THE SUNDAY-SCHOLAR'S FRIENDLY INSTRUCTOR, DELIVERED IN FAMILIAR DIALOGUES; IN WHICH The Paths of Religion and Virtue ARE PROVED BENEFICIAL TO THE RISING GENERATION. BY JOSEPH KERBY, "Hearken unto me, O ye children; for blessed are they that "Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not." SOLOMON. SUSSEX: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, And sold by 3. PURSGLOVE, WINDMILL-HILL, WARTLING: ALSO 141. 1823. 879. PREFACE. To all the Friends and Supporters, and Teachers of Sunday-Schools. THE writer considers it no intrusion, to send these plain dialogues into the world, through the medium of the press, because his design will be easily discovered by all who peruse them. It may be asked, "Have we not a goodly number of books for children, already ?" To this it is answered, very true: and we all rejoice, that so many good people are so ready to train up youth in the good old way; not only by teaching them to read, but also by providing useful and entertaining books to amuse and to instruct them. And if it be commendable in some eloquent writers (whose praise is in all the churches) to provide a Guide for Teachers of SundaySchools; and also another, as the Church-Members Guide, surely, those children who are instructed in a Sunday-School, require a guide to instruct them; especially after they leave the school.-For it must be acknowledged by all who are acquainted with their own hearts, that it is a very critical age for youthjust about the time they leave their parents, and before they have formed their future connexions in life. Therefore by the earnest entreaties of several friends, the writer appears as the FRIENDLY INSTRUCTOR to those children who have been taught in public-to remind them of the utility of reducing to practice the wholesome advice of their best friends. The characters are drawn from life. And if God bestows his blessing on this humble attempt, and is pleased by his Holy Spirit, to seal his instructions on the minds, and stamp his image on the hearts of |