Gratitude to Parents

A Coloring, Copywork and Art Book

series based on James Alexander’s let-
ters to his younger brother.

The Reschly Family

 Dear Parents and Children,
What a joy it is to learn godliness in
youth! This is the first in a series of
booklets for the edification and training of
our children, particularly focused on our
sons.
These letters are from James Alexander to
his younger brother. This letter and book-
let focus on that of daily Bible reading
with good advise for all.

May our Lord bless your home.

© A Godly Legacy Publishing

In this format

Images © Juniper images.

 About James Alexander:
James Alexander was born in 1804 Virginia. He studied theology at the Princeton Seminary. In 1824 he was
licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, New Jersey. On June 18, 1830, James Alexander
married Elizabeth Cabell. They in their marriage together they would have seven children.
Pastor Alexander would go on to pastor in three churches. James served as Professor of Rhetoric and Belles-
Letters in the College of New Jersey in 1833. He also served as Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church
Government at Princeton Seminary from 1849 to 1851. Pastor Alexander died at the age of 55 in 1859 after his
health failed. He is buried at Princeton Cemetery.

About this booklet:

• The coloring and artwork pages: In the coloring page the students may work with whichever medium you deem best, be it crayon, marker,
paint. They are to choose the colors they feel express the image and text best. For younger boys, they may simply color. On the artwork
page, have your son practice the skill of drawing using a grid. This method is quite helpful in seeing that images are made up of simple lines
and curves and can lessen the “fear of drawing” for some. As the student takes one square of the grid at a time drawing only what is in that
portion; it is encouraging to see the whole of the image come together! For advanced students, they may then add shading and color, or draw
and paint a copy of their favorite picture in a sketch pad or on canvas.

• The copywork pages are designed to be used with both younger and older boys and to highlight a key phrase in the text of the letter. If you
are using this with an older student, he may copy the phrase in a notebook or journal.

• The glossary page is to be filled in as soon as your child comes across a word or phrase he does not understand. The definition is to be placed
next to the word using the definition that is most fitting for the context in the letter.

• The history page & writing : The aspects of history with which he was most impressed during the study can then be written and formed into
a small history study (When did the author live? What was happening in the world and the world around the author at that time? What effects
do you think this would have had on his writing to his brother?) and a creative writing essay. Pages are available in the back for recording
thoughts.

• On the character study & application page your son may list the character quality with which he was most impressed during the study. He
may then search the scriptures, writing and memorizing one or more applicable scriptures well suited to inspire him to walk in godliness. Ask-
ing his Lord in prayer for diligence and joy in applying His Word.
My dear brother,
I wrote you on this subject thus early in my course of letters, because I think that gratitude to parents is
the foundation of a great many virtues; and that one of the first and most distressing symptoms of a de-
cline from the paths of virtue is the unkind or contemptuous treatment of parents. The first command-
ment with promise is the command to 'honor our parents', and our earliest duties are those which we
have to render to our father and our mother. You will find counsels on this subject scattered through my
letters; but as young people are apt to be impressed by narrative, I will give you a little history, which I
am sure you will find interesting.
...I think that gratitude to parents is the foun-
dation of a great many virtues.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–————————————————————————————————————–
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–————————————————————————————————————–
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–————————————————————————————————————–
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There lived two poor men in a very rough and mountainous country, where they kept their
flocks, and cultivated such little spots of earth as they could find among the rocks and crags.
It was a region abounding in rapid streams, which poured in torrents from the precipices.
There was scarcely any point from which you might not see the tops of mountains covered
with snow. The hills were so rough that it was difficult and dangerous to travel even a mile,
from one hamlet to another. Carriages were almost unknown, and most of the inhabitants
traveled on foot, and carried their goods upon mules or donkeys .
Each of these men had large families, and in each of these was a little boy about eleven years
of age. These boys often played together—but they were exceedingly unlike in temperament.
Little Ulrich was sullen and crude; while his playmate Godfrey was kind and gentle. Ulrich's
mother found it very hard to manage the stubborn little boy. He was undutiful and unkind,
and gave his parents many hours of anxiety. Sometimes when he was sent to look for the
cattle, which strayed in the mountains, he would go to some of the neighbors' houses, and
stay several days, while his mother would be in the greatest alarm, lest some accident had
befallen him.