did. He thinks of home, of bread, of servants in the old house and

land of plenty. Sometimes we think of the better life too late. We cannot retrace our steps and begin over again, but that God does: When we repent and come to God, we may begin all over again.

X--Here pick up _purple cloth._ Make this a perfect square. This color stands for repentance. It is the penitential color in the church world. So he said, "I will arise and go to my Father, and say unto him, 'I have sinned.'" This is the quick way home. It is a short cut to God. The forgiving father is at the end of this road. So he goes back in his rags. That is the way to go home. This is coming "Just as I am, without one plea." Don't take off your rags. The Father alone must do this and He will.

XI--Here pick up _red cloth._ This represents the long love of the loving father. Red stands for love, a flaming love which causes the father to run to meet him. This is the only time when God is said "to run," and He does it every time when he sees the sinner coming.

XII--Here pick up _a striped cloth._ This represents the new robe just like the first robe used when he went to the far country. He now looks just like he looked when he left home. The past is all covered up with Father's forgiveness, and when the neighbors come in, they don't see rags but the garment beautiful. Perhaps they don't know of his misfortune. They only know he was lost and found and lost so long to the Father that they thought him dead, but he is alive again, and they began to be merry.

XIII-Here pick up _green cloth._ This represents the jealous anger of the elder brother who knows all about his downfall, and stayed outside and grumbled about the past sins of his brother, and the fact that never was a fatted calf slain for him that he might make merry with his friends also. His Father pleads with him, and since we hear nothing about this elder brother again, we would conclude that he went in and joined in the festivities of his brother's return. The Father's love had conquered both of his sons.

XIV--Here take _red cloth,_ and cover the green with it for the Father's love (red) had conquered the jealousy (green) of his son's heart.34

XV--Here pick up _white cloth_--the white stands for peace, which was now in the dear old home. Peace which we believe was also in the elder brother's heart. Peace which we know was in the Father's heart, and in the heart of the Prodigal, who had exchanged his rags for the glad robe of eternal salvation. As they all hang upon the line, remember the lesson, and ask the class to tell you what each rag stands for. You can, if you so desire, in place of hanging them on a line, place them on the furniture of the pulpit. The matter of using cloth, muslin or silk or any other substance, is left to the convenience and judgment of the teacher. Even colored papers can be used in place of the rags. In that case name the lesson "The Prodigal Son in Scraps of Paper." Place these scraps in a waste basket and from that place of cast-off things, produce them as you desire.

=CHAPTER XX WHAT CAN TAKE AWAY MY SINS?=

_Objects used: Large transparent jar of clear water; a small quantity of oxalic acid; some powdered ox gall; a quantity of tincture of iron; a small cluster of flowers; a few coins; a dictionary, It is a lesson with chemical effects._

WHAT CAN TAKE AWAY MY SINS?

_A Chemical Talk_

PLACE on the table a large jar of plain untinted glass; fill it two-thirds full of water and before the class assembles drop in a few drops of tincture of iron. This receptacle we will call the Human Heart. Secure a two-ounce bottle, paint it red, in which you place a strong solution of oxalic acid. You cannot get this solution too strong. This represents the Blood. Secure a third bottle and paint it black. In this place some powdered nut galls. This represents Sin. On the table have,--a silver coin, a music box, a cup of pure water. These you will use in the body of the lesson later. Announce that you will choose a text for your talk this time and it will be found in I John 1:17. "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Call attention to the large jar which represents the Human Heart. To all appearance it looks as pure as a lily. There seems to be nothing in it to make it evil. It does not look like evil. So it often happens that the evil in us, does not always show on the surface, but is hidden away in our heart. It was born in us. All men are not _born_ sinners, but _born_ in sin, and later on, that sin manifests itself, and we begin to choose evil in preference to the right, and that makes us sinners. The seed of sin was hidden deep in the heart. The jar apparently pure has in it a hidden property no eye can see, but it is there and when evil gets in it finds a response from that hidden power and at once the apparently pure water has turned black with sin. I now pour a few drops from the black bottle, the evil bottle, into the jar. Even these few drops seem to be clear and white also, but when I drop them into the jar of water, all is blackened because the apparent cleanness was only on the surface. "There is a way that seemeth right in the eyes of men, but the ways thereof are the ways of death." You can now talk about things which men do which they say are not bad. They look all right, that is true, but when they enter the soul, they soil it, and sin is supreme. What shall I do to get rid of my sin? What can take away my sin? Can I purchase my salvation? Let us see. Now cast in the jar a number of silver coins, and say these will bring me the white again, but the blackness is yet there, showing that salvation cannot be bought with silver or gold. Can education or refinement take away sin? Let us see. Place over the top of the jar a number of school books to represent education. Of course you see the water is yet black, because you cannot make a black heart clean by learning. Will music take away my black sin? Let us see. Place a music box on top of the jar, and let the music sound forth, but you note the heart is still black and will remain black notwithstanding the finest music of the world. Shall I say the power of the mind can take the blackness away? Let us see. I will say to myself "There is no blackness in this jar. It is a mental delusion. I am mistaken. I don't see black, and if I continue so to do long enough the black will disappear to the eye for it was never there. It was a mental defect to say it was there." All of this sort of thinking would never change the contents of the jar. Can beauty take away the black? Let us see. Cast in now a few flowers. The most beautiful things God has made. Will the handful of beauty take the blackness away? This beauty can never do. What will do it? What is the soul's cry? What can take away my sins? Here produce the red bottle. "The blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin." Pour a few drops or more from the red bottle into the jar. Continue to pour it in until the water is made white again. Behold! the blackness of despair has disappeared. The Blood has taken away the sin forever. Before you put the drops of black into the jar, take out a small glass full of the black water and place it down on the table and after the water has been cleared up say "When the blood of Christ takes away our sin, He keeps us when tempted to go black again." To illustrate that truth, pick up the small glass of black water, and say "This represents temptation, and it seeks to get back into the soul again and make it black with sin as before." Pour the contents into the jar but you notice that at once there is a power in the purified water in the jar to resist all temptation and the black does not blacken the water again. The effect of the illustration will be made more striking if you put two or more lighted candles back of the jar. By rehearsal in private, work out the necessary proportions of these chemicals so they will work out correctly when you use them before your audience. Be very careful and keep these chemicals away from the reach of the children as some of them are deadly poisons.

