BOSTON: MUNROE & FRANCIS. 1838. Lode 28, 1931 LIBRARY tac duri Skien Hall seball Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1835, BY S. COLMAN, In the Clerk's of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Emberect. PREFACE. THIS work consists, for the most part, of two little books which have recently made their appearance in England. The first of these is entitled "Bible Letters, &c. by Lucy Barton;" the other, "Gospel Stories; an attempt to render the chief events of the life of our Savior intelligible and profitable to young children." In preparing the volume for the American reader, I have taken the liberty to omit some passages in the works above mentioned, which seem not happily adapted to youth. The phraseology has been altered in many cases, and some additions have been made. It may be a question in many minds, whether it is not better that children should read the Bible itself, than any compilation made from it. I have often heard the opinion expressed, that the sacred volume could not be better suited to any class of readers, than as delivered to us by its great Author. This opinion is certainly entitled to consideration; but, on examination, it appears to be founded in prejudice. A large portion of it, children could not understand, and in reading many passages, they would only acquire grotesque fancies and absurd opinions. persons of observation must recollect many in |