The Bible object book

the natives found him dead kneeling by his bed, they found an old worn-out body burnt out in the business of shining in Africa's dark corner. But his light still shines. The natives as they sit by their evening fire talk in soft tones about the great White Chief. They are watching that White Candle Chief burn in the jungles of their wild land. He being dead yet shineth.

That is the way to shine forever. Burn out here, and you will shine forever in God's kingdom. So we learn that we are not only letting our light shine as a business, but in so doing we light the dark corner lights around the world. This candle I now hold in my hand can light a thousand other candles, and they in turn another thousand, and so on until it could light shining candles girdling the round world. Light is contagious. It easily passes from one candle to another.

One courageous enthusiastic person can fire many others to shine in their dark corners also. If every one of my audience held an unlighted candle in their hands, this one lighted candle would carry the flame to all the candles. This room would be transfigured into a congress of flickering stars. This is the way the kingdom of heaven must come in. One life touches the other life, and they all shine in their corner as their business, which is the King's business also.

But learn the first great essential lesson. This candle, to shine forth in the dark corner as a business, must first be lit itself. It cannot light itself. It cannot say, "Let there be light," for no light can shine forth by a self-command. Some power greater than a candle must touch our dark heart with its taper of flame before we can shine forth. So we must come to the great Light of the World and give ourselves to him, and become his disciples, and he will give us the light which shines in our hearts, and out from our own lives. Then we become "Candles of the Lord," and brighten the corner where we are as a business.

In using this lesson suit your actions to your words. Secure if possible an old-fashioned candlestick with a stump of a candle in it, and say, "This resembles the old candlestick mentioned in the lesson." You can use an ordinary candle for other parts of the lesson referred to in the chapter.

You can close this lesson by asking a group of children to come to the platform and ask them to hold a candlestick with a lighted candle and sing together, "Brighten the Corner Where You Are."

29

THE POSTAGE-STAMP AS A PREACHER

OBJECTS: A Collection of Foreign and Domestic
Postage-stamps

Hold up a letter with a plain two-cent postage-stamp upon it. "Let me introduce to you the Preacher of the hour! He is clothed in his white robe (the envelope) and is ready to be a preacher to us all."

1. This stamp is more than a common piece of paper. It has on it the stamp of the Government; therein is its value. It has the O.K. of the authorities of Washington. So we must have stamped on our life the image of the Good Father to make us worth anything in this old world. We must bear the mark of our Owner before we can be backed by the kingdom of heaven.

2. If the stamp was made by ourselves it would have no power. The letter bearing the stamp would be returned. So we can do nothing of ourselves. There is no good in us. When I was a little boy I was a stamp-collector, and when we could not find a stamp of the desired nation, there was issued what is called a "facsimile" of the original. It was a "make-believe" stamp. It looked all right in our stamp-book, but it was out of place and worthless on an envelope. It was only a pretender so we must not be contented with appearances only. That is the way hypocrites are made.

3. The stamp in the stamp box is always ready for service, just waiting to start on its journey. It has the mark of approval on it which the Government has given it. It has the sticking power which man has given it, and is just waiting to be called into service. Paul said, "I am now ready" not only to die but to live. He who is ready to die, is best prepared to live. Always ready for service, like a postage-stamp, is to be ready to go anywhere for the Master.

4. The postage-stamp is a good missionary. It will work anywhere. It will go to any part of the homeland or any part of the world, just as it is directed. No dividing-line between home or abroad, It will go to any part of the world. It just goes where it is sent. It is like a pair of bifocal glasses. It can see home needs as well as the far-away needs. It sees both clearly. That is the plan of Jesus, Jerusalem and the uttermost parts —both are alike to him as far as concerns their need of salvation.

5. I remember also that when I was a stamp-collector, I had one page in my book on which I had a stamp from each nation. They were all at peace with each other. It was the first picture of "The League of Nations."

To illustrate the truth, get as many stamps of the various nations as you may be able, and fix them on a large cardboard, and show them to the children, or bring them out of the Bible to show that if they are true to God's Word, they will live together in peace. This is the only "League of Nations" that can stand through the ages.

6. The postage-stamp does what it is told to do. It fulfils its task. When it is placed on the envelope, it takes the letter to the address given. That is its business. That is all that is expected of it. It does not seek to know the contents of the letter, but to deliver the letter to the party named. So it is our business to do just as we are told to do by our Good Father. We are not to pry into his will, or seek to know his unrevealed secrets. Our business is to carry his message. We are to speak where God's Book speaks, We are to be silent where the Book is silent. We should all try to do as well as a postage-stamp.

7. The stamp is a non-combatant. When it is licked it does not hit back. It is a peace-lover. It opens not its mouth. So we should learn that when criticism and hardship come to us, when the road is difficult, and we are discouraged, when the enemy does his worst, and Satan tries to dislodge us, we must just stick like a stamp. When we put the stamp on the envelope, we often give it a blow with our fist. That just makes the stamp stick tighter. So when we are hit by hard experiences we should tighten our grip all the more and just stick.

8. The stamp sticks to its job to the finish. It holds tight to the letter till it gets there. Happy is that boy or girl who continues to the end. A little newsboy by the name of George in the City of Philadelphia, Pa., sold papers in the street for a living. He believed if he stuck to his task he would some day be a great man. One day he stood looking up at the great building in which the paper was published and said, "I will some day own that building, and become the editor of the paper I now sell." He stuck to his task until at last he was owner of the paper and its editor also. His name was George Washington Childs, and the paper was The Public Ledger. He was like the postage-stamp. He stuck fast until he got there. That is the only way to "get there."

