothing remained undone on Saturday even
ing. All went to bed earlier that night than usu
al, and rose early on Sabbath morning ; there was
therefore no hinderance in the 'way of attending
divine worship.. Every individual went to church
twice that day, for there was nothing to detain
any at home, unless there was sickness in the
family. The “ cattle,” too, enjoyed rest according
to God’s command, for there were no journeys nor
visits to make. The evening of the Sabbath was
spent by this excellent man in catechizing all his
household. The young people were required to
give some account of what they had .heard at
church. When this exercise was ended, prayer
and praise concluded the day, and all went early
to bed.
In this family Roger continued for six years in
health and comfort; for the seeds of piety and vir
tue which were sown in his heart in childhood'
were watered by the example and teachings of the
pious farmer. He was happy because he “ fol
lowed that which was good.” He did his work
faithfully, and received his wages without care or
anxiety.
But he found, as all others sooner or later will
do, that tranquillity on earth is of short continu-
. ance. His venerable father, whom he had visited
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16
THE HISTORY OF
once a year according to his request, was removed
to a better world, and soon afterward his worthy
employer died of a fever. Roger was therefore
compelled to seek another place, and being inex
perienced jn the world, he hired himself to the
first farmer that offered him a place, thinking, in
the simplicity of his heart, that , all persons of the
same rank bore the same character.
His new master was, however, quite the. reverse
of his old one, and his situation very different in
all respects. Family prayer was never performed.
The Sabbath-day was awfully profaned. The
master was often drunk, at other times angry, and
at all times ungodly. In short, as piety was neg
lected, happiness could never visit,, much less
abide in the house. This place proved therefore
to Roger to he full of sorrows. He would have
left it immediately had he not hired himself for
the year ; hut he thought it would not be right to
break his engagement, and he recollected the max
im/that “ hoilesty is the best policy-.”
As a workman, Roger was the best on the farm,
and being true in all his words, and faithful in all
his actions, he gained the esteem of his employer,
- who, had as he was himself, could safely trust him;
and here it was that he first obtained the name
of Honest Roger, which he preserved through'
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HONEST ROGER.
17
life, and by which lie is still kept in memory by
bis relatives. He did bis work, whoever neglect
ed it; and whatever be did, be gave a correct
account of to bis employer. . . ,
Although bis conduct raised the envy and sneers
of the vicious, he nevertheless acquired many
friends. He often looked at the paper which con
tained his father’s parting address to his children,
which taught him “ the good and right way.”
This led him to pray to God for help, and he
found it. By God’s help he was enabled to live
“ a godly, righteous, and sober life.”
Here let me ask heads of families what course
they pursue ? Are you, my friends, like the for
mer or like the latter of these farmers, whose his
tories you have just read ? If like the former,
you are happy; if like the latter, you are miser
able. You see, then, what makes the difference.
It is religion.
Your domestics, too, will be much influenced by
your example. If you are godly, you do much to
make them so; if you are ungodly, either they will
be the same, or their situation will be trying and un
comfortable. 0 that you would but consider this
subject as its infinite importance deserves.
Honest Roger at the end of the year offered him
self as an under-gardener in the employ of a gen-
22
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18
THE HISTORY OF
tleman of very large fortune, who inquired for the
character of Roger from his former employer.
The inquiry was thus answered :
“ Sir—Roger is an honest young man.
“I am yours,” etc., etc.
This letter of recommendation, though it was
short, comprehended much. Nor was the gentle
man disappointed. Roger, by a course of sobri
ety, industry, and strict fidelity, obtained the good
will of all that knew him. He could be safely
trusted in any situation, for he had been taught to
“do justly,” as well as to “walk humbly with
God.”
After he had spent two or three years in this
happy way of living, one of his brothers persuad
ed him to join with himself in a trade which ap
peared to offer them many advantages and great
profits. They accordingly removed to a distant
part of the country, where they entered upon their
new business. Here they acted in all their deal
ings uprightly and honestly; they were civil and
kind to all; they were sober, frugal, and industri
ous; and as success crowned their labors, they
“did not forget the poor” whose necessities called
for their compassion and relief. But in dispens
ing their bounty, they were prudent as well as
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HONEST ROGER.
19
liberal, seeking out deserving objects who were
actually in need of their assistance.
Their prosperity, however, did not continue
long. . They entered into partnership with two
other young men, who seemed, indeed, decent
.and honest; but alas, were quite the reverse.
These, under the most specious pretences of friend
ship and integrity, deceived their honest and un
suspicious partners,-and soon brought the concern
into discredit, and eventually into ■■.ruin. The
four partners not only lost all, but were involved
in a debt which they were utterly incapable of
paying.
The grief of Honest Roger and his brother on
this occasion was very great. They had indeed
no cause to accuse themselves for any neglect, but
they were exceedingly sorry, because they were
incapable of fulfilling the scripture command to
“ owe no man any thing.” This state of distress
was more than Roger’s brother could bear—he
sickened and died.
Roger’s two remaining partners told him that
if he would go with them to London, where their
parents and friends lived, they could soon raise
the money which they owed, and a sum suffi
cient to enable them to begin business afresh.
To this he consented; but their design was only
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20
THE HISTORY OF
to leave the kingdom. Roger however refused
to accompany them. He wrote to his creditors
and assured them of his honest design to pay them
all as soon as Providence enabled him. The mari
ner in which he fulfilled his upright intentions
shall he now related, as an example of what may
he done hy industry and. perseverance in well
doing. .
It would he difficult to describe the distress of
mind which Roger felt when he was left hy his
companions. . They had brought him into trouble,
and like the world in general, left him there to
suffer or to struggle out of it as well as he was
able. ' He was sensible that he had acted up
rightly in all his dealings, and this consideration
supported him; his sorrow however was great,
because he. had joined those men whose motives
and principles were the reverse of his own; but
in this he had nothing to blame himself for, inas
much as he was deceived.
Roger’s distress did not produce inactivity and
despair ; but it caused exertion and diligence. As
a pious man, “he called upon God in the-day of
trouble,” being well assured that he had the prom
ise of an answer to his prayer; and as an honest
man, who was bound to “do justly,” as well as
to “ walk humbly with God,” Micah 6 : 8, he re-
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HONEST ROGER.