=CHAPTER XXI THE GOSPEL COPY BOOK=

_Objects used: A small blackboard; a small New Testament; a number of children to write on the blackboard_

THE GOSPEL COPY BOOK

THIS is a lesson showing how important it is to copy Christ, not Christians. Many go astray in their life and conduct because they do not follow the copy. There is a gospel copy book. Christ is that book. Follow His words and your life will not be crooked, and what you do and say will cause people who watch you to say "He is following the copy. He has studied well his lesson in the Gospel Copybook." Write the word "Christian" in large letters at the top of the blackboard and ask a tall boy to copy it as exactly as possible. After this is done, cover up the original line, and ask another boy to copy the copy. Keep covering up all but the last line, having various ones to copy till six or seven have been made. Now take off the covers and compare them with the original. You will note every copy is different from each other and all different from the original, because each child looked at some one else's writing and not at the original. We are apt to copy each other's mistakes and example. This we do when we look at Christians, and try to do as they do instead of taking Christ as our example.

One morning a business man who lived in the suburbs was hastening to catch the train, which he supposed was almost due. It was important that he should go to town, but, as he was walking along in nervous haste, he saw a gentleman ahead of him, walking with deliberation and ease. They always took the same train, so he watched him and not his watch. But to his great dismay, he saw the train come in and go out, and they both were left. The watch of the man he followed was five minutes slow. He learned his lesson--follow no man--watch the watch and the schedule, and go straight ahead. Run yourself on railroad time. That is good business sense for the traveler. Jesus has given us a gospel copy book. Here it is. It is the New Testament. Follow its teachings and your life will be straight, and you will be like Jesus. Follow Christ and not Christians." Be not content in saying "I am as good as most Christians." You are not asked to be as good as even the best Christians, but to be like Jesus.

=CHAPTER XXII IN HIS KEEPING=

_Objects used: A nest of boxes; teaching the truth of the Divine Security_

IN HIS KEEPING

THIS is a lesson based on the text John 10:28: "They shall never perish." They shall never perish because they are in His keeping. Oh how safe are those who trust Him in the hollow of His hand, for "they shall never perish."

This is an object lesson teaching the divine "security of the Believer." Produce a fair sized cardboard heart on which write your name. This is the way of announcing your salvation. Religion is an affair of the heart. It goes to the heart, changes the heart, keeps the heart. An old whaler once said he'd been in the business for so many years he could talk about nothing else save whales and said "When I am dead, if you should open my heart, I think you would find the word 'whale' in its centre." His business was an affair of his heart. I am sure that deep in the believer's heart you would find the name 'Jesus' written, because religion is an affair of the heart to every true believer.

To put this lesson over in a large way, secure a number of boxes each just a little larger than the other so they will nest well. On the first box, print a large cross as large as the side of the box will permit. Now drop the heart into that box and close the lid tightly. The heart is now hid in the Cross, and is safe forever. Your money you may lose, a thief may make way with it. It may take wings and fly away out of your sure keeping place, but when you give your heart over to the keeping of the Cross, you are safe forevermore. The word says "They shall never perish" because they are in His keeping. Now take a slightly larger box marked "His care." Place the box marked with a cross inside of this box and close the lid. Now I am doubly safe, for I am in Christ, and also in God's care. God cares for the sparrow, for the Word says, "Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without your Heavenly Father." Not alone that He sees and counts the fallen bird, but that He comes down with it. God attends the funeral of even a fallen sparrow. If He so cares for a bird, will He not care more for me! And He does and so I am safe in His care.

