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CONTENTS.
SELECTION.
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-PENTATEUCH.
I. A theory of creation, probably suggested to Moses by the teachings of the learned
Egyptians among whom he was educated, and by him transcribed into the lan-
guage and imagery of the ancient Hebrews.
II. Showing the piety and uprightness of Abraham, the ancient ancestor of the race of
the Israelites
Abraham's intercession for Sodom
¶ Abraham's unquestioning obedience, even to what afterward proved to be a mis-
taken sense of duty
III. Jacob's dream, and holy resolution.
His night of prayer
IV. Joseph's early anticipations of future greatness. The envy and treachery of his
brethren
THis resistance of temptation
His loyalty and love to his father and brethren after many years of separation.
V. Moses' vision of the burning bush
The commandments given by Moses
VI. Relapse of the Israelites into idolatry.
VII. Additional commandments
VIII. Remembrance of mercies
IX. Blessings upon righteousness
Cursings upon wickedness
X. The
song of Moses
Tradition of Moses' death
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-SAMUEL.
I. Hannah's song of thanksgiving for the birth of Samuel
Samuel's vision and early piety
II. David's loyalty to Saul; and rendering good for evil
His song of lamentation over the death of Saul and Jonathan
III. The boldness of Nathan in reproving the sin of David
David's hope and consolation in the death of his child
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-KINGS.
His prayer at the dedication of the temple
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I. Solomon's choice.
II. Legend of Elijah, fed by the ravens and by the unfailing meal and oil of the poor
widow
III. Visions of Elijah, in which his cowardice and faithlessness are reproved
Legend of Elijah's death
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-NEHEMIAH.
I The patriotism and piety of the Jews in rebuilding Jerusalem, under the leadership
of Nehemiah
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-JOB.
I. Showing how we ought to trust in the wisdom and goodness of God, whatever may
II.
III.
Providential sorrows to be received and borne as the chastisements of love
Man's Helplessness contrasted with God's power
VI. Sincere questionings and doubt terminate in permanent faith and hope
VII. Retribution is certain, in the next life if not in this
VIII. A good conscience is content in appealing to God for justice and judgment
IX. Consider God's goodness and greatness
X. Job is brought to see and acknowledge the wisdom and righteousness of God
¶ Conclusion
I. Happiness to be found only in the pursuit of wisdom and in the practice of virtue
II. There is a time for every thing
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-ISAIAH.
I. Formality is hateful to God, and righteousness alone doth he approve
Anticipations of the ultimate purity, prosperity, and peace of mankind upon earth
II. Wickedness shall be put down and righteousness finally triumph in the earth
III. A prophecy of the future glory and perfection of mankind
IV. The sorrow, sympathy, and self-sacrifice of the true philanthropist
V. Righteousness is the only acceptable offering to God
I. True philanthrophy grieves for wrong-doers, while it hates and condemns their
wrongs
II. The unfaithful, the unjust, and the impure rebuked
III. The ingratitude of those who forget the mercies of God, and violate his will
IV. No one should refuse the divine commission to rebuke wrong and advocate right-
eousness
V. Through rebuke and chastisement will God in the end establish mankind in right-
eousness and joy
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH.
I. The alternating experience of sorrow and joy, fear and hope, despondency and trust,
in every truly religious life.
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-EZEKIEL.
I. Every man to be judged by his own conscience, and punished for his own sins
II. Every man is responsible for those sins and sufferings of his fellow-men which it is
within his power by timely warning or sympathy to prevent
III. By the spirit of the Lord even the spiritually dead may live, the weak be made strong,
and the hopeless achieve victory
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-DANIEL.
I. Showing the grandeur of being loyal to conscience, come what may
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-JONAH.
I. Showing that mercy is better than vengeance
HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-MALACHI.
I. Showing the judgments of God upon the wicked, and his favor to the righteous
CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.-GOSPELS.