21
solved to enter upon some regular, employment,
and labpr diligently that he might raise a fund
wherewith to discharge all his debts.
He lost no time in putting his resolution into
practice. After surmounting some difficulties
which generally meet a stranger in London, he
.entered into the service of a gardener, a situation,
as we have already seen, for which he was well
suited.
Here he labored with uncommon diligence for
sixteen hours every day. He lived on the mean
est fare, and seldom drank any thing but water.
And, while he thus worked on the week-days, the
early instructions of his pious parents were never
disregarded by him. The sacred duties of the
Sabbath were sweet to his heart, and left a savor
behind them throughout the week. He spent an
hour every Sabbath morning in reading his Bible,
and in private prayer. He then went to worship
G-od in public, and to hear his word. He returned
to his dinner, and went always to church in the
afternoon. His Sabbath evenings were also spent
at home in reading, meditation, and prayer alone,
or with a friend.
The attentive reader will not be surprised to
hear that “.the Lord was wdth” Roger, as he
reads of his being with “Joseph” of old, and that
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22
THE HISTORY OF
“all lie did prospered in liis liand.” He gained
the esteem and confidence of his employer, as well
as the respect of all that knew him. Though in
deed he, like all good men, was sometimes laughed
at and reproached for his religion, he nevertheless
was-beloved and honored. The God whom he
served made all men, and “ all things work to
gether for his good.”
"When Roger had spent two years in this situa
tion, a gentleman who frequently dealt with his
employer, in purchasing plants, etc., to stock his
own garden which he was making at his country-
seat, and who had miny opportunities of observing
Roger’s good behavior and skill, offered to engage
him as his own liead-gardener. Though his em
ployer was extremely loath to part with him, he
was prevailed upon to accept the offer for the sake
of having greater means to increase his fund for
paying his debts. He soon entered upon his new
employ, and there served both God and his master
as a good and an honest man.
In this new situation he was beset with many
temptations to swerve from the direct line of duty,
hut his constant watchfulness and prayer procured
him help from above to keep a “conscience void of
offence towards God and man.” The means of
grace, which he constantly attended, had such an
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HONEST ROGER.
23
influence on his conduct in life, as to keep him
from all evil, and “ direct his steps in the way of
righteousness.” -
We might relate many anecdotes of his upright
ness and honesty; hut we will only mention one or
two. A gentleman called one evening in the twi
light to pay for some shrubs which he had bought
of Roger’s employer, and in the darkness, much
increased by the shade of the trees which sur
rounded the lodge, he gave him a five pound note
instead of a one pound note.
When Roger had lighted his candle some time
afterwards as usual, to read his evening chapter
in the Bible, he discovered the gentleman’s mis
take. He immediately ran after him and restored
the note.
Another time a valuable diamond had been lost
by one of the family while walking in the garden,
which, after great, search, was given up as irre
coverable, for none knew where it had been drop
ped. About a year afterwards Roger found it
among some flower-roots. He immediately re
turned it to the owner, and would receive nothing
for his fidelity. He said that “ he had done only
what was his duty.” Luke 17 :10.
After having continued in the faithful discharge
of his duties for some years, he took all his savings
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24
THE HISTORY OF
in his pocket, and went to the town where he had
been engaged in trade with his brother and the
two young men already mentioned, in order to
“pay the uttermost farthing” of what he and his
brother -owed. This’ he accomplished, to the no
small astonishment of all who knew it. Before,
however, he could clear the whole, he was obliged
to sell even his coat and buckles. He then worked
on the highway for money to carry him home.
When he returned he kept a day of thanksgiving
to God for enabling him to arrive at a state in which
he “owed no man any thing.” ' Homans 13 : 8.
He resumed his labors with cheerfulness, and con
tinued a useful, exemplary Christian, honoring God
both in life and in death. Header, “ go thou and
do likewise.”
The latter years of Hoger’s life were spent hr
the practice of piety towards God, and of justice
towards man. As soon as he had disentangled
himself from his embarrassments he married an
industrious, godly woman, by whom he had three
sons, who were brought up by him in the fear of
the Lord. His diligence in his business, and
other virtues, endeared him to all his relations
and acquaintance, procured him peace of mind,
and, what was better than all, brought down upon
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HONEST ROGER.
25
him “the "blessing of God,” which alone “maketh
rich.”
: Soon after his marriage he entered upon a small
farm, on which he lived for some years, an exam
ple of honesty, sobriety, diligence, and consistent
piety.
He afterwards acquired means to take a much
larger farm, where he continued until his death
Here he was called to various stations of public
responsibility, in all of which he acted conscien
tiously and piously. He never feared to do his
duty ; nor did he suffer any loss for discharging it
faithfully. He “ adorned the doctrine of God his
Saviour in all things.”
During the latter years of his life he superin
tended a large Sabbath-school, which was made a
blessing to many hundreds of poor children.
The admirable regularity of his plan, and the
strict propriety of its execution, were universally
approved. His services in the Sabbath-school can
never be duly appreciated until the great day of
account.
Nor was Roger remarkable as a public charac
ter only. "We have seen some conduct public busi
ness or a Sabbath-school with great credit, while
they have been very deficient in the performance
of their duties at home. Roger, however, was
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26
TIIE HISTORY OF
uniform and consistent in all the relations of life
which he filled. As a husband, he was tender and
affectionate; as a father, he was kind and careful ;
as a master, he was upright and prudent; as a
neighbor, he was just and friendly. In short, he
was, by the influence of divine grace, enabled to
exemplify, as fully as any man perhaps ever did,
the directions respecting our duty to God and to
our neighbor, which are contained in the sacred
Scriptures. “He believed in Christ; he feared
and loved God, he worshipped him” in the church,
in his family, and in his closet; “he gave him
thanks, be put his trust in him, he called upon him,
he honored his holy name and his word, and served
him all the days of his life.”