Take the next larger box and mark it "His Love," and in this box place the one marked "His Care." Every believer tents in the love land of the heart of God. "He so loved that we might not perish." And so we are safe in His love. No man dare tamper with the love marked children of His. Even Satan is afraid of that power. Put this box into the larger box marked "His Power." Another wall has been built around the believer. It is God's great wall of power. Now the Love box believer is surrounded by God's power. Christ said "All power is given unto me." And it wraps the believer up in this girdle of strength for the Gospel in the heart is "the power of God unto Salvation." In I Peter 1:15 we are told we are "kept by the power of God." The hand that holds the sea in the hollow thereof holds me in safety. His power is my fortress. I can smile at all foes. I am safe in the hollow of His hand of power. Now place this box in the next larger size box, have it marked 'His Promise.' He has given me His promises "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 15:5.) He whispered those dear words to me when he lifted me from the cross of penitence and gave me the kiss of salvation. He is able to keep His promises and | am trusting in His word. He has said that "He that begun a good work in you shall perform it until that day." The day of His coming. I will trust that promise, and tremble not, nor fear what man can do unto me. "As the mountains are around about Jerusalem, so is the Lord round about them that fear Him. As the sides of this Promise box are around about me, so are the mountains of His power. I am closed in by tons of mountains, a congress of giants, so Salvation is God's safety box. It shuts the soul in His Cross, His Care, His Love, His Power, His Promises. No wonder it is written "They shall _never_ perish." Marvel not it is written "No man shall pluck them out of my hand." When Noah and his wife, and his three sons, and their wives went into the Ark, God shut them in, and they were safe. When God shuts the door He shuts the soul in. No man can open. God holds the key. It is a secret combination lock. God knows the combination. No man can know it. It is a secret God will not whisper to any one in all the world. Closed in--locked in--that is enough, my soul, to live by and keep me divinely calm, now, and in the hour of death. "In His keeping" is Heaven's way of writing the word salvation.

If the box method is too elaborate, to work out, you can use a nest of envelopes. They put the lesson over just the same.

=CHAPTER XXIII A CANDLE LIGHT LESSON=

_Objects used: A collection of candles_

A CANDLE LIGHT LESSON

THIS is a simple yet shining lesson, using a small collection of ordinary candles as illustrators. Children's and older eyes are always attracted by sparkling lights. Watching the glittering stars is always a delight. These candles talk: They are white robed prophets. They preach to you. Look and listen. Have the candles mentioned in this chapter hidden from sight, with the exception of one tall candle which you have placed in the centre of the table. This represents The Light of the World. Have this burning when the audience enters. It will have an attractive effect. Produce the other candles as you introduce them. Say of this first tall candle that Jesus said of Himself "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5.) This is the text which this candle is declaring by its light--Jesus--the Light of the World. Without this light the world would be in darkness. At this moment, cause all the lights of the church to go out for a moment and say "If this candle should now be extinguished there would be complete darkness in this room. Just so would it be if the Light of the World--Jesus--should turn His face from the world, all would be in darkness indeed." Cause the lights of the church now to be turned on and proceed with your shining talk. Next produce a small spirit lamp. Let this represent the Holy Spirit. Light it from the Light of the World candle, and say "The Holy Spirit takes the light of Jesus, and scatters it among men. He represents Jesus. He was sent to continue Christ's work of sending forth the light of truth." Now tell of the ascension of Jesus, and as you do, take away the big candle and put it in another room if possible and say "Jesus has now gone to shine in the Glory, but has left the Holy Spirit here to continue His shining work. Now bring in twelve candles, standing for the twelve disciples. Light each one from the spirit lamp and say "The disciples have been sent to carry the light to the uttermost parts of the world, go ye into all the world," etc. From a corner of the platform produce candles standing for the races of the world. They are now in darkness, "Go ye into all the world" and then quote the last five words of Matthew 5:14. "The Light of the World." Name each candle one of these words, so the candles will read "The Light of the World." Jesus said these words about His followers, and all the races are His followers. This illustration shows how the Holy Spirit can cause Jesus to shine forth through the nations of the world. If you wish to make an elaborate finish to this lesson, call up five boys to represent the nations mentioned. Let them carry a flag of each nation or marked in such a way that they may be known as a representative of the nation whose name they bear, and let them go to different parts of the church bearing these candles. One may go to the gallery and call that spot Africa; another to the rear, and call that locality India, etc. And when they have been distributed, turn off all the lights for a moment and say "The Holy Spirit is world wide in His mission. The light is just beginning to shine. Pray that the Holy Spirit may continue in the work of light-sending and He will do so if we do our part, and we will." Let the lights be now turned on, and the people sing as a closing hymn "The Morning Light is Breaking."

