DARTON’S SCRIPTURE ALPHABET* (London: Darton and Co., [no date, but catalogued at Oxford as 1855])

A, is for Adam, who was the first man,
He broke God’s command, and thus sin began!

B, is the Book, which to guide us is given;
Though wrote upon earth, the words came from heaven.

C, is for Christ, who for sinners was slain;
By him—O how freely!—salvation we gain.

D, is the Dove, that was sent forth by Noah,
Who back to the Ark an olive-leaf bore.

E, is Elijah, whom, by the brook’s side,
Daily with food the wild ravens supplied.

F, is for Felix, who sent Paul away,
And designed to repent on some future day.

G, is Goliath: lo, stretched on the plain,
By the sling of young David, the giant is slain.

H, is for Hannah—how happy was she,
Her son, little Samuel, so holy to see!

I, is for Isaac: like Jesus he lies,
Stretched out on the wood, a meek sacrifice.

J, is for Joseph, who, trusting God’s word,
Was lifted from prison to be Egypt’s lord.

K, is for Korah; God’s wrath he defied,
And lo! to devour him the pit opened wide.

L, is for Lydia: God opened her heart;
What he had bestowed, ’twas her joy to impart.

M, is for Mary, who fed on Christ’s word;
And Martha, her sister, beloved by our Lord.

N, is for Noah: with God for his guide,
Safely he sailed o’er the billowy tide.

O, is Obadiah, who, the prophets to save,
Twice fifty concealed and fed in a cave.

P, is for Peter, who walked on the wave,
But sinking he cried, Lord, I perish; O save!

Q, is the Queen, who from distant lands came
Allured by the sound of King Solomon’s fame.

R, is for Ruth; she goes forth mid the sheaves
Gleaning the ears that the husbandman leaves.

S, is for Stephen, Christ’s Martyr, who cried
To God for his murderers—then calmly died.

T, is for Timothy, taught in his youth
To love and to study the Scriptures of truth.

U, is Uzziah—in rashness and pride,
Profaning God’s altar—a leper he died.

V, is the Vine: a green branch may I be,
Bearing fruit to the glory of Jesus the Tree.

W, is the Widow; her two mites she gave,
And trusted in God to sustain her and save.

X, is the Cross, that our dear Saviour bore:
O think of his sorrows, and grieve him no more.

Y, is the Youth, who, killed by a fall,
By a miracle wrought was recovered by Paul.

Z, is for Zoar, where Lot prayed to be;
It reminds me of Christ, a refuge for me.

* This is the title on the title page; however, the cover says: THE CHILD’S INDESTRUCTABLE SCRIPTURE ALPHABET.