To a good degree, “ he loved his neighbor as
himself, and did to all men as he would be done
by; he loved, honored, and succored his father
and mother ; he submitted himself to all his gov
ernors, teachers, and spiritual pastors ; he hurt
nobody by word or deed,” but was a benefactor
to all; “ he was true and just in all his dealings ;
lie bore no malice or hatred in his heart; he kept
his hands from taking any thing not his own, and
bis tongue from evil-speaking, lying, and slander
ing ; he kept his body in temperance, soberness,
and chastity; he did not covet nor desire other
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HONEST ROGER.
27
men’s goods, but learned and labored to do bis
duty in that state of life unto which it pleased
God to call him.”
And here I beg the reader to take notice that
Roger was “ not able ” to do, any more than others,
“ these things of himself, nor to walk in the com
mandments of God, and to serve him, without his
special grace.” He had been early taught by his
parents, and he followed their teaching, “to call
at all times upon God by diligent prayer for his
special grace;” and God was pleased to give him
grace, and strengthen him by his power. This I
earnestly entreat the reader to keep in view, as
explaining the connection between the cause and
the effect. Roger was eminently holy; but it was
not by his own might or power that he was thus
enabled to live to the Lord, and constantly to use
the means of grace.
Having surveyed his life, let us take a view of
his death; and this, too, will afford us some in
teresting lessons.
' He was taken ill suddenly. Being confined to
his bed, he sent for his minister to visit him, who
found him in a calm and peaceful state of mind,
though apparently near his end. At Roger’s re
quest he engaged in prayer.. Roger joined hearti-
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28
THE HISTORY OF
ly in each petition and thanksgiving. When the
service was concluded, he shook hands with each
of his family, and implored the blessing of God on
them all.
As the minister was going to retire, Roger most
affectionately pressed his hand and said, “My
dear sir, farewell; I shall meet you in heaven.”
Injl few hours Roger said, “Lord, now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy
word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvationand
- with that breathed his last.' During the whole of
his sickness he had manifested Christian resigna
tion and hope ; and salvation was on his lips when
he actually departed. Such was his death, happy
and full of instruction.
The Lord does not always, see fit to give his
people such a tranquil passage from this world of
pain and sorrow, but we know that he doeth all
things well; and we may leave this, as well as
other events, in bis hand, being assured that he
does not afflict willingly ; but as.a father chasten-
cth his children for their good, so he deals with us.
It may, however, be observed, that this peaceful
end is perhaps most frequently granted to those
who have been enabled the most simply to com
mit all their concerns to him, constantly “ looking
to Jesusand we may be assured that the more
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HONEST ROGER.
29
simply we are enabled to do this, the more .shall
we be supported .'under the trials and temptations
of this life. The nearer a child is to its parent,
the less is it troubled with, and fearful of what
passes around.
The following directions may assist to help
those who desire, like Honest Roger, to show the
power of holiness and righteousness in their daily
walk and conduct.
1. Be sure that a good foundation is laid: this
can be only by the change of your heart through
the powerful working of the Holy Spirit. We are
“by nature the children of wrath.” Eph. 2 : 3.
“We have all, like sheep, gone astray.” Isaiah
53 : 6. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves.” 1 John, 1:7. The Saviour himself
has declared, “ Except a man be born again, he
cannot see-the .kingdom of God.” John 3 : 3.
Has such a change taken place in your heart ?
Do you delight in Christ and his holy commands ?
Do you hate and abhor sin ? '
, 2. Be sure constantly to bear in mind the rules
by which you are to walk. . They are given to us
in the Bible ; therefore constantly study the Scrip
tures, which alone are able to make us wise unto
salvation; ask yourself continually, Am I follow-
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30
THE HISTORY OF
ing the example of Christ ? And while you read,
pray earnestly that, hy the divine teaching, you
may profit and grow thereby. Psalm 19 : 7, 11.
3. Be sure that you propose to yourself a right
end to he attained by your holy walk and con
duct. Think not to obtain heaven hy your good
works. “ Not hy works of righteousness which we
have done, hut according to his mercy he saved
us.” Titus 3:5. “ The gift of God is eternal
life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6 : 23.
“We are required to walk humbly with our God.”
Micah G : 8. Surely the man who trusts in his
own righteousness, and thinks to gain heaven
thereby, does not walk humbly with God. lie
does not tell us that we can win heaven by our
holiness. “ When ye shall have done all those
things which are commanded you, say, We are
unprofitable servants.” Luke 17 : 10. But there
by you show your love and thankfulness to Christ,
through whom alone we can obtain salvation.
“ If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John
14 : 15. “Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and gloriiy
your Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 5 : 1G.
4. Walk in constant dependence upon God,
looking to him for strength and support, for it is
not in man to direct his own way. Avoid care-
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HONEST ROGER.
31
fully every tiling which may tempt you to sin.
Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest
he fall. Our own strength is perfect weakness,
but “ wait on the Lord ; he of good courage, and
he shall strengthen thy heart.” Psalm 27 : 14.
5. Reflect constantly what will he your thoughts
when your dying hour is come. No man -when
he is on his death-hed ever regretted having led a
holy life; hut how many, even of the people of
God, have found thorns in their pillow from for
mer neglects of his will.
6. Above all, remember that there is no real
support for you on a death-bed but faith in Christ
Jesus; to him alone can you look for present
peace and future gloiy. “ Christ is all.” Medi
tate continually upon him ; seek him in public,
by attendance upon his ordinances ; in private, by
prayer and reading his word. Come to him in
all your troubles, he wall hear you and answer
you; let not unbelief keep you from him. R,est
upon him, believing in the promise of salvation to
all who will receive it. He has said, “ Ask, and
it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find.”
Luke 11:9. “ Him that comcth unto me, I will
in no wise cast out.” John 6 : 37.
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32 THE HISTORY OF HONEST ROGER.
“0 that the Lord would guide my ways
To keep his statutes still;
0 that my G-od would grant me grace
To know and do his will.
“ 0 send thy Spirit down to write
Thy law upon my heart,
Nor let my tongue indulge deceit,
Nor act the liar’s part. ;
“From vanity turn off mine eyes;
Let no corrupt design,
Nor covetous desires arise
- Within this soul of mine.
“ Order my footsteps by thy word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no, dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.
