BV 1475 .B76 1923 Brown, M. Florence (Mary Florence). Pleasing God by right-doing Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library \ https://archive.org/details/pleasinggodbyrigOObrow ■■ . Pleasing God by Doing Primary Department, Second Year By M. FLORENCE BROWN The Westminster Textbooks of Religious Education For Church Schools Having Sunday, Week Day, and Expressional Sessions Edited by JOHN T. FARIS, D.D. Philadelphia The Westminster Press 1923 / Copyright, 1922, by F. M. BRASELMAN Preface The Westminster Textbooks of Religious Education are planned to meet the needs of churches seeking to unify their educational program. The informational, devotional, and expressional phases of religious education have been, hereto¬ fore, to a large extent, independent of one another. This lack of correlation has been detrimental to educational effi¬ ciency. Time and effort have been lost through duplication. Valuable information has failed to register itself in conduct because of the lack of suitable opportunities for expression. Many of our churches have been feeling their way toward better educational standards. It is in response to the re¬ quests and needs of these churches that the series of lessons has been undertaken. These textbooks as prepared for the Intermediate and Junior Departments are planned for church schools having a Week Day Session, a Sunday Session, and an Expres¬ sional Session, meeting either on Sunday or on a week day. An absolute differentiation of the three phases of the edu¬ cative process is neither possible nor desirable. The lessons are SO' arranged, however, that the Week Day Session is mainly informational, the Sunday Session more largely de¬ votional, and the third session of the week largely expres¬ sional. It has been decided, however, that it is unwise to give to' the pupils of the Primary Department an Expres¬ sional Session, so that for these grades only two sessions are planned. Since the course is a unity, it is not necessarily con¬ fined to the plan suggested. It would be equally suited to' a week-day church-school system having three sessions a week for the older pupils, and two sessions for the Primary De¬ partment, and unrelated to the Sunday-school program of the community. The course could be adjusted to any local condition, provided the. sequence of the lessons were main¬ tained. IV PREFACE Forty-two lessons of three sections each are provided for each grade, or year of the Intermediate and Junior grades, and forty-two lessons of two sections each for the Primary grade. It is thought that this will furnish material for a church-school program throughout the public-school year. It is also believed that many schools will find the material sufficient for the use of the Sunday Session during that part of the year when Week Day Sessions are discontinued. Much of this summer season might be spent in a rapid re¬ view of the work covered during the other part of the year. No exact adjustment to any particular circumstances is at¬ tempted because of the fact that church schools differ widely in the matter of their summer sessions. Some are practically closed all summer; some continue on as extensive a basis as during other parts of the year. The whole matter of ad¬ justment is best left to the local church-school administra¬ tion. If a church school practically closes at the beginning of summer, it would be well for the authorities of that school to plan for a completion of each year’s course at that time. If the school runs on through the summer with un¬ diminished attendance, more time may be taken for the les¬ sons, a part of each book being left for completion in the summer sessions. Where this is done, the section intended for the week-day lesson may be taken on one Sunday of the summer period, the Sunday lesson related to this week-day lesson the next Sunday, and the expressional lesson, in older grades, on a third Sunday. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Preface . iii Suggestions to the Teacher. vii PLEASING GOD BY RIGHT-DOING Chapter I. The King Who Lost His Chance. 3 David and His Sheep. 8 Chapter II. David Conquering H i s Temper . 13 Four Young Men Choosing the Right (Temperance Lesson. 19 Chapter III. The Story of a Guest Room.. 24 A Hungry Woman Sharing Her Bread. 28 Chapter IV. How Abram Stopped a Quar¬ rel . 34 A Captive Maid Trying to Help. 39 Chapter V. A Story About Forgiving. 44 Peter Asks a Question. 48 THE RIGHT USE OF GOD’S BOOK, GOD’S BIOUSE, AND GOD’S DAY Chapter VI. A Lost Book Found. 57 Making the Book Speak for God. 61 Chapter VII. A King and His People Car¬ ing for God’s House. 66 Jesus in His Father’s House. 69 Chapter VIII. Keeping the Lord’s Day. 74 Jesus’ Way of Keeping the Sabbath Day. 77 TABLE OF CONTENTS PRAYER AND PRAISE page: Chapter IX. Praying for a Friend. 85 Prayers and Their Answers. . 88 Chapter X. Daniel in the Lions’ Den. 94 Six Years’ Savings. 98 Chapter XI. Nehemiah, the King’s Cup¬ bearer . 103 Trust in God. 107 Chapter XII. A Story of a Thanksgiving Day. Ill Thanksgiving in a Mountain Home . 115 LISTENING TO GOD’S MESSENGERS Chapter XIII. God’s Messengers to Abra¬ ham . 123 A Prison Keeper Listens to God’s Messenger. 127 Chapter XIV. Samuel Bringing God’s Mes¬ sage to a Boy of Bethlehem 131 The Still Small Voice. 134 THE CPIILDHOOD OF JESUS Chapter XV. The Angel’s Message to Mary 141 The Angels’ Song and the Shepherds’ Visit. 146 Chapter XVI. The Visit of the Wise Men.. . 151 The Baby Jesus in the Temple 155 Chapter XVII. The Story of a Journey. 160 The Boy Jesus Visits Jerusa¬ lem . 164 Chapter XVIII. Jesus and Four Fishermen... 170 Jesus and a Blind Man. 176 Chapter XIX. Jesus and the Nobleman’s Son 181 A Wonderful Day in a Fisher¬ man’s Cottage. 185 TABLE OF CONTENTS vii FAGE Chapter XX. The Healing of the Withered Hand . 190 Jesus and the Deaf and Dumb Man . 194 JESUS CHOOSING HELPERS Chapter XXI. The Helpers Chosen and Sent Out . 201 JESUS LOVING AND RECEIVING LOVE Jesus and the Children. 209 Chapter XXII. A Gift for Jesus. 214 The Children’s Praise Song. . 218 Chapter XXIII. Jesus Feeding Many Hungry People . 223 Jesus Stilling the Storm. 227 Chapter XXIV. A Story of Ten Men of Samaria. 232 Jesus Restoring Life to a Little Girl. 235 Chapter XXV. Jesus Dying and Living Again 240 The Walk to Emmaus. 244 Chapter XXVI. Jesus Going to the Heavenly Home . 249 Peter and John at the Beauti- ful Gate. 253 Chapter XXVII. Philip and the Man in a Chariot . 257 Peter and the Roman Captain. 260 Chapter XXVIII. Paul is Told What to Do. 265 Paul in an Angry Mob. 268 THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD FOR JESUS Chapter XXIX. Seeking the Lost Sheep. 275 The North American Indians. 280 Chapter XXX. A Boy and His Lunch Basket. 288 The Eskimos. 293 Vlll TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Chapter XXXI. Jesus Tells a Story About a Father’s Love. 300 The Children of Cherry Blos¬ som Land. 305 Chapter XXXII. Jesus Helping a Mother and Child . 312 The Immigrant Child. 316 LEARNING TO KNOW AND TO DO GOD’S WILL Chapter XXXIII. Moses the Prince. 323 The Prince Becomes a Shep¬ herd . 327 Chapter XXXIV. “ Here Ami” . 332 Learning to Be Faithful. 337 Chapter XXXV. Moses Before the King. 341 Moses Leading the Israelites Out of Egypt. 346 Chapter XXXVI. Thirsty Travelers. 351 The Story of the Manna. 355 Chapter XXXVII. The Giving of the Law. 359 The Two Brave Spies. 364 Chapter XXXVIII. Joshua Leading the Israelites Into the Promised Land. . . 368 A Story of Seven Obedient Days . 372 THE RIGHT USE OF GOD’S GIFTS (Temperance) Chapter XXXIX. The House In Which I Live. . 379 Tom, the Water Baby. 383 Chapter XL. God’s Gifts for Food. 390 The Story of the Rechabites. . 394 GOD IN HIS WORLD Chapter XLI. God’s Creatures of the Field. . 401 The Great, Wide Sea. 406 Chapter XLII. Day and Night. 409 Seedtime and Harvest. 413 SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER The; Live;s to Be; Infiaje;nce:d When the Master was upon earth he said, “ Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God.” To show these little ones the way to the Master and to give them the religious instruc¬ tion which will enable them to obey the laws which God has given all his children to keep, is one of the primary objectives of our Church. More and more attention is being given to the proper kind of instruction necessary to the best help of these children, and the Church may justly be proud of the resulting litera¬ ture available for such teaching. Of late there has been a growing feeling that there is need for further instruction than it is possible to give in the one hour of Sunday which is generally devoted to it, and a movement has been started to establish schools for week-day religious instruction which will hold for one or two sessions a week in addition to and correlated with the Sunday-school lesson. Such schools have been begun in a number of sections with marked success, and an effort is being made to supply them as well as others which it is hoped may be formed, with proper literature and equipment. Surely at no time in history has there been a more press¬ ing need to make God and his Kingdom and the coming into his Kingdom of vital moment in the life of our nation than the present. This book is prepared for the children of six, seven, and eight years of age and their teachers—the Primary Grade. The lessons are closely correlated with the Primary De¬ partmental Graded Lessons. There will be two lessons for each week, one for a week-day and one for a Sunday session. The lesson prepared for the week day will be chiefly instruc¬ tional, almost always a Biblical story. The lesson prepared for Sunday will be devotional in character, and will often IX X TO THE TEACHER show how the thought aroused and the conclusions gained in the preceding Biblical story may be applied to the little, unfolding lives of the children* They will be lessons in character-building. There will be ample suggestions for expressional activities throughout the course. Simply giving the intellectual in¬ struction is not enough. Something must be done to bring this truth into the very life of the pupil. To do this let us help the children to carry out in some action the truth which has become mentally theirs. There are many, many ways of doing this—giving gifts to the poor, sharing at the holi¬ day seasons, performing everyday acts of kindness to the comrades round about them. The: Schoolroom We all know that a pleasant environment has much to do with the happiness of the children in a schoolroom, as well as with the actual influence and success of the teacher her¬ self. The room should be chosen for its brightness and cheeriness as far as this is possible. But even if the room is not so satisfactory as one could wish, much can be done to improve it by means of proper color schemes in decoration and touches of beauty in the furnishings. First of all, be neat; do not allow your room to become cluttered and disorderly in appearance. Have a place for everything and everything in its place, and insist upon this personal characteristic from yourself and from the children. Have a cabinet or set of shelves. There are certain supplies that will be necessary: Desks or tables Pencils Blunt scissors Bibles Crayon Pictures Paper Erasers Paste Have a few good pictures on the wall. A vase of fresh flowers in season—or often one single fine specimen—adds more joy than perhaps you realize. Little by little add to your cabinet such curios and per¬ manent supplies as you can gather, in time making a really valuable museum. TO THE TEACHER xi Have a sand table; no other feature will be found more useful for illustrating purposes. The following books will be useful for your bookshelf : “ How to Tell Stories to Children,” Sara Cone Bryant. “ Stories to Tell to Children,” Sara Cone Bryant. “ Stories for Sunday Telling,” Carolyn Sherwin Bailey. “ For the Children’s Hour,” Bailey and Lewis. “ Manual of Stories,” William Byron Forbush. “ Stories and Story Telling,” Edward Porter St. John. “ All About the Primary,” Elizabeth Williams Sudlow. “ The Primary Department,” Phoebe A. Curtiss. Handwork Some form of handwork is of great help in making per¬ manent the thought which you have been developing. This will not be necessary for every lesson, but should have a place in many. The series of handwork leaflets which is furnished with the Primary Departmental Lessons, pub¬ lished by the Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sab¬ bath School Work, will prove helpful and suggestive. Poster picture work, folding, and booklet-making should be ar¬ ranged by the teacher according to the need of the particular lesson and the ability of her particular children. The; TeacheWs Aim The primary age is eminently a habit forming period, as the child’s brain is at this time so plastic. Let us take ad¬ vantage of this fact and help to establish habits of right living. Let us help him to turn unconsciously in loving obedience to God’s rules. It will be necessary for the teacher to understand child nature and to make a study of child psychology. Not only should she understand the child in general, but she should also study her particular children for all children vary to some degree from the pattern child. Remember that the lessons given are not to be followed mechanically, but are given as guides and suggestions. Only as they are helpful as means of influencing the teacher to give the very best of herself, a love and enthusiasm for her TO THE TEACHER • • Xll work, as well as arousing her initiative and originality, are they of value. A Word as to the: Story A teacher of any experience whatever recognizes the fact that the story form is the all-important means of reaching the mind of a Primary child. Story-telling is much easier for some teachers than for others, but all teachers may im¬ prove this ability by the right kind of practice and by the observance of certain facts. Avoid a strained, high-pitched, falsetto voice; be natural; be yourself. Cultivate a low, clear voice, and make only such gestures as seem positively necessary, gestures which creep in unconsciously. Much, very much depends upon your first sentence or two; if you cannot capture interest by these, you probably will not gain attention at all. Work up to your climax, then give a short, terse conclusion. Do not hammer in a moral. Your story should teach your lesson without this fault, which is always detected and loathed by a bright, healthy, normal, everyday boy or girl. Dramatics A story is often most satisfactorily clinched by means of simple dramatics. Many of the children are quite familiar with this mode of expression as in recent years considerable attention is being devoted to such exercises in the day schools. Review lessons are often made delightful instead of dull by this form of expression and several such lessons are provided for in this book. The teacher may simplify or elaborate these as she pleases, according to the age and ability of her pupils. Reasons tor SpTciar Days Teachers may desire to shift lessons in order to bring the Christmas and Easter lessons at the proper dates. PLEASING GOD BY RIGHT-DOING . CHAPTER I WEEK DAY SESSION THE KING WHO LOST HIS CHANCE I Samuel 8:1-10; 9:1-10, 15-27; 10:1; 15:1-23 Memory Verse “ Unto his voice will we hearken.”—Joshua 24:24c. The Teacher’s Preparation It is the self-controlled individual who< is able best to carry on the work which God has appointed for him to do. Every day that is lived brings some change to the character that we are acquiring; either it is strengthened or it is weak¬ ened by the failure to measure up successfully. One of the most important lessons for the little child to learn is how to govern self. To teach this a teacher should make some study of the psychology of the will, and under¬ stand what it has power to accomplish if it is correctly trained. In the lists of Christian graces which are mentioned by Peter and Paul, self-control is given. Peter had to go a long way before he learned to bring his impetuous nature into a condition of restraint; and his struggle for authority was bitter, indeed. Paul was a preeminent example of one who could govern himself. It is possible to say “ I will,” because of a clear and beau¬ tiful ideal of that which is right; to say “No” to what is wrong not because of the fear of punishment, but because of a loathing of the wrong. This is what we wish to help the children to be able to do. We are to have several lessons taken from the life of David. From boyhood he pleased God by choosing the right. But, intermingled with his story was the story of that other character, Saul, whose life was such a distinct 3 4 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS failure because of his preeminent lack of self-control. Let us tell to-day of the king who lost all his brilliant life-oppor¬ tunities because of the failure to control “ self.” The: Background in History For many years Samuel had been ruler and judge over Israel, giving God’s wishes to the people and trying to teach and lead them in his ways. But now he was old. The Philistines were troubling the land. Samuel’s sons whom he had appointed as his helpers were not following in their father’s ways, but “ turned aside after lucre, and took bribes.” The people needed a strong man at their head. They sent representatives to Samuel and asked for a king. At first Samuel objected; but he saw the need, and at last he yielded. God led him in the selection of the new ruler, and Saul was the choice. He was a young man of unusual physical charm, a country boy, who had proved that he had qualities that fitted him to be a leader. The story of his failure to fulfill these promising opportunities because of the lack of self-control cannot help but impress the children. The: Story Saul’s father was a farmer and he had a great many ani¬ mals ; amongst them was a drove of donkeys. One day they got away and were lost. They could be found nowhere on the farm. “ The donkeys are lost, my son. I wish you would take one of the servants along with you and go find them,” said the father. Saul was a fine, tall young man, and was always ready to help his father, who loved him so well and had done so much for him. The father, whose name was Kish, was a rich man, and had plenty of servants to do his bidding. So he called one of his most trustworthy servants, partly in order to help with the work of bringing back the donkeys, partly in order to look after his son, who was very dear to him. Saul and the servant hunted all that day and the next and the next—three days—but they could find no trace of the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 5 donkeys. They looked all over the mountains, but the ani¬ mals were nowhere to be seen. “ My father will be worried about us,” said Saul to his servant. “ He will stop :aring for the donkeys, and be anxious about us. Come, let us go home.” “ Let us first go to Samuel, the seer, and ask him how to find your father’s donkeys. Perhaps he can tell us,” said the servant. They talked together for some time, and soon decided to go. This was to be a very wonderful day for Saul, but he did not know it then. By and by they reached the house of Samuel the seer. He asked Saul into his house and talked to him kindly. During the visit he told Saul that the drove of donkeys had been found. He bade his own servant make a feast for the young man. When the dinner was ready he treated Saul as if he was a very honored guest, and gave the very best to him. Before Saul went away Samuel took him up to the cool, pleasant room at the top of the house and talked again to him. He said a very wonderful thing: Saul, this young man who had always lived in the country on his father’s farm, was one day to be chosen king! King over the land of Israel! The people needed a king, a strong, good king who would help them in battle when their enemies, the Philistines, came to spoil their land; a king who would set them a splendid example! Saul would have the chance to be all this to his people. Saul went home. He lived there and helped his father just as he always had done. But the years passed on, and there came a day when the land rang with the glad cry: “ Long live the king! Long live the king! ” and the tall, splendid young man began to reign over his people. For a long time all went well, and the whole land was happy. God was well pleased because the king and the people were obedient. But by and by things began to change. The king wanted his own way. He was not willing to listen to the advice of 'Samuel, who was older and wiser than he. God told Samuel 6 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS his wishes, and Samuel told to the king and to the people what God wanted them to do. But King Saul wanted his own way. Sometimes he dis¬ obeyed Samuel. He could not wait when he wanted to do certain things. If he was crossed he became angry. He would lose his temper in a way shameful for a king. Servants and friends were afraid of the angry man. When a man or a woman or even a little child cannot manage himself; when he cannot obey those whom he should obey; when he grows sulky and angry and cruel when he cannot have his own way; when he cannot say “ No ” to the wrong, we say he has no “ self-control.” He cannot manage himself. King Saul could not control himself. Over and over Samuel warned him, and told him that evil would surely come to him and to his people. But Saul did not heed. One day the whole country was astir. The Philistines were coming! The Philistines were the enemies of the land. They stole; they burned the houses; they troubled the people in many ways. The king gathered a great army. Samuel told him just what to do if he gained the victory. One of the things that God wished the king to do was to destroy all the goods that were taken—everything. God helped the king to gain the victory; the Philistines were beaten. Now the Philistines owned many things that were valu¬ able, but God had said they must be destroyed, everything. Saul must not take anything that had belonged to these wicked people. Saul saw the valuable things and he wanted them. He ought to have been able to say to himself: “ I will destroy these things and get them out of the land, because God has told me to do so. I will obey God. I will do what is well pleasing to God.” Instead of controlling his greediness, he and his people kept the best of the sheep and the oxen and the lambs, and some of the other good things. They destroyed only that which was bad. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 7 God was displeased. He said to Samuel, “ I am sorry that I have made Saul the king.” Samuel went to Saul the next morning. Saul came to meet him and said, “ I have obeyed the com¬ mandments of God.” “ What then meaneth this bleating of the sheep that I hear? What is this lowing of the oxen? ” asked Samuel. The king was not brave enough to tell the whole truth and bear the blame himself. “ The people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to God,” he said. Samuel said, “ Stay, and I will tell thee what God hath said to me this night.” Then Samuel reminded Saul of all that God had done for him, how he had given him the chance of becoming king and of helping the people to serve God and to grow to be a wonderful nation. “ God told you to destroy everything that these wicked people had. Thou didst not obey.” “ But the people saved the best to make sacrifices to God,” said Saul. “ God wishes obedience. You wished your own way. You rebelled ; and you were stubborn. “ Because you cannot rule yourself God does not wish you to be king.” And thus Saul lost his great chance and not so very long afterwards the opportunity was given to some one else. Suggestions for the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON ABOUT SELE-CONTROL (Copy these verses on the blackboard and let the children read them. Help over difficult places.) “ Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” —Proverbs 20:11. “ He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” —Proverbs 16:32. “ He whose spirit is without restraint Is like a city that is broken down and without walls.” —Proverbs 25 :28. 8 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.” —Proverbs 15:1. “Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you.”—Deuteronomy 5 :33a. i PRAYER Dear Father, we know that everyone can look for ways of pleasing thee. We know that the best way to please thee is to do what is good and pure and right. Help us to rule ourselves. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Write one sentence about Saul, the king who lost his chance. Try to do two special things this week which are generous or brave or kind. SUNDAY SESSION DAVID AND HIS SHEEP I Samuel 16:11, 12a; 17:12-15, 34-37 Memory Verse “ Be ye kind one to another.”—Ephesians 4:32a. The Teacher’s Preparation We tell at length to the children the story of God the Father and his unceasing care and constant gifts. But with this story we must give a clear understanding to the pupils that they themselves should make a proper response to God, that they may show their answering love by means of actions which will please him. Help him to see that their connec¬ tion with God is very like that between a loving earthly par¬ ent and his child. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 9 Let us aim to show that one of the chief means of pleas¬ ing God is through right action. We wish to help the child “ to will ” to do right because he wants to please his heav¬ enly Father. To put him in this “ willing ” state of mind and heart we must place before his intellect pictures of those who have thus pleased God. Several stories from the life of David have been selected for their example. Facts from David's Boyhood Bethlehem, one of the oldest towns of Palestine, was David’s birthplace. A conception of the peaceful little town amongst the hills may be found by reading the Book of Ruth; there a beautiful account of the pastoral life of the people is given. The lovely Moabitess was a great-grand¬ mother of David. His father was Jesse, a man of some wealth, whose means consisted of flocks of sheep which were pastured on the hill¬ sides. David was the youngest son of a family of ten chil¬ dren, eight boys and two girls. Several of the older brothers were soldiers in the army of their king. It was the duty of this young boy to watch the sheep and take care of them. He was a shepherd. He was a fine-looking lad, with ruddy cheeks and sunny hair. His eyes were bright with health, keen intellect, and goodness of heart. His face was bronzed by the outdoor air, and his body strong and straight. His life was lonely but interesting; he loved his sheep, and protected them against robbers and wild animals, both of which often lurked in the abundant hiding places amongst- the rocks. At this time Israel was under the rule of Saul, the first king. But the ruler who had begun so brilliantly had failed both his God and his people. The Philistines, the dreaded enemy of Israel, were plundering the land and harassing the people. The young boy out in the fields with the sheep was being prepared to take a great place in the life of his people and his country. Daily duties, simple, monotonous, but done in the right way, pleased his heavenly Father who had planned such contrasting days to follow. 10 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Correlated Material Use the Shepherd Psalm in connection with these stories about David. Teach it where it is not already known. Talk about it and explain. Give recognition and reward for its memorization in part or whole. Talk about the life of an Oriental shepherd, for example: naming the sheep; the sheepfold, its construction and gen¬ eral appearance; the love of the sheep for their shepherd and his love for them; the equipment of the shepherd—club, crook, bottle of oil, harp, and so forth; the bravery of the shepherd; the timidity of the sheep. Teach a good song about the shepherd and his sheep, for example: “ There’s a Fold Both Safe and Happy,” from “ The Pri¬ mary and Junior Hymnal.” “ Jesus, Tender Shepherd,” from “ The Primary and Junior Hymnal.” “ The Song of Our Syrian Guest ” may be reread to renew your own mental picture of the life of the Oriental shepherd. The Story A long, long time ago there lived a boy whose name was David. David’s father was an old man, and he had a large family. There were eight brothers and two sisters, ten children in all. But although there were so many other brothers, the good father loved this little son. Indeed he loved him so dearly that he called him “ darling.” The three oldest brothers were grown-up men, and were soldiers. When the king called his army together, they would dress in their soldier clothes, strap on their shields, and put on their soldier hats. They would bid good-by to their father and mother and brothers and sisters and hurry away. David was very proud of his tall, straight brothers. “ My brother Eliab is splendid enough to be a king,” the little brother would think. The big brothers and all the other soldiers of the land were often called to go out to battle to fight the Philistines. The Philistines were the enemies of the land of Israel. They would come over from their own country to steal the sheep PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS U and burn the houses and to do all sorts of troublesome things to bother the people. All round about the little town of Bethlehem where David lived, were lovely hills and meadows covered with soft green grass. Hundreds and hundreds of white sheep could be seen feeding on the grass. There were shepherds with these flocks who took care of them and led them from place to place. David’s father owned a fine flock of sheep, for he was a rich man. David was the shepherd of his father’s sheep. Every morning he would help his sheep to pass the gate of the fold, one by one; then he would lead them to the greenest places that he could find in the lovely pasture ground. Sometimes the boy wished that he could march away with his three tall, splendid, soldier brothers in the army of the king. But that he could not do, because he was too young; besides, his father needed his help with the flocks. How those sheep loved the good young master who always spoke so kindly to them, and even called them by their names! David always carried a long staff with a crook on the end like this. (Illustrate on the blackboard.) With it he could reach over the flock and guide the sheep more easily; sometimes he needed it when a sheep wandered away among the rocks and fell; he could lift the little animal to safety. He also carried a horn of oil with which to anoint the hurt and bruised feet when they were cut with stones or briers. David always carried his harp along with him, be¬ cause he cared for music. When he was quite sure that his sheep were all safe, and he had done all his work for them, he would practice on his harp. And because David was faithful in all these everyday things, he was making himself ready to do a great thing that God had planned for him. Suggestions for the Devotional Service reading lesson THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM (Copy portions as desired on the blackboard.) 12 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS SONG “ There’s a Fold Both Safe and Happy.” PRAYER Dear heavenly Father, even a little child can please thee by doing right. Every day we may find some little thing to do. Help us to remember to look for these ways of pleasing thee. Amen. Suggested Activities Cut out a shepherd and sheep from cardboard patterns, and set up. (Remember to draw attention to the fact that the shepherd always goes before and leads his sheep.) Construct a sheepfold and set up in the sand table. Copy the Memory Verse or the first verse of the Twenty- third Psalm. BLACKBOARD DECORATION t CHAPTER II WEEK DAY SESSION DAVID CONQUERING HIS TEMPER I Samuel 25:1-35 Memory Verse “A soft answer turneth away wrath.”—Proverbs 15:1. The Teacher’s Preparation Little lessons in self-control are of the utmost importance to children of Primary age. To be able to manage self is for them temperance in a superlative degree. The Bible has much to say concerning the control of the tongue. We know from many experiences that “ He that is soon angry will deal foolishly,” and “ He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.” The first Biblical incident dealing with uncontrolled anger and showing to what evil consequences it sometimes leads is given in the story of Cain and Abel. Again in the story of Jacob’s older sons whose jealous anger was kindled against their brother Joseph, and yet again, in the story of King Saul we have pictures of lives shadowed by the results of uncon¬ trolled natures. “ Doest thou well to be angry? ” God asked Jonah. “ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath,” we are admonished. David was an example of a controlled nature; but a very human incident in his life tells how once he lost his temper and was thereby in danger of committing a serious sin. A tactful woman who had learned to control her tongue and temper was the means of keeping two angry men apart. Study the story well and you will be able to hold the at¬ tention of your pupils from introduction to conclusion. 13 14 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The Historical Setting Saul was king over Israel, but the brilliantly endowed man had not lived up to his abilities. David had been an inmate of the royal family, having been called to the palace to play his harp with the hopes that his unusual musical gift would help to cheer the despondent king. However, he had had to flee the presence of Saul, and went to hide himself amongst the caves in the wilderness region of Judea. It was a wild, picturesque life. David was winsome by nature, and he soon attracted about him other men who were fugitives for one reason and another; he became their leader. In time he had about him a considerable following of loyal, “ mighty men,” who were true to him. They lived as best they could, oftentimes receiving dona¬ tions from the herdsmen of the locality. In return for the frequent donations of food, David and his “ mighty men ” rendered protection to the herdsmen and their flocks. In this way there was a mutual understanding. One of the most prosperous of these herdsmen was Nabal, who' owned great numbers of flocks. He dwelt in the town of Maon, about one and a half miles from the town of Carmel. He was a man with a cross-grained nature, disliked by his serv¬ ants and all who had dealings with him. The wife of Nabal was a beautiful woman named Abigail. Preparation for the Story This story is so clearly connected with the two preceding stories that it will be well to spend a few minutes in review¬ ing the story about David and his sheep and the story about the king who lost his chance, in order to establish the few facts already told about the two characters. Write the names upon the blackboard and have the children repeat them and recognize their written form The Story When anyone loses his temper and becomes very, very angry, somehow it is easier for that unhappy thing to hap- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS IS pen again. It is still easier the third time, and it becomes easier and easier. It is this way even with a king. King Saul could not keep his temper. He lost his temper so many times that after a while he was not fit to be a king. His family and the people in the palace were sorry for him, because everyone is miserable, perfectly miserable after he has been ugly and bad and ill-tempered. Saul was mis¬ erable and unhappy. Even the servants were sorry for him. Some one said, “ Perhaps beautiful music will make the king happy.” Then some one else said, “ There is a young man who can play the harp so well that he makes you think about the brooks and the birds and the bees.” “ Yes,” said another, “ you think you are listening to the birds themselves.” “ The music that this young man plays makes you forget all your troubles,” said another. “ Who is this young man ? ” asked some one. “ His name is David. He is a shepherd,” answered the second man who had spoken. “ Send for him,” commanded King Saul. So they sent for David, and he left his sheep and went to the palace with his harp. They brought him into the room where King- Saul was. It was dark and gloomy because the king himself was gloomy and sad. David struck some beautiful notes on his harp. He swept his hands over the strings. By and by it seemed as if the room were filled with the twitterings of little birds, and the babbling of a little brook as it flowed over the pebbles. Presently the king thought he could hear the hum of happy bees as they gathered pollen from the sweet flowers. The cross, sad look left his face. “ Open the window ! Let the sunshine in ! ” he exclaimed. His face began to look more as it had looked the day when the crown was placed upon his head. Then David was asked to come live in the palace so that he could often play for King Saul. And many, many times 16 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the beautiful music of David’s harp helped to drive away the king’s bad temper. If this had lasted all would have been well. But a bad habit is very hard to break, and bad temper is one of the hardest. The king was kinder and better for a while, and then he began to lose control of his temper again. He even became jealous and angry and mean toward poor David. He threatened to kill him. It was no longer safe for David to live in the palace. One day King Saul was so bad-tempered and angry that David ran away from the palace to save his life. He went to a lonely wilderness place and lived in the caves. He liked the wild, free life; his arms grew strong, and his face became tanned. His body was tall and straight. By and by he made friends with other men who had gone to live in the desert. They liked David. All the men could shoot with bows and arrows, but David could shoot the best of all. He was their leader. They made friends with the shepherds who took care of the sheep on the hillsides. They liked the shepherds, and the shepherds liked them. Oftentimes David and his men shot the bears and the wolves that came prowling about, or drove away the robbers who sneaked up to steal a sheep or a lamb. The name of one of these shepherds was Nabal. He had so many sheep and goats that he was quite a rich man. Many times David and his men had driven off the robbers and the wild beasts, and had helped Nabal and his servants. But Nabal was not a good man; he was selfish and cross; sometimes he drank wine and became drunk. One day David and his men were hungry. David remembered that he had been kind to Nabal, and he supposed that the herds¬ man would be kind in return. He said to one of his men: “ Go give Nabal my greetings. Remind him that we have been glad to help him. Ask him if now he will give us a bit of food.” Ten of David’s young men went to Nabal and gave the message, and the cross-tempered man answered: “ Who is David? There are many servants nowadays who run away from their masters. He may be one. Am I to take my bread and meat and drink that I have prepared for my sheep- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 17 shearers, and give to men of whom I know nothing ? ” and he would not give the young men a crumb. The men went back with the ugly message, and David was very, very angry. He did not stop for anything, even to think, but he seized his sword. “ Get your swords, and come! ” he cried. “ We have taken care of that fellow and all that he has! Now he re¬ turns evil for good ! We will kill him and all his servants! ” Four hundred soldiers put on their swords, while two hundred stayed to guard the camp. Now one of Nabal’s young servants heard what angry David and his soldiers intended to do. He went to Nabal’s wife, Abigail, and said: “ Captain David sent messengers to our master, and he railed at them. The captain and his soldiers have been very kind to us: they were good to us always when we kept the sheep. Our master is such a man that no one can speak to him. David is now angry and is coming with his soldiers to kill the master and all of us! ” Abigail knew how to keep her temper. She hoped to quiet David's anger, and to save her husband and the servants. She quickly took two hundred loaves of bread, some meat, some parched grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded all this food on her donkeys. Then she said to her servants: “ Go' on ahead. I will follow you.” As she rode round a hill, she met David and his soldiers. He was very, very angry. But Abigail hurried to meet him. She began speaking to him in a quiet, friendly voice; she told him of the gift she had brought. “ Let the food be given to thy young men,” she said. “ But do not do such an evil deed as thou hast planned against Nabal. God hath kept thee from the sin of shedding his blood. God hath kept thee from this murder. Forgive! The Lord will certainly reward thee. And when God hath done all the good things that he will do for thee, thou wilt not have to grieve that thou hast killed Nabal.” David’s anger and bad temper faded away in a moment. He said to Abigail: “ I thank God that he hath sent thee to me to-day. I am thankful for thy advice. Thou hast kept me from shedding blood. If thou hadst not come, I would 18 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS have killed Nabal and all his servants.” Then David re¬ ceived the gifts and thanked Abigail, and she went home. Suggestions for the Devotional Service Continue work upon the Twenty-third Psalm. Let the children sing the hymn that you used in connection with last week’s lesson and the Twenty-third Psalm. A BIBLE READING LESSON “ A soft answer turneth away wrath.”—Proverbs 15:1. “ He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” —Proverbs 16:32. “ The north wind bringeth forth rain: So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.” —Proverbs 25 :23. (Explain and illustrate with an incident.) “ Wrath is cruel.”—Proverbs 27:4a. “ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry.” —Ecclesiastes 7:9a. PRA\ ER Heavenly Father, we know how wrong it is to lose our temper. We know that an angry person is apt to do very sinful things. Help us to govern our tempers. We will try to do this because that is one way of pleasing thee. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse or one of the verses in the Bible Reading Lesson. Let one of the children represent an Oriental shepherd. This child may choose several others to be the sheep. Let these children act out a day in an Oriental shepherd’s life. Ask the children to make one special effort to control “ temper ” during the week and to notice what comes of it. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 19 SUNDAY SESSION FOUR YOUNG MEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT (TEMPERANCE LESSON) Daniel, chapter 1 Memory Verse “ Be not drunken with wine.”