Chapter C: H. Woolston (1)

_Philadelphia, Pa._

=CONTENTS=

PAGE INTRODUCTION ...................................................... vi CHAPTER I. THE TEN DEMANDMENTS ............................................ 1 II. OBJECT TEACHING IN THE BIBLE .................................. 4 III. UNDERSTANDING YOUR OBJECT .................................... 7 IV. INCENSE LESSONS ............................................... 9 V. THE BURNING OF THE IDOL ........................................ 10 VI. EARS OPEN TO GOD'S CALL ....................................... 11 VII. IT WILL ALL BE RIGHT AT LAST ................................. 12 VIII. THE MAKING OF A CHRISTIAN ................................... 13 IX. THE HAND OF FAITH ............................................. 16 X. BEFORE AND AFTER ............................................... 17 XI. WHY I SHOULD JOIN THE CHURCH .................................. 18 XII. SEEING THE SERMON ............................................ 19 XIII. THE BIG SIX ................................................. 20 XIV. HOW GOD SEES THINGS .......................................... 21 XV. JOHN 3:16 IN COLORS ........................................... 23 XVI. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE MAGNET ........................... 25 XVII. THE STAR BOX ................................................ 26 XVIII. HOW MARY LOST HER BEAUTIFUL DOLL ........................... 29 XIX. THE PRODIGAL SON IN RAGS ..................................... 31 XX. WHAT CAN TAKE AWAY MY SINS .................................... 35 XXI. THE GOSPEL COPY BOOK ......................................... 37 XXII. IN HIS KEEPING .............................................. 38 XXIII. A CANDLE LIGHT LESSON ...................................... 40 XXIV. THOSE TEN FRIENDS OF MINE ................................... 42 XXV. THE HEAVENLY MAIL FOR THE DISCIPLES .......................... 44 XXVI. THERE'S A MESSAGE IN THE CANDLE ............................. 46 XXVII. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT ................................... 48 XXVIII. PULLING OUT THE NAIL HOLES ................................ 50 XXIX. THE BURIED BIBLE ............................................ 51 XXX. THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE ......................................... 56

=INTRODUCTION=

WHEN the disciples were concerned as to precedence and position in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus took a little child, and set him in the midst of them. The act was in itself full of significance; and the teaching He gave in connection therewith, abides for all time, a clear revelation of Kingdom conditions and obligations.

It is only as men and women become as little children that they can enter into that Kingdom; and the measure in which they approximate to the child spirit, is the means of their greatness therein.

Further--any one receiving a little child receives the Lord--the child is forever the ambassador of the throng; rather than cause one such to stumble, it were preferable to pass out of life by a violent way. These little ones are to be held therefore in high honour--never despised.

To gather and hold the children it is necessary, not only to understand the child, but also to be of the child spirit. The study of child psychology is fascinating, and of great value; but one may be an expert therein, and never attract a little one. To do that, the very tone and temper of childhood is necessary.

The writer of this book, Dr. C. H. Woolston, fulfils these conditions in the most conspicuous way; and is fulfilling the obligations with the most radiant success. He has dedicated the book to The Children of Cedar Falls. He might have dedicated it to children in every centre where he has worked among them. It is fitting, however, that I should be privileged to write a brief foreword to this book because it is here, at Cedar Falls, that I have seen most of him at his work, though I have seen his work also at Winona Lake.

I am certain that I speak, not only for myself but for all the speakers at this Conference, and for those who have attended it, when I say that one of the supreme things of delight and of light has been Dr. Woolston and his bairns.

The children gather about him, and follow him round, not only to their own meetings, but to adult gatherings like bees about the flowers. Moreover, when he is at work, there is invariably a fringe of children of an older growth at his meetings. In his eyes are the dancing lights of childhood yet, and he radiates the child spirit.

What wonder then that the bairns love him, and God uses him so wonderfully to shepherd and feed the lambs of his flock.

The reader of these talks will not have the wonderful personality of the writer, but they will surely find much of the charm of his remarkable ability to talk to children, not patronizingly as one apart and aloof, but in close comradeship, as one of themselves, gleeful in their glee, tender in their sorrows, sympathetic with their trials, representing to them the Lord and Lover of them all.

With unbounded affection for the man, and confidence in his work, I commend this book to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, and who therefore perforce are lovers of the little ones.

G. CAMPBELL MORGAN

=CHAPTER I
"THE TEN DEMANDMENTS"=

_A Chapter to be often read as we study the art of object teaching.
Follow these 10 Rules--they are Ten Steps to the Palace of Success_

THE TEN DEMANDMENTS

IN teaching children and others how to visualize God's truth, we must remember the Ten Demandments and keep them.

_First Demandment:_ You must love the child. Preaching to children is an _affair of the heart._ You must love them before you can reach them with the truth. A teacher seeking to win and teach little hearts must first have the degree of L. L. C. which being interpreted means "Love Little Children." God will confer on you this degree. Don't begin until God marks you with it.

