Part 9

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.

=39

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.

=40

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?"

=41

THE NORTH POLE OF THE BIBLE

OBJECTS: A Pole Painted White Standing Erect on the Platform with a Scripture Reference on It. Also a Red-and-White Cardboard Heart.=

The North Pole has been discovered at last. This is an achievement which history will record in large headlines.

The names of Nansen, Kane, Amundsen, Scott, and Peary and others are engraven on golden tablets in the World's Hall of Fame. These famous men now wear the crown of achievement. Through fields of ice they plowed, enduring the rigors of the long Arctic winters, suffering the pangs of hunger and loneliness, but with iron wills and nerves of steel they pressed on and won out.

And yet there are ocean depths that never a human eye hath seen; mountain peaks that never yet have been pressed by a human foot; mighty rivers up which no civilized man has ever sailed. Of a truth there remains much land to be possessed.

But harken: the largest and most mighty adventure in this old world of ours is to find the larger North Pole of Creation.

This larger North Pole you will find in the Bible, and all who believe God should be striving to find it.

Here you see standing on the platform before you a white pole. We will call it the North Pole of the Bible. On it you will notice a passage of Scripture which reads, "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself" (Luke 10:27). This should be life's greatest endeavor, to love God with the big measure of this text.

This is a gigantic adventure. You are invited to join the expedition.

A man by the name of Thomas Boston, who wrote the "Fourfold State," was much afraid when a boy that the number of God's chosen ones, 144,000 spoken about in Revelation, was already made up, and that his name was not among the number because he had come into the world too late. But no one may despair that his name is not among the number chosen by God to reach the Greater North Pole of the Bible, for all the believing world are asked to seek and find, and all who seek aright shall indeed find.

The reason so few fail to find it is because they don't seek long enough. Did you ever hear the story of the discovery of gold in California? It seems that two men seeking the yellow stuff had gone to California. One man's name is not known in history. Marshall was the name of the other man. One morning after long months of fruitless toil the man of the forgotten name threw down his pick and pan and declared he was through, and said he did not believe that gold could be found in that spot, and he left for his Eastern home. Marshall said he would try again because he believed the yellow stuff was there. Six hours after his companion had left Marshall struck a vein of the finest gold and became rich and famous. Both of these men were brave and strong, only Marshall was brave just six hours longer than his companion, and so won out.

It is the man who can believe the longest and work the hardest that will find the North Pole of the Bible. This is the secret passage to the Greater Pole: Love God, and stick to it until you can do it with all your soul. It is sad to think that not every one will do this. This is why God can't reign in his own world, because of the people's unbelief.

God is yet waiting to show the world what mighty things he can do for us with the man who loves him with his whole heart, and the man who does this has reached the North Pole of the Scriptures. To love God with the whole heart means to love God first and most, and all the time.

To illustrate this thought prepare two hearts made of cardboard. One should be red; this stands for man. The other card should be white; this represents God. Make this heart a little larger than the red heart. Make it of double cardboard and open at the top. Hold up the red heart in the left hand and the white heart in the right hand. Hold both hands far apart, bearing in mind that the red heart stands for man and the white heart for God.

Now say that God calls the red heart to come to him, to repent of sin and forsake all evil ways, and to love him ever afterward with the whole heart. The truth is he asks for your whole heart, which means your full and perfect love. He will hide you in his great heart of love. As you make this remark cause both hearts to approach each other. You will notice that the white heart moves toward the red heart, this is to make clear the fact that God meets us always _half way_.

The only time God was ever in a hurry was when he ran out to meet the returning Prodigal Son. He is anxious and yet more than anxious to meet half way the soul who will seek him and wants to love him with all his heart. Now let the hearts approach each other and when they meet let the red heart slip into the white one, and say: "God is ready to receive the believer who wishes to be lost in his love. This is perfect love. This is loving the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself."

This is finding the North Pole of the Bible.

Now fasten the white heart containing the red heart on the Pole. God will give us large wings of Faith which can endure the long hard flight to the North Pole of the Bible.

There we will find Jesus, this is where he lives, in the perfect love of God. In the Book of Life, which is God's Blue Book of "Who's Who in the Kingdom," you will find written in letters of gold the names of those who had perfect love and so have reached the North Pole of the Bible.

Jesus asks us so to do. "Let's go."

=42

OBJECT-LESSONS FOR SPECIAL DAYS

OBJECTS: A Large Collection of Simple Objects Herein Described=

Holidays, festival seasons, and historical events are always interesting to the little people and may be made of large value to them.

As these days come around, and public attention is thus called to them, you can use these special seasons as an occasion for the presentation of certain important truths suggested by them and to help the children see and feel the real good for which the days stand.

