C6e iti&rarg 
 
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 CHntDet0itp of iQortfc Carolina 
 
 The Sylvester Hassell Collection 
 
 FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 Sylvester Hassell, D. D. 
 
 CLASS OF '62 
 GIVEN BY HIS CHILDREN 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 School of Library 
 3cioa«« 
 
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SYLVESTERHJVSSELL 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hi 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/biblesketchesofcOObair 
 
BIBLE SKETCHES 
 
 CREATION AND THE FALL, 
 
 RICHMOND: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY E. THOMPSON BATED, 
 
 SECRETARY OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 No. 1011 Main Stkeet. 
 1871. 
 
3 
 
 SKETCHES 
 
 FROM 
 
 THE BIBLE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Creation of the World* 
 
 My dear children, you live in a 
 pleasant world. How happy it makes 
 you to walk out in the fields, and to 
 look at all the beautiful things that 
 God has made and given to you. 
 There is the glorious sun which sheds 
 such a blaze of light that your eyes 
 can hardly bear to look at it. Have 
 you never seen it when it rises in the 
 morning, and shines upon the steeple 
 and the windows, and makes the 
 
4 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 drops of dew on the grass to glittei 
 like the diamond in a lady's ring* 
 Do you not love to look upon it when 
 it sets in the evening, with purple, and 
 red, and golden clouds all around it? 
 If it were not for the sun it would be 
 always dark, and we could not read 
 or work without a candle. And if we 
 were to walk out, we could not see the 
 colour of the grass, or flowers, or 
 houses, or trees; every thing would 
 look black. How thankful you should 
 be to God, who has made the sun to 
 give us light ! 
 
 Then there is the moon, that rises 
 in the evening, and sends such a plea- 
 sant, soft light into your chamber win- 
 dows. And the many, many stars, 
 that twinkle, every clear night, all 
 over the heavens. Do you not thank 
 God for making the bright moon, and 
 the beautiful stars? 
 
THE BIBLE. 
 
 Sometimes your parents, or yom 
 elder brothers or sisters, take you into 
 the orchards and groves, where you 
 can gather fruit and flowers, and hear 
 the birds sing, and see the little fishes 
 swimming about in the clear rivulets. 
 Do you know who made all these 
 things, which it makes you so happy 
 to see and hear? Yes, you know, for 
 your parents have told you, that God 
 made them. Do you wish to learn how 
 he made them? I will try to tell you 
 out of the Bible. Six thousand years 
 ago, — I do not know but these are 
 more years than some of you can 
 count, but it was a very great while 
 ago,- — the great God who lives in 
 heaven above, began to make this 
 world. And he made it in six days. 
 This world is sometimes called the 
 earth. It was not difficult for God to 
 create the earth. It was very easv 
 a 2 
 
O SKETCHES FROM 
 
 He couid have created it in a moment. 
 But he chose that it should be six 
 days before it was finished, and he 
 rested on the seventh day. I will tell 
 you presently why he rested on the 
 seventh day. 
 
 In the place where God chose to 
 make the world, it was very dark and 
 gloomy. There was no land to tread 
 upon, and no clear sky. And God 
 said, Let there be light, and the light 
 instantly began to shine. And he 
 divided the light from the darkness, 
 and when the light shined, he called 
 it day, and when the darkness came, he 
 called it night. This was the first day. 
 
 The next day, God made Hie air 
 which is all around the earth. Do 
 you know what the air is? You can- 
 not see it, but every time you breathe, 
 you draw it into your nostrils, and it 
 goes nto your body and keeps you 
 
THE BIBLE. 7 
 
 alive. And sometimes you can feel it 
 blow upon your cheek. When you 
 see the leaves on the trees move, it is 
 the air that shakes the leaves. Do 
 you remember, when it was winter, 
 now you drew your chairs close to 
 the fire, and heard the wind whistle, 
 as it blew around the house and 
 through the trees? That was the air 
 that you heard, for the wind is only 
 the air moving very fast. The air 
 helps the plants to grow. How good 
 God was to make the air, that men 
 and animals might breathe, and that 
 the grass, and trees, and flowers, 
 might grow up all over the earth. 
 
 The third day, the earth was all 
 covered with the waters. And God 
 commanded the waters to flow away 
 from the high places on the earth, and 
 to run into the deep places which he 
 had made for them. And the high 
 
8 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 places were left dry and hard, and 
 were called land, and the waters were 
 called seas and rivers. Now theie 
 was nothing to be seen on the land, 
 but the brown earth, with the rocks 
 and stones scattered about upon it. 
 And God commanded the grass and 
 trees to grow, and the earth was, in 
 an instant, covered with a beautifu 
 green carpet of grass, and the tall 
 trees grew up in thick groves upon the 
 hills, and the fruit trees were loaded 
 with fruit in the valleys, and the 
 sweet flowers opened their tender 
 blossoms. 
 
 On the fourth day, God said, Let 
 there be lights in the heavens to divide 
 the day from the night, so that we may 
 count the days, and the seasons, and 
 the years. So God made two great 
 lights; the greater light, which was 
 the sun, to shine by day; and tlu 
 
THE BIBLE. [) 
 
 lesser light, which was the moon, to 
 shine by night. He made the stars 
 also, and set them in their places in 
 the heavens. And now the fourth day 
 ended, and the world was finished. 
 You may think how fresh and beauti- 
 ful it was. But though it was so beau- 
 tiful, it was very still; for there were 
 no living creatures upon it. There 
 were no birds to sing in the branches 
 of the thick woods. There were no 
 fishes to play in the waters. There 
 were no cattle to eat grass in the mea- 
 dows. God saw the earth when it was 
 made, and said that it was good; but 
 there were no men and women to see 
 and admire it, and praise God for his 
 great works. The sun went down 
 that night on a silent world. 
 
 On the fifth day, God began to cre- 
 ate animals. He spoke, and the fishes 
 and fowls lived Then, all at once. 
 