_Second Demandment:_ You must remember that the eye is the child's open door to the heart. It is eighteen times larger than the ear gate. They receive eighteen times more truth by their eyes than they do through their ears. They are always seeing things. You must remember this--sayeth the Second Demandment.

_Third Demandment:_ You must believe in the large opportunity and high privileges of working with children. It is the mountain top of importance. It is dealing with the largest soul value of the world. It yields quickly its reward. Be first on the ground. It is the richest ground in the Kingdom of Heaven. It brings early harvest--a harvest of Gold.

_Fourth Demandment:_ You must learn to know the child, study him like you would a book, or as carefully as you do your lessons. Study him at close range, and by loving contact. Chum with him. The best text book on the child question is the child himself. Master your object as well as your subject. This is the highest teaching of the highest order. Read Chapter III of this book.

_Fifth Demandment:_ You must use short words. Little folks like to catch your meaning at first hearing. Listen to them as they talk one with another. They use but few words, and they are short and to the point. Use common words, because they use them. Don't use silly words or baby talk, or speak in an unnatural tone of voice. They don't like affected tones. They don't talk that way when they address each other. They don't want you to talk to them in that fashion. They call it "silly" and "sissy." It takes an educated man to use their language, but go to the University of Childhood and learn there to be an uncommon talker--which means--talk the talk of childhood.

_Sixth Demandment:_ You must be brief. Much of our work with children is useless, because it is over done in the matter of time. Cut it short so it will cut in--always just when they want more, and the next time, they will be glad to listen to you. Clothe your ideas in short sentences. Seldom use words over two syllables, and even then make them the words they use when they are doing their own talking. In using the objects always hold them up in full view of the children, and keep them there. In a short sentence name the object you are thus about to use. It will keep them from spending the time wondering what the object might be. Let the object talk and it will. Make your talk short, and stop when you are through. Be brief, but full of ideas.

_Seventh Demandment:_ You must be sure to preach the Bible. To get the Bible into their hearts is _your_ task. Stick to your task. All truth is good, but Bible truth is best. Use the best with little hearts. The Bible is the greatest story book in the world. That is the reason little folks like it when you tell them the wonder stories out of it. Show them a story. Clothe a lad in oriental garb, and call him Joseph, and while they are looking at him, tell them the much loved story of Joseph and his brethren. Give the boy a lunch basket, and tell the story of the boy that supplied five thousand with his lunch one day when he passed the basket and its contents, over to the Master. This is putting the story over by objects, and it puts it in and under and it sticks for all time.

_Eighth Demandment:_ You must begin with the known, and work up to the unknown in the handling of objects. Jesus asked for a drink of water from the Samaritan woman and from that water from Jacob's well from which she had drawn the water for her home since childhood, He began to reveal to her the water of Life, and she drank from that fountain, and her home town in Samaria had a Billy Sunday awakening from the well of Jacob. Jesus began with water from the Well of Jacob. He ended with a talk about the water which cometh down from above.

It will help you and greatly vary your program if you ask the children to bring their own objects with them some times which they have found by the wayside, and then you may give them a spiritual lesson. They will never forget the lesson, and often, in other days, when they see those objects again, they will remember your lesson.

_Ninth Demandment:_ You must not be afraid of object lessons which may have a little slant in them toward a happy little surprise.

Sometimes the effect we were not looking for makes the most lasting impression. It is this quality that makes a fairy tale so fascinating to children. Wonder objects can make truth as charming as the ways of fairies. Wonder objects provoke curiosity, and curiosity is the mother of attention. This is the best type of attention. Look over the wonder lessons of this book and work them. Children never forget a thing as long as they continue to wonder about it.

_Tenth Demandment:_ You must pray over and about your objects. Just as the minister prays over the elements of the Lord's Supper, so pray over your objects. God can bless things as well as words, and this He will do if both things and words are used for His glory. These Ten Demandments are like ten guiding stars throbbing in the night. All of them are Pilot Stars seeking to guide the wise lovers of children as did their Father's star long ago to the place "where the young child lay."

=CHAPTER II
"OBJECT TEACHING IN THE BIBLE"=

_In this chapter we find the Bible authority and example for Object
Teaching. Read this chapter before you give your first lesson_

OBJECT TEACHING IN THE BIBLE

THE Bible is the teacher's best handbook of object training. This is true because the Bible is an oriental book, and the orientals received truth through symbols and visual instruction. Their mannerisms were symbolical, their holy writings radiant with visualized truth. So the Bible weaves into its cloth of truth this gorgeous method of appeal. Hence the Bible is something to look at as well as to read through. The oriental mind grasped truth and the human mind elsewhere is cast in the same mould. The universal mind follows the same program. The perfect art of the religious teacher is to teach Bible truth in the Bible method, and that method is "through the eye-gate into the kingdom of the soul." Let us wander through the wonderland of the Bible that we may learn the perfect art of great teaching.