“My soul hath gone too far astray,
. My feet too often slip;
Yet since I’ve not forgot thy way,
Restore thy wandering sheep.”
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STORAGE
52,630
16
rah.
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HISTORY
OF
THE ENGLISH BIBLE:
SHOWIN&
THE INEFFECTUAL EFFORTS OF POPERY TO PREVENT
ITS CIRCULATION.
— 12—
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY
150 NASSAU-STREET, new YORK
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THE
HISTORY
OF
THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
PROGRESS MADE IN TRANSLATING THE BIBLE
BEFORE THE TIME OF WICKLIFFE.
The history of the English Bible includes a
period of nine hundred years, extending from
about A. D. 700, to the completion of the present
translation in the reign of James the First, A. D.
1611.
The psalter and the gospel were translated into
the Anglo-Saxon towards the beginning of the
eighth century, by the venerable Bede, who is
said to have finished the last chapter of the gos
pel as he expired. The whole'Bible was trans
lated into the Anglo-Saxon by order of king
Alfred. He undertook the version of the psalms
himself, but he did not live to complete it.
We pass rapidly over a wide and dreary waste,
reaching from the days of Alfred to William the
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6
THE HISTORY OF
Conqueror, and even as far down as the reign of
Edward I. In the eleventh century the state of
England was superlatively wretched. In conse
quence of the successful invasion of the ferocious
Danes, murder and rapine marched hand in hand
through the kingdom with wasteful triumph.
During this period of horror and desolation, relig
ion, corrupted by repeated abuses, degenerated
into superstition. In these calamitous times, and
for some ages after, those who presided over that
hallowed fountain of living waters, the Scriptures,
suffered them to flow with only a niggard stream,
and that polluted. -
In 1274 the price of a Bible, with a commen
tary fairly written, was £30—a most enormous
sum, for at that time the pay of a laboring man
was only three half-pence a day; so that such a
work would have cost him more than fifteen years’
labor;. and the expense have been greater than
building two arches of London bridge, which, in
e - 1240, cost £25.
One of the first attempts at a translation into
the English language, appears to have been made
by Richard Eolle, a hermit of Hampole, in York
shire, who translated and wrote a gloss upon the
psalter, and a metrical paraphrase of the book of
Job. He died in 1349.
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In Spain, James I. king of Arragon, who died
in 1276, required all, whether clergy or laity, who
possessed any of the books of the Old and New
Testament in the vulgar tongue, to bring them to
the bishop to be burned. The translations thus
condemned had probably been made by those early
opponents of superstition, the Albigenses. But
while one part of Spain was interdicted the word of
God, another was favored with it; for Alphonsus
king of Castile, who lived A. D. 1280, with pious
liberality, took care to have the sacred books trans
lated into the Castilian, his native dialect.
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8
THE HISTORY OF
WICKLIFFE’S TRANSLATION..
The first complete translation of the whole
Bible into English was made by John Wickliffe. -
This appeared between 1360 and 1380.
The New Testament of "Wickliffe’s version sold
for four marks and forty pence, or £2 16s. 8d.,
as appears from the register of W. Alnwick, bishop
of Norwich, 1429, as quoted by Fox.
In 1390 a bill was brought into the House of
Lords to prohibit the use of English Bibles. The
bill, however, being strongly reprobated and op
posed by John duke of Lancaster, Wicklifie’s pat
ron, was rejected. The duke is related to have
said, “We will not be the dregs of all, seeing
other nations have the law of God, which is the
law of our faith, written in their own language.”
About A. D. 1408, Arundel, archbishop of Can
terbury, decreed, in a convocation of the clergy at
Oxford, that no unauthorized person should trans
late any text of Scripture into English, or any
other language, by way of book or treatise ; and
that no translation, made either in or since Wick-
liffe’s time, should be read, till approved 'by the,
bishop of the diocese, or in a provincial council.
This decree was enforced by great persecutions;
and as about the same time Pope Alexander Y.
condemned all translations into the vulgar tongue,
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9
they were, as much as it was possible, suppressed
till the Reformation.
It appears, indeed, from our bishops’ registers,
that in consequence of Arundel’s commission, sev
eral persons were burned on refusing to abjure
their principles, for having read the New Testa
ment and the ten commandments in WicklifFe’s
translation.
In the second year of the reign of Henry Y. a
law was passed by which all Lollards, or those
who possessed or read any of Wicldifie’s hooks,
were declared to be guilty of treason, and their
goods ordered to be confiscated. This law was
considered as particularly directed against those
who read the New Testament in English in Wick
lifFe’s translation. The following extract shows
how the passage of this law was regarded by many
in that day: “ In the said parliament—namely, one
held at Leicester—the king made this most blas
phemous and cruel act to be a law for ever, that
whatsoever they were that should read the Scrip
tures in their mother tongue—which was then call
ed Wicklieu Lerning-—they should forfeit land,
cattle, body, life, and goods from their heirs for ever,
and to be condemned for heretics to G-od, enemies to
the crown, and most errant traitors to the land.”
In 1429, Nicholas Belward was accused of hav
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10
THE HISTORY OF
ing in ]iis possession a New Testament which he
had bought in London for four marks and forty
pence, or £2 16s. 8d., a sum equivalent to more
than forty pounds at present—an astonishing price
to he paid by a laboring man !
THE FIRST FRINTED BIBLES.
No sooner was the art of printing invented in
Germany, than Dr. Fust, or Faustus, employed it
in multiplying copies of the Bible. Having printed
off a considerable number of copies to imitate
those which were commonly sold in manuscript,
he undertook the sale of them at Paris, where the
art of printing was then unknown. As he sold
his printed copies for sixty crowns, while the
scribes demanded five hundred, this created uni
versal astonishment; but when he produced copies
as fast as they were wanted, and also lowered his
price to thirty crowns, all Paris was agitated. The
uniformity of the copies increased the wonder. It
is said that informations were given in to' the
magistrates against him as a magician ; his lodg
ings were searched, and a great number of copies
being found, they were seized. The red ink with
which they were embellished was said to be his
blood. It was seriously adjudged that he was in
league with the devil; but on discovering his art,
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11
the parliament of Paris made an aet to discharge
him from all persecution in 'consideration of his
useful invention.
