Part 13

He certainly did need the prayers of good people, because money can be made a mighty curse unless God is in it. Money is like a skeleton key which unlocks a multitude of sin doors through which we enter to the eternal hurt of our soul. Mary Magdalene found it paid for a season in dollars and cents, but this is tainted money and slips through the fingers, and on wings supplied from the demons themselves flies away to come back no more forever. "His money was his curse," that the people often say when like a devil it has entered and destroyed a human heart. We are now speaking only of the evil use of money. Put the card with the dollar mark on it into the heart and say, This is the fourth devil.

"Temper" is the next devil to enter the sinner's heart. Write this word down on a fiery red card. In anger folks seem to be under control of another power; they do not seem like themselves. There is a strange look in the eye, another expression has seized the features of the face, and they seem for a few moments to be "changed into other men." The reason for all of this transformation is that temper is a devil, and it has taken possession of the heart.

When I was a little boy there were two little brothers who lived on the same street with me. One of them, the older one, had a very bad temper, and when he grew angry he would fling himself upon the ground and kick and scream. All the neighbors noticed this and when they spoke to his mother about it she replied, "Willie is not himself when in temper."

She was speaking the truth, he was possessed by the temper devil. One day this brother was playing with his little brother and in a moment of anger struck him in the face with his clinched fist. When the doctor came he said the little brother would never see again. He would be blind for life. Both brothers lived to be men. The elder brother never had a happy hour afterward. He would often say, "I don't see how I could have done it." This was why he did it; as with Mary Magdalene, the devil had entered his heart. The temper devil had entered the soul and taken full possession. As you say these words put the card into the heart and say "_Temper_ is the fifth devil."

"_Unbelief_" is the sixth devil. Mary Magdalene had sinned and lost her standing in the synagogue. Her sins were punishable by the laws of Moses with death; she was a doomed sinner, she had left God and was alone. If she had kept the devil of unbelief out of her heart when she was first tempted, she never would have fallen into his black hands. It never pays to leave God. Believe his word. He has spoken, trust him. This will keep the devil out. Many years ago in a New England town there was a minister who preached a carefully prepared sermon on "Casting all your care on him, for he careth for you," and on his way home from church fell into a well and was severely hurt. It was laughing-stock for a common community, and it did seem just a little strange that after he had so carefully prepared his sermon and assured the people that if they put their trust in God he would take care of them, and then an hour afterward he should fall into a well and injure himself. The devil of unbelief whispered in his heart, "God did not keep his word, you are a fool to trust him," but the young preacher resisted the whispering devil and said, "Wait a little while, God will make it plain to me," and God did. He was sent to a hospital in Boston, a town he had never seen but always wanted to visit. While he was there some friends urged him to write the story of "How God cared for a man by casting him into a well."

He was a better writer than a speaker; an essayist, rather than an orator. He wrote his story and told the world how he believed God and did not doubt his promises. He told the story of Joseph who had been cast into a well and came forth to be a prince in Egypt. He thus attracted the attention of the entire city of Boston. He leaped into fame at once. He became one of the most famous writers of America, and for years was the leader of religious thought in all New England.

God took good care of him so he should fall into the well, for that was the first round in the ladder of his great success. Many a man has doubted God and stayed down the well of misfortune and upbraided God, denounced him, and so lived the rest of his days in darkness, and dying went into eternal night. Put this card into the heart and say "Unbelief is the sixth devil."

"Unholy Pleasure" is the seventh and last devil of this black-winged group. Have these words written on a piece of gold paper.

This devil of "Unholy Pleasure" is in full dress and a gentleman of the world. A "regular fellow," so the people of the world declare, but he is a deceiver and destroyer. Seek pure pleasure. Play, but play straight, or the lamps of sin over the pleasure garden of the world will blind your eyes, so you cannot see the evil of sinful pleasures.

This devil will be at the end of the road to make captive your soul forever. Place this card in the heart and say: "Unholy Pleasure is the seventh devil, and now there is a full house of devils. The heart will soon come to the end of the way as it is now full of devils and full of sin." As you say this produce a red heart the same size as the white heart you have been using, and put it in front of the white heart. You can now see sin covers her heart entirely, she is down but not out, because where the "out" begins Jesus stands and waits. He always gives special attention to hard cases, and Jesus found Mary Magdalene just there, and saved her soul by casting out the seven devils and making her clean again. He had forgiven all her transgressions and remembers them against her no more forever.

As you say this, still holding the red heart in front of the white heart, take out all the devils at once if you can, and as you do so take away the red heart also, drop them all on the table together and say, "Please note that when the devils all go out sin goes also [having reference to the red heart], and the heart is now white and clean, and it will so stay, for the devils have gone out to stay out."

This is the story of how seven devils entered the heart of Mary Magdalene, and the glad story of how they were cast out. God will do the same for you, for he is no respecter of persons.

In delivering this address always keep the heart of Mary Magdalene in full view of the audience. Hold it in your left hand if possible, and load the cards with the right hand. Be sure and make the heart large enough to contain the seven cards you put into it. Practise and rehearse.

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SHOW YOUR COLORS

OBJECTS: An Eighteenth Amendment Flag; a Church Flag; a Conquest Flag; an American Flag=

Text: Psalm 60:4: "That it may be displayed because of the truth."

This is an expression we often use when we want to be out and out for any cause we wish to represent.

When the World War was on we pinned a small flag on our coats because we were glad we were Americans and wanted to be out and out for our country; we "displayed our colors."

Let us all try to show our colors as good Americans. Produce a flag from an inside pocket and say: "As an American citizen I will now show my colors; our text says, 'That it may be displayed because of the truth.'"

When I was traveling in Europe I always had a little flag in my hotel room. I did not keep it in the bottom of my trunk, nor did I keep it shut up in the closet, but I placed it in a conspicuous place where everybody who came into the room could see it.

I can show my colors also by obeying my country's laws and always speaking well of its President and those in authority. I am not ashamed of them, so I show my colors as an American citizen, I now will place this flag over the pulpit where you can all see it, and place my hand on it and vow I will always show my colors as an American; and lifting up the other hand I say, "So help me God."

From another pocket produce a white piece of bunting with the figures "18" marked on it, and say: "I am a temperance advocate. I believe in the Eighteenth Amendment, and I will support it with all my heart. It is a glorious part of the Constitution of the United States. I will not call it a failure, and thereby cause the wicked to jeer at it. I will not speak slightingly of it, and thereby cause the weak to disrespect it. I believe it came from God and it has come to stay. I am for it with all my soul."

A visitor once came as a stranger to a Southern town on the eve of "a license" or "no-license campaign," and was asked by one of the liquor men which side he was on, He replied: "You just step up to God and ask him which side he is on; step up to the wives and children of the drunkards, and ask them which side they are on; I am on the same side."

He was out and out a defender of the glorious Eighteenth Amendment. Now place this flag over the pulpit next to the Stars and Stripes. At this time produce from another pocket the church flag, which is the white flag with a red cross in its center, and as you display it, say: "I am out and out for the Church of God. I love its walls and its glorious old songs. I live in it and live for it, because I want to do good by my example. I need the church. There is mighty power in 'the assembly.'"

This I say with my lips, and this I say also by my example. Jesus was a church-goer, and I want to be like him. It was his custom to go to the assembly. It was a good custom. The Church is "the meeting-place," not the place where we meet each other only, but where we meet God. It is good to be there. Jesus went there to meet his heavenly Father, for "God is in his holy temple." Heaven bless the meeting-house.

God feels hurt if we do not come to see him, because we are the children of his heart. Let us go to church.

When Mr. Moody was converted he went out every Sunday morning and collected half a dozen boys and brought them into the church, and they sat in the same church pew with him, "He showed his colors." Here wave the church flag and place this flag beside the Eighteenth Amendment flag.

Draw out now from another pocket a missionary flag (the conquest flag) and say, "I believe in spreading the good news of the gospel to all the world." Here is a good story about a missionary potato. A little boy, a son of a rich and prosperous farmer, came home one day from Sunday school very much excited about the stories he had heard about the heathen people who worshiped idols. "Never mind about them, John," said the father, "we have no money to send them, besides we have heathen enough at home."

This did not satisfy John, and he puzzled his curly head with his own plans to help them.

One day he said to his father who seemed to be in a good humor, "Daddy, if you will not give me money to help the heathen will you give me a potato?" "Why certainly, son, I will give you a peck if you like." John said, "No, daddy, only one good one, and give me land enough to plant it in, and all it will produce in four years."

This pleased the father greatly and he promised him he would be glad to do this and he said to himself, "This lad of mine will make a good farmer some day." So John planted his potato, and the first year it rewarded him by producing nine. These he carefully kept for planting, and the second year he had a peck. These became seven and a half bushels the third year, and when the fourth harvest came, lo, the one potato had increased to seventy bushels. When he took them to town he told the store-keeper that he had some missionary potatoes to sell. "That must be a new kind of potato," the store-keeper said, "well, bring them over and if they are all right I'll take 'em." So he sold his potatoes for a good price and gave the money to missions. His father seeing this, concluded he would become a missionary helper also, and gave liberally each year of his money for the cause. So John showed his "missionary colors" and won his father by so doing. Jesus wants us to come out into the open and tell the world the story of his love. "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed [show your colors] because of the truth" (Ps. 60: 4). We are the flags in full view of the people. Let us display our colors.

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THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IN STORY FORM

A MEMORY LESSON=

It is of the highest importance that we teach our children the names of the books of the New Testament, and that they shall be able to recite them from memory in their proper order.

This is not an easy task as it requires some memory effort, but it is worth the while and the effort. All children love stories, and instruction by stories is always winsome to them. It is easy on their heads. This method puts life and movement into facts, and the little folks like it much because the story method of learning things turns labor into play.

In this chapter the names of the books of the New Testament have been put together in story form. Cause the children to commit to memory the story and then to recite it in concert frequently during the meeting. After they have learned it well, ask them to think of the story, but repeat out loud the names of the books. By this simple method the books of the New Testament will be nailed down in their memory for years to come. This is the story:

=The Books of the New Testament in Story Form=

_Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John_ determined on _Acts_ of discovery, accompanied by seven brave _Romans,_ started on a pilgrimage to find the Temple of Truth. _First_ and _Second Corinthians_ gave them all two changes of raiment, and, as they were passing out of the city gate, they were met by _Galatians_ and _Ephesians_ who supplied them camels for their journey, and there the two famous sword-makers, _Philippians_ and _Colossians_, gave them swords and shields for the conflict. As they journeyed on, they met _First_ and _Second Thessalonians_ seated at Jacob's well reading _First_ and _Second Timothy_. With hearts stirred by the truth, they marched bravely on when they noticed the approach of a lone camel upon which was seated _Titus_, who was returning from a visit to _Philemon_, who he announced was keeping the true faith. They then passed through the encampment of the _Hebrews_, where they found _James_ expounding the gospel to _First_ and _Second Peter_, who announced to them that the Palace of Truth was at the end of the road leading out of the encampment, and that _First, Second,_ and _Third John_ had been watching for their caravan all night. When they arrived at the Palace of Truth, _Jude_ the door-keeper gave them an open door and told them to enter in peace. As they retired to rest in comfort after their long journey, _Revelation_ stood on guard in the tower, watching the signs of the times.

Ask the children to repeat this story in concert as an opening exercise for their meeting.

This is a New Testament rosary. The beads are the books, the string is the story.

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WHAT TEN CORDS COULD NOT DO

OBJECTS: Ten Cords Three Feet Long and a Double Heart=

When the children of Israel were tenting and wandering in the wilderness God called Moses their leader up into the heights of Mount Sinai. He wished to speak to him alone, and so Joshua, who had gone up with him, was left in the lower parts of the mountain to await his return, while Moses went up to the cloud-crowned top of the mountain to be alone, all alone with God. This conference with God continued forty days and nights, and when it was concluded Moses came down from the smoking top bearing two tables of stone, upon which were chiseled the ten laws or, as we say today, the Ten Commandments. In few and short words they were as follows:

1. Thou shalt have no other God before me. 2. Thou shalt not make graven images. 3. Thou shalt not take in vain the holy name of God. 4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. 5. Honor thy parents. 6, Commit no murder. 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8. Thou shalt not steal. 9. Tell no falsehoods. 10. Do not covet thy neighbor's things.

These ten commandments instruct us in all the duties of life. Yet we may keep all these laws and not be a Christian. Once when Jesus was here among men a rich young ruler came to him asking what he must do to be saved, Jesus asked him about the Ten Commandments. He replied that he had kept them from his youth up, but when Jesus asked him to sell all and follow him, he then saw that the commandments had not gone through to his heart, for there he had the gold idol which he would not give up even to follow Jesus. He had not kept the first commandment. So we can all learn by this story that he was not a Christian although perhaps he had kept all the commandments, as he thought. They cannot change the heart. The law can never do that.

These Ten Commandments are like ten shining cords which may hold us back from evil-doing, but which can never change our heart and make us Christians.

To illustrate this point of the lesson secure ten strong cords, each of them at least three feet long; hang them over the back of a chair where the audience can see them. Call these ropes the Ten Commandments, and name each rope after one of the commandments. Then tell the following story. The ancient Greeks had a strange fable about the Sirens. These were bewitching little sea-nymphs who sat on a great rock in the sea called Sibylla, and as they sat there they sang such charming and wonderful songs that they lured the sailors to their destruction on the rocks. One day when the charming Ulysses was passing that way with his great ship, Circe warned him of the peril of these dangerous singers, and assured him that many a gallant ship had been lost in these stormy waters. So Ulysses took heed to the word of caution and ordered that the ears of the sailors should be filled with wax. Then he had himself fastened to the mast by many strong cords, so when their ship reached the place where the beguiling sea fairies worked, the sailors could not hear their music, and although Ulysses was enchanted by the music and struggled to break the cords which bound him, he failed to release himself, and so passed the temptation rock in safety and soon the music died away in the distance.

Some days afterward the brave and wise Argonauts were sailing over the same enchanted waters, but they had on the ship with them the famous Orpheus. He was a masterful player on the lyre, and when the ship came near to the dangerous rock he poured forth such heavenly music that the sailors had no ear for the tempting tones of the Sirens' songs, and so passed by in safety. The Sirens, seeing that their spell was broken, leaped into the sea, and their alluring tones were never heard again.

The Ten Commandments were like the ten cords which bound Ulysses to the mast but did not keep his heart from desiring to fly to the sinful song-makers. The cords kept him from sin, but did not take the love of sin from his heart.

The Ten Commandments may keep us from doing and saying wrong things, but they will never take the love of sin away or change our hearts. The two new commandments of Jesus are like the music of Orpheus; they fill our hearts with a holy spell, and we lose all love for the pleasures of sin, because the two new commandments have reached our hearts and made us Christians. To love God with all our heart and our neighbors as ourselves is the full teaching of Christ's two new commandments.

To illustrate this truth, make a double heart out of strong cardboard so it will open by a hinge. Call this the Christian's heart. Mark it on the outside with a cross. As you open the heart let them see the word "God" marked on one side and on the other side the word "Man."

In the heart of every Christian you will find love for God and love for man. This heart will keep us from evil by taking away the call to evil. This the ten cords could not do. The only way to get such a heart is to go to Jesus. He gives new hearts for old. This is the only heart he gives away. If you will take it he will take all your sins away to stay.

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OBJECT-LESSONS EXTRAORDINARY

OBJECTS: Pictures of Animals and Living Objects=

This chapter is simply a study for the object worker. It is an illustration of how ponderous and unusual objects can be used to teach religious truths. It is a far swing from the smaller and common objects which are available for the regular teacher who employs the eye appeal. Yet it is well to remember that ponderous things talk for God, for it is written that the heavens declare the glory of God, and there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

It is our big business to interpret the language of things in terms the people can understand. Translate the voice of the heavens into English. Some starlit night use the sky as an object-lesson. Gather the children around you and ask them to look up at the sky. Tell them a few things that astronomy has told you, concluding with the story of the Wise-men and the Christmas Star and other Biblical star stories. By so doing you will make the stars a golden path to Jesus and the objects in the heavens will preach of righteousness. If some day you can stand with the children by the side of the sea you can use the ocean as an object-lesson. Tell them stories of the wonders in the deep.

Tell them the tales of sea adventures by the hardy mariners. Talk about the ocean shells and sands at their feet. Conclude by telling them Bible sea stories; how a runaway prophet was cast into the sea during a great storm and what happened to him. Tell them about the storm on the sea of Tiberias, and how Jesus commanded the winds and the waves to obey his word. Tell them about Paul's sea journeys, and the wreck of the prison ship, and how they all escaped to a friendly island. In concluding tell them about the heavenly land where there shall be no more sea, and of the mercy of God which is like the wideness of the sea.

You will note that you have used ponderous object-lessons, the sky and the sea.

Sometime when it is possible use household pets as object-lessons. Tell them how to be kind to animals. Explain to them the habits and needs of the little creatures. Tell them when possible Bible stories in which these animals figure. A bird in a cage, a fish in the bowl, etc., will make most interesting and fascinating object-lessons.

When this is not possible use pictures of the animals you want to talk about. Let me tell you how once upon a time I gave an object-lesson extraordinary by using living wild animals. From childhood I have been a lover of wild beasts. I could sit up all night and read about wild animals, I loved these stories more than I loved my play. As I grew older I made them my special study. In later life it was my good fortune to study them at close range which finally enabled me to go into their cages with them. They became my good friends. They treated me with the greatest consideration. It seemed to them I was their second keeper. Let me tell you about the wild animals that I have met, and whose pictures you will see on the following pages.

="ATLAS" THE BIG LION=

Atlas was four years old and as friendly and gentle as the house dog. Wild animals, like humans, differ as to their dispositions; some are snarling and cross, others are gentle and winsome. Atlas belonged to the latter class.