The prophet Ezekiel was commanded to go out and set his face toward Jerusalem, and there, in the presence of the people hold aloft his sword and drop it to the ground and say "A sword is also sharpened" meaning that war was soon to come down upon them, and the sword of battle was sharpened for the fray. God was against them, and because of their sins they were to be punished. Jeremiah also was an object teacher for God and this was one of the lessons he taught the people. He saw a potter shaping a vessel and it was marred in his hands. It was defective in substance. Too much earth, and not enough of clay. He broke the marred vessel and made another of better stuff; by this object lesson, the prophet declared, Israel was defective; it had in its composition too much earth; it was marred with idol dust and earthly parts and so God would break Israel and make it over again. Jeremiah at another time produced two baskets of figs and set them before the Lord in the temple. One basket contained good figs, and the other basket spoiled figs. The prophet explained this object lesson by saying the-basket of good figs were God's good people. God will keep them and save them. The bad figs represented the unfaithful people, and they shall be scattered over the earth. This same prophet once took a girdle and hid it from sight in a dark damp place where it finally became mouldy and worthless. Then he brought it forth before the people and holding it up said, "This girdle represents God's people who have left the true fold, and joined themselves to idols of the heathen races. They are no longer a fit girdle to wrap around His loins as His peculiar and holy peoples." The prophet explains "Cleave unto your God, as the girdle clings to the body, so shall ye be kept close to him." Once more, this same prophet took a parchment and before all the people wrote thereon the sins of the people. He then read it once to them, rolled it up and bound a stone about it and cast it into the river saying, "So shall Babylon be destroyed and pass away."

This same object teaching prophet called the order of Rechabites before him and set before them ten pots of wine and ordered them to drink thereof, which of course they refused to do, and quoted the law of their clan in defense of their act. The prophet then said--so will you obey your earthly leaders, and their laws, but will not obey God and his heavenly commandments. So we learn from these illustrations, that God taught His people in their early days to "See Truth." Objects were His text books. His first manuscript on the art of object teaching He flung out upon the heavens,--it was the beautiful rainbow which was an object to look at and when it appeared they were to remember its teachings. There should never be another Deluge to destroy the world. Ever since that day when He wants the earth to look up and see His gorgeous object lesson, He sends forth the thunder to herald its appearance. He washes out the atmosphere with His rain that they can gaze upon it, and flashes out the lightning that their eyes may be arrested to behold it. Then in glorious peace, with sunshine dancing on its arching curves, He hangs out His object lesson, and we look and remember the promises of God. Behold an object lesson in colors! But, it has been remarked, this was God's method in teaching the races back in their nursery days, but now the kindergarten days are passed, and we are living in the golden age of civilization and philosophy, and we must put away childish things. Let me remind you that Jesus and Moses are alike as to method. They both represented the Father, so both utilize the same method. They both taught by objects. Moses of the Old Testament times, and Jesus of the advanced New Testament times. Jesus knew the human heart and He knew it was best for His day so to teach, for we receive eighteen times more truth through the eyes than through the ear.

Jesus used this royal, broad and open wide road to the soul. It was the best in the days of Moses. It was the best in the days of Jesus, because it was the surest and quickest and most lasting of all methods. Jesus left us two ordinances--the baptism of the believer and the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Both of these ordinances are built around objects--water, bread and wine. All stand for the highest things in our holy faith. These two ordinances are both holy pantomimes, which by action, and use of objects, the faith of heaven is perpetuated among men. This was the Master's method--make it yours. the Master's truth in the Master's way is the masterful way of telling forth the message of Peace on Earth Good Will Toward Men.

=CHAPTER III
"UNDERSTANDING YOUR OBJECT=

_Know your subject well, but know also your object. Know the latter
just a little better. This chapter will help you to do this task_

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OBJECT

BEFORE you teach young folks or old folks, fix it in your mind that it is just as important to understand your object as well as your subject. It is not sufficient that we know our subject well--this we must do, of course. We must have a full knowledge of the subject and then "some more," but this does not make us a Master teacher. A teacher training class only goes half way in making us fit if it simply prepares us to teach the subject matter of the lesson. You must also understand the object. And the object is the child before you. So often all the teaching is over their heads. They don't see the point. There is no point, to them. How can they see it if in their minds it does not exist? When the lesson is over they are "glad." Glad it is all over, and they don't know what it is all about. The teacher did not know the full lesson. She was full of her subject--she was ignorant of her object. She did not understand the child. _Understand_ your object and by this we mean--understand the child. Always remember the true child is not only a miniature adult and so dismiss the thought at that--"only a man in the making" he doesn't count much until he grows up and is not worthy special study in the period of making. This is crotchet thinking. He belongs to as distinctive a race as does the man of eighty. He has his own laws, his own reasons for acting, and every act has a meaning all his own. It becomes our business to discover the reasons why he says "those words" and to discuss their meaning with him. We must try to see as the child sees, and look at things from his viewpoint.