The very first printed edition of the Bible, in
any language, was that of the Latin Yulgate,
which was printed at Mayntz in 1462. (N. B.
This must be understood to denote the first edi
tion of the whole Bible which hears the name of
a printer, and the place and year of its execution.)
The first printed edition of the Bible, in any mod
ern language, was in the German, there being a
copy preserved hr the public library in the.city of
Leipsic. which was printed in 1467.
TYNDAL’S TRANSLATION.
In 1526, William Tyndal, a native of Wales
printed at Antwerp, without a name, his English
New Testament. In England the importers and
venders of Tyndal’s translation were condemned
by Sir Thomas More, the lord chancellor, to ride
with their faces to the horses’ tails, with papers
on their heads, and with the hooks which they had
dispersed tied about them, to an appointed spot in
London, where they themselves were compelled
to throw them into the fire, and were afterwards
amerced in a considerable fine. Tyndal, through
the treachery of Henry Philips, was strangled and
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12
THE HISTORY OF
burned in 1536 for heresy, near Filford, or Yille-
fort castle, the place of his imprisonment', between
Brussels and Antwerp, in Flanders. He expired
praying, with repeated earnestness, “ Lord, open
the king of England’s eyes.” It was at Antwerp
he finished his favorite work, with the assistance
of John Fry, or Fryth, and William Foye ; the for
mer of whom was burned in Smithfield for heresy,
July, 1552 ; and the latter suffered that dreadful
death in Portugal on the same accusation.”-
At the request of the clergy several severe
proclamations were issued by king Henry VIII.
against all who read or kept by them Tyndal’s
translation of the New Testament; so that a
copy of this book found in the possession of any
person, was sufficient to convict him of heresy,
and subject him to the flames. “But the felwent
zeal of these Christian days,” says the good old
martyrologist, Fox, “seemed much superior to
these our days and times, as manifestly may
appear by their sitting up all night in reading or
hearing ; also hy their expenses and charges in
buying of books in English,, of whom some gave
five marks, some more, some less, for a hook, and
some gave a load of. hay for a feio chapters of
St. James, or of St. Paul, in English.”
In 1543 an act of parliament was obtained by
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
13.
the adversaries of translations, condemning Tyn-
dal’s Bible, and the prefaces and notes of all other
editions. It was therefore enacted, “ That no
women, except noble women, and gentlewomen,
who might read to themselves alone, and not. to
others—and for which indulgence they were in
debted to Cranmer—nor artificers, apprentices,
journeymen, serving-men, husbandmen, nor labor
ers, were to read the Bible or New Testament in
English, to himself of to any others, privately or
opienly, upon pain of one month’s imprisonment.”
A similar act was also passed in 1546, prohibit
ing Coverdale’s as well as Tyndal’s Bible.
The New Testament was published by Luther,
after it had been revised by Melancthon, in 1522.
. Tyndal’s translation of the New Testament,
from the Greek, was printed in octavo, as' we
have seen, in 1526. The written copies of Wick-
liffe’s translation had been long known ; but this
was the first time that any part of the Scriptures
was printed iri English. Wolsey and the bishops
published prohibitions and injunctions against it
as false and heretical. Tonstal, bishop of London,
and Sir Thomas More, bought up almost the whole
impression, and burned it at St. Paul’s Cross. The
sale of these copies, however, enabled Tyndal to
prepare another and more correct edition, which
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14
THL HISTOIIY OF
was printed in 1534. “ Cardinal "Wolsey declaim
ed,” says Mr. Baxter, “ against the art of printing,
as that which would take down the honor and
profit of the priesthood, by making the people as
wise as they.”
At that time the people were so little acquaint
ed with the Scriptures, that upon the appearance
of printed editions in the Hebrew and Greek orig
inals, some of the more illiterate monks declaimed
from the pulpits, that “there was now a new
language discovered, called Greek, of which the
people should beware, since it was that which
produced all heresies; that in this language was
come forth a hook called the New Testament,
which was now in every body’s hands, and was
full of thorns and briars. And there had also
another language now started up, which they
called Hebrew; and that they who learned it were
termed Hebrews.”
“ The art of reading,” says Lord Kaimes, “ made
a very slow progress. To encourage that art in
England, the capital punishment for murder was
remitted, if the criminal ccndd but read, which,
in law language, is termed benefit of clergy. One
would imagine that the art must have made a
very rapid progress when so greatly favored, hu<
there is a signal proof of the contrary; for so
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
15
small an edition of the Bible as six hundred copies,
translated into English in the reign of Henry
VIII., was not wholly sold off in three years.”
“ The clergy,” says Dr. Henry, “ were very sen
sible of their danger from this quarter, and ex
erted all their power to prevent the circulation oi
the New Testament in English, which they rep
resented as perfect poison to the souls of Chris
tians. But all their efforts were ineffectual.”
TRANSLATION MADE UNDER THE SUPERIN
TENDENCE OFCRANMER, COMMONLY CALLED
COVERDALE’S BIBLE.
Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, having *
obtained king Henry’s permission to translate the
New Testament, divided it into nine parts, chose
nine of the best Greek scholars he could find, and
committed the translating of one of those parts to
each. When they were all translated and return
ed to him, he sent one of those parts to one of the
most learned of his brethren the bishops, to be
corrected, and returned with their observations.
When the day came, every man sent to Lambeth
their parts corrected; only one portion, namely,
that which had been sent to Stokesley, bishop of
London, was wanting. Cranmer wrote to the
bishop a letter for his part, requiring him to delivei
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16
THE HISTORY OF
it unto the messenger, his secretary. He received
the archbishop’s letter at Fulham, unto which he
made this answer: “I marvel what my lord of
Canterbury meaneth, that thus abuseth the people
in giving them liberty to read the Scriptures, which
doth nothing else but infect them with heresy. I
have bestowed never an hour upon my portion,
nor ever will, and therefore my lord shall have
his book again, for I will never be guilty of bring
ing this simple folk into error.”