=CHAPTER XXIV THOSE TEN FRIENDS OF MINE=

_Objects: Using the Human Hand_

THOSE TEN FRIENDS OF MINE

NO one can truthfully say "I have no friends." If you do say those words, you are mistaken, because I know your friends so well, I can shut my eyes and count ten of them without stopping, because all boys and girls have ten good and helpful friends. These ten friends are never failing friends. They say to you "I'll stand by you, and perhaps I can make you rich and great some day." We must all depend on these ten friends, and they will never fail us. Now hold up both hands, open wide the fingers and say "These are your ten friends. They are your ten friends, and they are your ten best friends. They are ten obedient friends. They always do just what you tell them to do. They are never disobedient. They never refuse to work for you. They never go on a strike." A little boy selling newspapers on the streets of London, overheard a kind lady make the remark, as she looked at him, "Poor boy! how sad and lonely that poor little boy looks." He replied to the remark, by saying "I am not a bit lonely, good lady, because I always have lots of company, as I have these ten friends of mine ever with me." And as he spoke, he held up both his little hands. He was right. He was not lonely, because he had his ten faithful friends ever with him. Having these little working friends we should always work with them. Many a little boy has worked himself up the ladder of success by the aid of these ten friends. Give them something useful to do every day. They will do it for you and some day your friends may make the world watch you and your company of ten, doing things. The Bible says that "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." That is what the Bible says about your ten friends. When our ten friends all cuddle up together, as if hugging each other, then we have a strong weapon to defend us, then we can strike with the strength of the arm. These ten friends helped the boy David, as they clinched the cords of the sling, and brought the giant down. They go to war for us, and every last one of them fights bravely. An old college chum of mine was helped through school by these ten friends who worked hard for him. These friends paid his way through school, for he worked his way through by the labor of his hand. Sometimes the errand boy of the store has been helped so well by these ten friends that they helped him to a place in the firm, and he became part owner of the store. Sometimes these ten friends are bad little friends, they strike little sister, they steal things from shops, sometimes they lift strong drink to our lips and do lots of evil things but we must always remember they are only doing what we tell them to do. We are responsible for all the evil they do, for they only do as they are told. We should train them only to do well, and then they will only do well. There was a little boy in the great city of Philadelphia, that never knew the name of his father and mother, who was one day left on the doorstep of a stranger. The good lady who lived in the house, had pity upon the little stranger and took him in. They called him "George Washington," for they found him on Washington's birthday, and they called him "Child" for his last name. So his full name the good lady gave him was "George Washington Child." He and his ten friends sold papers on the streets of Philadelphia. His ten friends worked so hard and well that afterward he became the owner of the great _Public Ledger_ of Philadelphia. Thus we see how much a poor boy and his ten friends can do when they all work together and for each other. These ten friends can work for God also. They can give a cup of cold water to the thirsty, and Jesus says it is giving unto Him. These ten friends can lead other little boys and girls to the church where they can hear about Jesus and be saved. Hold up the left hand and give the fingers a letter. Call the little finger "W," the next "O," and the next "R," and the following fingers "K" and "S"--"WORKS" is the name of the left hand. Now hold up the right hand and spell out the word "F.A.I.T.H." "FAITH" is the name of the right hand fingers, so working with both hands, these five friends called "WORKS" and these five called "FAITH" we can do wonders. Faith and Works can conquer the world. So our ten friends are an army of conquerors.

=CHAPTER XXV HEAVENLY MAIL FOR THE DISCIPLES=

_Objects: 12 Prepared Envelopes_

HEAVENLY MAIL FOR THE DISCIPLES

THIS is a fine test for the memory which can be used for older children and adults. It will require some study before it can be used effectively.

Secure twelve large envelopes and enclose in each a beautiful scripture and floral card. Say you are about to distribute in the mail twelve letters for the Disciples. You will not call out the names. Now, ask twelve children, or adults, to come forward and say I have here twelve letters for the Disciples. I will not read their names, but will describe them. If you recognize them by the description I give, you are to speak the name and I will give you the letter to be delivered to them. If you cannot find the disciple whose name you pronounced, then you are to keep the letter and its contents as yours. Ask the first one in the row the first question: if he fails to answer, ask him to take his seat. If he answers it let him stand there in his place, but don't ask him again unless all the others have failed. The question about the second letter to the second individual, and so on, for the letters. Holding up the first letter you say "I have here a letter for one of the Disciples (on the envelope you have the description of the Disciple written) who was believed to be the oldest of them all. He once tried to walk on the water, wrote two epistles which bear his name, dined his Lord three times. What was his name? (Peter.)

After this question is disposed of, ask the next question. "I now hold in my hand a letter for the Disciple who first brought another to Jesus" (Andrew.) "I hold in my hand a letter for the Disciple who was called the "Son of Thunder" the first martyr--who was he? (James.) "I have a letter for the Disciple who took Mary away from the crowd on Calvary, to his own home. Wrote five books of the New Testament and was especially dear to Jesus. Who was he? (John.) "I have a letter for the Disciple who brought the second Disciple to Jesus, Can you name him?" (Philip.) "I hold in my hand a letter for the Disciple who was an Israelite indeed and was also called Bartholomew. What was his other name?" (Nathaniel.) "I have a letter for one who was a doubter. What was his name?" (Thomas.) "I have one for the Disciple who was a collector of taxes and wrote one of the Gospels. Can you name him?" (Matthew.) "I hold in my hand a letter for a Disciple who was perhaps the brother of Matthew, and the son of Alphaeus. Can you speak his name?" (James, the son of Alphaeus.) "I have a letter for the Disciple who had three names whose father's name was James. What were his names?" (Judas Thaddeus Lebbaeus.) "I have one for a Disciple who belongs to the zealots. What was his name?" (Simon of Cana.) "I have a letter for the Disciple who committed suicide and betrayed his Lord. Who was he?" (Judas.)