It is related that one of the most famous artists of his day had a compelling ambition to paint the face of children. He was a pronounced failure. The faces he painted resembled those of sober adults. He could not dash into his pictures the touch of youth. He did not understand children. He could not see with their eyes. One day, when his study door was open, a little fellow came in and stood gazing at a picture leaning up against the wall, its base resting on the floor. By and by the artist saw him get down on all fours and gaze with passionate intensity at the picture. The artist said "I would give most anything if I could see what he sees." "You can," said a voice in the halls of his mind, "if you look at the picture from his level." So the artist got down on his knees beside the child and looked at his own picture from the child's level. What he saw he never related, but after that hour, he painted the "Angelic Faces"--a picture admired the world over. He had found out a secret. He had seen things from a child's level. What a miracle it is to know this! I would climb the highest mountain, pierce the darkest jungle, cross the wildest sea, explore the trackless desert, push on through the maddest night, gird the earth a score of times--just to find him. I would rather know the child and understand him, so I could reach his little soul than to have discovered the North Pole.

Once upon a time there was a teacher who was instructing her class of boys on the lesson of Jonah. She was a graduate of a string of teacher-training classes. She had gone the limit in preparing her lesson. She was full of the subject. She talked over the heads of the boys. They did not understand even a little bit of the lesson. After she had finished, she turned to her class and said "Now boys, what does the story of Jonah teach you?" and one little fellow piped out, "Please, teacher, the story of Jonah teaches me that you can't keep a good man down." The teacher turned to young George and administered to him a stinging rebuke, "How dare you," said she, "on the Sabbath Day, in God's house and before the open Bible, make light of religious matters? I am ashamed of you. If you were my son I would feed you on bread and water for a week." Little George kept his eye on the door, wondering if he could, with safety, make his escape. He never came again. Now the teacher knew Jonah, but she didn't know George. If she had said to George, "Now, George, that wasn't exactly the reply that I wanted, but I am glad that you have got a thought about the lesson. Come to my house next Tuesday night and take supper with me and I will show you pictures of Jonah and tell you stories about this wonderful man and then I think you will get it right in your head." If she had tried this method she would have got the real Jonah into George and she would have gotten George into her heart. If she had known as much about George as she did about Jonah, she would have known that that reply was a bit of pleasantry, coming spontaneously from a young heart. She did not understand her object.

=CHAPTER IV
INCENSE LESSONS=

_Objects: Common Incense Cones_

INCENSE LESSONS

CHILDREN like to watch incense burn. In their imagination they see dancing around in the little columns of smoke strange and wonderful little shapes. Let us try to cause these smoke columns to tell God's great message.

Incense is frequently mentioned in the Bible. It ascended from the golden altar of the Tabernacle and was burning night and day. It was never out. It stood for prayer, and we will now try and find out what it says to us about talking to God.

Call to the platform a number of boys and girls each holding a little plate: a tin plate will answer. Put on each plate about four incense cones, which can be easily secured in the shops. One cone is not sufficient to give enough smoke to be seen distinctly by the entire audience. Say to the children as you light the cones, that incense reminds us of prayer, because the smoke ascends just as our prayers go up; and also tell them how to pray and how thoughtful they should be as they pray, for God hears every word they say. For prayers go up like incense. In the old Temple the incense was always burning, so they should pray always as the good Book says "Pray without ceasing." Now scatter them in various parts of the room. That will represent _secret prayer._ Call them all to the platform and place them as close to each other as possible; that will represent _united prayer._ While they are standing in that position a large volume of smoke will be ascending which will appeal to their little eyes and make a lasting impression upon them. This you can call _the prayer meeting_ of one accord.

As you call the children to the platform you can name them after the various denominations, and thus illustrate how all the churches can come together for prayer and how beautiful it looks to see them in united prayer for the world.

The odor of the burning incense will be very evident by this time and you may let this remind them that it is like the influence which always emanates from the prayers that go up to God from believing hearts.

=CHAPTER V
THE BURNING OF THE IDOL=

_Objects: Denatured Alcohol; White of an Egg_

THE BURNING OF THE IDOL

THIS is a Temperance lesson, full of meaning for these days. Don't fail to keep this Red Light of Danger burning. This lesson will be a signal of fire. Pour out on a plate a small quantity of denatured alcohol, and say "it looks like water." Shake the bottle--but it is not pure, heaven-sent water, but a deadly poison. Read to them Proverbs 23:31; 20:1. These are warnings from heaven against this deadly poison. These words are like matches from God to light the red lamp of danger. Alcohol is a deadly thing. God says so. Tell them that it is the greatest idol in all the world. Millions worship it, for every drinker of this red poison bows to this idol whenever he drinks. Strike a match and set fire to it, and as it blazes forth say "I will now burn the idol, because it is a burning idol, like the great Moloch about which we read in the Old Testament, within whose blazing arms little children were cast and burned to death. So this fiery idol destroys millions. The Indians call it "fire-water" because it burns the throat. This is the reason if you take one drink you want another. Alcohol absorbs all the moisture of the throat and creates a thirst which alcohol alone will quench; so it keeps on burning until it burns up the stomach, the lungs, the heart, the brain, and yet men continue to drink this fire of death.

