are a large perfect apple and a stunted, wormy
apple. Have also a knife with which, at the proper
time, to open the wormy apple. With these
preparations made, let the children "drive to
church" after the manner suggested for last
Sunday.
After the singing of a hymn or two, prayer and
collection, let one of the children, in the manner
of the preacher speaking to his audience, tell in
his own way of the "Oyster and Crab" and of God's
purpose in giving us a conscience, and let him or
her draw the moral lessons and impress the
spiritual truths. Even if it is done in but few
words, or a faltering way, do not embarrass or
discourage by criticisms. Speak words of
encouragement. If preferred, the little sermon may
be a presentation of the sermon preached by the
pastor in the morning, or one child may present
the object sermon of last Sunday and another child
the sermon by the pastor in the morning. The more
who take part, the better, as variety adds to the
interest.
Then gather the children around close so they can
see the pictures as you read the following sermon.
Have the apples at hand also for demonstration.
THE object which I have chosen to-day, is one with which I am sure every
boy and girl is thoroughly familiar. The moment you see it you recognize
it. This large and beautiful apple is one of the most perfect of its
kind, large in size, beautiful in color, and one which tempts the
appetite of any one who is hungry.
Now, boys and girls, I have here another object. Can you tell me what
this is? I expected that you would say that it was an apple, and that is
true. But you have not told me the whole truth concerning it. This is
not only an apple, but it is a wormy apple. It did not grow as large as
the other, and, by looking at the outside, I see that it is defective.
It is stunted, like wormy apples quite universally are. You might think
that the worm went into this apple because it was not full grown and
strong and large, the same as it is sometimes thought that boys who have
never improved their advantages, but have failed to become noble and
good, therefore sin has entered their hearts. The truth is just the
reverse; wickedness first possessed their hearts, and that has been the
cause of their failure to improve their opportunities, and to become
manly, and noble, and good, and kind. If they had first got the evil and
sin out of their hearts, they would surely have stood a much better
chance. They would have become Christians, and have grown up more and
more like Christ, to be good, and kind, and generous, and useful.
[Illustration: Worm in the Apple.]
I want to ask you a question concerning this worm. But to be sure that
we are not mistaken, let me take a knife and cut this apple in two, and
see whether or not there is a worm inside. Just as I said, this is a
wormy apple. It has evidently had two worms in it. Here is one of them,
and the other has taken its departure. Now, boys and girls, I want to
ask you, did this worm eat his way into the apple, or did he eat his way
out of the apple? Quite as I anticipated. I expected that you would say
that he ate his way into the apple; but the fact is, he ate his way out
of the apple. I am sure that you will ask immediately, at least in your
minds, how then did he get in, if he ate his way out? I will tell you
how it was. Early last spring, just after the apple trees had been in
blossom, and when this apple had just begun to form on one of the
branches, there came along a bug and stung this apple, and deposited in
the inside the germ of the worm. As the summer grew warmer, and the
apple grew larger, the germ began to develop, until finally it grew into
a worm. When it began to grow strong, it discovered that it was confined
in the interior of something, and soon it began to eat, and continued
until it ate its way out of the apple. This other worm, which still
remained in, had continued to eat in the various portions of the apple,
and possibly because of having less bodily vigor had concluded to remain
there for a time, but you can see from the inside of the apple that it
has done great injury, at the very core or heart, and I suppose that if
it had been left to itself, in the course of a few days, or a few weeks
at most, it also would have eaten its way out of the apple, in order to
escape from its confinement.
[Illustration: Insect Stinging Bud.]
Now, boys and girls, this worm represents sin in the human heart, or
wickedness possibly presents the thought better, and when you see a boy
or girl doing wrong, they are simply giving outward expression to the
wickedness which exists in their hearts. Boys are bad, not so much
because the influences by which they are surrounded are bad, but because
their hearts are sinful, and wicked, and bad. But I am sure that you
will want to know how wickedness gets into the human heart. I will tell
you how it is. Way back in the spring-time of the history of the human
race, way back in the Garden of Eden, soon after God had created Adam
and Eve, Satan came and inspired in the hearts of these first people the
desire to disobey God. God told Adam and Eve that they should not eat
of the fruit of the forbidden tree, and that when they did they would
die, that is, they would be separated from God. Satan came and told them
that they would not die, but that when they ate of the fruit of this
tree they would become very wise. They believed Satan rather than God,
and they did that which was wicked and wrong. And so throughout all the
generations since, there has been that willingness to believe Satan and
to do what he wants us to do, rather than to believe God and do what God
would have us to do.
