The New England Primer was the first textbook ever printed in America and is rich with our Christian heritage.

The writers of our constitution were likely taught from this book  used for two centuries to teach our children to read.

From the Primer:

A Divine Song of Praise to GOD, for a Child,

by the Rev. Dr. Watts.

HOW glorious is our heavenly King,
Who reigns above tha Sky!
How shall a Child presume to sing
His dreadful Majesty!

How great his Power is none can tell,
Nor think how large his grace:
Nor men below, nor Saints that dwell,
On high before his Face.

Nor Angels that stand round the Lord,
Can search his secret will;
But they perform his heav'nly Word,
And sing his Praises still.

Then let me join this holy Train;
And my first Off'rings bring;
The eternal GOD will not disdain
To hear an Infant sing.

My Heart resolves, my Tongue obeys,
And Angels shall rejoice,
To hear their mighty Maker's Praise,
Sound from a feeble Voice.

The young INFANT'S or CHILD'S morning Prayer.

From Dr. WATTS.

ALMIGHTY God the Maker of every thing in Heaven and Earth; the Darkness goes away, and the Day light comes at thy Command. Thou art good and doest good continually.

I thank thee that thou has taken such Care of me this Night, and that I am alive and well this Morning.

Save me, O God, from Evil, all this Day long, and let me love and serve thee forever, for the Sake of Jesus Christ thy Son. AMEN.

The INFANT'S or young CHILD'S Evening Prayer.

From Dr. WATTS.

O LORD God who knowest all Things, thou seest me by Night as well as by Day.

I pray thee for Christ's Sake, forgive me whatsoever I have done amiss this Day, and keep me all this Night, while I am asleep.

I desire to lie down under thy Care, and to abide forever under thy Blessing, for thou art a God of all Power and everlasting Mercy. AMEN.

A Lesson for Children.

Pray to God. Call no ill names. Love God. Use no ill words. Fear God. Tell no lies. Serve God. Hate Lies. Take not God's Speak the Truth. Name in vain. Spend your Time well. Do not Swear. Love your School. Do not Steal. Mind your Book. Cheat not in your play. Strive to learn. Play not with bad boys. Be not a Dunce.

An Alphabet of Lessons for Youth.

A Wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

BEtter is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure & trouble therewith.

COme unto Christ all ye that labor and are heavy laden and he will give you rest.

DO not the abominable thing which I hate saith the Lord.

EXcept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

FOolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

GODLINESS is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.

HOLINESS becomes GOD's house for ever.

IT is good for me to draw near unto GOD.

KEEP thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

MANY are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth them out of them all.

NOW is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.

OUT of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

PRAY to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.

QUIT you like men, be strong, stand fast in the faith.

REMEMBER thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

SEest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool than of him.

TRUST in God at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him.

UPON the wicked, God shall rain an horrible tempest.

WO to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

E XHORT one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened thro' the deceitfulness of sin.

YOUNG men ye have overcome the wicked one.

ZEal hath consumed me, because thy enemies have forgotten the word of God.

The LORD's Prayer.

OUR Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. AMEN.

The CREED.

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father, Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlafting. AMEN.