—Ephesians 5 :18a. The Teacher’s Preparation At this time Babylon was the overwhelming menace to Israel. Nebuchadnezzar was king, and, as his father had recently died, was just assuming the entire charge of the land. The Jews were proving themselves unable to resist the Babylonians, for they had become weakened by sin and dis¬ obedience. Prophecy was being fulfilled and they were being conquered by their powerful enemy. The incident occurred during the first deportation of the Jews from the homeland to Babylon. A number of the princes and first families of the land were seized as pris¬ oners and hostages by Nebuchadnezzar, as was his custom. This king often selected the brightest, most attractive, and youngest of his prisoners tO' be trained under special masters to become later on his own particular servants. He delighted to have among these captives the most highly born, the best of the conquered land. They were taught the difficult Babylonian language and also something of astrology and astronomy. They were given dainty food and fine clothing, and trained to become expert in all the ways of the court life. Many remarkable relics of the wonderful old city of Babylon have been found, so that an interesting mental pic¬ ture can be formed of what that court life must have been. It was a city of beautiful palaces and good houses; of public buildings, bridges, and canals. It was the greatest city of the world at the time when Daniel and his three companions were taken there as captive lads. It was a walled city, the space inclosed being at least ten square miles. These walls were built up from moats and 20 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS above them at intervals rose lofty towers. It has been re¬ corded that the walls were broad enough at the top to be used as streets and that chariots drawn by four horses could pass one another as they were driven along. The king’s palace is supposed to have covered an area of thirty-seven acres. One of the seven wonders of the world was the beautiful hanging garden which Nebuchadnezzar built for his wife, a Median princess who longed for the hills of her father’s land. Babylon was built upon a plateau and was flat. The king ordered his laborers to build tiers of strong masonry, thus producing a hill-like structure of ter¬ race upon terrace. This was covered with earth and planted with trees and rare flowers that had been collected from all parts of the known world. Little streams trickled through the gardens, and the music of fountains added a touch of loveliness. Many of the houses were large, and three or four stories in height. The buildings were remarkable for their bril¬ liant mural decorations. The Babylonian divinity was Bel, probably the same as Baal, and the temple dedicated to his worship was a magni¬ ficent structure, compared with which even the Temple at Jerusalem was secondary. The Story It was dinner time, and there was a group of boys in Babylon who were hungry. They had been studying hard all the morning, so it was no wonder they were hungry. One of their lessons was learning the hard language that was spoken by the king and the people of the land. These boys were not living in their own dear city of Jerusalem. They were captives. They had been stolen by. the king. One day not very long before, King Nebuchadnezzar and his soldiers had come marching to Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem had closed the gates and locked them. But King Nebuchadnezzar and his soldiers banged at the walls with battering-rams until the stones broke loose and tumbled down. v Some of the soldiers climbed on the walls and shot their arrows. They threw torches over and fired the houses. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 21 The people fought bravely, but the strange soldiers stayed so long that the food gave out. They lost their courage, and the soldiers entered the city! Nebuchadnezzar stole some of the people, even the boys and girls. Daniel and three of his friends were among those who were marched away to the strange city of the great, strong King Nebuchadnezzar. It was a beautiful city with tall houses and beautiful gar¬ dens and fine streets and bridges and fountains. But it was not Jerusalem! Daniel and his friends loved Jerusalem. “ Ashpenaz! ” called the king to one of his chief servants. “ Take care of these young princes. Teach them the lan¬ guage. Teach them all the ways of the court. Feed them with dainties from my own table. Give them good clothes to wear.” “ I will do as the king commands,” said Ashpenaz meekly. “ They are good-looking lads,” said the king. “ They will be good servants for me by and by. Feed them well. Keep them for three years, then bring them to me,” he commanded. “ It shall be as the king commands,” said Ashpenaz, and he bowed his face to the ground. Then he left the king and went to take care of Daniel and the other boys as the king had directed. What a good dinner was spread before those boys! They were hungry; for the lessons had been long. The new words of the king’s language were hard to speak. But when Daniel looked, he saw wine, and also food that he never had been allowed to eat at his home; he had been taught that it is wrong to eat certain kinds of rich food, which had been offered to idols. Here was a time when a choice must be made: should Daniel and his three friends eat and drink what they knew their fathers had taught them was wrong and displeasing to God, or should they say “No”? Daniel and his friends knew what it might mean to refuse the food; they knew the sort of man the king was, who had made them prisoners. Yet at last they decided for the right. “ We cannot drink the wine, nor eat the rich food,” Daniel said as well as he could to Ashpenaz. But even though the chief servant liked the handsome 22 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS young prisoners, when he learned that Daniel and his friends did not want to eat the food, he exclaimed: “ The king sent you this food! I dare not let you refuse to eat it. If you do not eat, you will grow thin and weak. The king will find it out. You will make me lose my head! ” Then Daniel said: “Try us for ten days. Give us heans to eat and water to drink. Look at us then and see if we are any less fair than the other boys who eat the king’s dainties. Try us ten days.” Daniel’s coaxing won; the servant gave him his way for ten days, and the four boys ate plain beans, and drank water. At the end of the time, the servant was amazed to see that Daniel and his three friends were fairer and fatter than all the other boys. God was pleased because Daniel did right, and he helped the four boys. Their teacher was very proud tO' lead them to the king at the end of the three years. When the king looked at the four young men he was satisfied; they were able to answer all his questions, and the king gave them fine places in his court. After the Lesson Talk for a few minutes about the good and simple food that God has given, and refer to the sins of gluttony and drunkenness. Suggestions for the Devotionae Service BIBEE READING EESSON “ Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, . . . At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.’’—Proverbs 23:31a, 32. “ Give us this day our daily bread.” —Matthew 6:11. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for all the good food and pure water that thou hast given us. We thank thee for fathers and mothers and teachers who know just what it is best for us to eat and to drink. Help us to remember what PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 23 is best as well as did Daniel and his three friends in the story. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a folder and mount one or more pictures of proper, simple food. (Fruits, vegetables, milk and so forth.) CHAPTER III WEEK DAY SESSION THE STORY OF A GUEST ROOM II Kings 4:8-11 Memory Verse “ Forget not to show love unto strangers.” —Hebrews 13:2a. The Teacher’s Preparation At this time Elisha was prophet of the Kingdom of Israel. Unlike his predecessor and master, Elijah, he dwelt in the cities, and enjoyed the companionship which life in the more thickly populated regions brought. On some of his journeys amongst the towns in the Jordan valley, he was hospitably entertained at the village of Shu- nem by a woman who owned a comfortable home and was possessed of some means. The story for to-day’s lesson tells how she and her husband prepared their “ guest room ” as a resting place for the “ man of God.” A great deal is said in the Bible about the consideration which we owe to others, to the “ strangers ” who need. Elisha was an example of a man who spent his life in doing deeds of kindness, in serving others. This is a great lesson in social education, a lesson which is greatly needed to-day by the Primary child and by all of us. Perhaps never before has the need for the interpretation of the Golden Rule been so great. Beeore the Story Draw upon the blackboard a very simple picture of an Oriental house, showing the outside stairway and the upper room. This should be large enough for all the pupils to see 24 PRIMARY CPIURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 25 easily. Either draw or have paper models of the “ furni¬ ture ” placed in the room. (See the simple line drawings at the end of the lesson.) The: Story Once upon a time in a pleasant valley country there was a comfortable little house that looked something like this. (Blackboard drawing.) In it lived a good woman and her husband. The husband was a farmer, and he and his servants tilled his fields and planted them with seed and gathered in the harvest when it was ripe. The wife kept the house. There was a big stone mill in one corner of her home, and she and one of her servants would grind the grain that her husband had raised. She would mix the fine meal into cakes and bake them. Olives and figs and grapes grew in that land, so when the table was spread with the good fruit and cakes the farmer and his wife had a feast fit for a king. Now the house was not far from the road, and the farmer’s wife could easily see the passers-by. Sometimes the travelers would look tired and dusty, for in that land there were very few inns or places where strangers could buy food or drink, and rest at night. One day a stranger came to the little town; he was pass¬ ing through on his way to another city. His name was Elisha, and he was a prophet. That is, he was one of the great and good men to whom God spoke and told his wishes to give to the people in that long-ago time in Israel. But the farmer’s wife did not know this, then. Elisha looked tired and hungry. He wore low shoes with straps called sandals, such as were worn in that country, and his feet were dusty. He leaned heavily upon the walking staff that he carried. The good wife thought of the fresh, sweet cakes that she had baked, and the grapes and the fruit that were so re¬ freshing. “ We have enough and to spare,” she thought to herself. “ I will give a bit to this tired-looking traveler. He can rest a while as he eats.” 26 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Then she called Elisha, and prepared a meal for him. After that day, whenever he passed, he stopped with the farmer and his wife, and he was always sure of a welcome. The farmer and his wife shared their food, but they felt that they received as much as they gave, for they were so glad to hear Elisha talk to them. One day the wife said to her husband: “ We know that this is a good man, God’s servant, who passes our house con¬ tinually. Let us make a little room, I pray thee, on the wall. (Indicate on the drawing.) We will put in the room a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick. Then when it pleases him to pass by, he may always be welcome.” So the farmer and his wife built the room and furnished it. It was a pleasant place, high over the other part of the house. An outside stairway reached from the ground to the door. Through the windows blew the cool, fresh breezes. It was no wonder that Elisha was pleased when he saw it. Whenever he passed through the town he went there to rest. Suggestions tor the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Forget not to show love unto strangers.” —Hebrews 13:2a. “ Be ye kind “ Thou shalt one to another.” —Ephesians love thy neighbor as thyself.” —Matthew 4:32a. 22:39. THE GOLDEN RULE “ All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them.” —Matthew 7 :12. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us always to be kind to those whom we meet in the world about us. Help us to be quick to see ways of helping others; for we know that that is one of the best ways of making thee glad. Amen. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 27 Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Construct an Oriental house from two pasteboard boxes, one considerably smaller than the other to be placed on top of the larger, representing the “ upper room.” Construct the “ furniture ” from cardboard, using the cuts given below as patterns. Blackboard Drawings 28 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Try to do one particularly kind act to a little companion, possibly a new pupil at school who is shy and unacquainted and a stranger. SUNDAY SESSION A HUNGRY WOMAN SHARING HER BREAD I Kings 17:8-16 Memory Verse “ God loveth a cheerful giver.”—II Corinthians 9:7c. The Teacher’s Preparation Samaria was the capital city of the Kingdom of Israel. It was beautifully situated, and the location was strategic and well protected, a round hill, with steep yet accessible sides, and a flat top. Omri, the father of King Ahab, showed great wisdom when he chose this site. “ And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 29 and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria.’’ At this time Ahab was ruler over Israel. A beautiful and imposing palace had been built, and the king was continually adding to the strength and splendor of the city in material things. However, like his father, he “ did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.” He led the people further and further from the standards which had been set for the nation. God was utterly neglected, and it is recorded that Ahab was the most evil of Israel’s kings up to that time. He married Jezebel, daughter of the king of Sidon. She was an intense and passionate character, forcing her strong personality wherever she was. She was a Baal worshiper and brought with her into her husband’s land her idols and beliefs, and all the evil ceremonies connected with the Baal religion. Ahab was the weaker of the two characters; he became a tool in her hands, and adopted her religion. A gorgeous temple to> Baal was built on the heights of Samaria; and an immense idol of this god placed there. Baal worship became the religion of the land except in the case of a loyal minority. Ahab was a lover of luxury. The palace was a sumptuous building, containing everything that would gratify the senses. The self-indulgent king naturally became an example for the wealthy and highborn of the land, and that class soon lost the sturdy hardihood and physical endurance which God had given his people. They loaded their tables with costly wines and rich food which were served by menials. The whole life tended toward a condition of effeminacy. Queen Jezebel was having her way, but Samaria was on the downward road. The: Man for the: Time: God was preparing his leader to meet this crisis. Out in the desert was a man whose life had been a striking contrast to all that the court of Samaria represented. The appearance of Elijah must have been spectacular when he obeyed God’s command and betook himself to the palace: a strong man clad in a robe of skin, a man whose 30 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS rugged face showed that he had breathed deep of the pure air of the wild, and was stern with purpose. This part of the story you yourself will read and study: Read I Kings 16:29-33; 17:1-7; chapters 18, 19. The story which you will prepare for the children is the account of Elijah’s life at the house of the widow of Zarephath. After giving God’s message at the palace, he fled to the brook Cherith where he remained in hiding to escape the fury of Ahab and his queen. Later he went to the little village of Zarephath where this incident occurred. Before: the: Story Talk to the children for a few minutes about the stories to which they have been listening—stories about doing things to please God. Get them to tell you what kind of things please God. Write upon the blackboard some such sentence as RIGHT THINGS PLEASE GOD. Get a list of people who pleased God by doing right things. (Joseph, David, Elisha, and so on.) Possibly in some classes you might ob¬ tain a short list of characters other than those mentioned in the Biblical stories. Get the children to tell you what these right things were that were done by the characters named. Mention the fact that one very good way to give gladness to God is by SHARING our good things with others, espe¬ cially when it is a little hard to do this. Then tell your story. The Story Once upon a time in the city of Zarephath there was a little boy who was growing so thin that his mother was afraid that she would not have a dear little child very long. Now this mother would have been glad to give her child a good drink of milk, but she could not do this, for she had none. She would have been glad to give him a piece of tender meat, and a dish of soup, but neither could she do this, for there was no meat or soup in the house. She had not even a bunch of grapes or a fig or an olive. She would have been glad to buy any of these things; but she could not. There was a famine in the land. Even the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSON! 31 richest were hungry. There was very little to eat in the palace of the king. The mother had a jar of meal, and a little oil, but she had been trying to make it last. She herself was even thinner than her boy. Every day when she went to the meal jar she thought to herself: “ It will soon be gone. I can get no more.” Then she would take a bit and mix a cake. Each day the cakes that she made were a little smaller. She herself would stop eating while she was still very hungry so that her child might have more. One morning she saw the bottom of the jar! There was enough for only one very small baking left. “ I will go out by the city gate,” she sighed to herself, “ and gather some wood. I will bake the last cake. Then my little boy and I shall die.” She put her shawl about her head and made ready to go. “ I will make you a cake when I come back, my dear,” she said, and then she went for the wood. Now there was a reason for the dreadful famine which had come to the land. There was a reason why no rain fell and there was no grass or fruit, or grain or food of any kind. A very wicked king and queen ruled the land of Israel, and they had led the people into sin. God had said that he would send the famine to punish them, if they did not obey and turn from their evil ways. They still persisted, and the famine came. Oh, what suffering their wickedness had brought! God had sent his servant, Elijah, to warn the king and queen and the people before the punishment should come; but they had not listened. Now that the famine had come, the king and queen blamed Elijah for it. The two wicked people were so angry that they wanted to find Elijah and kill him. But God had said: “ Go hide! I will take care of you.” Elijah had gone to live among the rocks by the side of a little brook for a while; here he had water to drink, and the ravens brought him food. But when the brook dried up, . God said: “ Arise, go to Zarephath; a certain good woman lives there. She will feed you.” 32 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS So Elijah went; it was a long, long, long way from the palace of the bad king, and he was very tired and hungry when he reached the city gate! Now Elijah reached there just at the time the woman was gathering her sticks. “ Please bring me a little water to drink,” he called to her in a tired voice. The woman was sorry for the poor man, and she started to get the water. Then he called again, “ And, oh, I beg of thee, bring me a little piece of bread! ” “ I cannot do that,” said the woman. “ I have not a cake. I have left only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in the cruse. As you see, I am gathering a few sticks for a fire. I will mix the last of the meal and bake it for my little son and for myself; we shall eat it and then die.” But Elijah said: “ Do not be afraid. Go and do as thou hast planned. But make me a little cake first, and bring it to me. Then make for thyself and thy boy. God says that both the meal and the oil shall last until the rain comes and the famine is over.” The widow believed the promise that God had sent through his servant, Elijah, and she was glad to be able to share her food. She went home, made the cake, and gave it to Elijah ; then she baked for her little boy and for herself. And, won¬ derful to tell, every day that she went to the jar to get meal there was still enough for her cakes; every day that she went to the cruse for oil she found enough to mix her meal. Elijah stayed at the home of the widow for a long time, and never a day passed that God did not keep his promise to the woman who pleased him so well by sharing her bread when she thought she had reached her last meal. Suggestions for the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ God loveth a cheerful giver.”—II Corinthians 9:7c. “ Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.”—Matthew 25 :40. THE GOLDEN RULE Matthew 7:12. Heavenly Father, thou hast given us a great many good PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 33 things. We thank thee for all that thou hast done for us. Help us to be quick and ready to share these good things with those who need. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse or the Golden Rule. Draw from memory a picture of an Oriental house such as the mother and her little boy probably lived in. Try to share something with some one this week. CHAPTER IV WEEK DAY SESSION HOW ABRAM STOPPED A QUARREL Genesis 13 :1-12 Memory Verse “ Blessed are the peacemakers.”—Matthew 5 :9a. The Teacher's Preparation To prove that Abram was strong and brave in giving up to Lot will be difficult in many Primary classes. Bravery is a trait greatly admired by both boys and girls, and combat¬ iveness plays an important part in their understanding of the meaning of this trait of character. Children hate cowardice, and are apt to resort to remark¬ able threats in order to emphasize to their little companions their own belief in their daring. We do not wish to encourage weakness by creating ad¬ miration for an excess of mildness. Some degree of com¬ bativeness is extremely necessary in the well-rounded char¬ acter. Without it children will never develop into leaders, but will be content to be followers always. Probably the boys of your class think that they would have settled the difficulty with Lot and his herdsmen in quite a different manner; and it will take a clever presentation to help them to see that Abram’s way was really the brave, strong way: that it was a braver way than through a quarrel and a “ fight.” Abram and His Family Beyond the Euphrates in Ur of the Chaldees lived Terah and his three sons Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Abram, the oldest, married Sarai, a beautiful young woman. Haran also married, and had a son whom he named Lot. 34 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL, LESSONS 35 The family determined to go to the “ land of Canaan,” and migrated from the city of Ur. Before they left the land of their birth, Haran, the youngest son, died. So when they started, Lot went with his grandfather, Terah, and his uncle Abram. They settled for a time in Haran in Mesopotamia where Terah died. Abram and Sarai with their nephew Lot trav¬ eled on toward Canaan. During this time Abram received the message from God that he should be the founder of his chosen people. He and his family wandered on to Shechem, where he pitched his tent under the “ terebinth ” tree; then on to Bethel. Because of a famine, however, he directed his course to the land of Egypt. When he left Egypt his flocks and possessions had greatly increased; he and his nephew were wealthy herdsmen. He then came back to his former place of encampment not far from Bethel. The pasture proved insufficient for the flocks of both Abram and Lot; and their herdsmen quarreled. Abram set¬ tled the dispute which might have led to bitter enmity be¬ tween the two kinsmen in the way which our lesson passage for to-day relates. The: Story Ever since Lot’s father died, he had lived with his grand¬ father and his uncle Abram and aunt Sarai. They were very good to him. So, when the family planned to move to a far country, they would not leave Lot behind, but took him with them. One day a number of large camels were brought up to the place where the family had lived, and they made ready to move in the way people did in that long-ago time. The drivers bade the big beasts kneel down. This they did with a good deal of grumbling, as camels always do. Then the servants began to load up their queer, humpy backs with the family possessions. For many a night they would sleep in tents, so Abram told his servants to put in the tent cloths and the long tent poles and the tent pins. There were big water jars, and meal jars. There were rolls of rugs to make soft beds at night. There were clothes for the 36 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS family. There were the things that belonged to Lot’s pretty aunt Sarai. All the time the herdsmen were gathering together Abram’s flocks of sheep and cattle and goats, and there was a great stir and din that moving day. At last all was ready, and they began their journey. The family and the servants and the camels and the* flocks of sheep and goats and the cattle made a long procession. They traveled for a great distance, and by and by they came to a pleasant spot where they pitched their tents and lived for a time. It was at this place that the grandfather, Terah, died. But after a time the family traveled on again, and of course Lot went with his uncle Abram. About this time a wonderful thing happened to Abram. God spoke to him. He said: “ Abram, I wish you to go to a land which I shall show you. I will take care of you, and the land shall be given to you and to your children for a home.” Abram promised with his whole heart to obey God. So the procession traveled on many miles. Sometimes the people rode on the backs of the camels. Sometimes they walked along slowly. Every day they saw new sights. When the hot noontimes came, they pitched their tents and rested. When mealtime came, they ate roasted meat, and drank milk, and ate some of the good fruits that grew along the way. After a while Abram came to a good place where he pitched his tent. God again spoke to him and said: “ Some day this land shall belong to your children. I will take care of you, if you obey me.” Abram built an altar to God and thanked him. Every day he thought of God’s promise. All this time Lot was growing older. By and by he was old enough to have some flocks of sheep and goats of his own. He, too, had a tent and money and camels. Abram could not count his sheep and lambs and goats for he had so many. They nibbled all day at the grass on the hills and in the meadows. There were so many animals that they ate faster than the grass could grow. Abram had serv¬ ants to watch his flocks and see that they had food enough. Lot also had shepherds. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 37 The shepherds began to quarrel. Abram’s shepherds wanted the greenest grass for their sheep; then Lot’s men scolded, because they wanted the best for their sheep. Abram heard the men, and he was sorry to hear the angry words and voices. He liked peace. He was not afraid of the men, for he was no coward. He could have hurried to Lot’s shepherds and punished them, every one. He could fight with kings and soldiers and beat them, too, when the time for fighting came. But Abram knew a better way. He called his nephew Lot. “ Our shepherds are quarrel¬ ing,” he said. “ Listen ! ” and the two heard angry voices. “ We must not let a quarrel come between you and me,” said Abram. “ We must not let our herdsmen disagree. The whole land is before us; there is plenty for you and plenty for me. You go one way and I will go another.” Lot listened. “If you choose the right, I will go to the left. But if you wish to go to the left, I will go to the right. We are kinsmen. Do not let us quarrel. There is grass enough for both.” Abram’s voice was very kind, and he looked with friendly eyes at his nephew Lot. Strange to say, Lot did not do a very generous thing to this uncle who always had been so kind to him. He looked far away to the river valley. It was green and fair and like a garden. He thought: “ That is the best place. I will choose the best place for myself. My uncle can take what is left.” Then he said, “ I will go to the pasture by the river.” And Abram let Lot go where he wished. God was pleased because Abram wanted to be a peace¬ maker. When Lot had gone, God said: “ Lift up thine eyes. Look! All that thou seest shall be thine; as far as thou canst see toward the north, the south, the east, the west. I will not forget my promise.” Suggestions for the Devotionar Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “A soft answer turneth away wrath ; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.” —Proverbs 15:1. 38 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ He that is slaw to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” —Proverbs 16:32. “ An angry man stirreth up strife.” —Proverbs 29:22. “ Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it.”—Psalm 34:14. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to be slow to be angry. Teach us to stop to think a few minutes when we are angry. Show us how to live at peace with those round about us. Teach us that this is one way of pleasing thee. Amen. Suggested Activities Show the pupils how an Oriental tent was pitched, and let them set up a miniature tent from material which you have provided. This may be done as follows: Nine sticks representing the tent poles will be needed. Three should be longer than the others. Stick these in the sand table in this form: 000 000 000 Over the top of the sticks stretch the “ tent cloth.” Tie the ends down to little sticks representing the “ tent pins.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 39 Represent a flock of sheep and a shepherd with cut-outs placed on the sand table. Make an impromptu dramatization of the story. SUNDAY SESSION A CAPTIVE MAID TRYING TO HELP II Kings 5:1-14 Memory Verse “ Even a child maketh himself known by his doings.” —Proverbs 20:11a. The Teacher’s Preparation Syria borders on Palestine toward the north, and its capi¬ tal at this period of history was Damascus, said to be the oldest city in the world. Damascus was a place of importance in the days of Abraham, and Josephus thought that it had been founded by Uz, the great-grandson of Noah. Its location was one of rare beauty, on a luxuriant plain at the base of the mountains. Viewed from a distance its buildings were said to seem to rise out of a sea of verdant foliage. At the time of this lesson flower-decked gardens, fruit¬ laden orchards, and rich cornfields were to be seen every¬ where. These were watered, and even their existence made possible, by the waters of the lovely river Abana and the smaller stream Pharpar. This verdure was a great con¬ trast to the surrounding desert, untouched by the life-giving waters. Ben-hadad was king of Syria. Naaman was the captain of his army. The Syrians were hostile to the Kingdom of Israel, and the king and his army made frequent raids into the country devastating where they could, and carrying into captivity those whom they were able to seize. The little maid of our story had been kidnaped and car¬ ried away from her home in Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. She had been taken by Naa¬ man to his home and given as a slave to his wife. 40 PRIMARY CHURCH bCHOOL LESSONS Her master Naaman was a leper, and the little girl’s sym¬ pathies were aroused by the trouble which overshadowed the household. Elisha was the prophet of Israel. The captive girl’s belief in God and in his servant were steadfast, and she referred her mistress to Elisha, feeling assured that she could thus bring relief to the family of which she had grown so fond. Our aim will be to' impress upon the minds of the children the fact that the little girl’s conduct was pleasing to God; she remembered God through all her trouble and loneliness; she told her mistress where she would be sure to find help; she showed a great kindness of spirit and desire to give help where it was sorely needed. Tell your story from the little girl’s standpoint; feature her throughout the story, and make her the leading character. The teacher may show how the help that a child can give sometimes is the means of great accomplishment. Bring out clearly the fact that God is always pleased by the effort of a child to help. The Story A long time ago there was a little girl who lived in a house that was fit for a princess, but she was not a princess of the land. The master of the house was a very great man, indeed, and his wife was a great lady; but they were not the little girl’s father and mother. The city of Damascus in which the palace stood was one of the most beautiful cities in the whole, wide world. There were gardens of lovely flowers, and orchards of luscious fruits. But this beautiful city was not this little girl’s home city. Her father and mother and her home were in the city called Samaria. She had been stolen away and brought to this other land. Captain Naaman and his soldiers had broken through the city walls. They came to her home and to many other homes; they had carried away precious treasures; they had carried away many of the people. The little girl had been brought to Captain Naaman’s pal- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 41 ace, and made a little slave girl. Her mistress was Captain Naaman’s wife. Sometimes she would fan the great lady; sometimes she would help her to put on her lovely silken robes; sometimes she would bring her flowers and fruit. The little girl was so helpful and good that the lady grew very fond of her. Even her master, the great Captain Naa- man, liked the pretty, dark-eyed girl who was so good and willing, and he was kind to her. But although the great soldier and his wife had so many things to make them comfortable, they were not happy. Cap¬ tain Naaman had a disease which no doctor in all the land could cure. He was still able to lead his men and go about; but it was bound to grow worse, and he feared that, by and by, it would kill him. The little girl learned about this. She was very sorry for the great soldier, even though he had stolen her from her home. She was sorry, too, that her master and mistress did not pray to God about it. Their god was only an idol; he could not help them. He had no power to make Naaman well. The little slave girl prayed to the true God. One day she said: “ O my mistress, I wish that my master knew about the great teacher who lives in my homeland. His name is Elisha. He tells us about God. He would heal my master of his disease.” Some one told Naaman what the little girl had said. Naaman longed to be well. He went and told the king. King Ben-hadad said, “ Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” Then Naaman ordered his chariots and his horses to be brought. He thought to himself, “ I will make a splendid gift to this man if he heals me.” He filled bags with gold and silver. He also took beautiful garments fit for a king to wear. The soldier and his servants rode away, and by and by they came before the king of Israel. This king was not a good man. He had turned from God. He had not listened to the teachings of Elisha. He was frightened when he saw Naaman and his servants coming. He read the letter and cried: “ Am I God that this man has come to me about his disease? He has come to pick a quarrel with me.” 42 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS But Elisha heard that Naaman had come. He sent for him. So Naaman came and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent his servant to the great man with this word, “ Go wash in the river Jordan seven times, and thou shalt be made well.” The river Jordan was in Elisha’s land of Israel. It was not nearly so beautiful as the rivers in Naaman’s land. The great soldier’s eyes flashed with anger. “Bathe in the river Jordan, indeed! Go bathe in that muddy, yellow water! What a strange thing to ask me to do! I thought he surely would come out to me. He sent his servant! He did not even put his hand over the place and call on his God! Are not the rivers of my own land far better than all the rivers of his land? The river Jordan! ” Then the captain turned to go away in a rage. But his servants said: “ Master, if the teacher had asked thee to do some very hard thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much better when he says only, ‘Wash, and be clean! ’ ” Naaman thought; his servants were right. He went to the river Jordan. He dipped himself seven times in its waters. He obeyed Elisha; and Elisha had been speaking a message from God. The wonderful promise came true. Naaman was made well. His rough, sore skin became as soft as a little child’s. The grateful soldier came back to Elisha. He said: “I know now that there is no other true God except the God of Israel. After this I am going to worship Jehovah, the true God.” And all this came about because a little girl wanted to help. Suggestions tor the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Even a child maketh himself known by his doings.” —Proverbs 20:11a. “ The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” —Mark 12 :29, 30. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 43 “ Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself/’ —Mark 12 :31. PRAYER Heavenly Father, teach us that God cares for little chil¬ dren and loves them. Teach us that a little child may love thee with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength. We would do something to please thee. Thou hast said that doing kind things for others is the same as doing for thee. Help us to remember this way of pleasing thee all through the week. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a short list of things children can do to be helpful, emphasizing the fact that these are ways of pleasing God. Try to do two especially helpful things this week. Dramatize in very simple manner the imaginary scene be¬ tween the little captive girl and her mistress, giving the dia¬ logue in which the child does her part. An Additionae Story About a Heepeue Child “ Little Gustava,” by Celia Thaxter. “ The Jar of Rosemary,” to be found in “ The Story- Teller,” by Maud Lindsay. (Lothrop, Lee, and Shepherd.) CHAPTER V WEEK DAY SESSION A STORY ABOUT FORGIVING Genesis 14:11-16 Memory Verse “ Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other.”—Ephesians 4:32a. The Teacher’s Preparation Opportunities to show forgiveness occur all through the life of every individual, and all of us know that it is often exceedingly difficult to forgive. A telling illustration of this trait of character will prove a compelling influence over the little child of Primary age. Under emotional stress the Primary child naturally de¬ sires to follow the plan of “ an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” It is given the teacher to show him the better way, the other way which Christ taught, and of which he was the supreme Example. “ But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. . . . And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. . . . And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye ? for even sinners do the same. ... Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” This was the teaching of Jesus, and he carried it out in all the action of his life. Out of a number of excellent incidents in the Old Testa¬ ment illustrating this wonderfully difficult, yet wonderfully effective trait of character, let us choose the story of Abram’s rescue of Lot after his choice of the “ best for self.” This will amplify the thought suggested in Chapter IV, that Abram did not yield to Lot because of cowardice. 44 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 45 Abram’s affection for his nephew was enduring, and he forgave his selfishness to such an extent that he was willing to risk his life and property in order to save him from the hands of the conquering kings who besieged the lonely gar¬ den spot which he had chosen for his home and pasture ground. In making this choice Lot left entirely out of his calcula¬ tions the character of the people among whom he was going to dwell, and what would be the effect of their influence over his life. The: Situation Abram had pitched his tent and established his home among the oak groves of Mamre; he had made friends and a treaty with the chiefs of the surrounding tribes. Lot had settled down in his new home and his flocks and herds had increased as he had expected. But there was great unrest amongst the different kings and chiefs of the people round about. He soon found himself in a land where rebellion, revolt, and insurrection were followed by actual war. Cities were plundered and hosts of captives were taken by the victorious kings. Lot and his family were among the captives, and the news was brought to Abram by a fugitive. Three hundred and eighteen attendants and slaves was the remarkable number of the band which Abram was able to muster to his call. These followers were quickly sum¬ moned and instructed by the man who had forgiven the rela¬ tive who had behaved so selfishly toward him. The band of rescuers hurried along the garden valley after the capturers; caught up with them; made a night attack and routed them, releasing Lot and his family. Before: the: Story Review the story given in Chapter IV, “ How Abram Stopped a Quarrel ” : One day a long, long time ago, something happened which was likely to start a quarrel between two men. These men were shepherds and herdsmen, each had hundreds and hun¬ dreds of sheep and little lambs and goats. 46 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS One of the men was older than the other, and he owned the most lambs and goats and sheep. He had given the younger man his first little flock. Indeed, he had been very, very good to the younger man, even when he was a little orphan boy. He took him to live in his own tent. Who can tell the names of the two men? (Abram and Lot.) What was the thing that was about to start the quarrel? (Try to get the statement from the children in some sort of form that Lot also had become rich and that the herdsmen belonging to the two relatives were quarreling for the best pasture ground, as there was not enough grass for all the animals.) How was the quarrel settled? What did Lot do? (Chose the best for self. Expatiate upon Lot’s treatment of his uncle.) The Story Under some big, shady oak trees there was a tent, and in it lived Abram and his beautiful wife, Sarai. There were other tents round about, for Abram was a rich man, and had a great many servants to do his work. He needed help, for he owned so many sheep and little lambs and goats that it would have been hard to count them. Abram could not have taken care of all the flocks he owned without his herdsmen. One day a man came running to the tent under the oak trees. He was a frightened-looking man, and had come from a long distance. He looked this way and that, as if he were still afraid of something. He greeted Abram; then he said, “ Your nephew Lot is a prisoner! ” He told how four kings and their followers had fought with five other kings and their soldiers. There had been a great battle. The kings who' won the battle stole away all the good and valuable things that belonged in the land where Lot had chosen to live. “ Not only did they steal the goods,” said the man, “ but they took the people, the men and women and little children! They caught Lot and all his family! They almost caught me! But I escaped, and have come to tell you.