This is a good scripture exercise and can be used in the number of ways. If you so desire you may fasten their envelopes on some background in full view of the audience and ask the questions a week ahead of time, so they might have time to look up the questions and come prepared to answer them. It is a good drill for children which will enable them to learn the names of the Disciples and something about each of them. Study it out well, and then try it out.

=CHAPTER XXVI THERE'S A MESSAGE IN THE CANDLE=

_Objects used: A Large Candle, standing for the story of Joseph and His Brethren_

THERE'S A MESSAGE IN THE CANDLE

ONE day a candle spoke out from a shelf in a minister's study and said "I see you watching me and with your eyes you seem to say--what shall I say next to the Juniors. Listen to me and I will answer your question." And the Candle said "Well now, Mr. Preacher-man, I will take your place next Sunday and preach for you. I have a message hidden away for your people." Then I though as I watched the candle that a hidden hand, holding a lighted taper thrust itself out from the mystic land, and glowed and throbbed as a little star of light which crowned its upright form. Then said I "Now, Mr. Candle, what will you tell the people?" and it said "Hold me above your head and thus exalt me, or debase me by putting me on the floor, I will still keep on shining. In whatsoever state I am, I shine just the same. Men may honor me by placing me on the King's table before the lords and ladies, or place me in a humble cottage window, to help the pilgrim of the night to see his way onward, I will still shine. I was made to shine. It is God's will that I shine--just shine." Learn, ye people, the lesson. It is a message from the candle. This is true goodness. This is pure Christianity. This is Jesus' way--no matter where--just shine." "That is beautiful, good prophet," said I, as I drew out a golden dart from my own heart. "That arrow of light pierced me." "But," said the candle, "Do you know my true name? Well, I will tell you. My name is Joseph. I was shining long ago when the race was just tumbling over the side of the cradle of infancy. I was there and did what I ask you to do. When I was in Father Jacob's home, or in the field tending sheep, or carrying messages to my brother shepherds, or when I was hated by my home folks, or cast into the pit with creeping things and devouring mouths, or sold into Egypt as a slave, or robed in grandeur as a mighty ruler with Pharaoh, or when I was covered with the poisonous lies, or cast down into prison, or when I stood before Pharaoh, and made clear his dreams, or when I was exalted to Pharaoh's side, and lived in untold glory, or when I met my brethren who sold me into slavery, and with whom I could even up the old score and sore, or when I stood face to face with my dear old father in Egypt land, and found myself and the boys and home folks all united under the royal canopy of Pharaoh's care, I just kept on shining all the time. Up or down, in or out, over or under--just shining all the time. Go thou and do likewise." Then I saw the mystic hand come out from dreamland, and remove the white robed priest, and I heard him exclaim as he was removed out of sight--"Here endeth the sermon of the white candle." When at last my thought spoke out, I said, "God was with the white minister and his message was like an echo of the sermon on the mount." To visualize the lesson, place a plain candle on the table, and be seated a little distance from it. Secure a good reader, who will not be in sight, to speak the part the candle says, and you in turn make the answer. Make it a dialogue with the object.

=CHAPTER XXVII THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT=

_Objects used: A Tall Candle and a Stub of a Candle_

THE LONG AND SHORT O' LIFE

THIS is a lesson which illustrates how important it is to give God our whole life. Samuel did this. He did not wait until his life was almost burned out, and then give to God the stump which was left, but gave God the whole life, from early childhood to ripe old age.

Secure one full length candle, and also one almost burned out. If both are lit at the same time, the short one quickly burns away while the tall one burns for a long time. "The tall candle stands for youth, and where youth is given over to God, it sheds light for many happy days. We should all offer our whole life to God and not wait till it is almost gone and then offer a few short feeble days to Him. Don't wait until life is almost burned out and only a little stub left like this to offer God." As you say these words, hold up the little stump of candle. "Here is a candle almost burnt out. It will not give light much longer." In the old fashioned days when candle light was used it would be cast aside as good for nothing, and yet the little stump can do a little good for Jesus. Come to Him before it is burnt out altogether. Come now, tomorrow darkness may come and the little candle be entirely consumed.

One evening some years ago, when I was preaching in my Philadelphia church, a sermon called "A Sermon of a Hundred Candles" I lifted up a little stub of a candle almost burned out, and said "This resembles the sinner almost burned out, only a few minutes more and it will be gone. Turn to God quickly before time will snuff out your flickering taper." In that audience that night sat a man well known in river circles. He was known as Capt. Evans, a man that knew the Delaware River like a book. Many efforts had been made to bring him to Jesus, but everything up to this point had failed. He said "That little stub of a candle got me." And it brought him to Jesus, and for the rest of his days was a shining light for the Master. Oh, ye little stubs. Turn to Jesus and shine. You cannot go back to the happy days of youth to begin over again but begin to shine now for Jesus. Hearken, ye youth, boys and girls, of the order of the long candle. Come now to Jesus and shine from the days of your youth until God bids you come up higher and shine for Him in the White City of God.

To elaborate this lesson let a number of boys and girls come to the platform, each bringing an unlit candle which they light from the tall candle on the table called "The Light of the World." And then let them place them back on the table until they are all lit. Don't let them hold them in their hands in a lighted condition as there is danger in this. Ask them to stand around the table while the lights are burning and sing "Jesus bids us shine."

