on our Saviour, in the form of a dove--and thus, you make her sensible of the TRINITY, in a history which she will never forget. Here are _three persons_ which she will distinguish by the difference of their actions; you have nothing more, therefore, but to inform her that all these together make but one God. This example is sufficient to shew the use of history. Although it may _seem_ to make instruction more tedious, it really abridges it; and renders the dryness of catechism, where mysteries are detached from facts, unnecessary. We may observe that history was an ancient mode of instruction. The admirable method which St. Austin has pointed out for the instruction of the ignorant, was not suggested by that father alone--it was the universal method and practice of the church: it consisted in shewing, by a succession of historical facts, religion to be as ancient as the world--Jesus Christ conspicuous in the Old Testament, and pervading every part of the New: which, in truth, is the foundation of christian instruction. All this demands a little more time and care than are devoted to the usual habits of instruction with which many people content themselves: but in adopting such a mode, religion will be truly taught; whereas, when children are not so instructed, they have only confused ideas of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, the church, of the necessity of absolute submission to its decrees, and of the foundation of those virtues with which the christian character should inspire us. The _historical_ catechism, which is simple, short, and more perspicuous than the ordinary catechism, includes every thing necessary to be known thereupon--so that it need not be said that much study is necessary.[4] [4] I have omitted the remark which here follows--because it alludes to the catechism of the _Council of Trent_, with which we have nothing to do in this country. Let us now add to the facts before mentioned from scripture, the passage of the Red Sea, and the sojourning of the people in the desert--where they ate bread which fell from heaven, and drank water which Moses caused to flow from the rock, by striking it with his rod. Represent the miraculous conquest of the promised land, where the waters of Jordan went backwards toward their source, and the walls of a city fell down of themselves in the sight of the besiegers. Describe, in as natural colours as possible, the combats of Saul and David: and how the latter, a youth, without arms and habited like a shepherd, became the conqueror of the fierce and gigantic Goliah. Do not forget the glory and wisdom of Solomon: how he decided between the two women who disputed about a child--but do not forget to impress on the mind, how he fell from this height of wisdom; dishonouring himself by an effeminacy, which is almost the inevitable consequence of overgrown prosperity.