Once upon a time there was a little monkey that was owned by the keeper of a county tavern. Frequently he gave it a little taste of this fire-water which caused him to jump about in great glee. This pleased the bad men of the barroom greatly. One day a man lit a match and set fire to the spoonful, and when the monkey saw it he fled in terror and never touched it again. This was monkey sense; this was better than man sense, for man knows it will burn, and yet returns to it again. He needs a few monkey lessons. To deepen the impressions of this lesson, you can take the white of an egg, a substance which resembles the brain of a human being, place it in a cup and pour upon it a small quantity of alcohol; then stir it with a spoon and it will congeal as if it had been cooked. Take this out of the cup and it will be solid like a boiled egg. This will illustrate the effect of alcohol on the human brain. This is a lesson which burns itself into the memory of the children for all time. This will hang up the 18th amendment on nails of fire in the memory of the little folks and other folks also. May the whole world soon go into this sort of fire business.

=CHAPTER VI
EARS OPENED TO GOD'S CALL=

_Object: A Blackboard_

EARS OPENED TO GOD'S CALL

GOD is speaking to us all the time. We so often pay no heed to His voice. Do we know the language he speaks? It is a secret tongue. Let us try to learn it.

Once there was a prisoner who was cast into jail because he preached Jesus. It seemed to him he was alone and without friends to help. But there was another prisoner in an adjoining cell who knew him but could not speak to him because the guards would hear his voice. At night the lonely man would hear some one knocking on the wall. What did this sound mean? What did the knocks say? At last he thought the knocks might stand for the letters of the alphabet. One knock meant A, two knocks B, etc. so he counted the taps one night. He counted twenty-one taps. "That," said he, "means U." When he counted again it struck fourteen times; that meant N. The next time it struck four times; that meant D. Now he heard five taps; that meant E. Again he heard eighteen taps; that stood for R. Then nineteen taps; that stood for S. Then twenty taps; that meant T; then one tap which meant A; then fourteen, N; then four, D; then the taps ceased and he knew the message had been delivered and discovered the word meant UNDERSTAND. He answered by twenty-five knocks which meant Y; then five taps for E; then nineteen taps for S which spelled out his answer which was YES. They talked together because they knew each other's language. God often knocks at our heart's door. Some great trouble comes to our home. Over and over He knocks and the knocking spells out the word COME, let us answer 25/Y 5/E 19/S.

Give them further illustration in knocks. They will like it.

=CHAPTER VII
IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT AT LAST=

_Objects: A small number of little toys_

IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT AT LAST

ASK two little girls to come to the platform and say to them "I know you little girls love each other, but do you like to see each other receive good things?" Then say, as you hold up some small gift, "This little treasure has been given to me to give to some little girl that would be glad to receive it: but you see I cannot give it to both of you, and how will I decide which girl shall receive it? If I give it to this little girl then the other will be disappointed. Sometimes great trouble comes to this world because one receives and the other does not. However, I will take a chance and give it to this little girl." And as you speak pass the toy to her. Turning to the other girl, you say, "You don't feel hurt do you? I know you are glad to see your little friend made happy. I also trust you are not displeased with me for not giving it to you. Here learn the lesson some people seem to get the good things of life, and others seem to go without." Now without further remarks give the same girl another toy. Then that is true to life also. Some seem to get all, and others get little or nothing. Perhaps this little girl without anything seems to be saying in her mind, she has two already, she might give me one, and at the point pass a toy to the little girl that has none, but she says even yet, the other girl has twice as many as I have, so she does not seem to enjoy the one she has when she remembers the other girl has two. It doesn't look right, does it? But she is a good little and girl and says, "I will be thankful for what I have and try to be glad." At this point you seem to be in deep study and finally say, "I just remember that I have overlooked a little box," which you produce from some corner and on opening it you discover another toy which you give to the little girl with the one toy. Now they both have the same number and so it is all right at last. This teaches us a lesson so hard to learn in life,--how one man receives much, the other but little. Strife and war are often the result of this condition but we must be patient with our lot. God knows best. He will reward us in full by and by so it will be all right at last.

=CHAPTER VIII
THE MAKING OF A CHRISTIAN=

_Objects: Various Parts of a Flag Assembled in Their Respective
Places_

THE MAKING OF A CHRISTIAN

FOR this lesson procure parts of the flag and on some background put them together according to the diagram until you have made the perfect flag (see diagram). You will then notice the flag marked "I" has no red stripes in it, and therefore is not perfect. It has six stripes only; so in the making of a Christian if the blood has not been applied and sins washed away, there can be no true Christian Life.

