AN

OUTLINE

OF

BIBLE HISTORY

WITH

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS;

ADAPTED TO

THE MINDS OF YOUTH,

AND

DESIGNED FOR

SABBATH AND OTHER SCHOOLS;

WITH ENGRAVINGS.

By Rev. Charles A. Goodrich.

Second Edition.

HARTFORD:

S. G. GOODRICH.

L. S.

DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, ss.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the ninth day of March, in the forty ninth year of the Independence of the United States of America, CHARLES A. GOODRICH, of the said district, hath deposited in this Office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as Author, in the words following-to wit: "An outline of Bible History, with notes and observations, adapted to the minds of youth, and designed for sabbath and other schools, with engravings. By Rev. Charles A Goodrich."

In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by se"curing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Au"thors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times there"in mentioned."

CHARLES A. INGERSOLL,

Clerk of the District of Connecticut. A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me. CHARLES A. INGERSOLL,

Clerk of the District of Connecticut.

PREFACE.

THE plan of this work will be understood without much explanation. The answers, which it may be deemed important that the pupils should commit to memory, are put in larger type; notes and observations, are introduced in smaller type, sometimes for the purpose of explanation, and occasionally, with a monitory view. If the work may be deemed worthy of so much notice, the author would be particularly gratified to receive any corrections, or suggestions from the experienced, which may contribute to render a future edition more useful, should one be called for.

A second part, embracing the New Testament, is in hand, and will be published in the course of the year. BERLIN, Conn. 1825.

FRESAND DOLLEGE LIBRARY

047*172

Roberts & Burr, printers.

Q. Why is this book called the Bible?

A. The name Bible is derived from Biblos, a book; so that by the Bible we understand, by way of eminence, the Book of Books, or the most excellent Book.

Q. How is the Bible divided?

A. Into the Old and New Testaments.

Q. In what language was the Old Testament originally writen?

A. In the Hebrew.

Q. By whom was our Bible translated into English? A. By forty-seven learned men, in the time of James 1st, King of England, A. D. 1611.1

Observations.-The translation was begun in 1606, and finished in 1611. Fifty-four of the principal divines in England were originally appointed to undertake the work; but several of them dying soon after, only forty-seven were engaged in it.

These were divided into six companies. The first company translated from Genesis to the first book of Chronicles; the second to the prophecy of Isaiah; the third translated the four greater prophets, with the Lamentations and the twelve

smaller prophets; the fourth the Apocrypha; the fifth the four Gospels, the Acts and the Revelation; and the sixth the Epistles.

The translation being finished, the whole body assembled, and together revised it. Before it was finished, however, several learned men from Oxford and Cambridge Universities, were appointed to revise and correct it.

Q. By whom was the Bible divided into Chapters!

A. By one Hugo de Sancto Caro, about A. D. 1244. He used the letters of the alphabet, instead of Roman characters, to mark the Chap

ters.

Q. By whom were the Chapters divided into verses?

A. By a celebrated Jewish Rabbi, named Mordecai Nathan, about 1445.

LESSON II.

Q. Are there any manuscript copies of the Bible now in existence?

A. Yes many hundreds, some of which are 800 or 900 years old.

Obs.-Among the materials, which were at first used for writing, were the leaves and bark of trees; also wood, linen and cotton cloth; tables of lead, brass, stones and tiles. The skins of animals, too, were much used.

About 200 years before Christ, an improved method of preparing these skins was discovered at Pergamus, in Asia; and hence the term parchment, upon which the manuscript copies of the Bible now in existence are written, was derived.

These parchments are in rolls. They were read down the narrow way of the roll-one end of the book being rolled inward, and the other outward, as represented by the cut. Q. Are the Apocryphal books to be considered as the word of God?

A. By no means. Although they contain many sound maxims, yet there is not sufficient evidence that they were inspired by the spirit of God.

Obs.-The principal reasons for rejecting them are 1. They were never received by the Jews as of divine authority. 2. They were written after the spirit of prophecy had ceased, which the Jews allow to have been at the death of Malachi, 400 years before Christ. 3. They are never quoted either by Christ or his apostles. 4. They were rejected by the most learned fathers in the Christian Church, Origen, Athanasius, Hillary, &c. who enjoyed a good opportunity to ascertain their character. 5. None of the authors of these books claim to have been inspired. 6. These books contain falsehoods, fables, inconsistencies and contradictions.

Q. Are there not other books in the world, which are considered by some nations as of superior authority to our Bible? A. Yes the Mahommedans so regard their Koran; the Persians their Zandavesta; the Chinese their Shu-King; the Scandinavians their Edda; and the Hindoos their Vedas.

Q. What reason have you for rejecting these and all other similar books.

A. Because the most pious and learned men in the world, consider the pretensions of all other books to be poorly supported, and, moreover, these books have not enlightened and reformed those who have put their faith in them.

Obs. It may be added 1. All other works claiming divine authority were written since the Bible. 2. The best parts of these books were evidently transcribed from the Bible. 3. Much of what they contain is inconsistent with the character of God, and leads to vice and wickedness. 4. Their authors are well known to have been impostors.