Chapter 4

I have here an illustration of work. Here are four nuts, a brazil nut, an almond, a walnut and a pecan. Each morning as you go to school you pass through the park. There in the park the squirrels are always to be seen, and to you they seem to be ever at play. There are days, warm spring days, lovely autumn days, when you do not like to go to school, and I hear you say, "I wish I could be like these squirrels, playing around all day long." But the squirrels do not play around all day long. They are at work, gathering nuts and storing them away for winter use. If I should give these nuts to the squirrels they would have to work to open them. All that is good in life comes through work. God wants us to work as well as play, and play as well as work.

MEMORY VERSE, _Matthew_ 21: 18

"Son, go work to-day in my vineyard."

MEMORY HYMN [422]

_"Work, for the night is coming."_

THE BIG STORE

Many of the girls and boys who read this little book live in or near one of the great cities where they have huge department stores. I love to visit a big store. I have spent hours, more likely days, if I should count up all the time, in Wanamaker's in New York and Philadelphia, Marshall Field's in Chicago, Hengerer's in Buffalo, and Eaton's in Toronto. Any season of the year, and almost any hour of the day, these stores are thronged with people, for people like to go to the big store.

Now I am thinking of another big store, a truly big store, the great big store of Life. We have to visit at this store whether we want to or not. It is not a matter of choice but of necessity. Every morning you visit the big store of Life. Every evening you return home with what you have bought.

Not only must you visit this store but you must also buy. When you visit Wanamaker's you do not have to buy unless you choose. In the big store of Life, however, you have no choice in the matter, you must buy. What must you buy? Well, you may buy anything you choose. This is the beautiful thing about the big store of Life--while we are compelled to buy we are permitted to choose. We must also pay.

"Good morning, John, what would you like to buy this morning."

"I think I'll buy a good geography lesson."

"All right, you can buy that, but you must pay the price."

"What is the price?"

"Study, earnest study. Never leave the preparation until the last minute or trust to luck."

Yes, it is true, right on through every department in the big store of Life, you can buy whatsoever you choose, but you must pay the price.

MEMORY VERSE, _Philippians_ 4: 8

"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ... think on these things."

MEMORY HYMN [332]

_"Thou my everlasting portion."_

BREAD

I have here a loaf of bread. This is good-looking bread, is it not? I can almost hear you say, "Please pass the bread." That is, I hope you say that. I hope you do not say, "Gimme the bread."

Now every girl and boy here knows what it is to be hungry, I'm sure of that. And when one is real hungry there is nothing that tastes as good as bread. Of course there should be some butter, or jam, or peanut butter spread over the top--my, it makes the mouth water, doesn't it!

We speak of bread as the staff of life because we could not be strong in body if we did not have bread. We love ice cream and cake, meat and potatoes, and many other things, but our meal is not properly balanced unless there is a plate of bread on the table.

Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." I think this has a twofold meaning. It refers to our physical hunger and our spiritual needs. All bread comes from the Father above, our Father of love. Do you remember those beautiful lines,

"Back of the loaf is the snowy flour, And back of the flour, the mill; And back of the mill, the seed, and the sun, and the shower, And the Father's will."

Jesus once spoke of himself as the Bread sent down from above. Our Father gives us daily bread for our physical needs, and he has also sent us Christ for our spiritual strength. My dear young people, take him as your Saviour.

MEMORY VERSE, _John_ 6: 51

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven."

MEMORY HYMN [325]

_"Break thou the bread of life."_

GOD'S MEASURE

Here I have some measures. This is a rule, we call it a folding foot rule. Here is a square. And here is a tape measure. There are other measures, quarts and pecks and bushels. Then there are liquid measures, quarts and gallons and barrels. There are also measures of weight, ounces, pounds and tons. Now these different measures are the same all over the United States. A pound of butter in New York is the same as a pound of butter in California. There are other countries that do not have measures like ours. France, for example, has the metric system. Should you go into a dry goods store in Paris you would not ask for a yard of cloth, but for a meter.

God's measures are the same. God has a measure for girls and boys, and that measure is the same in Ohio, Mexico, England or Spain. If it is wrong to steal in Germany, it is wrong to steal in Brazil. If it was wrong to commit murder in the first century, it is wrong to take life in this century. The Ten Commandments are some of God's measures for us.

John, come up here, I want to measure you. Stand there, that's right. I have the mark, now let us see how tall you are. Four feet, three and one-half inches. That is fine. You are a big boy, aren't you? I wish too that I could measure you according to God's measure. But I cannot do that. You must do that yourself. How tall are you as you look at yourself in the light of the Saviour's life? According to his measure I pray that you may be tall and strong.

