[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 93]
"Well, now, wouldn"t it be foolish for us to go about finding flaws in G.o.d"s creatures, like this? Ah, yes. But it is just this way that some of us study our own lives. Just because we don"t find perfection there, we are disheartened and discouraged, forgetting that G.o.d"s Word is the authority for the a.s.sertion, that "there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." But we must not forget that other a.s.sertion which is equally true, namely, that they are blessed "who hunger and thirst after righteousness," and nothing short of this desire for G.o.dliness is pleasing to the Father.
"We have before us the inspiring, the enn.o.bling example of the Pilgrim Fathers, who, denied the right to worship G.o.d after their own manner in their home across the seas, made the perilous journey to the new world to establish here the beginning of a mighty church and a mighty pattern for all who were to come after them. They were men and women who hungered and thirsted after righteousness. But were they perfect?
No. It would be impossible to find, in the world"s history a life in which some imperfection did not lurk? Should the discovery of faults and imperfections in ourselves or in others discourage us from trying to follow in the footsteps of the Perfect One? Surely not. We should see in the shortcomings of others an inspiration to live our own lives more closely to the measure which we know to be right and true. The knowledge of our own faults and imperfections should make us more sympathetic, more helpful to others and induce a spirit of comradeship with those who need a strengthening band on the pathway of life.
"We know, too, where to take these faults and imperfections of ours. How often has He answered the prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, O G.o.d, and renew a right spirit within me." To become wearied, to lie idle and despair because we have not attained to the ideal is to commit a grievous error. Get busy! In true work for Him is the surest cure for the trouble. Faulty? Yes. But let us not forget the truth in Dr. Van d.y.k.e"s words, "the best rosebush, after all, is not that which has the fewest thorns but that which has the finest roses."
"Let us not lose heart because of our shortcomings, but give thanks that we may attain to the highest if we but do His will."
BRING FORTH FRUIT --Children"s Day --Fruitfulness
A Children"s Day Thought for the Entire School--The Live Branch.
THE LESSON--That as the fruit tree fulfills its mission only when surrounded by proper conditions, so, also, must the child be provided with the conditions which will help him to bring forth fruit in the Christian life.
The ill.u.s.tration here given possesses the unusual qualities of entertainment for the very littlest children of the school, of enlightment for the juniors and intermediates and of personal appeal to the seniors and adults--especially those visitors who may be attracted on the occasion of Children"s Day. The use of the colored chalk makes the picture especially attractive.
~~The Talk.~~
[Before beginning the talk, draw the bare limb in brown.] "What is this? A dead branch, did you say? Perhaps. Perhaps not. We are supposed to be looking at it in the winter time, and, of course, it isn"t real easy at first to tell whether it is dead or merely sleeping; but if we examine it closely we can tell, because the leaf-buds are formed in the autumn, and if the limb is alive we shall find the little leaf-buds there. [Examine the branch.] Yes, the branch is alive, for the little leaf-buds are cl.u.s.tered everywhere, waiting to burst forth into full-grown leaves. [As you speak, touch the limb here and there with green and then draw the cl.u.s.ters of full-grown leaves.] And here, too, I find some little pink buds, and a little later they open into pretty flowers, for this is the limb of an apple tree. [Add the flowers, completing Fig. 94.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 94]
"And then, as time goes on, we witness another interesting change, because G.o.d intends that the tree shall do more than bear leaves and flowers. We find that the pretty pink flowers which have filled the air with their fragrance and gladdened our eyes with their beauty have gone away, and in their places have come little green apples. [With green chalk draw the green apples just large enough to cover the blossoms.] Green apples are good things--to leave alone, so we will not pick them. We will watch and see them change into something else.
[With red chalk draw the large ripe apples, covering up the green surface. This completes Fig. 95. If the green doesn"t disappear entirely, it doesn"t matter. It is well, however, in drawing the green apples, to use as little of the color as possible.] And now we have the ripened fruit of the apple tree.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 95]
"This part of the story is for the little boys and girls. But we must say a word also to the boys and girls of the junior and intermediate cla.s.ses. It is this: That the branch of the apple tree, in bringing forth in its time the leaf-buds, the leaves, the blossoms, the green apples and the ripened fruit, has done nothing excepting that which G.o.d planned that it should do. He asks of it no more and no less.
That is its duty. The lesson for us is this: He expects us to do our full duty, just as the branch of the apple tree has done. He asks that we bring forth the fruits of service, of sacrifice, of cheerfulness, of kindness, of love and of humility. He has surrounded us with the things which make it easy to do this. Let us find out the best way for us to do it and enjoy real living as we bring forth fruit for Him.
