ROBERT RAIKES, the founder of Sunday-schools in England, has left on
record only one of the many lessons he taught the children of his day.
It is beyond all doubt the oldest Sunday-school lesson ever recorded.
It is an object lesson in which he used a magnet. He said, "You know
what a magnet is, do you not? It is that strange kind of stone, or
magnetized piece of steel which attracts all iron to itself. Perhaps
you have seen boys and girls who had toy ducks and fishes drawn about
by a magnet in the water. Well, the magnet has a strange, unseen power
to draw some things to itself. Perhaps you have owned a little
horse-shoe magnet, and have amused yourself drawing needles and other
things to it. Now notice, I will place in this saucer a number of
needles and also a number of pins. Now you know pins are made of brass
while needles are made of steel or iron. You now notice that I take my
magnet and hold it just a little above the saucer. Now, see what
happens! The magnet attracts all the needles at once and they all fly
up and stick to it. But notice the pins. They do not move, as they are
made of brass, and there is nothing in them to be drawn by the magnet,
so they remained quietly behind, just as they were. Now listen, the
Lord Jesus is just like this magnet, and every one who belongs to Him,
everyone who has repented and believes in Him, is like these needles.
They have a nature now that loves the Lord Jesus, so when He comes He
will draw all those who belong to Him up to meet Him, but all other
people who have not been born again and have not had their natures
changed by Jesus, are like these pins. They do not rise up to greet
Him. There is nothing in their hearts to respond, so when He comes,
they will remain behind. How is it with you, dear children, are you
like the pins or needles?"
This was the lesson which Robert Raikes taught the children long ago.
You have already thought out how he did it and no further explanation
is needed. There are many lessons the magnet teaches which will fasten
gospel truth in their hearts to stay. You may fasten the base of the
magnet to a small wooden cross, and teach the lesson of the attractive
power by plunging the foot of the cross into a plate of tacks and note
how many tacks will cling to the cross. Call attention to the fact
that they not only cling to the magnet, but to each other. The power
of the magnet passes through the tack to other tacks and so on and you
have a crowd of tacks clinging to the cross. This teaches us the
fact--if we have the power of Christ in the heart, we will also draw
others to Jesus.
=CHAPTER XVII
THE STAR BOX=
_Objects: A box marked with a star containing a cluster of common
things_