A variety of American flags labelled 1 through 10
Making the Flag
past, but not the mighty flag of today. So in the making of a Christian, the past will not suffice. We must grow, in grace, and have an experience up to date.
Figure 9.—This is the American flag with a foreign mark upon it. It is not truly American. It would be rejected by the government of the United States. So in the making of a Christian, all marks of another government must be cast out. Jesus only. God and not mammon, must obtain.
Figure 10.—Is the correct picture of the flag according to the laws of the nation. So in the making of the Christian, we must be according to the Pattern. We must do His commandments to bear His family name of Christian. Thus we can learn from the making of the flag to make a Christian.
Objects: The Fingers of the Human Hand
THEHAND OFFAITH
HERE is a lesson on the meaning of Faith. Hold up the hand, showing the five fingers spread out and say, "Here is the hand of faith." There are as many letters in the word "faith" as I have fingers on my hand. Spell the word out commencing with the little finger and call it "F." Little Faith sometimes it often proves, but our faith increases as we travel on in the path of faith. The next finger stands for "A" of faith. You notice it is larger than "F" so our faith increases as we spell it out in experience and works. The next finger stands for "I" a little larger still. The next finger is for "T" a little shorter as sometimes our faith wanes; at last the thumb standing for "H," strong and confirmed in the way, so the fingers spell out the word "faith." Alivingfaith—as the hand is a living organ of my body. Anactivefaith, as each finger has its own individual action and agraspingfaith, for the fingers were made to seize hold of things and take them. So our faith must seize and hold on to God. The faith that seizes the Cross—my fingers—another name for faith—seize it and hold it. This is Salvation. Jesus says "take" of the water of life. The hand of faith takes it, seizes it, and that makes it ours. This is the faith that bringeth the victory. At last make your appeal to them to take Salvation now. Ask them to hold up their hand, open their fingers, and if their faith will take Jesus, to close their fingers as if clasping something, and that something is Jesus. This is taking Jesus by Faith.
Object: A Blackboard or a Drawing on a Muslin Chart
BEFORE ORAFTER
PUT the figure of a cross on the blackboard and on the left side put the letters B. C. On the right side, the letters A. D. This in the language of the day stands for Before Christ and the Year of Our Lord. For our purpose, we will cause B. C. to stand for Before Conversion and A. D. After Deliverance. Before and after the Cross (See Figure).
A diagram of a cross with Before Conversion and After Deliverance written on either side
Great questions come to the Christian for his decision. "Shall I" are the words often on our lips. Does it belong to the life before the Cross (Before Conversion) or After Conversion? Put it down where it belongs. "Shall I dance?" that belongs to the B. C. side of the Cross. "Shall I play cards?" that belongs to the B. C. side also. "Shall I pray?" that belongs to the A. D. side (After Deliverance) of the Cross. "Shall I join the Church?" that belongs to the A. D. side also. It would be a very helpful exercise to ask the audience to name daily matters, and ask which side of the Cross they belong. If you have a doubtful thing in your mind take it to the Cross and mark it B. C. or A. D. This will make an instructive exercise for a young people's meeting. Always be an A. D. Christian.
Objects: Blackboard or Chart
IT is the wrong thought of some Christians that they count just as much for God outside of the church as in it. Christian membership harnesses up the Christian to a giant power. Build out of cardboard the form of a village church, place it on the platform before the audience. If using blackboard draw the Church and numbers in the air first. As they enter the Church rub the figures out, and place on the roof. Hang up the numbers 1-2-0-4-9-6-7 in various parts of the platform. They represent Christians who will not join the Church, separate units, standing for themselves only. They have no relation to each other and have only individual power. Persuade them to come into theA diagram of two churches, one with numbers around it, one with numbers in itChurch organization and be linked together by common tasks. Take these numbers now in various parts of the platform and place them on the roof in the following order: 9763210—now they are an army of giants with power of millions of separate units. If the Church should be made of wood, take seven candles and light them. Put them in various places in the room. They represent the separate Christian. Bring them to Church, Put them all inside of the Church. Turn out all the other lights on the platform and the effect will be most striking. Jesus said "Let your light so shine" and the way to make it shine the most, is to all shine together. So will the Church be like a city set on a hill. Its light cannot be hid.
Objects: The Perry Pictures
SEEING THESERMON
THIS is a striking and attractive way to preach a short object sermon in the regular church service. Just before the regular sermon, ask all the children to leave their seats and come forward to the platform in a happy little group, then hand each a Perry picture all on the same subject. Then preach to them a short sermon drawing out the point of the picture, and explain every line of it to them. They will then understand the picture and the lesson it teaches. After the little sermon is over, tell them to keep the picture. And send them back to their seats. It is a beautiful and affecting scene to see the little people with happy step and smiling face coming down the aisle and hastening back to their folks and saying "See what he gave me." They are instructed to put these pictures in a scrap book to keep them together. You can go through the Life of Jesus this way and the children will thus have a valuable scrap book to keep for years to come. Ask your denominational house where these pictures can be secured. They cost but trifle, but they help you to cause the children to see a sermon.
Objects: A Blackboard or Chart
THEBIGSIX—A BLACKBOARDLESSON
THIS is a simple little diagram which can be drawn on a blackboard or made over on a linen chart to be hung up on the wall for permanent use. First make a large six like thislarge 6then toward the top place a smaller size six. Thuslarge 6 with 6 in a column to the left. This means there are 66 books in the Bible. Then add below the small 6 the figure 3, like thislarge 6 with 6 and 3 in a column to the left. This teaches that there were 36 human authors who wrote the Bible. Last of all add below this three the figure one like thislarge 6 with 6, 3, and 1 in a column to the leftwhich means that it took sixteen centuries to write the Bible.