9. The postage-stamp never has a complaining word. Sometimes it is put on upside down or very crooked, and struck a great blow by the cancelling-machine in the Post Office, but it never speaks a word of complaint, just stands by its post and waits. If it goes to an address that has been changed, the new address is put on the envelope, and it starts on its journey again. It makes no complaint because of extra work, but starts away on another journey. So we should always "try again" and make another start. Many a man has "made good" by doing this. There is a medical remedy called "606." When the firm was asked why this number was given it, the reply was, "We tried 605 times to find a proper remedy, and failed; but the next time we found just what we were after, and so called it No. 606." Do not be afraid to try over and over. The next time may be the 606th of success. Now when you look at the little red postage-stamp let it preach over and over again to you the lessons I have given you in this chapter. Look again, and you will see on this stamp the face of the great George Washington, who lived out all these lessons in his life, and he is now "stuck fast" to the hearts of his countrymen.

Now, Mr. Postage-stamp, we thank you. You have preached to us a fine sermon this morning.

When you receive a stamped letter from the postman remember the Postage-stamp Preacher. Hear ye him.

30

CANDLES IN THE PULPIT

OBJECTS: A Number of Candles and a Small Green
Tree Branch

Let us ask the candles to preach to us. These white-robed prophets will now speak. Candle No. 1, come to the desk and be preacher for us now.

In answer to this call a small boy or girl comes up upon the platform bearing a small candle and gives it to you. This, you say, is a little, but mighty preacher. In ancient story we are told of a mansion illuminated by a thousand candles, and in one of the candlesticks there was hidden the owner's will. The heirs searched for the candle with its message of gold. That candle had a message in it. So let us find the hidden truth in this and all the other candle prophets this night.

After lighting it you say, "It is a light bearing God's truth." Place it on the desk, saying, This is a little light, yet if the room was darkened it would lighten the entire room. This little prophet represents the child in the home, church, and world. The Bible says, "A little child shall lead them." That little child is Jesus. He led the wise men in the Temple of old. He is leading all men by the light of his Star to the Cross where sins are taken away. "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to me." This is the attractive power of a little child. All little children are sweet little lights, "the light of the home," so we all declare, and we are speaking well as we thus say, When this light is extinguished it has led many a soul back to God. This little light stands for the Primary Department of our Sunday school. They come to the school, they listen, and receive. They are there taking in light. They go out, and let it shine out, and many a soul has seen it and been saved. All the little folks look forward and see the light. Be ye little lights and shine in your corner for Jesus.

Our next preacher will be the large candle now brought forth by a larger boy. Place it on the desk, and remove the small candle, extinguish it, and put it out of sight.

This large candle is the pastor in the pulpit, who is a preaching candle. He is to tell the truth about things and to warn the people of dangers and present perils. Sometime the flock does not like his plain talk, and in Bible times they took him from his holy place and cast him out and stoned him to death. At this point have the boy so trained that he will come forward to the desk and try to take the candle out. You will stop him and ask him what he is doing. He will reply: "He talks too plain to us. We don't like it." You tell him, the preacher stands in God's place and is talking for him. Let all the people hear what the prophet has to say to the people. The candle is then placed back on the desk, and the preaching light continues to shine out its message.

"Who next will be our preacher tonight?" This call is responded to by two little girls, one bearing an ornamented candle coming first, the other bringing a plain candle following. As you take the first candle you say: "Beauty and adornment are useless and only pure vanity if just on the surface. People like to show off in religion, that is, they often like to show off their clothes and personal adornment, but you will notice after you have lit this candle that it does not give any more light than this plain candle," which you now take from the little girl standing a little space from you. You light the plain candle, and place them side by side, and by the side of the preacher's candle, and the preacher says, "Both the poor and the rich can shine alike for God, for he is Maker of them both."

Give the call again, "Who will preach for us next?" A child comes forward with a box wrapped in paper, and gives it to you. After you have opened it you produce a fine white candle. What does this mean, Mr. Preaching Candle? The candle answers, "I am a soul which hides his light under a bushel. I have gone out." Light it and place it by your side, that its light may call the people out of the easy pew and comfortable chair to the fortress to fight by light.

Behold! I see another prophet approaching. It is a foreigner. As he comes to the platform he bears the flag of China, and carries a Chinese lantern. He is coming not to preach but to listen. Hold up the lantern close to the preacher candle and say: "China is asking for the true light. What doth the preacher candle say?" And the candle answers: "Hear me, all ye people, Our Master's great commission tells us we are to go into all the world and preach the gospel. China is the largest nation of the world, and so according to the order of the Light of the World, we give China the light." Here light the lantern, and give it back to the child, and bid him Godspeed in his mission of light to his people who sit in darkness.

Give the call again, and six boys and girls come forward with a tall unlit candle in a candlestick. These are six Lay Preachers, Helpers of the Pastor. They do his bidding, and then they are sure to shine. Now light the six candles and let them stand around the desk holding their candles. Spread the children out as far as possible, so there will be no danger of their burning each other. Now the preacher candle says: "I am backed by my church-membership. They stand back of me. They are shining forth the same light that I shine out. This is a pulpit of power."

