,collections1 ,university ,libraries1 ,ball ,state ,university and the ,online ,distributed ,proofreading ,team at https3_/_/www4pgdp4net ,illustration3 ,book ,cover ,,bible ,,stories4 ,,worcester3 ,,published ,,by ,j4 ,,grout1 ,,jr4 ,illustration ,,bible ,,stories4 ,,with ,,fine ,,engravings4 ,illustration ,,worcester3 ,,published ,,by ,j4 ,,grout1 ,,jr4 ,a ,b ,c ,d ,e ,f ,g ,h ,i ,j ,k ,l ,m ,n ,o ,p ,q ,r ,s ,t ,u ,v ,w ,x ,y ,z ,l a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 1 2 3 4 6 8 - ' #a #b #c #d #e #f #g #h #i #j ,,bible ,,stories4 ,,early ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,savior4 ,nearly six thousand years ago the first man and the first woman were formed1 out of the dust of the ground4 ,their names were ,adam and ,eve4 ,they were placed in a very pleasant and beautiful garden1 called ,eden1 where they had every thing they could wish2 and were permitted by ,god to eat of the fruit of all the trees in the garden1 except one4 ,one tree that in the midst was placed1 ,god bade them not to take2 ,but ah6 the fruit they dared to taste1 ,and his commandment break4 ,in an evil hour they listened to the temptations of the serpent--the great enemy of mankind--and ate of the forbidden fruit4 ,then ,god was angry with them1 and sent his ,angel to drive them out of the garden1 to a place where thorns and thistles covered the ground1 and they were obliged to work hard for a living4 ,god cursed the ground for their sake1 but at the same time he promised that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head4 ,this promise was fulfilled by ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 who came into the world and suffered and died to save men from the consequences of the first man's disobedience4 ,i will now tell you something about this wonderful event4 ,a little more than eighteen hundred years ago1 as some shepherds were taking care of their sheep by night on the hills of ,palestine1 an angel of the ,lord came to them1 and the glory of the ,lord shone round about them3 and they were very much afraid4 ,but the angel told them not to fear1 for he brought them good news3 ,for unto you is born this day1 in the city of ,david1 a ,savior which is ,christ the ,lord4 ,and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host1 praising ,god1 and saying1 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will towards men4 ,as soon as the angels were gone1 the shepherds went to ,bethlehem1 to see the ,savior that ,god had so wonderfully made known to them4 ,they found his reputed father with his mother1 ,mary1 and the babe lying in a manger3 because there was no room for him in the inn4 ,the shepherds then went to their homes praising ,god1 and telling every one they saw of the new-born ,savior4 ,sometime afterwards1 a wonderful star was seen by some wise men in the country east of ,judea2 and they concluded that it must be a sign that the long expected ,messiah was born4 ,they therefore went at once to ,jerusalem1 where they inquired for the king of the ,jews1 stating that they had seen his star in the east1 and were come to worship him4 ,herod was the king of ,judea at this time3 and when he heard of the new king1 he was very much troubled1 and the people were also troubled1 not knowing what to expect4 ,herod made particular inquires about the place where it was expected ,christ would be born3 and when he found that it was at ,bethlehem1 he sent the wise men there1 telling them to bring him word when they had found him1 that he might go and worship him too4 ,so the wise men went to ,bethlehem3 and the star which they had seen in the east went before them till it came and stood over the place where the infant ,savior was4 ,they were glad when they saw this3 and when they came into the house and found ,jesus and his mother1 they fell down on their faces and worshiped him4 ,then they made him many presents of money1 and rich spices which were found in their country4 ,when the wise men were ready to return1 the angel of the ,lord appeared to them1 and told them not to go back to ,herod1 as he had directed4 ,so they went to their home by another way4 ,the angel also appeared in a dream to ,joseph1 and told him to take the child and his mother1 and flee into ,egypt2 and ,joseph did as the angel had said4 ,herod was a cruel1 wicked man1 and was afraid if ,jesus grew up1 he would be king of the ,jews instead of him2 so he intended to kill him while a little child4 ,but when he found the wise men would not tell him where to find him1 he sent his soldiers to ,bethlehem1 and ordered them to kill all the children under two years old1 hoping in this way to come at ,jesus3 but the ,lord had before provided for his safety1 by sending him to ,egypt4 ,when ,herod was dead1 ,jesus returned with his parents from ,egypt1 and went to live in the city of ,nazareth4 ,joseph was a carpenter1 and we are told that when ,jesus was old enough he worked with him at the same trade4 ,the ,bible tells us he grew in stature1 and in favor both with ,god and man3 and that he lived with his parents1 and was subject to them1 or did as they wished to have him4 ,thus he set an example of obedience to parents which every child should follow4 ,when he was twelve years old1 he went with them to ,jerusalem to the feast of the passover2 and after the close of the ceremonies1 when they were going home1 they found ,jesus was not with them4 ,so they returned to look for him and found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the learned men1 hearing them and asking them questions2 so that they