Читать книгу With the Children on Sundays - Stall Sylvanus - Страница 11

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Suggestions to Parents:—The objects used to-day are a large perfect apple and a stunted, wormy apple. Have also a knife with which, at the proper time, to open the wormy apple. With these preparations made, let the children "drive to church" after the manner suggested for last Sunday.

After the singing of a hymn or two, prayer and collection, let one of the children, in the manner of the preacher speaking to his audience, tell in his own way of the "Oyster and Crab" and of God's purpose in giving us a conscience, and let him or her draw the moral lessons and impress the spiritual truths. Even if it is done in but few words, or a faltering way, do not embarrass or discourage by criticisms. Speak words of encouragement. If preferred, the little sermon may be a presentation of the sermon preached by the pastor in the morning, or one child may present the object sermon of last Sunday and another child the sermon by the pastor in the morning. The more who take part, the better, as variety adds to the interest.

Then gather the children around close so they can see the pictures as you read the following sermon. Have the apples at hand also for demonstration.

THE object which I have chosen to-day, is one with which I am sure every boy and girl is thoroughly familiar. The moment you see it you recognize it. This large and beautiful apple is one of the most perfect of its kind, large in size, beautiful in color, and one which tempts the appetite of any one who is hungry.

Now, boys and girls, I have here another object. Can you tell me what this is? I expected that you would say that it was an apple, and that is true. But you have not told me the whole truth concerning it. This is not only an apple, but it is a wormy apple. It did not grow as large as the other, and, by looking at the outside, I see that it is defective. It is stunted, like wormy apples quite universally are. You might think that the worm went into this apple because it was not full grown and strong and large, the same as it is sometimes thought that boys who have never improved their advantages, but have failed to become noble and good, therefore sin has entered their hearts. The truth is just the reverse; wickedness first possessed their hearts, and that has been the cause of their failure to improve their opportunities, and to become manly, and noble, and good, and kind. If they had first got the evil and sin out of their hearts, they would surely have stood a much better chance. They would have become Christians, and have grown up more and more like Christ, to be good, and kind, and generous, and useful.

Worm in the Apple.

I want to ask you a question concerning this worm. But to be sure that we are not mistaken, let me take a knife and cut this apple in two, and see whether or not there is a worm inside. Just as I said, this is a wormy apple. It has evidently had two worms in it. Here is one of them, and the other has taken its departure. Now, boys and girls, I want to ask you, did this worm eat his way into the apple, or did he eat his way out of the apple? Quite as I anticipated. I expected that you would say that he ate his way into the apple; but the fact is, he ate his way out of the apple. I am sure that you will ask immediately, at least in your minds, how then did he get in, if he ate his way out? I will tell you how it was. Early last spring, just after the apple trees had been in blossom, and when this apple had just begun to form on one of the branches, there came along a bug and stung this apple, and deposited in the inside the germ of the worm. As the summer grew warmer, and the apple grew larger, the germ began to develop, until finally it grew into a worm. When it began to grow strong, it discovered that it was confined in the interior of something, and soon it began to eat, and continued until it ate its way out of the apple. This other worm, which still remained in, had continued to eat in the various portions of the apple, and possibly because of having less bodily vigor had concluded to remain there for a time, but you can see from the inside of the apple that it has done great injury, at the very core or heart, and I suppose that if it had been left to itself, in the course of a few days, or a few weeks at most, it also would have eaten its way out of the apple, in order to escape from its confinement.

Insect Stinging Bud.

Now, boys and girls, this worm represents sin in the human heart, or wickedness possibly presents the thought better, and when you see a boy or girl doing wrong, they are simply giving outward expression to the wickedness which exists in their hearts. Boys are bad, not so much because the influences by which they are surrounded are bad, but because their hearts are sinful, and wicked, and bad. But I am sure that you will want to know how wickedness gets into the human heart. I will tell you how it is. Way back in the spring-time of the history of the human race, way back in the Garden of Eden, soon after God had created Adam and Eve, Satan came and inspired in the hearts of these first people the desire to disobey God. God told Adam and Eve that they should not eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree, and that when they did they would die, that is, they would be separated from God. Satan came and told them that they would not die, but that when they ate of the fruit of this tree they would become very wise. They believed Satan rather than God, and they did that which was wicked and wrong. And so throughout all the generations since, there has been that willingness to believe Satan and to do what he wants us to do, rather than to believe God and do what God would have us to do.

Boys and girls who find themselves inclined to disobey their father or mother, to be disrespectful to those who are older than they, to do wrong on the Sabbath, to remain away from the Sunday-school and church, and to enjoy the beautiful spring-day, by strolling through the fields or wandering through the woods, do so, not alone because the day is pleasant or because of the opportunities from which others turn away, but because there is wickedness in their hearts. So when boys quarrel and fight, or steal, or do any other thing that is wrong, it is not so much the influences by which they are surrounded, the temptation from without, but the wickedness and the evil and the sinfulness which there is in the human heart, eating its way out through their heart into their lives, and deforming their lives, which otherwise would be upright, honorable and manly and Christ-like. I trust that when you are tempted to do wrong you will recognize the fact that there is evil in your heart, and that you will go to Jesus and earnestly pray Him to take away this evil out of your heart, and to give you a new, clean heart. Just the same as with these apples, if you had the privilege of choosing, I am sure you would prefer the large one, which has not been spoiled because of the destructive worm inside, so I trust you will choose to have the good heart, which God can give you, rather than the heart that has wickedness and sin within. If you will go to God in prayer and ask Him, He will give you a good heart, a true heart, one that has no sin and no wickedness within.

Questions.—Which is nicer, a big, red apple or a little stunted one? What prevented the little apple from growing big and beautiful? When did the little worm get into the apple? If it had not been for the worm in the apple, would the apple have grown large and well formed? What causes boys and girls to desire to do wrong? Who tempted Adam and Eve to do wrong? Did they listen? Did they believe God or did they believe Satan? Are boys and girls still tempted to do wrong? Are they likely to yield to temptation? To whom should we go when we are tempted to do wrong? Who alone can cleanse our hearts from sin? Should we always go and ask God for strength when we are tempted? Which would you choose, a good heart or a wicked heart?

Suggest to the children (or better still select one or have them select one) to procure for next Sunday some weeds that grow by the wayside and also a few cut flowers or potted plants.

After "driving home" from church and after putting the horses away, which little action gives the children a few moments' diversion, then other methods contained in the chapter of "Suggestions to Parents" can be selected according to the age, intelligence and interest of the children. After this, refreshments or whatever is best suited to the thought of the parents and the conditions of the household may be introduced.