The idea of this book is to combine a course of Christian Doctrine and one of Scripture History, especially that of the New Testament, and to put the whole into language such as children, say from seven to fifteen, may easily understand for themselves without the help of a teacher. Such a book may also be a help to teachers in giving to children simple explanations of the Catechism and of Scripture. Experience has shown that careful explanation, and exceedingly simple explanation, of the words of the Catechism is absolutely necessary, in order that young children may properly understand them, and may obtain through them any real and lasting grasp of the sublime mysteries of the Faith which they teach. Hence too frequently it unfortunately happens that, for want of such explanation, our children leave school with very imperfect ideas of doctrine, and thus, forgetting the sense, forget also, quickly and entirely, those words of the Catechism which they had so diligently studied. Thus, though they have seemed to do well at school, they grow up very ignorant of their religion. A book, therefore, by the help of which children may be able by themselves to take in and be interested with the necessary truths and ideas, will be a great assistance to them towards understanding the Catechism, and so towards keeping in their minds during life both its doctrine and its words.