10 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 the waters were covered with fowls of 
 every kind, which sprang out of the 
 waters, and flew away into the air 
 There was the noble eagle, which is 
 called the king of birds, because he is 
 larger and stronger than most birds, 
 and he can fly higher than any other 
 bird. If you had been there, you 
 would have seen him rising out of the 
 water, and flying up towards the sun, 
 which he loves very much to look 
 upon. And the pretty peacock alight- 
 ed upon the grass, and shook the 
 drops of water from his bright fea- 
 thers, that are covered all over with 
 spots like stars. The little birds flew 
 into the woods, and began to build 
 their nests among the leaves of the 
 trees. And while they were at work 
 they sung for joy. And there were a 
 great many others that I have not 
 time to tell you about. , 
 
THE BIBLE. 11 
 
 Bat we must not forget the fishes 
 that had just begun to move about in 
 the waters. The sea was almost filled 
 with them. Some of them have fins 
 that * help them to swim very fast. 
 Some of them are covered with a thin 
 coat of shell. These creep about on 
 the sand, or hide in the rocks at the 
 bottom of the sea. Some of them lie 
 quite still in their shell houses. Others 
 have wings, and can fly a little way in 
 the air; and others live in a boat of 
 shell, and when they choose they can 
 rise to the top of the water, and put 
 up a little sail that grows upon their 
 bodies, and the wind blows them 
 along, just as it does ships. This is 
 all that was done on the fifth day. 
 
 The sixth and last day was now T 
 come. And God commanded the 
 earth to bring forth all the animals 
 that walk or creep upon the earth. 
 
12 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 And as soon as God had spoken, 
 beasts of every kind came up out of 
 the ground. Oh ! how many of them 
 there were. We cannot think of them 
 all at once, there were so many. The 
 great elephant was there, and the cun- 
 ning fox, and the generous horse, and 
 the faithful dog, and the timid sheep. 
 And all sorts of beasts, and serpents, 
 and insects, were there. They were 
 very different from each other. Some 
 of them could run very swiftly. Others 
 were very strong and large. Some of 
 them had teeth and claws which were 
 very sharp. Some of them knew a 
 great many things, and others were 
 very ignorant and stupid. Some of 
 them chose to live alone, and they 
 went away into the mountains, and 
 caves, and lone^ places. Others, like 
 the cattle and sheep, were fond of 
 
THE BiBLE. 13 
 
 company and they went about to- 
 gether, in flocks and herds. 
 
 And now all the beasts, and birds, 
 and fishes, were created, and had be- 
 gun to find out their places to live in, 
 and to enjoy themselves in the way 
 they liked best. Can you think of 
 any thing else that was wanting to 
 make this world complete? Yes, there 
 was something wanting. God had 
 made a great many curious animals, 
 but not one among them knew that 
 God made him, or could understand 
 any thing about God. And if they 
 could not understand any thing about 
 God, they could not love and obey 
 him. They could not pray to him. 
 They could not thank him for his 
 goodness in making them so happy. 
 A dog knows more than other ani- 
 mals. You can teach your dog many 
 things. You can teach him to love 
 
14 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 you, and follow you about, and to 
 thank you when you give him food. 
 You can teach him to find your hand- 
 kerchief, if you have lost it. You 
 can teach him to watch by your house 
 at night, and keep away the thieves 
 who wish to come in and steal. He 
 will be very sorry when you are sick ; 
 or when you have fallen down, and 
 hurt yourself. But you cannot teach 
 him that God made him. Oh no! 
 If you were to tell him this, he would 
 not understand you. You love your 
 dog for being so grateful and obe- 
 dient; and you do not blame him for 
 not thinking about God, because you 
 know he cannot understand such 
 things. 
 
 So Go^ determined to create a man 
 and woman; and to give them reason, 
 that they might know something about 
 God, and love him, and obey him. 
 
THE BIBLE. ll 
 
 And God made Adam and Eve, and 
 placed them in the garden of Eden. 
 It was a very fine garden, which God 
 had made on purpose for them to live 
 in. And God told Adam and Eve, 
 that they might rule over all the ani 
 mals ; and he said that all the animals 
 must obey Adam and Eve. And God 
 made all the beasts, and fowls, and 
 every living creature, to go to Adam; 
 and Adam gave them names; and 
 they were afterwards called by the 
 names which Adam had given them. 
 
16 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 More about Adam and Eve. 
 
 Now, my dear children, I wish to 
 talk to you a little more about Adam 
 and Eve; but I am afraid you will 
 not understand me, unless you are 
 very attentive; because what I am 
 going to say, is more difficult than 
 most that I have been telling you. 
 But I will try to find out the easiest 
 words ; and I hope if you attend to 
 every word that I say, and do not 
 think about any thing else till I have 
 done, you will know what I mean. 
 
 God said that he would make man 
 in his own image, which meant that 
 he would make him something like 
 himself. Now you know if you were 
 to draw a picture of a tree, it would 
 
THE BIBLE. 17 
 
 be a very different thing from the tree 
 itself, yet it would be something like 
 it. So Adam, who was only a man, 
 was very different from the great God: 
 yet in some things he was like him. 
 
 God knows every thing; and God 
 gave Adam reason, which helped him 
 to know something about God, and 
 something about his duty to God, and 
 something about what it was right or 
 wrong for him to do. So God made 
 Adam after his own image. 
 
 There was another thing in which 
 God made Adam after his own image. 
 He made him holy. You know what 
 it is to be holy. To be holy, is to be 
 good. To be holy is always to feel 
 right, and always to act right. God 
 is perfectly holy; and God made 
 Adam holy, so that he might always 
 love to do right, and please God 
 b2 
 
IS SKETCHES FROM 
 
 God made Adam after his own image, 
 because he made him holy. 
 