MEMORY VERSE, _Ephesians_ 4: 13

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

MEMORY HYMN [128]

_"We may not climb the heavenly steeps."_

SLEEP

I hope you had a good sleep last night. I hope you sleep well every night. God's best gift to his children is sleep. You think there are some better gifts, do you? Name them. Ah, I thought you were mistaken. The more you think about it the more you will agree with me that sleep, the Father's loving provision for tired people, is a most blessed gift.

Now God gives sleep not only to girls and boys but to all of his creatures. Do you know how some of those creatures sleep? I will tell you. Elephants and horses commonly sleep standing up. How would you like to hear your mother say to you, "Robert, it's time to go to bed, stand in the corner there and sleep." Most birds sleep with the head turned toward the tail and the beak poked in under the feathers. Storks, gulls and all other long-legged birds sleep standing on one leg. It would be more difficult to sleep that way than just standing in the corner, wouldn't it? The fox and the wolf sleep with the tip of the nose and the soles of the feet close together, and the big, bushy tail covering all to keep them warm. Owls sleep in the daytime. They have eyelids, and over the eyelids, curtains. These curtains are drawn across the eyes, sideways, and keep out the strong light of the day. Hares, snakes and fish sleep with their eyes open.

Why does God give us sleep? Is it for the pleasure of sleeping? No. He gives us sleep that our bodies and minds may be refreshed. The strength we have expended during the day is repaid us in the sleep of the night. Be grateful to your heavenly Father when to-night you kneel to pray:

"Now I lay me down to sleep."

MEMORY VERSE, _Psalm_ 127: 2 "So he giveth his beloved sleep."

MEMORY HYMN [541]

_"Of all the thoughts of God."_

ON TIME

I once lived in a town of some five thousand population. In the center of the town was a public square, and at the most prominent corner of the square was a jeweler's store. In the window of the store was a clock which regulated the coming and going of nearly all the inhabitants. You see the children on their way to school had to pass this store, and they always glanced in the window to see if they were on time. People going away had to pass this store to get to the depot; they too looked at the jeweler's clock to see if they had plenty of time to make their train. The men who worked in the main factory of the town went by this corner; each man as he passed would pull out his watch and set it by the jeweler's clock.

Now one morning, for some reason or other, the clock was fifteen minutes slow. Children, hurrying to school, looked in at the window, and, seeing how much time they had they loitered and were late. Men and women, going to the train or work, glanced at the clock, as was their custom, and, finding that they did not have to hurry some missed their train, while others were behind time at work.

We are all human clocks. We set the time for others. Your example, girls and boys, has much to do with the way other young people, your companions, act. If you, Mary, fail to get your lessons, some of your friends are going to say, "Mary doesn't study much and I'm not going to either." Robert, if you indulge in some bad habit your chum is going to say, "Robert does this and I guess I can too." Is your life clock running true? Are you on time?

MEMORY VERSE, _I Peter_ 2: 21

"For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps."

MEMORY HYMN [420]

_"True-hearted, whole-hearted."_

DOORS

This morning, after you were awake, you passed through your bedroom door. Then you went through the bathroom door. Later you entered, through a door, the dining room. After a time, with your father and mother, you left the house through the outside door. You walked down the street and here you are in church, having entered through yonder door. Every day you are passing through various doors. What wonderful things doors are! I wonder who invented doors. What would we do without doors?

There are doors to houses and there are doors to life. Let me tell you about them. A door is made of wood. What beautiful wood is in these church doors! The doors of life are made of our will. By the exercise of our will we open and close whatsoever doors of life we choose.

The doors of our houses swing on hinges. Heavy doors seem as light as a feather because they are so delicately hung upon hinges. The hinges of the doors of life are made not of brass or iron, but of love.

When, in a little while, you leave this church you will take hold of a knob and pull open the door. The doors of life have knobs. Those knobs are called courtesy. You can open well nigh any door you choose if only you will use the knob courtesy.

What about the lock? Yes, doors have locks. So also have the doors of life. Can you guess what locks the door of life? It is faith. If you have faith, faith in God, faith in the Saviour, faith in things that are true and pure, you need never fear that your house of life will be broken into by burglars. You are secure if you have the lock of faith. Now here is a strange paradox, namely--you lock your door only by opening it. Open your door to the Master.

MEMORY VERSE, _Revelations_ 3: 20

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me."

MEMORY HYMN [282]

_"O Jesus, thou art standing."_

CHEAPEST AND BEST

A business man would not consider this subject a very good advertisement. He believes that the best things are never cheapest. There are a few instances however in which that is not the case.

First, the air we breathe. It does not cost us anything, it isn't metered out to us, so we have a saying, "as free as air." You go down to the drug store and buy a bottle of perfume. A good perfume will cost not less than a dollar a bottle. The air we breathe is infinitely purer and better than the costliest perfume.