Let the children one by one, come to the front and with pointers explain these figures. Let them repeat it in concert until they have memorized the diagram.
In addition to that diagram, this one may be of service in remembering the number of the books of the Old and New Testament. Write in large letters the words OLD TESTAMENT. Count the letters in the Word OLD, which are three. Put down the figure 3. Count the letters in TESTAMENT and you will find the number to be nine. Put down the figure 9, after the figure 3, and you will have the number 39 which is the number of the books in the Old Testament. Write out the words NEW Testament; count the letters in NEW. There are three. Count letters in TESTAMENT; there are nine. After the figure 3 place the multiplication sign x, then follow with the figure 9. Multiply 9x3 and you have 27, which is the number of the books in the New Testament. Say to the children and others if you ever forget the number of the books either in the Old or New Testament, write the words Old Testament and New Testament. Count the letters in each word and you will find the number you desire. For the Old Testament put down the figures side by side. For the New Testament multiply the first number by the last. Write this lesson on the blackboard or draw on the chart the following diagram:
Objects: Two Small Cups Filled with Things
HOWGODSEESTHINGS
THIS is a lesson on seeing things as God sees them. Man looks on the outside, God looks on the inside. We look at the clothes and manners of other people. God looks at the heart. God's way is the best. The only way to see things as they really are, and all wise boys and girls will try to see as God sees. In giving this lesson select the brightest cups possible. Place them on a table by themselves and say "Here are two cups." They look alike; they appear to be alike. Judging from outward appearance, they are alike. That is the way man sees cups and people, but God looks on the inside as well. This we should do also if we wish to see as God sees. Here is a bright and beautiful cup. Let us together see what it contains. The first cup contains nothing but soiled, dirty, greasy rags. They are worthless. Mother would burn them as they are good for nothing. Have the cup painted black on the inside and as you hold up the cup so they can see the inside you say "It is filled with night as black as evil deeds." Down on the bottom of the cup place a small toy serpent which you produce last and say the reason the inside of the cup of life is bad is because down deep in the heart you will find sin and that makes the whole heart bad. To illustrate the nature of sin write on a cardboard the word sin like this S I N—say the first letter of sin resembles a serpent. You cannot speak the letter S without hissing like a serpent. The curves of the letter also resemble the serpent in the act of striking. The serpent before it strikes must curl up and lift its head high before it can give its fatal bite. So this teaches us the fact that sin is active and ready to assault at all times. Note the second letter I. That means sin is in you. I find sin is inside. Increase the letter I like this SIN which means sin is growing in us all the time as we grow older and older, it gets larger and larger. The only way to get it out of our heart is to come to Jesus and ask Him by the power of His cross to cleanse the inside of the cup and He will do it.
Pin strips ofred paper overtheI, and you make the Cross. This is the only power which will kill the serpent of sin and make clean the inside of the cup of life. Then when God looks in He does not see the evil of sin. That makes the cup all right. Now show the second cupand say "Here is a cup, right outside, also right inside. Let us look in as God does, and see what we find." First produce a small New Testament. If you cannot secure one small enough for the cup, write on small strips of paper short texts of scripture, and bring them out, one by one, and read them. David says "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." That is the first big reason why the cup is clean inside. Now produce from the cup a large piece of white silk, or other thin fabric, and declare as you draw this silk out, that "what comes forth from the heart is pure, and white, and right." "Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life." Prov. 4:23. The issues are streams of good works. If you so desire you can use white ribbon instead of silk. In that case, cut the silk in small pieces and name each of them after some good quality such as Help, Kindness, Love, Truth, etc. After this produce a number of short blue ribbons which you can name Faithful, Friendship. Blue standing for "true blue" meaning true friendship. Have the ribbons tied together, meaning the pure heart and true heart makes friends who are friends indeed. At last produce a small streamer of red which stands for the cross. God looks inside of such a cup and smiles and blesses it. Let us all try to see things as God sees them and we will wear the smile that does not come off. To simplify this lesson for use of very little eyes, you can use the following objects. Secure a plain tin cup, and larger and more ornamented one, and place them side by side. Say to the children "Which is the better cup? If I should offer you one of the cups which would you choose ?" They would all declare the silver cup as their choice. Now show them that is not the way God looks on things. We decide our choice by looking at the outside. God looks on the inside also. Now show them the beautiful cup is full of dirty water and the tin cup full of pure water. Which of the cups is worth more to you when you are thirsty? They will all tell you the tin cup is worth the most. Always look in before you decide. That is the way God does. He sees the heart first. In arranging this lesson, prepare the cups first. As you think it over, you will find it easy to think up other things to make up the contents, but have them all prepared before lesson time. Do not permit the children to look into the cups before the lesson or the real point of the truth you wish to teach them will be lost.
Objects: A Number of Colors Arranged in Their Proper Order
JOHN3:16INCOLORS
THIS lesson will help you fix the truth of John 3:16 as well as the words of this golden text in the memory and heart of the little audience for a life time.
This verse is called by Martin Luther "the gospel in a nutshell." By this remark he meant that the truth of the Gospel was condensed into a few words. These colors will help you nail down on the wall of memory this condensed Gospel of John 3:16 so it will be the Gospel not only in a nutshell but the Gospel in the heart and memory. Draw on a heavy paper, a large heart at least sixteen inches high. Pin that up on a blackboard or some back ground where all the class can see it well. Now say you will try to put the little Gospel of John 3:16 in the heart so it will stick there. Take a small strip ofgoldpaper or golden yellow paper and place it on the bottom of the heart.Goldis the richest and best of all things so we will let it stand for God, Who is the Best of all things. That strip stands for "GOD SO." Just above that you place a strip ofredwhich stands for "LOVED." This represents the "Love" of God. Next take a strip ofbrown,the color of the common earth, placing it above the red, which will stand for the earth. This represents "THE WORLD." Above the brown place awhitestrip which represents "HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON." White stands for the purity for God's son who had no sin in Him, also "The only begotten son, as He was the only earthly being who had no sin."