Boys and girls who find themselves inclined to disobey their father or
mother, to be disrespectful to those who are older than they, to do
wrong on the Sabbath, to remain away from the Sunday-school and church,
and to enjoy the beautiful spring-day, by strolling through the fields
or wandering through the woods, do so, not alone because the day is
pleasant or because of the opportunities from which others turn away,
but because there is wickedness in their hearts. So when boys quarrel
and fight, or steal, or do any other thing that is wrong, it is not so
much the influences by which they are surrounded, the temptation from
without, but the wickedness and the evil and the sinfulness which there
is in the human heart, eating its way out through their heart into their
lives, and deforming their lives, which otherwise would be upright,
honorable and manly and Christ-like. I trust that when you are tempted
to do wrong you will recognize the fact that there is evil in your
heart, and that you will go to Jesus and earnestly pray Him to take away
this evil out of your heart, and to give you a new, clean heart. Just
the same as with these apples, if you had the privilege of choosing, I
am sure you would prefer the large one, which has not been spoiled
because of the destructive worm inside, so I trust you will choose to
have the good heart, which God can give you, rather than the heart that
has wickedness and sin within. If you will go to God in prayer and ask
Him, He will give you a good heart, a true heart, one that has no sin
and no wickedness within.
Questions.--Which is nicer, a big, red apple or a
little stunted one? What prevented the little
apple from growing big and beautiful? When did the
little worm get into the apple? If it had not been
for the worm in the apple, would the apple have
grown large and well formed? What causes boys and
girls to desire to do wrong? Who tempted Adam and
Eve to do wrong? Did they listen? Did they believe
God or did they believe Satan? Are boys and girls
still tempted to do wrong? Are they likely to
yield to temptation? To whom should we go when we
are tempted to do wrong? Who alone can cleanse our
hearts from sin? Should we always go and ask God
for strength when we are tempted? Which would you
choose, a good heart or a wicked heart?
Suggest to the children (or better still select
one or have them select one) to procure for next
Sunday some weeds that grow by the wayside and
also a few cut flowers or potted plants.
After "driving home" from church and after putting
the horses away, which little action gives the
children a few moments' diversion, then other
methods contained in the chapter of "Suggestions
to Parents" can be selected according to the age,
intelligence and interest of the children. After
this, refreshments or whatever is best suited to
the thought of the parents and the conditions of
the household may be introduced.
[Illustration]
WAYSIDE WEEDS AND GARDEN FLOWERS.
NEGLECTED VERSUS CHRISTIAN CHILDREN.
SUGGESTIONS TO PARENTS:--The objects to be used
to-day are a bouquet of flowers or some potted
plants and a bunch of weeds that grow by the
wayside. These will illustrate the difference
between neglected, untaught and undisciplined
children, and the children of a well trained
household. Make the lesson impressive, so that the
children will appreciate that the restrictions and
discipline which are imposed upon them are all for
their own good--that without these careful
attentions they would grow up like the children in
the slums. The neglected character of the clothing
of undisciplined and uncared for children is only
indicative of the minds and hearts and character
of these children.
Arrange the chairs, "drive to church"; let the
ushers show the different real or imaginary
persons to seats. Then let the hymn, prayer or
"opening service" precede the "preaching" of the
object sermon of last Sunday or the regular sermon
at the morning church service by one or more of
the children, after which a hymn may be sung, and
the parent gather the children close so they can
see the pictures, and read the following sermon on
"Wayside Weeds and Garden Flowers." During the
reading, or before, or after, let the children
gain the impressive lessons from the colored
picture which so beautifully illustrates the
sermon.
[Illustration: Wayside Weeds and Garden Flowers]
THE land of Palestine, in which Jesus lived, has always been noted for
its flowers. They grow everywhere in great abundance, and oftentimes in
very great perfection and beauty. One time, when Jesus was preaching on
the mountain, He used the flowers which were growing on the side of the
mountain, to preach an object sermon to the multitudes about Him. He
said, "Consider the lilies of the field; how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that Solomon, in all his
glory, was not arrayed like one of these." (Matt. vi: 28, 29.) Let us
to-day take the same object lesson, to set forth to our minds a clearer
understanding of some truths, which are very important to every father
and mother, as well as every boy and girl.
As you see, I have here two bouquets. This, which I now hold in my hand,
is indeed very beautiful. Here are some lovely roses, some tulips, some
peonies. Here is a dahlia and heliotrope. Here are some tube roses, and
a great variety of other flowers, which together constitute a very
beautiful bouquet.
Now, here is another bouquet. I see you smile, but indeed it is a
bouquet. I spent a great deal of time gathering these flowers, at which
you laugh. I sought them in such places as would afford the best
varieties of these several kinds.
Now, boys and girls, I want to ask you where these flowers grew? I will
hold up this beautiful bouquet and ask the question. I know what will be
your answer; you will say that I bought it from a man who keeps a
hot-house, or that I gathered them in some flower garden which was very
carefully tended; and such, indeed, is the case.