Second, the water we drink. Do you like ice cream soda? I am sure you do. If you do not you are not a normal girl or boy. How much do you have to pay for a good ice cream soda? That depends; some places it is ten cents and some fifteen cents. You think you might like to have ice cream soda every meal, but you would soon tire of it. The water you drink is necessary, and it costs you nothing.

Third, a book, that is this book, the Bible. If you wish to buy an up-to-date book of fiction it will cost you anywhere from $1.00 to $3.00. But here is a book, the most popular, the most wonderful book that was ever written. You can buy a Bible for a few pennies, and if you do not have the pennies there is a great Bible Society that will give you a copy, that none may be without the Word of Life.

Finally, the things that are cheapest and best are the things of the soul, the spiritual ministries and influences of life. They are worship, communion, faith, hope, prayer and love. No one stands at yonder door and demands a dollar of you as you enter. The seats in this church are free to rich and poor, aged and young. These free seats typify the salvation that is here proclaimed.

MEMORY VERSE, _Isaiah_ 55: 1

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

MEMORY HYMN [304]

_"I heard the voice of Jesus."_

IN THE DARK

I have here what are commonly known as Chinese lilies. Two weeks ago they were only two or three inches high. Now they are between two and three feet. How rapidly they have grown! I How can we account for it? I can give one reason. It is because they had adequate preparation. The bulbs from which these lilies grew were kept in the dark for ten days. There, in the dark, they stored up strength and energy for the work that was before them.

Many years of our Saviour's life were spent in obscurity. They were years when, as far as the world is concerned, he was in the dark, preparing for the great work of his public ministry. My dear young people, do not be fretful over the days and years you have to go to school. They are not simply days of waiting, they are days of preparation.

Again, these lilies come from dark and humble surroundings. Here is a very plain dish. In the dish are a few ordinary stones; picked up in our yard. Water is poured upon the stones. Among these stones the lily bulbs take root. Girls and boys, it does not matter a great deal what sort of a home you have, if only it is a good home. John Wesley's youth was hid away in a poor Methodist parsonage. Abraham Lincoln was born and grew up in the dark and humble surroundings of a log cabin. Our Saviour himself was born in a manger, and his boyhood home was far from being a palace. Make the best of what you have and all will be well. God will take care of you and bring you out of the darkness.

How fragrant these lilies are! Faith, hope, love, patience, strength and truth, these fragrant qualities of life often grow best in the dark. May our good Father make your life fragrant is my prayer.

MEMORY VERSE, _Psalm_ 139: 12

"Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

MEMORY HYMN [460]

_"Lead, kindly light."_

THE STILL SMALL VOICE

What is the loudest noise you ever heard? Did you ever hear an immense cannon fired? Of course you have heard thunder. The loudest, most terrifying noise I ever heard was a boiler explosion. The town heating plant was only three doors from my home. The whole plant blew up one prayer meeting evening. The church building was plunged into darkness, the walls shook, windows were broken on every side. In terror people got down on their knees and crept toward the door. That was the loudest noise I ever heard.

Now I have here a hammer. I will drop it to the floor. Listen. Is the noise very loud? Here I have a heavy railroad spike. Hear the noise this makes as it is dropped. And now I shall drop this large nail. The noise that made is not nearly as loud as the noise occasioned by the falling hammer. Here is a small nail. You will have to listen very carefully if you hear the sound of the nail as it strikes the carpet. Have you good ears? Let us test them. Here is an ordinary pin. If you keep very quiet you will be able to hear the falling of this tiny pin. Do not move in your seat. Every one, attention! Listen. Did you hear it? Yes, most of you did.

That pin did not make much noise. No sound could be more subdued than a dropping pin. Ah, but there is a sound that is infinitely more quiet. At the same time it is louder than the roll of thunder, or the firing of a huge cannon, or the explosion of a great boiler. Some call it "conscience." I like to think of it as a voice. It is the still, small voice within. When you go to do wrong this voice speaks to you. Hear the voice, and give good heed.

MEMORY VERSE, _I Kings_ 19: 12

"And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."

MEMORY HYMN [320]

_"I want a principle within."_

THANKSGIVING

What does Thanksgiving mean to you? I hear one boy say, "It means a big dinner." I think we all agree with him. Who does not welcome and enjoy a good dinner! I hear Mary say, "Thanksgiving means a day off from school." I guess you are right too. School is not such a charming place that girls and boys are unwilling to have an occasional holiday.