Above the white place one long strip of four colors, and if possible let the colors in the strip be of a different shade from those used in the single strips. They areredandyellow, black,andwhite. Thesecolors stand for "WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH."
Red for the red races, the Indian.
Yellow for yellow races—Chinese, etc.
Black for the black people.
White for the white people.
Other races have faces shaded from these principal colors. These papers can be made of independent strips, going completely across the heart, or of shorter colors joined together endwise.
Ablackstrip is now placed above this which stands for "PERISH." Black suggests death, and the lost soul in eternal night. Add now agreenstrip. Green is the eternal color. The ivy and the pine trees are always green. Let this strip stand for "EVERLASTING." And so the heart is thus built up.
Now ask them to name the word for which each color stands, then put the words together as in the Bible verse. On another chart write out the verse in colors using the proper color for each word. FOR GOD(gold)SO LOVED(red)THE WORLD(brown)THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON(white)THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH(yellow) (black) (white) (red)SHOULD NEVER PERISH(black)BUT HAVE EVERLASTING(green)LIFE, Tell them this is the Gospel of Christ in John 3:16 in colors and this should be the Gospel in their hearts.
Objects: A magnet and a quantity of tacks, needles and pins
THEGOSPELACCORDING TO THEMAGNET
ROBERT RAIKES, the founder of Sunday-schools in England, has left on record only one of the many lessons he taught the children of his day. It is beyond all doubt the oldest Sunday-school lesson ever recorded. It is an object lesson in which he used a magnet. He said, "You know what a magnet is, do you not? It is that strange kind of stone, or magnetized piece of steel which attracts all iron to itself. Perhaps you have seen boys and girls who had toy ducks and fishes drawn about by a magnet in the water. Well, the magnet has a strange, unseen power to draw some things to itself. Perhaps you have owned a little horse-shoe magnet, and have amused yourself drawing needles and other things to it. Now notice, I will place in this saucer a number of needles and also a number of pins. Now you know pins are made of brass while needles are made of steel or iron. You now notice that I take my magnet and hold it just a little above the saucer. Now, see what happens! The magnet attracts all the needles at once and they all fly up and stick to it. But notice the pins. They do not move, as they are made of brass, and there is nothing in them to be drawn by the magnet, so they remained quietly behind, just as they were. Now listen, the Lord Jesus is just like this magnet, and every one who belongs to Him, everyone who has repented and believes in Him, is like these needles. They have a nature now that loves the Lord Jesus, so when He comes He will draw all those who belong to Him up to meet Him, but all other people who have not been born again and have not had their natures changed by Jesus, are like these pins. They do not rise up to greet Him. There is nothing in their hearts to respond, so when He comes, they will remain behind. How is it with you, dear children, are you like the pins or needles?"
This was the lesson which Robert Raikes taught the children long ago. You have already thought out how he did it and no further explanation is needed. There are many lessons the magnet teaches which will fasten gospel truth in their hearts to stay. You may fasten the base of the magnet to a small wooden cross, and teach the lesson of the attractive power by plunging the foot of the cross into a plate of tacks and note how many tacks will cling to the cross. Call attention to the fact that they not only cling to the magnet, but to each other. The power of the magnet passes through the tack to other tacks and so on and you have a crowd of tacks clinging to the cross. This teaches us the fact—if we have the power of Christ in the heart, we will also draw others to Jesus.
Objects: A box marked with a star containing a cluster of common things
THESTARBOX
IF this lesson is used simply as "The Star Box" you can use it any time of the year as it is a lesson on the "Baby Days of Jesus." Secure a fair sized box, a pasteboard box will answer if a wooden box is not available. Cover it with sky blue paper to represent the night and on the front of the box place a large golden paper star. Place this on a table before the children and tell them our lesson this hour will be from the Star Box and the baby days of Jesus. Open the box and produce the following colors and objects.
1. The Bible. The coming of Jesus was foretold by the Old Testament prophets. They longed to see His day, just as we now long to see the second coming of Jesus. Here quote some of the Scriptures announcing His first coming. These Scriptures were all like guiding stars to the Old Testament people, which would some day lead them to the baby Jesus. The New Testament says He has come and we believe it, for the Wise Men said, "We have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him." If you desire you can make a scroll like the ancient scriptures and bring this out of the box; this can be used in place of the Bible book. A scroll is made like a roll of wall paper. Make it about eighteen inches long, and have on it the references in the Old Testament which declare His coming. When it is unrolled and you have finished with it, pin the object, and all other objects you produce from the box, somewhere up on the platform where all can see them, and to which you can refer if you so desire a little later in the meeting. Use glass push pins for this and all objects requiring to be pinned up before the audience.
2. Next produce from the Star Box a piece of striped goods about one foot square. This will represent the robe of the shepherds who long ago were watching their sheep, Here teach the lesson of the dignity of labor. God has given us work to do. The shepherds did theirs, and God sent them a wonderful message as they worked. They attended to their sheep. God talked to David, the Shepherd, once, and helped him to sing, and we have the book of the Psalms, the church's oldest hymn book, and many of these songs were given young David as he watched his sheep. So the shepherds just watched and worked.
