A

SCRIPTURE

CATE CHIS M,

CATECHIS

CONSISTING OF

A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, WITH REFERENCES TO THE SCRIPTURES INSTEAD OF ANSWERS.

BY JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, LL.D. F.R.S.

THE THIRD EDITION.

From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.

2 TIMOTHY III, 15,

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, NO. 72, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

the divine authority, the hope of his favour, and the fear of his displeasure; the sooner a person is made sensible of the charms of good example, and filled with abhorrence by a view of what is odious and contemptible in human characters (and for all these purposes the books of scripture are most excellent) the more probable it is that the effect, will be lasting and happy. This course of instruction, I know by experience, may be begun, and carried on with success, as soon as a child is capable of any kind of oral instruction whatever; and none but those who have made the trial can imagine, with how much pleasure children will listen to the most instructive scripture histories, and how soon they will enter into the meaning and spirit of them.

But the following catechism is not designed for the use of young children. These must be taught without a book, by the parent telling them the stories in the most familiar manner, selecting the most important and engaging circumstances, and making them tell the particulars in their own way after him. But as soon as persons are capable of reading the bible with understanding, I think it may be suf

ficient

ficient to propose to them such questions as I have here drawn up, and to refer them to the scriptures themselves for the answers. I do not, indeed, think that it can be reasonably expected that a person should be able to prepare tolerably judicious answers to some of the questions in this catechism, under sixteen or eighteen years of age; but there are others which will not be too difficult for those who are but nine or ten years old; so that with a little judgment in the use of it, this collection of questions may be useful in the instruction of young persons of any age. Upon the whole, however, I would ad-. vise, that this catechism be taught to a class of persons not quite so young as those for whose use any other catechism, and especially the first part of it, was particularly calculated.

The questions in this catechism are chiefly historical, because this part of the bible may be most conveniently taught in this manner; and that young persons may have a clearer idea of the order of events, I have collected the history of the kings of Judea and Israel from the Prophets, as well as from the books of Kings and Chronicles; reserving only a few miscellaneous pro

A 3

phecies

phecies for a separate section. I have also reduced the four evangelists into a harmony, and have referred to all the different accounts of the same story. Those who have made a greater proficiency in the knowledge of the scriptures may be required to compare them, and note the

variations.

On the books of Proverbs, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and other books, and parts of books, which are not historical, I have made but few questions. These books can only be recommended in general to the attention and study of young persons; or particular parts of them may be committed to memory. Other books of scripture, especially the prophetical, and some of the apostolical epistles, can hardly be well understood, except by persons of riper years. For this reason I have been very sparing of the questions which refer to them.

In many cases, I am aware that it will be necessary to divide these questions into various others, and also to diversify the form of expression, in order to lead those who are less experienced to the proper answers; but a very small degree of judg

ment

ment and address will be sufficient for this purpose.

It will be a considerable advantage attending this method of instruction, that by it young persons will be introduced to an acquaintance with the scriptures themselves, which will give them the truest idea of their contents and value. No answers framed to their hands could possibly effect this great and good purpose. If the answers to catechisms be given in the very words of scripture, yet the connection in which such sentences are introduced, and consequently much of the peculiar propriety and force of them, is necessarily lost. Besides, catechisms, upon this plan, cannot well comprise more than the moral maxims of scripture, so that the historical, which is, in fact, the most useful part to young persons, must be omitted.

I hope also that those parents who have the true wisdom to see it to be a duty incumbent upon themselves to superintend the religious instruction of their children, and who will not refuse to take some pains for so valuable a purpose, will not be displeased with the opportunity which this scheme of a catechism will afford them, of renewing and perfecting their own acquaintance

A 4