 There was another thing in which 
 God made Adam after his own image. 
 He made Adam's soul immortal : that 
 is, he made it to live for ever. God 
 will always continue to live. So he 
 made Adam immortal ; for he gave 
 him a soul that will never die. If 
 Adam had never disobeyed God, his 
 body would never have died. But 
 though he did disobey God, and 
 though God punished him, and his 
 body died, yet his soul will never die. 
 It will live for ever and ever. God 
 made Adam after his own image, be- 
 cause he made him immortal. 
 
 The seventh day was now come, 
 and it was the first Sabbath. The 
 work of Creation was finished, and 
 God rested from his work on the 
 seventh day. We do not know how 
 
THE BIBLE. 19 
 
 this Sabbath was kept m heaven ; for 
 God does not tell us in the Bible. But 
 I suppose that the angels praised 
 God for making this world, and for 
 creating Adam and Eve. And I sup- 
 pose that Adam and Eve kept this 
 Sabbath, by thanking God for his 
 goodness to them, and by resting 
 from their work, and by trying to 
 learn all that they could about God, 
 and about their duty to him. God 
 meant that the Sabbath should be 
 kept by Adam and Eve, and by all 
 their children. He meant that it 
 should be kept by all the men, and 
 women, and children, who should ever 
 live in this world. And he showed 
 them how to keep it; for he rested 
 from his work on the seventh day. 
 \nd, many years after, he said in the 
 fourth commandment, remember the 
 
 3ABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY. 
 
20 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 My dear children, let me ask you 
 a plain question. Do you remenibei 
 the Sabbath day to keep it holy ? 1 
 will tell you what it is to keep the 
 Sabbath holy. You must not do any 
 work — you must not play about the 
 house, or in the fields — you must not 
 think about your playthings, and talk 
 about them, and wish the Sabbath 
 was over. When you rise in the morn- 
 ing, you must pray to God that he 
 would help you to keep holy the Sab- 
 bath day. And you must ask your 
 father and mother to talk to you about 
 God, and tell you what you can do to 
 please him. And when you are at the 
 Sunday-school you must listen to 
 every word that your teacher says, 
 and try to remember it. And when 
 the minister prays at church, you must 
 try to understand him, and pray with 
 him in your heart. And if you see an) 
 
THE BIBLE. 21 
 
 wicked children playing on the Sab- 
 bath, you must tell them that God 
 sees them, and that God has said, 
 
 REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP 
 FT HOLY. 
 
22 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 What have you learned i 
 
 Dear children, I have finished aL 
 that I had to tell you about the crea- 
 tion of the world. And now let us 
 think of it a little. It does not do you 
 any good, to read the history of what 
 God has done, unless you think about 
 it, and try to learn something from it. 
 I will tell you some of the things you 
 ought to learn from this story of the 
 creation of the world. 
 
 One thing that you cannot help 
 learning is, that God is very great 
 and powerful. To be powerful, is to 
 be able to do a great many things. If 
 God had not been very powerful, he 
 could not have made this world. Do 
 you know any one who could make 
 
THE BIBLE 23 
 
 such a world as this ? Do you know 
 any one who could make any of the 
 living creatures that walk on the 
 earth ; or any of the plants that grow 
 out of it ? Think of the rose. When 
 you look at it in the morning, and it 
 has just blown, how beautiful it is. 
 The drops of dew are upon it. Its 
 leaves are softer than silk or velvet. 
 It hangs its head, and blushes. Its 
 fragrance makes the air sweet all 
 around it. Could your father or mo- 
 ther make the rose ? Oh no ! Nobody 
 but God could make the rose. 
 
 Think of the rainbow, when the 
 shower is almost over, and the sun 
 begins to shine — you have seen it, 
 looking like a broad ribbon with rich 
 stripes, painted on the clouds which 
 are opposite the sun. Men could not 
 make the rainbow. An an^el could 
 
24 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 not make it. Nobody but God could 
 make the rainbow. 
 
 Think of the elephant. He is so 
 large, that perhaps he could not stand 
 up in the room where you are sitting. 
 He is so strong, that he can tear up 
 trees by their roots, and pull down 
 houses, and trample cattle and horses 
 under his feet. When he is angry, 
 he is terrible to all other animals ; for 
 with his long trunk and sharp tusks, 
 he can throw many of them into the 
 air, or tear them in pieces. Yet he 
 is very kind and affectionate to his 
 master, and will do as he is bid. 
 You must not try to deceive or hurt 
 him ; for if you do, he will find it 
 out, and punish you. If you are kind 
 to him, he will remember it, and love 
 vou. — Could any one but. God have 
 made the elephant— so Jirge ani 
 
THE BIBLE. 25 
 
 strong, and taught him to know so 
 many things ? Oh no ! 
 
 How great is God, who has made 
 this world, and all the wonderful 
 creatures that live in it. You should 
 reverence so great a God, and fear to 
 offend him. 
 
 You learn from this story of the 
 creation, that God is very good. He 
 could have made the world dark and 
 unpleasant ; but he chose to make it 
 light and convenient. He could have 
 made our eyes so that we could not 
 see any bright colours. He could 
 have made our palates so that we 
 could not taste; or he could have 
 given us only such fruits and vegeta- 
 bles, as would be very disagreeable 
 to our taste. He could have made 
 our ears so that we could not hear 
 any sweet sounds. But he chose to 
 make every tiling pleasant around us ; 
 
26 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 and he has so made us, that we can 
 enjoy all these pleasant things. \\\ 
 the living creatures that God has 
 made, seem to be happy. Even the 
 little insects that are darting about in 
 the sunbeams, show much joy in all 
 their motions. This shows that God 
 is very good. If God is so good, you 
 ought all of you to love him. 
 
