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DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit: District Clerk's Office. ****** BE it remembered, that on the seventh day of L. S December, A. D. 1825, in the fiftieth year of the ex Independence of the United States of America, Crock r & Brewster of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words following, to wit:

"The Evangelical Primer, containing a Minor Doctri"nal Catechism; and a Minor Historical Catechism; "to which is added, the Westminster Assembly's "Shorter Catechism; with short explanatory Notes, "and copious Scripture Proofs and Illustrations; and "an Appendix, containing various directions "for studying the Scriptures. For the use of "Families and Schools. By Joseph Emerson, formerly Minister of a church in Beverly; "now Principal of the Female Seminary in Wethersfield, Ct. With 72 cuts."

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an act entitled, “An act supplementary to an act, entitled, 'An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps,charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching, historical and other prints."

JNO. W. DAVIS,

Clerk of the District of Massachusetts

CROCKER & BREWSTER, 50, Cornhill, Boston, Keep for sale a general assortment of BOOKS in various branches of knowledge, particularly books on RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS; among many others, SCOTT'S FAMILY BIBLE, with and without references, and of various prices: also quarto BIBLES, from $3,50 to 20 dollars; school Bibles. Also, Worcester's edition of Watts' Psalms and Hymns; or the Select Hymns separately: a liberal allow. ance to Clergymen. Other editions of Watts.-Also, a very large assortment of REWARD BOOKS for Sunday schools; from Three Cents to One Dollar each.

Printing and Paper furnished on liberal terms.

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EXPLANATIONS.

In this work colons are used to separate figures referring to chap ters from those referring to verses; as John 5:44 refers to the forty fourth verse of the fifth chapter of John. The reference should be read, John, fifth, forty-fourth; not John, fifth and forty-fourth, as some would read it. Sometimes chapters are referred to without referring to particular verses, as Gen. 45 and 46: in the latter part of lesson 4, denoting that these chapters contain an account of what Joseph did for his father's family.

Comnias are used to separate figures referring to verses from each other; as John 5:1, 3, 7, 20 refers to the first, third, seventh, and twentieth verses of the fifth chapter of John; and should be read, John fifth, first, third, seventh, twentieth.

The character & or the word and is placed before another chapter of the same book; as John 5.1 15:4 refers to the first verse of the fifth chapter and fourth verse of the fifteenth chapter o John, and may be read, John, fifth, first and fifteenth, fourth.

A blank line is used to denote intermediate verses, as John 5:3-7 refers to the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh verses of the fifth chapter of John; and should be read, John fifth, third to seventh. Fs. stands for Psalm; Is. for Isaiah.

The cuts or pictures may be easily understood by consulting the scriptures referred to under them,

RECOMMENDATIONS.

Having been informed by the Rev. Mr. Emerson of Beverly of his plan for publishing a book called the Evangelical Primer, and seen a considerable part of the work, we cheerfully approve both of the design, and, so far as we are acquainted with it, of the manner, In which it has been executed; and do accordingly recommend the book for the use of Families and Schools.

1809.

Timothy Dwight, President of Yale College.

Moses Stuart, Pastor of the First Congregational Charch in New Haven.

Noah Webster, jun. N. Haven.

Samuel Merwin, Pastor of the United Congregational Church in New Haven.

Benjamin Trumbull, Pastor of the Congregational Church in

North Haven.

Erastus Ripley, Pastor of the Congregational Church in Meriden. Nehemiah Prudden, Pastor of the Congregational Church in En field.

Edward D. Griffin, Andover,
Leonard Woods, Andover.
Daniel Dana, Newburyport,
William F. Rowland, Exeter.

W. Hollinshead, one of the Pastors of the Independent or Congre gational Church in Charleston, S. Carolina.

ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHOR.

SIR,

Having carefully attended to the plan and execution of your Evangelical Primer, we cordially approve of both. We consider the two Minor Catechisms as well adapted to convey much useful instruction to young children, and to prepare their tender minds for learning and understanding that most excellent system of divinity, which is contained in the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, and which has been so long, so greatly, and so extensively useful in Europe and America. We are clearly of opinion, that your Evangelical Primer is the best publication of the kind, which we have seen, that it will have a great tendency to promote the knowledge of some of the most important events as well as of the most important doctrines contained in the Bible, and to guard the rising generation against the fatal errors, which are so zealously propagated at the present day by the enemies of truth. We sincerely wish that this book may have a free and general circulation, that Families and Schools would make use of it in formin the minds of children and youth to virtue and piety, and that you may find 11 your labor amply rewarded in the success of your benevolent design.

* A, D. 1809.

Nathaniel Emmons, Franklin.

Joseph Lyman, Hatfield.

Alvan Hyde, Pastor of the Church in Lee.

David Parsons, Amaerst.

Samuel Austin, Worcester.

Samuel Spring, Newburyport,
Jedediah Morse Charlestown
Jona han Strong, Randolph.
Jacob Norton, Weymouth.
Jonathan Burr, Sandwich.
Elijah Parish, Byfield.

Samuel Worcester, Salem.

Daniel Hopkins, Salem.

Thomas Worcester, Salisbury, N. II,

Rufus Anderson, Wenham.

DOCTRINAL CATECHISM.

This Catechism contains the leading doctrines of the Bible, expressed in a plain and connected manner.

Note, It is earnestly recommended to teachers of this Primer, that they exert themselves to make learners -repeat the answers, &c. distinctly, deliberately, under standingly, solemnly, and in all respects properly, as pus sible.

WHо made you? God. What else did God make? He made the stones and hills, the brooks and trees, all living creatures, the sun, moon, and stars, and all other things.

Of what did God make all things? Of nothing, Heb. 11:3.

For whom did God make all things? For himself.

How long has God lived? Always, without beginning. Where is God' Every. where.

When does God see you? By day and by night; he sees me, when I do wrong, and always sees me

What does God know? He knows all things. If I tell a lie, he knows it; if I speak an idle or wicked word, he hears it. He knows every word, that I speak, and every thought, that I think.

What has God done you? He has made me, and kept me alive; he has given me food to eat, and clothes to wear, and all other bles. sings that I have enjoyed.

What is the greatest thing, that God has ever done for you and the rest of mankind? He gave his Son Jesus Christ, to die for us, Heb. 2:9.

What need was there, that Christ should die for you? To atone for my sins.

How have you sinned? I have not faithfully remein. bered my Creator, to love him with all my heart, to pray to him, and to keep his holy Sabbath; and I have done many other things, which he has forbidden.

What is the general char. acter of the natural heart! It is enmity against God; it is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, Jer

17:9.

What is meant by the na. tural heart? It is a heart that has not been renewed by the Holy Spirit, John 3:6.

What if Christ had not died for you and others? We must have been pun