Mr. Thomas Lawney, chaplain to the old duke
of Norfolk, hearing the archbishop speak of Stokes-
ley’s untowardness, said, “ I can tell your grace
why my lord of London will not bestow any labors
or pains this way; your grace knoweth well that
his portion is a piece of the New Testament.
But he, being persuaded that Christ had not be
queathed him any thing in his Testament, thought
it mere madness to bestow any labor or pains
where no gain was to be gotten 1 And besides
this, it is the Acts of the Apostles, who were sim
ple, poor fellows ; and therefore my lord of Lon
don disdained to have to do with any of them !”
There was nothing that the friends of the old
learning—as the tenets of popery were then call
ed—more dreaded and deprecated than the trans
lation of the Scriptures into English, and granting
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
17
the use of tliem to the people ; nor was there any
thing that the friends of the Reformation more
ardently labored to procure. There was a long
and violent struggle between the two parties.
Archbishop Warham sent a pastoral letter to all
the prelates of his province, A. D. 1526, acquaint
ing them that certain children of iniquity, blinded
by malice, had translated the New Testament into
English, to spread heresy and ruin men’s souls,
and that some of these pernicious books had been
brought into England. He directed them, there
fore, to command all persons in their diocese, who
had any of these dangerous books, to deliver them
up to their bishop, or his commissary, within thirty
days, under the pain of excommunication, and of
being punished as heretics.
Four years after this, the cry for a translation
of the Bible, and the opposition to it still continu
ing, the king published a proclamation, in which
he told his subjects that he had consulted the two
primates and several other bishops and learned
men, “and that by all these virtuous, discreet, and
well-learned personages hr divinity, it is thought
that it is not necessary the Scriptures be in the
English tongue, and in the hands of the common
people ; and that, having respect to the malignity
of this present time, with the inclinations of the
24-
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18
THE HISTORY OF
people to erroneous opinions, tlie translation of the
New Testament and the Old into the vulgar tongue
of the English should rather he the occasion of con
tinuance or increase of errors among the said peo
ple, than any benefit to their souls.” Such were the
sentiments of the king and prelates of England on
this subject at that time. But after Henry began to
quarrel with the pope, and Cranmer was advanced
to the primacy, he changed his opinion, and began
to listen to the opinions of his subjects to have the
Scriptures in a language they understood.
When Dr. Cranmer w f as advanced to the pri
macy, he stood in the highest degree of favor with
the king, which was the cause of his unexpected
promotion. This gave him so much influence and
authority in the church, that the convocation of
his province, December the 9th, 153-1, consulted
and agreed that he should make application to
the king to name and appoint certain honest and
learned men to translate the Scriptures into Eng
lish, to be put into the hands of the people for
their instruction. Cranmer applied to the king
accordingly, and obtained a commission for himself
and some other learned men to prepare a transla
tion of the whole Bible for tbe instruction of his
subjects. For expedition in this work, which he
had much at heart, lie divided the Bible into scv-
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
19
era! parts, and gave one to each translator. When
the translation was finished, the printing of it was
committed to Richard Grafton and Edward Whit
church, who obtained permission from Francis to
print it at Paris.
“About this time,” says archbishop FTewcome,
“ an event happened which showed the vigilance
and jealousy of the Romanists with respect to
vernacular translations of the Bible. Grafton had
permission from Francis the First, at the request
of king Henry himself, to print a Bible at Paris,
on account of the superior skill of the workmen,
and the comparative goodness and cheapness of
the paper. But, notwithstanding the royal license,
the Inquisition interposed by an instrument dated
December 17th, 1538. The French printers, their
English employers, and Coverdale, the corrector
of the work, were summoned by the Inquisitors,
and the impression, consisting of 2,500 copies, was
seized and condemned to the flames. But the
avarice of the officer who superintended the 'burn
ing of these heretical books,, for so they were call
ed, induced him to sell some chests of them to a
haberdasher for the purpose of wrapping his wares.
The English proprietors, who fled at the alarm,
returned to Paris when it subsided, and not only re
covered some of those copies which had escaped the
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20
THE HISTORY OF
fire, but brought with them to London the presses,
types, and printers, When Cranmer received, some
copies of this Bible, he said it gave him more joy
than if he had received ten thousand pounds!
The king, by proclamation, A. D. 1537, com
manded one of these Bibles, at the equal expense
of the clergyman and the parishioners, to be de
posited in every parish church, to be read by all
who pleased ; and as some towns and parishes did
not obey this first proclamation,'it was enforced in
a second, with severe penalties. At last Cranmer
procured permission, A. D. 1539, to all the subjects
to purchase copies of this English Bible for the use
of themselves and their families. By such slow
steps the people of England obtained the inestima
ble privilege of perusing the word of G-od in their
own language, which had been long denied them.
Coverdale’s Bible, in folio, was published in
1535. This,” says Newcome, “is the first Eng
lish Bible allowed by royal authority, and the
first translation of the whole Bible printed in our
language. It was objected to by the bishops as
faulty; but as they admitted that it contained no
heresies, the king said, Then, in God’s name, let
it go abroad among my people. An order was
soon after issued out that every church should be
furnished with one of these Bibles.”
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
21
“It was wonderful,” says Strype, “to see with
what joy this,hook of God was received, not only
among the more learned sort, and those that were
noted as lovers of the Reformation, but generally
all England over, among all the vulgar and com
mon people; and with what greediness God’s
word was read, and what resort there was to
places where it was read. Every body that could,
bought the book and busily read it, or got others
to read it to them if they could not themselves;
and divers elderly people learned to read on pur
pose ; and even little boys flocked among the rest
to hear portions of the holy Scriptures read.”
One William Maldon mentions, that when the
king had allowed the Bible to be set forth to be
read in the churches, immediately several poor
men in the town of Chelmsford, in Essex, where
his father lived, and he was born, bought the
New Testament, and on Sundays sat reading it
in the lower end of the church. Many would
flock about them to hear their reading; and he,
among the rest, being then but fifteen years old,
came every Sunday to hear the glad and sweet
tidings of the gospel. But his father observing it
once, angrily brought him away, and would have
him say the Latin matins with him, which grieved
him much. As he returned at other times to hear
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22
THE HISTORY OF
the scriptures read, his father still would bring
him away. This put him upon the thought of
learning to read English, that he might read the
New Testament himself, which, when he had by
diligence effected, he and his father’s apprentice
bought a New Testament, joining their stocks
together, and to conceal it, laid it under the bed
straw, and read it at convenient times.