 I have only one thing more to say. 
 You may learn from this story of the 
 creation, that every thing in this 
 world belongs to God. The house 
 you live in, belongs to your father. 
 Perhaps he did not build it himself; 
 perhaps he only paid money to some 
 men, who built it for him. Yet it be- 
 longs to him ; and all the furniture 
 that is in it, belongs to him, and no- 
 body can take it away from him. 
 God made this world, and every thing 
 in it, and it all belongs to God. And 
 
THE BIBLE. 2? 
 
 jf every thing in this world belongs 
 to God, then the people that God 
 made, ought to do what God com- 
 mands them to do. But has God ever 
 told us what we must do ? Yes, he 
 has told us in the Bible. If you read 
 the Bible, you will find what God 
 commands you to do. And you will 
 find that he will reward you, if you 
 obey him ; and punish you, if you 
 disobey him. It is right for God to 
 do this ; for he made you, and gave 
 you every thing you have, and you 
 belong to him. If you belong to God 
 you ought to obey him. 
 
JC SKETCHES FROM 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Story of Adam and Eve, continued* 
 
 When God had made Adam and 
 Eve, he put them into the garden oi 
 Eden, and told them that they might 
 live in it, and that they must take 
 care of the garden. I suppose you 
 would like to know in what part of 
 the world Adam and Eve lived. They 
 lived in Asia ; which is many miles 
 eastward of America, where we all 
 are. Some of your friends will show 
 you, on the map of the world, the 
 place where the garden of Eden was. 
 And when we are talking about the 
 garden of Eden, you need not think 
 of your father's garden, with narrow 
 beds, and straight alleys between 
 them, and rows of flowers on the 
 
THE BIBLE. 29 
 
 borders, and vegetables beyond, and 
 a grape-house at the end of one of 
 the walks, and a pointed fence all 
 around the whole : the garden oi 
 Eden, which is called Paradise, was 
 very different from this. The Bible 
 says, that God planted in it every 
 tree which is pleasant to the eye, and 
 good for food ; and so, I suppose, it 
 must have been very large. And J 
 suppose it had, all around it, moun- 
 tains and high hills, which were 
 covered with thick woods. And there 
 was an opening in the mountains, 
 where a beautiful river came into 
 the garden, and went winding along 
 among the meadows and groves, till 
 it came to the other side of the gar- 
 den, where it flowed out between 
 another opening in the mountains. 
 This river was so smooth, that when 
 Adam and Eve looked into it, they saw 
 c2 
 
30 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 the willows that hung their branches 
 over the river, and the clear blue sky 
 
 In some parts of the garden, were 
 beautiful groves of orange and lemon 
 trees. And all kinds of fruit trees 
 grew in the orchards, and their 
 branches were loaded with fruit and 
 blossoms. The finest flowers were 
 springing up in every part of the gar- 
 den. And many birds were singing 
 very sweetly, in the pleasant groves 
 where Adam and Eve used to walk. 
 Flocks of sheep were eating grass in 
 the meadows, or drinking the cool 
 water out of the little brooks. And 
 at noon you might see the cattle 
 lying down to rest, under the tall trees 
 that were scattered about the fields. 
 
 Among all the animals that were 
 in Paradise, there was not one that 
 wished to hurt any of the others. 
 The lion walked quietly around. 
 
THE BIBLE. 31 
 
 among the sheep and cows. The 
 deer and tiger were jumping about 
 together, on the banks of the river 
 The little mouse was not afraid to 
 lay her head upon the paw of the cat, 
 and go to sleep. 
 
 Adam was not obliged to dig in the 
 ground, and plant seeds ; for God 
 made the finest fruits and flowers to 
 grow up of themselves. And he was 
 not obliged to work hard, and build 
 himself a house ; for the air of Para- 
 dise was so mild and soft, that a 
 house was not necessary. But I sup- 
 pose Adam and Eve had a bower, 
 where they could sleep, and sit when 
 they chose. It was made of trees 
 which grew near each other, and 
 twined their branches and glossy 
 \eaves together. And perhaps roses 
 and jessamines, and honeysuckles, 
 ind many other beautiful plants, grew 
 
32 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 up by the side of it, and spread them 
 selves all over it, making the roof so 
 thick, that the rain could not come 
 through. And the floor and seats 
 were of grass, sprinkled ail over with 
 violets. 
 
 Now perhaps some of you are say 
 ing how happy Adam and Eve musi 
 have been! Yes, they w r ere very 
 happy. They had many more things 
 to make them happy, beside this plea- 
 sant garden. God had made them 
 very good. They were not wicked 
 at all. They were not proud. They 
 were never angry. They did not wish 
 for what did not belong to them. If 
 they had seen any other beings, hap 
 pier or greater than they were, they 
 would not have envied them. They 
 nad none of those cross, wicked 
 tempers, that make people unhappy. 
 They loved God. They loved one 
 
THE BIBLE. 33 
 
 aether. They loved the holy angels, 
 and they did not hate an}' body. Yes, 
 indeed, they were very happy- The 
 way to be happy, is to have pleasant, 
 kind feelings, and to love God, and 
 obey him. 
 
 There was something else that 
 made Adam and Eve happy. Per- 
 haps you have not thought of it. Try 
 to think what it could be. You know 
 you do not like to be alone all the 
 time. You wish to see your friends, 
 and to be near them, and talk to 
 them. Adam and Eve liked company 
 too ; and I suppose they found it very 
 pleasant to converse together. There 
 were many things which they could 
 talk about ; for though they had lived 
 but a little while, they had learned a 
 great deal of God, and his works. 
 But this was not all. I suppose the 
 angels used to come to Paradise. ** 
 
34 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 visit Adam and Eve, and to converse 
 with them about God and heaven 
 Adam and Eve were glad to talk w.th 
 the angels, and to be taught by them , 
 because the angels were very good, 
 and they knew more than a man and 
 woman could be expected to know. 
 