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 47 Now Abram might have thought to himself: “ Well, Lot chose! This is his choice! He thought he was getting the best for himself. I have what he left! This serves my selfish nephew right! I will not trouble myself about him.” Abram might have thought these things, but he did not. “ My nephew Lot a prisoner! ” he thought. “ I will help him all I can ! ” He looked brave enough for any king to fear as he hur¬ ried about giving his orders. He called his servants and his herdsmen. When all had gathered before his tent, there were three hundred and eighteen strong men. “ My nephew Lot is a prisoner! ” he exclaimed. “ Make yourselves ready to go with me to set him free! ” The men armed themselves, and then Abram and his herdsmen hurried away. It was nighttime; but they marched so fast that they caught up to the flying kings. Abram bade his men fight, and they smote those kings who had stolen the treasures and were carrying away into slavery the men, women, and little children, even his own nephew Lot and his family. Abram and his brave men won the battle. Lot and all his family were saved and set free. The goods and all the treasures were taken away from the thieving kings. And this is the way in which Abram forgave his selfish nephew. Suggestions tor the Devotional Service A BIBRE READING LESSON “ Jehovah, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me: Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee . . . Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing.” —Psalm 141 :1, 3, 4a. prayer Heavenly Father, may we be ready to forgive even as we 48 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS wish others to forgive us. May we be ready to help those who need our help. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Set up an Oriental tent in the sand table. Dramatize the scene of the fugitive giving his message. SUNDAY SESSION PETER ASKS A QUESTION Matthew 18:21-35 Memory Verse “ Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other.”—Ephesians 4:32a. The Teacher’s Preparation The teaching of Jesus regarding forgiveness is made re¬ markably clear in the story which he told as an answer to Peter’s question. “ Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?” Even our Primary children can understand Peter’s ques¬ tion ; it will make a special appeal to them as they are at an age when nature is yet untrained, and it is easy to give way to passion and unforgiving feeling. Peter with his emotional, impetuous nature was very child¬ like in his questioning. During all his friendship with his Master, even up to the last scenes of Jesus’ earthly life, he showed how he needed to be forgiven, over and over again. Jesus with his unbounded capacity to forgive proved even on the cross how understanding^ he could answer this ques¬ tion which Peter asked. The Occasion Jesus and his disciples were in Capernaum, his home city, by the Sea of Galilee. He had been teaching, as was his PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 49 wont, and this particular discussion concerned the treatment of one who had done an unkindness or an injury to another. How should we act toward these trespassers? The Old Testament had many fine rules and distinctions, and the Jews were greatly inclined toward the “ splitting of hairs ” in the interpretation of the laws. Peter had not understood the meaning of his Master as was clearly shown. He asked: “ Master, how many times should we forgive? Will seven times be enough?” Seven was a sacred number amongst the Hebrews. They thought that was sacred because there were seven lights in the sky—sun, moon, and five planets—because God had blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, and so forth. The Story Peter’s best Friend was Jesus. One day he was listening while Jesus was talking. Jesus was talking about how we should treat others. Peter’s face was very sober; he had a question that he wanted to ask. Peter was the kind of person that likes to do things with all his might and main. When he got angry, as he often did, he was angry through and through. But when he was sorry he was sorry through and through. When he loved, he loved with all his heart, just as he loved Jesus, his best Friend. But when he was angry, oh, how angry Peter could be! Jesus loved Peter; he loved just this kind of man. But he wanted Peter to learn to be forgiving. So Peter asked his question: “ Master, how many times should we forgive anyone who has been unkind, or has done a wrong thing to us ? Seven times ? Is seven times enough ? ” Peter thought that to forgive seven times was plenty. Seven times seems a great many times to keep one’s temper and to be patient! He was just a little pleased with himself for asking this question. But Jesus said: “Seven times, Peter! Not seven times, but seventy times seven, I say! ” Of course Jesus meant that Peter should forgive so many times that he would forget to count; that he should always be forgiving. 50 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Then Jesus said, “ I will tell you a story, Peter.” Jesus’ Story About Forgiving Once there was a rich king who had a great many servants. One day he called them to him to find how they had been doing their work. He needed to learn whether they owed him any money; whether they had been doing everything as good servants should do. He found that one of the servants owed him a great deal of money. The servant was very much frightened, because he had no money to pay the debt. “ Sell him! ” cried the king. “ Sell his wife and his chil¬ dren and all that he has so that I may receive my money! ” The servant fell trembling at the king’s feet. “ Lord, have pity! Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.” The king looked at the poor, frightened man, and his anger left him; his heart became full of pity. “ I will forgive thee,” he said, kindly, and he set him free. Now this man left the palace and went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a small debt, not nearly as much as he owed his king. He caught him and seized him by the throat and roughly exclaimed, “ Pay what thou owest! ” The man fell down at his feet, just as he himself had fallen at the feet of the king only a short time before, and begged, “ Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.” But this unforgiving man would not have patience; he had forgotten already how he had trembled at his master’s feet and had been forgiven. He cast his fellow servant into prison, saying that he should remain there until his debt was paid. When the other servants saw what was done they were ex T ceedingly sorry, and went and told the king all about it. The king called his unforgiving servant and said: “ Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou didst beg me. Shouldst not thou have had pity even as I had pity for thee ? ” And the king was angry and sent him away to be punished. When Jesus had finished this story he said: “ That is the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 51 way God feels when you are unforgiving. Think how many times God forgives. Should you not also be forgiving ? ” Another Story About Forgiving At the school where Anusaya went, the doors and win¬ dows were flung wide open, and the little girls sat on the floor in rows against the wall. This is the way they do in the far-away land of India. The air was full of the low humming of voices, and the squeaking of slate pencils. One morning a shadow fell across the book that the prin¬ cipal was reading at her desk. She looked up quickly. Little red-dressed Anusaya stood motionless in the doorway. “ What do you want, Anusaya ? ” she asked pleasantly. “If you want chalk or ink you may get it for yourself from the desk.” She turned to her book again. In a few minutes she looked up; Anusaya was still stand¬ ing by the desk. She was looking with solemn, troubled eyes out of the window. The teacher loved this pretty, dark-eyed little girl; she was the pride of the school. She was now eight years old and had been there since she was a wee baby found in the street at the time of the famine. It was she who ran most of the errands; it was she who always remembered to water the vines on the schoolhouse. She was the little peacemaker of the school, and its sunshine. All the girls loved her even if she could run faster and swing higher than any of them, for didn’t she always play fair in the games, and didn’t she always take the littlest chil¬ dren on the swing with her, and wasn’t she always doing a turn at housework for the forgetful girls ? But to-day her jaw was set and her brown eyes were grave. “ Why, Anusaya, I thought you had gone,” said the principal. “ No, Baisahib, I came for chalk, but I wanted to see you, too—but you are busy ? ” “ Not too busy when you want me, little one,” said the principal. Anusaya drew back from the outstretched hand. Her chin quivered a bit but her voice was firm. 52 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ You mustn’t caress me any more, Baisahib, because— because I have been very bad.” The big, brown eyes looked very seriously into the kind blue eyes. “ I am not worthy of your caress.” “ O Anusaya! ” there was only tenderness in the tone. “ You do not believe me. Listen and I will tell you. It was the arithmetic hour. I had no pencil. I lent mine to Sushila yesterday, and she lost it. I had had no time to earn a peisa for another, and I was ashamed to ask. So I prayed God to put it into Bai’s heart to ask me to do my ex¬ ample at the board, but I had failed on a problem yesterday and Sushila hadn’t, so of course Bai asked her to go to the board instead of me. “ Sushila lives in the town, you know, and her father had just this morning given her a beautiful new pencil with red and gold paper on the outside. That was after she had lost mine. She brought it to school with her and when she went to the board, lo, she left it beside her slate on the floor. “ Now she sits in front of me, as you know, Baisahib. I think I let an evil spirit enter into my heart, and it drove the dear Christ out, for only faintly did I hear him say, ‘ O Anusaya! ’ just as you say it now, Baisahib, so hurtlike and with so great love.” Two big tears splashed down over the neat little nose, but were quite ignored as the relentless voice went on. “ And I obeyed the evil spirit and took the pencil when Bai was looking out of the window and everyone else was working on her slate with her back turned to the others. I meant to put it back before Sushila came to her seat, but I had to tear the paper on one end to write with it—and so I thought maybe I should keep it and let Sushila think it was lost. “ It was very wicked of me and I know it, for it pricked inside my heart so hard that I could not hear Bai give out the sum and I had to copy it from Rangu. She had it down wrong, so I had mine wrong, too—and Bai was sad and said, ‘ O Anusaya,’ too, and that makes three people who are sad over me. “ I wanted to cry and cry and cry—and then I thought I would come and tell you so that you could punish me with¬ out Bai’s sending me. And just then God was very good PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 53 to me, for Bai needed some chalk to unloose for us the prob¬ lem we had just tried to do. So Bai asked who would go and I said I would. So I came. “ And please don’t give me a long punishment, for Bai needs the chalk and I am missing the other sums and Sushila has no pencil. But punish me hard, Baisahib, because I have driven the dear Christ from my soul and I have made Bai sad and you sad and I think the good Father must be even sadder than you, because he loves me more and counts on me even more than you—and I have stolen, and lived a lie and there is no more goodness in me.” The little girl began sobbing away the clean freshness of a shirtwaist she greatly admired, but she would not long give herself up to weeping. She struggled in vain against the loving arms. “ Dear little girl,” said teacher, “ you have punished your¬ self enough. God knows you are truly sorry and so do I, and the dear Jesus has already come back into your heart. I will give you a pencil to take to Sushila now, and this afternoon you may come and dust my bookshelves to earn the money for it. And now you must not cry any more, dear. Run to the well and bathe your face before you go back to class. Why, here is Sushila, now ! ” “ May I take some chalk, Baisahib ? ” Sushila had started toward the cupboard before she noticed Anusaya, but she got no farther, for her progress was checked by two small arms which were suddenly thrown around her neck in v such a way as to endanger her breathing. “ O Sushie, did you miss your nice new pencil that your father gave you ? ” asked a sorry, tearful voice. “ See, here it is. I used it for the first sum without asking you—and oh, Sushie, I felt so< wicked all the time—and—and .” “But why should you feel wicked? That was yours for the pencil of yours I lost yesterday. My father gave me two. See.” A second beauty with blue and gold paper was dangled under Anusaya’s eyes. “ But, but ”- “If you’d rather have the blue pencil, I’ll exchange,” added Sushila generously. “ Oh, oh, Baisahib,” Anusaya’s eyes were rainbows now, the sun shining through showers. “ God must have for- 54 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS given me. Will you please pray now that he will strengthen me never, never to let the evil spirit in again and to drive dear Jesus out ? ” Chalk, pencils, and waiting teacher were forgotten as the two little girls stood with bowed heads within the encircling white arms. The prayer over, Anusaya added this plea: “ O God, please heal the Baisahib’s wounded heart, sad over us her wayward children, and O God, help us to give thee joy and not pain the rest of this day, and thank you for sending Sushie to me with the lovely pencil. Amen.” And so love and forgiveness brought back sunshine and happiness to two little friends. Suggestions for the Devotional Service Repeat the service given in Chapter IV, Sunday Session. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Dramatize the first scene in the story about forgiving, which Jesus told. THE RIGHT USE OF GOD’S BOOK, GOD’S HOUSE, AND GOD’S DAY CHAPTER VI WEEK DAY SESSION A LOST BOOK FOUND II Kings 22:8, 10-13, 18-20; 23:1-3 Memory Verse “ Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” —James 1:2 2. The Teacher’s Preparation Out in the garden of Uzza, which was somewhere within the precincts of the palace of the kings of Judah, were two graves. One was that of Manasseh, the other that of Amon, the grandfather and the father of King Josiah. Manasseh had ruled over Judah for fifty-five years, and his reign had been a period of wretchedness: God had been deserted; idols and shrines were in the high places; sin and disobedience were the order of the day; and “ Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.” Amon, his son, twenty-two years of age when he was crowned, followed his example. He had occupied the throne but two years, however, when an insurrection among his servants occurred, and he was killed. The people put to death the murderers, and proclaimed Josiah, his eight-year- old son, as king. At this time Hilkiah was high priest at Jerusalem. He became the instructor of the baby king. Josiah made his choice for God. One of his first deeds when he became old enough to act was the cleansing and repairing of the Temple which had been neglected for so long. The old house was opened up to the light, and skilled workmen made it once more a worthy place. While this work was in progress the book of the Law which mentioned 57 58 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the penalties that would befall if God’s people disobeyed, was found. This was given to Shaphan the scribe. He read it and then hurried with it to the king. A Talk About God’s Book (Before the Lesson) Draw the children’s attention to a copy of the Bible by saying that it is the most valuable and most precious Book in all the world. It is most precious because it is God’s Book, his Word to his people. Tell that it did not always look just as this copy of the Bible looks. Show a “ scroll ” that you have made at home 'by fastening a piece of paper or a soft ribbon to two pieces of wood, in imitation of the ancient scroll. Tell how God’s Word to his people was once written in this form. Tell that the Bible has been written in many other lan¬ guages so that other people also may have it. Refer to the fact that God’s Word is for “ all.” Say that you have a story about a time long ago when part of God’s Word was lost, and how it was found. The Story Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a little eight-year-old boy named Josiah. His home was a wonderful, big palace with tall ceilings held up with marvelous columns. In one of the rooms was the most beautiful chair in all the land; it was decorated with precious stones. A flight of steps led up to this chair, for it was a throne such as kings sit upon. The throne had belonged to Josiah’s grandfather for a great many, many years, because he had been the king. For two years the little boy’s own father had been king. Josiah was six years old when the people cried: “ Long live the king! Long live the king! ” and the beautiful crown which sparkled with jewels, and was bright gold like the sun, had been placed upon his father’s head. But now two graves were in the garden of Uzza near the palace—the grandfather and father both were dead. The people shouted: “ Long live the king! Long live the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 59 king! ” and the little, eight-year-old boy was made ruler over the great land of Judah. The palace was his; the throne was his; the golden, glit¬ tering crown was his. The crown seemed big and heavy for a little boy eight years old! Now it was not going to be an easy thing to be king over Judah. There were a great many bad things that needed to be made right. Many of the people bowed down to idols and said their prayers to them. All through the land idols were to be found; they had been set up in temples, in the groves, and in the houses. Upon the hill was the Temple, God’s house. The people should have loved and cared for this house and kept it clean and beautiful. Once this had been the best-cared-for house in all the land; it had been more cared for than the king’s palace. But now it was old and dusty and forgotten. It needed new boards and new paint. There were holes in the floors that needed mending. But few people went there any more, and God’s house was crumbling away, day by day. Many of the beautiful things and the treasures of the Temple became stored away or lost, but few people seemed to care. One man cared, however. There was a good man, the priest of the Temple who cared and was sorry. And this good man, Hilkiah, became the teacher of the little King Josiah. Day after day he taught him about God our heavenly Father; day after day he told him how wicked it was to pray to idols; and day after day the little king thought about these things as he was growing up. Years passed by, and the little boy became a big boy. He became old enough and wise enough to rule as a king should rule. He decided that the one true God should be his God. He decided, too, to clear the idols out of the land and to mend and clean God’s house. He gave money and collected money from the people for this work. One day he said to one of his chief helpers, “ Shaphan, 60 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS go to the Temple and ask the high priest to count the money that our people have given to mend the Temple.” The king was planning to take this money to pay workmen and to buy materials to mend the Temple, and make it a fit place for God. Shaphan went to the Temple and gave the king’s message to the high priest. The high priest gave the money to the workmen, and they started to do the work. Then the high priest found a wonderful thing! It was one of the most precious of all the forgotten treasures. It was the book of God’s law! “I have found the book of God’s law! ” exclaimed the high priest. He gave it to Shap¬ han, who read it and then hurried with it to the king. When he came into the king’s presence he said, “ The high priest found this book in the house of the Lord, and gave it to me.” He read it to the king. The king became very sober and sad. • Presently he began to tear his clothes in grief. It seemed as if God were telling over again how he wished his people to live. And the people of Jerusalem had been disobeying every day! He called together the priests and other great men of the land. He said: “ Let us study the meaning of this book. Great is the anger of the Lord, because our fathers have not obeyed! ” And they studied the words of the book. King Josiah sent for all the people of his land to come to the Temple. He read to them the words that were written in the book. After the reading was over, the king and his people prom¬ ised to obey God as long as they lived, to do God’s will, as well as to hear it read. Suggestions for the Devotionae Service a bibeE reading eesson “ Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” —Luke 11 :2 8. “ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path.”—Psalm 119:105. “ Thy word is very pure; Therefore thy servant loveth it.”—Psalm 119:140. “ I will praise his word.”—Psalm 56:4. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 61 SONG “ Holy Bible, Book Divine,” from the “ Primary and Junior Hymnal.” PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the Bible, thy Word. We will try to love it and understand it and obey thy rules as did the little king about whom we have heard to-day. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a “ scroll ” with two sticks and a strip of paper or a piece of cloth. SUNDAY SESSION MAKING THE BOOK SPEAK FOR GOD Acts 8:26-39 Memory Verse “ Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” —James 1:22. The Teacher’s Preparation Philip was one of the seven deacons chosen to look after the widows and the poor during the early years of the Church of Jerusalem. After the death of Stephen, who also was one of the seven deacons, Philip became an evangelist. He went to Samaria. Afterwards he was told by a heav¬ enly messenger to go over the road that led to Gaza. He obeyed, and the meeting with the Ethiopian followed. The Ethiopian was a person of consequence in the land of Ethiopia, which was a portion of Africa south of Egypt. It was ruled over by a dynasty of women, and Candace was the title given to the queen. Our theme is “ The Rigrht Use of God’s Book, God’s House, and God’s Day.” The preceding lesson tells how a 62 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS king reformed his whole land after the reading of God’s Word. Two other stories related in thought are given to¬ day : one from the Bible telling how Philip made the “ Book ” speak to the man of Ethiopia; the other a beautiful incident from the autobiography of John G. Paton, missionary to the New Plebrides. The: Story One day a long time ago a man named Philip went out to walk. The road was through a desert place, so there were pleas¬ anter walks to be found, but Philip chose this road rather than any other. The reason why he went was this: A little while before a voice had spoken to him saying, “ Philip, go out on that desert road that leads out toward the city of Gaza.” This voice was from the Lord, and Philip knew it. He had been telling about Jesus to everyone who would listen to him. Indeed, it was only a short time since Jesus had gone back to heaven, and Philip was trying to tell his mes¬ sage wherever he went. Of course he left everything and obeyed the voice, for that was the kind of man Philip was. He did not know what he was to do, but he was sure that God had some work for him. He was watching for this work as he walked along the dry and dusty road. Philip was ready. By and by he saw, in the distance, a man riding along in a chariot. “ Philip, go join the man riding in the chariot! ” said the voice of the Lord. Philip ran to the man. He saw that he was reading a book. The man was a stranger in that country; he had come from a great distance. His land was ruled by a queen called Candace, and he was her treasurer; he took care of her money. He was a great and rich man in his own country. He had come to worship at Jerusalem, and now he was go¬ ing home in his chariot. Somewhere he had found a part of God’s Word, the Bible, and as he rode along, he was trying to read it. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 63 But how puzzled he was! He could not understand! What wonderful things were to be found there! But what did they mean ? What could they mean ? His face was greatly puzzled. Here was Philip’s work: he could tell what the Book meant. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked the stranger. The prince looked up. “ No, how can I understand, unless some one explains to me ? ” he said. He invited Philip to come sit beside him in the chariot, and showed him the Book, which was really a part of the Bible. “ Of whom is the Book written ? Who is meant by these words ? Can you tell me ? ” he asked earnestly. Then Philip told him all the story about Jesus: about his love, how he came to earth, how his life had been taken away, how he had risen from the dead, and now was in heaven. The chariot passed by a spring or stream of water. The prince said: “ See, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized ? ” for he believed every word that Philip said to him, and took Jesus as his Saviour and Master. Then he commanded the chariot to stand still. He and Philip went down to the water, and Philip baptized him. God’s Word Speaks to Namakei Ever since Namakei was a little brown baby boy he had lived on the beautiful island of Aniwa. All round about the edge was a rim of white coral, and the waves of the sea beat up against it. Sometimes the waves thundered and roared with a deaf¬ ening noise. But when the days were clear the sea was like glass. The spray looked like silver. Soft green grass covered the ground, and beautiful trees gave shade. Namakei loved his island home when he was a little boy; and he loved it when he was a strong man, the chief of all the tribe of brown people who lived there; he loved it now that he had grown old. The old chief and his people bowed down to idols; they did not know the true God. They were poor, ignorant crea- 64 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS tures who knew no' better. They often were cruel to one another, they would lie and steal. They would kill their enemies and do all manner of evil things that God has for¬ bidden. One day a little boat landed at the island; it brought a stranger, a white man. He had come to tell the island people about God; he had come to bring them God’s Word. It was hard for the white man to make friends with the strange brown people. But he was kind to them. The old chief became his friend. He helped the white man, whom he and his people called “ Missi,” to learn the language. Missi then did a wonderful thing; he printed God’s Word in the old chief’s language so that he and his people could also read the Bible. Day after day Missi worked over his little printing press; day after day the old chief hovered near to help with the strange words. He wanted to “ hear the book speak,” he said. “ Is it done, Missi? ” he would ask. At last Missi answered, “ Yes, Namakei, it is done.” “ Does it speak my words? ” he eagerly asked. “ It does.” Namakei grew excited. “ Make it speak to me, Missi! Let me hear it speak.” Missi read to him from the Book, and the old chief shouted with joy. “ It does speak! It speaks my own language, too! Oh, give it to me! ” He grasped it hurriedly, turned it all around every way, pressed it to his bosom, and then, closing it with a look of great disappointment, handed it back to Missi. “ Missi, I cannot make it speak! It will never speak to me.” “ No,” answered Missi, “ you don’t know how to read it yet, and how to make it speak to you, but I will teach you how to read, and then it will speak to you as it does to me.” “ O Missi, dear Missi, show me how to make it speak! ” begged Namakei. He was straining his eyes so that Missi knew that he needed glasses to see the letters. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 65 He gave him a pair of spectacles and fitted them on his brown nose. The old chief was afraid of the strange things at first, but when he looked he began to dance with joy. “ I see it all now! This is what you told us about Jesus! He opened the eyes of a blind man. The Word of Jesus has just come to Aniwa. He has sent me these glass eyes. I have gotten back again the sight that I had when I was a boy. O Missi, make the book speak to me now! ” So Missi drew A B C in the sand, and began to teach the old chief. Day after day he worked until he could spell out the words for himself, and God’s Word began to speak to him whenever he opened the pages. Suggestions for the Devotional Service a bibee reading lesson “ Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” —James 1 :22. “ Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” —Luke 11:28. “ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet And light unto my path.”—Psalm 119:105. “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. PRAYER Heavenly Father, thy Word is very precious; we thank thee for sending it to us. Help us to remember that it is for all thy children. We would be willing to help whenever we are able, to send it where it has not yet gone. Amen. Suggested Activities « Copy the Memory Verse. Impromptu dramatization of one or both of the stories. The collection might be devoted to missions. CHAPTER VII WEEK DAY SESSION A KING AND HIS PEOPLE CARING FOR GOD’S HOUSE II Kings 12:4-15; II Chronicles 24:4-14 Memory Verse “ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise.”—Psalm 100:4. The Teacher’s Preparation At this period Baal worship had penetrated throughout Judah, and the Temple on the hill was in a sad state of neglect. God was forgotten by his people, and idols had been erected in the groves and high places. Baal worship had been introduced from Tyre and was brought into great prominence at the time of the marriage of King Ahab of Israel to the Princess Jezebel of Tyre. Athaliah, the grandmother of Joash, the king mentioned in to-day’s story, was the daughter of Jezebel, and was like her mother in her adherence to this worship. Read II Kings 11:1-17 for an account of the early life of this boy king, and his dramatic escape from his grandmother. After the death of Ahaziah, father of the baby, Athaliah, the queen mother, was determined to occupy the throne. She endeavored to kill all the seed royal in order to carry out this plan. But his aunt, Jehosheba, rescued him, and he was hurried to the Temple and hidden. This good woman was the wife of the priest Jehoiada. The child lived for six years in the Temple with his uncle and aunt, and, of course, came under their influence through these impressionable years. 66 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 67 The greatest desire of Jehoiada's life was to see the over¬ throw of Baal, the return of the people to God, and the restoration of this last little heir of David to his rightful place on the throne. The little king was crowned in a most dramatic way, and Jehoiada felt that his life wish would be accomplished. The story for to-day tells of the brightest and best act of his whole long reign of almost forty years. Here is an opportunity to give a much needed lesson on the proper treatment of God’s house and its belongings. Children often are careless in the handling of books, Bibles, and furniture. Even their entrance into the building some¬ times indicates their thoughtless attitude toward God’s house. The: Story Once upon a time there was a little prince whose name was Joash. When he was only a baby not even big enough to walk, he had lived in a palace with his father the king, but one night dreadful things happened. The king was killed, and his baby son was no longer safe in his home, the palace. People were searching everywhere for the little prince. They would have killed him if he could have been found. Fortunately the baby had a good aunt who loved him. She hid him in one of the storerooms of the palace. Then, when it was safe, she hurried with him to the Temple, God’s house on the hill. She put him in a safe, secret room. The uncle was a priest in the Temple. Here the good uncle and aunt took care of the little prince and were like a father and mother to him. For many years God’s house had been a very lonely, quiet place. Few people went there; and God was forgotten. The people, instead of praying to- God, bowed down to idols and worshiped them. The Temple was growing dusty and worn. The doors sagged on the hinges; the floors were worn and dirty; the gold and silver and brass needed polishing. Uncle Jehoiada grieved about this every day; he longed for the people one day to come back to God. The little prince grew, and the years passed by. He had six birthdays in God’s house. He was seven years old. 68 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Then a very wonderful thing happened. His uncle managed to have him made the king. He told his secret to some trusty men. “ The real little king still lives,” he said, and he told the story. How glad they were! They then made a bold plan. “ Stand with your weapons in your hand,” Jehoiada bade them after he had made everything clear. “ Stand on guard! Watch ! Be careful! ” He brought the seven-year-old boy out before them all. He placed a golden crown, all glittering with precious stones, upon his little head, and put a roll of God’s laws in his hand. He anointed him king. What a noise of rejoicing then rang through the Temple! How the men clapped their hands and shouted: “ Long live the king ! Long live the king ! ” The deed was done! The boy king was crowned! One day, many years afterwards, the king made a plan to do the very brightest and best thing that any king could do. He remembered the place where he had been so safe when he was a little boy, God’s house. He thought of the broken floors; the dull gold and silver and brass; and all the neg¬ lected building. He said, “ I will make it new again.” He told his plan to Jehoiada, his uncle; he told some of the men who helped Jehoiada in the Temple, and they prom¬ ised to help. He said to these men: “ Take the money that the people give to mend God’s house. Tell them that the Temple must be mended, and ask the people to give.” But the time passed, and the work was not done. The king was troubled, and he called the priests and said, “ Why do you not mend the house of God? ” He talked the matter over with his uncle, and they made another plan. “ God’s house shall be mended,” he said. They took a chest and placed it near the altar. It was something like a big, wooden box. The uncle bored a hole in the lid. When the people came to the Temple, they gave their money to the priests. All the money was to be used to mend the Temple. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 69 Suggestions tor the Devotional Service a bibee reading lesson “ We have thought on thy lovingkindness, O God, In the midst of thy temple.”—Psalm 48:9. “ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee.”—Psalm 84:4. “ I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” —Psalm 84:10b. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that we are always wel¬ come in thy house. We know that even little children are welcome for thy Book says, “ Suffer the little children to come unto me.” Amen. a VERSE To learn “ Praise him, praise him, all ye little children, He is Love, He is Love. Love him, love him, all ye little children, He is Love, He is Love.” Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Decorate an envelope for a special offering for God’s house. Draw a picture of a church. (Children’s drawing.) Under the drawing copy one of the Bible reading verses. SUNDAY SESSION JESUS IN HIS FATHER’S HOUSE Mark 1:21-28; Luke 20:1, 2; 21:1-4 Memory Verse “ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise.”—Psalm 100:4. 70 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The Teacher's Preparation As is the case in the lesson immediately preceding this, the teacher is given an excellent opportunity of teaching a lesson of reverence for the church, God’s house. Although the children should first of all be made sure of their abun¬ dant welcome, they should also remember that the church is God’s house, and that careless handling of books, Bibles, and other belongings is distinctly wrong; and that rude and bois¬ terous entrance is lacking in respect to God. Two stories are selected from the life of Christ’s to show his example in his Father’s house. The first tells of his “ going to church ” (the synagogue) in Capernaum, the busy city which he chose for his home. Capernaum was located on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee, and was at the junction of several important lines of travel. Nature was at its loveliest here; the blue sea and the near-by hills and the flowery meadows made it deeply at¬ tractive to the Son who was so deeply sensitive to all the beauties in his Father’s world. The Sabbath found him in God’s house with those who were his closest friends. The second story selected tells something of Jesus’ ex¬ perience in the Temple at Jerusalem where he had gone to attend the passover feast for the last time. Story One: Walking to Church with Jesus Four very fortunate men woke up one Sabbath morning. In the first place, the city where they were living was by the side of a wonderful lake. There were hills and meadows all about it, and their eyes could look at beautiful things at every turn. But this was not all: These men lived in Capernaum at the time that Jesus lived there. They were his special friends, and they were going to walk to church with him that Sabbath morning. Peter and Andrew and James and John, the fishermen, were the four men. They went through the town to the synagogue, as the church was called; they entered the building. There were other people who had also gone to church, and PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 71 Jesus spoke to them and taught them. He told them about God and how God wanted them to live. The people won¬ dered at his words. “ We never heard anything like this before,” said one per¬ son and another, as they listened. Now there happened to be a man who was suffering from a strange disease who came to church that day. People said that he had an evil, unclean spirit. Often the man cried out and said words that he could not seem to help saying. Presently he exclaimed to Jesus: “What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus spoke to the unclean spirit, saying, “ Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” The unclean spirit left the man, and he was healed. The people were greatly amazed, and began to talk together; they wondered who Jesus was; they wondered about his power; they carried the story home with them, and the news spread throughout all the region. Jesus and his friends left the church, and Jesus went home with Peter. Story Two: How to Treat God’s House: It was holiday time in Jerusalem. People were going there from far and near. The roads had been crowded for days, and all were going in the same direction. Jesus and his twelve friends, Peter and Andrew and James and John and the eight other men went there. They found the city full of noise and excitement. It was the feast of the passover, and all were going to the Temple up on the hill. The Temple was the most beautiful building in all the city; it was God’s house. When Jesus and his friends entered the Temple courts they heard a great din. “ Come, buy oil! Come, buy oil! My oil is the purest and the best! ” shouted a man from a certain booth in the outer court. From another booth a man called: “ Plere is wine from the vineyards of Bethlehem! Come buy for the passover feast! Mine is the best! ” From other booths men shouted, “ Come buy doves for the sacrifice.” 72 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS People scrambled over one another, trying to get the best bargain that Monday morning. You would not have thought that this was God’s house. This was what Jesus saw in his Father’s house! He heard the clinking of money and the voices of men quarrel¬ ing over prices and trying to get the best of the bargains. It seemed as if some of the men would surely come to blows as they shouted at one another. And this was his Father’s house! This was the place for praise and prayer! When Jesus saw these men who cared so much for money that they forgot where they were, forgot that they were in God’s house, he was filled with both sorrow and anger. He drove these men out of the Temple court, for his Father’s sake. He overturned the tables where those who were chang¬ ing money sat. He said: “ Do ye not remember how it is written in the Bible, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer?’ Ye have made it a den of robbers!” The dishonest, bargain¬ ing men went out of the Temple court while a crowd of people looked on. Not long afterwards, however, a very pleasant thing hap¬ pened to make Jesus glad. He sat with his disciples in a place in the Temple called the treasury; round the wall were fastened boxes into which the people could drop their money gifts to God. Jesus sat watching. Now would come a proud-looking Pharisee who dropped in a large offering with a loud noise ; here would come another man who looked about him to see whether others were noticing the size of his gift. Many rich men passed by, making a great show of what they had to give. Presently Jesus’ face became bright and happy. A poor widow drew near one of the money boxes, and quietly dropped in her gift; it was but two mites—a tiny, tiny offer¬ ing, the smallest that had been given; it would take eight mites to make a penny. Jesus turned to his disciples and said: “Truly I say unto you that this widow has given more than all the rest. They gave of their plenty; she has given from her want; she has given all that she had.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 73 Suggestions for the Devotionar Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Oh come let us sing unto Jehovah; . . . Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. . . . Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker.” —Selected from Psalm 95. “ Serve Jehovah with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.” —Psalm 100:2. A PRAYER VERSE “3 Mas (Slab tt J . .. ZjSjjAi I :. □ n n A U* n f V r ( V tt T 2 ~ V ■y rj & =5 2 ^ ii fj ] was glad when they said. | u. U <2 T un - to | me, -g>- „ -p- -o- | let us go . into the | house — | of the | Lord. 2 ^ L 1 . lT ^ t— lT 2 11 1 £2 K2 2 2 2 2 II L L . II tt - -4— _ -P2 f2- -)-1— U PRAYER Heavenly Father, we come to thy house to praise thee. We thank thee for our welcome. Help us always to remem¬ ber that the church is thy house, and that thou art here. Help us to treat thy house and all that is within it as we should treat our heavenly Father’s possessions. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy one of the Bible Reading Lesson verses. It may be possible for your class to furnish the flower decoration for the pulpit for one Sunday. Write a short story (one or two sentences) about the right way to treat God’s house. CHAPTER VIII WEEK DAY SESSION KEEPING THE LORD’S DAY Genesis 2:2, 3; Exodus 20:8; 31:12, 13; Psalms 100; 118:24. Memory Verse “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” —Exodus 20:8. The Teacher’s Preparation This series of lessons has been given to teach the children about the right use of God’s Book, God’s House, and God’s Day. To-day’s lesson considers the Lord’s Day. Tell the children the story of the giving of the law con¬ cerning the keeping of the Lord’s Day. Impress upon them the solemnity of the occasion, and the importance of obey¬ ing a rule which God has given. Develop the thought that the law was given because of God’s love for us; that it was for our good. Refer to the need of a day of rest after six days of work; for example, how father would miss his Sabbath Day, if he could not have it; how all fathers would suffer without a day of rest. Suggest some right ways of spending God’s day, ways which will be pleasing to him. Teach a new praise song to-day. Beeore the Story The best earthly gifts that God has given to boys and girls are their fathers and mothers. Is that not so? Another of the very best of God’s gifts is a home. There was a time long, long ago when God’s chosen people did not have any homes in which to live; they had had to leave the land where they had been living and run away from Pharaoh, a cruel king. But God promised them a new home, if they would obey him. 74 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 75 , God gave ten laws to his people to keep. These laws were called “ The Ten Commandments.” The First Commandment is: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” One of the laws was about obeying fathers and mothers. The fourth law was about the right way to keep God’s day. God said: “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” I am going to tell you the story about the time when God gave this law to his people. The: Story Many boys and girls and fathers and mothers, hundreds and hundreds of them, were going on a long journey. A cruel king, called Pharaoh, had made their lives so hard that they had run away from the land of Egypt where they had been living. They were going to a new country. God had promised a new home to them. They were going to find it. God helped them to get away from Egypt. In order to get the new home they were to obey God, and to do as he told them to do. The leader of the long procession was Moses. God talked to Moses and told him what he wished the people to do. Day after day the people traveled on in the desert place. God led them by a cloud up in the sky. When the cloud moved, they went forward on their jour¬ ney ; when the cloud stopped, they set up their tents and rested. At night the cloud was like a bright light. After a while they came to the foot of a great mountain. (Make a sketch upon the blackboard.) Moses, their leader, went up into the mountain, and God spoke to him. God said: “ I have something to say to my people. Tell them to make themselves ready and, on the third day from now, to come to the foot of the mountain. Do not let them come too near, for whoever shall touch the mountain shall die.” Moses told God’s message to the people. They washed their clothes and bathed themselves and made ready to obey. On the morning of the third day after this, there were thunderings and lightnings upon the mountain. It smoked and shook. A trumpet sounded loud and long. Moses led the people out of their tents toward the mountain. The 76 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS trumpet sounded louder and louder. Then, on this solemn day, the people waited and listened to hear what God would say. God gave ten rules to his people. They were rules to show them how to 1 live in order to please him. Keeping these rules would surely make them happy; but breaking them would surely bring them sorrow. These laws were called “ The Ten Commandments.” One of the Ten Commandments that the people heard that day was this: “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Suggestions for the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made.”—Genesis 2 :2a. “ And God blessed the seventh day.”—Genesis 2:3a. “Ye shall keep my sabbaths.”—Leviticus 19:30a. “ This is the day which Jehovah hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”—Psalm 118:24. “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” —Exodus 20:8. prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the Sabbath which was given to- us for a day of rest. Help us to remember that it is thy day; help us to keep it in ways pleasing to thee. Amen. ®l|tB JIb tlj? Bag Superintendent IS^2 when they wanted God to help them? (Prayed.) Did God answer their prayers ? What did these people do for answered prayers? (They thanked and praised God.) For the Biblical portion of the lesson use the verses sug¬ gested from Psalm 71. Write several upon the blackboard and have them read, commenting upon the meaning. It may be possible for you to get a paraphrase of several of the verses from the children. Tell the story given from the early life of Dwight L. Moody. The Story Little Dwight had no father. He was only eight years old the evening that he and his big brother started out to get the job ” that was going to help mother. Big brother was only twelve and it seemed so long, so 108 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS very long, since their strong, happy father had suddenly died and left mother and all the family alone. They were poor, very poor; but mother had been able to keep the house. Uncle Cyrus helped them, and mother was brave. Big brother had a chance to cut some broom corn for a neighbor, and Dwight went along. It would have been wiser if the boys had started earlier, for the farmer lived four miles away from their home. Long before they reached the ferry over the Connecticut River it was very, very dark. Hand in hand they walked over the meadow, and at last they came to the river bank. How black the waters looked! An old ferryman was accustomed to take passengers over in his skiff, but to-night he was not there. “Hello! Hello!” called the big brother. “Hello! Hello!’’ echoed little Dwight. Presently they could hear voices, and they saw the light of a lantern. The old ferryman called out over the water that he would come with the boat, while the other man would stay where he was and send the lantern light to guide them on their way. But it was very, very dark, and they soon lost sight of the boat. The ferryman had been carried down the stream. Soon, however, the boat came back, and the ferryman reached them. Big brother and little Dwight stepped into the boat. When the skiff was pushed out into the dark waters, the boys made a dreadful discovery. The ferryman had been drinking! His foolish talk proved that he was not fit to take that boat across the river on a dark, starless night! The man was drunk! Little Dwight put his arms round his brother and clung v to him in fright. The boat drifted farther and farther down the river and away from the light of the lantern. “ Let me help with the oars,” begged big brother, as he put out his hands. “ No!” muttered the drunken old man very crossly. The boys grew more and more frightened. Then Dwight took his brother’s hand. “ Let us pray to PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 109 God. He will help us. Mother tells us to trust him. We can pray.” And so in the rocking ferryboat, the two 1 brothers said their prayer to God and asked him to guard them from harm, and bring them safely over those dark waters. God was watching over them all the time and he did take care of them. The ferryman groped his way along, and after a while managed to land the boys where the light of the friendly lantern gleamed. Dwight grew up to be a great and wise man; but he never forgot that night, and his prayer to God for help. And all through his good, long life he remembered to turn to God whenever he needed help. Suggestions for the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ In thee, O Jehovah, do' I take refuge: . . . Bow down thine ear unto me, and save me. . . . For thou art my hope, O Lord Jehovah: Thou art my trust from my youth. . . . O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me.”—Psalm 71. ‘ Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him.” —Psalm 145:18. “ Praise ye Jehovah ; For it is good to sing praises unto our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is comely.” —Psalm 147:1. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that thou art ever ready to hear our prayers. We thank thee that thou hast prom¬ ised to help us. May we remember always to come to thee when we are in need. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy a praise verse. 110 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS <3ob JSless tbe GfMlDren Margaret Coote Brown P. A. Schnecker ^F?f=l -1 -P-- i— - l> -O-T— -* »-b J J 1 g —w~ In the dark or in the light, In thy ev - er-watch-ful sight, jB nt r ■±=*=*=±=2. ~t—«—_-rrj ^§r=q: -1- -a-- ■ -— =f-t2-r —-+-- - -fgzzz:=—: — = 4= -_Lj_«L tjh—- M —-^—=!— S-h—P- -—* — IH v 11 Ev-eryday, ev - ery night, In thy ho - ly keep - ing. A-men. -I # :r. ^zz^xzh #: v r the good doctor who had eaten in the most beautiful dining halls in his own great home city. Then when Polly was eating her second plate of ice cream, he told of that great “ chanct ” that was to be given to Timothy when school opened in the fall. “ And now, dear people, we all have so many things for which to be thankful: Jack, here, is as strong as ever; Granny has her tablecloth, two tablecloths; Timothy and Polly are to have their ‘ chanct.’ Let us thank and praise the Giver.” And they did. Suggestions tor the Devotionae Service A BIBEE READING EESSON “ Jehovah is good to all; . . . Jehovah upholdeth all that fall, And raiseth up all those that are bowed down. . . . Thou openest thy hand, And satisfiest the desire of every living thing. . . . Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth. . . . My mouth shall speak the praise of Jehovah.” —Psalm 145 (selected verses.) PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to remember to ask thee for what we need, remembering that thou wilt send us what is best for us to have. Let us never forget to thank and praise thee for thy goodness to us. Amen. a praise song Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a class gift of something especially desired by one who needs. Even a class in modest circumstances will be able to do this, for the gift need not be of great money value. Sometimes the thought that prompts the gift is the great thing to the recipient. ■ LISTENING TO GOD’S MESSENGERS CHAPTER XIII WEEK DAY SESSION GOD’S MESSENGERS TO ABRAHAM Genesis 18:1-16 Memory Verse “ I will hear what God Jehovah will speak.” —Psalm 85 :8. The: Teaceier’s Preparation God’s children need help and instruction from him much as little children are in constant dependence upon the ex¬ perience of their earthly parents. God does not leave us without the help we need. Several lessons are given under this theme “ Listening to God’s Messengers ” tO' show the children the fact that God does send his messages and mes¬ sengers, and to teach them how to listen. Many examples of earnest listeners are given in the Bible. For to-day’s lesson is given an incident in the life of the patriarch Abraham. God’s messages came in a peculiarly direct way to this man, and he proved how ready he was to listen and also to obey. The Story Background The first time we are told of God’s speaking to Abraham was far back when he dwelt in the land of idolatry which had been the home of his father and his family. God told him to leave that land and go to another which he would show him, a land which should be his home, and Abraham obeyed God’s voice, and at this time was in a temporary abiding place while on the journey. Sarah, his beautiful wife, his nephew Lot, and his serv¬ ants accompanied him. Lot was an orphan, the son of his dead brother Haran. 123 124 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Lot had now gone away, having chosen a home for him¬ self and his flocks. He had shown himself grasping and ungrateful toward his uncle who had shared with him so generously during the years when he could not care for him¬ self. He chose what appeared at the time to be the far superior portion of the land. A beautiful oak tree grew in the portion of the land taken by Abraham. Here he pitched his tent, and here occurred the incident which forms our story for to-day. Method Suggestion It will be readily possible to teach this lesson vividly with the help of the sand table. Set up an Oriental tent following directions given in stories in the first book of this series, “ God the Loving Father.” Flocks may be represented by cardboard cut-outs made by the pupils, by wooden toys, or even by animal crackers. The tent may be furnished with rugs, water jars, and so forth, which have been made by the children during previous lessons. The Story In a far country long, long ago, there was a beautiful grove of oak trees. One of the trees was fairer and hand¬ somer than the others; it cast a very cool shade. Not far beyond the oak grove was a desert. A desert is a place where the earth is dry and sandy; no tall trees will grow in a desert land. One day a long procession came traveling over the desert. A man named Abraham headed the procession, and his family and his servants and his flocks of sheep and goats and herds of cattle followed after. He owned some splendid camels, and their humpy backs were loaded with the belongings of the family. There were beautiful rugs, woven from the wool of the sheep: there were tent cloths and long tent poles; there were big water jars; there were stones to grind meal. Sarah, Abraham’s beautiful wife, rode on a camel. I am sure that there must have been pretty clothes and golden PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 125 bracelets and chains and perhaps a pair of anklets in her camel’s pack. Abraham saw the big oak tree. “ This will be a fine abid¬ ing place,” he thought. He stopped the procession. He bade his servants set up the tents. Down knelt the camels. They scolded and groaned a good deal, as camels always do. The servants unpacked the poles and the tent cloth and the pins to fasten the tent to the ground. They set up the tent like this. (Illustrate.) Other servants fed the flocks and gave them a drink. Sarah was helped from her camel, and went into her tent. Big rugs were spread on the floor by the servants to make their lady comfortable. Very soon there was a busy home under the shade of the big oak tree, and here the family lived. At noon Abraham would come in and sit in the doorway of his tent. Here he would wait for his dinner while Sarah or her servants prepared meat and bread and cakes. One day as he sat in his tent door, he saw three men com¬ ing toward him. They were strangers. Abraham was always kind to any stranger who passed his door, and he arose now and went to meet the men. He bowed low before them, as people did in that land. “ Do not pass,” he said. “ Come in. I will send for water to wash your feet.” That was the fashion in Abraham’s land. “ You are tired,” he continued. “ Come rest under the tree. I will bring you some bread. Rest and eat and be comfortable for a little while. Then, when you wish, you can go on your way again.” The three strangers were glad to be Abraham’s guests. They accepted his invitation. Abraham hurried into the tent, and told Sarah about the company. Then he said: “ Make ready three measures of fine meal. Knead it, and bake cakes upon the hearth.” Sarah began to make the cakes, and Abraham went out into the fields. Pie took a young calf and gave it to a servant to prepare for the dinner. Then he brought butter and milk. Soon the cakes were ready, the meat was roasted, the butter and milk and all the feast was set before the 126 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS strangers. Abraham stood by them under the tree, and they ate. Now these three strangers were not just three men, as Abraham at first had thought. They were messengers from God with a message for Abraham. God loved this good man who tried to walk in his ways and live as he should. Years before, God himself had spoken to Abraham, and he had obeyed. Then God spoke again and made him a prom¬ ise, if only he would listen and obey him. Ever since that time Abraham had been listening for messages from God. To-day God had a very happy message for him, and he sent his angel messengers to take it to Abraham. The messengers then told Abraham that the dearest wish of his and Sarah’s lives should come true. A little son was to be given to them. This little son would grow to be a man, and he and his children would be the beginning of a great family whom God should love. After the meal was over, and the message was told, and the messengers were rested, they made ready to go on their way. Abraham wanted to show still more kindness to God’s messengers, so he went with them a little distance. Some Ways that God Speaks to His Children Through his Book, the Bible Through earthly parents. Through teachers. Through good friends. Tell the pupils that God speaks to his children now, as well as in the long-ago time. Suggestions for the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON (Impress upon the children that these verses are a few of the messages that God has given to his children in his Book.) “ So let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works.’’—Matthew 5:16a. “ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.” —Matthew 7 :7. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 127 “ All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them.” —Matthew 7:12. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to be good listeners for thy messages. Help us to obey when we know thy will for us. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Set up an Oriental tent. Make a paper flock of sheep. Cut out a paper camel. SUNDAY SESSION A PRISON KEEPER LISTENS TO GOD’S MESSENGER Acts 16:16-34 Memory Verse “ Blessed are they that hear the word of God.” —Luke 11:28a. The Teacher's Preparation The aim of Paul’s life was to be a true and forceful mes¬ senger of God and of Jesus, his Son. To-day’s lesson tells the story of the jailer of the prison at Philippi where Paul had been cast after his kindness to the slave girl. Paul had entered upon his second missionary journey. He went to Troas, where he had his vision of the man who called from Macedonia, “ Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” Philippi was one of the great cities of Macedonia. The seaport at which Paul and his three companions landed was Neapolis. The city of Philippi was located on a hill beyond. 128 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Paul was gratified by the reception which was given him at Philippi and always afterwards these people were greatly loved by him. The: Story Four men were walking along the street of a city where they never had been before. They had come a long, long distance. As they passed along they saw statues of strange gods. The people in the city prayed to those statues. Presently they heard some one walking behind them; then they heard the follower speak. It was a poor, crazy slave girl, and she began calling after them. “ These men are servants of the Most High God! ” she cried. “ These men are servants of the Most High God! They show us the way of salvation! ” Not once but for several days the slave girl followed the strangers, calling the same thing. Now these men were really God’s messengers. They had come to tell the idol-worshiping people a message from God and his Son, Jesus. They were sorry for the poor, crazy girl. The name of one of the men was Paul, and he determined to help the girl and put an end to her calling. So one day he said to the evil spirit that was in her, “ I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” From that hour she became quiet. Her mind was healed, and she began to believe in the true God. There were some bad men who were very angry at Paul for doing this. They had made a good deal of money by saying that the slave girl was a sort of fortune teller. Now she would earn no more money for them! The angry men caught Paul and also Silas, the friend who happened to be with him, and dragged them tO' the market place before the rulers of the city. “ These Jews are making a great deal of trouble in our city,” they exclaimed. A mob quickly gathered. Then the rulers tore the cloth¬ ing from Paul and his friend; they ordered men to come and PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 129 beat them with rods. Their hands were tied to a post, then they were whipped on the bare flesh of their backs until great stripes rose. After the beating they were thrust into a deep, dark dungeon prison, where the keeper fastened their feet in stocks so that they could not move. (Explain.) By and by night came; but there was no bed upon which they could rest; only the hard, dirty floor. But what do you think Paul and Silas did during the long hours? From the dungeon the other prisoners began to hear the sounds of singing; the two new prisoners were singing hymns to God and praying to him! God did not forget his messengers; help was on the way to them, coming in a strange manner. Presently the prison began to shake; windows and walls rattled; all the doors were opened; even the chains and stocks fell away from the prisoners. There was an earthquake. The keeper of the prison awoke and came rushing to the cells. He knew he would be punished if the men escaped. He was so frightened that he uncovered his sword to kill himself, for he was sure the prisoners must have run away. Paul called out very loudly: “Do thyself no harm! We are all here! ” The keeper called for lights, and sprang into the prison dungeon. In fear and trembling he fell at the feet of his two new prisoners, Paul and Silas. He cried, “ Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? ” They said to the trembling man, “ Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house,” and they gave their message about God and Jesus, his Son. The keeper took them into his house and listened to Paul’s message. He washed their stripes and gave them food to eat. And he and his whole house were baptized as believers in Jesus. Suggestions for the Devotional Service a bibeE reading lesson “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. “ Blessed are they that hear the word of God. and keep it.” —Luke 11 :28. 130 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “If ve love me, ye will keep my commandments.” —John 14:15. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we are learning about thy messages and thy messengers. Help us to listen and to obey when we hear. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a Bible bookmark and write the Memory Verse upon it. CHAPTER XIV WEEK DAY SESSION SAMUEL BRINGING GOD’S MESSAGE TO A BOY OF BETHLEHEM I Samuel 16:1-13 Memory Verse “ I will hear what God Jehovah will speak.” —Psalm 85 :8. The Teacher's Preparation David was born in the little hill town of Bethlehem. Here, for centuries, his father’s ancestors had dwelt and had been prominent. Boaz, the wealthy Bethlehemite, had married Ruth, the lovely Moabitess, and these two people were ancestors of David. Jesse, of Bethlehem, the father of David, was at the time of this lesson, the owner of rich lands and flocks and herds. David, the youngest son, was wont to help his father in the care of the sheep. Here among the beautiful fields and hills of Bethlehem he learned much of the pastoral life which is evident all through his writings. Here he learned to love God and to worship him out in his own temples. The Twenty-third Psalm never could have been written without the life spent with nature, and out under the heavens at night with a close communion with the things that God had made. At this time God’s people had been led sadly astray by King Saul whose reign had opened with so much promise and ended so disastrously to himself and to his people. Samuel, God’s prophet, was directed by God to go to Bethlehem to anoint a successor to Saul from the family of Jesse. It was a great event when he made his appearance in 131 132 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Bethlehem, and he was received with much respect. Jesse and his older sons were among those who came to> greet him. Our story tells how the sons were called, one by one, to pass before Samuel; how each was dismissed; how at last David was called from the fields, and proved to be God’s accepted, the future king of his chosen people. The Story Once upon a time, long, long ago there lived a boy whose name was David. David had seven brothers and two sisters; he was the youngest boy, and his father loved him dearly. That was the reason he named him David which means “ dear.” The boy’s father was a rich man; he owned a great deal of land near the village, and over his meadows and hillsides roamed a very great number of sheep and little lambs. David helped his father to take care of the sheep; he was a shepherd boy. His father often said to himself: “ I can trust David with the sheep. They are quite safe with him,” and he was right, for David was kind to them always. He was brave, too; for he often slept under the stars at night after he had helped every sheep and little lamb into the sheepfold. Once he killed a bear that came prowling round. And once he killed a lion. David was very proud to tell how he killed the bear and the lion. When the sheep were safe and contented, eating the green grass on the hillside, David would sit down under some shady tree and play his harp. He would sing and play beau¬ tiful music about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the butterflies. Sometimes he would make his harp sound like the song of a bird; sometimes he would imitate the pat¬ tering of the raindrops; sometimes he would make it sound like a little brook rippling over the stones. God in heaven was well pleased when he watched this good, true shepherd boy. Now the king that ruled over the land was not a good king at all. He was not obedient to God; he did not set a good example for his people; he was not brave. He was PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 133 not living a good life up in the great, beautiful palace. God was displeased. The greatest prophet and teacher of the time was Samuel, an old man whom God loved. God spoke to Samuel and gave him messages to tell the people. God gave him mes¬ sages to take to King Saul, but King Saul did not mind the messages. At last God said: “ Saul is not fit to be king over my people. I shall choose some one else. w Then God said to Samuel: “Fill thy horn with oil. I will send thee to Jesse who lives in Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king in Saul’s place. “ Go to Bethlehem and say that thou hast come to sacri¬ fice and to worship the Lord. Call Jesse to the sacrifice. I will show thee what to do.” In those days the king whom God chose had to be anointed with oil. A horn of oil was poured over his head. This was to be done by God’s messenger, or prophet. Samuel filled a horn with oil and went to Bethlehem. He said that he wished to sacrifice and to worship the Lord. He called Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice. Then Samuel looked at Jesse’s eldest son, Eliab. He was tall and handsome. He had been a soldier in the king’s army. God’s messenger thought: “ Surely this is the young man whom God hath chosen to be king. God will tell me to pour the oil on Eliab’s head.” But the voice of God whispered: “ He is tall; he is hand¬ some. But the Lord looketh not on these things. God looketh on the heart. He hath not chosen Eliab.” And Eliab was passed by. Then the second son was called. He, too, passed before Samuel. But God said, “ Neither have I chosen this son.” The third son passed before Samuel, and again God said, “ Neither have I chosen him.” The father called seven of his sons before Samuel; but Samuel knew that the Lord had not chosen any of them. Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all thy children?” “ There is yet my youngest boy. He has charge of the sheep,” answered the father. “ Send for him,” said Samuel. “ We will not sit down until he comes.” 134 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The father sent out in the fields for David and it was not long before he came in. How straight he stood! How strong were those arms that carried the little lambs, and had even killed a bear and a lion! How bright were his eyes that had watched his flock SO' carefully! The Lord whispered to Samuel, “ Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” God had chosen the good shepherd boy to be king over his people. Samuel took his horn of oil and poured it over David’s head. David listened to the message that Samuel told him and from that day he began to make himself ready for the great work for which God’s messenger had anointed him. Suggestions tor the Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON (Explain that this was one of David’s songs. Get the children to tell you how it was that he could write so well of the sheep and the pastures and the out-of-door life.) The Twenty-third Psalm. PRAYER Heavenly Father, may we follow the example of the shep¬ herd boy, David, who listened so well to thy messenger, and who remembered thy message to him all the days of his life. Amen. Suggested Activities Make a cardboard flock of sheep for the sand table. Construct a sheep fold from a paper box. SUNDAY SESSION THE STILE SMALL VOICE I Kings 19:1-18 Memory Verse “ And, behold, there came a voice unto him.” —I Kings 19:13b. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 135 The: Tlachlr's Preparation Let us make use of this story to direct the children’s at¬ tention to the still, small voice that speaks to all of us. Let us try to make them sensitive and tender when they hear it, and susceptible to its admonitions. Israel was in the toils of wicked Ahab, and he was a tool in the hands of Jezebel, the foreign, Baal-worshiping princess whom he married. God was forgotten and his house neglected by his people. Idols were in the groves and high places, and the people had strayed far from the simple life and faith of their forefathers. Elijah had been sent as a messenger from God to this king, and he had just gone through a season of extreme ex¬ citement and bodily and mental tension during his conflict with the prophets of Baal who assembled on the mountain height that memorable day. His bold upbraiding, his dar¬ ing gibes which awakened the failing priests to shrill cries of frenzy; then the grand dignity of the final proof of God’s triumph; the destruction of the false prophets; the anger of Ahab and the threats of the infuriated queen were bound to bring about a reaction in the intrepid Elijah. He heard the queen’s menace, “ The gods do to me, and more also, if 1 make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time! ” Unexpectedly, Elijah’s courage left him: he ran from the place to escape the queen’s relentless anger; with his servant he fled south to Beer-sheba, eighty miles from Jezreel. This was not far enough to the disheartened, frightened man. Pie left his servant and went out alone into the desert. He wandered over the wild, wishing only to die. He had be¬ come the picture of a despondent man with a forlorn and lost hope, the spirit of the place and the spirit of the man alike, a dreary waste. Then God’s messengers came to comfort him: the angel and also the still, small voice. Elijah listened and heard. The Story It was raining! The sky was black with clouds. How wild the mountain looked! The thunder roared and the lightning flashed! 136 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS When the water fell it touched bare, dry ground; there was no grass, there were no flowers or vegetables. Everyone in Israel should have been glad to see the rain because it meant that the dreadful famine would now be over. Grass would come back; fruit and vegetables would grow. Elijah had asked God to send the rain, and God had an¬ swered his prayer. The queen looked from her palace window at the rain. She saw the king hurrying toward the palace in his chariot. The storm grew fiercer. Running so fast that he kept ahead of the chariot was a man. He was a strong man, and a swift runner. “ It is Elijah! ” the queen exclaimed. Her eyes flashed and her face showed how she hated that man. Elijah loved God and was his prophet. He had prayed to God to send the rain while he was up on the mountain. God had answered Elijah’s prayer. Four hundred and fifty priests of the idol Baal had prayed to their god; but of course Baal could not answer. Elijah ran so fast that he reached the gate even before the king came to it. “ It is because of what Elijah hath done this day on the top of Mount Carmel that the rain has come! ” exclaimed the king when he went into the palace. “ He also called down fire from heaven to burn up the sacrifice. The fire came and burned up even the stones, and licked up the water in the trenches! But the priests of Baal are dead. Elijah commanded that they should be killed. All four hundred and fifty were slain, down by the brook! ” The queen’s face grew furious with anger. She was an idol worshiper, and the priests of Baal were her friends. She called a messenger. “ Go tell the man, Elijah, that Queen Jezebel says, ‘ So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of those priests by to-morrow about this time.’ ” The servant told Elijah the queen’s message, and Elijah arose and ran for his life. He fled for miles, away beyond the cities of the wicked king, out into the desert. Then he began to feel tired. He was hungry. He had worked hard for God, yet now he thought that perhaps it PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 137 was of no use. Even though the people cried, “ The Lord, he is God,’’ when they saw the fire, they would possibly for¬ get again. Queen Jezebel was angry. She was an unfor¬ giving woman; she had vowed to kill him and was now searching for him. Elijah thought of all these things as he trudged along un¬ der the hot sun; then he threw himself down beneath a juniper tree and groaned: “O God, take away my life! It is enough. Let me die! ” The juniper tree gave a good shade, and presently the tired, frightened, discouraged man was fast asleep. God knew that his servant needed rest, for he was taking care of him all the time. Elijah slept and slept and slept. When he awoke he found that God had sent him food. He ate, and when he was rested he traveled on. After forty days and nights he found a cave and went into it. It was very quiet. Surely he was safe from the queen! But he was not doing any work for God. Presently a voice said to him, “ What are you doing here, Elijah?” It was the voice of God speaking. “ I am grieving because of the way God is treated,” an¬ swered Elijah. “ The people have forgotten thee. They have killed thy teachers. I only am left. Now Queen Jezebel is seeking after me to kill me.” God knew that his servant needed to be cheered and com¬ forted. He said, “ Go stand upon the mountain.” Then a great and strong wind arose; it swayed the trees and bent them; it broke the rocks and sent them tumbling down the mountain. But God was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But God was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire; but God was not even in the fire. After all these things had passed, a still, small voice spoke gently to Elijah. “What art thou doing here, Elijah?” whispered the still, small voice. “ I have been very sorry because the people have been breaking thy Commandments, throwing down thy altars, and killing thy teachers. I only am left, and Jezebel is seeking to kill me,” complained Elijah. “ Go back to work again, Elijah,” answered the still, small 138 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS voice. “ Canst thou not trust the way that I have chosen for my own work ? ” Then the still, small voice told Elijah what to do. Elijah listened and obeyed. He left the cave with a brave and happy heart, to go on with his work for God. Suggestions for the Devotional Service Talk to the children of the still, small voice that speaks to all of us. A BIBLE READING LESSON “ I will hear what God Jehovah will speak.” —Psalm 85 :8a. “Teach me thy way, O Jehovah.”—Psalm 27:11a. “ Blessed is the man that heareth me.” —Proverbs 8:34a. “ Speak, Jehovah; for thy servant heareth.” —I Samuel 3 :9b. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for sending thy messen¬ gers and thy messages to us. Help us to listen to the read¬ ing of thy Word from thy Book, the Bible; help us to keep in mind the messages written there, remembering that they are for us. Help us to listen well to those whom thou hast sent to teach us. Help us to listen always to the still, small voice when it speaks to us. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a Bible bookmark, copying upon it one of the Bible Reading Lesson verses. Let each pupil select his own verse to copy. THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS CHAPTER XV WEEK DAY SESSION THE ANGEE’S MESSAGE TO MARY Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 Memory Verse “ It is he that shall save his people from their sins.” —Matthew 1:21b. The Teacher's Preparation For fourteen weeks we shall have an opportunity of giv¬ ing the children a consecutive story of the life of Christ upon earth. We all should approach this task with the ear¬ nest desire to make our work the very best that is within us, remembering that these impressions which we are giving are almost the first thoughtful ideas that our pupils have re¬ ceived about God’s Son. If we can bring Jesus before our children in such a light that we have made them feel that they know him, that they trust him, that they are willing to serve him, and above all to love him, our weeks with these lessons will prove a blessing both to our pupils and to our¬ selves. The lessons open with stories about the childhood of Jesus. A connecting link is formed with the preceding theme “ Listening to God’s Messengers ” through this first lesson “ The Angel’s Message to Mary.” Let us take this opportunity of learning a very great deal more than ever we have known before of the times when Jesus lived: of the special need of help and of forgive¬ ness, and of the need of instruction and comfort which the world then felt. Let us learn of the land which was his home. May we make the incidents chosen to tell, glow with a living light. 141 142 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The girlhood home of Mary the mother of Jesus was Nazareth, a small town of Galilee, west of Capernaum. The little place was located on the side of a hill, and sloped on down into the valley. There are other hills, also, surround¬ ing the village. Flat-roofed houses are built along the steep and narrow streets. Fig and olive trees grow in the gar¬ dens. The inhabitants of the village were humble, lowly people, with no great reputation amongst the inhabitants of the larger towns. Very little is known of Mary. However, although she lived in humble circumstances in a town of little renown, her life was such that she found favor with God, and was chosen as the woman best fitted to become the mother of Jesus. Palestine was at this time under the tyrannical rule of the emperor of Rome. The people were oppressed with debt, and with the harsh, unyielding demands of a selfish monarch. Suggestions tor Texting the Story It is not difficult for us to picture the probable life of Mary, the young girl who lived in the Oriental village so long ago: how she obeyed her mother; how she helped at the everyday tasks of the household, such as filling the great water jars at the fountain, spinning the wool, rolling and unrolling the rugs, helping to grind the grain, learning les¬ sons from God’s Word, and so forth. Describe the houses, and make a sketch of an Oriental house on the blackboard. Tell something of the difference between a humble home, and those of the wealthier classes. Learn to sketch an Oriental house with ease, to use in be¬ ginning your story. The Story Once upon a time, very long ago, there lived a little girl named Mary. Her home was in the town called Nazareth and the house where she lived probably looked something like this: PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 143 It had a flat roof and a little low door. It was not a very rich-looking home, but it was clean, and Mary and her mother liked to work within it, and keep it neat. Mary helped her mother every day. There was not a very great deal inside the little low room. There was a small table and some rugs and some big, tall jars. One of these was a water jar. Mary helped her mother to keep the jar filled with cool water from the fountain. In one corner of the room there was probably a mill to grind the grain, two great big stones, one set above the other. There was also an oven where Mary’s mother baked the bread and the cakes. I think that there must have been a garden near the little white house, and in it probably were fig and olive trees, and flowers that Mary liked to tend. Early in the morning Mary would wake up and dress for a busy, happy day. She would say her prayer to God, then roll up her rug and go to help her mother. “ Take the water jar and fill it at the fountain, daughter,” her mother would say, “ it is empty.” Mary would put the jar on her head as the girls and women did in those days. She would go to the well and fill the jar and bring it home brimming full to her mother. When the meal was over, Mary’s mother would often say: “ I am going to teach you how to spin, little daughter. You remember that God’s Book says that a wise woman is more precious than rubies. I want you to be wise. Come!” Then Mary’s mother would take some wool or some flax and teach her little daughter to spin. Back and forth and in and out the little hands would put 144 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the threads. Her mother was proud of the beautiful rug that Mary was also learning to make. As she spun she would say these words that her mother had taught her from the Bible about a wise woman: “ She seeketh wool and flax. A.nd worketh willingly with her hands.... She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.... She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.” All the little children in Nazareth loved Mary; for she was always ready to play with them and to help them when they broke their toys or hurt themselves. Then, when the close of the day had come, Mary would help to take down the rugs from the shelves and unroll them in place for the beds, as was done in each pretty house in Nazareth. When she herself was ready for sleep, she would kneel down on her own little rug and pray to God, our heav¬ enly Father. The years passed on, and the little Mary became a young woman. It was about this time that God planned to do a great thing for the people of the earth. Many people were sad and unhappy because they had sinned and disobeyed. God wanted them to be happier. To be happier they would have to be good ; so God planned to send his Son, Jesus, to save the people from their sins. It was almost time for Jesus to come. Jesus was to be born in the world, a little Baby. God had been watching to see who would be the very tru¬ est, best mother for his Son, the dear Baby Jesus. He had been watching Mary in her home at Nazareth. He saw how well she always had listened to her mother’s messages and teachings, how she always answered her calls. He saw how gentle she was to those who needed help; how kind she was to those who were sick or sad. He saw how good she was to little children. So God chose Mary to be the mother of the little Baby Jesus. One day, when she was alone, he sent his angel messenger to tell her the wonderful news. The angel said to her: PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 145 “ Mary, the Lord hath sent me to give thee a glad message! Thou shouldst be the happiest of women!” When Mary first saw the angel and heard his words, she was troubled. She wondered what his words could mean. The angel said: “ Fear not, Mary. God loveth thee, and is pleased with thee, because thou hast loved and obeyed him.” Then the angel told her that soon a little Son should be given to her. “ Thou shalt call his name Jesus,” he said. He then told her that the Baby was God’s Son; that when he grew older, he should be great and should rule over his people as a king forever and ever. The Baby Jesus was to save the people from their sins. Mary listened to the wonderful message, and she was very glad. After that day her prayers had in them messages to God about the Baby. And her heart was so full of happiness that she sang a beautiful song of praise and thanks. Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON (Suggest to the children that Mary heard this psalm read, that possibly she learned it.) Copy on the blackboard or read Psalm 147 :1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, last clause, “ Praise ye Jehovah.” SONG A Praise Song. prayer Heavenly Father, help us to make our lives pure and good and true. Help us so to live that we may be trusted with the work that thou hast chosen us to do. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one or more of the Bible Reading selections. Cut out from cardboard or draw a house something like that in which Mary lived. Make a list of some of the things that must have been in Mary’s home. 146 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Write one sentence telling a way in which Mary pleased God when she was a little girl. A Poem About a Good Little Girl ob To-Day Good Night and Good Morning A fair little girl sat under a tree, Sewing as long as her eyes could see: Then smoothed her work, and folded it right, And said, “ Dear work! Good night! good night!” Such a number of rooks came over her head Crying “ Caw, caw,” on their way to bed. She said as she watched their curious flight, “ Little black things ! Good night! good night!” The horses neighed and the oxen lowed: The sheep’s “ Bleat, bleat!” came over the road: All seeming to say, with a quiet delight, “ Good little girl! Good night! good night!” She did not say to the sun, “ Good night,” Though she saw him there like a ball of light; For she knew he had God’s time to keep All over the world, and never could sleep. The tall pink foxglove bowed his head— The violets curtsied and went to bed: And good little Lucy tied up her hair And said on her knees her favorite prayer. And while on her pillow she softly lay They knew nothing more till it was day: And all things said to the beautiful sun, “ Good morning! Good morning! Our work is begun.” —Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton). SUNDAY SESSION THE ANGELS’ SONG AND THE SHEPHERDS’ VISIT Luke 2:1-20 Memory Verse “ Glory tO' God in the highest, And on earth peace among men.” —Luke 2 :14. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 147 The Teacher's Preparation “ Come now! Let us go> unto Bethlehem.” The distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem of Judea was about eighty miles, and would necessarily take Joseph and Mary several days to> travel. They were required to go because the decree had been issued from Rome that every inhabitant of Palestine must repair to the home of his family in order to be enrolled for taxation. Joseph and Mary were both of the royal line of David, and went to Bethlehem for the purpose of enrollment. Bethlehem was a small town with humble, little flat-roofed houses built along the street. Outside the city on the plains and hills, shepherds watched their sheep, as it was a pastoral country. Here in Bethlehem, in the far-distant past, Ruth, the lovely Moabitess, had gleaned in the fields of Boaz, the wealthy landowner who afterwards made her his wife. Here David had watched the flocks of Jesse, his father. Here Samuel, the prophet, had repaired at the command of God, and selected and anointed the boy as the future king of Israel. Many tender thoughts and memories must have welled up in the hearts of those two tired travelers through whose veins coursed the blood of these royal ancestors. “ There was no room for them in the inn.” An Oriental khan, or inn, is a low building made of rough stones, and generally one story in height. There is a square inclosure in which the animals may be tied for safety. There are low, arched recesses for the travelers. These are like low rooms with no front wall to them. They are bare; the traveler brings his own rug if he pleases, to sit upon and to sleep upon at night. He waits upon himself and brings his own food. Such accommodation would cost a very small amount. Now Mary and Joseph came so late that they could not even get this lodging, but were forced to find a place as best they could in the portion of the khan assigned to the animals. Thus the birth of Jesus took place amidst the lowliest of all lowly surroundings. The Story One night, a long time ago, two travelers were going over 148 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the road toward the town of Bethlehem. It was growing colder all the time because the sun had set, and it was winter. The man’s name was Joseph, and he had a kind, good face, but now it was troubled as he looked at his young wife Mary. It was eighty miles from Nazareth, the town where they had been living. Mary had ridden on a donkey, but the long journey had made her very tired, for she was not strong. “ The houses of Bethlehem are in sight, Mary; we shall soon be there,” said Joseph. They plodded along. “Are you very cold?” he asked tenderly. “ But the inn is only a little distance farther. We shall soon be there. Then you shall rest and have something to eat,” he comforted her. The inn was a low building built round a court. There were small, plain rooms where travelers could lodge. There were also places where they could tie their beasts of burden for safety and rest. Many other travelers had also been coming to Bethlehem, in order to obey the command of the ruler who had con¬ quered the land. He lived in a palace in a far-away country. To help him to buy beautiful robes of velvet, and jewels, and gold, and chariots, and all the splendid things that made his palace a wonderful place in which to live, he taxed the people, rich and poor, throughout all the land. He sent out the order that everyone must go to the city where he had been born, and write his name in a book. Joseph and Mary were descendants of David of Bethle¬ hem, so to Bethlehem they were going to obey the order of the emperor. Many other people also' were going to< the same city for the same reason. Presently they reached the inn. Joseph knocked. Prob¬ ably a porter answered. Joseph asked for a room for him¬ self and for Mary, his wife. “ Room!” exclaimed the porter. “ There is not a room left, man. You have come to pay the taxes, I suppose?” “ I have,” replied Joseph. “ Bethlehem is the home of my fathers. We have come to write our names in the tax book.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 149 “ But you are late; the town is full of other people. There is not a room left,” said the man. Joseph’s face grew still more troubled. “ But my wife is very tired. She has traveled many miles, all the way from Nazareth. She must have a resting place,” begged Joseph. “ There is no room,” said the man again. “ Every room is full.” Then he added thoughtfully, “ You can go to the stable if that will be of any help.” So Joseph had to be content. He led the donkey round to the stable and helped his tired young wife and took her into the stable. Mary was glad for even that rude shelter, and for the bed of hay. Here a little baby Boy was born. Now, out in the fields near Bethlehem there were some shepherds watching their sheep. Their flocks were resting quietly round them. Suddenly they were roused from their rest. They looked into the winter sky. What was that soft, bright light coming from heaven to earth? They rose to their feet. “ Look!” cried one and then another. “ Look! What is that bright light over Bethlehem?” It fell over the housetops, it lighted the fields where the shepherds were. While they wondered, an angel came before them and said: “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” The angel told the shepherds to go and find the Saviour. The Baby was wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Then a host of angels came and sang this beautiful song: “ Glory to God in the highest.” The shepherds said, “ Let us go find the Baby.” They went to Bethlehem and found the stable of the inn. They passed within and found the Baby Jesus. Mary, the good young woman who had come from her home in Nazareth, was the Baby’s mother. She had dressed her little Child in the soft swaddling clothes such as mothers put upon babies in those days. She had placed him in a manger, for she had no other cradle. The wonderful light rested over the Baby, and the shepherds looked down upon 150 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS him as he lay in his manger cradle. Truly they never had seen anything so wonderful before. The shepherds stayed with the Baby a little while, and then they left the stable. On their way back to the field, they told everyone they met about the happy news that the angel had given. They told about the angels and the song; and how they had run to the stable and found all the words of the angel true. The shepherds then sang praises to God and thanked him. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON Read from the Bible or have the pupils recite Luke 2 :l-20. SONGS “ While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night.” “ Luther’s Cradle Hymn.” PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the little Baby that was born in the manger at Bethlehem, thy wonderful Gift to all the people of earth. Help us to find him and to love him and praise him as the shepherds did that night so long ago. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. During the week learn a part of the Bible Reading Les¬ son. 0 CHAPTER XVI WEEK DAY SESSION THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN Matthew 2:1-12 Memory Verse “ And opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts.” —Matthew 2:11c. The Teacher's Preparation Herod the Great at this time ruler over Palestine, was himself subject to the emperor of Rome. His had been a life of adventure. He was really a usurper, being a de¬ scendant of Esau, and not of the royal line. He had managed to obtain the throne once occupied by David, and had kept it for over thirty years, basking in the luxury which it procured for him, yet living a life of fear, hatred, and suspicion. He exercised a cruel tyranny toward the people over whom he so wrongfully held sway. His subjects in turn hated the tyrant and gave him an extremely unwilling obedience. To render such an arrangement at all possible the crafty Herod had always been a flatterer of the great Roman em¬ peror. But now the false ruler had grown old and full of anxiety for the safety of his throne. The story of the com¬ ing of a new King found its way to his palace and he sent for the Magi, who had brought the news. The Magi Very little is definitely known about the “ Magi ” or “ Wise Men ” who made this early visit to the Baby Jesus. The coming of the Magi means much to 1 the Christian Church in that it represents the knowledge of Christ brought to the Gentiles. . 151 152 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The native countries, the names, or the positions occupied by the Magi are shrouded in mystery, though imagination and tradition have always been busy and many beautiful stories have been woven about them. Tradition says that there were three Wise Men though even this number is not certain. According to the Venerable Bede the three were Melchior, an old man with long hair and white beard; Caspar, a ruddy and beardless young man; and Balthasar, a swarthy man in the prime of life. Of course we cannot be sure as to their names, if its record does not give the information. We read in Matthew that they had seen the star of the Messiah in the East, and that they had come to find him and to bring him gifts. The world was weary of sin, and the full time of which the prophets had told had come. Thl Story One night not so very long after the shepherds found the Baby Jesus with Mary his mother in the stable of the inn, three tall camels were traveling along through the desert. A rider was perched away up on each camel’s humpy back. The big beasts swayed something like ships as they moved along, but the riders did not mind, for they had come a long distance from far countries and were quite used to the rock¬ ing. Besides, they were too busy thinking of the errand that they had come upon, to consider anything else. Each man’s camel carried a pack, food and clothing and a tent. Besides these things each man had put in his pack something very precious that he had brought all the way from his far country. One man had gold in his pack, one had frankincense, and one had myrrh. The camels traveled along in a stately way, for they were fine beasts, the best that could be bought. The men were rich, and had spared no money when they chose them; the silver harness bells of the animals tinkled when they moved their heads. Sometimes the men journeyed at night, for the stars were very bright, and it is far pleasanter to travel over the desert PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 153 after the sun has set. As they went along they often looked earnestly up at the sky. These men were “ Magi,” or “ Wise Men,” and they had studied the stars and knew a great deal about them. They knew their names and knew where to look for them in the sky. A new star had appeared in the heavens, a very bright star. The men talked about this star, and about a little Baby King whom they were going to find. The star was his star, and they were following it; it was leading them to his birth¬ place. The precious things in their packs were for the lit¬ tle, newborn King. They were carrying the gifts to him. The star led them on; they left the desert and came to the gates of a great, big city with a wall round about it. It was Jerusalem, where the king of the Jewish people lived. His name was Herod; he was an old man and a bad man. He was cruel to his people. He lived in a beautiful palace and had fine chariots and robes of silks and velvets and a jeweled crown. But many of these things were bought with the money that he made his people give to him. He hated his people and they hated him. For many years they had been longing for a new king. The Wise Men came to the gates; they halted their cam¬ els. They spoke to the porter. “ Where can we find the little King who has just been born?” they asked. The gatekeepers looked in surprise at the strangers. “ We know of no Baby King,” they answered. “ We have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him,” said the Wise Men. But the gatekeepers could not tell them anything about the little King. The Wise Men passed through the city and asked the same question, “ Where can we find the Baby King ? ” But everyone gave the same answer, “ We know of no Baby King.” The news of the coming of the strange men and of their strange question began to spread. Some one took the story to the palace. Old King Herod was angry; he was frightened. What did the men mean ? Could it be possible that his throne and 154 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS his crown and his palace and all his kingly things could be taken away from him? At last he called the chief men of the city, and they talked together in the palace. “ Yes, the book of the prophets says that sometime a new King of the Jews shall come,” they said. Herod grew more and more troubled. When the chief men of the city were gone, he secretly called the Wise Men and asked them about the Baby and the star. At last he said: “ Go search up and down the land for this Child. When you find him, come and tell me, that I, also, may go and worship him.” This is what the bad king said, but he really meant to kill the Baby. The Wise Men went on their way, and the star led them. By and by it rested over a house in the little town of Beth¬ lehem. The travelers knew that their search was over. They went into the house and found a tiny Baby with his mother. It was Jesus and his mother, Mary. The Wise Men fell down and worshiped him. Then they brought their beauti¬ ful gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when it was time to go back, God warned them in a dream not to tell Herod, so they went home another way. Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON “ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him.” RECITE THE memory VERSE PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that the Wise Men found the Baby when they searched for him and wanted to find him. Teach us that everybody needs to find Jesus. Help us and all people to find him. May we bring him the gifts that will please him most, our love and our hearts. Amen. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 155 SONG “ We Three Kings of Orient Are.” Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Cut out three paper camels and make a poster picture of how you think the Wise Men looked when they followed the star. SUNDAY SESSION THE BABY JESUS IN THE TEMPLE Luke 2:22-38 Memory Verse “ Thou shalt call his name Jesus.”—Matthew 1:21b. The Teacher's Preparation Forty days after the birth of Jesus his parents took him to the Temple and presented him to the Lord. This was according to the Jewish law. A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons were Mary’s gifts, brought at that time as her thanksgiving offering. This was the offering of a woman in humble circumstances and signifies the financial condition of Joseph and Mary. While they were in the Temple two remarkable occur¬ rences took place. Simeon, an aged man, came in to wor¬ ship. He was a very devout man and had been promised by God that he should not die until he had seen the Messiah. He saw the Baby with his mother, and immediately rec¬ ognized him as the Christ. He spoke to Mary, took the Baby in his arms, and gave thanks to God for the privilege that had been granted him, expressing his willingness to “ depart ... in peace.” A saintly woman named Anna, a prophetess, who had been a widow for many years and was now eighty-four years of age, came forward and also proclaimed the Baby to be the Messiah. 156 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Suggestions for Teaching Through this lesson we are given an opportunity to teach that there is a place in God’s house, a very important place, for little children. Draw attention to the days when the babies are baptized and given their names. Impress upon the minds of the pupils the fact that this means that the babies are given to God. Tell again how God wants the children to come to him; how he loves them; how he watches over them from the heavenly home. Tell where the Temple was, and describe something of its beauty; tell of the people’s love for it. The Story Four weeks, five weeks, nearly six weeks had passed since that wonderful night when the Baby Jesus was born. His mother watched over him and loved him and cared for him. She looked down into his beautiful face and knew that he was the dearest Baby in all the world. Many times she thought of the night when the shepherds came to see him, and the things that they had said about her Child. “ Dear Baby,” she would say to herself, “ I do not under¬ stand; but this I know: You are mine, and I love you.” One day when the Baby was between five and six weeks old, Mary dressed little Jesus and she and Joseph took him out of the town of Bethlehem, away to the big city of Jeru¬ salem. At Jerusalem, up on a hill, was a beautiful building, the most beautiful building in all Palestine. It was God’s house, the Temple. It was made of white stone and was trimmed with gold. Even its doors hung on golden hinges. “We will take our Baby to God’s house, to-day,” said Mary. They passed through the gates of the city and climbed the Temple hill. They entered the court. Mary took with her a gift of thanksgiving, two turtledoves. While the young mother was there with her Baby in her arms an old man came in. He had been to God’s house a great many times. He loved the Temple better than any place on earth. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 157 God loved this good old man and had made him a very- wonderful promise. He had said that Simeon should not die until he had seen the Messiah, the new King that should one day be sent. Simeon had waited and waited and waited; now he was a very old man. That day he was still waiting to see the Messiah. Presently he saw the little Baby in his mother’s arms. His face lighted; he hurried to them; he looked at the Baby and then took him in his arms. “ Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord,” he said. Then he declared that this was the promised King, the Messiah who was to bring help to all the poor people who had suffered for so many, many years. Simeon talked with Mary and with Joseph for a little while, and blessed them; he said many wonderful things about the Baby and what he would do in the years to come. That very same hour while Mary and Joseph were still in the Temple an old woman named Anna caught sight of the lovely Baby. She was a wise woman; she also loved God’s house. She spent a great deal of her time in the Temple. She came to look at the Baby, and then gave thanks to God for leting her see the Messiah who had come to save the people. When Mary had given her thanksgiving offering as was the custom, she and Joseph and the Baby left God’s house. After a long time they went to the little house at Nazareth. Little Jesus grew stronger as the days and the months and the years passed on. He learned to help Joseph and his mother; after a while he began to learn to read. His mother taught him verses from God’s Word. And the home where he lived was the happiest in all Nazareth, for he was its Sun¬ shine. Devotionae Service: A BIBEE READING EESSON Verses that Jesus Knew and Obeyed “ The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge;... “ My son, hear the instruction of thy father, 158 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS And forsake not the law of thy mother:... My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thy heart; Tie them about thy neck. When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light.” —Proverbs 1 : 7 , 8 ; 6:20-23a. prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for thy house and that there is always a place there for little children. Help us to find Jesus there and to know him. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Take special care of little baby sister or brother or play¬ mate all this week for Jesus’ sake. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 159 Come, praise H>our Xorfc ant> Saviour W. W. How St. Gall’s Coll. ^t^-4 —i-P —I -i—. —1 — 1 -—1- -±- -^5-j -l —1— 01- iU-l w- —^ 20-1-*--#!— |= “ Ci 1 —U=— 1 —— | —— r^r —W - - 0 1. Come, praise your Lord and Sav - iour, In strains of ho - ly mirth! 2. 0 Je - sus, we would praise thee With songs of ho - ly . joy; 3. 0 Lord, with voic - es lift - ed We sing our songs of praise; F>: -> 4 » - J -Tj_i * 1- 1 - r w m Ff * 1 r n* • - -m -— -m — LiL-1= heH tip—p P— pT-v. J Give thanks to him, 0 chil - dren, Who lived a Child on earth; For thou on earth didst so - journ A pure and spotiess Boy. Be thou the Light and Pat - tern Of all our childhood’s days; He loved the lit - tie chil - dren, And called them to his side, Make us like thee, o - be - dient, Like thee from sin stains free, And lead us ev - er on - ward, That while we stay be - low -H -)--!—- —1-1-:-1-1— —r - 1—■-—1- 1 -i—i r -1-n - xj -* f=d - W* -JP-—1-1-^ L h * r-cr" :..s^ >: : His lov - ing arms em - braced them And for their sake he died. Like thee in God’s own tem - pie, In low - ly home like thee. We may, like thee, 0 Je - sus, In grace and wis-dom grow. (<•>:. h-J - J * —1- 1—F » t— Ff- -*H —*— p m f ■ f-f r f- * —1-P——h-- m — L P t- p= -F- h=— 1 —=b-td P. T. From “The Hymnal.” CHAPTER XVII WEEK DAY SESSION THE STORY OF A JOURNEY Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 ; Luke 2:39, 40 Memory Verse “ The child grew.”—Luke 2 :40. The Teacher's Preparation An old writer in describing the tyrant who ruled over Palestine at the time of the birth of Jesus says, “ It would have been better to be Herod’s pig than his son.” He was an ambitious man, and was willing to accomplish his ends by means of the foulest deeds that his mind could devise. His whole life was tainted with the blood of those who were in the way of his selfish desire for progress or those who he supposed could thwart him. Even his own family did not escape his wicked power: he ordered his brother-in-law to be drowned before his eyes; he arranged that his beauti¬ ful wife Mariamne be strangled to death; he became afraid of some of his own sons and had them killed; he brought about the death of his intimate friends. The murders which he perpetrated were accomplished in the most fiendish man¬ ner. Life in Palestine was sad and miserable during the the tyranny of this usurper who seemed to have such a pas¬ sion for shedding blood. He ordered the Wise Men to return to tell him of their success in tracing the newborn King under the friendly pre¬ tense of also paying him honor. Probably the men knew the character of the far-famed Herod, and mistrusted his sin¬ cerity. Moreover we are told in the Bible that they were warned by God not to return, but to go to their homes by another way. Then followed the edict of the monster: All children in the kingdom under two years of age were to be slain. 160 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 161 God warned Joseph in a dream, and, knowing full well the danger, he made an immediate departure in the night to Egypt. This land was under another ruler, and was near enough to reach in time to save the Baby’s life. None of the details of Herod’s life, of course, should be told to the children, and a very slight mention should be made of the edict. The: Story An old, old king sat in his palace thinking. His face was very ugly because he was thinking ugly thoughts, and that always makes a face look hard and mean and cruel. He had been a bad king all his life. He had been cruel and selfish to his people. He had taken away the wealth of the rich; he had even taken money from the poor of his land. He had cast into prison those who had done no wrong. He had taken away the lives of those who had been his friends. He hated his people, and his people hated him. This old king’s name was Herod, and he was the same whom the Wise Men had come to visit while they were look¬ ing for the little newborn King. They had come to ask Herod about the Baby. “ A newborn King! ” he said to himself over and over again. “ Those strangers spoke of a newborn King! They said they had seen his star in the east and had come to worship him. Could there have been any truth in their story? I wonder!” And so Herod thought and thought and thought. “ I’ll put a stop to all this talk about a newborn baby King,” thought Herod. Then he did a very wicked thing. He sent an order throughout the length and breadth of his land that all the little boy babies under two years old should be killed. Over in the house where Joseph and Mary were now liv¬ ing, Mary was taking care of her little Baby Jesus and watching him grow sweeter and stronger every day. She and Joseph talked often about the shepherds that came that wonderful night that the Baby was born and the things that they had said. They often looked at the gifts 162 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS that the Wise Men brought, the gold and the frankincense and the myrrh. “ The Wise Men knelt down before my Baby,” thought Mary. “ Truly my Baby is very dear and wonderful.” Then she would ponder about the things that had happened. One night Mary put her Baby to bed and all the little household in Bethlehem had gone to rest as usual. Suddenly Joseph woke up in a fright. He had had a strange dream. Part of it was very terrible, and part of it was very comforting. The comforting part was a message from God telling Joseph just what to do. “ Mary!” he said. “ The Baby is in great danger! God has warned me in a dream! The Baby is not safe!” Mary’s face grew full of trouble as she listened. “ The King is seeking to find him! Herod ! He will kill him if he finds him!” Joseph’s eyes flashed with anger when he thought of what the cruel king would do. Mary caught her Baby to her breast. “ Come. We cannot stay here! Our home is safe no longer. We have not a minute to lose! We will hurry away in the night! We will get out of Herod’s land. Come ! God has warned me in this dream; he has told me what to do.” They did not waste a minute. Quietly Mary made ready for a journey. She could not have taken much with her, for the Baby was all she could carry. Joseph fitted her upon a donkey which he brought, and then they started away in the darkness. They left the little town of Bethlehem behind; on, on they rode as quickly and quietly as possible. By and by the land became very different from the hills and meadows round Bethlehem; the road was waste, like a desert. It was harder to travel. But Joseph and Mary did not stop because they were tired. “ King Herod shall not find my Baby!” said Mary. “ He shall not get him!” and she held him very close in her arms. “No! Herod shall not kill this Child,” answered Joseph very soberly. Then they thought of the shepherds’ visit and what they had said. They thought of what Simeon, the old man in the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 163 Temple, had told them. They remembered the words of Anna, the old woman who had also told them that the Baby would do wonderful things for the people in the years to come. “ It is God’s will that this Child should live,” said Joseph. “ Herod shall not get him!” By and by they came to another land, called Egypt. “ King Herod’s land is behind us!” exclaimed Joseph. “ We are safe!” breathed Mary. “ Thank God for keep¬ ing the Baby safe!” “ Yes, we are safe! God has helped us!” said Joseph. Joseph and Mary and the Baby stayed in Egypt just as long as God wanted them to stay; indeed, they lived there until King Herod died. God then told Joseph in another dream to go back and live in their own country again. Then Joseph said, “ Let us go to Nazareth.” Nazareth was the town where Joseph and Mary had lived before Jesus was born. Mary thought of the pretty, white houses covered with vines; she thought of the lovely orchards of olive and orange trees; the flowers she had picked when she was a little girl. “ Yes, let us take little Jesus there.” So they went to Nazareth, and Joseph found a house. Lit¬ tle Jesus grew. Mary taught him to say her name; she taught him to say a little prayer to God, his heavenly Father. Joseph was a carpenter and by and by the little Boy was old enough to 1 be with him when he worked. Joseph was glad when Jesus was old enough to hold the nails, or to find the hammer or some other tool that he needed. His mother told him stories from the Bible. She told him about the shepherds and the Wise Men who came to visit him when he was a tiny Baby; she told him about the star and the angels’ song. And each year the little Boy grew he became a greater help to his mother and to Joseph in the carpenter shop. Devotionae Service A BIBLE READING BESSON (Explain to the children that Jesus heard these words read in his home when he was a little boy.) 164 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress: Incline thine ear unto me; In the day when I call answer me speedily.” —Psalm 102:1, 2. “Oh give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name; Make known among the peoples his doings. Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; Talk ye of all his marvellous works.” —Psalm 105 :1, 2. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the story of how jesus was saved from a cruel King. We thank thee that thou dost take care of the children to-day when they are in danger, and always. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one of the Bible Reading verses. Learn one or more of the Bible Reading verses during the week. Begin the making of a class scrapbook for some special little child who is an invalid or a shut-in; or for some hos¬ pital. Help the pupils to make a good collection of pictures and to do well the cutting and mounting. This work may continue over a period of several weeks. SUNDAY SESSION THE BOY JESUS VISITS JERUSALEM Luke 2:41-52 Memory Verse “ Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”—Luke 2:52. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 165 The Teacher's Preparation Just enough is told of the life of Jesus after these few wonderful glimpses of the Baby to know that he grew each day as other children grow, unfolding physically and men¬ tally, yet sweeter, and more holy. He was obedient to his earthly parents, and must have been a favorite amongst his playmates and the townspeople of Nazareth. A Jewish boy became a student of God’s Word at the age of five, and Jesus “ advanced in wisdom.” We can picture the life of the little Boy in the humble home at Nazareth. Mary, the mother, would perform the daily routine of the house: rolling and unrolling the hand- woven rugs for the family beds; grinding the corn and pre¬ paring the simple food; gathering the fruit from the garden or buying it from the dealers; making the home fresh and clean. In all these duties her little Son would surely be a help when she appealed to him. Each year in the springtime, late March or early April, Joseph would make the journey of about eighty miles to Jerusalem to attend the passover, and Mary would accom¬ pany him. The twelfth passover after the birth of Jesus was a most important event in the little family, for Jesus was to ac¬ company them for the first time, as was the custom. Jesus was twelve years old! This lesson is a story of the occasion and of what happened. For facts concerning the passover and its significance to the Jewish people read Exodus 12:1-20 regarding its in¬ stitution, and Numbers 9:1-3 regarding its observance. The Story It was springtime, and the fig and olive trees in the gar¬ dens of Nazareth were green and beautiful again. Flowers were beginning to bloom along the roadside, on the hills, and in the meadows. The birds were building their nests. Joseph and Mary were making ready to go to the pass- over feast in Jerusalem. Each year they went in the springtime to the great feast, but this year was a very special year. Jesus was going 166 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS with them! He was twelve years old, and when a boy was twelve he could go to the feast with his parents. Jesus was a very little Boy when first he had begun to listen to the stories which his mother liked to tell him. She told him about the boy Joseph and his coat of many colors; and about the baby Moses who slept in his basket amongst the reeds in the river; about David and the giant, and many other stories which you, too, have heard. But I am quite sure that the stories which she liked best to tell and to which he liked be$t to listen were about the coming of the shepherds to visit him while he lay, a tiny Baby, in his manger cradle at Bethlehem. She would tell him, too, about those first birthday presents that were given to him by the Wise Men who came from their far-away lands to bring them tO' him. And now you are twelve years old, Son! My Boy is twelve years old!” Mary would say very proudly. Joseph, too, was proud of his Boy who was now so tall and straight and good to look upon. He would say to Jesus: “You shall go with us to the passover feast this year, my Boy. You now are old enough to go with your mother and with me.’’ So they left their home one spring day, and began their journey to the big city of Jerusalem, which was eighty miles away. Probably Joseph pointed out the sights to Jesus as they traveled along the road. He told him the names of the places and about the great men who lived there. I think that Mary may have told him to look at the lovely spring flowers that were beginning to bloom, and perhaps her Son gathered some of the blossoms for her. It took several days to reach Jerusalem, so when night¬ time came they would rest until morning and then travel on again. At last they drew near their journey’s end. “See, Son! There are the gates! There is the golden roof! Is it not beautiful?” Mary and Joseph must have said something like this. Mary remembered the day twelve years before when she carried her little Boy in her arms into that same great build- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 167 ing. She had told him all about it many times. Now he was going there himself. The roads grew more crowded as they drew near the city gates. Thousands of other people were going to the feast: old men and old women; strong men, rich men, poor men. There were also other boys of twelve who, like Jesus, were coming with their parents for the first time. Merchantmen were selling wares in the streets to the travelers. Noise and excitement were everywhere. When they reached the Temple, they walked up the mar¬ ble steps. Jesus watched everything that the white-robed priests did as they moved to and fro about their work. When the people prayed to God, Jesus also prayed. He listened to all the learned men as they talked together on the great porch in front of the Temple. By and by, when the holiday was over, the people began to start for their homes again. Groups of mothers talked to¬ gether as they traveled along; they spoke of their homes, their weaving, their children, and all that they had seen in the city. The fathers walked in groups and talked about the holiday and about what they were going to do when they reached home. Joseph and Mary had gone about a day’s journey toward home when they discovered that Jesus was not in the com¬ pany. “ Where is Jesus?” Mary asked Joseph when he joined her. “ I thought that he was with you,” answered Joseph. “ Is he not with you, Mary ?” “ No,” answered Mary anxiously. “ I thought that he was with you.” “ He is not with me,” said Joseph. Then they looked all round, but Jesus was nowhere to be found. “Our Boy is lost!” they exclaimed. They hurried from one group of friends to another, asking: “ Have you seen our Boy? We do not know where he is.” But no one could tell them where Jesus was. “ We will go back to the city,” said Joseph. “ Oh, yes, let us go back to Jerusalem,” said Mary. 168 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS So with sober, anxious faces they went back, looking through every group that they met, and asking, “ Have you seen our Jesus?” They reached Jerusalem again, and hurried to the Temple. There a strange sight met their eyes. Jesus, the twelve- year-old Boy, was seated with a group of very learned, elderly men who were talking earnestly over some deep questions about God’s Taw, and about the heavenly home. They were also talking about the coming of the Saviour who had been promised. Jesus was listening. His face was bright and glowing, and he understood a great deal that the men were saying; sometimes he asked a very wise question. All the men wondered at the twelve-year-old Boy and his questions. His mother saw him. She ran to him, and clasped him in her arms. Then she said a little sorrowfully: “ Son, why hast thou done this? we have searched for thee three days. We were worried and troubled, dear Child.” Jesus answered, “ Mother, didst thou not remember that I must be about my Father’s work?” Mary’s Boy was growing up; he was beginning to under¬ stand the work that God, his Father, had sent him to earth to do. Together they all went back to Nazareth, and Jesus be¬ came more and more helpful to his mother and to Joseph as he worked at his trade in the carpenter shop. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON Verses that Jesus Learned About God’s House “ I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah. Our feet are standing Within thy gates, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;... PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 169 They shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, And prosperity within thy palaces.” —Selected from Psalm 122. prayer Heavenly Father, show us how to be obedient to our parents and helpful in our homes, following the example of Jesus. Make us glad to go to thy house, as he was glad. Lead us to be attentive, and to understand the messages that we hear. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one or more of the verses from the Bible Reading Lesson. Write two or more original sentences about the first time that Jesus went to the passover feast with his parents. Mount one or more pictures in the scrapbook. CHAPTER XVIII WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS AND FOUR FISHERMEN Luke 5:1-11 Memory Verse “ Jesus of Nazareth, . .. who went about doing good.” —Acts 10:38 The Teacher's Preparation This is an opening lesson of a study with the children about Jesus’ work while he lived upon earth. One of the beautiful things about Jesus’ ministry was that it gave help and joy and peace. It was a ministry of light, repellent of everything dark, unhappy, and sordid. His whole life was spent in giving relief. He lived with people and showed that he loved companion¬ ship. His desire was to teach people how to dwell together peacefully, unselfishly, happily. Twelve men were chosen to help him in this beautiful work, and to-day’s lesson tells the story of the calling of the first four who were to share his labors and were, during the few years that were to be spent on earth by him, to be specially near and dear to him. The place that Jesus selected as his home center during the early part of his ministry was Capernaum. It was a fine, busy town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee or the Lake of Gennesaret, as the beautiful inland body of water is also called. It was a spot of great love¬ liness. In all Palestine there were no more beautiful gar¬ dens. Fig, olive, and palm trees grew in abundance. The meadows and hillsides were dotted with flowers. The grass was peculiarly green. Little rivulets flowed down the hills into the lake, and fed it. The blue waters of Galilee were 170 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 171 full of fish, and the white-sailing boats of the fishermen were constantly to be seen floating up and down upon the waters or moored to the shores. Such was the background of Jesus’ ministry. Andrew and Peter were the sons of a fisherman named Jonas who dwelt first in Bethsaida, another town situated on the lake, and afterwards at Capernaum. Jonas had a partner named Zebedee. This man also had two strong sons named James and John. These men with their servants probably had a successful business catching the silvery fish from the sea and selling them to the near-by towns. At the time of this lesson Andrew and Peter and James and John already knew Jesus and loved him. Peter had been brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew. It is thought that John was the disciple of John the Baptist who heard him say of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” and who then went to follow Jesus. It is also thought that John was the younger brother of James, and that their mother was Salome, a sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. At this previous time Andrew went and told his brother, Simon (Peter) about Jesus. Jesus had been healing the sick and teaching the people that day, and had tired his body bringing the joyful mes¬ sage and doing the good that he had come to do. Crowds had come to him, and in order to procure space for himself, he stood in one of the boats which was put out just a little from the land. We can well imagine how the thoughts of the four young men traveled to the Man whom John the Baptist had pointed out, and who now in their very midst was beginning his work. Suggestions lor Teaching You may wish to introduce a bit of “ beginning geogra¬ phy ” with this lesson. The sand table will be a help. A shallow oval-shaped dish or tin may be sunk into the sand and filled with water. The western shore may be properly shaped by the teacher with clay or plasticine. Locate Ca¬ pernaum, and also indicate the hills and mountains of the surrounding country. 