Bible Stories for the Use of Children. Part I containing Stories from the Old Testament. By the Rev. Samuel Wood, B. A. Addresses for Sunday-schools, with appropriate Prayers. By the Rev. Samuel Wood, B. A. We have much pleasure in noticing these works from the pen of the Rev. Samuel Wood. Deeply convinced of the importance of implanting as early as possible in the infant mind, those rational principles of religion, which can alone guide and support it amidst the difficulties and trials of its progress through future life, we gratefully hail every addition to our somewhat scanty store of works of this description. In dedicating his talents to the moral and religious improvement of the rising generation, Mr. Wood merits the thanks of all who have at heart their best interests. We trust the example will be followed by other talented and benevolent individuals of our denomination. When we call to mind that they will thus become fellow-labourers in the field in which Priestley, and Barbauld, and Turner, and Wellbeloved, and many other revered names, have preceded them, we feel somewhat surprised that so few have hitherto engaged in a work so blessed. It has been said, that he who droppeth into the ground an acorn, "that beautiful little envelope which contains within it the mighty plant to which England owes much of its glory, deserves to be called a benefactor of his country;" how much more justly may we apply the title, to those who devote their time and talents to promote the more judicious culture of that infant germ, within which lie undeveloped, capabilities that may enlighten, and energies that may bless succeeding generations-knowledge that with eagle eye can gaze undazzled on truth's bright orb-benevolence smiling benignantly amidst her arduous toils and devotion, with radiant eyes still fixed on that heaven to which her hand smooths the path. Many of our readers, doubtless, have been painfully sensible of our deficiency of works adapted expressly for the religious instruction of children, and have felt the inconvenience of being obliged to have recourse to those, which, however unexceptionable in other respects they may be, are written by individuals whose views on doctrinal points, are totally opposed to what they believe to be the truth as it is in Jesus. By the judicious and well informed parent, the want may indeed be less felt; oral instruction is at all times more impressive and more engaging to children; even they, however, may sometimes derive useful hints from other minds, and to those who have not the time, the patience, or the talents requisite for this mode of instruction, the want of publications of the kind alluded to, is a most serious one. We possess, it is true, hymns and catechisms of the most valuable description; but, as Mr. Wood justly remarks, something more attractive to the attention of children, seemed to be wanting. To endeavour to render religion lovely and engaging, that is, to present her to the infant mind in true colours, divested of the character of forbidding gloom and austerity with which the injudicious and the mistaken have delighted to disguise her, is surely a most praiseworthy and important one; and it is in works that have this for their object, particularly in those adapted for a tender age, that it appears to us that we are deficient. A Trinitarian friend once remarked to the writer, that our having so few religious books for children, was a proof that our sentiments were too cold and lifeless to affect the heart. While we indignantly repelled the insinuation, the remark struck us. On examination, we found the juvenile library of the family, consisted for the most part, of pious lives, wonderful conversions, and rapturous deaths, principally of children. Many of these books, it is true, were calculated to have any thing but a salutary effect on the mind; but we could not help internally admitting, that our deficiency in works of a corresponding description, at least argued that we were not so zealously affected in a good cause. And may not this very want of zeal, which is often (we fear we must allow somewhat justly) urged against us, may it not, with some degree of probability, be traced to this very source? Our early impressions are universally allowed to be the strongest, the most indelible. Far be it from us to insinuate, that the religious instruction of the young is neglected by our ministers or people; but still, from the absence of the powerful aid to be derived from interesting and judicious publications of this class, their efforts may not always have been attended with the efficacy they otherwise would have had. The reason may have been convinced, but the heart perhaps has not been sufficiently affected; and thus, it may be, the individual rests satisfied with himself possessing his sublime 66 yet simple faith, without feeling any very ardent desire to communicate his cheering views to others. It cannot, indeed, be said of us as of the Pharisees of old, that we compass sea and land to make one proselyte;" what a contrast does our conduct in this respect exhibit to that of our opponents! When we reflect on the innumerable host of tracts and other works, which are daily sent forth and most industriously circulated by them, and consider the mighty influence those publications, which meet them on all hands, sometimes under the most unsuspected forms, must exert on the minds of the young and ignorant, shall we much err in ascribing to them, in part, the bigotted attachment we daily see displayed towards dogmas, at which, one of their own number has most truly said, "Reason stands aghast and Faith herself is half confounded." They universally decry the use of reason in matters of religion, and, with a very few exceptions, are devoted to the inculcation of the necessity of a belief in those mysterious doctrines which we consider altogether foreign to true Christianity, rather than to the recommendation of its pure and perfect morality. In point of moral tendency, indeed, some