"P"

Peter denied

his lord and cried.

Why this version of the Primer is different

I am aware that there are several "updated" versions of the New England Primer available over the Internet. Someone may then ask, "what makes yours unique?"

First, I did a lot more than just modernize the spelling and punctuation, which is what most of them mean by "updated." Rather, I approached this text book with an earnest desire to really make it better and suitable for teaching young children today. I changed the language to reflect modern English, including replacing words when necessary. For instance, there is one selection that uses the word "faggot," as referring to fuel for a fire. Since that is a word never used and almost forgotten in that context, I changed it. I smoothed out awkward lines of poetry and rearranged the words to make it read better. I scrutinized every selection for quality, content and suitability.

Among the pieces that I chose to leave out were the ones majoring on infant death. For instance, one starts "I in the burying place may see graves shorter there than I...." Pretty grim. Plus there were lines in places that appeared to suggest that bad children may generally expect to die young. Of course, lots of babies and small children did die in Puritan New England, so that was a pressing reality for them, but not as much a one as now. It is important, I believe, to teach children that they do not know how long they will live, so they should trust in God today, but I do object to making it appear like a foregone conclusion.

As far as theology is concerned, the Puritans were of course conservative Presbyterian in their theology. This was visible in mentions of infant baptism, of the child as part of the church through that baptism, and a heavy emphasis on the Ten Commandments and sabbatarianism. When I looked for "baptist catechisms" on the internet, I found versions of the Shorter Westminster Catechism with references to infant baptism removed, but no other modifications. The Ten Commandments were still referred to as the "moral law" which was given to Adam and Eve in the garden, though, which I, with my New Covenant theology, did not find to be Biblically accurate. So, with some hesitation and after talking it over with my pastor, I carefully added a few questions to address this issue. I also added a question to the Ten Commandments section to accommodate a non-sabbatarian New Covenant understanding of the fourth commandment. All this, combined with numerous small modifications to the poems, I did to render the text as Biblical accurate as I could.

Those who are not Presbyterian in their theology may enjoy portions of the New England Primer, but will aways encounter problems if they endeavor to use it to teach their children doctrine. And those who might want to use it with young children will find the language problematic in places, and the rhymes rough and uneven. I believe I have addressed all of these issues, for this reason the Baptist New England Primer is superior to any other version of the New England Primer available as a text book for educating young children.

The "Royal Oak"

It's amazing what you can find on the internet! With nothing more than the quizzical little rhyme "The royal oak, it was the tree that saved his royal majesty," [see "R" in the rhyming alphabet] I typed in "British king oak tree," and this is what I got:

The Royal Oak is the name given to the oak tree within which King Charles II of England hid to escape the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The tree was located in Boscobel Wood, which was part of the park of Boscobel House. Charles confirmed to Samuel Pepys in 1680 that while he was hiding in the tree, a Parliamentarian soldier passed directly below it. The story was popular after the Restoration; numerous large dishes painted in slip with the Boscobel Oak, supported by the Lion and Unicorn, with the king's face peeping from the branches were made by the Staffordshire potter Thomas Toft.[1]

Read the rest of the story on wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Oak.

When the primer first came out, of course, the colonialists were still British subjects, but by the time of the 1805 edition, which is where I got this one from, they were independent--but obviously still strong connected.

"O"

Young Obadias,

David, Josias

still were pious.

The royal Oak, it was the tree

that saved his royal majesty.

Don't quite get the 1805 version--something out of English history, perhaps? I may see if I can do some research and find out. As always, I like the 1777 version best, because teaches Scripture as well as the alphabet.

"N"

Noah did view
the world made new.



Nightingales sing

in time of spring.

An Alphabet of Lessons for Youth

Admittedly, I'm getting tired of the Rhyming Alphabet at the moment, so, since I'm half way through, I thought I would take a break. This is a good way to memorize Scripture, with one verse for every letter of the alphabet.

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. Prov 10:1

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therein. Prov 15:16

Come unto Christ all you who labor and are heavy laden and He will give you rest. Matt 11:26

"Do not the abominable thing which I hate," says the Lord. Jer 44:4

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Prov 22:15

Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come. 1 Tim 4:8

Holiness becomes God's house forever. Ps 93:5

It is good for me to draw near unto God. Ps 73:28

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 1 Tim 1:17

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it come streams of life. Prov 4:23

Liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. Rev 21:8

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all. Ps 34:19

Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:2

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matt 12:34

Pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. Matt 6:6

Quit you like men, be strong, and stand fast in the faith. 1 Cor 16:13

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth. Eccl 12:1

See you a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Prov 26:12

Trust in God at all times, you people, pour out your hearts before Him. Ps 62:8

Upon the wicked God shall rein a horrible tempest. Ps 11:6

"Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Rom 12:19

Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Is 3:11

EXhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Heb 3:13

Young men, you have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2:13

Zeal has consumed me, because your enemies have forgotten the Word of God. Ps 119:139

"M"

Moses was he

whose Israel's host

led through the sea.