 This was not all the society that 
 Adam and Eve had. For the great 
 God himself used to converse with 
 them. Were not Adam and Eve 
 much honoured, in having the com- 
 pany of the glorious God ? We read 
 in one place in the Bible, that God 
 spoke to Adam and Eve; and then 
 in another place in the Bible, we read 
 that God spoke to them, and they dia 
 not seem to be surprised ; so I sup- 
 pose they were used to hear God 
 speak. It may be, that the time when 
 God used to meet them, was in the 
 evening, when Adam and Eve had 
 
THE BIBLE 35 
 
 finished their pleasant work in the 
 garden, and eaten their supper of 
 fruits. They were then ready to 
 kneel down at the entrance of their 
 arbour, and to thank God for his 
 goodness, and to ask him to continue 
 to be good to them. Perhaps God 
 then answered them, and gave them 
 his blessing. And they could lie down 
 and sleep very sweetly, thinking that 
 God had blessed them. 
 
 In the morning they would thank 
 God, and pray to him again, before 
 they began their work. You think it 
 strange, perhaps, that Adam and Eve 
 worked in Paradise. But God had 
 told them, that they must be indus- 
 trious, and take good care of the gar- 
 den of Eden. They did not work 
 hard and long, so as to become very 
 t/red. This was not necessary. But 
 
36 
 
 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 they could twine the grape vines 
 around the trees, and make them 
 grow in the right place. And they 
 could tie up the rose bushes and car- 
 nations; and they could gather the 
 ripe fruit, and break off the useless 
 branches from the trees. All the plants 
 that they cultivated, would put them 
 in mind of the power and skill of their 
 Creator. And they could study the 
 plants, and learn their uses. They 
 could learn in what things they were 
 like each other, and in what things 
 they were different from each other, 
 and divide them into classes. Adam 
 and Eve liked to do all these things 
 much better than to be idle. They 
 could not have been happy, even in 
 Paradise, if they had had nothing to 
 do. Every body ought to be busy 
 about something. Even little children 
 
THE BIBLE. 37 
 
 should be industrious. God has so 
 made us, that we like to be active ; 
 and if we are not doing something 
 useful, we shall be in great danger of 
 doing what is wrong. 
 
38 SB ETCHES FROM 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 What Adam and Eve did. 
 
 When God put Adam and Eve intc 
 the garden of Eden, he told them that 
 they might eat as much fruit as they 
 liked, from all the trees in the garden, 
 except from one. God had planted 
 one tree in the middle of the garden, 
 which was called the tree of know- 
 ledge. He told Adam and Eve, that 
 they must not eat any fruit from this 
 tree. God placed this tree there, to 
 try whether Adam and Eve would be 
 obedient. You know that they had 
 every kind of fruit which they wanted, 
 without taking any from this tree- 
 So, you see, that if they disobeyed 
 God, and ate any of the fruit from this 
 tree, they would become very wicked, 
 
THE BIBLE. 39 
 
 At first, Adam and Eve thought that 
 they would never disobey God. They 
 did not wish to do any thing which 
 God had forbidden them to do. But 
 afterwards they sinned against God, 
 and ate some of the fruit from th 
 tree of knowledge. I will tell you 
 how they came to do this. 
 
 You know the Bible tells us about 
 many bright angels, that lived with 
 God, in heaven. Well, a long time 
 ago, before God made this world, some 
 of these angels became wicked, and 
 refused to love God. Instead of being 
 kind, and affectionate, and obedient, 
 as they were before, they became 
 proud, and angry, and wished to do 
 all the evil they could. After they 
 were so changed, it was not best that 
 they should stay in heaven. They 
 would not have been fit company for 
 the holy angels. They would have 
 
40 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 tried tc injure them. They would 
 have tried to tempt them to do wrong. 
 They had offended God, and it was 
 necessary that they should be punish- 
 ed. So God cast them out of heaven 
 into hell. I do not know how many 
 of these wicked angels there were, but 
 I am afraid there were a great many. 
 The chief one among them was called 
 Satan. When they were good, he 
 was the highest angel among them, 
 and now they had become bad, he was 
 their leader in every kind of mischief. 
 
 Satan knew that God had made 
 this beautiful world. And fie knew 
 how holy and happy Adam and Eve 
 were. You need not think it strange 
 that he should know this, for both 
 good and bad spirits have many ways 
 of knowing things that we do not 
 understand. 
 
 Satan was very angry at God for 
 
THE BIBLE. 41 
 
 making Adam and Eve. He hated 
 God, and he hated and envied every 
 body who was happy. And he de- 
 termined that he would try to make 
 Adam and Eve as miserable as he 
 was himself. Satan knew that he 
 could not hurt Adam and Eve, so long 
 is they continued to love and obey 
 God. He knew God would take care 
 of them if they were good. He thought 
 tie would try to persuade Adam and 
 Eve to do something that was wrong, 
 and then God would be angry with 
 them, and they would be very un- 
 happy. 
 
 God had forbidden Adam and Eve 
 to eat of the tree of knowledge, and 
 had told them that if they did eat of 
 t they must die. Satan knew that if 
 he could persuade them to eat only 
 once of the fruit of this tree, that it 
 would make God angry with them, 
 d2 
 
42 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 and tnat God would punish them foi 
 their sins. Satan was so wicked as 
 to wish to bring all this trouble upon 
 Adam and Eve, and upon their chil- 
 dren. 
 
 This evil spirit was very cunning 
 in all that he did. For he thought, 
 that, if he found Adam and Eve to- 
 gether, he could not so easily tempt 
 them to do wrong, because they could 
 then advise each other. He waited 
 till he saw Eve alone near the forbid- 
 den tree, while Adam was in another 
 part of the garden. He then made 
 himself look just like a serpent, so 
 that Eve might not know that he was 
 an evil spirit, and went to Eve and 
 asked her if God had said that she 
 must not eat of all the trees in the 
 garden. She told him that God had 
 said they might eat the fruit from all 
 the trees in the garden, except from 
 