On the passing of the act of Parliament before
mentioned, in 1546, prohibiting Coverdale’s Bible,
the following singular note was made by a poor shep
herd in a spare leaf of Polydore Virgil's work on the
Invention of Things, printed by Grafton, 1546.
■ 11 At Ozforde the yere 1546, broivt doiun to
Seynbury by John Darbye, pryce 14d. When I
Jcepe Mr. Letymeds shepe I bout thys boke ivhen
the Testament teas obberagatyd that shepherdys
might not red hit, I pray God amende that
blyndness. Writ by Robert Wilyams keppynge
shepe upon Seynbury hill, 1546.”
Henry VIII. dying in January, 1547, Was suc
ceeded by his son, Edward VI. The young king
favored the Reformation, and repealed the acts
which prohibited the translation of the scriptures.
During his short reign all persons were allowed
the use of translations. New editions were pub
lished, and copies placed in the churches. Every
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23
ecclesiastical person under the degree of bachelor
of divinity was enjoined to provide a New Tes
tament in Latin and English, with the para
phrase of Erasmus ; and Gardiner, bishop of Win
chester, was committed to the Fleet for refusing
compliance, and at length deprived of his bishop
ric.
Among many who glorified God by suffering
martyrdom in the reign of Glueen Mary, Joan
Waste, a poor woman, deserves never to be for
gotten. Though blind from her birth, she learned,
at an early age, to knit stockings and sleeves, and
to assist her father in the business of rope-making,
and always discovered the utmost aversion to
idleness or sloth. After the death of her parents,
she lived with her brother, and by daily attend
ance at church, and hearing divine service read
in the vulgar tongue, during the reign of king
Edward, became deeply impressed with religious
principles. This rendered her desirous of possess
ing the word of God ; so that at length, having
by her labor earned and saved as much money as
would purchase a New Testament, she procured
one ; and as she could not read it herself, got
others to read it to her, especially an old man
seventy years of age, a prisoner for debt in the
common hall at Derby, and clerk of the parish,
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THE HISTORY OE
■\vlio read a chapter to her almost every day. She
•would also, sometimes give a penny or two, as
she could spare, to those who would not read to
her without pay. By these means she became
well acquainted with the New Testament, and
could repeat many chapters without book ; and
daily increasing in sacred knowledge, exhibited
its influence in her life, till, when she was about
twenty-two years of age, she was condemned for
not believing the doctrine of transubstautiation,
and burned at Derby, August 1, 15=10.
TRANSLATIONS SUBSEQUENT TO GRANGER'S.
During Mary’s reign, the Gospellers, as the
Reformers were then called, fled abroad, and a
new translation of the Scriptures into English
appeared at Geneva, of which the New Testa
ment was published in 1557. This is the first
New Testament in English, with the distinction
of verses by numerical figures.
"When Elizabeth acceded to the throne in 1558,
she was indirectly requested, at her coronation, to
countenance a translation, the Bible being pre
sented to her in the procession, which she accept
ed with great appearance of gratitude and ven
eration ; and the bishops were soon afterwards
appointed to prepare a translation.
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25
In 1560 the whole Bible, in quarto, was printed
at Geneva by Howland Harte—some of the Eng
lish refugees continuing in that city solely for this
purpose. i
An act of parliament was passed in England
for a translation of the Bible in Welsh, of which
the New Testament was printed in 1567 ; the
whole Bible appeared in 1588.
In 1568 Archbishop. Parker’s English transla
tion appeared; this is called the Bishop’s Bible.
The Homan Catholic Hhemish Testament was
published in 1582. Their Douay Old Testament
appeared in two quarto volumes; the former in
1609, and the other in 1610. “Nor were they
ashamed to confess, that we forced them to trans
late the Scriptures into English against their
wills.” ,
KING JAMES’ TRANSLATION, OR THE PRESE NT
RECEIVED VERSION.
In 1604-, King James-I., in consequence of a
request made by Dr. Heynolds, the head of the
Non-conformist party, at a conference held at
Hampton Court in 1603, appointed fifty-four learn
ed persons, chosen from both universities, to make
a new and more correct translation. Seven of
these probably either declined the work from dif
fidence, or were prevented engaging in it by death,
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26
THE HISTORY OF
as only forty-seven appear in the list of translators.
The translation was begun in 1607, and completed
in 1611. Seven of the translators were created
bishops in a few years. “Blessed he they, and
most honored he their name, that break the ice
and give the first onset upon that which helpeth
forward to the saving of souls.”
Thus, after the lapse of almost one hundred
years from the first appearance of the English
printed Scriptures by the labors of Tyndal, we
are come to the present authorized version, of
which it has been remarked, that “it is the birth
right of our numerous population, and has proved
the means of knowledge, holiness, and joy"to mill
ions ; and ,we trust it is destined, for ages yet to
come, to be the glory of the rich, and the inher
itance of the poor—the guide to the way-worn
pilgrim, and the messenger of peace to many' a
dying sinner.”
REFLECTIONS.
I. How thankful should ioc be for this un
speakable gift. But, as Tyndal said, “ Thoughe
a man hadde a precyous jewel, - and a ryche, yet
yf he wist not the value thereof, nor wherfore it
served, he were neyther the better nor-rycher of
a strawe.”
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
27
Millions of the inhabitants of this country, in
the ages of popish darkness, died without the sight
of a Bible. “Translation^ it is that openeth the
window to let in the light; that breaketh the
shell, that we may eat the kernel; that putteth
aside.the curtain, that we may look into the most
holy place; that moveth the cover of the well,
that we may come by the water, even as Jacob
rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well,
by which means the flocks of Lahan were water
ed.”* The present age may he denominated the
age of Bibles. The efforts which are now making
for the universal circulation of the Scriptures in
spire all good men with hope and joy. Great
opposition should be expected : and we rejoice with
trembling, when we think of the awful weight of
responsibility which must attach to those who are
so highly privileged.