3. Now produce a field of stars. Some black muslin upon which a few small stars are sewed. This representsthe nightin which the shepherds watched their flocks. The robbers and wild beasts did their deadly work at night so the shepherds took their turn in watching by night. Here learn a lesson of faithfulness when the hour is dark. So the shepherds did not slumber and sleep by the comfortable fires, but kept both eyes and ears open for the call of the wild beast or the sudden visit of the robber, and as they watched there they heard a joyful song.
4. Here produce a piece ofwhite silk or clothwhich represents the angel's song of "Peace on earth, good will toward man." The white silk is an emblem of peace. So they heard the angel's song and its good message of "peace on earth." It is a wonderful thought that God used songs to first announce the glad tidings of the coming of the Son. It is God's way yet—a message of song often finds the heart quicker than a golden word. Learn to "sing for Jesus." Perhaps God may use you, as he did the angels, to bring the message of heaven to some poor heart on earth.
5. Now produce a piece ofyellow clothor felt. This stands for the yellow straw which the shepherds found in the manger when they went to Bethlehem to see the things the angels said had come to pass. Here you may produce, if you desire, a small handful of straw tied tightly together, so it will hang up all right. This straw made the bed for the humble Christ. We should not complain if we are spending our days in humble quarters. Jesus thus spent His baby days.
6. Now produce from the box a piece of violet silk or cloth. This stands for humility, which was displayed when the shepherds bent the knee before the baby Jesus and worshipped Him. They knew He was as poor as they were yet they knew God and knew Jesus was God's son, the new-born King so they bowed the knee to Him. Some kings have been born amid splendor, and placed in cradles, decked with gems, but they were not kings. We only call them so. They were princes, they did not become king till the death of the king, which in some cases was years after their birth, and sometimes they died before the king did and so they were never kings. Jesus was the only one born a King. The shepherds knew this, and that made it all the more wonderful, so like the little modest violet, they bowed their heads before the new-born King. We should bow our hearts always to Jesus; that is, we should have avioletheart. We should be humble.
7. Here produce a star, sewed on a black background. This represents the star seen by the Wise Men from the east, and when they had followed it, they found it led them to the house where Mary and Joseph were dwelling with Jesus. Some people think they know toomuch to be a Christian. They say, "When I part with my brains, I will follow Him." And these wise men and all other wise men do part with their brains when they donotfollow Him for all really wise men have joined in the procession which started a long time ago across the desert to find Jesus. The greatest wisdom of the world is to follow Jesus. There are five letters to the word Jesus, five points to the star, and the star points spell "Jesus."
8. Now produce from the box three colors—yellow for gold, gray for frankincense, purple for myrrh, all fastened together as if in a cluster. The yellow for the gold they brought Him, for He had none of His own. Gray for frankincense which represented or resembled gray smoke when ascending in the sacrifice. These were gifts, the first gifts Jesus ever received. The first Christmas gifts ever presented to anyone in the world. There seems to be no record in Scripture of many gifts ever being given Jesus when He was here among men. He, who was all the time giving good gifts, received but few, if any, in return from the children of men. He never owned a home. He slept for three days in a borrowed grave. Let us learn from the Wise Men, a sweet lesson of giving gifts. It pleases Him.
9. Now produce from the box, anempty bag.This represents the need of the poor—the condition of many a poor soul. They have nothing of their own. In the name of Jesus we bring gifts to them. If we do it in His name it is accepted by Him as gifts to Him. Here put in the bag a few small things if you desire representing the things they need and say, "This is my Christmas present to Jesus."
10. Here produce from the boxa small heart.This is my only Christmas present I can give directly to Jesus. My heart He asks of me. My heart I will give to Him. When we give our heart to another, we mean that we give ourselves.
"Here, Lord, I give myself awayTis all that I can do."
11. Now take from the box a Cross. This can be cut from pasteboard and as you hold it up, fasten the heart to it. This means you will give your heart to Him and make humble confession to the world of what you have done by taking up your cross and following after Him. Salvation is an affair of the heart. It is an affair ofthe lips,and we must openly proclaim him our Savior, for with the lips confession is made of salvation received. Now ask the children to tell you the truth each object represents.
Objects: A small common china doll and a doll in a beautiful dress
HOWMAYLOST ABEAUTIFULDOLL
ONCE there lived a father in a little country town, far back from the great city and its wonderful streets and shops, who said to his little girl that it was his plan to go to the city after things, and that he would take her with him if she cared to go. Of course she was full of glee as she thought of the wonderful things she would see in the great windows of the city shops. Her father had planned to purchase for her a beautiful doll, but kept the thought to himself so it would be a glad surprise to May. When they reached the city, May's eyes were open wide, and like all little girls, she wanted lots of things at once. As she and her father passed through the streets, May's eyes fell on a large box on the outside of a toy shop filled with a large number of cheap little dolls. They were made of celluloid, and cost only a few pennies. (Secure one of the sort and show the class and say, "This is a poor cheap doll, wears only painted clothes, will last only a few days, and is very common as well as cheap.") Her father said, 'Wait, dear little May, I will get you a doll by and by." But May would not wait. She wanted that little painted doll now. Her father said, "I promise you that you shall have a doll, dear, before we go home. Just be patient and wait. Father knows best.'? At this denial May grew angry and said, "You don't love me, father, or you would get me what I wanted. I won't wait, | want this doll. I'm going to have it right way." And as she said this, she took one out of the box, and held it tight in her hand and said she intended to keep it. She stamped her foot, and cried, and said, '"'I won't wait any longer, I won't give this doll up. I will keep it and not put it back."