THE BIBLE. 43 
 
 the one that was in the middle of the 
 garden. She told him that God had 
 said they must not eat of the fruit of 
 this tree, and that if they did they 
 must die. Satan was so wicked as 
 to contradict what God had said. He 
 told Eve that she and Adam certainly 
 would not die, if they did eat of the 
 fruit of the tree of knowledge. This 
 was the same as to say, that God had 
 told them a lie. Eve ought not to have 
 stayed near the serpent a moment 
 longer, after he had said such a dread- 
 ful thing about God. But Eve now 
 began to have some sinful thoughts, 
 and she waited a moment to hear 
 what the serpent was going to say. 
 And Satan told her that God knew 
 that if they ate of the fruit of that 
 tree, they would have so much wis- 
 dom and knowledge that they would 
 he like God. Eve began to believe 
 
44 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 what he told her, and she turnea 
 around to look at the tree. She 
 thought it had never looked so beau- 
 tiful before. It was covered with fruit, 
 which was red and yellow, and quite 
 ripe. The longer she looked at it, the 
 more she wished to taste of the fruit. 
 She began to be ambitious, and to 
 wish to be great, and to know every 
 thing like God. She was so foolish 
 as to think that she should be wiser 
 and happier, for doing what God had 
 forbidden her to do. She forgot how 
 much fine fruit there was in the gar- 
 den, that God was willing she should 
 eat. She forgot how good God had 
 been to her, and how ungrateful it 
 womd be to disobey him. She forgot 
 that he had threatened to punish her 
 if she ate any of that fruit. She for- 
 got that Adam was at a distance, and 
 that she had not talked to him about 
 
THE BIBLE. 45 
 
 it. She forgot every thing she ought 
 to have remembered. She ought to 
 have gone away from the tree, and 
 thought about something else. But 
 instead of doing so, she kept thinking 
 and thinking about it, and looking at 
 it, till at last she took some of the 
 fruit and ate it. 
 
 As soon as Eve had eaten as much 
 is she wished of the forbidden fruit, 
 she took some of it in her hand, and 
 went to find Adam. When she saw 
 him, she told him what she had done, 
 and gave him the fruit. One would 
 tnink that Adam would have been 
 wiser than to eat any of it, but he 
 acted as wickedly as Eve did, and 
 ate what she gave him. 
 
 Now what did Adam and Eve gain 
 by this sinful act ? They expected to 
 know a great deal more, after they 
 had eaten the fruit of the tree of 
 
46 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 knowledge. And they did know more. 
 They knew what it was to be guilty, 
 and unhappy. They knew what it 
 was to have God angry with them. 
 They knew what it was to be afraid 
 that God would punish them. They 
 knew what it was to have unkind, 
 wicked feelings. But what good did 
 such knowledge as this do them ? 
 
THE BIBLE. 47 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 What God said to Adam and Eve. 
 
 Soon after they had eaten the fruit, 
 Jiey began to be very sorry. The 
 sun was just going down behind the 
 mountains of Paradise. The little 
 birds had done singing and had gone 
 to their nests. The beasts had lain 
 down to sleep. This cool pleasant 
 hour was the time when Adam and 
 Eve used to thank God and pray to 
 him. Before this, they had always 
 been glad to have it come, because 
 jod then met them, and talked with 
 them. But now they were afraid to 
 meet God. They soon heard the 
 voice of God in the garden, and they 
 started, and looked pale because thev 
 
48 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 were afraid. They ran, ana tried to 
 hide themselves among the trees of 
 the garden. Ah! Adam and Eve, 
 how changed you are. Once you 
 were so happy to meet God, and now 
 you are trying to hide from him ! 
 
 But they could not hide from God. 
 He sees every thing. He saw them 
 eat the forbidden fruit. When they 
 first wished to eat it, he saw what 
 was in their hearts. And now he had 
 come to judge them. The Lord God 
 called Adam, and said unto him, 
 where art thou ? Adam and Eve were 
 obliged to come out of their hiding 
 place ; but they came trembling, be- 
 cause they were afraid and ashamed 
 God asked them if they had eaten ol 
 the fruit of the tree of knowledge 
 God knew that they had eaten of k j 
 out he asked them, because he wished 
 to make them confess their sin. 1 hey 
 
THE BIBLE. 49 
 
 could not deny that the) had diso 
 beyea God ; yet instead of owning that 
 they were guilty, and asking forgive- 
 ness of God, they began to make 
 excuses. Adam said that he had 
 eaten the fruit, but the woman was to 
 blame, because she gave it to him. 
 Eve said that the serpent deceived 
 her, and persuaded her to eat it. 
 
 Then God said that Satan must be 
 punished, for tempting Adam and Eve 
 to commit sin. God said that one of 
 the descendants of Adam and Eve, 
 who would be born many years after- 
 wards, and live on the earth, would 
 punish Satan, and bruise the head of 
 Satan under his feet. Satan thought 
 when he tempted Adam and Eve to 
 sin, that he should get them, and all 
 their descendants into his power. He 
 thought that God would give them 
 all up to him, and that when they 
 
50 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 died, their souls would be sent to live 
 in the dark world where he was, and 
 be as miserable as himself. 
 
 But God now told of a person who 
 would disappoint these wicked hopes 
 of Satan. This person was the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who came into tjie world 
 a long time afterwards, ancT *£&, that 
 people who have sinned against God, 
 may be pardoned, if they are sorry 
 for their sins, and trust in him. He 
 gives them his Holy Spirit to change 
 their hearts, and to make them good. 
 He takes them away from Satan, so 
 that Satan cannot hurt them, and 
 when they die, they go to live with 
 God in heaven. God told Adam and 
 Eve of this soon after they had sin- 
 ned, so that they might love and trust 
 in Christ, if they chose. I hope they 
 did so. If they did, their souls did 
 not go to Iwe with Satan when they 
 
THE BIBLE. 51 
 
 died. They went to live with God, 
 and Jesus Christ, and the holy angels 
 in heaven. 
 