172 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Emphasize the beauty with which Jesus' home city abounded, and which he loved: the clear, blue waters; the boundless skies; the trees and countless flowers; the pebbly shores; the fishermen’s cottages; the little sailboats. Teach the name of the city which Jesus chose as his home, and the name of the sea upon which it was situated. Write the names “ Capernaum ” and Galilee ” upon the blackboard, and have the pupils recognize and pronounce them. A map of the Sea of Galilee and its environs is given here. Application stories will be needed with this series of lessons, and several will be furnished to help to illustrate ways in which we may follow Jesus’ example as he “ went about doing good.” Tell these to the children at times when your lessons may be short. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 173 Before: the Lesson Ask the following questions of the pupils and see that they thoroughly know the answers: What was the name of the little town where Jesus was born? What was the name of the little town where Jesus lived when he was a boy? The Story Jesus had quite a good many birthdays in the little house at Nazareth, and each birthday found him taller and stronger and wiser. Then, before Mary could really believe it true, her Boy was a Man. A number of miles away from Nazareth there was a beautiful sea. The waters were clear and blue on a fair day, and the little waves lapped over a pebbly beach. Many fishermen lived along this sea, and made their liv¬ ing by catching the fish and selling them. The sails of their ships could always be seen on a sunny day bobbing up and down as they rode over the waters. The name of one of the towns built along this sea was Capernaum. It was a busy, beautiful city. Jesus loved beautiful things: he loved the sea and the sky and the pebbly shore. He loved comfortable houses with pretty gardens of flowers and fruit trees round about them. When he grew to be a Man he chose Capernaum to be his home city. Now there were two elderly men who lived Hear the Sea of Galilee; they were fishermen. The name of one of these men was Jonas and he had two sons, Andrew and Simon. The name of the other old man was Zebedee, and he, too, had two sons, James and John. The old fishermen were partners and they and their sons worked together. They had boats and nets and hooks and baskets and all sorts of things that fishermen need. Zebedee also had servants to help him. Many and many a time the men had come in from the sea with their boats loaded with silvery fish which they would sell. The sons knew Jesus. Andrew and John first had seen 174 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS him down by the river Jordan, and had loved him at first sight. Andrew told his brother Simon about Jesus. Since then they often had talked about the new Friend. Good fishermen know that night is often the best time to fish. So one night Simon and Andrew and James and John went out to sea. They worked all night, but they had no success. In the dim light of the dawning day they came back to shore, tired and discouraged and with no fish. They moored their boats on the beach, and began to wash and mend their nets, and make ready for another trip. Now Jesus had begun the work that he had come to earth to do. All the day before he had been healing the sick and telling the people about the love of God. Crowds came to get help from him and to listen to his words. He grew tired, and came out in the early morning to rest, but the people would not let him alone. He saw Peter’s boat and asked him to lend it to him. Jesus stepped in and used it like a pulpit. He talked to the people again. After the talk was over, he looked at the four disappointed fishermen and was sorry for them. “ Launch out into deep water, and let down your nets for a draft,” he said to Simon. “ Master, we have toiled all night, and have caught noth¬ ing,” answered Simon. “ But because you ask it, I will let down the nets.” So they went out into deeper water, and let down the nets, and a wonderful thing happened; it was not long be¬ fore they became very full and began to break. Peter and his brother Andrew could not manage alone. He beckoned to James and John. “ Come and help us,” he called. James and John came, and together the four men filled both ships with the wonderful catch of fish. The boats were so heavy that they began to' sink. Simon fell at Jesus’ feet. “ I am not worthy to be near thee,” he said. “ I am a sinful man, O Lord.” He knew that it was the Messiah whom he had carried in his ship. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 175 The three other men were also amazed at the wonderful thing that Jesus did. Jesus had a reason for performing this wonder. He wanted to teach the four fishermen a lesson; then he wanted them to come with him and follow him and to help him with his work. He turned to Simon and said, “ Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” Jesus meant that Simon and Andrew and James and John were to help him to win people for the Kingdom of heaven. He would show them how to do it. He had chosen them to be his followers. From that day they were to be called Jesus' disciples. To be a disciple of Jesus means to go with him and learn of him, and try to follow his example. Simon and Andrew and James and John brought their ships to the land. Then they left everything to follow Jesus. (Write the names of the first four disciples upon the blackboard. Let the children repeat the names several times.) Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON Words that Jesus Spoke “ Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.” —Luke 6:20-22. prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for sending thy Son to help the poor, the sick, and the unhappy. We thank thee that we, too, may go to him when we are unhappy and need help. Amen. 176 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make an imaginary picture of the Sea of Galilee and the city of Capernaum on the sand table. Cut out miniature ships from paper. Try to bring in one new pupil to Sunday school. (Fish¬ ers.) Blackboard Sketch SUNDAY SESSION JESUS AND A BLIND MAN Luke 18:35-43; Mark 10:46-52 Memory Verse “ He received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God.” —Luke 18:43. The Teacher's Preparation This incident occurred during the journey of Jesus and his disciples to the passover celebration while on the road to Jericho, and thence to Jerusalem. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 177 Jericho was one of the finest cities of Palestine. It was located in a lovely oasis watered by springs. It was some¬ times called the city of roses, and also the city of palm trees. It was one of the fragrant garden spots of earth at that time. Its fig trees and date trees were noted throughout the land. Grain ripened earlier here than in other parts of the country. Bees hovered over the sweet flowers and made their nectar into honey. The roofs and towers of the castles of royalty and the mansions of the wealthy who had chosen this Eden for their habitation peeped above the trees amongst the groves and gardens where they had been situated. Herod the Great had built a castle here. This was plun¬ dered and burned at the time of his death; but Archelaus had built a still finer habitation amongst the old trees and gardens. A great multitude followed Jesus as he approached Jeri¬ cho, for the miracles of healing and his teaching, so different from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, had become widely known. Those afflicted with disease appealed to him at all times and places. The roads leading to Jerusalem were all of them crowded with pilgrims to the passover, and merchants selling their wares, as always happens during such occasions. Of the many diseases so prevalent in the Orient, blindness is one of the most frequent and formidable. It is said that the frequent changes of temperature in Palestine often cause inflammation of the eyes, and that the poorer classes neglect the trouble both from ignorance and lack of money. Bartimseus was a poor blind beggar who sat by the way- side, eager to gather a larger harvest than usual from the passover pilgrims. Matthew speaks of two beggars at this time, but Bartimseus alone is mentioned in Mark and Luke. The: Story There was to be a holiday in Jerusalem, and people from all parts of the land of Palestine were going to the city to celebrate it. The roads leading up to the city were crowded with trav- 178 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS elers. Some rode on big, tall camels ; some rode on donkeys; some walked. Jesus and his disciples were going. They walked. As the pilgrims traveled along, there were chances to buy things everywhere. The merchants were making a great deal of money. Now, sitting at the side of the road not far from th.e gate of the city of Jericho, was a blind man named Barti¬ mseus. Jericho was right along the road that went to Jerusalem, and Jesus and his disciples and the crowds of people had to pass through the city. It was a splendid city, with mansions in the midst of beautiful gardens where rich men lived. There were groves of palm trees; there were fountains and brooks; there was a castle which belonged to the king. Bartimseus lived in the city, but he did not live in one of the beautiful houses ; he was one of the poorest, most mis¬ erable men in all the town. He was a beggar, and blind. He sat by the roadside asking for alms. He was very glad when he heard the small bits of money drop into his cup. He hoped that many, many of the crowds would look down at him and pity him and give him money. Sometimes blind people can hear better than other people, because they try so hard to find out what is happening. As he sat there that spring day, Bartimseus heard that something unusual was going on. People were hurrying; they were talking about something. They were trying to get where they could see. They were jostling to get to the road. Jesus was passing by. People had heard about him, and they wanted to see him. I think that even poor Bartimseus may have heard something of the wonderful things that Jesus had done; how he had often cured sick people, and helped lame people and blind men like himself. “ What is happening ?” asked Bartimseus. “ Why are people hurrying?” “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by!” said the people, and they hurried on. Bartimseus forgot all about hoping for money. He did not listen any longer for the clinking of the coins. He re- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 179 membered what he had heard about Jesus: how he had helped poor people like himself; how he had made lame peo¬ ple able to walk and even made blind people able to see. “I will go to Jesus! I will ask him to help me!” said Bartimaeus to* himself. He groped his way through the crowd to a place where Jesus would pass. “ Jesus of Nazareth will help me if I can make him hear,” he thought. Then Jesus came. “Jesus, have mercy on me! Jesus, have mercy on me!” called Bartimaeus loudly and earnestly. No one thought very much of the blind beggar. They tried to stop his cries. “ Keep still!” exclaimed some one. “ Hold thy peace!” cried another. Bartimaeus paid no attention to those who tried to quiet him and to hold him back. He thought only of Jesus and of what he longed for Jesus to do. “Jesus help me! Jesus help me!” he cried more loudly than ever. Jesus heard, for he is always listening for voices that call to him for help. “ Bring the man to me,” he said, and he stopped and waited. The people stood still and looked on. Those who had spoken so unkindly now began to encourage the man. “ He is calling thee,” some one said. “ Be brave; rise up and go to him,” said another. Bartimaeus rose. He threw away his old, long coat that might make him stumble. He thought no more of his old tin cup and the coins. He hurried to Jesus as fast as he could grope. “What wouldst have me to do for thee?” asked Jesus in' the sweetest voice that ever had spoken to Bartimaeus. “ Lord, that I may receive my sight!” “ Thou shalt receive thy sight, Bartimaeus. Because thou hast believed that I could do this for thee, I give thee sight. Believing on me hath saved thee.” Then—Bartimaeus saw Jesus’ face! He saw the trees, the flowers, the people in the crowd. 180 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS But his eyes turned back to Jesus again and again, and he followed him. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON Words that Jesus Spoke “ Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be com¬ forted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteous¬ ness : for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.” —Matthew 5 :3-9. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that thou hast given us eyes to see the beautiful things in the world round about us. Help us not only to see these things, but also to find ways of helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. This is what Jesus did, and we, too, would follow him as did those people so long ago. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a paper rose. Mount pictures in the scrapbook. • Use your eyes to do one specially helpful thing each day this week. CHAPTER XIX WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS AND THE NOBLEMAN’S SON John 4:46-53 Memory Verse “ The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him.” ■—John 4:50. The Teacher's Preparation Jesus did not confine his work to Capernaum, though he chose it for his home city and headquarters. He made cir¬ cuits throughout the surrounding country, spreading his teaching and giving his help. The incident which furnishes our story for to-day hap¬ pened while he was staying temporarily at Cana, the little town in Galilee where once before, at the very beginning of his ministry, he attended a wedding feast and performed the miracle of turning the water into' wine. He had been away from Galilee for a number of months, performing his wonderful works of kindness wherever he was, and talking to the crowds who followed him. His power became a great topic of discourse: he was talked of in the homes of the lowly, and also in the palaces of the mighty. We have proof of this in Matthew 14:1: “ At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report con¬ cerning Jesus and we also read in Luke 8:3 that Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Plerod’s steward, “ ministered ” unto Jesus and his disciples. Some scholars think that this noble¬ man may have been Chuzas. The nobleman had a child, an only son, who became alarm¬ ingly sick, indeed, at the point of death, with the fever which was prevalent near marshy lands by the sea. The father had heard of Jesus’ power over sickness, and 181 182 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS he hastened to him. At first the man showed that he had no true understanding of Jesus’ supernatural power, but Jesus led him to a real faith and a perception of the truth that he was the Son of God. The: Story Once upon a time there was a little boy who lived in the city of Capernaum by the seashore. Whenever he wanted to do so, he could go out to the beach and play with the pebbles and gather shells and see the ships bob up and down on the waves. Oftentimes he watched the fishermen come in with great boatloads of fish that they had caught in their nets. Prob¬ ably he had many a sail over those blue waters when the weather was fine. But one day the little boy became very sick. He was too sick to eat a bit of fish for his dinner, or any of the fine fruit that grew in his father’s garden. His face was flushed and his body was burning with fever. It seemed as if the boy would die, for he grew worse each hour. The father was a rich man, a nobleman. He had servants to do his bidding, and he kept them busy that day, rushing to and fro, trying to get help for his child. The boy was his only son, and he loved him dearly. In some way the father had heard about Jesus and the wonderful things he had done for people. “ I will go and ask Jesus to help me,” he thought to himself. “ I will beg him to heal my boy.” The father found that Jesus was out of town; he had gone to a village more than twenty miles away from Ca¬ pernaum. It would take quite a long time to travel twenty miles; even if he hurried very fast it would take at least a day. (Refer to the slow means of travel in those days.) However, the father said to himself, “ I must go; I must see Jesus, and ask him to heal my boy.” He told his servants what to do while he was away; then he hurried along the road that went to Cana, the place where Jesus was staying. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 183 The nobleman traveled as fast as he could; he did not stop to rest. When he reached Cana, he went to Jesus and told him all his trouble. “ My boy is at the point of death!” he said. “ I beg thee to come and heal him.” Jesus looked so kindly at the poor, distressed father that he began to trust him more and more. He began to feel very sure that Jesus could help his little son. Jesus wanted to give the man even a greater gift than the healing of his son; he wanted to help the man to know who he was and to give him his love. “ Unless you see some sign or wonder, you will not be¬ lieve in me,” Jesus said. He wanted to try the father. “ O sir, come before my child dies!” he begged. His faith was growing stronger all the time that he looked at Jesus’ face. Jesus was very glad to see how truly the father trusted and believed in him. He was glad to help the man, and to give him what he had asked for. “ Go thy way; thy son liveth,” he said in a very kind voice. He did not have to go to the nobleman’s house; his power was greater than that. Just his word was enough. The father obeyed at once; he knew, now, that Jesus had power to do this great thing. He started on his home¬ ward way. His heart was very light and happy as he traveled back over the road to Capernaum. By and by he drew near the city. Some of his servants were running to meet him. They had news of some sort to tell him. But the father was not afraid of that news. “ Master, thy son liveth! Thy son liveth!” cried one of them. “ He is well! exclaimed another. “ The fever is gone!” The nobleman’s face shone with a great joy and peace. “At what hour did my boy begin to get well?” he asked. “ Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him,” the servants told him. The father knew that the servants were going to say, “ At 184 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the seventh hour.” That was the very time when Jesus was saying, “ Thy son liveth.” When he reached home, he found that all was as his servants had said. His body was healed. The nobleman told his servants and all his household his wonderful story: how he had gone to Jesus; how kindly Jesus had looked at him; what he had said. “ At the seventh hour he told me that my son would live; he told me to go home. I believed him, and obeyed.” After that day the nobleman, his servants, and all his household believed in Jesus, and loved him and gave their hearts to him. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ I will cry unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he will give ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: My hand was stretched out in the night, and slacked not; My soul refused to be comforted.” —Psalm 77 : 1 , 2. “ Sing aloud unto God our strength: Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. . . . Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee.” —Psalm 81:1, 7a. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to remember to go to thee when we are in trouble. May we trust thee as the nobleman did. Help us to remember that thou art always sorry for our distress, and that thou wilt give us the answer that is best. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Impromptu dramatization of the father’s return journey; PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 185 the coming of the servants; conversation; the story of the father told at home. Class may send a gift to a sick child. Mount pictures in the scrapbook. SUNDAY SESSION A WONDERFUL DAY IN A FISHERMAN’S COTTAGE Luke 4:38-40 Memory Verse “ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sor¬ rows.” —Isaiah 53 :4. The Teacher's Preparation The incidents used for this story took place at Caper¬ naum in the cottage of Peter the fisherman. Jesus had begun his public teaching in Galilee; he had performed several miracles since his first, the turning of the water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana. He had also, upon a second visit to Cana, healed the son of a noble¬ man who lay ill at his home in Capernaum. He had been rejected from his early home city of Nazareth and had made his choice of Capernaum for his headquarters. At this time Jesus was an inmate of Peter’s humble cot¬ tage. Living with Peter were his wife, his wife’s mother, and his brother Andrew. The cottages of Capernaum were made of the black basalt, or lava, found in the vicinity, and were whitewashed. Many of them were very attractive as they were surrounded with the lovely trees which grew in such abundance; and their gardens were sweet with the pink-and-white blossoms of the oleanders, and the roses and lilies for which the country was renowned. Peter’s cottage had a court in front of it. Upon this certain Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue in the morning. We can imagine the crowds he saw, men 186 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS clothed in the flowing robes of the Orient, moving with slow dignity to the place of worship. Rabbis and the elders sat on raised cushions in the “ chief seats.” The men of the congregation sat on the open floor. The women sat in a separate apartment, or a gallery. The faces of the women were veiled in white, but their flowing mantles were of many colors. After the regular form of service which consisted of reading from the Scriptures, prayers, and responses from the congregation, Jesus spoke. His wonderful words, so different from the regular teachings of the rabbis, made a great impression. During the talk an unfortunate man afflicted with a strange form of what you think is insanity, the Bible says he had “ an unclean spirit,” called out at Jesus in a frenzied manner, causing consternation in the place. Jesus rebuked the demon in the man and healed him. This act caused the greatest wonder and excitement. When the service was ended, Jesus and his disciples left for Peter’s house. The lesson story tells how they found that Peter’s mother- in-law had become very ill with the fever which was prevalent in Capernaum at times on account of certain marshy, reedy lands bordering the Sea of Galilee. They ap¬ pealed to Jesus, and he healed her. The stories of the two miracles spread throughout the countryside, and when evening came, crowds of sick people filled the court of Peter’s house, and he healed them. Teaching Suggestion Use the sketch of the Oriental house already given.as an aid to your blackboard work. By reviewing this whenever opportunity is given, the general form of the Oriental house will become very familiar to your pupils. Refer also to the sand-table model of the Sea of Galilee and its environs. The Story A loud but sweet and clear blast from a trumpet sounded through the town of Capernaum. Some one blew the trumpet PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 187 as he stood on the roof of the synagogue, as the church was called. All the family in Peter’s house were expecting the trumpet blast; they were listening for it. Pretty soon another note would sound. The Sabbath was near at hand; the sun was setting. Two more blasts would be heard then all work must be done. It would be the holy Sabbath. Peter and Andrew had fastened their boats to the shore; so had James and John. The nets and the baskets and the hooks were all put away. Inside the house Peter’s wife and her mother were hurry¬ ing to do the last bit of work. The meat must be cooked; the bread must be baked; the floors must be cleaned; the Sabbath fires must be lighted. All must be done when the third blast sounded. One! Two! All in Peter’s cottage listened. Three! The Sabbath had come again. A great many other pretty cottages in Capernaum had also been made ready for the Sabbath, but there was a reason why Peter’s home was very specially happy: Jesus lived within it. He had chosen Capernaum for his city, and he had gone to live at Peter’s house. At nine o’clock in the morning Peter and Andrew and James and John went with Jesus to church. Many people were there. After the reading of the Scriptures, and after the pray¬ ers were said, Jesus spoke. The people listened to every word; no one ever had taught as Jesus taught. While Jesus was speaking, a man who was suffering from a strange disease which made him something like the people whom we call “ insane ” wandered into the church. He be¬ gan to cry out at Jesus. The people were terrified. Jesus spoke to the insane spirit in the poor man. The spirit obeyed, and left him. The people wondered more and more about Jesus, who was so ready and able to help those who needed help. After the services were over, Peter and Andrew and James and John went home to.Peter’s cottage with Jesus. 188 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS When they reached the house, they found that the good mother who was so dear to them all had become very ill. She had caught a fever, and lay sick and hot and help¬ less. Her daughter was greatly troubled. But she thought to herself, “ Jesus will help us when he comes back to the house.” So she went right away to Jesus, and told him her trouble. Jesus gently took the hand of the sick mother in his. The fever immediately left; the mother rose from her bed, and went about the house again. Two wonderful cures in one day! The man at the church, and now Peter the fisherman’s mother-in-law! In some way the news spread outside. It was too good to be kept. The people talked about these happenings all day long. The news was told in the house where a lame man lived; it was told in the home of a blind man; it was told in a house where a sick child lay; it was told in the home of a boy who had twisted legs. That news was told in a great many houses where some one very dear was sick or crippled or suffering from one disease or another. “ I’ll take my Joseph to Jesus as soon as the hours of the Sabbath are passed,” said one mother. “ I’ll lead poor, blind father to him,” said a boy. “ I’ll carry my little lame Esther to Peter’s house,” said a father. So the little groups passed through the street as soon as the sun had set, and all found their way to the cottage of Peter the fisherman. The court in front of the house was crowded. Jesus came to the door. The people knew that he was sorry for them, and they loved and trusted him. He laid his hands on them, and drove away the illness and the pain; not one did he miss. He had a message for all. A happy crowd left Peter’s cottage to go to their homes; it had been the most wonderful day of their lives. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON A Song of Praise to God for His Goodness “ Praise ye Jehovah. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 189 Praise Jehovah, O my soul. While I live will I praise Jehovah: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being, . . . Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, . . . Jehovah openeth the eyes of the blind; Jehovah raiseth up them that are bowed down; . . . He upholdeth the fatherless and widow; . . . Jehovah will reign for ever, . . . Praise ye Jehovah.” —Selected from Psalm 146. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for Jesus, and for what he did when he lived upon earth. We thank thee for all the help that thou sendest to us. May we always remember to come to thee in time of need. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one of the Bible Reading verses. Draw or construct an Oriental house of the humble class such as was the fisherman’s cottage of to-day’s lesson. Make a class contribution of something pleasing to a per¬ son who has been ill: a plant, a book, an orange or a maga¬ zine. CHAPTER XX WEEK DAY SESSION THE HEALING OF THE WITHERED HAND Matthew 12:9-14 Memory Verse: “ It is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.”—Matthew 12:12b. The Teacher's Preparation The Pharisees of Jesus’ time spent a great portion of six days of the week in discussions of what they considered proper and lawful ways of keeping the Sabbath. They had arrived at a misunderstanding of God’s object in be¬ stowing the Sabbath upon man: the bringing of rest and peace and time for communion with a loving, heavenly Father. Their restrictions had made life intensely uncomfortable, and in many cases unbearable. All were hedged about by unreasonable and often ridiculous limitations which for¬ bade any sort of activity. The “ Sabbath breaker ” rendered himself liable to death by stoning. A physician could not be called on the Sabbath; an aching tooth could not be doctored unless the vinegar or oil taken in the mouth be swallowed ; hot fomentations in case of ill¬ ness were forbidden unless the patient were threatened with immediate death; a sore throat could not be gargled. These are but samples of the endless rules that had grown up round God’s gift until the day became a burden instead of the blessing intended. In considering the wonderful “help” that Jesus came to give, we must include his reinterpretation of God’s law con¬ cerning the Sabbath. “ The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath,” he told these fanatics, and 190 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 191 then proceeded to show by example how God really wanted the Sabbath kept. But this was encroaching upon the most cherished scheme of the Pharisees’ lives, and they showed immediate hostility toward Jesus, first secretly, then openly. They watched constantly for lapses and failures in observing the law ac¬ cording to their interpretations. Jesus constantly failed to measure up to their standards, and when he healed publicly on the Sabbath Day, their feel¬ ing toward him was intensely bitter and hostile. In the particular incident of the healing of the man with the withered hand, we note the wonderful bravery which Jesus showed. He ordered the man to come forth and stand in the view of the scowling men while he attacked the very warp and woof of their belief. Jesus dared this for the sake of those whom he had come to help. Thl Story In the land of Palestine, when a little boy named Joseph had a toothache on the Sabbath Day, he had to bear the pain until the Sabbath Day was over. His mother was sorry, but she could do nothing for him, not so much as to rub a bit of soothing medicine upon the miserable, jumping tooth. If he cried ever so hard his father could only say: “ Try to bear it until the Sabbath Day is over, son. You know we are forbidden to do anything to-day. Rubbing your tooth would be work. We cannot break the law. It will not kill you, my boy. Try to be brave.” When a little girl named Esther had a sore throat on the Sabbath Day, her mother could not give her healing medicine with which to gargle. That, too, was against the law, for it was a sort of work. She must wait in pain until next day. When Miriam’s grandfather was ill at his home in the next town one Sabbath Day, mother and father could not go to see him until the next day. “ How shall we keep the Sabbath Day without breaking it?” This was the question all the wisest men of the land tried to answer, and they thought about it and talked about 192 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS it till they became very much confused. By and by it seemed as if they were not able to think straight about the question at all. They were making many mista'kes, and many people suf¬ fered. A Sabbath breaker was cruelly punished. So in the land where Jesus lived, the Sabbath was no longer a day of rest and peace. One Sabbath morning a man with a withered arm went to the church where Jesus went. The man was very much troubled, for he could not work well with only one arm. He had been able to make a good living before his arm hung limp and helpless at his side. Some people think that he was a mason, and had to lift stones into place; but whatever his work, it was about over, for his right arm was useless. Jesus saw the man in the synagogue; he sat with the other men of the congregation. The wise rabbis sat together on the raised platform. They looked very much displeased whenever their eyes rested on Jesus, because they had heard how he healed people on the Sabbath Day. Jesus saw their scowling faces. He knew that he could help in two' ways: He could heal the poor man; and he could teach everyone in the church a lesson about keeping the Sababth Day in the right way. One of the rabbis asked, “ Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?” They all wanted to catch Jesus in some fault, and then have him punished. Jesus said to them: “What man amongst you who had one sheep that fell in a pit on the Sabbath Day would not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much then is a man of more value than a sheep!” But the men who did not like Jesus, the scribes and the Pharisees, would not say anything; they scowled the more. Almost anyone would have been afraid of those men; but Jesus was not. The angry scribes and Pharisees waited to see what Jesus would do. Then he showed them. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 193 He called the man with the withered hand to come out and stand up before them all. The man obeyed. “ Stretch forth thy hand,” said Jesus. The man tried! Then the poor, withered arm that had been so helpless, raised itself. Life came back, and it looked as well as the other hand. The man would be able to go back to his work on the morrow! Jesus had helped the man, and he had taught his lesson. But there were a great many men in that church who did not learn it. Devotional Service a bibee reading lesson “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”—Exodus 20 : 8 . “ Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest.”—Exodus 23:12a. “ And God blessed the seventh day, and he hallowed it.” —Genesis 2 :3a. “ It is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.”—Matthew 12:12b. “ The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.—Mark 2:27. prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for giving us a day of rest. Help us to remember to keep the Sabbath Day. We thank thee for the lessons that Jesus taught about the Sab¬ bath, and about the way that God wishes it to be kept. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one of the Bible Reading verses. Paste pictures in the scrapbook. Make a plan for some class deed of kindness for the week. 194 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS A Blackboard Decoration SUNDAY SESSION JESUS AND THE DEAF AND DUMB MAN Mark 7:31-37 Memory Verse “ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sor¬ rows.”—Isaiah 53:4. The Teacher's Preparation “ He went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.” Tyre and Sidon were two very ancient cities located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Phoenicia. Tyre was founded 2750 B.C., and Sidon was still older. The inhabitants were many of them merchantmen and mariners. They were not a warlike people, but devoted to their trades. Tyre was especially noted for the beautiful, far-famed purple dyes which were obtained from a shellfish called the purple murex. The places were also renowned for the cedar wood cut from the splendid forests that abounded. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 195 Busy streets, famous baths, places and temples to the gods that these people worshiped, all these things Jesus must have seen upon that visit recorded in the Bible, yet about which we know so little. The Syrophoenician woman’s child was healed at this time. When he returned to the Sea of Galilee, he passed through the region of the Decapolis. This was a district in which were located ten Greek cities banded together with such suc¬ cess that they had resisted the Jewish people. It was east of the Jordan River, and roads led through the section to various places of importance such as Damascus. Arabia lay to the south. The inhabitants of these places were worshipers of Baal and other false gods, and Jesus once remarked that they were not so responsible as the dwellers round about the Sea of Galilee and the places where he had spent so much of his time. Speaking of the cities of Galilee he said, “ If the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago> in sackcloth and ashes.” The deaf and dumb man was a native of one of the cities of the Decapolis. Thk Story Once upon a time in a far-away city, there lived a very unfortunate man. He was deaf. He could not hear his mother’s voice; he could not hear any of his friends when they spoke to him. He could not hear the songs of the birds. He could not hear any pleasant thing. This was not the poor man’s only trouble. There was something the matter with his tongue, so that he could scarcely speak. It is very hard to be deaf and dumb. It must have been almost impossible for this man to earn his living. Day after day passed; the man’s life was very dreary. But one day some very good news was heard by this poor man’s friends. They learned that a Man called Jesus was passing through their land. His home was by the Sea of 196 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Galilee, but he had been on a journey. He was now going back, and would pass through their town. Crowds were following him, because of the very wonder¬ ful things that he did. He had healed a great many sick people. Lame people were able to walk-after he spoke to them. Blind people could see. He seemed ready to help everyone. The friends of the deaf and dumb man said: “ We will take him to Jesus. We will ask Jesus to help him.” So they led their friend to Jesus, and begged him to help. Jesus’ eyes were full of pity as soon as they rested upon the man. He led him aside out of the crowd. He laid his fingers upon the deaf man’s ears. He touched the man’s tongue with his finger which he moistened with his own lips. Then, with a sigh, he said, “ Be opened!” The man found that he could both hear and speak! •“ We never have seen anything like this before!” said the people one to another. “ He does wonderful things !” “ He makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!” Over and over the people said these things, and talked about what they had seen. The crowds grew greater. More and more sick people came to ask Jesus to help them. More and more people came with sick friends who were not able to come by themselves. The crowds became so great that by and by Jesus tried to get away by himself a little while to rest, for he was tired. But even this was impossible, for they followed him to his resting place; and he helped them, every one. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the king¬ dom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be com¬ forted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 197 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteous¬ ness : for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteous¬ ness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 5 :2-10. (Note: Repeat this reading lesson so frequently that the children will find the memorization simplified. Comment upon the meaning of the verses.) PRAYER The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one of the Bible Reading verses. Impromptu dramatization of the scene between the onlook¬ ers after the cure of the deaf-and-dumb man. Mount pictures in the scrapbook. 198 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS COPYRIGHT, JS06 A*D 19W, BY CkARlLS FOSTER Kt nT METrtOOlST BOOK COHCLHN, *» YORK X ClNCIHRATI PALESTINE JESUS CHOOSING HELPERS ' CHAPTER XXI WEEK DAY SESSION THE HELPERS CHOSEN AND SENT OUT Luke 6:12, 13; Matthew 10:1-13 Memory Verse “Freely ye received, freely give.”