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THE

HISTORY

OF

THE FAIRCHILD FAMILY;

BEING

A COLLECTION OF STORIES CALCULATED TO SHOW THE IMPORTANCE AND EFFECTS OF A RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

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HISTORY

OF

THE FAIRCHILD FAMILY.

INTRODUCTION.

Mr.

MR. and MRS. FAIRCHILD lived very far from any town; their house stood in the midst of a garden, which in the summer-time was full of fruit and sweet flowers. Fairchild kept only two servants, Betty and John; Betty's business was to clean the house, cook the dinner, and milk the cow; and John waited at table, worked in the garden, fed the pig, and took care of the meadow in which the cow grazed.

Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild had three children; Lucy, who was about nine years old when these stories began: Emily who was next in age: and Henry, who was between six and seven. These little children did not go to school: Mrs. Fairchild taught Lucy and Emily, and Mr. Fairchild taught little Henry. Lucy and Emily learned to read, and to do various kinds of needlework. Lucy had begun to write, and took great pains with her writing their mamma also taught them to sing psalms and hymns, and they could sing several very sweetly. Little Henry, too, had a great notion of singing.

Besides working and reading, the little girls could do many useful things: they made their beds, rubbed the chairs and tables in their rooms, fed the fowls; and, when John was busy, they laid the cloth for dinner, and were ready to fetch any thing which their papa or mamma might want.

Mr. Fairchild taught Henry every thing that was proper for little boys in his station to learn: and when he had finished his lessons in a morning, his papa used to take him very often to work in the garden; for Mr. Fairchild had great pleasure in helping John to keep the garden clean. Henry had a little basket; and he

used to carry the weeds and rubbish in this basket out of the garden, and do many such other little things as his papa set him to do.

I must not forget to say, that Mr. Fairchild had a school for poor boys in the next village, and Mrs. Fairchild one for girls. I do not mean that they taught the children entirely themselves, but they paid a master and mistress to teach them; and they used to take a walk two or three times a week to see the children and to give rewards to those who had behaved well. When Lucy and Emily and Henry were obedient, their papa and mamma were so kind as to let them go with them to see the schools; and then they always contrived to have some little things ready to carry with them, as presents to the good children.

Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild had been brought to the knowledge of God in the early part of their lives.

It is the greatest blessing which we can possibly receive, to be made to know our God, and to be made acquainted with all that he has done for our salvation. It is the work of the Spirit to bring us to this knowledge; and they who are thus enlightened, have new hearts given them, and are entirely changed,-insomuch, that they may be called new creatures: and the way by which we may know those whose hearts are changed through the power of the Spirit, is, that they love God above all things, and seek the everlasting good of their friends on earth with a degree of earnestness which makes them despise all other things in comparison.

So it was with Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild; they did not wish their dear little children to be handsome, or rich, or powerful in the world; all that they desired for them was the blessing of God; without which, all that this world can give is nothing worth.

You would perhaps like to hear the prayer which these pious parents used to offer up in behalf of their children-a prayer which they often used as they knelt down in a morning in their own chamber, the three little ones kneeling by them.

The pious Father and Mother's Prayer for their beloved Children.

O Heavenly Father! who hast opened a way for us to approach thee, through the blood and righteousness of thy blessed Son, for his sake hearken to the prayers of

us sinful parents, who presume to intercede with thee in behalf of our children. Thou, O God, in thine infinite love, hast provided a means of salvation for all men. O grant to our humble and earnest prayers the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, to enlighten and renew the minds of our children, to convince them of the unbelief in which they have hitherto lived, and to point out to them that glorious atonement which thou hast provided for their sins. We do not ask any worldly honour or possession for our children; but we pray that they may be enabled to prefer Thee above all things, and be made sensible of that everlasting love with which thou hast loved thy people through all eternity.

O glorious Saviour! we devote these our little ones to thee, wholly unto thee, either to take them now to thyself, or to give them longer life, as it seemeth to thee good: but, oh! intercede for them, that they may be the children of the Holy One; and that of these little ones, whom thou hast given us, we may be able to say, at the last day, "Of them which thou gavest us have we lost none. John xviii. 9.

Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be all glory, honour, and praise, now and for evermore.

Amen.

HYMN I.

SEE Israel's gentle Shepherd stand
With all engaging charms;
Hark how he calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in his arms.

"Permit them to approach," he cries,
"Nor scorn their humble name;
For 'twas to bless such souls as these,
The Lord of angels came."

We bring them, Lord, by fervent prayer,
We bring them up to Thee:
Joyful that we ourselves are thine,
Thine let our children be.

Ye little babes with pleasure hear;
Ye children seek his face;
And fly with transport to receive
The blessings of his grace.

If orphans they are left behind,
Thy guardian care we trust;
That care shall heal our bleeding hearts,
If weeping o'er their dust.

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