Now, I will hold up this other bouquet. Can you tell me where I gathered
these? I did not think that you would have much difficulty in
determining. I gathered them along the roadside, in the fields and in
the woods. These flowers are what the farmer calls "weeds." Here is a
rose with a single leaf that grew in a neglected corner, along the
outskirts of a woods. It is a genuine rose, but it is by no means
pretty, or at all to be compared with those in the other bouquet.
I will tell you why there is such a difference in the appearance of
these two bouquets. One grew in the garden, where it was protected by a
fence from being tramped upon. The weeds that grew about it were all
pulled out of the ground, and the stalk upon which this flower grew was
given a fair chance, so that it might grow successfully. The roots of
the plants were carefully nourished, and whenever there was not
sufficient rain the flowers were all watered, and thus the plants and
flowers grew to their greatest perfection and beauty.
Now, these other flowers which I gathered in the fields and along the
roadside and in the woods, have had a hard time of it. In their growth
they had to contend with other weeds. They have been tramped upon by the
cattle. They have been scorched by the sun. And year after year they
have grown in these neglected quarters with great difficulty,
consequently they are stunted and have never attained any perfection or
beauty.
Do you know that these very beautiful flowers in this bouquet at one
time grew just the same as the flowers in the other bouquet? But they
were removed from the roadside, and from the fields and from the woods,
and placed by themselves where they could be properly cared for and
cultivated, and they grew more beautiful from year to year, until we
have this present satisfactory result.
Boys and girls are very much like flowers. Those who are neglected, who
are permitted to walk the streets, to stroll along the roads and over
the fields, to go along the streams fishing on Sunday, instead of being
in Sunday-school and in church, those who are permitted to run out at
nights and play with all kinds of company--these are the boys and girls
who are like the flowers which grow by the roadside. Nothing very
beautiful, or very good, or very perfect can reasonably be expected from
them.
This beautiful bouquet represents those boys and girls who have
Christian fathers and mothers, who surround them by influences which are
well calculated to make them pure in thought and upright in life, so
that they may grow up to be good Christian men and women. These flowers
represent the boys and girls who grow up in the Sunday-school and in the
Church, who give their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ, and grow up
into His likeness, and into His image, and into His stature, and become
noble Christian men and women.
When parents permit their children to run wild, they cannot expect them
to grow up Christians. It is only by culture and education and Christian
influences that they can be improved, so as to become honorable and
upright.
Nearly all the products of the field have been improved by cultivation,
just the same as these flowers have been improved. Wheat in its native
state, as it may still be found in France and Italy along the shores of
the Mediterranean, was a stunted and straggling plant, with a small and
inferior seed, but after long years of patient and continued
cultivation, it has grown to its present plump and prolific proportions.
All the beautiful fruits which now grow in our orchards were at one time
unsightly and undesirable. The apple was small and sour, and
unpalatable; but by pruning and grafting and fertilizing, it has grown
to be not only beautiful to the eye, but delicious to the taste. The
acrid and unwholesome berries, which formerly grew on the mountain ash,
have been developed into the sweet and juicy pear. By cultivation, the
acrid and bitter sloe has grown into the beautiful plum. The same is
also true of the potato, the turnip and the cabbage.
Boys and girls can only be developed into useful men and women by the
influence of the week-day and Sunday-school, the Christian home and the
Church, by reading and studying the Bible and other good books.
When you are restricted or corrected by your parents, you may oftentimes
feel very much irritated and may feel rebellious, and may think that you
do not have as many privileges or as much freedom as some of the other
boys and girls whom you know. But you must remember that all this is
done by your parents for your good, and later on in life you will see
the value of it all and be very grateful to your parents for what they
have done for you.
When I was a boy, in the little village where I lived they organized a
cannon company of six or eight boys, who were to accompany the men who
went to other villages to listen to political speeches before elections,
and then to march in a torch-light procession. I was at that time a boy
about twelve years old. I was asked to join. The boys were all to wear
red blouses and red caps, and to my thought just then, nothing in the
world was so much to be desired as the torch-light procession and the
red blouse and cap, and to be permitted to march behind the drum and the
fife, hauling the little cannon after us.
I shall never forget how I cried and how ugly I felt toward my father
when he would not let me be one of the cannon boys and wear a red blouse
and a red cap. He said that at night I ought to be at home and in bed,
and not be exposed to possible bad influences, the danger of catching
cold and of other bad results which he could clearly see, but which I,
at that time, thought were only imaginary.