Here endeth the sermon of the candles in the pulpit. You now take the candles from the children and place them on the desk with the other candles and close by singing "The Light of the World Is Jesus."

31

A POST-CARD SERMON

OBJECTS: A Collection of Post-cards

If you wish to preach to the little folks and cause them to remember what you have said, try the post-card sermon.

When you announce the sermon for little eyes ask them to come to the front of the church and stand around the pulpit. Then hand to each child a pictorial post-card and make it the subject of your talk to them. Tell them the card now belongs to them, and they can take it home with them to keep. Preach about the picture on the card, calling their attention to every little detail. Drive home some truth as pictured on the card. Ask them to look intently at every point in the picture you are talking about.

This sermon should not be over seven minutes long. Children find it difficult to stand in one place for any length of time. If you seek to hold their attention too long, they will grow tired and their interest will slacken. You must be brief.

There are beautiful post-cards without number and the cost is very trifling. Use historical cards. Take, if you so desire, the card containing the "Liberty Bell," and preach upon the text of the Bell: "Proclaim liberty throughout the land." Describe the bell, give its history in a few words. The seasonal post-cards, Christmas, Spring, Winter, Thanksgiving, Hallowe'en, etc., give a new meaning to these days, and tell things the children should know about them.

Use beautiful post-cards. Select some beauty spot in your own country and explain what makes it beautiful and what makes its beauty worth while to us. Use post-cards that have a children's story connected with them, such as "The Lighthouse-keeper's Daughter, Grace Darling," "The Boy Lincoln and His Log-cabin Home," "George Washington and the Cherry Tree." These pictures are running over with simple truth.

Use curious post-cards, such as of the Natural Bridge in Virginia, cave pictures, the gold-fields of Alaska. Tell them of the Natural Bridge as the work of God, and of the other bridge God made, a Bridge from Calvary to heaven, the Bridge of the Cross.

Select foreign post-cards. This will enable you to tell missionary stories about the people who live in those lands. Pictures of idols will help you to cause the children to want to tell the heathen children the story of the true God.

Select religious post-cards. Reproductions of the great works of art can be secured. Di Vinci's "Last Supper" is a good one to select. You can tell about the face of Judas and that of Christ being taken from the same living model. The face of Judas was the disfigured face of Jesus which had become repulsive because of the presence of sin. This is what sin will do for a face.

Select picture-cards of Bethlehem, and tell the story of the town as it now is, and as it was in David's time, and in the time of Jesus. It would be but small trouble to make a course of eight short sermons or more, using post-cards.

Urge the children to put the cards thus received in a little book, and put under each card the date you preached the sermon. If any child who attends regularly is absent mail a card to them the next day, with a short lesson written on the card. Children always like the postman to bring them something by mail. If they are out of town, find their address and send it to them. If they "just did not come," say to them that some Sunday morning if they will call to see you, you will give them the card they missed. It will give you a chance for a pleasant word with them. It often goes a long way with little folks. On the last Sunday of the course bring your full line of cards you have used, and have a short review and ask some questions about each card. This is only another, but a new, way of preaching to the wonder eyes of the wonderful folks we call our children.

32

MAKING JOY

OBJECTS: Large Cardboards Containing the Word "Joy"

This is a day of making things. The wise man could have said of things as he said of books, "Of the making of many things there is no end."

Did you ever try to make joy? It is a big business. All the world is trying to learn that trade. The world is richer than it has ever been, that is because we have learned to make money. The world is wiser than it has ever been; that is because we have learned to make many books. The world at heart is sadder than it has ever been; that is because it has never learned how to make JOY.

The joy the world knows is like the desert plant. It fastens its root by the side of a little stream, and drinks in the moisture, and spreads out its leaves of life. The stream is dried up at last by the heat of the desert, and the roots loosen their hold on the soil, and the windstorm rolls the plant over the desert like a dead leaf until another piece of wet ground is found. There it fastens for another short season, and again the sun dries up this spring of life, and hurls the root on in the heart of the desert storm, This is repeated over and over again until at last it tosses it out into the piercing rays of the sun a withered dry old root dead at the heart. So men and women are like this dry root. They absorb this pleasure and another until at last, when old age finds them they are like the old dead root east up by the winds of time. Dead in the inside. They never found any joy to which they could anchor. They never knew where to find real joy.

Look and listen—I will tell you where to find it. Secure three large cardboards and paint on them the word "JOY." One letter on each card, stand them up on a background where they can be seen by all present. These letters spell the word "JOY." This is what all the world is after. The first letter stands for Jesus. The middle letter a cipher or "nothing." The last letter stands for You. Nothing between Jesus and you. This is the way to bring real joy to the soul. Most of our sorrows come from disobedience, and that means that something has come between the J and Y that will never spell JOY.

Paint on a black card the letter S which stands for Sin. Hang this card up in the place of O. J.S.Y. will never spell JOY. Sin keeps the joy from passing from J to Y. Only a short time ago thousands watched the eclipse of the sun. There was darkness at the last. In some of the great cities the street lamps were lit because of the darkness all around. It was because something had come between us and the sun. It was the moon. It looked like a great O. It shut off the sunlight for a little season. There was something between. Let nothing come between you and Jesus and you will find "JOY." The O is a cipher which means nothing. Nothing between J (Jesus) and Y (You). That spells JOY. That is the big shop where joy is made.