I. Traditions of the birth and childhood of Jesus
II. The appearance, preaching, and death of John the Baptist
III. Jesus, deeply moved by the preaching of John, retires into the wilderness for prayer
and meditation .
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98
Convinced of his divine mission as a religious teacher and reformer, he begins to
preach
IV. Driven from the synagogues, Jesus begins to preach in the open air (This and the following six Selections are collections of what appear to be fragments of different out-of-door sermons preached at various places and times.)
V. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus
VI. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus
VII. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus
VIII. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus
IX. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus
X. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus
XI. Jesus shows that his mission is to transgressors, and not to the righteous
XII. Jesus shows that the New Dispensation or Kingdom of God is to be one of gladness
and hope, not of despondency, retirement, and gloom.
XIII. Jesus shows that righteousness consists not in external pretensions, but in internal
purity and obedience to God
XIV. Jesus disregards the traditional observance of the Sabbath, and shows that it is de-
signed simply as a day of restfulness and comfort to man
XV. Jesus organizes his followers, and sends them out as missionaries
Through confidence in the skill and healing power of Jesus, many sick people are
Jesus recognizes the intimate connection between moral and physical infirmities.
Jesus rebukes the custom of immediate burial among the Jews, by resuscitating
persons supposed to be dead
XVII. An example of the cowardice and shame of suppressing opinions through fear of
popular disfavor
XVIII. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of love and peace, and includes the good and
true of all nations and ages
XIX. Those of imperfect or impure character, however great their pretensions of faith and
piety, cannot be admitted into the kingdom of God
XX. Jesus shows that it belongs to God to reward every man according to his works 119
XXI. Jesus shows that God will seek for his lost and prodigal children until every one of
them is found
XXII. Jesus supposed by his friends to be insane, and by his enemies to be possessed of
XXIII. Jesus shows that whosoever will enter into the kingdom of God must be born again
of the spirit of boldness, of self-denial, and of willingness to suffer oppositions
and persecutions for truth's sake
XXIV. Jesus shows that sooner or later God will recompense those who live selfish, un-
profitable, and unjust lives
XXV. Jesus teaches forgiveness, and shows that every man must be his own judge, and
every man's conscience his only judgment-bar
XXVI. Jesus teaches humility, disinterestedness, vigilance, improvement of opportuni-
ties, and wise forethought
XXVII. Jesus teaches the simplicity of prayer; prays with his disciples on the moun-
tain; and receives and blesses little children
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128
130
132
133
135
XXVIII. The sum and substance of the commandments, and what it is to keep them
XXIX. Jesus teaches that we should always recognize divine authority and at the same
time submit to lawful human authority
XXX. Jesus shows that reason and the instincts of nature are the revelations and
teachings of God
XXXI. Jesus proclaims God as an infinite Spirit of holiness and love
XXXII. Jesus shows that his teachings concerning God are the living water and bread
which are able to communicate sustenance and life to the souls of men
XXXIII. Jesus shows that he is one with the Father in spirit and in purpose; but denies
the charge of putting himself on an equality with God
XXXIV. Jesus shows that the true shepherd of men is he who loves them unselfishly and
is willing, if need be, to give his life for them
XXXV. The common people love and honor Jesus, but he perceives that his enemies
will soon put him to death
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137
139
XXXVI. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, and foretells its destruction and the calamities of
the Jewish nation
XXXVII. Jesus' last evening with his disciples; he explains the necessity of his death, as
a testimony and seal to the truth he had taught; assures his disciples that
the Father is revealed through him, and tells them that the spirit of Truth
will be their Helper and Guide
XXXVIII. Jesus shows that love among his disciples for one another, and for him, will
cause them to be like branches abiding in their vine, and bringing forth
much fruit.
XXXIX. By bread and wine Jesus symbolizes his approaching death; and by washing
his disciples' feet he teaches humility and mutual service
XL. With prayer and singing Jesus closes his interview with his disciples, and de-
parts with them into an adjoining garden
XLI. Jesus spends the night in prayer and sorrow; is apprehended by his enemies,
and led away to the Assembly of the Jews.
