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 as you can. If the sun will not shine into the room, paint a large spectrum, naming each color.
Next get the children to read or recite the Beatitudes, and write one of them opposite each color of the spectrum, using chalk of the same colors. One will remain over, the Beatitude for the persecuted, which you will represent by white, since persecution brings out all the other good qualities named, and brings with it all the other rewards.
Then go on to tell brief Bible stories illustrating each of the Beatitudes. Do not say which Beatitude you are illustrating, but before you begin, ask the children to listen and guess. Start with the easiest to guess and go on to the hardest. Start, for instance, with the peacemakers.
The following Bible stories may be used, but many others may readily be found: the poor in spirit—the story of Job, whose afflictions were removed as soon as he gave up his pride and began to pray for his friends; the mourners—Mary and Martha at the grave of Lazarus; the meek—Christ before Pilate; the hungry for righteousness—Solomon’s wise choice; the merciful—David’s sparing Saul in the cave; the pure in heart—John’s vision of God and heaven; the peacemakers—Jonathan’s intercession for his friend David; the persecuted—Paul’s rejoicing in prison.
As each Beatitude is guessed, check it off as an aid to guessing the others.