"And I would also add a word to the seniors and the adults of our school, as well as to the visitors of the day. We all know that the branch cannot bring forth its fruit unless it be a part of the tree.
Christ has said, "I am the vine," and unless we get the children, attached to this true vine, their lives cannot bear Christian fruit. He is our support and our life. Just as the branch must have the sunlight and the warmth for its development, so must each one of these children have His love and our love and our help to live Christian lives.
"It was the Master who said, "Herein is my father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit" In helping these little ones we are ourselves bringing forth fruit. I believe that in this service, side by side with these children in the Sunday school, we shall find our Christian experiences enlarged and blessed. Let us pray, then, that each of these precious lives may be "like a tree planted by the streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf doth not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.""
"YOUNG MEN, AHOY"
--Temperance Day --Dissipation
John B. Gough"s Thrilling Word Picture a Remarkable Temperance Lesson.
THE LESSON--That we dare not trifle with the devil"s poison.
The world has known no greater foe to intemperance than John B. Gough. No words of this great leader have left a more lasting impression than those which he used in his striking picture of the young men drifting in a boat on the Niagara river. Happily, it adapts itself to the requirements of a chalk talk.
~~The Talk.~~
"The great temperance leader, John B. Gough, devoted the best years of his life to an earnest endeavor to save hoys from the evil of strong drink, of which he knew so much through long, bitter experience.
Familiar to all of us, perhaps, is the thrilling word picture of the young men who launched their rowboat upon the quiet, smooth waters of the broad Niagara river a few miles above the mighty cataract. [Draw the boat and the young men, completing Fig. 96. It might be well to prepare this first scene in advance.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 96]
""Now," says Mr. Gough, as he enters into the narrative, "launch your bark upon the Niagara river. It is bright and smooth and still; there is a ripple at the bow; the silvery wake you leave behind you adds to your enjoyment. Down the stream you glide; you have your oars, and you think you are prepared for every emergency--and thus you go on your pleasure excursion, thinking naught of dangers ahead. Some one cries from the bank! Hark!
""Young men, ahoy!"
""What is it?" you ask.
""The rapids are below you!"
""Ha, ha! We have heard of the rapids below us," you laugh, "but we are not such fools as to get into them. When we find we are going too fast, we will pull for the sh.o.r.e."
""_Young men, ahoy_!"
""What is it?
""The rapids are below you!"
""Ha, ha! We will laugh and quaff; all things delight us; what care we for the future? No man ever saw it. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." We will enjoy life while we may, and catch pleasure as it flies. This is the time for enjoyment. It is time enough to steer out of danger when we find we are going too swiftly with the stream."
""YOUNG MEN, AHOY!"
""What is it?"
""The rapids are below you! Now see the water foaming all around you!
See how fast you go! _Quick_! QUICK! Pull for your very lives!
Pull till the blood starts from your nostrils and the veins stand like whipcords on your brow!"
[At this point, quickly detach the drawing from the board, turn it one-fourth around and re-attach with thumb tacks; then, add the lines to complete Fig. 97.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 97]
""Ah, it is too late! Shrieking, cursing, blaspheming, over the falls you go!--and thousands thus go over every year by the power of evil habits, declaring, "When I find it is hurting me, I will quit." But these latter do not go by the water way, but by the whiskey way, which is a thousand times worse! No man today fills a drunkard"s grave who did not once think he could quit--but he found, too late, that he couldn"t."
""Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise," says Solomon, and he might have made it ten times as strong and still kept within the truth. Everywhere, and at all times, when a young man starts to do evil, he hears plainly and clearly the cry, "Young man, ahoy! The rapids are below you!" It is the voice of conscience, his true and faithful servant. But, unfortunately, as the voice is unheeded and bad habits grow stronger, conscience grows weaker, and, after a while, it cannot serve us at all, for Satan has taken possession of it. The evil one can do as much mischief with a man"s conscience as he can with his heart. He can "sear it with a hot iron." (I Tim. 4: 2.) He can "defile" it. (t.i.tus 1: 15.) He can kill it. (Eph. 4: 17-19.) And how can a seared, defiled, dead conscience help him to shun temptation and sin? Many a man, honest in his dealings with those about him, is dishonest with himself when he begins to allow bad habits to rule his life and to allow Satan to defile and kill the conscience which has been provided to guide him in caring for his own body--the earthly temple given to him by G.o.d as the earthly abiding place of his immortal soul."
VALUELESS THINGS --Boys" Day --Ability
They May Not Remain So if We Give Them Proper Attention--A Thought for Boys" Day.