The young Christian: or A familiar illustration of the principles of Christian duty:

Front matter

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Accessions re

FrRoM THE LIBRARY

Introduction

I. OBJECT OF THE BOOK.

THIs book is intended to explain and illustrate, in a simple manner, the principles of Christian duty, and is intended, not for children, nor exclusively for the young, but for all who are just commencing a religious life, and who feel desirous of receiving a familiar explanation of the first principles of piety. Ag it is a fact, however, that such persons are gene-

‘rally among the young, that is, from fifteen to twenty-five years of age, the work has been adapted in its style, and in the character of its illustrations, to their mental habits.

I have, however, looked more toward childhood than toward maturity in choosing the form in which I have presented the truth, and the narrative or dialogue by which I have illustrated it. A young man of twenty-five will look.back to his boyhood, and understand an illustration drawn from one of its scenes, far more easily than the boy can look forward to future life, and comprehend and appreciate allusions to the pursuits of the man. I trust that the reader of mature mind, into whose hands this book may

fall, will excuse this partiality for the young.

4 INTRODUCTION

Il. STYLE AND LANGUAGE.

I have made no effort to simplify the language. It is not necessary to dothis even for children. They, will understand the language of maturity easily - enough, if the logic and rhetoric are theirs. I have attempted, therefore, to present each subject in such an aspect, and to illustrate it in such a way as is adapted to the young mind, using, however, such language as has suggested itself spontaneously. It is a great but a very common error, to suppose that merely to simplify diction is the way to gain access to the young. Hence a sermon for children is seldom any thing more than a sermon for men, with easy words substituted for the hard ones. This goes on the supposition that the great difficulty is to make children understand religious truth. Whereas there is no difficulty at all in this. The difficulty is in znteresting them in it.. They will understand readily enough, if they are interested in the form and manner in which the subject comes before them.

These principles will explain the great number of narratives, and dialogues, and statements of facts which are introduced to give vividness to the conceptions of my readers. Many of these are imaginary— cases supposed for the purpose of illustration. Where this is the case, however, it is distinctly stated; and all those accounts which are introduced as statements of facts are strictly true. [ am not certain but that some individuals may object to the num- — ber of imaginary incidents which I have thus intro- — duced. If the principles stated above are not consi-

“INTRODUCTION. 5 dered satisfactory, | must appeal to authority. This book is not more full of parables than were the discourses of Jesus Christ. I shelter myself under his ‘example.

fil. REQUEST TO PARENTS.

Every parent knows there is great danger that children will run over the pages of a book where -narrative and dialogue are introduced toillustrate religious truth, and that they will, with peculiar dexterity, find out and read all that has the interest of a story, and skip the rest. There will, perhaps, in this volume be less danger from this, from the fact that the whole is so intimately interwoven as to render it in most cases difficult to separate. A mother can, however, effectually prevent it, if she pleases. If her children are young, and she fears this danger, let her read the book to them, or let her assign a distinct and a limited portion for each Sabbath; and after it is read, let her examine them in it, asking questions in regard to the plan and design of the chapter—the circumstances of each narrative—and especially che purpose for which it is introduced. This however must be done, not in the suspicious manner of hearing a lesson which you fear has not been learned, but with the winning tone of kindness and confidence.

IV. THEOLOGY OF THE WORK.

As to the theology of the work, it takes every where for granted that salvation is to be obtained

6 teas INTRODUCTION.

through repentance for past sin, and trust for forgiveness in the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is not, however, a work on theology. It is designed to enforce the practice, not to. discuss the theory of religion. Its object is to explain and illustrate Christian duty ; but it exhibits this duty as based on those grea‘ principles in which all denominations of evan: gelical Christians concur.

V. OTHER BOOKS OF THE KIND.

There are already several most interesting and useful books before the public, whose object is the same with this—to give Christian instruction to the young. ‘This work appears not as their rival, but as their companion. Most young Christians have, in the course of half a dozen years, time to read.a great many pages ; and as each writer discusses different topics, or presents them in new aspects and relations, it is well that this class of books should be multiplied. If twenty different individuals in various parts of our country, whom Providence has placed in such vircumstances as to interest them particularly in the young, would write for them, the books would all be read if they were properly written, and would all do good. They would be different, if they were the results of the independent reflection and observation of the authors, and each would co-operate with and assist the others.

CHAPTER I.—CONFESSION. be

Introduction. Nature of confession. Case supposed. Story of the boy’s disobedience on the ice. Consequences. Their unhappiness. Guilt a burden. Means of relief. The boy’s confession. His conversation with his father. Confession of little faults. The torn letter. The anonymous letter. Reparation compared with confession. Confession of great crimes. Punishment. Story of boysonthe ice continued. To parents and teachers. Confession a privilege. Depression of spirits. Its remedy. Carelessconfession. Anecdote. Punishment. An experiment. Story ofthe dulledtool. Story continued. Confession to God. Anxiety unnecessary. Common mistakes. Immediate repentance. Salvation by Christ,

LT CHAPTER II.—THE FRIEND.