were astonished at his knowledge4 ,illustration ,when his mother told him they had been looking for him1 sorrowing1 he replied1 ,how is it that ye sought me8 ,knew ye not that ,i must be about my ,father's business8 ,there was a law among the ,jews that no one should be a public teacher1 or minister1 till he was thirty years old4 ,jesus wished to show respect to the laws of his country1 and therefore we may suppose he continued to work as a carpenter till he was of that age4 ,he was then baptized in the river ,jordan by his forerunner1 ,john the ,baptist1 and commenced choosing his disciples and preaching the gospel4 ,the story of his life after this time1--how he went about teaching the people1 though they often abused him2 how he gave them food when they were hungry1 though he had not where to lay his head1 healed the sick1 and in every way returned good for evil to his ungrateful countrymen1 for three years1 till they cruelly put him to death1--is told at large in the ,new ,testament1 where we hope all our young readers will read it again and again1 with earnest attention4 ,they will find it a very interesting narrative1 and in it instructions capable of making them wise unto salvation4 ,,crucifixion ,,of ,,our ,,savior4 ,our blessed ,savior1 having passed a life of piety and virtue1 amply illustrated by the doctrines he had taught and practised1 and the benefits rendered mankind1 was at length betrayed by ,judas ,iscariot into the hands of the ,jewish ,high ,priest and ,council1 whose hatred and malice against him were without bounds1 as the truths he had proclaimed were but faithful commentaries on the vice and wickedness of their own characters4 ,he was tried and condemned--though his judge declared that he found no fault in him1--his body mangled with whips1 and a wreath of thorns pressed upon his head as a mock crown4 ,they spit upon him1 taunted him1 smote him on the crown with staves1 that it might wound the more deeply1 till his head1 face1 and body were bathed in blood4 ,in this situation1 condemned and abandoned by the world he came to save1 the heavy cross was laid upon his shoulders1 and he was conducted in public through the city4 ,illustration ,passing the gates1 he was brought to a place called ,golgotha and ,calvary1 the place of execution for the city4 ,his clothes were then stripped off1 his body stretched out1 and his hands and his feet nailed to the cross1 which was then lifted up4 ,over his head the inscription was placed by ,pilate1 ,,jesus ,,of ,,nazareth ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,the ,,jews1 in three different languages1 ,hebrew1 ,greek1 and ,latin1 in order that strangers might know for what he suffered4 ,with this inscription the ,jews were offended1 and wished it altered4 ,but ,pilate replied that what he had written should stand good4 ,while our ,savior hung thus languishing in torment on the cross1 the multitude around strove to add to his misery by reviling speeches and horrid blasphemies4 ,some nodded their heads and cried1 ,if you be the ,son of ,god1 come down from the cross4 ,the priests and rulers scoffed in like manner1 ,he saved others1 but himself he cannot save4 ,the blessed ,savior replied not1 but lifted up his eyes and prayed for his enemies1 ,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do4 ,nay1 even one of the thieves who were crucified1 one on each side of him1 derided and urged him to save himself and them1 if he was the ,messiah4 ,but his fellow criminal acknowledging the justice of their condemnation1 and the entire innocence of ,christ1 seriously rebuked him1 and looking upon ,jesus with humble reliance1 cried ,lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom4 ,the ,lord rewarded his great faith1 embraced him with the arms of mercy1 and assured him1 that that very day he should be with him in ,paradise4 ,his mortal agonies became now unutterable4 ,his enemies still mocked him with their bitter taunts and revilings2 they gave him vinegar to allay his burning thirst4 ,he tasted thereof1 and feeling the pangs of death1 he cried1 all is accomplished4--,father1 into thy hands ,i commend my spirit2 and meekly bowing his head1 he expired4 ,his death was accompanied by a terrible earthquake4 ,rocks were shattered1 graves were opened1 and the veil of the temple torn in two parts4 ,in short1 the whole face of nature seemed changed4 ,the sun was so shadowed that the stars appeared4 ,the eclipse was awful1 and the miraculous darkness universal1 having been recorded by many even of the ,pagan writers4 ,it continued for three hours1 during which time all things were full of terror4--,many who saw and heard were converted1 and cried ,truly this is the ,son of ,god4 ,the body of our ,savior having been buried1 by one of his friends1 in a new tomb hewn out of a rock1 the ,jews and rulers went to ,pilate and told him1 that this impostor having declared within his life time that he would rise again within three days1 they wished the sepulchre kept under a strong guard until the third day1 lest his disciples should come by night and steal the body1 and then persuade the people that he had risen from the dead4 ,they procured the desired guard1 and secured the tomb1 setting a seal upon the stone4 ,vain precaution6--,the prophecy was fulfilled4 ,the ,savior burst from the tomb1 and rose triumphant to the bosom of his ,father which is in heaven4 ,,the ,,great ,,commission4 ,after the resurrection of our ,savior1 he appeared several times to his disciples4 ,he strengthened them in the walk of faith2 enlarged their power and