33

YE LITTLE OLD FOLKS

OBJECT: A Picture of Verse from an Old Illustrated
Bible Used 100 Years Ago

A century ago there were but few books for children. Preachers never thought of a children's sermon, but here is a page which appeared in a rare old book the children used in that day. It is over a century old. It illustrates Deuteronomy 5:29. From some picture-book cut out figures like these to illustrate this Bible verse. Pin them up on some background which they can see. The journals of the day abound in interesting pictures. Cut them out and try to teach the children the Scriptures by pictures they have often seen. It will interest them greatly as it doubtless did Ye Little Olde Folks. This text is one of many that has some words in it for which you can substitute a picture. In fact, the Bible is a picture-book, not simply in the sense that it tells so many interesting stories about men and women and children, and tells them in such a taking way, but even where it is not telling a story, it uses words and sentences that are pictures, not the less effective because drawn or painted in speech. This text is such a sentence.

DEUTERONOMY v. 29.

34

THE CRUCIFIXION IN COLORS

OBJECTS: A Collection of Colored Papers

This is a lesson on the Crucifixion of Jesus. It is taught by small colored papers. Each stage of the crucifixion is illustrated by a color. The paper used is the common glazed paper which can be supplied by any paper store that deals in fancy paper. You can also use little blocks of muslin or any other colored goods. Cut the blocks about 4 x 5-1/2 inches in size; some of the pieces you will notice will be long and narrow. (See Diagram.)

Pin these blocks upon some background so all the listeners may see the work. You will notice by the diagram that when every piece is in its place a perfect cross is formed. Follow the order of the diagram and commence at the foot of the cross. At this place put a brown color. This color stands for the common earth, the ground of Calvary in which the cross was planted. Talk about holy ground if you so desire, but say this is the Most Holy Ground. It was here they placed the cross and crucified Jesus.

The next block is divided into two parts—white and blue. These were the dominant colors of the high priest's garments to whom Jesus was sent the hour of his arrest. Describe now the wild scene—the mad mob all seeking to bring him to trial for death sentence.

The next block is gold—the dominant color in the royal robe of Pilate. It was the color of his scepter and

the golden eagle, the symbol of the government of Rome which he represented. Before him Jesus was brought and tried, and ordered to be sent to the cross.

Next put up the purple block. This represents the purple robe the soldier put on Jesus.

The next color is green—the color of the thorns of the bush, which had been twisted into a crown of thorns.

The next color is white—the color of Christ's own robe that the soldiers put on him.

Red is the next color, and it stands for the blood he shed. Black stands for the darkness which was in the land from the sixth to the ninth hour.

Yellow is the next. This stands for the yellowish sponge which was put to his lips.

The next colors, white, red, and purple, were the colors of the veil of the Temple which was rent in twain when Jesus gave up the ghost on the cross. And the last color, silver, stands for the armor of the centurion who, when he saw the Crucified One, proclaimed his belief in the Son of God. You have now built a cross as you talked, and each part of the cross represents some striking step in the tragedy of the Green Hill.

After the color blocks are in their place, ask the children to tell you the story according to the colors. After they have been well drilled let them put the color strips up in their proper place, and tell you the story.

After you are through with this lesson it would be a good plan to paste these colors on a piece of muslin or heavy paper, and hang the diagram up on the wall and often refer to it, and ask the children its meaning. This is a Good Friday subject, and can always be used as a redemption story.

35

THE GOSPEL BY RIBBONS

OBJECTS: A Number of Colored Ribbons

In this chapter the story of salvation will be told by different colored ribbons. This will be attractive to the eye as the bright colors appear, and the colors will not only teach the truth of the lesson but will fasten the truth in the mind for years to come. Color makes a deep impression on the mind. It is like a foot-print in the clay. It comes to stay as time hardens the mental clay.

Some years ago I was asked by an old friend to be a witness to the transfer of a large tract of land into his possession. The document was drawn up in full legal form, and deposited by the housewife in a secure and secret place. About a year afterward my friend informed me that the document could not be found. The wife had forgotten where she had placed it, and believed it to be lost. I was asked if I could remember anything about it. At first my mind seemed to be a blank, and then I remembered all about it, and this was the how of it. On the day of the transfer I remembered the wife took the document and tied around it a piece of red ribbon. I remembered she put it in a small closet back behind the old-fashioned fireplace. In closing the door a portion of the red ribbon was left exposed on the outside. I noticed that red ribbon in that position which I thought it might direct attention to the document and thus expose it to a thief and so endanger its safety. I remembered the wife arose and opened the door, put the ribbon inside, and I let the matter pass from my mind, and it would have passed out of my mind forever, had it not been that that red ribbon had fastened itself down in my memory. The red ribbon located the lost document. A color is a tack which holds down the truth in the human mind. May the colors of the lesson have the same ministry.

Secure a number of ribbons of the colors about to be mentioned. They can be about one inch wide and each one six inches long. Sew them together at the ends. Place them in a box, and draw out six inches at a time in the following order.

First produce the white, holding it in the hand as if considering it, and say: "Thus was man created—in white. He was placed in the White Garden where all was purity and spotless. But the Tempter entered this White Garden and tempted the white soul to sin, and so man sinned and the black of sin took the place of the white of righteousness." As thus you speak you draw out from the box the black ribbon; as you hold this in your hand, you remark that the black is the sign of death, for "the wages of sin is death."