Figure 2.--No white stripes and only seven stripes in all. If there is no white in the life, there is no Christian Life. It is short of the standard of thirteen stripes. Only seven appear here.

Figure 3.--Red and white stripes appear, not thirteen but eleven. In the making of a Christian there cannot be a perfect Christian with some of the commandments left out. He that fails in one is guilty of all.

Figure 4.--Here we see the field but the stars left out. This is not the flag of the U.S.A. That man who calls himself a Christian without the Star of Bethlehem is not a New Testament Christian.

Figure 5.--Here we have nothing but stripes--no blue field. This is not the national banner of our country. It lacks the one thing--the blue. In making of the Christian we must not lack one thing; if we do, the life is rejected. "One thing thou lackest:" Such a life cannot have the mark of a Christian.

Figure 6.--All stars and no stripes. This cannot be the National flag of our people. The number of stars is correct, but the red and white stripes are missing. In the making of a Christian if we lack the red of the Blood, and the White of right living we cannot pass as the Bible Christian in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Figure 7.--Here we note sixteen stripes and fifty stars. This would also be rejected. Congress stipulates a banner of thirteen stripes and forty-eight stars; that alone constitutes the lawful banner of America. In the making of a Christian, we must not add to that life what is not given in the law. No other doctrine can be mixed with God's truth. Just God's word alone, nothing added from the worldly philosophy or the worldly wisdom of man.

Figure 8.--This is the old Colonial flag. A wonderful flag of the past, but not the mighty flag of today. So in the making of a Christian, the past will not suffice. We must grow, in grace, and have an experience up to date.

Figure 9.--This is the American flag with a foreign mark upon it. It is not truly American. It would be rejected by the government of the United States. So in the making of a Christian, all marks of another government must be cast out. Jesus only. God and not mammon, must obtain.

Figure 10.--Is the correct picture of the flag according to the laws of the nation. So in the making of the Christian, we must be according to the Pattern. We must do His commandments to bear His family name of Christian. Thus we can learn from the making of the flag to make a Christian.

=CHAPTER IX
THE HAND OF FAITH=

_Objects: The Fingers of the Human Hand_

THE HAND OF FAITH

HERE is a lesson on the meaning of Faith. Hold up the hand, showing the five fingers spread out and say, "Here is the hand of faith." There are as many letters in the word "faith" as I have fingers on my hand. Spell the word out commencing with the little finger and call it "F." Little Faith sometimes it often proves, but our faith increases as we travel on in the path of faith. The next finger stands for "A" of faith. You notice it is larger than "F" so our faith increases as we spell it out in experience and works. The next finger stands for "I" a little larger still. The next finger is for "T" a little shorter as sometimes our faith wanes; at last the thumb standing for "H," strong and confirmed in the way, so the fingers spell out the word "faith." A _living_ faith--as the hand is a living organ of my body. An _active_ faith, as each finger has its own individual action and a _grasping_ faith, for the fingers were made to seize hold of things and take them. So our faith must seize and hold on to God. The faith that seizes the Cross--my fingers--another name for faith--seize it and hold it. This is Salvation. Jesus says "take" of the water of life. The hand of faith takes it, seizes it, and that makes it ours. This is the faith that bringeth the victory. At last make your appeal to them to take Salvation now. Ask them to hold up their hand, open their fingers, and if their faith will take Jesus, to close their fingers as if clasping something, and that something is Jesus. This is taking Jesus by Faith.

=CHAPTER X
BEFORE OR AFTER=

_Object: A Blackboard or a Drawing on a Muslin Chart_

BEFORE OR AFTER

PUT the figure of a cross on the blackboard and on the left side put the letters B. C. On the right side, the letters A. D. This in the language of the day stands for Before Christ and the Year of Our Lord. For our purpose, we will cause B. C. to stand for Before Conversion and A. D. After Deliverance. Before and after the Cross (See Figure).

Great questions come to the Christian for his decision. "Shall I" are the words often on our lips. Does it belong to the life before the Cross (Before Conversion) or After Conversion? Put it down where it belongs. "Shall I dance?" that belongs to the B. C. side of the Cross. "Shall I play cards?" that belongs to the B. C. side also. "Shall I pray?" that belongs to the A. D. side (After Deliverance) of the Cross. "Shall I join the Church?" that belongs to the A. D. side also. It would be a very helpful exercise to ask the audience to name daily matters, and ask which side of the Cross they belong. If you have a doubtful thing in your mind take it to the Cross and mark it B. C. or A. D. This will make an instructive exercise for a young people's meeting. Always be an A. D. Christian.

