OBJECTS: A Number of Candles and a Small Green
Tree Branch=
Let us ask the candles to preach to us. These white-robed prophets
will now speak. Candle No. 1, come to the desk and be preacher for us
now.
In answer to this call a small boy or girl comes up upon the platform
bearing a small candle and gives it to you. This, you say, is a
little, but mighty preacher. In ancient story we are told of a
mansion illuminated by a thousand candles, and in one of the
candlesticks there was hidden the owner's will. The heirs searched
for the candle with its message of gold. That candle had a message in
it. So let us find the hidden truth in this and all the other candle
prophets this night.
After lighting it you say, "It is a light bearing God's truth." Place
it on the desk, saying, This is a little light, yet if the room was
darkened it would lighten the entire room. This little prophet
represents the child in the home, church, and world. The Bible says,
"A little child shall lead them." That little child is Jesus. He led
the wise men in the Temple of old. He is leading all men by the light
of his Star to the Cross where sins are taken away. "And I, if I be
lifted up, will draw all men to me." This is the attractive power of
a little child. All little children are sweet little lights, "the
light of the home," so we all declare, and we are speaking well as we
thus say, When this light is extinguished it has led many a soul back
to God. This little light stands for the Primary Department of our
Sunday school. They come to the school, they listen, and receive.
They are there taking in light. They go out, and let it shine out,
and many a soul has seen it and been saved. All the little folks look
forward and see the light. Be ye little lights and shine in your
corner for Jesus.
Our next preacher will be the large candle now brought forth by a
larger boy. Place it on the desk, and remove the small candle,
extinguish it, and put it out of sight.
This large candle is the pastor in the pulpit, who is a preaching
candle. He is to tell the truth about things and to warn the people
of dangers and present perils. Sometime the flock does not like his
plain talk, and in Bible times they took him from his holy place and
cast him out and stoned him to death. At this point have the boy so
trained that he will come forward to the desk and try to take the
candle out. You will stop him and ask him what he is doing. He will
reply: "He talks too plain to us. We don't like it." You tell him,
the preacher stands in God's place and is talking for him. Let all
the people hear what the prophet has to say to the people. The candle
is then placed back on the desk, and the preaching light continues to
shine out its message.
"Who next will be our preacher tonight?" This call is responded to by
two little girls, one bearing an ornamented candle coming first, the
other bringing a plain candle following. As you take the first candle
you say: "Beauty and adornment are useless and only pure vanity if
just on the surface. People like to show off in religion, that is,
they often like to show off their clothes and personal adornment, but
you will notice after you have lit this candle that it does not give
any more light than this plain candle," which you now take from the
little girl standing a little space from you. You light the plain
candle, and place them side by side, and by the side of the
preacher's candle, and the preacher says, "Both the poor and the rich
can shine alike for God, for he is Maker of them both."
Give the call again, "Who will preach for us next?" A child comes
forward with a box wrapped in paper, and gives it to you. After you
have opened it you produce a fine white candle. What does this mean,
Mr. Preaching Candle? The candle answers, "I am a soul which hides
his light under a bushel. I have gone out." Light it and place it by
your side, that its light may call the people out of the easy pew and
comfortable chair to the fortress to fight by light.
Behold! I see another prophet approaching. It is a foreigner. As he
comes to the platform he bears the flag of China, and carries a
Chinese lantern. He is coming not to preach but to listen. Hold up
the lantern close to the preacher candle and say: "China is asking
for the true light. What doth the preacher candle say?" And the
candle answers: "Hear me, all ye people, Our Master's great
commission tells us we are to go into all the world and preach the
gospel. China is the largest nation of the world, and so according to
the order of the Light of the World, we give China the light." Here
light the lantern, and give it back to the child, and bid him
Godspeed in his mission of light to his people who sit in darkness.
Give the call again, and six boys and girls come forward with a tall
unlit candle in a candlestick. These are six Lay Preachers, Helpers
of the Pastor. They do his bidding, and then they are sure to shine.
Now light the six candles and let them stand around the desk holding
their candles. Spread the children out as far as possible, so there
will be no danger of their burning each other. Now the preacher
candle says: "I am backed by my church-membership. They stand back of
me. They are shining forth the same light that I shine out. This is a
pulpit of power."
Here endeth the sermon of the candles in the pulpit. You now take the
candles from the children and place them on the desk with the other
candles and close by singing "The Light of the World Is Jesus."
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