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A Little Catechism; With Little Verses and Little Sayings for Little Children — Reading Notes

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In Category - Sacred Texts

Authors: Mason, John, 1646?-1694 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2004 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Bible -- Examinations, questions, etc.; Catechisms, English; Children -- Conduct of life -- Poetry Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 5,050

Reading time 22 min

Text sections 1

For A Little Catechism; With Little Verses and Little Sayings for Little Children — Reading Notes, the stored edition analysis reports 5,050 words, 22 min estimated reading time, and 1 detected text section.

The text analysis averages about 17.3 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Bible -- Examinations, questions, etc.,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #13274

John Mason's 1692 catechism pairs question-and-answer doctrine with verses and sayings for children, using repetition, biblical quotation, and a plain style to teach the Ten Commandments and the Trinity.

Editorial Edition Score 4.3/5

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Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
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File: pg13274

Read the Text

Printed for John Lawrence at the _Angel_ in the _Poultrey_, 1692.

_A Catalogue of Books_, &c. Husband Mr. _Joseph Rowlandson_, &c.

Remarks on the Affairs of Trade of _England_ and _Ireland_, &c.

_Officium Cleri Desiderium Populi_, or Canonical Obedience asserted and proved to be the Duty of Gospel Ministers, and the Desire of all good Hearers.

The Catechizing of Families, a Teacher of Householders how to teach their Households; useful also to School-masters and Tutors of Youth.

Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, Grace, and free Justification vindicated against the Libertines, in two Books. The first a Breviate of Fifty Controversies. Second upon the re-printing of Dr. _Crisp's_ Sermon.

Full and Easy Satisfaction, which is the true Religion, in a Conference between a Doubter, a Papist, and a Reformed Catholic Christian.

A Key for Catholics to open the jugling of the Jesuits, containing some Arguments by which the meanest may see the Vanity of Popery, &c.

For Little Children to Learn.

Question. _Who made you?_

Quest. _Who Redeemed you?_

_Answ._ Jesus Christ.

Quest. _Who Sanctifieth and preserves you?_

_Answ._ The Holy Ghost.

Quest. _Wherefore did God make you?_

_Answ._ To Serve him.

Quest. _How must he be served?_

_Answ._ In Spirit and in Truth.

Quest. _What is it to serve God?_

_Answ._ To keep his Commandements.

Quest. _How many Commandments be there?_

Quest. _Which be they?_

_Answ._ The same which God spoke in the twentieth Chapter of _Exodus_, saying, _I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage._

_Quest._ Which is the First?

Answ. _Thou shalt have no other gods before me._

_Quest._ Which is the Second?

Answ. _Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the Water under the Earth: thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands, of them that love me and keep my Commandements._

_Quest_. Which is the Third?

Answ. _Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain_.

_Quest_. Which is the Fourth?

Answ. _Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy, six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattel, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it_.

_Quest_. Which is the Fifth?

Answ. _Honour thy father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee_.

_Quest._ Which is the Sixth?

Answ. _Thou shalt not kill._

_Quest._ Which is the Seventh?

Answ. _Thou shalt not Commit Adultery._

_Quest._. Which is the Eighth?

Answ. _Thou shalt not steal._

_Quest._ Which is the Ninth?

Answ. _Thou shalt not bear false Witness against thy Neighbour._

_Quest._ Which is the Tenth?

Answ. _Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbour's House, thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant, nor his Oxe, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbour's._

Quest. _Are you bound to keep all these Commandments?_

Quest. _Are you bound to keep them in Thought, Word, and Deed?_

Quest. _How are you bound to keep them?_

_Answ._ By my Baptism and by the Word of God.

Quest. _Are you able to keep them of your self?_

_Answ._ Because I was conceived and born in sin.

Quest. _From whence was that?_

_Answ._ From _Adam_'s Fall.

Quest. _How did_ Adam _fall_?

_Answ._ By Eating the forbidden Fruit.

Quest. _Do you sin daily?_

Quest. _What is Sin?_

_Answ._ The Breaking of God's Law.

Quest. _What doth Sin deserve?_

Quest. _What is Hell?_

_Answ._ Darkness and Torments.

Quest. _How long doth it last?_

_Answ_. For Ever and Ever.

Quest. _Is it not a sad thing to lie under the Wrath of God for ever? to lie in devouring Flames for Ever?_

Quest. _Can you deliver your self from Hell?_

Quest. _How must you be delivered._

_Answ._ Only by Jesus Christ?

Quest. _Who is Jesus Christ?_

_Answ_. The Son of God.