commission2 declaring to them1 that all power was given to him in heaven and earth4 ,therefore he commanded them to go through all the world1 and preach the ,gospel to every creature1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost1 and teaching them to observe all things that he had commanded them4 ,adding further--that he that believed and was baptized should be saved1 but he that believed not should be damned4 ,he promised them his continual protection--that he would be ever present with them1 even to the end of the world4 ,illustration ,on his last appearance to the apostles he particularly commanded them1 that they should not depart from ,jerusalem till they had received the promise of ,god1 and were invested with power from above4 ,that after the descent of the ,holy ,ghost upon them they should have sufficient power and knowledge1 and have the honor of being his witnesses in ,jerusalem1 in all ,judea1 in ,samaria1 and in the farthest parts of the earth4 ,he then led them out of the city to that part of ,mount ,olivet which was near ,bethany1 where1 lifting up his hands which showed the marks of his sufferings1 he gave them his last benediction4 ,and while they were all in the posture of adoration1 he was parted from them by degrees1 taken up in a cloud1 and carried triumphantly into the ineffable glories of heaven4 ,,stephen ,was chosen one of the first deacons of the ,christian ,church at ,jerusalem4 ,he was of high report for wisdom1 and the endowments of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,he confuted the most learned ,jews in their arguments1 and applied such wholesome truths to the test of their consciences1 that being sorely galled1 and unable to answer1 their rage was unbounded4 ,stephen1 however1 regarded them not1 but fixing his ardent gaze upward1 was ravished with the vision of glory revealed to him1 and declared that he saw the heavens opened1 and the ,son of man standing at the right hand of ,god4 ,this farther enraged his enemies1 who resolved to deal with him as a blasphemer2 and1 therefore they raised a great noise and clamor1 stopped their ears to hear no cries for mercy1 and rushing upon him1 they hurried him out of the city in order to stone him1 according to an ancient law against blasphemers4 ,illustration ,the witnesses1 according to custom1 stripped themselves1 and then began the tragedy1 which was soon seconded by the multitude4 ,during all this1 the pious martyr was on his knees praying to ,god1 and earnestly interceding for his murderers1 that he would not charge this guilt upon them--till at length he fell asleep in the arms of death1 being the first martyr who suffered in the ,christian ,church1 ,a4 ,d4 #cd4 ,,saul ,,of ,,tarsus1 ,,or ,,paul4 ,this great agent in the first persecution of the ,church of ,god was well educated in the learning of the times1 and one of the most strict of the sect of the ,pharisees4 ,he was born in the ,roman city ,tarsus1 and enjoyed the privilege of a free citizen of ,rome1 which gave him high influence among the ,jews1 and increased his power to injure the followers of ,jesus4 ,he pursued the ,christians with the fury of a bigot and the rage of a madman4 ,he paid no regard to age or sex2 tearing the husband from the wife1 and the mother from her children1 and breathing vengeance and blood wherever he came4 ,but at last it pleased ,god1 ,a4 ,d4 #ce1 to put a stop to his violence and wickedness4 ,and wonderful was the change of his heart4 ,having dispersed the ,christians from ,jerusalem1 he was on a journey to renew his persecutions in ,damascus1 when a sudden light from heaven smote him to the ground1 and he heard a voice1 ,saul1 ,saul1 why dost thou persecute me8 ,the haughty ,saul trembled1 his conscience smote him1 his soul was humbled1 and his feelings melted for the cause he had heretofore hated and persecuted4 ,illustration ,saul became now1 after this miraculous conversion1 one of the strongest pillars of the ,christian ,church4 ,he preached the gospel in public1 laboring with pious zeal as if to make up for the guilt and crimes of his former life4 ,thousands were converted by his preaching1 and he endured the persecutions of the unbelieving1 remembering when he too was a leader among them4 ,he was stoned at ,lystra1 ,a4 ,d4 #df1 and left for dead1--but suddenly revived as the disciples were attending upon his body4 ,having thus escaped the fate of ,stephen1 he travelled on from city to city1 openly proclaiming the ,gospel4 ,at length after a long life spent in fearless devotion to the cause of the crucified ,savior1 he was taken up in ,rome1 thrown into prison1 and in a few months after1 condemned to suffer martyrdom by beheading1 ,a4 ,d4 #fh4 ,,luke4 ,this apostle and ,evangelist1 was the companion and assistant of ,paul1 who calls him the beloved ,physician4 ,after the death of ,paul1 he preached the gospel with great success in ,egypt and ,lybia1 and also in ,italy and ,macedonia4 ,as to his death1 there are different accounts4 ,yet the best writers say he suffered martyrdom in ,greece4 ,a party of infidels there made head against him1 and drew him to execution4 ,for the want of a cross1 they hung him upon an olive tree4 ,he was in the eighty-fourth year of his age at the time of his death1 ,a4 ,d4 #gd4 ,his gospel was written1 while he was in company with ,paul1 ,a4 ,d4 #fa--ac years before his martyrdom1 and #bh years after the ascension of our ,lord4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,book ,cover 7,back7 ,transcriber's ,note 99 ,page #bd1 eightyfourth changed to eighty-fourth