XLII. The trial and condemnation of Jesus
XLIII. Peter denies Jesus and repents; Judas repents and hangs himself; Jesus is
scourged, crucified, and temporarily placed in a sepulchre close at hand. 153
XLIV. The reappearance of Jesus after his death; by various manifestations he
reveals himself to many of his followers, and encourages them to spread
abroad his teachings
XLV. Some beautiful accounts of the reappearance of Jesus not historically verified ;
—that is, given by one biographer, but not confirmed or in any way refer-
red to by the others.
CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.-THE ACTS.
I. The enthusiam with which the disciples of Jesus enter upon the work of pro-
claiming the teaching of their Master
II. The boldness of the first followers of Jesus, and their loyalty to his teaching in
the face of oppositions and persecutions
III. The early followers of Jesus organize themselves into a community, and the
first church is administered according to communistic principles
IV. The martyrdom of Stephen, and the beginning of persecutions by the Jews V. Saul becomes a disciple of Jesus and begins to preach the gospel
VI. The disciples of Jesus break down the walls of sectarianism by beginning to preach
the gospel to the Gentiles
165
VII. Philip teaches the gospel of Jesus to the Samaritans and to the Ethiopian ambas-
sador
VIII. Among the Grecian converts, Jesus begins to be called "Christ," and the disciples
begin to be known as "Christians." The sympathy and benevolence of the
Christians for each other. Saul begins to be known among the Grecians as
Paul, and being chosen by them as preacher enters upon his ministry
IX. Opposition and persecution begin to be awakened against Paul
X. The strife about conformity to ordinances, and how it was settled
XI. Paul and Silas continuing their missionary journey are imprisoned, but by their
midnight songs of praise and subsequent teachings convert their jailer and his
household
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169
170
172
XII. Driven from place to place Paul and Silas at length come to Athens, where Paul
makes his famous discourse
XIII. Paul is persecuted in Corinth, and going on to Ephesus, arouses great enthusiasm
among a few disciples of John the Baptist whom he happens to find there
XIV. The riot in Ephesus stirred up against Paul by the workmen who made shrines for
Diana
XV. An exhibition of Paul's love for those who followed his ministry, and of his heroic
consecration to his work
XVI. Paul again visits Jerusalem; to pacify the Jewish Christians he conforms to the ordi-
nance of purification; but this does not preserve him from their persecutions
XVII. Paul rehearses the incidents of his conversion, and enrages the Jews by proclaim-
ing himself divinely appointed to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
XVIII. The priests and elders conspire to assassinate Paul, but the chief officer hearing of
it sends him by night to Cæsarea.
XIX. Paul's accusation and defence before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa
XX. A glimpse of Paul at Rome.
I. God has revealed himself in nature as well as in written records and in the charac-
ters and teachings of holy men
II. God is a just and impartial judge, and judgment belongs to him alone
III. All men, without exception, are born into a condition of moral imperfection in
this life, and also are more or less guilty of wilfully violating the laws of virtue
and duty.
IV. In the consecrated life and death of Christ Jesus we have a representation of the
love of God for mankind; by this also we are brought into unity with God,
and are inspired to renounce iniquity and seek for holiness
V. The reign of law and the reign of love contrasted. Law only reveals the baseness
of iniquity, love inspires men to hate and forsake it. Carnal-mindedness tends
to spiritual corruption and decay; but spiritual-mindedness is life and peace 196
VI. God's true children are those who are spiritually minded; for them there are peace
and hope; and, moreover, whatever their afflictions, all things will result in
their good
VII. All righteous persons among the Gentiles as well as among the Jews are the spirit-
ual offspring of Abraham, and the accepted children of God
VIII. Jews and Gentiles alike live in God, and none but the disobedient and unholy does
he reject.
IX. Entire self-consecration, humility, and unfeigned love enjoined