Story of an Infant School. The newscholar. The protector appointed. Qualifications. Power and sympathy. Story of the ‘sailor boy. The captain’s want of sympathy. ‘The little ship. The Savior. His thirty years of life. Howard. Story of Howard. Imaginary scene. The voluntary prisoner. The Savior. The child’s little difficulties. Human sympathy. The murderer’s cell. Sympathy for the guilty. The keeper's kindness to the prisoner. The Savior. The Savior’s sympathy. Common distrust of it. Illustration. Case of the sick man. Jesus Christ a physician. Struggling with temptation. The benevolent teacher. The teacher imagined to become a scho-

_ Jar. Howard. Sympathy ofChrist. Thebruisedreed. The metaphor of the bruised reed.

Chapter Iii.—prayer

The absent son. The father’s promise. Its implied limitations. Improper requests. Requests in an improper manner. The letter. Our Savior’s promise. Prayers denied. Power of prayer. Granting requests in another form. The boy asking fora knife. The sick man unexpectedly cured. Submissive spirit. Prayers of the young. The packet. Description of the packet. The calm. The Christian traveler. Books and

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tracts. The long passage. The approaching storm. They watch the light. The storm increases. Going about. Splitting of the topsail. Danger. Protection never certain. Object of prayer in danger. Socrates. His peace of mind. True composure in danger. The prayer at sea. Effects. Sincerity of prayer. Ardor in prayer. All can pray who wish to.

A difficulty about selfishness. Reply. Invitation to the weary. The prodigal. The nobleman. The desk. The father’s refusal. Real selfishness. Prayer of faith. The morning prayer meeting. The Young Christian’s difficulty. The mother. God decides. A favorable answer to prayer never certain. Danger of perversion. The humble teacher. Conclusion. Story of the ship concluded. The storm subsides. They arrive safely at Provincetown. 47

Chapter Iv.—consequences Of Neglecting Duty

Neglecting duty. Injury which this book will do. The disobedient child. The message disregarded. The Christian message.

Story of Louisa. Her character. The evening meeting. Louisa’s interest in religion. Conversation with hor. Increasing interest. Unwilling to yield to God. Her sickness. She sends for her pastor. Heralarm. Her increasing anxiety. Death-bed repentance. Increasing sickness and mental suffering. Danger. Louisa’s despair. Her advice to her young friends. Last visit. Her suffeyings. She dies at midnight. Her feelings at last. 7S

Chapter V.—almost A Christian

Almost a Christian. Louisa’s case a common one. Neglecting duty when it is clearly pointed out. Secret causes of continu ing insin. First, Procrastination. The student’s evening walks. The admission to college. Resolutions for vacations; for senior years ; for future life. Now isthe accepted time. Second, Love ofthe world. Sacrifices necessary in becoming a Chris tian. Losing a friend; an enjoyment. Third, Fear of the world. Difficulties foretold by the Savior. Entire surrender required. Real submission. Changing sides. Address to a young man. 87

Chapter Vi.—difficulties In Religion

Story of the Chinese and the map. Difficulties in all subiects.

CONTENTS.

Astronomical difficulties. Difficulties in religion to be expected. First difficulty. Attempt to avoid it. Conversation continued. Second difficulty. Extent of the creation. Difficuly- The existence of suffering inexplicable. The pirate con-

emned to die. Accountability. Foreknowledge. Story of father and son. Imaginary conversation with an infidel. Answering prayer. Case supposed. The sick son. Miraculous interference in answering prayer. Sources of difficulty. Algebra. The surd. Difficulty theoretical. None in practice.

Objects of this chapter. 1. Inquiries. Disobedient school-boy.

2. Perplexities of Christians. Waytoavoidthem. Plausible reasoning sometimes unsafe. Scholars in geometry. Draw- -ng inferences. Story of the knights and the statue. The shield of brass and iron. One kind of controversy. 3. Difficulties of children. Children’s questions. 4: Difficulties of parentsand teachers. The school-boy’s question. A humble, docile spirit.

Chapter Vii.—evidences Of Christianity

The doubting clerk. The unexpected letter. The sick child.

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Possible mistakes. Men act from reasonable evidence. Evidences of Christianity, Historical, Internal, and Experimental. Ulustration. ‘The phosphorus.

. Historical Evidence. Seal. Miracles. Examining witnesses.

The court. The court-room. ‘The prisoner. His accusation and trial. Testimony of the owner; of the watchman. The lawyer’s question. The watchman’s story. The prisoner convicted. Points secured on trials. Three points to be attended to. Irruption of the barbarians. Oldmanuscripts. Genuineness of the Scriptures. Quotations. Illustration, Use made of quotations. Paley’s Evidences. Necessity for proving the genuineness of the Scriptures. The original records not re-

_ maining. The second point. Opportunities of knowing. The housebreaker’s trial. Sacred writers could not have been mistaken. They were eye-witnesses. Third point. Their style of writing. Impartiality. flevated views. They were disinterested. Our Savior’s fa‘ewell address. Interested witnesses. Battle of Lexington. Parliament and Congress. Points proved. Argument from prophecy. Prophecies. False prophecies. Subject difficult. Were the Christian witnesses believed? Contest with Paganism. Power of truth.