Now draw out the red ribbon, and say, "The blood of Jesus has now come to take away the black of sin and death." As you say this let the black drop out of sight, and let the red appear. "They shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Tell the story of the scarlet rope which was displayed in the window of the house on the wall at Jericho, and how safe was Rahab when the red signal was in her window. How safe are all they who are hiding behind the red line of Salvation by the Blood. Now draw out the white and remark, "Now the Blood has brought back the white state to the heart again, for when we stand clothed in Christ's righteousness we have been restored to the place in God's heart that Adam occupied before the fall."

Now draw out the purple ribbon. This represents the royal standing of the believer. Purple was the color of the king's robe. The saved are children of the King, joint heirs with the Son. It is the family color. All Christians are children of the King of kings.

Now produce the blue ribbon. This represents the standfastness of the believer. He is "true blue" for God—faithful to the end, and to all the family of God in Christ Jesus.

Now produce the gold ribbon. This represents the mansion of gold in heaven. It reminds us of the streets of the White City of God which, we are told, are paved with pure gold. May our eyes look at, last upon its gates of pearl. May our feet walk through the streets of the city, the streets of gold.

Last, produce the green ribbon. This represents everlasting life, having reference to the fixed color of green, the same all the year round. This ribbon is the trail home to God, our everlasting home in heaven.

After this lesson is taught ask two of the children to take hold of the ends, and let the whole span the front of the room. Ask them to tell you the meaning of the colors. Often give them this drill; it will fasten the Bible truth and Bible order in their hearts for years to come.

36

JOINING THE CHURCH

OBJECTS: Seven Cards with the Letter "I" Printed
on them

This is a lesson showing the importance and value of joining the local church after the heart has been given away to Jesus. There are some people who think that this is an act purely voluntary. Do as you please they think is the thing to do, and so they dismiss the question as settled. The fact is they do not understand the arithmetic of the New Testament.

There 2 and 1 make more than three. Joining the church enables the Christian to count more than one. There is power in organization. I may take a piece of red silk, also a piece of white and blue, and I can shoot them full of holes—no one will object. They stand for nothing. They are simply a piece of personal property. I may do as I please with them all. But, if these three colors are united and made over into a flag, then, the man who shoots them full of holes must answer to the government of the United States, for every soldier and marine is pledged to protect those colors from harm. They are organized into a flag. They mean more than simple strips of colors.

To illustrate this big fact, secure seven large cards and have on each one the figure "1" painted, making it as large as possible. Distribute them to children in various parts of the church, avoid giving two children in one row each a card. The children holding the cards represent the Christian who declared that he can be "just as good a Christian outside the church as in it," and so stays outside of organized relationship. Now ask them to give you the number on their cards, and they all exclaim "Number one." That is all they stand for, "Number one." That really means they stand for themselves and by themselves. They stand for "one," themselves. This is just what "Number One" looks like. They represent nobody, they are independent units, they stand alone: they have but small representative power.

Some years ago when the West was a child, a little boy wandered away from his prairie home, and was lost in the tall grass, and could not be found. His parents and neighbors started on a searching expedition to find him. They all went in different directions, and after a day-long search came back without the child. They could not find him by individual searching. The next day they formed a line each in sight of the other and, like a net, swept the prairie, and within two hours the lad was found and brought home to his sorrowing parents. They failed as individuals—they succeeded as a united body. God knew this first, and so established his church, where unity of action could do more than independent service.

Now ask the children to come to the platform, and stand them in a line holding the figure "one" side by side. Once they stood for one only, now united they stand for one million one hundred and eleven thousand one hundred and eleven. This is the large reason why all Christians should join the church, and thereby multiply many times their value to their Master and his Kingdom.

If you are a Christian make the most of yourself, and you can do this by coming into church relationship with the brotherhood of Christians. A young convert gave as his reason for joining the church the following: "If I was going to Chicago on the Broadway express and had my ticket straight through to my destination, including the comforts of a Pullman car, and then stood outside on the platform all night, standing up and facing the storm, what a miserable man I would prove myself to be, and what a faulty thinker I would also be. But I am going to get all my ticket grants me. I will go inside and take all the pleasure and comfort of the journey. So I am going into the church and take all my salvation has provided for me. I will no longer stand on the platform of the world. I want the best and all of it." He was right. Get all that is coming to you, and get it now. Come inside; you are entitled to a seat.

Years ago a boy, sixteen years old, came into New York City, with a pack on his back containing all his belongings. He was a stranger in a great city. Wandering through the streets one night, he saw a lighted church with open doors, heard sweet singing from within. He entered uninvited except by the open door. He heard the story of Jesus and was saved. At once he offered himself for baptism, and was received into church-membership. There the lad was trained and schooled in righteousness. He became a great man. His name was William Colgate, the founder of the great firm bearing his name. He died worth millions, most of which he gave to his church, and left a name that will never die. His influence permeated the denomination that he honored as the perfume from his shops has permeated the world. The Colgate Perfume Company of which he was the first member, gathered its first sweetness from the Rose of Sharon that he found in the Lord's sweet garden—the church of the First-born.

Before you dismiss the children and send them to their seats, pray that God may deepen the lesson of the hour so it may sink into their hearts, and charge the children to go and govern themselves accordingly.

