schools should become as well acquainted with the sources of our
religion as they are required to do with the religions of ancient
heathen nations, and all the more so, since the most of our people
regard it as the true and only religion, and still more so, since "it
is made the basis of our civilization and is implied and involved in
our whole national life." It is believed by the Author that a
knowledge of the simple facts of the history, geography and chronology
of the Bible is essential to a liberal education and that to be
familiar with the prophecies, poetry, and ethics of the scripture is
as essential to the educated man of today as was a "knowledge of Greek
history in the time of Pericles or of English history in the reign of
Henry the VIII." And, in order that such knowledge may be gained,
effort has been made to put into the book only a minimum of matter
calculated to take the student away from the Bible itself to a
discussion about it and to put into it a maximum of such matter as
will require him to study the scripture at first hand.

Having intended, first of all to meet the needs of those whose
advantages for scripture study have been limited, the information has
been put in tabular form, giving only such facts as have been
carefully gathered from reliable sources, with but little attempt to
show how the conclusions were reached. It is expected that the facts
given may be mastered and that an interest may be created which will
lead to further study upon the subjects treated. And to this end some
of the studies have been made sufficiently complicated for college
work and instruction for such work given in suggestions for teachers,
leaders and classes. Besides the studies of the books there have been
introduced some matters of general interest which have been found
helpful as drills for academy pupils, and which will be found
interesting and helpful to all classes of students.