II. We should inquire diligently ivhether ice
make the proper use of this holy book. Let the
reader examine himself.
1. The Bible was given, that we may form just
conceptions of the object of worship. As I see the
sun by its own light, do I in God’s light see God ?
2. The Bible was given, that we may have be
fore us the rule of duty. “ He hath showed thee,
* Preface by King James’ translators.
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28
THE I-IISTORY OF
0 man, what is good.” Micali 6:8. Does my
conscience hear witness that this is my rule, not
only in worship, hut in buying and selling, and in
every part of my conduct ?
3. The Bible was given, that perishing sinners,
who deserve to perish, may learn the way of sal
vation. Jesus proclaims—may his words he trans
lated speedily into all languages—“I am the way,
and the truth, and the-life; no man cometh unto
the Father, hut by me.” John 14 : 3. Am I
walking in this way ? Have I seen and felt the
necessity of his atoning sacrifice ? Is it the foun
tain in which I daily wash ? Is my conscience
purified by the sprinkling of that blood? Do I,
renouncing every other hope, esteem his obedi
ence and sufferings as the garments of salvation ?
Zechariah 13 : 1; Hebrews 9 : 14; 12 : 24; Isa
iah 61 : 10.
4. The Bible was given, that mourners may be
comforted in this vale of tears. It is like the
spring that Hagar saw in the wilderness. It has
revived many who were ready to perish. Can I
truly adopt the prophet’s language ? “ Thy words
were found, and I did eat them, and thy word
was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.”
Jer. 15: 16.
5. The Bible was given, that we may be slim-
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THE ENGLISH BIBLE.
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ulat'ed by the purest and brightest examples. Jas.
5 : 10; 1 Cor. 11 : 1; 1 Pet. 2 : 21. Are these
the patterns I am daily copying; and, above all,
do I set the Lord Jesus always before me?
6. The Bible was given to arm us against all
our spiritual enemies. Am I daily using this
sword of the Spirit ? Or am I utterly a stranger
to the word of God in this view of it ?
7. The Bible was given to conduct us to the
full enjoyment of the supreme good. Have I con
sidered, that if this be the map of the road to the.
heavenly Canaan, I cannot travel securely and
comfortably without it ?
Bead with reverence. For the contents; are,.in
many places, profoundly mysterious. “ I adore,”
said Tertullian, “ the fulness of Scripture.” “ Men
we are all,” said Archbishop Parker, “ and all that
which we know is not the thousandth part of that
we know not.”
Bead with interest, as if no one before you had
read; or as a young man reads his father’s last
will and testament.
Bead with gratitude. What shall we render
to the Lord for a Bible inspired by the Holy
Spirit—completed by slow degrees, at sundry
times, from Moses the prophet to John the apos
tle, during the lapse of more than a thousand
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30
TIIE IIISTOKY OF
years—preserved so long, while multitudes of an
cient hooks are lost; translated into our language
by learned and faithful men, with the hazard, if
not the sacrifice of their own lives ; printed with
great labor and accuracy, and published for the
benefit of the poor ?
Read with diligence. Many read who do not
search the Scriptures. We are required to imitate
those who dig for hidden treasures. ’ Proverbs
2 : 1-6. “ Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly.” Colos. 3 : 16.
Read with constancy. We should value the
word of God, as Job did, more than our necessary
food which we eat every day. Job 23 : 12. The
Bcreans arc commended for searching the Scrip
tures daily.
Read with prayer• “ Open thou mine eyes,”
said David, “ that I may behold wondrous things
out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth;
hide not thy commandments from me.” Psalm
119 : IS, 19.
Finally, read with a practical purpose. Not
merely for speculation, amusement, or debate, but
that you may have a lantern to your path ; that
you may cleanse your way ; that you may be fur
nished for every good word and work. Thus the
encouraging oracle speaks : “ To him that ordereth
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his conversation aright, will I show the salvation
of God.” Psalm 50 : 23.
-III. 1.low zealous should tue be to 'promote the
knowledge of this blessed book among our felloiu-
sinners, to the utmost of our ability and oppor
tunity.
1. It is a hook that speaks to all men through
the world. “ He that is ignorant,” says Cranmer,
“ shall find there what he should learn. lie that
is a perverse, sinner, shall there find what should
make him tremble for fear. He that laboreth to
serve God, shall find there his glory and the pro
missions of eternal life, exhorting him more dili
gently to labor. Herein may princes learn how to
govern their subjects—subjects, obedience to their
princes. Husbands, how they should behave them
unto their wives, how to educate their children
and servants; and contrary, the wives, children,
and servants may know their duty to their hus
bands, parents, and masters. Here may all man
ner of persons, men, women, young, old, learned,
unlearned, rich, poor, priests, laymen, lords, ladies,
officers, tenants, and mean men, virgins, wives,
widows, lawyers, merchants, artificers, husband
men, and all manner, of persons, of what estate or
condition soever—they may here, in this book,
learn all things which they ought to believe, what
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32 HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE
they ought to do, and what they should not do, as
■well concerning Almighty God, as also concerning
themselves and-all others.”
2. Multitudes of our fellow-sinners are perishing
for want of it. The plentiful benefits we have
found will suffice for them also. Shall we not,
then, publish the good news ? The four lepers
at the gate of Samaria said, one to another, “We
do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, and
we hold our peace.” 2 Kings, 7 :,9.
3. If in this cause we he supine, G-od will he
angry, and our ingratitude will be punished with
a severity proportioned to the aggravations of our
guilt. Will not Jesus say again, “ I tell you, that
if these should hold their peace, the stones would
immediately cry out ?” Luke 19:4-0.
4. Let us often think, if WicklifFe and Tyndal
and Luther and Cranmer were now living, and
blest with our advantages, how they would bestir
themselves in this good work. They would not
rest till they had filled every street in every city
with the light of these heavenly lamps. They
would not rest till they saw the light spreading in
all directions, so as to form one glorious blaze of
illumination to the honor of God in this dark
world.
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RAM.
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