of them are little less pernicious and delusive, than those teachings which lead the hardened criminal, who meets his fate by the hands of the common executioner, to regard the scaffold as the threshold of paradise. These publications are perhaps put into infant hands by those whose looks are love, and whose word is law-while reason is too weak to doubt, and credulity too strong to scruple, and shall we wonder, if they produce those strong impressions, those almost indelible convictions, of which the bigotry and intolerance of maturer years is the fruit? In some fortunate cases, reason, when she attains sufficient vigour, may assert her rights; but who, that has not experienced them, can tell the struggles she must endure, ere she bursts the hallowed bonds of early associations, rivetted perhaps by hands the most revered, that she may enjoy the liberty with which Christ has made her free? The great majority continue to grope on in mental darkness; and should truth's resplendent beams haply ever reach them, unable to bear their heavenly radiance, they close their eyes, and exclaim, like the unfortunate being immured for long years in the vaults of the Bastile, when brought into the glorious light of day, "Take me back to my dungeon!" To a mind firmly con vinced of the truth of the pure and simple creed we profess, the blind attachment with which so large a portion of the Christian world cling to doctrines so irrational, must, in moments of serious reflection, afford matter of deep astonishment. Like the long darkness which fell around the human mind, when the pure light of reason was eclipsed by the dense shade of superstition, under the domination of the Church of Rome the prevalence of Trinitarianism is one of those mysterious ways of Providence which we cannot now unravel, although we have learned to trust, that out of the present evil great future good will be educed. "Truth is mighty," and firmly do we believe "it will prevail." But let us not tamely content ourselves with admitting this as a moral aphorism; let us not ingloriously withhold our hands from the conflict. Limited as may be our means and influence, let us do all we can to hasten the happy time, when the "whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, even as the waters cover the sea." Let us meet our adversaries at all points-let us assail them with their own weapons. Shall we yield undisputed the stronghold of the young affections? We have given them the credit of zeal and industry in the propagation of their peculiar opinions, while we have objected to the moral tendency of their publications; the design was excellent, but, warped by a system of error, the execution has been faulty. To what avail, however, is it that we point out the poison, unless we can furnish too the antidote? We would not place those works in the hands of our children, for, setting aside their doctrinal errors, we think them calculated to produce fanaticism or hypocrisy, rather than piety-bigotry and uncharitableness, rather than peace or good-will to In avoiding Scylla, however, let us not split upon Charybdis; let not our children be deprived of the benefit of religious books, calculated to interest their infant hearts to set in the fresh soil that living plant of devotion, that shall, as years roll on, unfold its lovely blossoms, and display its precious fruits in the eye of heaven. We, too, have pious lives, and deeds of exalted benevolence, and eminently serene and peaceful, if not rapturous, deaths to record. We know that many among us object to giving such details to the public, as breaking in upon the sacred privacy of the domestic circle; but we men. question, whether the feeling is not a morbid one, and, if it can be proved that its indulgence is injurious to the cause of truth, it surely should give way. Unitarianism, it has been alleged, is incapable of supporting the mind during the hours of sickness, and in the last mortal conflict; "it may do," say our opponents, "to live by, but will not do to die by." Again and again has it been demanded, "Where are your happy deaths?" Nay, it has been insinuated, that, like the friends of the celebrated philosopher of Ferney, we are solicitous to throw the mysterious veil of silence over the departing hours of those dear to us, that we may shade from all eyes similar horrors. And shall we, by our silence, continue to give assent to these calumnies, dishonouring alike the religion we love, and the memories of those we revere? Oh! let us no longer hide our light under a bushel, let us not deprive the world of the blessedness of their example, let not our pure and holy faith be thus evil spoken of! Rapturous deaths we consider unnatural to humanity,— For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey, This pleasing, anxious being e'er resign'd- Nor cast one longing, lingering look behind? Like the delirious visions which are the effects of opium, they are the consequence of the excitement produced by fanatical opinions and conversations on the weakened intellectual faculties of the dying. Not such were the departing hours of our blessed Lord and Master-the most pure, the most perfect of created beings; and surely "it is enough that the servant be as his Master, the disciple as his Lord." The soul seldom leaves its earthly tenement without sorrow and suffering, but blessed be He who hath given us a stay to support us under them. "Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, thy rod and thy staff they comfort us." The obituaries of some of our periodical publications, are the only instances in which we swerve from our general silence on those topics; were they more minute in their details, we are convinced they would be read with general interest by those of our own sentiments, and perhaps with benefit by the candid among our opponents. There was an article in a late number of one of them, which told of the death of a Unitarian child, which will well illustrate the use we think might be made of such |