THE GREAT PHYSICIAN—A BLACKBOARD TALK

Draw on the board before the meeting the outline of a girl. Draw it very faintly, so that you can just see it, and the children cannot see it at all.

Begin by saying that there is on the board a girl,—not a real, live girl, but just the shadow, the ghost, of a girl. You are going to see whether Christ can make her alive.

What did Christ do for people’s eyes when he was on earth? Surely, if he could make blind eyes see he could make seeing eyes from the start, so we will put in our girl’s eyes. (Use blue chalk for the center.)

What did Christ do for people’s tongues and lips? If he could make the dumb speak, he could surely create their tongues and lips from the beginning so we will give lips to our girl. (Use red chalk for the lips. At the same time put in the nose, with white chalk.)

After the same manner let the speaker, reminding the children of the healing of the deaf, add the ears, drawing at the same time the hair and the outline of the cheeks and chin.

Speak of the palsied, and add the body. Speak of the crippled, and add the feet. Speak of the withered hands, and add the arms. Speak of the leprous skin, and use flesh-colored chalk over face and neck and hands. Speak finally of the dead raised to life, as wonderful as if the girl you have drawn should step out of the blackboard and speak to you.

If this illustration is presented with vivacity it will be very effective, whether the speaker is much of an artist or not. Some skilled friend may be persuaded to draw the outlines beforehand, the speaker needing only to make the lines heavy and add the color.