Sermons and Biblical Studies

Use Drummond’s famous illustration of the Beatitudes,—the spectrum. If the sun is shining into the room, take a prism and throw a spectrum upon white paper, getting the children to name the colors in order,—violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red. Write these upon the blackboard, each of them in the appropriate color, as far … Continue reading “THE BEATITUDE SPECTRUM—AN OBJECT LESSON AND
BLACKBOARD TALK”

An interesting and sufficient blackboard illustration of the miracle at the pool of Bethesda may easily be made by any one, whether he knows how to draw or not. Let an oval drawn with blue chalk represent the pool. Close to the pool place a large number of short horizontal marks to represent sick men, … Continue reading “AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA—A BLACKBOARD TALK”

First show the children something of the value of the gift of sight. Ask them to shut their eyes and feel the objects you put into their hands, trying to tell what they are. Blindfold one of the children, and get him to try to find a certain corner of the room, and bring you … Continue reading “BLIND EYES—AN OBJECT LESSON TEACHING GRATITUDE FOR
OUR EYES”

Begin by telling the beautiful story of the young king Josiah, of how the Bible was discovered hidden in the rubbish of the neglected temple, and of how Josiah caused the book to be honored. Go on to tell the children that often nowadays the Bible is buried, though not in quite the same kind … Continue reading “THE BURIED BIBLE—AN OBJECT LESSON ON BIBLE-STUDY”

Begin by telling the story of how Paul persecuted the Christians, and how wonderfully he was transformed into Paul the heroic missionary. Now this same Paul in later years, was writing to one of his churches, the church of the Colossians, and he said that the life of any one who knew nothing about Christ, … Continue reading “THE OLD COAT—AN OBJECT LESSON UPON THE CHANGED LIFE”

You may get before the children a good picture of Peter’s life by the use of a simple line drawn upon the blackboard, pinning upon it at intervals various objects to symbolize the different stages of his career. Tell how he was a fisherman when Christ called him to become his disciple, and draw a … Continue reading “PETER’S FALL—A BLACKBOARD TALK”

[Make the mile-stones used in this talk as large as convenient, and of wood or pasteboard.] Begin by saying that many years ago there was a very good and brave man, one of the best and bravest men named in the Bible, who said, not long before he was put to death: “I have fought … Continue reading “PAUL’S COURSE—AN OBJECT LESSON, REVIEWING PAUL’S
LIFE”

Prepare a large cross, making it of pasteboard or of wood; it should be as large as a child could well carry. Paint one half of it black,—or stone color, if you can imitate the stone exactly,—and the other side gilt. Place the cross before the children in such a position that they can see … Continue reading “THE CHANGED CROSS—AN ILLUSTRATION OF TROUBLE AND HOW
TO TRANSFORM IT TO JOY”

The clouds rise out of the ocean,—great, rain-filled clouds,—and they empty out the rain over the land. The brook is fed by it, and it is so happy that it gurgles and splashes and leaps and sparkles, and what do you think it does with the rain that the clouds give it? Why, it rushes … Continue reading “PASS IT ON—A LITTLE TALK FOR THANKSGIVING DAY—AND
OTHER DAYS”

When you leave this room, children, what are you going to walk on? On the cobblestones in the street? On gravel? On brick? On the concrete sidewalk? Oh, no. Look at your shoes. Yes, you know now. You are going to walk on leather. It will make no difference to you what is under the … Continue reading “SHOES—A TALK ILLUSTRATED BY THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES”