Bible Stories and Religious Classics

In Short

Editor Philip P. Wells compiles a expansive survey of religious literature aimed at young readers, tracing a path from classic Old Testament histories to Medieval hagiography, moral poetry, and Protestant allegory. The text moves sequentially through the foundational sagas of Genesis and Exodus, the heroic lives of early Christian saints, and the allegorical journeys of writers like John Bunyan and Hans Christian Andersen. By surrounding scripture with devotional poetry and moral fiction, the anthology demonstrates how spiritual ideals permeate literary history. It has lasted because it treats juvenile literature not as a simplified triviality, but as an elevated gateway to humanity's deepest philosophical, ethical, and artistic traditions.

The Story

The volume begins with an introductory historical essay detailing the evolution of children's literature, noting how early printing focused exclusively on scholarly texts before pioneers like John Newbery recognized the importance of publishing for youth. Following this context, the narrative journey opens with the dawn of scriptural history. It details the primeval origins of humanity, the construction of the Tower of Babel, and the subsequent division of languages. The text follows the early patriarchs, focusing on the lineage of Terah and the unfolding lives of Abraham and his descendants.

A central narrative arc concerns the dramatic rivalry between Jacob and Esau over their father Isaac's blessing, leading to Jacob's flight and the eventual rise of Joseph in Egypt. Joseph's rise to power under Pharaoh enables him to store massive grain reserves that save the region during a devastating seven-year famine. Decades later, the narrative shifts to the severe oppression of the Israelites in Egypt and the calling of Moses at the burning bush. Moses confronts Pharaoh, receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, and manages the growing restless rebellion of his people, who erect a golden calf in his absence.

The arc transitions from lawgivers to national heroes, beginning with young David defeating the giant Goliath with a single stone from his sling. It details David's turbulent reign, including internal rebellions and his choice of a three-day pestilence as divine punishment for numbering his army. The narrative reaches its golden age under King Solomon, whose unmatched wealth, magnificent ivory throne, and legendary wisdom attract foreign rulers like the Queen of Sheba, before his many wives lead him toward idolatry in his old age. Apocryphal family sagas such as Tobit's instructions to his son Tobias and the heroic intervention of Judith saving her town from Holofernes further illustrate personal and national devotion.

Moving into Christian tradition and legend, the collection details the clash between early believers and pagan authority. Apostles Peter and Paul battle the magical illusions of Simon Magus in Rome, leading to Simon's dramatic fall from the sky and the apostles' subsequent martyrdom under Nero. Legendary accounts follow, including the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus hiding in a cave to escape Decius's persecution, and verse narratives of King Edwin's conversion to Christianity in Northumbria after a wise warrior compares human life to a sparrow passing through a warm hall.

The book culminates in rich literary allegories and Andersen's moral fables. It follows Christian's hazardous journey in The Pilgrim's Progress from the City of Destruction through trials like Vanity Fair to the shimmering gates of the Celestial City. It concludes with Hans Christian Andersen's stories of spiritual judgment, such as the prideful soul seeking entrance to heaven, and the quiet devotion of a Jewish schoolgirl who secretly holds Christian teachings in her heart.

How It Unfolds

The foundations of faith Scriptural history commences with the genealogy of the early world, the dispersal of mankind at the Tower of Babel, and the establishment of divine covenants through patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Providence in times of famine Joseph rises from bondage to authority in Egypt, interpreting dreams to store vast supplies of wheat that save his family and neighboring nations during years of severe scarcity.

Deliverance and the moral law Moses receives his divine calling at the burning bush, confronts Egyptian power, leads Israel into the wilderness, and brings down the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai to govern his people.

Kings, giants, and divine mercy David slays the giant Goliath to protect his people, rules Israel through triumphs and bitter rebellions, and chooses divine judgment over human hands when pestilence strikes his kingdom.

Glory and trial in apocrypha Tobit delivers solemn moral instructions on charity to his son Tobias, while the brave widow Judith infiltrates the Assyrian camp to decapitate Holofernes and liberate her town.

Apostolic triumphs and legend Saints Peter and Paul confront the deceptive sorcery of Simon Magus in Rome, while early Christian martyrs like the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus preserve their faith inside hidden mountain caves.

The pilgrim's allegorical quest Christian flees his doomed hometown, survives public trials and hostility at Vanity Fair, and crosses the final threshold into the radiant Celestial City alongside his companion Hopeful.

Visionary parables of judgment Lyrical poems by Vaughan and Blake join fables by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrating how humble, self-sacrificing acts open heaven's gates where proud self-righteousness fails.

The People

• Moses: A humble shepherd called by God at Mount Sinai who wants to liberate the oppressed Israelites from Egypt. Standing between divine law and a rebellious, idolatrous nation, he endures forty years of wilderness leadership to deliver the Commandments.
• David: A young shepherd who slays Goliath with a sling and rises to become King of Israel. He seeks to serve God faithfully, but his errors bring divine judgment, leaving him to throw himself upon the Lord's mercy.
• King Solomon: A monarch renowned worldwide for incredible wisdom, vast wealth, and magnificent architecture. Desiring knowledge and splendour, he eventually strays in his old age when his many foreign wives turn his heart toward idols.
• Tobit: A devout father who faces blindness and poverty, desiring above all that his son walk in righteousness. He instructs young Tobias to give alms freely, act with integrity, and honor his mother.
• Judith: A pious, courageous widow who seeks to save her besieged city from destruction. Braving the enemy camp in her finest attire, she uses her beauty and wit to disarm and overcome the tyrant Holofernes.
• Simon Magus: An arrogant sorcerer who desires worldly acclaim and divine status in Rome. Opposed by the apostles Peter and Paul, his attempt to prove his divinity through magical flight ends in a fatal fall.
• Christian: An earnest seeker burdened by sin who desires escape from the City of Destruction. He perseveres through persecution, false accusations, and perilous landscapes to reach the Celestial City.
• Pearson: A Puritan representative who adopts the orphaned Quaker child Ilbrahim. Desiring peace, he finds himself harassed by his community and overcome with bitter grief when the child falls gravely ill.

In Its Own Voice

"For faithful to its sacred page, Heaven still rebuilds thy span; Nor lets the type grow pale with age That first spoke peace to man."

The introductory poetry reflects on the rainbow as a permanent token of divine assurance, viewing nature through the lens of ancient spiritual covenant rather than mere physical law.

"I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed."

Isaac utters these fateful words after realizing Jacob has fraudulently claimed the patriarchal blessing meant for Esau, acknowledging that the spoken word cannot be revoked.

"Alms is a great sikerness tofore the high God unto all them that do it."

Tobit advises his young son on the paramount duty of charity, emphasizing that quiet acts of mercy toward the poor provide true security before the divine.

"The Land of Dreams is better far, Above the light of the morning star."

In William Blake's verse, a child speaks to his father about the yearning for a lost mother, favoring the visionary comfort of the spiritual realm over earthly grief.

What It's Really About

The text explores how individual moral choices resonate through communities, dynasties, and generations. Across scripture, apocrypha, and allegory, the central conflict consistently pits worldly ambition, pride, and idolatry against quiet obedience, integrity, and faith. Whether through Solomon's eventual downfall due to excessive luxury or the tragic trial of Faith and Christian at Vanity Fair, the narrative warns against substituting material status or external ceremony for inner purity.

At the same time, the collection emphasizes the necessity of active compassion over rigid dogmatism. In stories like Andersen's fables and the apocryphal book of Tobit, true virtue is measured not by intellectual argument or high position, but by simple, self-sacrificing kindness—such as giving alms, clothing the naked, or offering a humble blade of straw to save another. The anthology suggests that earthly life is merely a temporary pilgrimage or masquerade, where true character is revealed only when external disguises are stripped away.

Why Read It Today

This collection offers modern readers a valuable window into how historical audiences framed character education through classic literature. Rather than reducing complex moral tales into trivial platitudes, the text preserves the elevated, archaic phrasing of early translations and traditional retellings. Readers who appreciate historical prose will enjoy the rhythmic Middle English flavor present in chapters drawn from early printed editions like William Caxton's Golden Legend, which features antique phrasing such as "unnethe," "mawmetry," and "sore astonied."

The volume's primary difficulty lies in its rapid stylistic shifts. A reader moves directly from sparse biblical genealogies to ornate Victorian poetry, late-medieval hagiography, and allegorical drama without explanatory transitional text. The middle section requires patience with archaic spellings and non-standard syntax, which may slow down casual readers accustomed to modern adaptations.

What stays with the reader, however, is the remarkable coherence of vision across vastly different centuries and genres. Seeing John Bunyan's allegorical world placed alongside early saintly legends and Blake's lyric poetry reveals how deeply these narratives influenced the moral and literary imagination of the English-speaking world. It remains a fascinating historical artifact for literature lovers, parents, and editors interested in the classic canon of juvenile instruction.