 Then God spake to Adam and 
 Eve, and told them how he should 
 punish them for their sin. He told 
 them that the finest fruits and flowers 
 would no longer grow out of the earth 
 of themselves. But brambles, and 
 weeds, and things that were not good 
 
 7 o o 
 
 to eat, would grow up all over the 
 earth. He said they must not have 
 any bread to eat, except what they 
 worked hard to get. Adam must dig 
 up the ground, and plant corn, and 
 pull up weeds. He would have to toil 
 so much that he would be very tired 
 every day, and the sweat would stand 
 in large drops all over his face. God 
 told them that they would be often 
 sick and have much trouble and care, 
 
52 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 and that after some years they would 
 certainly die and be laid in the grave, 
 and turn to dust. God then made 
 Adani and Eve coats out of the skins 
 of beasts that had been killed. 
 
 These beasts were not killed for 
 Adam and Eve to eat, because God 
 had not given them permission to eat 
 meat. They ate nothing but vegeta- 
 bles. I suppose that Adam and Eve 
 killed these animals, and burnt their 
 flesh upon an altar, which was called 
 sacrificing them to God. God taught 
 Adam and Eve to sacrifice animals 
 to him, that they might not forget 
 that Jesus Christ was coming into 
 the world to die for sinners. Adam 
 and Eve taught this to their children 
 and all the people in the world who 
 wished to please God, used to wor- 
 ship him in this way, till Jeeus Christ 
 
THE BIBLE. 53 
 
 came into the world. Aftei Jesus 
 Christ came into the world, it was 
 not necessary to offer sacrifices any 
 more. 
 
 V* 
 
54 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 About the distress of Adam and Eve, 
 
 Now Adam and Eve were in great 
 distress. For God told them that 
 they must not stay in Paradise any 
 longer. This made them very sorry. 
 They could not bear to think of leav- 
 ing this delightful spot where they 
 had been so happy. But they knew 
 that they ought not to complain, for 
 they had deserved a much- worse 
 punishment. When God sent them 
 from Paradise, they went away very 
 sorrowful, and often looked back. 
 \h ! poor Adam and Eve, I do not 
 wonder you look back. I do not 
 wonder the tears are on j our cheeks. 
 You will never find such a pleasant 
 home again. But these quiet groves 
 
THE BIBLE. 55 
 
 and fie.ds, where the angels walk, ana 
 where God comes, are too good foi 
 people that have been wicked. They 
 went out of the garden through an 
 opening in the hills, on the eastern 
 side of the garden. Then they looked 
 back and saw some bright angels, 
 standing at the place where they came 
 out. And near the angels there was 
 a flaming sword in the air, which 
 waved from side to side, and looked 
 very terrible. Then Adam and Eve 
 knew that they could never go back 
 •again. 
 
 I do not know what Adam and Eve 
 did then. But I believe that they 
 were sorry for their disobedience to 
 God. I believe that they trusted in 
 Jesus Christ, who was coming to save 
 sinners. I think that they mu^t have 
 knelt down upon the grass and con- 
 fessed their sin and that they thanked 
 
56 SKETCHES FROM 
 
 ,4 - - 
 
 God for letting them live longer, and 
 prayed to God to take, care of them. 
 I hope that they then tried to be as 
 patient and cheerful as they could. I 
 hope that they did not spend their 
 time in wishing that they could get 
 back to Paradise again. This would 
 have been very foolish, for it would 
 have done no good. It would have 
 been very wicked to wish to do what 
 God had forbidden. This they had 
 already learned. They had no time 
 to lose in ;complaining. They had a 
 great deal to do to make themselves 
 comfortable. The weather was no 
 longer mild and pleasant, as it was 
 before they sinned ; it was sometimes 
 quite cold, and then again it would be 
 very hot, so they were almost scorch- 
 ed by the sun. Sometimes there would 
 be violent storms of wind and rain, 
 and the thunder and lightning would 
 
THE BIBLE. 57 
 
 be terrible You see that Adam 
 would have to provide a shelter for 
 himself, which it would be very diffi- 
 cult to do, when he had no iron tools 
 to work with. I do not know how 
 lie contrived to do it. And he was 
 obliged to plant corn, that Eve might 
 make it into cakes, for they had no 
 longer the fruits of Paradise to eat. 
 
 The animals were greatly changed 
 They used to be obedient to Adam, 
 but now some of them had become 
 great enemies to him. The lion and 
 tiger, and many other beasts began 
 to be wild and cruel, and wished to 
 fear in pieces all the poor little help- 
 less animals that they could find. If 
 Adam and Eve had not kept out of 
 their way, they would have torn them 
 in pieces. These terrible creatures 
 now began to hide themselves in the 
 bushes, by the side of the rivers, and 
 
58 SKETC HES FROM 
 
 when a harmless deer or shee^ came 
 to drink, they would seize upon him, 
 and kill him instantly. Even those 
 animals that remained gentle, did not 
 like Adam and Eve, half so well as 
 they did before. They were afraid 
 of them now. Many of the most 
 timid of the beasts and birds, fled 
 away into the forests, and were not 
 willing to come near Adam and Eve. 
 Others remained to have Adam and 
 Eve take care of them, because they 
 knew that they could not very well 
 take care of themselves. 
 
 All these changes show how mucfc 
 God is displeased with sin. Man} 
 people seem to think that it is a very 
 little thing to disobey God. But you 
 learn from the story of Adam and 
 Eve, that God does not think so. And 
 God knows much better than we do, 
 how much evil is done by sinning 
 
THE BIBLE. 59 
 
 against him. If it was a trifling thing 
 to commit sin, do you think that 
 God would have threatened Adam 
 and Eve, with such an awful punish- 
 ment for disobedience, as death to 
 their bodies, and everlasting death to 
 their souls ? And when God wished to 
 deliver them and their descendants 
 from a part of this punishment, would 
 it have been necessary for Jesus Christ 
 to do so much, and to suffer so much 
 before they could be saved, if sin wat 
 a trifling thing ? If it was a little thing 
 to sin against God, would God have 
 so changed every thing in this world, 
 after Adam and Eve had disobeyed 
 him ? When you think about it, I am 
 sure that you will say, it is a dreadful 
 thing to sin against God. I hope that 
 you will remember this when you are 
 tempted to tell a lie, or to disobey 
 your parents, or to neglect prayer, oi 
 
60 SKET ;hes from 
 
 to do any thing that God has fornid- 
 den. But you have already done what 
 was wrong, and you have displeased 
 God. You cannot go to heaven, 
 unless God forgives you, and gives 
 you a new heart. What must you 
 do? You must be truly sorry that 
 you have offended so good a God. 
 You must go into your chamber, and 
 kneel down and confess to God, that 
 you have been very wicked, and ask 
 him to pardon you, and make you 
 good, for the sake of his Son. And 
 you must not trust in any thing, or any 
 body to save you, except in Jesus 
 Christ. For if he had not died for 
 sinners you could not have been for- 
 given. 
 
