THE WONDERFUL LANTERN—AN OBJECT TALK ON THE BIBLE

[The speaker should use in his talk a lighted lantern.]

Two boys were once walking in the great Forest of Life. One was George Wise, and the other was George Foolish. They went in at different times, and each was given to carry a wonderful lantern, and was told that its light would be all the help he would need to carry him safely through the forest and to the Palace of the King.

George Foolish, who went in first, walked on and on along a straight and beautiful path until it grew quite dusky. There was a strange light all through the forest, though, and he did not lose his way. In this light he saw what seemed a very beautiful woman.

“Come, my boy,” she cried, “and I will show you the pleasantest things you ever saw.”

George Foolish followed her, keeping his lantern behind him, as she directed. “For,” said she, “it will only confuse you if you use it. This light around you is enough.”

Soon they came to a road the most lovely imaginable. Pretty flowers seemed to be springing up on every side, and the trees seemed all abloom, and the birds seemed to sing, and the air was very fragrant. But walking along that lovely path, all of a sudden it became very dark.

George Foolish started to swing his lantern around, but the lovely lady snatched it from his hand and dashed it on the ground. And then George Foolish felt himself going down, down, down, down. He had been led to a great pit, and had fallen in. That was the end of George Foolish.

To George Wise was given the same kind of lantern, with the same instructions, and he took good care to obey them.

When the lovely lady came up to him he held up his lantern and looked at her sharply. Lo! he saw that her face was really all painted and ugly, and the tips of her fingers were claws, and her feet were hoofs. So he ran away as fast as he could; and the woman did not dare to follow into the circle of the lantern’s light.

And then George Wise came to the road that seemed very beautiful in the dim light, with its flowers, and lovely sounds and fragrance. But the lantern sent its rays far down the path, and showed wild beasts behind every tree, and deadly serpents amid the sweet flowers, and at the end the great, black pit into which George Foolish fell.

So George Wise went on his way, walking only where his lantern said was safe, and at last he got to the Palace of the King. Can you guess the name of the lantern, children?