37

GOD'S MAIL-BAG

OBJECTS: The Bible and Nine Lettered Cards Spelling
the Word "Salvation"

Hold up the Bible and say: "This is God's Mail-bag; the Holy Bible, filled with holy letters for you. This Mail-bag came from heaven. It contains God's latest wonderful message. I am God's letter-carrier. I have nine special-delivery letters. They are all directed to you. My business is to carry the mail for God. I will now deliver the mail God has addressed to you."

Before the meeting secure nine envelopes, commercial size, and on each draw in large outlines one of the letters in the word Salvation. Before the meeting place these letters in various parts of the Bible. Holding the open Bible in your hand, you say: "I have now opened the Mail-bag from God, and find nine letters for you. The first letter you take from the Bible you find in Genesis, and it is the letter 'S.'" Give this to the child who takes the first place in the line. Explain that the message which you wish them to remember is the message of the Ark. Eight souls were saved in this big ship. All were invited, only those who accepted were saved. All who did accept were safely delivered into the new world. During the voyage they just trusted God. He fed them as he did the widow with her cruse of oil and little portion of meal. The supply was given each day according to their need.

God will take care of you. God will supply all your need. This is the message of "S." It is a lesson in salvation. Now produce the letter "A" from Genesis containing the story of Joseph. Give this to some child who now takes his place next to the child with the letter "S." The message God gives from this story is that Truth wins out at last. Joseph, hated, sold in slavery, because of false accusation cast into prison, but at last elevated to the throne, did not forget the home folks. These are great facts to be remembered because they were steps upward. Because he was true to God, he found his feet at last walking in the golden way of true success. That is the message of the letter "A." This is a story of salvation.

Return to the Mail-bag, and draw out the letter "L" from the book of Daniel. Give that to the child next in line. This is a letter from Daniel, and his message is always dare to stand firm for God. When away from your home as was Daniel, don't be ashamed to let people know that you pray. Daniel prayed before the open window because he was not ashamed to be seen talking to God. He faced the lions as well as the people, and God gave him the victory over both, and his testimony counted one hundred per cent, because he was a real servant of the Most High God, and this is another story of salvation.

Open the Mail-bag again, and produce the letter "V," from the story of the Hebrew Children, asking another child to hold the letter, standing next in line. The message from these three faithful boys is that God's children should stand together like three links in a chain. This gives strength stronger than iron. Good companionship is the need of boys today. Fall in with the right crowd. A minister of the gospel, who was appointed spiritual adviser to a boy about to be executed, asked him one day what was his first step downward, and he replied, "I fell in with the wrong crowd." The Hebrew Children were a crowd made good by God, and they went through the fire before they would bend their knees to the idols of the heathen land. God stands with such a crowd; one and two made four in God's table of numbers. He is always in the midst of them. Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." The king saw him and said, "He is like unto the Son of man," and this was the reason. Three boys were fire-proof saints, so the fire did them no hurt.

Open the Mail-bag again and produce the letter "A." This you take from Psalms—open to the Twenty-third Psalm. This letter hand to another child and tell the message of the Psalm, God is the Shepherd of his people, and his sheep shall know no want. They shall find green pastures, which signifies fresh pastures. Still water, deep waters, and so an endless supply. Still water runs deep in the Twenty-third Psalm. Paths of righteousness open up before the soul, like the golden sunrise every morning. Evil cannot make afraid, no enemy can destroy. Goodness and mercy, like two faithful shepherd dogs, follow and protect in the rear till the house of the Lord lifts itself above the clouds of time, and the "forever with the Lord" comes at last to all who follow the Good Shepherd. This is the story of salvation from our enemies and the open door to the house of the Lord in heaven.

At the first part of Matthew open again the Bible Mail-bag and take out the letter "T," and ask another child to hold it and take his place in line as before. Let this letter stand for the birth of Jesus, the Angels' glad song, and the sky's "Merry Christmas" to the Shepherd with its glad melody of Jesus now born among men, the Virgin's Son. This is the story of the Glory Song of Salvation.

Open again the Bible Mail-bag at the resurrection and take out the letter "I," asking another child to take his place in line with this letter. This letter delivers the message of the resurrection of Christ. It is God's special-delivery letter that the last and latest news is that Christ is risen from the grave, and orders that all the bells of joy shall be rung and the message declared to all the people. Salvation has been accomplished, and the stone that was rolled away from the grave by an angel's hand, has become the keystone of our faith. This is the story of salvation from the grave.

Now take out the letter "O" from the Bible Mail-bag opened at the book of Acts. This is to proclaim how the gospel works among men, how it turned cities upside down, and multitudes were converted. It proclaims that all must be saved through the name of Jesus. Even the wicked Saul of Tarsus is turned into another man by the gospel's power, and all who will come in truth will also be turned, and by God's grace will stay turned. This is the story of the salvation of the soul. Tell the children that they can never get God's full mail from just one letter from the book. We must seek to get all God has said before we can know his perfect truth.

There is yet one more letter to come to give the full Bible message. Open once more the Mail-bag, and in the book of Revelation you find the last letter from God, and then you produce the letter "N." Ask again some child to come forward and hold this letter standing last in the line. This is the message of the book of Revelation. "Jesus is coming back again," and our prayer should be "Come back, Lord Jesus, the world is on fire, come back quickly."

Now you will note the nine letters from God spell "Salvation." That is the message the Mail-bag contains. This is the message to you and to the world. God's Mail-bag contains nine letters for the "Whosoever Tribe," which means all kindreds and tribes that on the earth do well. These letters can then be pinned up on some background in the form of a cross, teaching the truth that Salvation comes only through the Cross. There is no other way.