The father desiring to teach her a lesson, said, "Well, May, if you know best and better than your father, who loves you, you may keep the doll. I will pay for it. You need not wait for a doll any longer. It belongs to you now." Now May thought on her ways and said, "I wish I had not been so naughty about it. Dear father was good and kind to me, and I was hateful to him." She was silent but thoughtful, when her father stopped before a window of the toy shop, and there in the window was a beautiful doll (borrow a beautiful doll for thislesson and produce it). Her father said, "Look, little May, there in the window is the doll I intended to purchase for you if you had waited for me to get to this shop. I intended to surprise you. That was the reason I did not tell you, but since you would not wait or trust your father's word, I will not purchase it for you, but you must be contented with the doll you have, the doll you said you would have and so the doll you would not wait for will stay in the window. It cannot be yours. My little May must learn that Father knows best and that it will always pay to wait for father's time." It was a hard lesson for May to learn but that day she said to herself, "Father knows best. I will wait for his time, because it is the best time." This is how May lost her beautiful doll. There is a lesson in this story for us all. God has a plan for our lives. Wait for Him to work it out. If we seek our own way our lives will be full of disappointments and sorrowful failures. Wait for God's time. It is the best time. It will bring us to the best of everything.
Objects: A collection of rags in many colors
THEPRODIGALSON INRAGS
THIS is the story of the Prodigal son told in rags. Have a common rag bag brought in, and its contents emptied on a table. This will make quite a display of rags. Heap them up a little so the audience will see them all. The ragman's bag is going to preach a sermon. Among these rags is a bunch of rags fastened together with a pin to keep them separated from the others, which you will not use in this lesson. Take out the pin. Spread out these rags which you have thus kept together and arrange them in their proper order. Now say, "I will tell you the story of the Prodigal son as the ragman sees him. I will tell the story of theLOST SON IN RAGS." Now put up a rope across the back of the pulpit, or before the meeting have one put there, and from the pile of rags place upon this line the following:
I—A yellow cloth,a square piece of cloth as the Prodigal has not yet come to rags. The yellow stands for the home he left,—the land of plenty. Yellow stands for the rich grain fields, and is also the color of the bread he found on his Father's table. Full and plenty and for the fields, ripe for harvest. How often he had sung the harvester's song in the field when working with his dear old father when they lived together on the good old farm. Now from the rag table pick up
II—A piece of red.This should be cut in the shape of a heart. Red stands for love and the heart of red for the loving heart of his father. It should not be forgotten that the big point of this parable is "The Loving Father," not the wayward son. It teaches how kind is the great heart of the loving heavenly Father and how sweet is His welcome to the wanderers who seek His face and favor. The son in rags knew this and no matter how far he got away from God, he never got away from the memory of the fond old father at home, yet he left it all for rags. Now pick up
III—A blue piece of cloth.This stands for the dissatisfied heart of the boy. He had "the blues." Tired of home; longed for excitement; unhappy in his father's house. So he thought of the big town where he thought he would be happy, and told his father so; he asked for his share of the estate because he wanted money. He must have money to be happy. So his father granted his request. Now pick up
IV—Gray cloth.The color gray was the color of the silver coins which his father gave him. (Make this cloth crooked.) This was a crooked step. He was crowning his own will. He was turning from the wisdom of his father. That alone was crooked. The misuse of money is often the first crooked step the youth takes. So often they leave home for larger wages, not because of the privilege of saving, but the sin of spending. After the estate is settled, the youth, with his new inheritance, gets the crooked foot, forgets God and His counsels. In one of our great high schools a prize essay was to be written. This was the subject: "If you had ten thousands dollars, what would you do with it?" In discussing this question, most of the boys had selfish answers. One would spend a year in traveling, another would make investments which yielded large returns quickly, etc. One lad said he would give it to his parents to save for him. This boy won the prize; he would never be a prodigal because of the misuse of money. The Prodigal wanted it for self use, and he got a handful of rags in return. Now pick up
V—A gay rag of several colors,or a cluster of gray colored ones (cut crooked). This represents the gaieties of the far off country into which he had plunged. The sins of the far-away country seemed tipped with gold; he fell for it at once. Satan whispered here is joy, let loose; you are away from home; no one knows you; plunge in; and he did. Here pick up from the table
VI—Short pieces of gay ribbons tied together in various lengths.This represents the kind of friends he had found. Some long, some short, some were his for a few days, others for longer time; all tied together, representing friendship. They were purchased friends. They were his so long as his purse was long and full. When he had spent all they all left him. No man gave to him, not even the friends to whom he had given. Now he was poor, down and out and under. A man down in the world,—a Prodigal son in rags.
VII—Now pick upthe gay cloth of colors in rags.This represents the Prodigal poor and forsaken, ragged and dejected. This is the product of sinful companionship. This piece of rag should be the same pattern as the one used representing his home garment but torn in strips. A famine strikes the country. He is in need of bread. "The way of the transgressor is hard," and the end thereof is harder still. He has but one last resort. A tender of swine.
VIII—Here pick upbrown rag.This represents the color of the brown earth and the dried husks which he used as his only food. As a Jew, this was bad business. It was the only business left. Satan drives us to the bad. This is what happened to the Prodigal. Satanclothes us in purple and fine linen, then tears it to shreds, and we cannot help ourselves. Sin has a swift descent. There are no brakes for this decline. Bad, worse, and then some more. That describes this man in rags.
IX—Now pick upyellow cloth.This should be of the same shade as used in the first story as he now thinks of the bread in the father's house. Misfortune stirs up memory and we think; this is just what he did. He thinks of home, of bread, of servants in the old house and land of plenty. Sometimes we think of the better life too late. We cannot retrace our steps and begin over again, but that God does: When we repent and come to God, we may begin all over again.
X—Here pick uppurple cloth.Make this a perfect square. This color stands for repentance. It is the penitential color in the church world. So he said, "I will arise and go to my Father, and say unto him, 'I have sinned.'" This is the quick way home. It is a short cut to God. The forgiving father is at the end of this road. So he goes back in his rags. That is the way to go home. This is coming "Just as I am, without one plea." Don't take off your rags. The Father alone must do this and He will.
