Before Jonathan Cross (1802-1876) wrote his widely beloved Illustrations of the Shorter Catechism for Children and Youth (1864), he wrote Stories and Illustrations of the Ten Commandments for the Young (1862). In similar fashion as former, the latter, though not as well-known today, is a helpful guide to explaining the intent of the Decalogue in anecdotal form that young ones can understand. He helps young readers to understand that God sees all and is everywhere, and helps them to understand why the second commandment forbids pictures of God, or why coveting and enviousness is wrong. He concludes with an explanation of the Golden Rule, and a gospel message (emphasizing that we have all broken God's law, but Jesus Christ kept it perfectly and how we thus ought to look to Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of our sins). This is a wonderful little 19th century guide for parents and children about how young ones may better understand and, by the grace of God, to keep the Ten Commandments.