=CHAPTER XI
WHY I SHOULD JOIN THE CHURCH=

_Objects: Blackboard or Chart_

IT is the wrong thought of some Christians that they count just as much for God outside of the church as in it. Christian membership harnesses up the Christian to a giant power. Build out of cardboard the form of a village church, place it on the platform before the audience. If using blackboard draw the Church and numbers in the air first. As they enter the Church rub the figures out, and place on the roof. Hang up the numbers 1-2-0-4-9-6-7 in various parts of the platform. They represent Christians who will not join the Church, separate units, standing for themselves only. They have no relation to each other and have only individual power. Persuade them to come into the Church organization and be linked together by common tasks. Take these numbers now in various parts of the platform and place them on the roof in the following order: 9763210--now they are an army of giants with power of millions of separate units. If the Church should be made of wood, take seven candles and light them. Put them in various places in the room. They represent the separate Christian. Bring them to Church, Put them all inside of the Church. Turn out all the other lights on the platform and the effect will be most striking. Jesus said "Let your light so shine" and the way to make it shine the most, is to all shine together. So will the Church be like a city set on a hill. Its light cannot be hid.

=CHAPTER XII
SEEING THE SERMON=

_Objects: The Perry Pictures_

SEEING THE SERMON

THIS is a striking and attractive way to preach a short object sermon in the regular church service. Just before the regular sermon, ask all the children to leave their seats and come forward to the platform in a happy little group, then hand each a Perry picture all on the same subject. Then preach to them a short sermon drawing out the point of the picture, and explain every line of it to them. They will then understand the picture and the lesson it teaches. After the little sermon is over, tell them to keep the picture. And send them back to their seats. It is a beautiful and affecting scene to see the little people with happy step and smiling face coming down the aisle and hastening back to their folks and saying "See what he gave me." They are instructed to put these pictures in a scrap book to keep them together. You can go through the Life of Jesus this way and the children will thus have a valuable scrap book to keep for years to come. Ask your denominational house where these pictures can be secured. They cost but trifle, but they help you to cause the children to see a sermon.

=CHAPTER XIII
THE BIG SIX=

_Objects: A Blackboard or Chart_

THE BIG SIX--A BLACKBOARD LESSON

THIS is a simple little diagram which can be drawn on a blackboard or made over on a linen chart to be hung up on the wall for permanent use. First make a large six like this then toward the top place a smaller size six. Thus . This means there are 66 books in the Bible. Then add below the small 6 the figure 3, like this . This teaches that there were 36 human authors who wrote the Bible. Last of all add below this three the figure one like this which means that it took sixteen centuries to write the Bible.

Let the children one by one, come to the front and with pointers explain these figures. Let them repeat it in concert until they have memorized the diagram.

In addition to that diagram, this one may be of service in remembering the number of the books of the Old and New Testament. Write in large letters the words OLD TESTAMENT. Count the letters in the Word OLD, which are three. Put down the figure 3. Count the letters in TESTAMENT and you will find the number to be nine. Put down the figure 9, after the figure 3, and you will have the number 39 which is the number of the books in the Old Testament. Write out the words NEW Testament; count the letters in NEW. There are three. Count letters in TESTAMENT; there are nine. After the figure 3 place the multiplication sign x, then follow with the figure 9. Multiply 9x3 and you have 27, which is the number of the books in the New Testament. Say to the children and others if you ever forget the number of the books either in the Old or New Testament, write the words Old Testament and New Testament. Count the letters in each word and you will find the number you desire. For the Old Testament put down the figures side by side. For the New Testament multiply the first number by the last. Write this lesson on the blackboard or draw on the chart the following diagram:

OLD TESTAMENT 3 9 = 39

NEW TESTAMENT 3 X 9 = 27

=CHAPTER XIV
HOW GOD SEES THINGS=

_Objects: Two Small Cups Filled with Things_

HOW GOD SEES THINGS

THIS is a lesson on seeing things as God sees them. Man looks on the outside, God looks on the inside. We look at the clothes and manners of other people. God looks at the heart. God's way is the best. The only way to see things as they really are, and all wise boys and girls will try to see as God sees. In giving this lesson select the brightest cups possible. Place them on a table by themselves and say "Here are two cups." They look alike; they appear to be alike. Judging from outward appearance, they are alike. That is the way man sees cups and people, but God looks on the inside as well. This we should do also if we wish to see as God sees. Here is a bright and beautiful cup. Let us together see what it contains. The first cup contains nothing but soiled, dirty, greasy rags. They are worthless. Mother would burn them as they are good for nothing. Have the cup painted black on the inside and as you hold up the cup so they can see the inside you say "It is filled with night as black as evil deeds." Down on the bottom of the cup place a small toy serpent which you produce last and say the reason the inside of the cup of life is bad is because down deep in the heart you will find sin and that makes the whole heart bad. To illustrate the nature of sin write on a cardboard the word sin like this S I N--say the first letter of sin resembles a serpent. You cannot speak the letter S without hissing like a serpent. The curves of the letter also resemble the serpent in the act of striking. The serpent before it strikes must curl up and lift its head high before it can give its fatal bite. So this teaches us the fact that sin is active and ready to assault at all times. Note the second letter I. That means sin is in you. I find sin is inside. Increase the letter I like this S =I= N which means sin is growing in us all the time as we grow older and older, it gets larger and larger. The only way to get it out of our heart is to come to Jesus and ask Him by the power of His cross to cleanse the inside of the cup and He will do it.