=CHAPTER XXVIII PULLING OUT THE NAIL HOLES=

_Objects: A Small Size Post or Board. Hammer and Nails_

PULLING OUT THE NAIL HOLES

HERE is a story so old that it is new. That is, it is new to this generation. It is about a post that may be a pulpit or a lesson desk, and from it they may hear a loud message proclaimed. This is the story.--Many years ago when Grandpa was young, just like you, his mother told him a story about a boy that did wrong things, told falsehoods, and used bad words. His mother, in order to cause him to see how ugly sin was, and what a bad scar it left in the heart, drove a nail into a post for every evil word he spoke. By and by there were a large number of nails in the post and it looked very ugly and he felt just a little ashamed of his deeds being shown up this way. So he went to his mother and said he was very sorry, and promised he would try not to say bad words any more if she would pull all the nails out. This she agreed to do on the following terms: For every good word or deed, he would say or do, she would pull out one nail. After trying real hard he saw the nails come out one by one, at last they were all out, but he noticed the holes left by the nails, and wanted his mother to pull them out also, which, of course she could not do. This taught the boy a lesson, that even good deeds could not erase the scars evil deeds left behind them. His father said, however, if he continued to be good, he would fill all the holes up with a paint filler, and recoat the post with fresh paint, and it would like quite like new, and right again. After his father had given the post a number of coats of fresh paint, the scars all disappeared, and the little boy never forgot the lesson when he looked at the bright, fresh post.

Now, secure a fair sized post or board. Have it nicely planed and painted, if possible, polished, so it will present a finished appearance. Take now a hammer and nail and drive one in, at short distances, at every evil deed mentioned. He told a lie--drive in a nail. He said a swear word--drive in a nail. He stole a book--drive in a nail, and so continue this operation until there are fifteen or twenty nails driven in. "How shall I get rid of my sins?" Let us see. For every good word said, pull out a nail and continue in this fashion until the nails are extracted. But good works will not blot out our evil deeds, for you notice that the nail holes are there. We cannot pull the nail holes out, the scar of sin is left, The only way the scar can be blotted out is by the planing off of the board, or filling up the nail holes, or better still, get a new piece of board. So God must give us a new heart, and this He will do if we pray "Create in me a new heart, O God."

=CHAPTER XXIX "THE BURIED BIBLE"=

_Objects: A Large Bible; a Daily Newspaper; a Sunday Newspaper; a Cash Book; Entertainment Program; a Theatrical Window Poster; a Book of Fashions; a Book of Personal Engagements; a Popular Work of Fiction; School Books; a Phonograph Catalogue_

THE BURIED BIBLE

IN the Old Testament days we read of the Scriptures or "The Law" being hidden away under the rubbish of the neglected temple. There is great danger in these days that we might lose our Bible in this way also. We so easily and frequently put it aside, neglect it, and then forget it and often forget where we put it. The cares of this world and its sinful pleasures are the dust which so often covers our Bible, and which covers it over to such an extent that we find it is not even in our thoughts.

In many of our homes, the Bible is out of sight. The children do not find it open and ever before their eyes. It is a buried book. There should be a Bible in every room, always kept open, which will speak in a silent tongue of power "Search me, and in so doing you will find eternal life." To illustrate the fact that in most homes this is not done, and that the Bible has been covered with the rubbish of life, secure a good sized Bible, and before the children assemble, cover it all over so it is entirely out of sight with, first, a Sunday newspaper, next, a cash book used in business, next an entertainment program, then a theatrical window poster folded up, then a fashion plate picture, after this a book containing your engagements for every night, and late night affairs; also a popular work of fiction, a pile of school books; a well worn catalogue of Victor records, and at last a daily newspaper. When the audience is assembled, explain you will talk to them about the neglected book of God or the buried Bible. Let us all look and see what we use to cover up our Bible, and thus put it out of sight. This pile of stuff on the table covers up the dear word of God, and prevents us from reading it as we should. The Bible is the world's greatest medicine chest, and it is lost. The world is in dreadful pain and we cannot find the medicine. Let us see together what has covered it up, and search together under the rubbish until we find it.

First lift off the daily newspaper. This is always read first by most people, and when we have finished reading it, there is no time to read the Bible, and we are not in a good mental state to grasp its meaning, so we neglect to read our Bible. We should go to the Holy Book first, if only to find one verse for the day, for in so doing, we begin the day with God. But the daily newspaper has hid it out of sight. Next take up the Victor talking machine catalogue, which should be much worn by frequent use, and in so doing explain that one-half the time listening to God speak through His word, as we give to the popular song and music of the day, our Bibles would be in as prominent a place as the talking machine. Popular music is good in its place but when it takes the Bible's place, it is all wrong and out of its place. Don't hide the Bible back of the talking machine, or you will lose it some day.

