Sermons and Biblical Studies

Gain the interest of the children by telling them at the opening of your talk that you are going to give them a spelling lesson, and teach them how to spell the word vacation. It is spelled in the first place with a V, which stands for vigilance. The vacation will be what God wants … Continue reading “HOW TO SPELL IT—A TALK ON VACATIONS”

Find two pictures strongly contrasted,—one of a bright young man, the other a decrepit old drunkard. The illustration will be more effective if both are represented standing. Pin these pictures to the wall or blackboard, and cover each with bits of paper, pinned on separately, so that the parts of the pictures can be disclosed … Continue reading “WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?—A BLACKBOARD TEMPERANCE TALK”

Ask the children what lad it was that was thrown by his brothers into the pit. When they have answered, draw on the board a simple oval to represent the pit. Then go on to bring out seven sad points in the story of Joseph. Represent these points by thorn-like triangles rising about the pit … Continue reading “FROM PIT TO POWER—A BLACKBOARD TALK ON THE STORY OF
JOSEPH”

Come to the meeting prepared with many symbols illustrating some of the most remarkable deliverances described in the Bible. Placing these one by one before the children, ask them of what man or woman each of the symbols reminds them, and what remarkable escape was brought about through the use of the things shown to … Continue reading “HOW THEY ESCAPED—A BIBLE-STUDY, WITH OBJECTS”

Bessie and Ben were ready to fight the battles of their Master; but they surely did not know when they went to school that morning that the schoolroom was to be a battle-ground, and that they had a struggle—or, rather, several struggles—before them. Bessie was the first to be attacked. There came up to her … Continue reading “THE SCHOOLROOM BATTLE—A TALK ABOUT SCHOOL
TEMPTATIONS”

Obtain a large picture of a boy or a girl, or, still better, draw one on the blackboard. Over this picture pin pieces of paper, concealing the different parts of it, in such a way that the pieces can be removed one by one as the talk proceeds. First let the speaker say what the … Continue reading “HOW TO MAKE HOME HAPPY—A PICTURE TALK”

There was once a river full of water, bright and sparkling in the sunshine. The river had buoyant spirits, was careless and rollicking. It used to like to leave its banks, and roam off here and there through the woods and over the fields. Sometimes, when the passion seized it, it would swell to an … Continue reading “THE IMPRISONED RIVER—OR, THE REASON WHY GOD PUNISHES
US”

Last spring there was a company of seeds in my garden. They were the seeds of carnation pinks and sweet-peas. Down in the dark earth, with nothing to look at or to divert their minds, the seeds got to talking to each other. “What’s the use of pushing our way up into the air?” asked … Continue reading “FLOWERS IN THE GROUND—A SERMON-STORY ON
UNSELFISHNESS”

[This may be used in connection with the story of Cain,—“Am I my brother’s keeper?”] “I’m not hurting my horse,” said a rough, hard-faced man, when the agent for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spoke to him. “Why, I’m not even touching that horse, and I haven’t gone near him for … Continue reading “JUST BY DOING NOTHING—A LESSON ON THOUGHTFULNESS FOR
OTHERS”

[This may be used in connection with the story of Jacob’s ladder, or any Bible dream.] It was two sisters who were talking. “I don’t believe in dreams,” said Alice. “If I did, I should be dreadfully frightened, for I had such a terrible dream last night. I thought I was in a deep, black … Continue reading “IT’S THE MEANING OF DREAMS”