You can thus cause these days to stand for something more than events past. You can make them gleam with truths worth while for the present. Some of these events noted in this chapter vary as to their dates in the several States and countries; this matter you can rearrange to fit your own State. Of course other festival days and special seasons will occur to you, and you can fit them into your schedule of events according to your liking.

Some of the objects are very simple, but they may suggest others to you of greater importance. The Scripture reading for certain of the days will give you an opportunity to line up religious truths also with the event you are noting.

Here is a partial list of some of the special seasons and holidays.

=New Year's Day. January First=

_The Forward Look Day_ would be a good name also for this day.

Read Philippians 3:1-14.

Use a blank book with the figures of the New Year on its cover. Explain that the New Year is like a blank book of 365 pages. What shall I write on its pages? Put a verse of Scripture on the top of each page. Live by its teachings and commit to memory each day's verse on its day. That will give you a clean page, not a blank one, but one written all over with God's truth. Each action of yours will be like a quill. It will write down the story of your life.

You may also use a string of beads to illustrate that truth. Secure a piece of strong white thread, and call this the string of time. Place on this string one bead at a time, 365 in all; these beads you call the days of the year. Every seventh bead should be a large and unusual one which we will call the Sabbath Day. If that day is a common day of pleasure put a plain bead as the seventh bead. Instruct them to make every seventh bead the best of all the beads by keeping the day holy; it will be holy unto the Lord.

=Snowflake Day. In January=

Read as a Scripture lesson Job 37:1-14 or Psalm 147.

This can be used any day in the winter. If there is a large fall of snow on the ground, it can be used at that time with good effect. Cut out a number of small stars and pin them on a background and say: "Once upon a time there was a little boy who had just discovered that every snowflake was like a little star in shape and exclaimed to his Mother as he watched them fall, 'Oh, Mother, it's snowing stars.' Yes, he was right; if every flake could be examined under a large magnifying-glass we would find each flake to be a tiny star. Some people never tire looking at the beautiful flakes falling down over street and field. How wonderful to watch God snow stars. The snowflake is a six-pointed star. That is the shape of the Bible star. Ancient history tells us that on the shield of David there was a six-pointed star. It was called the star of David. It is so called by the Jews at the present time. How beautiful it is to have a White Christmas. The wonderful snow covering the ground with spotless white. How much more wonderful it is to remember that each snowflake is a six-pointed star covering the ground with the stars of David, reminding us that there is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord."

=Franklin's Birthday. January 17=

The selected Scripture for that day could be Solomon's description of the man of thrift as found described in Proverbs 6:6-11.

Secure a boy's kite, and tell the part it played where Franklin brought down the lightning from the sky to serve man. We also bring down prayer power from above, for by Prayer we bring down God's power to serve us.

=McKinley's Birthday. January 29=

Read Matthew 5:1-12 wherein Jesus describes the well-balanced man. President McKinley was a man thus put together. Secure a picture of him if possible, and comment on the main features of his life. Like Lincoln and Garfield, he gave his life for the right and God. We may not be called upon to surrender our life as did President McKinley for the cause of humanity, but we can do what God likes just as much--we can _live_ for him and his cause.

=Ground-Hog Day. February 2=

Tell the old story of how this little animal is believed by some to tell certain things about the weather, so they watch to see him peep out of his little hole in the ground. Pin up some pictures of an animal on a background and tell a few short stories about them.

=Missionary Day. February=

Show a map of the heathen country and secure some small idols or curios from some missionary headquarters and exhibit them to the children. Tell the audience that though we may smile at these ugly shapes the heathen people revere them and cling to them as their only hope. They will not give them up because we just say they are false gods. They will fight for them and often suffer more for their gods than we will for the true God. A returned missionary told the following story. He was holding special meetings for the children and trying to reach them by teaching them to sing the little Christian songs our mothers taught us. At once the heathen priests opened a children's meeting directly opposite to his place of meeting. The missionary taught the children to sing,

Oh, how I love Jesus, Because he first loved me.

The heathen priest taught the children to sing by the same tune the words:

Oh, how I love Buddha, Because he first loved me.

So you see we must fight a long battle and endure much for Jesus before we will put the name of Jesus in the place of Buddha in the hearts of the people of the heathen land. Here exhibit a Conquest Flag which stands for warfare. The war is on--but Jesus will conquer. The Conquest Flag tells us this.

=Lincoln's Birthday. February 12=

Read as the Scripture lesson how God chose Moses to be the Emancipator of the Hebrews, Exodus 3:11-22.

His was a heart trust in God. Read this truth in Psalm 91.

Secure a broken chain to represent the millions made free from the bondage of slavery.

Sing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and also "America."