XI—Here pick upred cloth.This represents the long love of the loving father. Red stands for love, a flaming love which causes the father to run to meet him. This is the only time when God is said "to run," and He does it every time when he sees the sinner coming.
XII—Here pick upa striped cloth.This represents the new robe just like the first robe used when he went to the far country. He now looks just like he looked when he left home. The past is all covered up with Father's forgiveness, and when the neighbors come in, they don't see rags but the garment beautiful. Perhaps they don't know of his misfortune. They only know he was lost and found and lost so long to the Father that they thought him dead, but he is alive again, and they began to be merry.
XIII-Here pick upgreen cloth.This represents the jealous anger of the elder brother who knows all about his downfall, and stayed outside and grumbled about the past sins of his brother, and the fact that never was a fatted calf slain for him that he might make merry with his friends also. His Father pleads with him, and since we hear nothing about this elder brother again, we would conclude that he went in and joined in the festivities of his brother's return. The Father's love had conquered both of his sons.
XIV—Here takered cloth,and cover the green with it for the Father's love (red) had conquered the jealousy (green) of his son's heart.34
XV—Here pick upwhite cloth—the white stands for peace, which was now in the dear old home. Peace which we believe was also in the elder brother's heart. Peace which we know was in the Father's heart, and in the heart of the Prodigal, who had exchanged his rags for the glad robe of eternal salvation. As they all hang upon the line, remember the lesson, and ask the class to tell you what each rag stands for. You can, if you so desire, in place of hanging them on a line, place them on the furniture of the pulpit. The matter of using cloth, muslin or silk or any other substance, is left to the convenience and judgment of the teacher. Even colored papers can be used in place of the rags. In that case name the lesson "The Prodigal Son in Scraps of Paper." Place these scraps in a waste basket and from that place of cast-off things, produce them as you desire.
Objects used: Large transparent jar of clear water; a small quantity of oxalic acid; some powdered ox gall; a quantity of tincture of iron; a small cluster of flowers; a few coins; a dictionary, It is a lesson with chemical effects.
WHATCANWASHAWAYMYSINS?
A Chemical Talk
PLACE on the table a large jar of plain untinted glass; fill it two-thirds full of water and before the class assembles drop in a few drops of tincture of iron. This receptacle we will call the Human Heart. Secure a two-ounce bottle, paint it red, in which you place a strong solution of oxalic acid. You cannot get this solution too strong. This represents the Blood. Secure a third bottle and paint it black. In this place some powdered nut galls. This represents Sin. On the table have,—a silver coin, a music box, a cup of pure water. These you will use in the body of the lesson later. Announce that you will choose a text for your talk this time and it will be found in I John 1:17. "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Call attention to the large jar which represents the Human Heart. To all appearance it looks as pure as a lily. There seems to be nothing in it to make it evil. It does not look like evil. So it often happens that the evil in us, does not always show on the surface, but is hidden away in our heart. It was born in us. All men are notbornsinners, butbornin sin, and later on, that sin manifests itself, and we begin to choose evil in preference to the right, and that makes us sinners. The seed of sin was hidden deep in the heart. The jar apparently pure has in it a hidden property no eye can see, but it is there and when evil gets in it finds a response from that hidden power and at once the apparently pure water has turned black with sin. I now pour a few drops from the black bottle, the evil bottle, into the jar. Even these few drops seem to be clear and white also, but when I drop them into the jar of water, all is blackened because the apparent cleanness was only on the surface. "There is a way that seemeth right in the eyes of men, but the ways thereof are the ways of death." You can now talk about things which men do which they say are not bad. They look all right, that is true, but when they enter the soul, they soil it, and sin is supreme. What shall I do to get rid of my sin? What can take away my sin? Can I purchase my salvation? Let us see. Now cast in the jar a number of silver coins, and say these will bring me the white again, but the blacknessis yet there, showing that salvation cannot be bought with silver or gold. Can education or refinement take away sin? Let us see. Place over the top of the jar a number of school books to represent education. Of course you see the water is yet black, because you cannot make a black heart clean by learning. Will music take away my black sin? Let us see. Place a music box on top of the jar, and let the music sound forth, but you note the heart is still black and will remain black notwithstanding the finest music of the world. Shall I say the power of the mind can take the blackness away? Let us see. I will say to myself "There is no blackness in this jar. It is a mental delusion. I am mistaken. I don't see black, and if I continue so to do long enough the black will disappear to the eye for it was never there. It was a mental defect to say it was there." All of this sort of thinking would never change the contents of the jar. Can beauty take away the black? Let us see. Cast in now a few flowers. The most beautiful things God has made. Will the handful of beauty take the blackness away? This beauty can never do. What will do it? What is the soul's cry? What can take away my sins? Here produce the red bottle. "The blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin." Pour a few drops or more from the red bottle into the jar. Continue to pour it in until the water is made white again. Behold! the blackness of despair has disappeared. The Blood has taken away the sin forever. Before you put the drops of black into the jar, take out a small glass full of the black water and place it down on the table and after the water has been cleared up say "When the blood of Christ takes away our sin, He keeps us when tempted to go black again." To illustrate that truth, pick up the small glass of black water, and say "This represents temptation, and it seeks to get back into the soul again and make it black with sin as before." Pour the contents into the jar but you notice that at once there is a power in the purified water in the jar to resist all temptation and the black does not blacken the water again. The effect of the illustration will be made more striking if you put two or more lighted candles back of the jar. By rehearsal in private, work out the necessary proportions of these chemicals so they will work out correctly when you use them before your audience. Be very careful and keep these chemicals away from the reach of the children as some of them are deadly poisons.