2. Internal Evidence. Unity of the Scriptures. The Bible a number of books. Its single object. The Bible a history of Christ. Sacrifices. Meaning of sacrifices. Their moral influence. Conclusion ofthe book. Appropriate language. The advent ofthe Savior. Itstimeand place. The Mediterranean Sea. Interesting associations. Character of God. Language of nature; of the Bible. The sufferer in the hospital. Jehovah just as well as merciful. Butler’s Analogy.

3. Experimental Evidence. Case of sickness supposed. Medicine. Proofof it. The mother. The mother and her sick 1*

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son. The unbeliever. Power of Christianity. Particular case. Prisons. Old and newsystem of discipline. Stories of the convicts. The disobedientson. Conversation. Struggles with sin. Second story. Nature ofardent spirit. W.’s crime. Learning to read in prison. First lesson. Effect of the Bible upon W. Sins against God. W.’s mental sufferings. His prayer. His way of finding the 51st Psalm. Hisrelief. Close of the convicts’ stories. Charlestown state prison. Old building. Crowded night rooms. Arms. Prison yard. Chapel. Prisoners going to Sabbath school. Aspect of the school. Prisoners’ dress. Limited circulation of the Bible. Fear of death. The sick young man. Sting of death. The dying mother. Practical directions. Difficulties. Disputes. Doing duty. 131

Chapter Viii.—study Of The Bible

Way to study the Bible. The young man’s experiment. The family circle. Distribution of books. Interest of the children. Particular directions. Familiar sounds. The motto in the school-room. Description from the Bible. Vivid conceptions. Picturing the scene to the mind. Clear conceptions. West’s picture of Christ rejected. Effect upon the assembly.

' Writing questions. God’s commandto Abraham. Questions - upon the passage. Questions written by a boy. Many faulty. Utility of writing questions. Many questions on one verse. Experiment tried by a mother. A Sabbath school teacher. Re-writing Scripture. The boy’sevening work, Actual case. Passage. Difficulty arising. Explanation of it. Story of Micah,a specimen. ‘T'wospecimens on the same subject. Questions. Collating the Scriptures. Plan tried by James and John. Effect of this method. Three accounts of Paul’s conversion. Advantages ofthe plan. Listoflessons. Difficulties to be anticipated. Studying by subjects. The Sabbath. Jerusalem. List of topics. ‘Too little intellectual study of the Bible. Object of the historic form. Reading practically. Daily reading of the Bible. Useless reading. The apprentice. Reading two verses aright. 221 me tt CHAPTER IX.—THE SABBATH.

History of the Sabbath. Change from Saturday to Sunday. Beginning of the Sabbath. Idle controversies. A father’s command to his boys. ‘The question about the clock and the dial. Universal principle. Two doves. A day of twenty-three and a half hours. A day at the pole. A day lost. No sunset for months. Sabbath in Greenland. Change to first day. No change inthe command. Thecreation. Principle important. Non-essentials. Liabilityto evasion. Human and divine laws.

CONTENTS.

Spirit.of the law. James’ way of reading the Bible. A boy studying hislesson. Theboat. Thecareful mother. Way to interest children, Conversation with the children. Ingenuity and effort necessary. The heart to be reached. Variety. Remarks of a clergyman. Necessity of variety. Religious books. Way of spending the Sabbath. Various duties. System in religious exercises. Waste of time prevented. Rest on the Sabbath. Distinct duties to be performed. Way to make self-examination interesting and useful. Minuteness of self-examination. Prayer. Studying the Bible, and conversation on the Sabbath. Frivolous conversation. Public worship. Responsibility of the hearers. ‘The farmer andhis boys. Duty of the hearers to be interested. Sinister motives at church. Way to detect them. Heartless worship. Way in which it is indicated. Appearance of evil. The summer evening. A Walk. Walking, riding, sailing on the Sabbath.

Chapter X.—trial And Discipline

. Nature of Trial. The steam-boat on trial. Efforts of the engineer. Improvements. Final results. Her power. Safe and successful action. Life a time of trial. Trials of childhood. The child and the forbidden book. Commands, Pain. Advantage of trial in childhood. Putting playthings out of reach. Conversation with a mother. ‘Trials not to be shunned. Instruction and practice. ‘The merchants’ plan forhisson. A voyage of difficulty. Its effects.

. The uses of Trial. Self-knowledge. The deceived mother.

True submission distinguished from false. ‘The engineer was watchful. Trial a means of improvement. 'The boy studying division. ‘The moral and arithmetical question. Practical di rections, God’s providence universal. Losses of every kind from God. The careless engineer. Neglect of duty. Concluding remarks.