Why not give to this receptive and eager audience stories full of deepest meaning, facts, parables, myths charged with truth? Why not people little memories with heroes, saints, kings, prophets, apostles? Why not give stories to story-loving youngsters that will turn into immortal pictures and be transformed some day into living factors in the making of character? And why not give them as comparison the babe of Bethlehem, the boy of Nazareth, the lad of twelve years in the schools of the Temple, the man of gentle love, the preacher of righteousness, the worker of heavenly wonders, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace? The Book of books is the children's Book. It is a story book. And the stories are "true stories." And the lessons to be drawn from them are numberless, and will come up out of the treasure-house of memory when mother's eyes are closed and her voice silent. It is a great thing to put mother and the Book together in Baby's thought; in the big boy's memory; in the grown-up man's heart and life. This book is mother's book; to aid her in doing the best and most lasting work a mother can do to sow seed and set out vines the branches of which shall reach into the world of spirits, and from which she and her children may long afterwards pluck fruit together in the eternal kingdom. JOHN H. VINCENT. CHAUTAUQUA, 1898. CONTENTS. THE OLD TESTAMENT CHAPTER. I. The Beginning of Things II. The Great Flood III. Abraham--the Father of the Faithful IV. Isaac, the Shepherd Prince V. Jacob, a Prince of God VI. Joseph, the Castaway VII. Joseph, a Servant, a Prisoner and a Saint VIII. Joseph, the Savior of His People IX. The Cradle that was Rocked by a River X. Moses in Midian XI. The Rod that Troubled Egypt XII. Following the Cloud XIII. In the Borders of Canaan XIV. A Nation that was Born in a Day XV. Samson, the Strong XVI. Ruth XVII. Samuel--the Child of the Temple XVIII. The Making of a King XIX. The Shepherd Boy of Bethlehem XX. The Power of a Pebble XXI. Faithful unto Death XXII. David, the Outcast XXIII. Every Inch a King XXIV. David's Sin XXV. David's Sorrow XXVI. The Building of the Golden House XXVII. Elijah, the Great Heart of Israel XXVIII. The Little Chamber on the Wall XXIX. A Little Maid of Israel XXX. The Two Boy Kings XXXI. The Four Captive Children XXXII. The Master of the Magicians XXXIII. The Story of Jonah XXXIV. Esther, the Queen THE NEW TESTAMENT. CHAPTER.