Quest. _Is he not Man also?_

Continue Reading →

John Mason's A Little Catechism; With Little Verses and Little Sayings for Little Children (1692) opens with a series of brief, direct questions and answers: 'Who made you? GOD.' The catechism proceeds through the Ten Commandments, each quoted at length from Exodus 20, and then moves into short verses and sayings. The title's repeated 'little' signals the intended audience, but the content is not simplified in vocabulary—the full text of the Second Commandment, for instance, includes 'graven Image,' 'jealous God,' and 'visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children.' This tension between brevity of form and density of doctrine is a defining feature of the work.

Question-and-Answer Structure as a Teaching Tool

The catechism's core is a sequence of questions and answers that move from the Trinity to the Ten Commandments. Each answer is a direct biblical quotation or a concise doctrinal statement. For example, the question 'Wherefore did God make you?' receives the answer 'To Serve him.' The next question, 'How must he be served?' is answered 'In Spirit and in Truth,' echoing John 4:24. This method requires the child to memorize precise phrasing, not paraphrase. The repetition of 'Quest.' and 'Answ.' creates a rhythmic pattern that aids recall. Notably, the answers are not expanded with explanation; the catechism trusts the words themselves to carry meaning.

The Ten Commandments: Quotation Over Simplification

When the catechism reaches the Ten Commandments, it reproduces the full text from Exodus 20, including the lengthy Second Commandment with its prohibition of graven images and the promise of mercy to thousands. The language is not adapted for children: 'visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third and fourth generation' appears without gloss. This choice suggests that the author valued scriptural authority over immediate comprehensibility. The commandments are presented as a block of text, broken only by the question 'Which is the First?' and so on. The effect is to immerse the child in the biblical voice rather than to paraphrase it.

Repetition and Variation in the Verses and Sayings

Following the catechism proper, the 'Little Verses and Little Sayings' employ rhyme and rhythm to reinforce the same doctrines. The verses often restate the commandments in poetic form, using couplets or quatrains. For instance, the first commandment appears as 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me' in the catechism, and the verses likely echo this. The sayings are brief proverbial statements, such as 'Fear God, and keep his Commandements.' This repetition across genres—question-and-answer, verse, and saying—creates a layered learning experience. The child encounters the same content in different forms, which aids memorization and understanding.

The Role of the Trinity in the Opening Questions

The catechism begins with three questions that establish the Trinity: 'Who made you? GOD. Who Redeemed you? Jesus Christ. Who Sanctifieth and preserves you? The Holy Ghost.' This tripartite structure mirrors the Apostles' Creed and the baptismal formula. The questions are parallel in form, each asking 'Who' and receiving a single name. The third question uses the archaic verb 'Sanctifieth,' which may be unfamiliar to modern readers but was standard in 17th-century religious language. The sequence implies that the child's identity is defined by these three divine actions: creation, redemption, and sanctification. The rest of the catechism then elaborates on how to respond to these gifts.

Mason's work is best read as a performance of instruction rather than a standalone text. The repetitions and biblical quotations are designed for oral recitation between teacher and child. Readers today may find the lack of explanation challenging, but the catechism's structure reveals a pedagogical method that prioritizes memorization of Scripture over interpretation. The verses and sayings offer a gentler entry point, using rhyme to make the same doctrines more memorable.

I found myself recalling the gentle rhythm of John Mason’s old catechism, how its little verses settle like stones in a stream. That patience brought to mind another quiet story, one of steadfast kindness and harvest fields. The same unhurried faithfulness seems to live in A Farmer's Wife: The Story of Ruth — A Closer Reading, and I lingered there a while, thinking how some truths are simply taught beside a hearth.

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Kyle Mccoy - 1 month ago

The catechism is overly simplistic and fails to engage children with its archaic language and dry presentation. The 'little verses' are not very memorable, and the overall structure lacks the interactivity that modern children's education requires. It feels like a relic from a bygone era, ineffective for today's kids.

Kevin Mark Fowler - 2 weeks ago

A delightful little catechism that skillfully introduces children to Christian fundamentals through simple verses and relatable sayings. The language is perfectly pitched for young minds, making learning enjoyable. The include playful yet instructive content that will engage kids and parents alike. A must-have for family devotion.

Allison Smith - 1 week ago

The book's simplicity is its strength, offering clear, child-friendly teachings on core beliefs. However, some verses feel a bit dated and could use more modern illustrations to truly capture today's children's attention. Nonetheless, it serves as a handy tool for parents and educators.