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TURNING THE PALMS INTO A CROSS

OBJECTS: Strips of Palm-leaves or Strips of Green Paper

Have you ever noticed on the Sunday before Easter that some of the boys and girls wear in their coats a cross made out of strips of palm-leaves? It always seemed strange to me that the palm-leaf of joy should be turned into the cross of tears, but that was just what happened one day in Jerusalem. Jesus was to enter the city as a King. The people were very glad because they thought that he would deliver them from the Roman rule, which was very cruel and hard for them to bear. They were all very much excited at the thought of seeing Jesus, for they had heard so many wonderful things about him. They thought he was coming to do wonderful things for them also, so they flocked around the gates of the city to welcome him when he came. They all sent forth great shouts of welcome, and the children stripped the beautiful big leaves from the palm-tree and made a pathway of them for Jesus, and the children sang and shouted their praises. It was the first junior choir we ever read about in the Bible, a choir of boys and girls praising Jesus.

Secure, if possible, a long green leaf which you can call a palm-leaf, or make one out of green paper, and pin it on the blackboard. Teach them the Hosanna cry which the children used to welcome Jesus. After this is done, say: "But in a few hours a great change came over the people, and they no longer showed their joy, but were silent, then angry.

"He did not cast out the Roman governor. He did not end the wicked rule of the government. They did not understand that his kingdom was to come first into the hearts of men. They could not grasp this truth. They wanted a new law. Jesus had come to give them a new life, and they must patiently wait God's time. So their hearts grew cold, and then they grew angry. They listened to evil men who wanted to get rid of Jesus, and so it came to pass in a few days the crowd rushed into Pilate's hall and cried 'Crucify him,' and went to Calvary, and with hard hearts saw him die."

This is how a palm-leaf was turned into a cross. Here add a shorter piece of leaf and make the cross. Some of us are doing the same thing today. We say with glad words we will follow Jesus. We sing with glad strains "O Happy Day that Fixed My Choice!" We join his holy church and say we will live for him forevermore. Then, soon after this glad hosanna, when Mother asks us to do things we do not want to do we answer back in bad temper and ugly words, and often refuse to obey at all. Sometimes in the game we don't play straight, and often cheat a little in our examples. Then we have stopped our hosannas, and Jesus is sad because he sees us doing wrong and making a cross out of the palm-leaf, for when we act in that sinful way we are crucifying Christ the second time.

Sometimes there are older people who once lived happy Christian lives, worked in the church, gave in their glad testimony, and lived the glad game of the Christian life; they were waving palm-branches, and their life shouted "Hosanna!" Then they grew cold and lost their testimony. They slipped back into the old path of sin. They did not go to God's house any more. They made close friends of the world. Hosannas languished on their tongues, and they lived without God; their palm-branches had been turned into crosses. They had crucified Christ afresh, put him to open shame in the eyes of the world. That is another way in which the palm-leaf is turned into a cross. Keep your palm-leaves for Jesus, always living a consistent life, and never let the world grip you, and your palm-leaf will not turn into a cross, but into a crown.

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JESUS CHANGES THINGS

OBJECTS: A Large Prepared Card, a Collection of
Colored Envelopes

To illustrate this lesson secure a piece of cardboard about ten inches square, and place on it in straight rows a number of smaller pieces of cardboard about one inch square. First, place a row of white squares. This represents the white race. The next row make yellow to represent the Chinese race. Next, a row all brown to represent the people of India. Next, a row all red to represent the Indians. The last row, black, representing the African people.

On the other side make the same number of rows, but put them all in gold.

Hold up first the side containing the colored cards, and tell the following story.

A weary missionary fell asleep and had a dream. A messenger had arrived announcing the Master was coming, and to her was given the task of getting all the children ready to receive him. So she arranged them on benches in tiers, putting the little white children first, and nearest to where the Master would stand. Then the little yellow, red, and brown children far back, and on the last row of seats sat the little black children, As you thus describe the mission hall hold up the card and say, "Here is the order in which the children were seated to meet the Master." When she had completed the arrangements she looked at it, and it did not seem quite right. Why should the black children be so far away? Perhaps they ought to be on the front benches. She started to arrange them over again, giving the black children the front place, but when all was in a state of confusion footsteps were heard. It was the Master's tread. He was coming before the children were ready, and she was greatly troubled to think the task entrusted to her had not been accomplished in time. The footsteps drew near, and she was obliged to look up, and lo, as her eyes rested upon the children all shades of color had disappeared and differences vanished! The little children in the Master's presence were all alike. Here reverse the card showing the little cards all in gold. They were all precious in his sight, more precious than gold, for he loves them all alike, all the little children of the world.

To teach the same lesson as to the value of all souls, begin just the same.

Secure a white envelope and put in a silver dollar. Then ask how much is a silver dollar worth in a white envelope, and the reply would be one hundred cents. Take the same dollar and put it into a red envelope, which stands for the Indian race, and the reply would be just the same. Now place it in the yellow envelope, standing for the Chinese race, and still the answer would be the same. Likewise the same reply would greet placing it in the brown envelope. At last put it in a black envelope, asking its value, and the answer of course would be that its worth had not changed. The dollar represents the soul, the colored envelopes the races. The souls of the white, red, brown, yellow, and black are worth just the same to God. Jesus died for all mankind, and his blood was shed to save all the races of the earth, for he loves the nations of the earth. He died to save all souls. They all look alike to him, for Jesus changes things.

