Bible Stories and Religious Classics | Page 3

Then,
too, the book contains allegories, such as that of the Pilgrim's Progress,
Christendom's greatest religious classic next to the Bible itself, and
those of some of Andersen's Tales. Poetry also is well represented, the
selections being in large part suggested by Scripture. There are in
addition many stories in the ordinary sense of the word--tales which are
entirely the fabric of the imagination, but which, like the selections
from Hawthorne, have some great lesson to teach. In fact, the literary
forms represented in this volume are almost as numerous as those of
the Bible itself. The latter used to be looked upon merely as a
storehouse of historic facts and devotional songs; now we see in it
Legend, Oratory, Poetry, Allegory, History, Proverb and Prophecy; and
we find that all of these forms are used by God's servants to teach His
truth to men.
* * * * *
Sufficient has been said, I think, to show the purpose and scope of this
volume and to introduce the reader to its contents. It is my hope and
belief that the effort of my friend, Mr. Philip P. Wells, to make this a
collection of religious classics in the full meaning of these words may
prove successful. My highest wish, however, is that those who read

these selections, with their great variety of source and form, may mark
the inspiration of thought or incident common to them all, and may find
an interest in refreshing what may be an old acquaintance with that
Book of Books which gives with classic truth the fundamental subject
matter for all deep thought and high aspiration.
ANSON PHELPS STOKES, JR.

CONTENTS
THE LIFE OF ADAM
HERE BEGINNETH THE HISTORY OF NOAH
THE RAINBOW
HERE FOLLOWETH THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM
HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF ISAAC, WITH THE HISTORY
OF ESAU AND OF JACOB
HERE BEGINNETH THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH AND HIS
BRETHREN
HERE NEXT FOLLOWETH THE HISTORY OF MOSES
THE BURIAL OF MOSES
THE HISTORY OF JOSHUA
THE HISTORY OF SAUL
THE HISTORY OF DAVID
THE SONG OF DAVID
THE STORY OF A CUP OF WATER
THE HISTORY OF SOLOMON
THE HISTORY OF REHOBOAM
A LITTLE MAID
HERE FOLLOWETH THE HISTORY OF JOB
THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB
HERE FOLLOWETH THE HISTORY OF TOBIT
HERE BEGINNETH THE STORY OF JUDITH
THE VISION OF BELSHAZZAR
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY
THE BURNING BABE
A CRADLE SONG
EASTER
THE LIFE OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE

THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE
THE LIFE OF ST. CHRISTOPHER
THE SEVEN SLEEPERS
THE LIFE OF ST. SILVESTER
OF ST. AUSTIN THAT BROUGHT CHRISTENDOM TO
ENGLAND
EDWIN AND PAULINUS
THE LIFE OF ST. GEORGE, MARTYR
THE LIFE OF ST. PATRICK
OF ST. FRANCIS
SONG OF THE EMIGRANTS IN BERMUDA
LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS IN NEW ENGLAND
THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
THE PILGRIM
THE GREAT STONE FACE
THE GENTLE BOY
THE ANGEL
THE RED SHOES
THE LOVELIEST ROSE IN THE WORLD
A VISION OF THE LAST DAY
THE OLD GRAVESTONE
GOOD-FOR-NOTHING
IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE SEA
SOMETHING
THE JEWISH GIRL
THE STORY OF A MOTHER
THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL
FLOWERS WITHOUT FRUIT
CONTENTMENT
THE SEARCH FOR PEACE
A SONG OF PRAISE
THE TRAVELLER
TRUE GREATNESS
CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE
A THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR HIS HOUSE
FRIENDS DEPARTED
THE LAND OF DREAMS

ADORATION

BIBLE STORIES AND RELIGIOUS CLASSICS

THE LIFE OF ADAM
_The Sunday of Septuagesima beginneth the story of the Bible, in
which is read the legend and story of Adam which followeth_
In the beginning God made and created heaven and earth. The earth
was idle and void and covered with darkness. And the spirit of God was
borne on the waters, and God said: Be made light, and anon light was
made. And God saw that light was good, and divided the light from
darkness, and called the light day and darkness night.
And thus was made light with heaven and earth first, and even and
morning was made one day. The second day he made the firmament,
and divided the waters that were under the firmament from them that
were above, and called the firmament heaven. The third day were made
on the earth herbs and fruits in their kind. The fourth day God made the
sun and moon and stars, etc. The fifth day he made the fishes in the
water and birds in the air. The sixth day God made the beasts on the
earth, every one in his kind and gender. And God saw that all these
works were good and said: Make we man unto our similitude and
image. Here spake the Father to the Son and Holy Ghost, or else as it
were the common voice of three persons, when it was said make we,