THE SIX PEDESTALS—AN OBJECT LESSON ON IDOLATRY

[“And now how ashamed of our idols we should be!” The speaker should emphasize this thought at the close, after the children, in imagination, have filled up the sixth pedestal.]

The poor heathen children across the sea set up on pedestals rude images of wood or stone or metal, and worship them as if they were God. Those are their idols. But anything is an idol which is honored more than God, or as much as God. We do not bow down to wood and stone, but there are a great many idols in Christian lands, just the same.

Would you like to see some of them? Here are six pedestals on the table before you, and I am going to place on them some of the idols you are likely to get to worshiping, if you do not look out.

On the first pedestal I will place—what? Yes, a gold coin. Many and many a man makes an idol of money. How do you know when a man loves money more than he loves God?

On the second pedestal I put—what? A ball and a doll. Ah, I know many and many a boy and girl who cares more for play than for pleasing Jesus.

On the third pedestal goes—a mirror. What is that for? Why, haven’t you seen lots of youngfolks who think far more about their good looks than about their work for Jesus?

On the fourth pedestal goes—a piece of jewelry and a bit of ribbon. You know what they stand for,—the love of fine clothes, that often stands in the way of the love of Jesus.

And on the fifth pedestal I place—a doll’s pillow. It is only a doll’s pillow, but if you will imagine it large enough for your bright heads, boys and girls, I guess you will be able to see what idol I mean by it. Yes, the idol of laziness, which keeps ever and ever so many people away from Jesus.

And here is one more pedestal, but there is nothing on it. And now, if some of you wide-awake children will tell me of something else that men love, often, more than they love Jesus, we’ll see what ought to be put on this vacant pedestal.