From Eli Meeker, The Infantile Instructer: Being a Series of Questions and Answers … (New York, J. & W. Day, 1832), page 10ff:


SCRIPTURAL ALPHABETICAL POETRY.

A is for Adam, who was the first man;
He broke God’s command and then sin began.

B is Bartimeus, who as Jesus passed by,
For mercy and sight did earnestly cry.

C is for Cain, who his brother did kill;
Abel was righteous, but Cain would do ill.

D is for Daniel, who ceased not to pray;
Though threaten’d with death, he kneeled three times a day.

E is for Elijah, who by ravens was fed
Both morning and evening, with meat and with bread.

F is for Felix, who fear’d when he heard
Of judgement to come, but repentance deferr’d.

G is Goliath, who Israel defied,
But David him slew, for on God he relied.

H is for Hannah; God heard when she pray’d,
Though Eli mistook the words that she said.

I is for Isaac, Abraham’s desire,
And yet he resign’d him, when God did require.

J is for Joseph, whom his brethren sold,
But God was with him, to guide and uphold.

K is for Korah, who awfully died;
The earth swallowed him up and those with him allied.

L is for Lydia, whose heart God did open,
To attend to the things which by Paul were spoken.

M is for Mary, who the better part chose,
And sat at Christ’s feet; not a word would she lose.

N is for Noah, who found favour with God,
And was sav’d, when the world was destroy’d by a flood.

O was Obadiah, who, the prophets to save,
One hundred concealed, and fed in a cave.

P is for Peter; his Lord he denied,
And, vainly presuming, temptation defied.

Q was the Quail which God did provide,
The Jews to sustain, when for flesh-meat they cried.

R is for Ruth, who her mother-in-law
Determined to follow, and would not withdraw.

S is for Stephen, who for Christ suffer’d death,
And pray’d for his murderers with his last breath.

T is for Timothy, who from a child knew
The Scriptures, and made them his rule of life too.

U is for Uzzah, who, though not sanctified,
Put his hand to the ark, and was smitten and died.

V is the Vine, and Christ is the root,
Supplying each branch with life and with fruit.

W is the widow, who, though very poor,
Would give all she had, and trust God for more.

X is the cross, on which Jesus died,
It was for our sins, he was crucified.

Y is the Youth, who, reclining bis head,
Fell asleep while Paul preach’d, and was taken up dead.

Z is for Zoar, where Lot pray’d to be:
It reminds me of Christ, a refuge for me.