Objects used: A small blackboard; a small New Testament; a number of children to write on the blackboard
THEGOSPELCOPYBOOK
THIS is a lesson showing how important it is to copy Christ, not Christians. Many go astray in their life and conduct because they do not follow the copy. There is a gospel copy book. Christ is that book. Follow His words and your life will not be crooked, and what you do and say will cause people who watch you to say "He is following the copy. He has studied well his lesson in the Gospel Copybook." Write the word "Christian" in large letters at the top of the blackboard and ask a tall boy to copy it as exactly as possible. After this is done, cover up the original line, and ask another boy to copy the copy. Keep covering up all but the last line, having various ones to copy till six or seven have been made. Now take off the covers and compare them with the original. You will note every copy is different from each other and all different from the original, because each child looked at some one else's writing and not at the original. We are apt to copy each other's mistakes and example. This we do when we look at Christians, and try to do as they do instead of taking Christ as our example.
One morning a business man who lived in the suburbs was hastening to catch the train, which he supposed was almost due. It was important that he should go to town, but, as he was walking along in nervous haste, he saw a gentleman ahead of him, walking with deliberation and ease. They always took the same train, so he watched him and not his watch. But to his great dismay, he saw the train come in and go out, and they both were left. The watch of the man he followed was five minutes slow. He learned his lesson—follow no man—watch the watch and the schedule, and go straight ahead. Run yourself on railroad time. That is good business sense for the traveler. Jesus has given us a gospel copy book. Here it is. It is the New Testament. Follow its teachings and your life will be straight, and you will be like Jesus. Follow Christ and not Christians." Be not content in saying "I am as good as most Christians." You are not asked to be as good as even the best Christians, but to be like Jesus.
Objects used: A nest of boxes; teaching the truth of the Divine Security
INHISKEEPING
THIS is a lesson based on the text John 10:28: "They shall never perish." They shall never perish because they are in His keeping. Oh how safe are those who trust Him in the hollow of His hand, for "they shall never perish."
This is an object lesson teaching the divine "security of the Believer." Produce a fair sized cardboard heart on which write your name. This is the way of announcing your salvation. Religion is an affair of the heart. It goes to the heart, changes the heart, keeps the heart. An old whaler once said he'd been in the business for so many years he could talk about nothing else save whales and said "When I am dead, if you should open my heart, I think you would find the word 'whale' in its centre." His business was an affair of his heart. I am sure that deep in the believer's heart you would find the name 'Jesus' written, because religion is an affair of the heart to every true believer.
To put this lesson over in a large way, secure a number of boxes each just a little larger than the other so they will nest well. On the first box, print a large cross as large as the side of the box will permit. Now drop the heart into that box and close the lid tightly. The heart is now hid in the Cross, and is safe forever. Your money you may lose, a thief may make way with it. It may take wings and fly away out of your sure keeping place, but when you give your heart over to the keeping of the Cross, you are safe forevermore. The word says "They shall never perish" because they are in His keeping. Now take a slightly larger box marked "His care." Place the box marked with a cross inside of this box and close the lid. Now I am doubly safe, for I am in Christ, and also in God's care. God cares for the sparrow, for the Word says, "Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without your Heavenly Father." Not alone that He sees and counts the fallen bird, but that He comes down with it. God attends the funeral of even a fallen sparrow. If He so cares for a bird, will He not care more for me! And He does and so I am safe in His care.
Take the next larger box and mark it "His Love," and in this box place the one marked "His Care." Every believer tents in the loveland of the heart of God. "He so loved that we might not perish." And so we are safe in His love. No man dare tamper with the love marked children of His. Even Satan is afraid of that power. Put this box into the larger box marked "His Power." Another wall has been built around the believer. It is God's great wall of power. Now the Love box believer is surrounded by God's power. Christ said "All power is given unto me." And it wraps the believer up in this girdle of strength for the Gospel in the heart is "the power of God unto Salvation." In I Peter 1:15 we are told we are "kept by the power of God." The hand that holds the sea in the hollow thereof holds me in safety. His power is my fortress. I can smile at all foes. I am safe in the hollow of His hand of power. Now place this box in the next larger size box, have it marked 'His Promise.' He has given me His promises "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 15:5.) He whispered those dear words to me when he lifted me from the cross of penitence and gave me the kiss of salvation. He is able to keep His promises and | am trusting in His word. He has said that "He that begun a good work in you shall perform it until that day." The day of His coming. I will trust that promise, and tremble not, nor fear what man can do unto me. "As the mountains are around about Jerusalem, so is the Lord round about them that fear Him. As the sides of this Promise box are around about me, so are the mountains of His power. I am closed in by tons of mountains, a congress of giants, so Salvation is God's safety box. It shuts the soul in His Cross, His Care, His Love, His Power, His Promises. No wonder it is written "They shallneverperish." Marvel not it is written "No man shall pluck them out of my hand." When Noah and his wife, and his three sons, and their wives went into the Ark, God shut them in, and they were safe. When God shuts the door He shuts the soul in. No man can open. God holds the key. It is a secret combination lock. God knows the combination. No man can know it. It is a secret God will not whisper to any one in all the world. Closed in—locked in— that is enough, my soul, to live by and keep me divinely calm, now, and in the hour of death. "In His keeping" is Heaven's way of writing the word salvation.
If the box method is too elaborate, to work out, you can use a nest of envelopes. They put the lesson over just the same.