Now I am going to ask some of the older people what the day means to them. There is a young woman. She is a stenographer. She says, "Thanksgiving means a day away from the office. I am at the office every day except Sunday, and I do appreciate, now and then, a day that is really my own." Yonder is a traveling salesman. What does Thanksgiving mean to you? He says, "It means a day at home. Last year I spent one hundred and sixty-nine nights away from home. I have three children. I should like to see them every day. There are times when many days pass and I do not see them. Thanksgiving week I plan to be at home."

There are others I could ask. Each has his answer. But Thanksgiving has a special meaning for us. It is the Harvest time. I have here an apple. Isn't this a beautiful apple? What color! Who mixed the paints, who handled the brush to give such color to this apple? God. He, in his infinite love and wisdom, has provided, through the unfailing laws of nature, for the growth, sweetness, coloring and beautifying of all the products of the fields. This apple is but one of many kinds of fruits.

Praise, then, is the great meaning of Thanksgiving. God, our heavenly Father, sends us every good gift. From his bountiful hand come our daily and nightly mercies. We should praise him every day. But the day for the united chorus of praise is Thanksgiving.

MEMORY VERSE, _Psalm_ 150: 6

"Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."

MEMORY HYMN [717]

_"Come, ye thankful people, come."_

MARBLES IN THE POCKET

Do you know what a Missionary Box is? Well, I will tell you. It is a box or barrel sent from a missionary society in a city or town to a missionary family or school on the frontier. The box contains clothing, bedding, and sometimes toys, dolls and picture books if there are children at the frontier end of the journey.

In a certain city one Christmas season the children of the Sunday School brought gifts to fill a box. Some brought clothes they had outgrown. Some who had two coats decided they could give one. Others brought books. One little girl brought a beautiful doll. She had other dolls, and this one she dearly loved, but she said, "I want some other little girl to be happy, and I think I can get along without this doll, though I shall miss her dreadfully."

One day the committee came together to sort the gifts and pack the box. One woman picked up a boy's coat. She felt something, hard in one of the pockets. Another woman said, "Better look all through those pockets; you can never tell what a boy will use his pockets for." So she went all through the pockets. In one of them she found a soiled handkerchief tied in a knot. With much pulling, for it was a hard knot, she loosed the little package, and there she found five marbles. With the marbles was a note scrawled in a boy's hand--

"DEAR BOY WHO GETS THIS COAT,

I have eight marbles. First I put in four for you. Then I put in another one. I hope you will like the coat, and the marbles.

From your friend,

JOHN MASON."

Now what do you think of that? Isn't it glorious? To give more to the other fellow than you keep for yourself, especially when that other fellow is some one you have never seen, is Christlike.

MEMORY VERSE, _Matthew_ 7: 12

"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

MEMORY HYMN [411]

_"O Master, let me walk with thee."_

THE FIRST MONTH

What month is this? December. It is the first month in the year. "No, no," you say, "December is the last month." I cannot entirely agree with you. December is last on the calendar but first in importance. Now you agree with me, do you not?

How many days has December? One day. "No, no," I again hear you say, "December has thirty-one days." I think we can reach an agreement on this point too. There is one day in December of unexcelled importance and loveliness; that day is the twenty-fifth. Yes, we all say there is but one day in December. How readily we agree when we understand one another!

What is the twenty-fifth? It is the pivotal day in the history of the world. It is the day upon which the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords was born. Jesus, son of man and son of God, came into the world as we all come, as a tiny babe. It brings him much nearer to us, does it not, to think that our Saviour was once as we are? He grew up as a child, a boy, a youth, a man. It is the birthday of Christ the Saviour we celebrate on the twenty-fifth of each December.

To whom did Jesus come? He came to a lowly people. He was revealed first of all to the shepherds. The shepherd's task was not an enviable one. He was out in the open, subject to storms and winds and wild beasts. His business was to shepherd the sheep, to lead them to good pasture, to protect them from all harm and danger. The shepherd's task was lonely as well as lowly. His days and nights were passed in solitude. Occasionally a group of shepherds would come together, but for the most part they were alone with their flocks. God chose these people, whose minds were clear, whose lives were pure, to be the first messengers of the glad tidings of great joy.

MEMORY VERSE, _Luke_ 2: 8

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night."

MEMORY HYMN [115]

_"While shepherds watched their flocks."_

HIM AND HYMN

I want to tell you to-day about two "Hims." The first is a man "Him." The second is a song "Hymn."

The man "him" is Phillips Brooks. He was born in 1835 and died in 1893. He never married, so he had no girls and boys of his own. But he loved all children. He had a great, warm heart, and in that heart was a big corner for all young people. He became a minister. His first church was in Philadelphia. Later he moved to Boston. He had not been in Boston very long when, one night, about midnight, the people saw flames breaking out through the roof of the church. A sorrowing congregation, with their pastor, watched their loved church as it burned to the ground.