Pin strips of _red paper over_ the =I=, and you make the Cross. This is the only power which will kill the serpent of sin and make clean the inside of the cup of life. Then when God looks in He does not see the evil of sin. That makes the cup all right. Now show the second cup and say "Here is a cup, right outside, also right inside. Let us look in as God does, and see what we find." First produce a small New Testament. If you cannot secure one small enough for the cup, write on small strips of paper short texts of scripture, and bring them out, one by one, and read them. David says "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." That is the first big reason why the cup is clean inside. Now produce from the cup a large piece of white silk, or other thin fabric, and declare as you draw this silk out, that "what comes forth from the heart is pure, and white, and right." "Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life." Prov. 4:23. The issues are streams of good works. If you so desire you can use white ribbon instead of silk. In that case, cut the silk in small pieces and name each of them after some good quality such as Help, Kindness, Love, Truth, etc. After this produce a number of short blue ribbons which you can name Faithful, Friendship. Blue standing for "true blue" meaning true friendship. Have the ribbons tied together, meaning the pure heart and true heart makes friends who are friends indeed. At last produce a small streamer of red which stands for the cross. God looks inside of such a cup and smiles and blesses it. Let us all try to see things as God sees them and we will wear the smile that does not come off. To simplify this lesson for use of very little eyes, you can use the following objects. Secure a plain tin cup, and larger and more ornamented one, and place them side by side. Say to the children "Which is the better cup? If I should offer you one of the cups which would you choose?" They would all declare the silver cup as their choice. Now show them that is not the way God looks on things. We decide our choice by looking at the outside. God looks on the inside also. Now show them the beautiful cup is full of dirty water and the tin cup full of pure water. Which of the cups is worth more to you when you are thirsty? They will all tell you the tin cup is worth the most. Always look in before you decide. That is the way God does. He sees the heart first. In arranging this lesson, prepare the cups first. As you think it over, you will find it easy to think up other things to make up the contents, but have them all prepared before lesson time. Do not permit the children to look into the cups before the lesson or the real point of the truth you wish to teach them will be lost.

=CHAPTER XV
JOHN 3:16 IN COLORS=

_Objects: A Number of Colors Arranged in Their Proper Order_

JOHN 3:16 IN COLORS

THIS lesson will help you fix the truth of John 3:16 as well as the words of this golden text in the memory and heart of the little audience for a life time.

This verse is called by Martin Luther "the gospel in a nutshell." By this remark he meant that the truth of the Gospel was condensed into a few words. These colors will help you nail down on the wall of memory this condensed Gospel of John 3:16 so it will be the Gospel not only in a nutshell but the Gospel in the heart and memory. Draw on a heavy paper, a large heart at least sixteen inches high. Pin that up on a blackboard or some back ground where all the class can see it well. Now say you will try to put the little Gospel of John 3:16 in the heart so it will stick there. Take a small strip of _gold_ paper or golden yellow paper and place it on the bottom of the heart. _Gold_ is the richest and best of all things so we will let it stand for God, Who is the Best of all things. That strip stands for "GOD SO." Just above that you place a strip of _red_ which stands for "LOVED." This represents the "Love" of God. Next take a strip of _brown,_ the color of the common earth, placing it above the red, which will stand for the earth. This represents "THE WORLD." Above the brown place a _white_ strip which represents "HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON." White stands for the purity for God's son who had no sin in Him, also "The only begotten son, as He was the only earthly being who had no sin."

Above the white place one long strip of four colors, and if possible let the colors in the strip be of a different shade from those used in the single strips. They are _red_ and _yellow, black,_ and _white. These_ colors stand for "WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH."

Red for the red races, the Indian. Yellow for yellow races--Chinese, etc. Black for the black people. White for the white people.

Other races have faces shaded from these principal colors. These papers can be made of independent strips, going completely across the heart, or of shorter colors joined together endwise.

A _black_ strip is now placed above this which stands for "PERISH." Black suggests death, and the lost soul in eternal night. Add now a _green_ strip. Green is the eternal color. The ivy and the pine trees are always green. Let this strip stand for "EVERLASTING." And so the heart is thus built up.

Now ask them to name the word for which each color stands, then put the words together as in the Bible verse. On another chart write out the verse in colors using the proper color for each word. FOR GOD _(gold)_ SO LOVED _(red)_ THE WORLD _(brown)_ THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON _(white)_ THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH _(yellow) (black) (white) (red)_ SHOULD NEVER PERISH _(black)_ BUT HAVE EVERLASTING _(green)_ LIFE, Tell them this is the Gospel of Christ in John 3:16 in colors and this should be the Gospel in their hearts.

=CHAPTER XVI
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE MAGNET=