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THE BUNDLE OF LIFE

OBJECTS: Two Small Bundles Containing a Number of
Articles Described in this Chapter

Text, 1 Samuel 25:29: "But the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God."

Many long years ago David had fled from the angry King Saul who was seeking to kill him. He and a few of his faithful followers had taken refuge at Carmel.

While there the Elect Lady by the name of Abigail brought David and his hungry men "good things to eat." Her gift was 200 loaves, 2 bottles of wine, 5 sheep, 5 measures of parched corn, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of figs.

What a wonderful housekeeper she must have been, as we note this fine mixture of good things she had; she prepared for David because she was loyal and true. She was also a brave woman as she broke through the enemy's line to find one who was to be her king and help him. She did more than prepare a table for him in the presence of his enemies, for she comforted his soul not a little. She fell down at David's feet and said: "Jehovah will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of Jehovah, and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days, and although men be risen up to pursue thee to seek thy soul, the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God." Perhaps when she used the word "bundle" she was thinking of the bundle of good things she had brought him, so she comforted her king by her strong words of truth. Why should he fear his enemies? He was safe indeed, because he was wrapped up as in a bundle with his Lord.

Yes, Abigail was right, there is a bundle of life, all of us like pilgrims must carry this "pack" to the end of life's journey.

To illustrate this truth prepare two bundles wrapped up as an ordinary bundle. Place them both on the platform table where they can be seen by all the audience. The first bundle you call the "Sinner's Bundle of Life." It contains the following articles: A small paper serpent; a small bottle; a bag with the bottom left open representing a bag with holes in it; a cardboard heart with a large black spot on it. Around this bundle in place of the common cord place a small piece of chain to hold it together. When you are ready to consider this package hold it up and say, "This is The Sinner's Bundle of Life. Note it is bound together by this chain. This teaches us that the sinner is in bondage to sin. He is a slave and chained to the evil one. He is held captive to all the dark things we shall find in his life's bundle." Now unwrap the bundle and produce first the serpent. This teaches us sin is an ugly thing, a deadly serpent. It crept with the bundle of life far back in the garden of Eden and has been there ever since. Only Jesus can cast it out. Now produce the "bag" with holes in it. Drop in it some coins, and they pass out of the holes in the bottom. This illustrates the truth that the sinner's life is one of constant losses. God gives him great opportunities to do right and be right, but instead of holding on to them and making good, he lets them slip out of his life, and they are lost. He is like the children on the sands by the seashore; they gather up a handful of sand, then open their little fingers and let it slip through and back again to the sands of the sea and their little hands are empty. His gold also on the wings of dissipation and foolishness flies away from him and is lost.

Next take out the small-sized bottle. This we will call the tear bottle; in the Scriptural times the ancients bottled their tears and kept the bottle and its contents as a remembrance of their sorrow. So the sinner has his sorrows also. Outwardly he is gay and happy, but if the door of the heart could be open we would behold a house of mourning. A hopeless sorrow, the saddest of all sadness, because there is no Jesus there to bear his sorrow with him. At last produce the heart with a black stain on it; this is to teach us that down in the depths of life, so long as the heart is wrong, all else is wrong, for "out of the heart are the issues of life." What will the angels do with this bundle if it remains as it is until the last day? They will cast it into the pit of destruction, the place where all evil works must go at last.

Let us now consider "The Christian Bundle."

In preparing this package have placed into it the following articles: A Bible; a cross; a piece of white goods; a card with the words "My Soul" marked on it; a card with the word "God" marked on it. Tie this bundle up with a piece of scarlet tape.

In presenting this bundle say: "You will note it is tied together by a scarlet cord. This teaches us that, as in the days of old when the spies were let down from the windows of the house on the wall in the days of Rahab and thus made their escape, so the scarlet thread of salvation binds us together and holds us to the throne of God, and we are safe indeed. We are kept in the hollow of his hand. This cord is the first thing we note because we must seek Jesus and his salvation first. We must seek first the kingdom, and all else shall be added. Let us see what has been added as we unwrap the bundle and look it over.

"First we find the Bible. When this is taken into our life it becomes a radiant lamp. This book is a flaming torch lighting the way. We will never lose our way if we walk in this light. This Book in life's bundle produces a Bible life. This creates the Master Christian."

Next produce the cross. This stands for the fact that we trust daily in the atoning work of the Cross of Jesus. Now bring out the white goods which stands for Peace. The flag of peace waves from over the door of every Christian heart; peace through the Cross of Christ. Next display the card with the words "My Soul" marked on it. This teaches the idea that all these wonderful qualities are soul deep and therefore will go with you into the other life.

At last produce the card containing the word "God" marked on it. This teaches the fact that if God be in us and with us, wrapped up in us, we are safe for both worlds.

What will the angels do with this bundle? They will carry it through the gates, for the soul is in it, and the soul goes up to God. Now make your personal application and say: "We are all packing up our Bundle of Life; may we all make it The Christian's Bundle.

"Do the first thing first, and do it now. Cling to the scarlet thread. Remember Jesus is standing at the door. He is waiting for you to open wide the heart's door. Let him come in, and he will shut the door after him, and when once he shuts the door, no man can open it. You are safe forever more. You are wrapped up as if in a bundle with God. Do it now.

"So you will note there are two Bundles of Life. Which is yours?"

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