Next, take off the _School books._ "No time to read the Bible, | have so many lessons to study." This is often the cry we hear from boys who attend school. Sometimes the school books are enemies to the word of God and destroy all taste for the Bible. Often when the boys and girls have finished their book learning, they have not only no time for the Bible but no use for it at all. They cast it into the rubbish and say "The world has outgrown the Bible." So under the books of the school, they have buried it and called it dead and that is the reason they buried it. Bright boys and girls should know the Bible is the king of all books of learning, and the highest crowning wisdom of all is to know God, that alone is the _perfect education._ Don't therefore, hide your Bible under your school books. Now pick from the rubbish heap--the novel. "I am so interested in reading fiction I have no time to read the Bible." This is just what the boys and girls often say. They will sit up all night if possible to see how the story "turns out." Of course there is no time to read the Bible if this is the way we spend our reading time and so the Bible once more is pushed aside by the novel. Reading is a splendid means of mental culture, and it makes a full man, but the best reading of all is the Bible. Mix a chapter of the good Book in with your other reading, and you have a superb mixture. The Bible contains the world's best literature, and it is more than good literature. Its words are life and concentrated power. They are bits of radium. They glow with inside light, they never lose their lustre. Their light is as penetrating as the X-ray. They shine into the other life. Don't hide the light of the mighty word with the novel or secular reading of the present day.

Now take from the pile of stuff your book of engagements. Open it, and discover you have an engagement for every night in the week. They are social functions. You must go; you will lose your standing among the "high class" if you don't. Put down among your engagements this one. I have an engagement of thirty minutes with my Bible. This is imperative. Keep that engagement with your Bible as you would keep all other engagements and you will never lose your Bible under a heap of dates.

At this time take from the heap of rubbish the book of fashion plates. "Must attend to this book--every month brings me something new. If I hold my own with 'my set' I must follow the fashion plates to appear just right." This is burning incense to the Goddess of Vanity, and this Goddess is not satisfied with a fragment of time, but it demands full time and it generally gets it. Fashion plates and the scriptures are impossible mates. They never mix well because they are not of one blood. So the plate stays and the Bible goes under it. It is right that we should give attention to our dress and address, and the way to do this is to seek the Bible way of beauty of dress and character adornment. To look beautiful we must commence to be beautiful inside, and at last it will shine forth and transfigure the outside. Follow the teaching of the Bible and be pure in heart: put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, and then you will be in heavenly style and unmatched by anything the wide world can dream of for personal adornment. Follow the Bible, the world's divine fashion plate.

Next remove the theatrical poster. In this day the popular amusements have gripped the young people with a mad hand. No time for the Bible. Much time for the show. "What shall I do to amuse myself" is the cardinal question of this age and every moment possible is given over to the answer. People grow white in the face in their excessive seeking to find the latest thrill, and they stay white until he cold hand of death gets them. Pleasures pure are pleasures right. At the right hand of God there are pleasures forever more. If they are right for heaven, they are right for the world, but pleasures worshipped are always bad for they are tipped with sin and bar the gates of heaven from the pleasures at the "right hand of God." There is deep sweet pleasure in the reading of God's word. Sing with Psalm 103. Whisper Psalm 23 when the night cometh. Read John 14 when the darkness is at hand, and nothing in the wide, wide world can be compared to the heart pleasure this gives. It puts the soul in touch with a little bit of heaven. Don't cover up God's great pleasure garden--the Bible--with a ton of worthless worn out, dried and faded earthly flowers.

Now take off the cash book. The Bible has often been hidden by the business ledger,--so often business crowds the Bible out. Hard work, mental strain, and the fierce fight of the present day business man gives but short time for the reading of the Bible, and more often no time at all. Head and nerves are worn out at the end of the day, and the soul also is worn out with business cares, so the cash box, the ledger and typewriter have covered up the Bible and it is out of sight and buried under business activities. It must be remembered in this day of fever heat and mad rush that a business man must give his utmost to his trade if he wishes to put it over, but it should also be remembered that in the soul's great ledger if "A man gains the whole world" it is reckoned as loss in the Book of God. We can serve God and read His Book and yet be successful. Mr. John Wanamaker, the best known citizen, and foremost Christian of the business world of America, blended the Bible with his great commercial enterprises by always putting up a Bible verse over his office desk and mixing up its truth with the trade of the day. He honored God's word and God honored his trade. He never lost his Bible under his cash register.

Now remove the bundle of Sunday newspapers. It is because these are read on Sunday that no time is found to read God's book on God's day. The newspaper is on the Sunday morning breakfast table inviting us to spend Sunday with it. No time to read the Bible. The Sunday Newspapers often contain as many words as the entire New Testament. We will read the papers first, after that we have no time or mind for the Book. Very often if all the words we read were counted they would be more than the words of the four gospels and yet we have no time to read even a chapter of God's good book. We mean we have no mind to read it. We have buried it under the sensational and often nauseous Sunday newspaper. After we lift up the last paper from the Bible, we exclaim "God's Book--long lost--now found." Lift the Bible up and say "I will place it next to my heart and cover it with my love, so shall the Bible not be covered with sin. 'Thy word have I hid in my heart.' May it always thus be covered and evermore in the battle and strife of life my Bible shall always be first."