When I grew to be a man, I saw that my father was right, and later when
at intervals I journeyed back to my boyhood home and visited the
cemetery, I frequently placed one elbow on the tomb-stone of my father
and the other elbow on the tomb-stone of my mother, and with my face
buried in my hands thanked God that He had given me Christian parents
who were wise and judicious enough not to let me have my own way in all
things when I was a boy, but who had restricted me and guided me wisely
and well.
So, boys and girls, it will be with you when you have grown to the
estate of manhood and womanhood. You will be, oh, so thankful again and
again that father and mother have oftentimes denied you things which you
have most desired to have.
Questions.--Which are the prettier, flowers which
are neglected by the roadside, or those which are
cultivated in the garden? Are boys and girls like
flowers? Which boys and girls are the best, those
who are neglected and not taught, or those who are
cared for and carefully trained? Is it more
pleasant for boys and girls to have their own way
in everything, or would they prefer to be taught
and trained by their parents? Which kind of
flowers are the heathen boys and girls like? Can
wild flowers be made more beautiful by care and
cultivation? Can the boys and girls in heathen
lands be made like Christian boys and girls? What
is necessary to effect this change? How can Bibles
and missionaries be sent to them? Did the writer
of this book want to have his own way when he was
a boy? What did he want to be? What kind of a cap
and blouse did he want to wear? When he became a
man, was he thankful to his father for not
allowing him to have his own way at that time?
Will all good boys and girls, when they become men
and women, be thankful to their parents for right
training?
[Illustration: "The Cannon Boys."]
NUTS.
GOD MEANS THAT WE MUST WORK.
SUGGESTION:--The objects used are some nuts of
various kinds.
If the parent has not already familiarized himself
with the different methods of entertainment in
connection with the reading of the object sermon
to the children, he would do well to turn to the
chapter on "Suggestions to Parents" on page 17 and
introduce some one or more of the play ideas which
have accomplished so much of pleasure and profit
in many homes.
Arrange chairs and "drive to church," let the
audience, both real and imaginary be shown to
seats, and after the opening service let one of
the children in his or her own way present the
lessons remembered from the sermon of last Sunday,
or recast what was said by the pastor in his
morning sermon. After the collection and singing,
let the children "drive home" and let refreshments
or some one of the Scriptural entertainments
previously suggested round out the pleasure and
profit of Sunday afternoon.
NOW, boys and girls, I have here some hickory nuts, walnuts, butternuts,
chestnuts, and filberts, or hazel nuts as they are sometimes called, and
I want to tell you something that I suppose God means to teach us by
these nuts.
[Illustration: Nuts.]
Many people remember that when Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden, God
told them that "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Gen.
iii: 19), and also that God drove them out of the garden to "till the
ground from whence man was taken." (Gen. iii: 23.) On this account some
people suppose that if Adam and Eve had not sinned it would never have
been necessary for us to work, but that is a mistake. If you turn to the
second chapter of Genesis, in the fifteenth verse, you will find that it
says, "The Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to
dress it and to keep it." So you see that Adam was required to work,
even before the fall. Of course his work was not as severe as it was
after he was driven out of Eden and his labor brought him a richer
fruitage.
Now, what do these nuts teach us? I think that most all boys and girls
like to eat hickory nuts and butternuts, and chestnuts and filberts, and
indeed all kinds of nuts. But did you ever stop to think that God has
made it necessary that we should crack the shell before we can eat the
kernel that is inside? God has purposed to teach us that labor is
necessary before we can eat even of that which He gives us, so on the
outside of this desired food he places the shell, in some instances hard
and difficult to be broken, in order to teach us that labor is necessary
before we can eat of His gifts.
Now the same thing is true with regard to the grain that grows in the
field. No one ever saw potatoes grow without being planted and
cultivated. Rye and oats and wheat do not grow wild. Weeds will grow
without being sown or planted, but grain and vegetables not only have to
be planted, but have to be taken care of. Possibly you might think that
my statement was not wholly correct, because we go out into the orchard
and gather apples and pears and peaches, and other kinds of fruit which
have no hard shells on them, and which do not have to be planted in the
spring of the year. But do you know that we could not gather this kind
of rich fruit from the trees unless trees of these kinds had been
cultivated for long centuries, grafted and developed so as to produce
the rich fruit which is now placed upon our tables? So you see that even
this has cost labor, and if we were to neglect the trees in the orchard,
it would only be a few years until they would produce only a very small
variety of fruit, and even that would be sour and have an unpleasant
taste.
But God means to teach us this lesson also in another way. Man has found
it very necessary to use the different kinds of metals, iron and copper,
silver and gold. God has not laid these metals on top of the ground, but
has made it necessary that we should dig down into the earth and secure
these metals at the cost of a great deal of labor. The same is also true
with regard to the coal and the oil, and all the rich mineral products
which God has blessed us. None of them can be secured without labor.
[Illustration: Apple Tree.]