Objects used: A collection of candles
A CANDLELIGHTLESSON
THIS is a simple yet shining lesson, using a small collection of ordinary candles as illustrators. Children's and older eyes are always attracted by sparkling lights. Watching the glittering stars is always a delight. These candles talk: They are white robed prophets. They preach to you. Look and listen. Have the candles mentioned in this chapter hidden from sight, with the exception of one tall candle which you have placed in the centre of the table. This represents The Light of the World. Have this burning when the audience enters. It will have an attractive effect. Produce the other candles as you introduce them. Say of this first tall candle that Jesus said of Himself "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5.) This is the text which this candle is declaring by its light —Jesus—the Light of the World. Without this light the world would be in darkness. At this moment, cause all the lights of the church to go out for a moment and say "If this candle should now be extinguished there would be complete darkness in this room. Just so would it be if the Light of the World—Jesus—should turn His face from the world, all would be in darkness indeed." Cause the lights of the church now to be turned on and proceed with your shining talk. Next produce a small spirit lamp. Let this represent the Holy Spirit. Light it from the Light of the World candle, and say "The Holy Spirit takes the light of Jesus, and scatters it among men. He represents Jesus. He was sent to continue Christ's work of sending forth the light of truth." Now tell of the ascension of Jesus, and as you do, take away the big candle and put it in another room if possible and say "Jesus has now gone to shine in the Glory, but has left the Holy Spirit here to continue His shining work. Now bring in twelve candles, standing for the twelve disciples. Light each one from the spirit lamp and say "The disciples have been sent to carry the light to the uttermost parts of the world, go ye into all the world," etc. From a corner of the platform produce candles standing for the races of the world. They are now in darkness, "Go ye into all the world" and then quote the last five words of Matthew 5:14. "The Light of the World." Name each candle one of these words, so the candles will read "The Lightof the World." Jesus said these words about His followers, and all the races are His followers. This illustration shows how the Holy Spirit can cause Jesus to shine forth through the nations of the world. If you wish to make an elaborate finish to this lesson, call up five boys to represent the nations mentioned. Let them carry a flag of each nation or marked in such a way that they may be known as a representative of the nation whose name they bear, and let them go to different parts of the church bearing these candles. One may go to the gallery and call that spot Africa; another to the rear, and call that locality India, etc. And when they have been distributed, turn off all the lights for a moment and say "The Holy Spirit is world wide in His mission. The light is just beginning to shine. Pray that the Holy Spirit may continue in the work of light-sending and He will do so if we do our part, and we will." Let the lights be now turned on, and the people sing as a closing hymn "The Morning Light is Breaking."
Objects: Using the Human Hand
THOSETENLITTLEFRIENDSOFYOURS
NO one can truthfully say "I have no friends." If you do say those words, you are mistaken, because I know your friends so well, I can shut my eyes and count ten of them without stopping, because all boys and girls have ten good and helpful friends. These ten friends are never failing friends. They say to you "I'll stand by you, and perhaps I can make you rich and great some day." We must all depend on these ten friends, and they will never fail us. Now hold up both hands, open wide the fingers and say "These are your ten friends. They are your ten friends, and they are your ten best friends. They are ten obedient friends. They always do just what you tell them to do. They are never disobedient. They never refuse to work for you. They never go on a strike." A little boy selling newspapers on the streets of London, overheard a kind lady make the remark, as she looked at him, "Poor boy! how sad and lonely that poor little boy looks." He replied to the remark, by saying "I am not a bit lonely, good lady, because I always have lots of company, as I have these ten friends of mine ever with me." And as he spoke, he held up both his little hands. He was right. He was not lonely, because he had his ten faithful friends ever with him. Having these little working friends we should always work with them. Many a little boy has worked himself up the ladder of success by the aid of these ten friends. Give them something useful to do every day. They will do it for you and some day your friends may make the world watch you and your company of ten, doing things. The Bible says that "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." That is what the Bible says about your ten friends. When our ten friends all cuddle up together, as if hugging each other, then we have a strong weapon to defend us, then we can strike with the strength of the arm. These ten friends helped the boy David, as they clinched the cords of the sling, and brought the giant down. They go to war for us, and every last one of them fights bravely. An old college chum of mine was helped through school by these ten friends who worked hard for him. These friends paid his way through school, for he worked his way through by the labor of his hand. Sometimes the errand boyof the store has been helped so well by these ten friends that they helped him to a place in the firm, and he became part owner of the store. Sometimes these ten friends are bad little friends, they strike little sister, they steal things from shops, sometimes they lift strong drink to our lips and do lots of evil things but we must always remember they are only doing what we tell them to do. We are responsible for all the evil they do, for they only do as they are told. We should train them only to do well, and then they will only do well. There was a little boy in the great city of Philadelphia, that never knew the name of his father and mother, who was one day left on the doorstep of a stranger. The good lady who lived in the house, had pity upon the little stranger and took him in. They called him "George Washington," for they found him on Washington's birthday, and they called him "Child" for his last name. So his full name the good lady gave him was "George Washington Child." He and his ten friends sold papers on the streets of Philadelphia. His ten friends worked so hard and well that afterward he became the owner of the greatPublic Ledgerof Philadelphia. Thus we see how much a poor boy and his ten friends can do when they all work together and for each other. These ten friends can work for God also. They can give a cup of cold water to the thirsty, and Jesus says it is giving unto Him. These ten friends can lead other little boys and girls to the church where they can hear about Jesus and be saved. Hold up the left hand and give the fingers a letter. Call the little finger "W," the next "O," and the next "R," and the following fingers "K" and "S"—"WORKS" is the name of the left hand. Now hold up the right hand and spell out the word "F.A.I.T.H." "FAITH" is the name of the right hand fingers, so working with both hands, these five friends called "WORKS" and these five called "FAITH" we can do wonders. Faith and Works can conquer the world. So our ten friends are an army of conquerors.