A great merchant in the city of Philadelphia, submerged with business cares and thoughtless about God, said to his little boy one day he had no time to read the Bible, he was so bothered with bonds and stocks. His little boy could not understand these big words, and continued to ask him to read his Bible and be good. One morning the father came down stairs with a quick step and hurried to his paper to look over the morning news when the little boy just recovering from a severe spell of sickness, crept up into his lap and said "Bible first, Daddy." The father looked into his little pale face and his heart was touched, his eyes filled with tears, and he said "It shall be as you say, dear little fellow. God has given you back to me, and I will go back to my Bible" and he did, and he said it made a great man of him and a greater merchant also. Let this be your motto "Bible first" and it will never be buried under the rubbish of the things of this life again. "The Bible first, Daddy," is the voice of God.

=CHAPTER XXX THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE=

_Objects used; A Small Candle; in a Common Candlestick; A Representation of a Window. This is a Story Object Sermon_

THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE

CHRISTMAS fires and lights are as old as the story of the birth of Jesus. The earliest form of lighting was the wood fire in the cave. Around this light the ancients sat and told the stories of old. Around the fire on the field of the shepherds, sat the ancient guardians of the sheep, as they read from the holy parchment, of the "coming ONE" and as they sat watching the dying embers of some such fire, were startled by flash of heavenly light and heard the angels' song of the new-born King. That was the first Christmas light. Ever since that day, whenever the glad Christmas day approaches, lights, beautiful and cheerful seem to shine out the glad light of the first Christmas day and so from window on hill top or valley, from tree and toy room of countless homes, the Christmas candle plays its happy part in the drama of Merry Christmas. To illustrate this Christmas candle story, construct a large background like the inside view of a window, and place a tall candle in front of it. If the window cannot be erected draw one on a blackboard or sketch one on a piece of muslin. If there is a small window in the alcove of the pulpit platform in good sight of the people, use that. Then tell the following story: A little crippled child, in one of the back alleys of a great city, wondered what she could do to brighten Christmas day for some one else. She was too poor to give even "the widow's mite" yet she had a kindly heart for other children poorer than herself. Her mother, with tears dropping from her eyes, said "God had not made it possible for us to do anything for the rest of the world except just to be glad and they would both try to do that in the name of the little Lord Jesus, who was once as poor as they." She remembered that in her own native land, far over the sea, the children of her childhood always put a lighted candle in the window (here light the candle in front of the window) which sent out a cheerful light over the snow on Christmas. They could do that, at least, and with a glad heart they lit the candle and prayed "God bless the light." From the outside the little glittering light looked like the star of Bethlehem. The darkness hid the ugly surroundings of the dilapidated home and it looked supremely beautiful on the "Night of Nights." A laboring man, hastening by to the corner saloon, with his wages in his pocket, thinking only of himself and a night of sin, saw the light in the window. Said he, "It is Christmas eve" and all about him he saw, hastening to and fro, men and women bearing Christmas gifts to the loved ones. It had been many a year since he had made his little ones happy by Christmas gifts. He had forgotten Christmas was so near until he saw the little candle in the window. The light held him--a prisoner--It called him back--back to his childhood days and the happy Christmas time he had spent in his own home. His father and mother had taught him in the early days to love God and keep His Commandments. He wiped away a tear--turned about face as he looked again at the Christmas candle, and went home. They had a Merry Christmas in that home that glad day, and the poor little girl's Christmas candle blessed of God, brought the wayward son back to God, home, and Christmas. Just across the narrow alley, a window of a room, in which an old man, worn out with years, trying to sleep, heard the snow beating against the window pane, arose and looked out at the falling snow. As he did so, he saw the light in the window across the way. That reminded him it was again Christmas eve. Not for long years had he even given it a serious or religious thought. He had lived for self alone because he was alone. His children had forsaken him; wife had died long years ago, but somehow this light had "got him" also. Memories of other years came back and rang the Christmas bells of long ago. In his thoughts he was back to his childhood day. How happy those memories made him feel. "Christmas back again" said he as he looked again at this lone light in the window across the way. "I'll put one in my window" and he relit the candle he had extinguished as he slipped into bed. Another window with a candle in it was shining out until, when midnight came, the dark alley was aglow with lighted windows. The old man said as he closed his eyes in slumber, "Tomorrow I will make the day merry for the little mother and child across the way" and he kept his promise.

A lady of high degree and great wealth, passed by in her car loaded with Christmas gifts, saw the little girl's Christmas candle in the window. She stopped at the house, hurried upstairs, there she saw the poor little girl trying to keep Christmas with one candle. The good lady's heart was touched by the child's simple faith and beautiful little deed, left for her toys and little comforts, that the dear mother and little girl accepted with tears of joy. When Christmas day came, the sleepers in the alley were awakened by the carol singers chanting "While shepherds watched their flocks by night." Our little girl who put her Christmas candle in the window was the happiest little girl in the great city that day. Yes, and not that day only, but the good lady, attracted by the candle, became a constant friend, and in all the coming days helped her to win out in life's battle. So it was Christmas day every day in that humble home, and the lone Christmas candle in the window had been a candle blessed by God.

THE END

=Benediction Taps=

_To be sung at the close of evening meeting_

Day has gone Night has come Day has gone Night has come God is near God is near All is well