 Now, do not go away from you] 
 chamber, and think that you have 
 done enough, and forget what yon 
 nave been saying. Do not be satisfied 
 
THE BIBLE. 61 
 
 till you Know that you love God, and 
 that you are trying all the while to 
 obey him. Then God will love you 
 and he will make you happy in this 
 world ; and when you go out of this 
 wo.ld, you will be happy with God, 
 and with all good people in hea»en. 
 
62 
 
 CREATION. 
 
 I God made the sky so bright and blue, 
 God made the grass so green ; 
 God made the flowers that smell so sweet, 
 In pretty colours seen. 
 
 % God made the sun that shines so bright 
 And gladdens all I see ; 
 It comes to give us heat and light — 
 How thankful should I be ! 
 
 3 God made the little bird to fly ; 
 How sweetly has she sung ! 
 And though she soars so very high," 
 She wont forget her young. 
 
 i God made the cow to give nice milk, 
 The horse for us to use ; 
 I'll treat them kindly for his sake, 
 Nor dare his gifts abuse. 
 
63 
 
 OBEDIENCE 
 
 1 that it were my chief delight, 
 
 To do the things I ought ! 
 Then let me try with all my might, 
 To mind what I am taught. 
 
 2 When I am bid, I'll freely bring 
 
 Whatever I have got ; 
 And never touch a pretty thing, 
 If mother tells me not. 
 
 3 When she permits me, I may tell 
 
 About my little toys ; 
 But if she's busy, or unwell, 
 I must not make a noise. 
 
 4 And when I learn my hymns to say 
 
 And work, and read and spell, 
 I will not think about my play, 
 But try and do it well. 
 
64 
 
 WHAT IS IT FOR A CHILD TO KNOW THE 
 SCRIPTURES ? 
 
 " Mother," said Samuel, — as he walked in 
 the garden with his mother, " I was read- 
 ing, yesterday, what St. Paul wrote to Timo- 
 thy, in his second epistle, the third chapter 
 and fifteenth verse ; and I wish to ask you 
 to explain it to me : — Paul says to Timothy, 
 *' From a child thou hast known the Holy Scrip- 
 tures." I am possessed of a beautiful Bible, 
 which my dear father gave me as a present, 
 last Christmas holidays, bound in red morocco, 
 and I read it on Sundays and at other times. 
 Is this to know the Scriptures, mother ? Do 
 I know the Scriptures as J ought, and as 
 Timothy did?" 
 
 " My dear child," replied the mother 
 " you may possess a Bible, and yet not know 
 the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 " You may hear them read by others, at 
 home, at school, or at a place of worship, and 
 yet not know them. 
 
 " You may read them yourself, and remem 
 ber many verses, many histories, many truths 
 and many chapters and yet not know them 
 
65 
 
 " To know the Scriptures as Timothy 
 knew them, you must understand the im* 
 portant truths they contain about yourself as 
 a lost sinner, unable to deliver yourself from 
 sin, and guilt, and misery ; and about Christ 
 as the only Saviour. 
 
 " To know the Holy Scriptures, you must 
 believe them, and love them, and reverence 
 them, and earnestly seek to do what they re- 
 commend. 
 
 " But this you can only do, by the teach- 
 ing and grace of God the Holy Spirit, through 
 the strength of Christ ; and, young as you 
 are, you must pray to God to teach you. If 
 you will read, wheD you get home, the 
 twenty-fifth Psalm, you will find God has 
 promised to teach and guide the meek and 
 "numble. You must always fear God ; for the 
 fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom 
 and a good understanding have all they that 
 keep his commandments. This is to know the 
 Holy Scriptures, as Timothy knew them." 
 
 " Thank you, my dear mother/' said 
 Samuel, " I shall think upon what you havt 
 told me and I hope I shall be like Timothy.' 
 
66 
 
 A HYMN FOR SA.BBATH MORNING 
 
 I I love the Sabbath morn to come, 
 For then I rise and quit my home ; 
 Hasten to school with cheerful air, 
 To meet my dearest teachers there. 
 
 2 There I'm instructed how to pray, 
 That God would bless me day by day 
 Safely protect and guide me still, 
 And help me to obey his will. 
 
 3 'Tis there I sing a Saviour's love, 
 That brought him from his throne above 
 Caused him to suffer, bleed and die, 
 For sinful creatures, such as I 
 
 4 From the instructions I obtain, 
 May I a lasting blessing gain : 
 In early life seek Jesus face, 
 
 And gain the blessings of his grace* 
 
67 
 
 HYMN FOR A CHILD. 
 
 1 Lord, teach a little child to pray, 
 Thy grace betimes impart ; 
 And grant thy Holy Spirit may 
 Renew and change my heart. 
 
 i Fesus can all my sins forgive, 
 And wash away their stain ; 
 Ind fit my soul with him to live. 
 And in his kingdom reign. 
 
 3 To him let little children come, 
 For he hath said they may ; 
 His bosom then shall be their home. 
 Their tears he'll wipe away, 
 
 i For all who early seek his face, 
 Shall surely taste his love ; 
 Fesus shall guide them by his grace, 
 To dwell with him above.