The moon gives light

in time of night.

"L"

Lot fled to Zoar
saw fiery shower
on Sodom pour.




The Lion bold

the Lamb doth hold.

I know, I know... none of the words in the first one rhyme.

"K"

Proud Korah's troop was swallowed up.

This is one of the ones that really doesn't rhyme any more. I tried desperately to rewrite it, but ended in leaving it as it was. I have also run out of the illustrated pages I had been working on. Hopefully I will get a chance to finish them at some point, and then I will post them.

"J"

Job feels the rod, yet blesses God.

"I"

Isaiah heard and spoke God's Word.

This is one of the ones that I had to make up, so I don't have any wood cut illustrations for it.

"H"

My book and heart must never part.

"G"

As runs the Glass, our life does pass.

"F"

The judgement made Felix afraid.

The idle fool is whipped at school.

Humm... I guess schools in 1805 weren't opposed to corporal punishment, were they?

"E"

Elijah hid, by ravens fed.

An Eagle's flight is out of sight.

"D"

The deluge drowned the earth around.

Or, the 1805 version:

The dog will bite a thief at night.

What comes before the Rhyming Alphabet

The Primer was a book for teaching children how to read. For this reasons it starts out listing letters of the alphabet by their various classifications, and then it has lists of words. These words are grouped by number of syllables. I think the main point to be had from them is that they were all either things from every day life, or words from the Bible. Even words like "fornication" and "mortification," made the list. This reminds us, again, that the main benefit to being able to read is being able to read the Bible.

"C"

Christ crucified for sinners died.


Or, the later (and rather sinister) version:

The cat doth play and after slay.

There are lots of different versions this picture. We can all just take our own guesses at the lesson behind it.

"B"

Heaven to find, the Bible mind.

Or, the 1805 version,

Thy life to mend, this book attend.

"A"

In Adam's fall we sinned all.

About the Rhyming Alphabet

The rhyming alphabet is undoubtedly the most well known part of the Primer. Most of you probably remember seeing some of the original wood-cut pictures in school. It is an admirable example of the basic premise behind the Primer--that the purpose of education is to advance knowledge of God.

Like most of the Primer, the rhymes changed somewhat through the years, as did the illustrations. The copy I was working from was the original, but I will endeavor to include as many different versions of the rhymes, with pictures, as I can find. The biggest surprise to me was the fact that in 1777, there were only 24 letters in the English alphabet. This is because (as anyone who has waded through the original type face knows), "i" and "j" were treated as the same letter, as were "u" and "v." A linguist could probably tell you if that's because they used to pronounce them the same. I imagine some pronounciations have changed, because that would explain why some of them really don't rhyme very well.

At any rate, I had to add two rhymes to complete the set, and so have no woodcuttings with them. Some of the illustrations are also surprisingly grim and unpleasant, which led to me excluding them from the volume I originally published. Here I will post everything I have though, including some illustrated pages I have been working on on my computer.

About the Primer

The New England Primer, introduced in Boston in 1660 by Benjamin Harris, was the first textbook printed in America. For 100 years after its introduction, The New England Primer was the beginning textbook for students; until 1900 it continued to be a principal text in all types of American schools: public, private, semi-private, home, dame, parochial, etc. The Founders, as well as most other Americans, learned to read from The New England Primer and the Bible.

Although later editions offered more reading and vocabulary words than the first few editions, the Primer underwent few significant changes over its 200 years of widespread use. The core of the Primer–its rhyming alphabet, its Bible alphabet, its Bible questions, and its Shorter Catechism–remained intact from reprint to reprint.

The 1900 reprint described the impact of the Primer:

"The New England Primer was one of the greatest books ever published. It went through innumerable editions; it reflected in a marvelous way the spirit of the age that produced it, and contributed, perhaps more than any other book except the Bible, to the molding of those sturdy generations that gave to America its liberty and its institutions."

Originally, The New England Primer was a text for students just beginning to read; since there were no grade classifications in American schools until the 19th century, it was simply called a Primer (a small elementary book for teaching children to read). It is the current equivalent of a first-grade text or reader. However, it is probably well above the reading and vocabulary level of today's typical first-graders–a potent commentary on the difference between the educational system of our Founders and that of today!

—By David Barton, excerpted from the foreword of the 1991 reprint of The New England Primer (1777 edition), published by WallBuilder Press, Aledo, TX.