"It is an excellent work, and the plan is admirably suited to reach and impress youthful minds with correct principles. The language is plain and easily understood and yet the central thought is well defined and easily grasped."--_The Christian Instructor._
"The topics are timely and fresh, the objects simple and telling, and the sermons themselves just what sermons to children ought to be, brief and well ill.u.s.trated, fascinating and practical. Boys and girls will devour every one of them with relish, whilst we children of a larger growth will be children again."--_Lutheran Observer._
"The chapters contained in the volume are such as are sure to win the attention and interest of the children. We are confident that Dr. Stall has found the right key to the situation, and we commend his work most heartily."--_Messiah"s Herald._
"The gift of talking sense to children in a way interesting to them is a rare one. These fifty-two short sermons show that Dr. Stall has this rare gift in an eminent degree. This is shown, not only in his way of putting things, but also in his subjects and ill.u.s.trative objects."--_Lutheran Quarterly._
"In this volume the author seeks to attract the young through the presentation of the old truths of the Gospel in the form which arrest the eye, secures the attention, impresses the mind, and wins the heart for Christ and the right. The entrance into the city of Child-soul is sought by a.s.saulting both the Eye-gate and Ear-gate. At the same time the ill.u.s.trations used are impressive, the truths taught are simple, and the impressions made are likely to be lasting."--_Jersey City Times_.
"It is not every one who is able to present to children sober truths in a manner interesting to them, for it requires a special talent to either speak to or write for children, but Dr. Stall has undoubtedly the happy faculty of doing this. The author"s object is to implant in the child"s mind seeds of truth and love, n.o.bleness and justice, and all the virtues that go to make a manly boy and womanly girl, as well as a G.o.d-loving child."--_Boston Times._
FROM THE CHILDREN OF NEW ENGLAND.
SYLVa.n.u.s STALL, D. D., Philadelphia, Pa.
REVEREND SIR:
I wish to thank you in behalf of my school children for having your short sermons to children published. I read them to my school children as part of our devotional exercises, and I often hear remarks like this: "I wish the author would come to Moose Meadow. I wish I could hear him. I wish I could see him and thank him for writing those sermons. Can"t we write to him and thank him?"
etc., and so I have been led to write you, thanking you in their behalf.
Moose Meadow is a small country place in Eastern Connecticut, and I wish you to know that the country children enjoy your sermons equally as well as city children, and I am very glad that a copy of your book was put into my hands. I feel very grateful to G.o.d for putting it into the heart of some one to write such interesting sermons and beautiful object lessons.
Respectfully, MRS. A. B. DAWE.
Moose Meadow, Town of Willington, Connecticut.
A SUGGESTIVE BOOK FOR PREACHERS.
"Pastors in search of something suggestive for talking in a helpful manner to children will find this book both helpful and suggestive."--_Reformed Church Messenger._
"A careful reading of this book will enable any minister of anything like ordinary brightness to adapt much of his preaching to the comprehension of the young."--_Gospel Messenger._
"We do not know that we can give a stronger commendation of this little volume than to say that on a brief examination of it we got the suggestion for a series of half a dozen evening sermons to young people.
The book is most suggestive, and spiritually as well as mentally refreshing."--_Christian Statesman._
"An examination of the little sermons in this book shows the reader that Dr. Stall skillfully manages each topic, and leaves helpful lessons of moral and religious truths. The book will suggest to pastors methods of work that will bring the children into a closer relation to the services of the Sabbath."--_Christian Secretary._
"Excellent, admirable, irresistible approaches through the Eye-gate and Ear-gate in the City of Child-soul. The author is a genius. There is not a dull line between the covers of this book."--_Christian Endeavor World._
OTHER ENTHUSIASTIC WORDS.
"These sermons are delightful and helpful in their explanation. We have seen nothing that compares with it."--_Herald of Gospel Liberty._
"These sermons are animated in style, bright, interesting and practical."--_The Advance._
"Dr. Stall"s sermons are excellent examples of abstract lessons from the common objects of everyday life, practical and effective."--_Books and Authors._
"Dr. Stall is an expert in this line of work attempted, and we may add achieved in this little book. He addresses little object sermons as bright, pithy and taking as they can be with a good point to them always."--_New York Independent._
"These short sermons will be found wonderfully suggestive. The author goes back to Bible methods, and selects common things with which all are familiar from which to draw his lessons."--_Inter Ocean_, Chicago.
"The old truths of the Gospel in this new form arrest the eye, secure the attention, impress the mind, and win the heart for Christ."--_Herald and Presbytery._
"The ill.u.s.trations used are impressive, and truths taught are important, and the impressions made are likely to be lasting."--_New York Observer._
"The author, after the manner of the parables told by our Lord, presents important truths of the Gospel to the easy comprehension of both old and young."--_Christian Work._
"These little sermons are free from sensational, mawkish, maudlin stories. At the same time, they are interesting for old and young, and the short talks to children are admirable."--_Western Recorder._
"With the objects of every day life presented to the eye, the author, after the manner of the parables, presents important truths of the Gospel to the easy comprehension of both the old and young."--_Methodist Recorder._