—Matthew 10:8b. The Teacher's Preparation At this time the national condition of the people of Palestine was like a seething caldron. Dissatisfaction with the rulers had reached its height. The rulers appointed by the Roman head and therefore his sycophants, heaped every indignity upon their long-suffering subjects. A most excit¬ ing indignity was a massacre of Galilseans by Pilate, who hated his subjects with a very bitter hatred. Both personal and national suffering clouded the whole land where Jesus lived. Agitation and dissatisfaction and hatred were everywhere. John the Baptist was still a prisoner in the black dun¬ geon of Machserus, having been cast there by Herod Antipas. The movements of Jesus were also being watched by this “ fox.” Although the rabbis, the scribes, and the Pharisees were so hostile to Jesus, the broken-spirited people of the land heard him gladly, and followed him, begging for relief and counsel. Jesus’ heart bled for them; he forfeited even the hours that seemed necessary for rest after his exhausting work. But even this was not sufficient time to meet the growing demand. He determined to send out his disciples on a min¬ istry throughout the country. “ The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few,” Jesus said to his disciples, speaking as he so often did figur- 201 20 2 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS atively. “ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into this harvest.” There were so many to be won, but so few teachers. The Twelve now had been receiving instruction in the Master’s methods for a considerable period of time. Jesus determined to send them forth on a little trial ministry of their own. The plan was as follows: They were to go two by two, and not alone. This would give them pleasant companion¬ ship, greater safety and comfort. They were probably paired off in ways best suited to each other. For example Peter and Andrew; James and John and the others in like manner, the need in one man being supplied by a double por¬ tion of that characteristic in the companion. Jesus gave them directions, and he also gave them power to heal diseases, and authority over unclean spirits. They had received freely from him, freely they were to give. “ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons,” he said. They were to go simply clad, without baggage and with¬ out money. They were to trust to hospitality for every¬ thing they needed. Teaching Suggestion After the telling of this story, liken the tour of the dis¬ ciples to the work of modern missionaries who go to the foreign fields to tell about Jesus. Tell of the medical mis¬ sionaries. Describe the dress of an Oriental traveler of the humble class: The flowing robe girded in by a belt; the turban; the sandals; the purse generally carried in the belt, but omitted in this case by Jesus’ direct command; the staff. Review the story of the calling of the first four disciples and let the children name them. Write the names upon the blackboard. Tell the children that Jesus called all twelve men to be his “ special helpers ”; they were called his “ twelve disciples.” You may write these names on the blackboard in order that the children may see them and re¬ peat them and thus begin to be familiar with them. Dwell upon the thought that it is a very pleasant thing PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 203 to help some one whom you very dearly love to do any work that he or she is specially interested in. Give some specific incident that the children may readily catch your idea: for example, a concrete illustration of a boy helping his father; a girl helping her mother; a little boy helping a big boy who' is his “ pal.” Show how the disciples were beginning to be quite familiar with the loving way in which Jesus talked to the people; how he made friends with them; how he told them stories with a meaning in order to help them to understand. Jesus now thought that they were growing wise enough to help him in a different kind of way. He planned to send them on a journey to help as he had helped: to follow his example. The reason for this is as follows: There were so many to be reached. Jesus wanted all who wanted his help to have an opportunity to> get it. The story material in this lesson is shorter than usual; it remains with the teacher to make the message “ full ” by means of her own personality and understanding of what Jesus’ plan was. Make your children feel something of the need of such help. Try to plan some little helpful expedi¬ tion which will show them the meaning of social service, giving each class member a bit for which he or she is re¬ sponsible. The; Story It would be very hard tO' live in a land which was ruled by a man who really hated his people; who even ordered his servants and soldiers to put them in prison or to take away their lives if he was displeased with them. But that was the way it was in Palestine, the land where Jesus lived. Herod was a wicked, cruel ruler. Many of the people were very, very poor. The lack of money often makes sick people; there were very many sick people in the land where Jesus lived. There were few good doctors, and little money to pay the doctors. Herod had beautiful palaces, and splendid robes and jew¬ els, and chariots drawn by splendid horses. His table was spread with all the dainties of the land. 204 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS But in the black dungeons beneath his glittering palaces suffered the prisoners whom he pleased to put there. Some of these had done no' wrong. One of Jesus’ friends had been cast in Herod’s dungeon. Jesus was sorry for the poor people. He had healed a great many sick. He had comforted them. He had taught them. He worked for them day after day. More and more came to ask for his help. They came to him when he was worn out with weariness. He longed to help everyone; but there were so many. By this time Jesus had twelve special helpers, his twelve disciples. They followed him from place to place as he helped and taught the people. They had seen him heal sick; they had heard him teach. They had been learning the ways of their Master. Jesus called his twelve disciples and told them that he wanted them to help him in his work. “ I shall send you out upon a journey,” he said. You shall not go alone, but two by two. “If two are together you can help each other. You may talk together and comfort each other. “ I will give you power to heal the sick as I have done. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out evil spirits. “ You are to carry nothing with you; not even a purse of coin in your girdle. Wear the simplest clothing; wear sandals upon your feet; carry a staff. “ Go help the people, and teach them as I have done.” And so the helpers went out two by two to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out evil spirits; to teach and comfort as Jesus their Master had done. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON Jesus’ Words About Doing for Others “ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be com¬ forted. . .. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 205 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteous¬ ness : for they shall be filled.”—Matthew 5 :3, 4, 6. “ Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.... Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me.”—Matthew 25 :40, 45. prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for thy loving care over the poor, the sick, and the unfortunate. We know that there is very much to do for those who need. Jesus taught us this. Show us ways to be thy helpers. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Mount pictures in the scrapbook. Make a plan for some special social work for this week. JESUS LOVING AND RECEIVING LOVE PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 209 SUNDAY SESSION JESUS AND THE CHILDREN Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13, 14, 16; Luke 18:15, 16 Memory Verse “ Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God.”— Luke 18:16. The Teacher's Preparation Perea was the name of a district east of the river Jordan; the name signifies “ the land beyond.” Jesus was passing through Perea in slow stages on his last journey to the passover feast at Jerusalem, when this incident occurred. His disciples were with him, and just previous to the oc¬ currence which forms our story for to-day’s lesson, he had been discussing points of the law with those who were con¬ stantly at hand ready to trip him in the questions nearest to their hearts, the keeping of the letter of the law. The special point under discussion was what Jesus thought of marriage. Presently a number of the mothers who dwelt in the vicinity drew near, bringing their babies and little children with them, craving a blessing. It was a beautiful custom of the country to bring the little ones to a rabbi who was specially honored and respected and to ask for his blessing. The disciples thought that the mothers and children might disturb their Master, and so sought to send them away. But Jesus immediately discountenanced their attitude, and rebuk¬ ing them, gave the children their true place in his heart and in his Kingdom. This is a beautiful opportunity to bring to your pupils the message of the special love of Jesus for children. With this lesson is printed the old hymn “ I Think When I Read That Sweet Story of Old.” It is always new to some child, and belongs especially with this lesson. In many classes you may read the poem “ The Master Has Come Over Jordan” after the telling of your story, or at some other time. 210 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Before the Story Make a blackboard sketch similar to that given in Chapter XX, but introduce in it a plain little Oriental house such as we have used previously for a pattern. The Story Once upon a time there were some little children who lived with their father and mother in a little house some¬ thing like this. Brother Joseph was the oldest; little David and Ruth came in between; then came baby Rachel. One day when Joseph and David and Ruth came in from play they saw that something pleasant was going to happen. Mother’s shining eyes told it to them before she spoke. “Jesus is not very far from our house to-day. I shall take you to see him,” she said. Joseph had heard his father and mother talk of the kind Teacher who had healed the sick and made the blind able to see and the lame to walk. Father told mother about the wonderful kindness he showed to the poor and the sad. Father had heard him talk. Joseph wanted to go; and because Joseph wanted to go, little David and Ruth wanted to go. Baby Rachel was too little to understand anything about it, but she was glad to go where mother went. So mother got them all ready, and they started over the road and away to the place where mother knew she would find him. The children picked some pretty lilies that grew along the road to give to Jesus. All along the way they met other mothers who also had heard about Jesus and were taking their children to see him. Every face was shining with happiness. “ There he is,” said mother presently. “ He is talking to the men around him.” Indeed there was a great crowd; it was quite hard to get through. But mother so much wanted to get the children near him. Presently one of the disciples who were with Jesus spied PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 211 mother trying to urge her little children forward. He came near, but he did not help her through. “ You must not trouble the Master, now,” he said quite sternly. “ Do you not see that he is busy talking to these men? He is talking about very deep things. Take these children away. The Master cannot bother about them now.” The disciples began to talk to the other mothers in just the same way. “ The Master is too tired to talk to the children to-day. Take them away.” Mother was quite ashamed. All the shining look left her face. She seemed almost frightened. Joseph was ready to cry; so were David and Ruth. Baby Rachel hid her face in mother’s shoulder. Jesus heard the disciples; he saw the mothers start to turn away with their little disappointed children. He called them back. “ Do not send those dear children away,” he said; and he put out his hands. “ Do not send them away ! I want them ! I love them!” “ Come, dear children!” he exclaimed, and his kind voice took all the fear from their hearts. “ Come!” “ Let the little children come to me. Do not send them away!” he said. Joseph climbed in Jesus’ lap and put his arms about Jesus’ neck. All the children clustered around. “ Let all the little children come to me,” said Jesus, and he blessed them. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should lay his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 19:13, 14. Song “ I Think When I Read That Sweet Story of Old.” 212 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 11 Ubtnfc Wben If IReab Ubat Sweet Stot^ of ©ib Mrs. Jemima Luke, 1841 £1* ; Arr. by William B. Bradbury, 1859 i :* :_* --N- £-!—n-X-1 U 1. I think when I read that sweet sto - ry of old, When 2. I wish that His hands had been placed on my head, That His 3. Yet still to His foot-stool in prayer I may go, And 4. In that beau - ti - ful place He is gone to pre-pare For 5. I long for the joy of that glo - ri - ous time, The lil -P- if P- :t=—1=_4=— p-p t=3 t i Hv p? t L W -&T- - m :=sl=^s:: Je - sus was here among men, How He arm had been thrown around me, And that ask for a share in His love; And all who are washed and forgiven; And sweetest and brightest and best, When the t- =&z=t=\ V iC: | * called lit- tie chil-dren as I might have seen His kind if I now earn-est - ly man- y dear chil-dren are dear lit- tie chil-dren of J -e: ~p- £■— m — m *=!■=!*=] K=n-|V t s i * s 1 1 T lambs to His fold, I should like to have been with them then. look when He said,“Let the lit - tie ones come un - to Me.” seek Him be- low, I shall see Him and hear Him a - bove; gath - er-ing there, For of such is the kingdom of heaven. ev - e - ry clime Shall crowd to His arms and be blest, A-men. jr\ mdt: *r- £ 6=E Si t=- -p- A =N=t= t £: PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 213 PRAYER Heavenly Father, we are glad when we think of the time when Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them. We thank thee for Jesus’ love for the children. Help us always to remember that Jesus loves us and that his love never fails. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Dramatize an imaginary scene in a home where the moth¬ ers and children were making ready to go to see Jesus on that journey from Perea. a poem To read “The Master has come over Jordan,” Said Hannah, the mother, one day. “ He is healing the people who throng him With a touch of his finger, they say. And now I shall carry the children, Little Rachel and Samuel and John, And dear little Esther, the baby, For the Master to look upon.” So over the mountains of Judah, Along with the vines all so green, With Esther asleep on her bosom, And Rachel her brothers between, With the people who hung on his teaching, Or waited his touch or his word, Through the row of proud Pharisees hastening, She pressed to the feet of her Lord. “ Now why shouldst thou hinder the Master,” Said Peter, “with children like these? Thou knowest from morn until evening He is teaching and healing disease.” Said Jesus, “Forbid not the children; Permit them to come unto me!” And he took in his arms little Esther, And Rachel he set on his knee. —Julia Gill. CHAPTER XXII WEEK DAY SESSION A GIFT FOR JESUS John 12:1-8; Mark 14:3-9 Memory Verse “ Every man shall give as he is able.” —Deuteronomy 16:17. The Teacher's Preparation Bethany was a little town on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. It was only about two miles from the city of Jerusalem, yet quite hidden from it by the mountain top. The little, sequestered hamlet could be reached by a foot¬ path that led from one of the gates of the city, over the brook Kidron, up the side of the mountain, and then down on the opposite slope. The place consisted of a cluster of pretty, white-washed cottages with gardens of fig and olive trees, and the lovely flowers which were native to the vicinity. In one of these cottages lived a family of three. There were two sisters, Mary and Martha, and their brother Laz¬ arus. The family was in well-to-do circumstances, and was of note in the neighborhood. Jesus was a friend of the household, and was always wel¬ comed when he came. The house seems to> have been opened to him as a home when he came to the city from Jerusalem. At this time Jesus had come to attend the passover feast which was to be the last before his crucifixion. His enemies had become extremely and openly hostile in Jerusalem, and the home in Bethany was a welcome retreat. 214 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 215 Thl Story Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus lived in a pretty white house on a mountain side. Of all the houses in that village of Bethany, this was the happiest, for two reasons: A Guest whom they loved very dearly was there, and then brother Lazarus was with them again. Just a short time before, the sisters had been mourning for their brother Lazarus. He had died. They had sent for Jesus. He called Lazarus from the grave, and Lazarus lived again. It was no wonder that now, when Jesus had come again to visit at their house, they were happy and gave him a great welcome. They made a supper for him in the evening. Martha was one of the best housekeepers in all the town, and she tried to make this supper the finest that she could prepare. She baked her best bread and cake, she gathered the ripest, juiciest fruit that she could find. The best dishes that the family owned were placed on the table. 216 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Nothing is good enough for Jesus,” she thought to her¬ self as she bustled to and fro and round and round through the house. Mary, too, in her quiet way, was preparing for the Guest. At last all the feast was ready. Martha began serving the good things that she had prepared. Now Mary wanted to do something to show her great love for Jesus. She wished to give him a gift. Presently she stole quietly away. When she came back she carried in her hand the most costly and precious thing she owned. It was a beautiful flask of sweet perfume, of a kind that was very rare and costly. It was worth a great deal of money, and Mary valued it very much. “ I am going to give it to Jesus,” she said to herself. She came close to Jesus’ place at the table; then she broke the beautiful flask; she poured the sweet perfume over his head and over his feet. The whole room was made fragrant with the odor of flowers. Everyone at the table knew the costliness of Mary’s gift; everyone must have known that Mary gave her gift because she loved Jesus, and wanted to show this. Jesus knew it, and was very glad. But there was one man present whose face grew hard and displeased; it was Judas, one of Jesus’ own disciples. Why was all this waste?” he complained. “That ex¬ pensive perfume might have been sold, and the money given to the poor.” The people round the table began to listen to Judas; they began to talk unkindly about Mary and her gift. Then Jesus turned to' the grumbling people and said: “ Let Mary alone. Do not trouble her. She has done a very kind thing for me. You have the poor with you always. Whenever you want to, you may do them good; but you will not have me with you always. She has done what she could for me.” Then Jesus made a beautiful promise about Mary’s gift of love. He said, “ Wherever the story of my life shall be told throughout the world, this story of Mary and her gift shall also he told.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 217 Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON This Story in Bible Words “ Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure lard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his dis¬ ciples, that should betray him, saith, Why was not this oint¬ ment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor? Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein.”—John 12:1-6. “ But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could.”—Mark 14:6-8a. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that this beautiful story was saved for us in thy Word, the Bible. May it help us to' understand how to give gifts to' Jesus. May we remember always, that it is the love in the heart that goes with the gift that is precious to Jesus. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Read from the blackboard, copy, and learn the following poem: A poem To learn “ What can I give him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part— Yet what can I give him? Give him my heart.” 218 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Draw or make cuttings of the two Oriental house furnish¬ ings found below. SUNDAY SESSION THE CHILDREN’S PRAISE SONG Matthew 21:1-17 Memory Verse “ We love, because he first loved us.”—I John 4:19. The Teacher’s Preparation In the book of Exodus occur these verses: “ And it shall come to pass, when ye are come to the land which Jehovah will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of Jehovah’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, . . . and delivered our houses.” Each year at the passover season, this question was asked and answered in the Jewish homes, and the children were well grounded in the facts relating to the holiday which had been instituted in commemoration of those events which happened at the time of their escape from bondage in Egypt. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 219 God gave very minute and accurate directions for the keeping of the holiday: a lamb without blemish was to be used for the sacrifice and feast; it was to be roasted whole and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (Read Exodus, chapter 12, for a description of the first passover.) The children had a close association with the passover feast, and they must have listened with great interest to the story of how the life of the oldest child was spared in every Jewish home in Egypt where the mark of the blood of the lamb was found upon the doorway, according to the com¬ mandment which had been given by God through the lips of Moses. Children were dearly loved in Jewish homes, and their education began when they were very young. They were expected to commence the learning of the Law when about five years old. Every father was required to' teach the his¬ tory of the great characters of his nation and the words of the sacred and moral law to his children. Fathers talked to' them on these subjects while walking in the street, or when gathered together in the home. At an early age children were encouraged to' take some little part in the devotional services, and in the religious feasts. Children were also sent to school to be instructed by regu¬ lar teachers as to the meaning of “ the Law.” The passover feast at Jerusalem was a dearly loved holi¬ day ; the houses were made scrupulously clean and the city took on a gala appearance at this season. Before the Lesson Make a blackboard sketch similar to the cut at the end of the lesson to represent Jerusalem; Oriental houses in a distant view. The Story “You are twelve years old to-day, my son! ” When a boy in the land of Palestine heard his father say that on his birthday, he would look up proudly into his father s kind and smiling face. He knew that those words meant that when the time for the great passover feast next came, he, too, would go to the feast with his father and mother, 220 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS All boys were glad to go to the great feast at Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a splendid city, built upon a hill; and the most wonderful thing within its gates was the big, white Temple, God’s house. Very, very often the children all through the land had asked the question: “ What mean ye by this service ? ” when the holiday had come, and the fathers had told them all about it. It was a long story, and all so true. The fathers told how once many, many years before, their grandfathers had lived in the far-away land of Egypt; how Pharaoh, the ruler of the land, had been cruel to them and made them work until they had been faint with weariness; how strict overseers had watched them and beaten them when they had tried to rest; how they suffered year after year; how God sent Moses to help them to get away; how they hurriedly left the land and ran away one night; how Pharaoh followed after them; how they came to the Red Sea, and Pharaoh was nearly upon them with his chariots; how God told Moses to stretch out his rod, and the sea parted, making a path through the waters; how Pharaoh’s forces followed; how the people of Israel reached the other side safely; how God told Moses to point his rod over the waters and the path was closed up; and how the hosts of the Egyptians were drowned. All this long story the fathers had told many, many times. The children knew it by heart. “ This is why we keep the happy holiday, children. God bade us keep it in remembrance,” the fathers would say. And so, every year, in the spring, at passover time, the trumpets would blow over a city gay with happy visitors. The houses would be cleaned; the pots and pans and plates and jars would be washed in boiling water. The mothers and all the women would wear bright, new dresses. The children would be bathed and wear their best clothes. Men would sit in booths with things to sell. They would cry their wares to the strangers who' came from long distances. There would be noise and bustle everywhere. How the children liked all this! Jesus, too, was going to the passover feast. He said to PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 221 two of his disciples: 44 Go over to that village beyond us and you will find a colt tied by a door; a colt upon which no man ever yet sat. Untie the colt and bring him to me. If any¬ one should say to you, 4 Why do> ye this ? ’ say, 4 The Lord hath need of him/ ” The two disciples went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. People who stood near by asked, 44 Why do you take the colt ? ” The two disciples gave the answer that Jesus had told them to give. 44 The Lord hath need of him,” they said, and the people let them go. When they had brought the colt to Jesus, they folded their garments as a saddle, and put them on the colt’s back. Then Jesus sat upon the colt, and started for Jerusalem. Now among the crowds were many to whom Jesus had shown great kindness. There were blind men to whom he had given sight; there were lame men who now were walk¬ ing without a cane; there were some who had suffered pain and who now were well. All these people drew near to Jesus as he rode along. Presently they began to pull off the palm branches that grew along the road. Then some one waved his branch like a flag and called out, 44 Hosanna! ” Many, many others began to call: 44 Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! ” They sang this praise until the people inside the gates came out and asked, 44 Who is this whom the people are welcom¬ ing as a king ? ” The followers of Jesus cried, 44 This is the great Teacher, Jesus! ” Of course the little children who' had come with their fathers and mothers watched the glad procession, and heard the songs of praise which the people sang. The next day when Jesus came again to the city, the children saw him. They remembered his kind face, and they loved him. They, too, ran and found palm branches just as the older people had done. They waved them backward and forward, crying: 44 Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna to Jesus! Hosanna to' the Son of David ! ” And Jesus was very happy that day, because of the chil¬ dren’s songs. He loved the children then in the Temple, as 222 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS he loves them now. He was glad to be sure that they loved him. blackboard decoration A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors: And the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory ? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors: And the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory ? Jehovah of hosts, He is the King of glory.”—Psalm 24:7-10. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we would sing praises and give our love to thee as did those little children in Jerusalem so many years ago. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a Bible bookmark and copy upon it the praise verse: “ Praise ye Jehovah.” (The teacher may give out suitable slips of paper which she has prepared, and let the children decorate with a gummed seal of some pleasing design.) CHAPTER XXIII WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS FEEDING MANY HUNGRY PEOPLE John 6:1-14; Matthew 14:13-22; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17 Memory Verse “ Give us this day our daily bread.”—Matthew 6:11. The Teacher's Preparation “ Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while,” said Jesus to his disciples. The disciples had returned from their first trial ministry alone without their Master, and the work had proved strenu¬ ous. Moreover, the news of the murder of John the Baptist in the dungeon prison of Machaerus by Herod had just reached them. This murder had been committed at the re¬ quest of Salome, the dancing girl, according to' the plan and evil promptings of her mother, Herodias. The Master and his followers were physically tired and mentally despondent. They needed a time to rebuild their flagging energy. What could be better than a quiet retreat across the Sea of Galilee to 1 the hills and dells over in the vicinity of Bethsaida-Julias ? Nature would be their restorer. Thus he gave the invitation, “ Come ye apart . . . and rest a while.” This was the plan, but it was frustrated. The boat carry¬ ing them was seen by some of the people. Those who had listened to Jesus’ teaching, and had seen the wonders that he had performed, became wild with excitement. They fol¬ lowed on foot round the shore, and many of them reached the place before the landing of the boat. Jesus did not rebuke them; instead, he relinquished the hope of the needed rest, and continued his work of teach- 223 224 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS ing, healing, comforting. “ They remind me of a flock of sheep without a shepherd,” he remarked compassionately. The miraculous way in which the vast crowd of five thou¬ sand men besides the women and children were fed, consti¬ tutes our story for to-day. Teaching Suggestions A representation of the Sea of Galilee and the two points, Capernaum and Bethsaida-Julias may be used to advantage with this lesson. Construct from cardboard a little sailing boat similar to those used upon the Sea of Galilee. (See the cut at the end of this lesson.) You may also represent the crowds by some very simple device if you choose. If preferred sketch upon the blackboard a simple map, such as you probably will find in your Bible. Locate the places and the direction of the voyage. Make a further illustration of your lessor^ by drawing a picture of the boy’s lunch basket and the little fish and the loaves that were within it. Tell where these fish were found. The Story James and John were so strong and ready to work that sometimes they were called the “ Sons of thunder.” Peter was always ready to do* something with all his might. But these three men, and also Jesus’ other disciples, had worked so hard when they went out alone for the first time without Jesus that they had come back very tired. Jesus, too, was tired, very tired; for he had worked for the people as no one else had ever worked for them. Grate¬ ful crowds followed him everywhere. Jesus knew what would make them all feel rested and strong again. A trip in a boat across the sea, and then out into the country! “ Come, let us go by ourselves, alone, out into the coun¬ try,” he said. “ We need a rest.” The tired men were glad to go. Soon the boat was ready. Jesus and all the others stepped into it. Strong arms picked up the oars, and soon they were away! The weather was fair, and the boat rocked gently, like a cradle. A boat is a pleasant place in which to rest when PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 225 people are tired. Jesus and his disciples were glad to have a holiday. But the people began to miss Jesus. Some one looked over the water. “ There is the Teacher ! ” the word spread. The people began to' follow along the shore. More and more joined the crowd. By the time Jesus and his disciples reached the little town near which they intended to land, they found that the people had reached there first. There was no> hope for a holiday, as Jesus had planned. But when Jesus saw how much the people loved him, when he learned how glad they were to' see him and listen to him again, he was sorry for them. “ They seem like a flock of sheep without a shepherd/’ he said. Then he gave up his holiday and began to talk to' them again. They listened eagerly to' what he said. Jesus healed a great many of the sick. He worked all day long and forgot all about his holiday. By and by evening came. The people had nothing to eat; there were no stores, for the town was quite a distance away. The disciples said: “ Master, the day is gone, and the people are hungry. Send them away that they may go to the village and buy food for themselves.” “ They need not go away,” said Jesus. “ Give ye them to eat.” “ Why, Master, it would take a great deal of bread to feed such a crowd, even to give very little to- each ! ” said one man. Then another man said, “ Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread would not be enough.” “How many loaves have you?” asked Jesus. “Go and see.” Andrew went to find out, came back and said: “ There is a little boy here who has five loaves and two small fishes. But what are they among SO' many ? ” Jesus said, “ Make the people sit down.” Then all the crowd sat down on the grass; there were five thousand men and a great many women and children. They sat in groups, and their gay-colored dresses made the field look as if it were covered with flowers. 226 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LRSSONS Jesus took the little boy’s five loaves and two fishes. He asked a blessing over the food. Then he began to break the bread and meat into pieces, and gave to- his disciples to pass to the people. In some wonderful way it grew more and more and more; the hungry people ate as much as they wanted, and still there was enough to go round. All the great crowd ate until they were hungry no longer. When the meal was over Jesus said, “ Gather up the pieces,’’ for he did not wish tO' have a crumb of good food wasted. And the disciples filled twelve baskets with what remained. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ I will bless Jehovah at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. . . . I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, . . . This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. . . . The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; But they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing. . . . Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” —Selected from Psalm 34. prayer • Heavenly Father, thou hast promised to- help those who are hungry, or sick, or afflicted, or in trouble of any kind. Help us to remember to take all our troubles to thee. Amen. The Lord’s Prayer. (Repeated by the children.) Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Write three original sentences about the story. Make a drawing or a cut-out of an Oriental boat. Make a poster picture of a seascape containing a boat on a quiet sea. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 227 BLACKBOARD DECORATION SUNDAY SESSION JESUS STILLING THE STORM Matthew 8:18, 23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25 Memory Verse “ Even the wind and the sea obey him.”—Mark 4:41. The Teacher's Preparation One of the most remarkable things about the Sea of Gali¬ lee is the suddenness of the storms which sweep over its waters. This is easily explained. The inland body of water is situated at a very low area, more than six hundred feet 228 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS below the level of the Mediterranean. The air is heated and tropical. When the winds from the snow-clad tops of the Lebanon Mountains come sweeping down at times through the hills below and on toward the lake, it is as if they were drawn through a funnel. They strike the placid waters in fury, and the surface is almost instantly lashed into great waves, which endanger the lives of those who' were unhap¬ pily caught far from the shore in the little ships which used to be constantly seen on it. Such a storm occurred that autumn day of a. d. 28 when Jesus and his twelve disciples were journeying from Caper¬ naum to the other side of the sea where he so often went when he was weary and overtired with the heavy experi¬ ences of his day’s labors. The labors of this special time had been especially trying, and it was not long after the ship had been launched out by the strong and brawny arms of the disciples so well ex¬ perienced in the handling of oars, that the Master lay down and soon had fallen into the deep sleep that comes to the utterly exhausted. The sky suddenly darkened; the little ripples were turned into monster waves which swept over the boat; the foam splashed over the sides; the winds whistled and roared. But the overweary Sleeper with his head pillowed upon the leather-covered wooden seat was unroused by all the commotion. The disciples did not disturb their Master until the danger became acute; then they went to him and aroused him sud¬ denly and impetuously with exclamations of terror. He responded with his usual calm reassurance and then gently remonstrated because of their lack of faith. A gentle word of rebuke to the sea, and the storm ceased. Teaching Suggestions * In their secular school work the pupils will probably have heard or learned some of the classic children’s poems about the wind, such as that beginning “ I saw you toss the kites on high,” by Robert Louis Stevenson and “ Who has seen the wind? ” by Christina G. Rossetti.- Perhaps they may know a song imitating the wind. Use these in a talk about the wind and what it has power to do. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 229 Talk about the sea and the effect the wind has upon the water. The: Story A short sail in a ship across the sea on a sunny day! What could be pleasanter or safer? Jesus and his twelve disciples planned this trip together. Tho day was balmy; the sky was blue, and so was the water. The little waves rose and fell so> gently that the boat rocked like a cradle. “ Surely our tired Master can rest in the boat,” thought the twelve men. They had been with him as he healed the sick and made the lame to walk, and had opened the eyes of the blind, and had done all manner of kind things for the people who fol¬ lowed him. “ He is tired,” they said one to another. “ He must rest.” “ We will take him over the sea in the boat,” said one of them. “ He may sleep while we man the boat,” said another. And so they planned for the Master. They brought the boat to the shore and Jesus stepped into it. All was made ready for the trip, and willing, brawny arms started the boat on the journey. A gentle wind .pushed against the big, square sail, and away they slid over the water. Jesus lay down in the stern of the boat. It was not very long before he was fast asleep. “ Our Master sleeps,” said one man to another. “ It is a good thing; he will be rested when he awakes,” and they were quiet. But presently the boat began to rock more and more. The color of the sea changed from the beautiful blue that it had been all day, it became gray, and then almost black. The wind swept down from far-away mountains and struck the waters like a whip. They rose furiously and lashed over the boat. Peter and the other disciples knew what a storm on the Sea of Galilee meant; many a boat had been sunk there. Their faces grew pale, and they pulled with all their strength at the oars, but they could not make the shore. And all this time Jesus slept on; he had been very, very tired. 230 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Presently the disciples spoke to him. One of the men cried : “ Lord, save us ! We perish ! ” “ Teacher, carest thou not that we perish ? ” called another. Some one else exclaimed, “ Master, master, we shall be drowned! ” Jesus woke up. “Why are you afraid?” he said to his disciples. “Do you not believe in me? Do you not trust me ? ” It seems strange that these men who had been with Jesus, and had seen the wonderful things he had done that very day, should have forgotten so soon. Jesus rose from his cushion in the stern of the boat. He spoke gently to the wind and to the sea and said, “ Peace, be still! ” The wind stopped blowing; the waves became quiet; the storm was over. The sea obeyed its Master. “Why were you so afraid?” asked Jesus as he turned toward his friends. “ Why could you not trust me? ” The disciples were filled with wonder and awe. They said amongst themselves, “ What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him ? ” Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas; • Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled.” —Psalm 46:1-3. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to remember this story when we are afraid in all the kinds of storms that come; the real storms and also during other times when we are troubled. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make cut-outs or drawings of Oriental ships. Mount boat pictures in the scrapbook. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 231 i A Song to Teach During the Week Boating S3. Alice E. Allen. Adapted Andantino grazioso C. B. Edmonds PE P :zn 1. Deep and slow, wa - ters flow, 2. Now once more, dip the oar, m/ r- —|-- =± .eJ 1 4k— i x Con Pedale f*T it s= r ■«>- I.-fL r- 'F - —1-i ~ "~i L, ... —1 4- -& - m — :j., .. lja~± - —1-J- F b =fc£=l —* ■ b- . . Let us go row- ing, you and I, Let us go row- ing, you and I. Let us be la - zy, you and I, Let us be la - zy, you and I. Ped . * From the “ Teacher’s Edition for Elementary Grades of the New Educational Music Course." Used by permission of Ginn and Company, owners of the copyright. CHAPTER XXIV WEEK DAY SESSION A STORY OF TEN MEN OF SAMARIA Luke 17:11-19 Memory Verse “Jehovah hath done great things for us.”—Psalm 126:3. The Teacher's Preparation Every Jew was enjoined to attend the feast of passover, which was one of the three great feasts of the nation. It began on the fourteenth day of Nisan. It was held in com¬ memoration of the escape from Egyptian slavery. Jesus was passing through the borders of Samaria and Galilee on his way to this feast when the incident which forms our story material for to-day occurred. Samaria is a country of beauty and of great fertility. It is composed of lovely hills and valleys, well-watered and luxuriant. At this time in history there were beautiful gar¬ dens of flowers, groves of olives and walnuts on the hill¬ sides, and wild flowers dotted the meadows. Upon a former trip through the country Jesus had been received with kindness and hospitality, even with eagerness; but upon this occasion the people, like the citizens of Naz¬ areth, were hostile toward him, and he had to proceed like an outcast down the precipitous and rocky valley on the borderland between Galilee and Samaria. Near one of the villages he heard the pitiful outcry of ten lepers. These men were banded together by a bond of com¬ mon misery, the dreaded and loathsome disease of leprosy. They were not permitted to enter the city gates; they could not engage in any gainful occupation. Everything they touched was considered polluted. They were not allowed to approach anyone nearer than a hundred paces, and must 232 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 233 warn those who came their way by the dreary, monotonous cry: “ Unclean ! Unclean ! ” This disease was peculiarly a figurative representation of sin, and those who suffered from the misery incident to it, always roused the sympathy of the Master to a preeminent degree. In the present incident nine of the men were Jews, one was a Samaritan. In ordinary circumstances the Samaritans and Jews would not mingle because of social and national antagonism, but in this case their common misery had broken down these barriers. Thl Story It was the springtime of the year, and there were many things for which to be thankful. The barley and wheat were being harvested, and there would be plenty of meal with which the mothers could make bread and cake. There would soon be figs in the gardens, and almonds in the groves. There was food enough for all the happy little girls and boys of Samaria. But there were ten poor men who did not think that they had much to be thankful for. They were beggars. They lived outside the city wall, and they never dared go inside the gates. This was because they had a disease called leprosy, and people were afraid of them. These men wore ragged clothing, and their faces were sad and wretched. They could not work, because they were too ill. When passers-by drew near, they must always cry out: “ Unclean ! Unclean ! ” This was the law. All this was because there were no hospitals with good doctors and nurses to take care of people carefully, even though they had an illness that was contagious. The good cakes and bread, the figs and the almonds and the dates and all the other good things to eat would mean little to these ten men. They were too poor to buy; and they could not work for money, even though they might want to do so. Many people were going to the feast, but they would not go. 234 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Sometimes the people who' passed would throw them a coin, but no one dared go very near. Jesus was going to the feast. He, too, passed by the city where the beggars huddled outside the gates. “ Unclean! Unclean! ” called the ten poor, hoarse voices. In some way the sick men had heard of Jesus and his power. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! Jesus, Master, we beg of thee, help us!” they cried. Jesus was filled with pity when he heard the hoarse voices, and saw the people who' were suffering and so wretched. He knew that his Father had sent him from heaven to help these ten men; he knew that God loved them. There was a law in that land that lepers must go at certain times and show themselves to the priests. Jesus said to them, “ Go and show yourselves unto the priests.” Just as soon as he spoke, they turned to obey. They did not stop to ask questions or to wonder, but went immediately. Then a strange thing began to happen. All those men be¬ gan to have new feelings come into their sick bodies! Their skins began to grow healthy and well; their tired backs be¬ gan to straighten; they looked younger; their eyes began to brighten. Jesus had answered their call; he had made them well. They were lepers no longer! Now they could go inside the city; they could get work to do. They need not call out: “ Unclean ! Unclean ! ” when¬ ever anyone came near them. They need be beggars no longer, for they could earn a living for themselves. Now nine of those men went on their way very, very happy, and much excited. But one turned back. He fell at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. With a loud voice he began to praise God for what he had-done for him. His heart was so full of gratitude that he could not help saying, “ Thank you.” Jesus was very glad, for he is always made happy when we say “ thank you ” for what is done for us. But nine of the men did not come back. Jesus said: “ Were there not ten healed? Where are the nine? ” Then he gave another blessing to this man, for he forgave his sins and said, “ Arise, and go thy way.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 235 Devotional Service a bibee reading lesson “ I will cry unto* God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he will give ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord.” —Psalm 77 \ 1,2. “ Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him.” —Psalm 145:18. “ Oh give thanks unto Jehovah.”—Psalm 105 a. PRAYER The Lord’s Prayer. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a Bible bookmark using the last verse of the Bible Reading Lesson. SUNDAY SESSION JESUS RESTORING LIFE TO A LITTLE GIRL Matthew 9:18, 19, 23-26; Mark 5:21-24, 35-43; Luke 8:40-42, 49-56 Memory Verse “ fesus of Nazareth, . . . who* went about doing good.” —Acts 10:38. The Teacher’s Preparation The event which forms the lesson story for to-day’s les¬ son, the restoring of life to the little daughter of Jairus, oc¬ curred just after the feast given by Matthew as a farewell to his friends. Jesus was again at Capernaum, and Jairus was an important man of the town, being a ruler of the synagogue. Matthew had been a publican of Galilee, and now was one of Jesus’ disciples. 236 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Jesus and his disciples came to Matthew’s feast and were criticized by the Pharisees for sitting down at meat with “ publicans and sinners.” These strict keepers of the law were greatly offended by the act. Jesus wished them to throw aside their prejudices, and he took up the foolish notion of caste and talked against it after the meal. While he was talking a man named Jairus ap¬ proached him, showing by his emotion that he was suffering from some great trouble. He fell at Jesus’ feet and ex¬ plained that his only little daughter was dying. He appealed passionately for help, exclaiming that he was sure that if Jesus would but come and lay his hand upon her head, she would live. Jesus was filled with compassion for the suffering father, and immediately went with him. On the way he lost a bit of time by the coming of the woman who pushed through the following throngs and touched the hem of his garment in order that she might be healed of a disease with which she had been afflicted many years. But even though the messengers came with the news of the death of the child, Jesus reassured the father, and when the home was reached he performed one of the miracles which proved that his power extended even over death. Teaching Suggestions Review the simple bits of geographical knowledge the children have gained about Capernaum, Jesus’ city.” Refer to its position on the map or make use sand table. Make a list of the wonderful things that Jesus had to do. The Story A little girl twelve years old can do a great many things to please her father. She can welcome him home with a smiling face. She can show him the sewing or weaving that she has been learning to do at school. She can recite her lessons to him. Perhaps some day she can surprise him at mealtime with a cake or with a loaf of bread that she has made with her own hands! which “ own of the power PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 237 That is the way it always has been—in the present days, and in the days of long ago, even in the time when Jesus lived upon earth. There was a certain little girl of twelve years who lived in Capernaum, the town where Jesus lived. Her father was one of the great men of the city, one of the rulers of the synagogue. His name was Jairus. The little girl was Jairus’ only daughter, and he loved her very dearly. She was the light of his home. He was proud of what she did. He gave her everything that a little girl could have in those long-ago days in the city of Capernaum. But one day all the household was thrown into confusion. The little girl had become very ill. The father did all that he could to help her. The servants ran to and fro doing his bidding. Everyone was anxiously trying to do something to make her well. But the little girl grew worse; indeed, she was dying. Now Jairus knew something about Jesus who> was living in Capernaum. He knew of many of the wonderful things that he had done: about the blind men whom he had healed; the lame people he had helped to walk; the sick people whom he had cured. He ran from his house to find Jesus. Jesus had been to a feast at the house of a man who loved him. At that time the meal was over and he was talking to the people. Jairus pushed through the crowd, for he felt that there was no time to be lost. Then he fell at Jesus’ feet. “ O Master, my little daughter lies at the point of death. Indeed, she is dying! Come, I pray thee, and lay thy hands upon her; and she shall live,” he pleaded. Jesus saw how the poor father was suffering, and he was sorry for him. He went with Jairus toward his home. A great many people followed after them. On the way Jesus stopped to heal a poor woman who had been sick a long time, and to speak kindly to her. But even though this took such a short time, messengers came running from Jairus’ home. “ It is not worth while to trouble the Master any further; it is no use. Thy daughter is dead,” they told him. Jesus turned quickly to comfort the poor father. 238 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Be not afraid; only trust me,” he said, and they hur¬ ried on. When they reached the house many people had already gathered there. They were mourning and weeping with loud voices, as people always did in those days when death came to a house. “ Why make ye this noise, and weep? The little girl is not dead, but sleepeth,” Jesus said to the crying people. But the people mocked him. They said that they knew she was dead. Then Jesus sent all the people away except his disciples, Peter and James and John, and the father and mother. They went into the room where the little girl was lying. The Master took her by the hand and said, “ Maiden, I say unto thee, arise.” Then life came back into the little girl’s body. The color returned to her lips and face. She rose up and walked. “ Give her something to eat,” said Jesus to her mother. The news soon spread through the house, and sorrow was turned to joy. Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON “ Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; . . . And I will declare thy greatness. . . . Jehovah is good to all; And his tender mercies are over all his works. . . . They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, And talk of thy power; . . . Jehovah is nigh unto' all them that call upon him, To' all that call upon him in truth. . . . He also will hear their cry, and will save them.” —Selected from Psalm 145. prayer “ Now I lay me down to sleep: I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take." PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 239 A POEM TO BE REPEATED EINE AFTER FINE “Jesus, Friend of little children, Be a Friend to me, Take my hand and ever keep me Close to thee. “ Never leave me, nor forsake me, Ever be my Friend, For I need thee from life’s dawning To its end.” Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make arrangements to send a gift to some child who is ill. Mount pictures in the scrapbook. CHAPTER XXV WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS DYING AND DIVING AGAIN Mark 15:1, 25, 37, 43-47; 16:1-8 Memory Verse “ Because I live, ye shall live also.’’—John 14:19b. The Teacher's Preparation A careful consideration of the selections given for this lesson will show that great thought has been used in present¬ ing to the Primary children the story of the supreme ex¬ hibition of Jesus “ using his power,” the power to bestow his life as a willing sacrifice for us, and then to take it up again. The events are given, yet the story is spared the details of the Roman crucifixion. The supersensitive child should not be called upon to endure the mental stimulus which a more detailed description would produce. The more phlegmatic nature would also be injured rather than helped by a vivid picturing of the scene. However, the teacher herself should make a careful study of the whole account of the final scenes in the life of Christ upon earth. Pontius Pilate, the man in whose power it was to decide whether or not Jesus was to be crucified, was the Roman governor of Judea. Ever since he had sent a detachment of soldiers from Caesarea to enter Jerusalem by night, carrying the Roman ensigns with decorations of the silver eagle and other insignia of the Roman emperor, he had been bitterly hated by his Jewish subjects. He was haughty and cruel, and typically a tyrant, yet he was secretly afraid of the Jews whom he knew to be so easily aroused by one who had no sympathy with the religion which was their life. Although the palace in Jerusalem was a marvel of luxury, he hated to leave his home in Caesarea for even a temporary 240 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 241 residence there during the great yearly festival of the pass- over season. This was deemed a necessity because of the vast throngs that had come from all parts of the nation, emotionally aroused and sensitive because of the great sig¬ nificance of their holiday. This dwelling place was on the north side of Mount Zion, and was a magnificent building. Its floors were paved with rich mosaics; its walls were upheld by columns of marble; fountains played in the gardens. Within was gorgeous fur¬ niture, and the dishes were of silver and gold. To this palace of Pontius Pilate Jesus was led to trial that last night of his earthly life. Here Pontius Pilate ex¬ amined the innocent Prisoner who was brought before him by his persecutors, and gave utterance to what was his own conviction, “ I find no fault in him.” Yet he listened appre¬ hensively to the fanatical outcries of the subjects whom he feared at heart, until their yells of “ Crucify him! Crucify him! ” brought the mastery, and he consented to their de¬ mand with a grudging acquiescence. Very late on Thursday night, after eating the passover supper Jesus and the eleven faithful disciples rose from the table, left the upper room where they had been keeping the feast, passed out of the city gate, over the brook Kidron be¬ yond the walls, and into the olive garden of Gethsemane on the lower slope of the mountain, where Jesus often before had gone. Asking eight of his disciples to wait for him, he took Peter and James and John a bit farther amongst the shadowy trees. He himself went still deeper into the Garden to spend this season in prayer, seeking strength from his heavenly Father for the endurance needed to meet the trials which he knew so well were in store for him. He was interrupted by the glaring torches carried by the band of searchers led by Judas, his faithless disciple who had left the Supper for the purpose of betraying his Master. “ Whom seek ye? ” calmly asked Jesus of the rough men. “ Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied, greatly surprised at the unexcited question. They fell backward to the ground in amazement when Jesus without fear announced, “ I am he.” From that time on through the night events followed with 242 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOU LESSONS great rapidity, for haste was necessary, as those men knew, if their monstrous plans went through. He was tried before the influential Annas, who still bore the title high priest. He was then taken bound before the acting high priest, Caiaphas, at a hurriedly called meeting of the sanhedrin. Pilate, the Roman governor, pronounced the terrible sentence. The: Story Jesus had a great many friends who loved him very dearly. That little girl who was raised from the dead loved him, and so did her father and mother. The little boy who gave the five loaves and the fishes to Jesus one day when he followed in the crowd after Jesus, away out into the country, loved him. Mary and Martha and Lazarus loved him. Those blind men whom he healed loved him dearly; so did the lame men. That sick servant who was made well loved him. Peter and James and John, the fishermen, loved him. A great many boys and girls loved him. They proved it that day when they passed along the street, waving palm branches and singing his praises. Every child that he took in his arms loved him, and he loved every child that he saw. But there were some people who did not love him. The Pharisees did not believe a word that he said, and they hated him. The scribes, who thought themselves very learned men, also hated him. These people often met together on the street corners and talked about Jesus, nodding their heads and flashing their eyes as they told evil, untrue stories about him. Some of them met together in the palace of the high priest and made plans to take him a prisoner and make him sufifer pain. “ We’ll get this Man out of the way,” they declared. Now about this time there was a great feast and holiday to be kept in Jerusalem. It was called the passover, and all were going to it, even the twelve-year-old boys. Jesus was going; his disciples were going. The disciples prepared the feast in an upper room, and Jesus and his twelve friends ate the Supper together. After PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 243 the meal was over they remained for a long time round the table, and Jesus talked to them. By and by Jesus arose, and went out of the house into the street, walked beyond the city gates, crossed over a little brook, and came to a garden of olive trees. “ Wait for me here while I go farther into the Garden to pray,” he said to eight of his friends. After he had gone a bit farther he said to Peter and James and John who were still with him: “Wait for me here. Watch for me, and pray,” and he went on, amongst the shadows of the trees. Presently, while he was alone, praying, the wicked men came for him. Judas, one of his own disciples, who had left the Supper table before the others, led them tO' the place where he knew his Master could be found. A band of Roman soldiers was with these men, and they flashed their burning torches here and there amongst the shadows of the trees. They found Jesus. “Whom seek ye?” asked Jesus very calmly, for he was brave. “ Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “ I am he,” answered Jesus. The men went backward and fell to the ground in their surprise that he was not afraid. They took him before the great men of the city, and told many untruths about the things that Jesus had done. Then they began to shout over and over: “ Crucify him! Crucify him! ” At last the ruler, Pontius Pilate, gave him over to the soldiers to be crucified. Jesus, God’s Son, was nailed to a cross, and put to death. A good man named Joseph, who loved Jesus, begged for his body, after he was dead, and he and other friends wrapped Jesus in a clean linen cloth and buried him in a new tomb in Joseph’s garden. A heavy stone was rolled against the entrance of the tomb, and it was sealed tight. A guard of Roman soldiers was placed there to watch. (Read the resurrection story to the children as given in Mark 16:1-8.) Make comments and explanations as needed.) 244 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Devotional Service A BIBL,E READING BESSON “ And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen. And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb? and look¬ ing up, they see that the stone is rolled back: for it was exceeding great. And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said unto them, Be not amazed: ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been cruci¬ fied : he is risen; he is not here: behold, the place where they laid him!”—Mark 16:1-6. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this most wonderful of all the things that Jesus did for us. Even though we are little and do not understand it all, we are old enough to know that he loved us so deeply that he gave his life for us. Help us to be grateful always, and to repay him with our love. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a class poster representing some phase of spring life. Paste pictures of spring life in the scrapbook. SUNDAY SESSION THE WALK TO EMMAUS Luke 24 :13-35 Memory Verse “ The Lord is risen indeed.”—Luke 24:34a. The Teacher's Preparation The Resurrection occurred very early on Sunday morn¬ ing, April 9, a. d. 30. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 245 Mary of Magdala was the first to whom the Saviour ap¬ peared when she uttered her appeal to the Man whom she took to be the gardener. “ O sir,” she exclaimed in heart¬ broken accents, “ if you took him away, tell me where you have laid him.” “ Mary! ” replied Jesus, and she recognized him. He also met the other women who were on the way to the tomb, devoted and true, and greeted them with the ex¬ pression, “ All hail! ” He appeared to Peter, but the account of what happened is not given to us. The story for to-day concerns the third appearance. Two of his disciples were on their way to' Emmaus when he joined them. Emmaus was a little village about eight miles from Jerusalem; the exact location of this place is now unknown. Thl Story It was springtime, and it was Sunday afternoon. In the springtime every sunny day seems more lovely than the day before. The grass is a little greener; the flowers are a little more plentiful; and the birds sing a little more sweetly. But for a number of days some of the people of Jerusalem had given little attention to the coming of the spring. On Friday a terrible thing had happened there: Jesus had been crucified on a hill just beyond the city gates. Everyone in Jerusalem-was talking about it; how he had been arrested by the soldiers after the passover feast; how he had been led away to the palace; how he had been tried; how so many of the scribes and Pharisees had cried: “ Crucify him! Crucify him! ” because they hated him; how he had been mocked by the soldiers; how he had been fast¬ ened to the cross and crucified. Those who- loved Jesus had mourned ever since that day. Cleopas and a friend were among those who loved Jesus. “ Let us go beyond the city gates and walk out into the country,” they said that Sunday afternoon. So they started out into the springtime beyond the great, crowded city, away from the people who- so lately had cried to the ruler until their throats were hoarse, “ Crucify him! ” 246 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS As they walked they talked, and what they said was some¬ thing like this: “ The world does not seem the same since Jesus is not here, Cleopas.” “ No,” answered Cleopas. “ Why did they want to kill him? He was the Friend of everyone.” “Peter will miss him; and James and John and the others.” “ His mother went to the home of John.” “ He will gladly take care of her.” “ Yes, Jesus gave her into his care.” “ The tomb where they laid him was sealed, and a guard of soldiers was near.” Then they talked about a wonderful story that some women told. They had gone to the grave with some spices very early that morning. The tomb was empty. “ The women said that he had risen from the dead. Mary said that she saw him; that he called her by name.” They talked about this story a great deal. They could not believe it to be true. They were too troubled and earnest to care that spring had come; the flowers bloomed and the birds sang quite unnoticed by the two sad friends. Presently a Stranger drew near, and joined them. “ Friends, what are you talking of ? Why are you so troubled this bright spring day ? ” he asked. The men were so surprised at this question that they stood quite still. Everyone in Jerusalem knew what had happened, and was talking about it. “ From where have you come? How could you have been in Jerusalem, and yet not know about the things that have been happening there ? ” “ What things ? ” asked the Man. “ The things that have happened to Jesus of Nazareth. Did you not hear how the chief priests and the rulers gave him to be crucified ? We had hoped that he had come to be our Lord and Saviour.” “ Yes, all this happened three days ago, and some women went to 1 his grave with spices very early this morning, and they found that his body is gone. They told a wonderful story about some angels who said that he was alive; and PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 247 others went and found that the women’s story was true. Jesus’ body is not there. But we have not seen him.’’ Then the Man began to talk to them. What wonderful things he said! They never before had heard anything like his words. He explained away all the hard things, and made everything so clear. Their faces began to look less sad. By and by they came to Emmaus, the little town where they had been going, and their walk was over. The Stranger was about to go on. “ Oh, come in and stay with us,” they both cried. They could not let him go. “ Come, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost gone.” “ Come and stay with us! ” they begged. So they all went in together. The friends prepared the evening meal, and the three sat down. The Stranger took the bread and blessed it, and passed it to them. At that moment a new light came into their eyes. They looked up in amazement. This was no stranger! This was Jesus! The story that the women had told was true! Jesus was alive! Jesus had risen from the dead! Jesus then vanished out of their sight, but a great peace and happiness had come to take away all the sadness from their hearts. They rose from the table, hurried back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven disciples gathered together. They, too, had great news to tell. “ The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen, indeed,” they exclaimed. “ Peter has seen him ! He has appeared to Peter ! ” And then the two men told the story of their wonderful walk. It may be possible with some classes to teach a verse of the familiar hymn “ Abide with Me.” With other classes the teacher may write the first verse upon the blackboard, and read and explain. Abide with me: fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide: When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me. —Rev. Henry F. Lyte. 248 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON “ Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. Oh give thanks unto the God of gods; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. Oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: To him who alone doeth great wonders; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.” —Psalm 136:1-4. prayer Lord, we pray that thou wilt come and stay within our hearts, and be with us always. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy one of the Bible Reading verses. Copy the blackboard drawing. Mount spring pictures in the scrapbook. Send a picture postcard with a glad message to some one who would be cheered by it. Blackboard Decoration CHAPTER XXVI WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS GOING TO THE HEAVENLY HOME John 14:1-3; Luke 24:50-53; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9 Memory Verse “ I go to prepare a place for you.”—John 14:2. The Teacher's Preparation Jesus remained on earth forty days after the resurrection and during that time he appeared ten times to his friends. He even permitted his body to be touched by Thomas, the disciple with the characteristic which demanded this kind of proof of Jesus’ power over death. A glimpse of Thomas’ loyalty is given in that remark made at the time Jesus told his disciples that he would go to Bethany to wake Lazarus from his “ sleep,” a place very near to Jerusalem where the Jews had so recently tried to stone him. The disciples remonstrated on account of the personal danger. But when Jesus continued in his deter¬ mination, Thomas, with an intermingling of loyalty and pes¬ simism exclaimed, “ Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Again, at the Last Supper, we have a picture of Thomas’ difficulty in being convinced when he said to Jesus while his Master was picturing the joys of the heavenly home, “ Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how can we know the way ? ” There are many, like Thomas, loving and loyal, yet mel¬ ancholy and hard to convince, honestly willing, but needing this extra proof and assurance that he needed. To Thomas Jesus gave the proof of touch. The ascension occurred May 18, a. d. 30. During those forty days, the appearances were as follows: 249 250 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The women visited Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning, and found that he was not there. Jesus appeared to Mary. Soon afterwards he appeared to the other women. On that same Sunday he also appeared to two disciples on their way to Emmaus. Sunday afternoon Jesus appeared to Peter. Sunday evening he appeared to the disciples, excepting Thomas who was absent, in an upper room. A week later he appeared to the disciples, including Thomas. A few days later he appeared to seven of the disciples who were fishing at the Sea of Galilee. He appeared to many of his friends on a mountain in Galilee. He appeared to James. He appeared to all the apostles. During that intimate talk just after the Last Supper while Jesus and the disciples were still in the upper room, the Master told of the near approach of his return to the heav¬ enly home, but they could not in any measure understand his words. The actual telling of this story must of necessity take little time, as so few of the details are given. It is a very short story with a very big meaning, and we must remember, also, that it is a story whose personal message is capable of appeal to natures as widely differing as quick, impetuous Peter and slow, despondent Thomas. It is full of comfort, or full of joy according to our mood. To the Primary child it must be told very simply for sake of the story. The; Story Forty days had passed since Mary went to the garden that spring morning and came out with face all glowing with happiness as she said, “ Jesus is risen from the dead! ” That same Sunday Peter and John had run to' the grave and come away with great surprise in their faces as they ex¬ claimed, “ He is not there! ” Every day since that glad Sunday Jesus’ friends had talked about what had happened. Peter said: “ I know that Jesus has risen from the dead, PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 251 because I have seen him with my own eyes. He talked to me. I have talked to him..” “ I could not believe, at first,” said Thomas, who' loved Jesus very dearly. “ I could not believe that even our Master could live again after he had been nailed to that cruel cross. Even when I saw him I could scarcely believe. But he let me feel the nail prints in his hands; he let me touch the wound in his side. Then I believed. Jesus has risen from the dead.” “ Oh, I believed before I saw him! ” said John who loved Jesus SO' very tenderly, and was even then taking care of Jesus’ mother. “ Peter and I ran to the grave when Mary told me her story. I ran so fast I reached there first. I waited at the door, but when Peter came he went within. I believed that Jesus had risen from the dead.” Once, when seven of the disciples were fishing in the Sea of Galilee, Jesus appeared and called them to the shore. John knew him first and cried, “ It is the Lord,” and Peter was so glad that he left the ship and swam tO' the shore first. Near Jesus was a fire of coals, with fish and bread baking upon it, and Jesus bade them come and eat. Then Jesus talked lovingly to them. Another day he appeared to his disciples when they were together on a mountain. It was very, very near the time when he was to leave them and go to be with his Father in heaven. It was at this time that he gave them his “ good-by ” word. He said, “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” He wanted his disciples to go on with the work which he had started”, to give his love and the Father’s to all the world. Forty happy days had passed, and then Jesus appeared to them for the last time. He led them out of the city, up the Mount of Olives near Bethany, where they often had gone with him before he was crucified. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them; and as he blessed them, and while they were looking earnestly at him, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. He went back into heaven to live in his Father s house, where he has promised that all who love him and believe in him shall see him some day. 252 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; . . . And God . . . shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. . . . The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. . . . And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, . . . And they shall see his face.” —Selected from Revelation, chapters 21, 22. PRAYER The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy the butterfly blackboard decoration, giving to the children pieces of paper suitably shaped for bookmarks. Ret the children copy the Memory Verse upon the reverse side. Mount pictures in the scrapbook. Blackboard Decoration ti&O’ s PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 253 SUNDAY SESSION PETER AND JOHN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 3:1-16 Memory Verse “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”—John 13:35. The Teacher's Preparation The descent of the Holy Spirit occurred May 18 of a. d. 30, fifty days after the passover at which Jesus was cruci¬ fied. This incident probably happened some time after the Day of Pentecost; the time is not known within two or three years. Ever since the day when Jesus had led his disciples out toward Bethany and had given them his farewell commis¬ sion : “ Go 1 ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation,” they had been ready to do the work to which the remainder of their lives was to be dedicated. Peter and John were at Jerusalem, and had gone to the Temple. This most wonderful building was the pride of every Hebrew of Palestine. Whenever the worshipers ap¬ proached the broad porch they looked with renewed love and interest at the splendid structure which towered above the city, a stronghold, indeed, at the summit of the hill. They gazed with awe at the golden gates, the great stones which had been prepared with such skill and lifted into place with such expenditure of the strength of those who had lived be¬ fore them; at the stately pillars; at the decorative clusters of golden grapes wrought by the hands of cunning work¬ men. Gold and silver and brass and marble; fragrant cedar wood and sumptuous hangings dyed with beautiful colors; all that labor and money and sacrifice could yield were com¬ bined in this marvelous building that crowned Temple hill. By nature Peter and John differed widely from each other ; yet, as such opposites often are, they were strongly attracted to each other, and were often mentioned together. They had one purpose at heart, to be faithful and loyal to the Master who so recently had gone from them, leaving as his last message, the desire that his work should be continued. 254 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS These two friends went to the Temple at the evening hour of prayer, the ninth hour, which was about three o’clock in the afternoon. At the gate called “ Beautiful ” they saw a lame beggar. This man was forty years pld, and had been lame from birth. He had such weak ankles that he was unable to walk, and was carried every day to the Temple gate where he could beg from those who passed him by. The condition of these helpless and unfortunate people of the Orient was sad indeed: and Peter and John must have been reminded instantly of the many, many times their Master had answered the pitiful wails so similar to that which greeted their ears that afternoon. Thl Story It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Up at the Temple on the top of the hill the priests were preparing for evening prayers. The silver trumpet could be heard. The people of Jerusalem were gathering at the Temple. Now there was a certain poor lame man living at Jerusa¬ lem at this time. He never had walked a step in his life. He had been born with such weak ankles that he could not stand up. It must have been a great disappointment when the little baby boy tried, as other babies do, to lift himself and try to learn to walk. He probably had many a tumble and many a bruise before he gave up, poor little child! But now he was a man forty years old. Many other men forty years old had houses and lands and vineyards and gardens and fine clothes and all the good things that they were able to get. This man, however, had none of these things. He was poor, a beggar. Every day he was carried to a place near the gate that they called Beautiful at the entrance of the Temple. Many people would pass him on their way to prayers. They would see him and be sorry. Some would toss him a coin. It was not so very long after Jesus had gone back to the heavenly home. Not a day passed that Peter and John and PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 255 the disciples did not think of him. They loved him just the same as they had when he was with them. They talked about him. They remembered the last wish that he made before he left them. “ Keep on with my work. Help as I helped. Tell every¬ one about me,” he had said. Peter and John were going to prayers that afternoon. They passed by the Beautiful Gate. They saw the lame beggar sitting there. They heard him cry : “ Have pity ! Give alms ! ” As Peter and John drew near he cried to them: “ I beg of you, take pity ! Give me alms! ” Peter and John stopped. They thought of Jesus and of what he so often had done. They thought of his good-by words. “ Look on us! ” said Peter. The man looked up, expecting to receive some money. “ Silver and gold have I none,” said Peter; “ but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Then Peter took the lame man by the hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankles became strong. He stood up and walked. How happy he was! Now he could work and earn his bread ! He need be a beggar no longer! He followed Peter and John into the Temple to thank and praise God for the wonderful thing that had come to him. All the people crowded about. “ Is not this the man who sat by the Beautiful Gate?” they cried in amazement. “ What has happened ? He has been lame for forty years! ” Peter knew that this was the time to say something for Jesus. He would tell these people about Jesus and his power and his love. He knew just what kind of people these men were; they had heard about Jesus. Many of them hated Jesus. Some of them had heard the crowd call out, “ Crucify him! ” that night when Jesus was taken prisoner. But Peter was brave because he loved Jesus. “ Why do you wonder at this, people ? ” he cried out to the crowd. “ Why do you look at us as if you thought that 256 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS we made this man able to walk ? This was done through the power of Jesus. God sent his Son, Jesus, here tO' earth. You did not believe in Jesus. You did not love him. You gave him to the rulers to be crucified. “ Jesus, God’s Son, was crucified. But God raised him from the dead. It was Jesus who> healed this man. Jesus’ power has made him well and strong.” And so Peter and John began to gO' on with the work that Jesus asked them to do for him. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON Words that Jesus Spoke to his Disciples “ He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.” “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.” “ This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.” —Selected from John, chapters 14, 15. “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. prayer Heavenly Father, there is a great deal of work for even little children to do. May our ears be quick to hear calls for help; may our hands be ready to do something for those who need. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. If possible send some class gift to a hospital devoted to the care of little lame children. CHAPTER XXVII WEEK DAY SESSION PHILIP AND THE MAN IN A CHARIOT Acts 8:26-38 Memory Verse “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another/’—John 13:35. The Teacher's Preparation The “ helper ” whose work is described in to-day’s lesson was Philip, called the evangelist. He is not to be confused with the Philip who was Jesus’ disciple. He was one of the “ seven men of good report ” who 1 were chosen to look after the proper administration of the funds devoted to the care of the poor widows, as described in Acts, chapter 6. His work of helping and teaching in the city of Samaria is also described in Acts, chapter 8. Later, his home at Csesarea was open to Paul and others of the faith. Ethiopia was located in Africa, south of Egypt. At that time the country was ruled over by a dynasty of women. Candace was the general title used for the ruler, and was not the individual name of one queen. The “ man in the chariot ” was an important personage in the land, a man connected with the court life. The Ethiopians were of the black race. They were tall, “ men of stature,” Isaiah says. They were merchants, and took their wares to other lands beyond their own. Their trade made them wealthy. The psalmist wrote, “ Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.” In this story we see a fulfillment of that prophecy. 257 258 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The Story It was summer time, and the day was hot. A man named Philip was walking along a road which was especially hot in some places, because it was a sort of desert place. There is little shade in a desert, because tall trees with overhanging boughs and green leaves cannot grow in such a place. But Philip was not walking along that hot road to please himself. Indeed, he had not chosen the walk at all. Before he started a voice from the Lord had spoken to him. “ Philip, go out on that desert road that runs south from Jerusalem,” the voice had said. It was not very long after Jesus had gone to the heavenly home. Philip loved Jesus; he remembered that last wish that Jesus had made; “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation/’ Philip wanted to be one of Jesus’ helpers. He wanted to help to go on with his work. He did not know just what Jesus wanted, but he went right away to the hot, dusty road that led toward the south. He went, and waited. Now that very day another man was traveling along the same dusty, desert road. He was a colored man, and his home was in a far country, many, many miles from the land where Philip lived. It was called Ethiopia, and was ruled over by a queen called Candace. The stranger was a great and powerful man in his own country, one of those who helped in the queen’s court. This man was a follower of the true God, though he did not yet know about Jesus. He had been to the city of Jeru¬ salem to worship. He had been to the wonderful Temple on the hill; he had seen the city walls; he had seen the people in the streets. He had seen all the sights. Now he was going home. He rode in a chariot, for he was rich, and the distance was great. As he rode along, he read a book. That is, he read the words, but the more he read, the more puzzled his face be¬ came. He could not understand the meaning. As he drew near with his chariot, the voice of the Lord PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 259 spoke again to Philip: “Hurry! Philip! Go and join that man riding in a chariot.” When Philip came close enough he could see the book. The black prince read aloud, and these were some of the words that he said: “ He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: . . . His life is taken from the earth.” Philip saw the man’s puzzled face. He himself knew what those words meant. The Book was part of the Bible. The words were about Jesus, God’s Son; Jesus, who had been crucified for the sake of others; who had risen from the dead and who was now in the heavenly home. Philip knew all these things. Philip also knew then why the Lord had told him to go to this desert road. He had sent him to help this black prince to understand the words he was reading. “ Do you understand what you are reading? ” he asked. “ How can I, except some one explains to me ? ” answered the prince. “ Do you know what they mean? If you do, come up in my chariot and sit beside me. Explain to me, I beseech you.” Philip sat beside the man. “ Who is meant by these words ? Can you tell me ? ” Then Philip told him all the story about Jesus: about his love, how he came to earth, how his life had been taken away, how he had risen from the dead, and now was in heaven. The chariot passed by a spring, or a stream of water. The prince said: “ See, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized? ” for he believed every word that Philip said to him, and took Jesus as his Saviour and Master. Then he commanded the chariot to' stand still. He and Philip went down to the water, and Philip baptized him. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. 260 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.” —Acts 5:42. “ And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region.”—Acts 13:49. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this message of love that Jesus brought. We thank thee that it was for all people. We thank thee that it has been told, so that we our¬ selves know it. Help us to be willing to do our share of the telling. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Show the children how an ancient “ book ” was made. It was called a “ scroll.” It was a long strip of parchment upon which the words were laboriously written; each end of the strip was fastened upon a stick and then wound up. Illustrate with a strip of paper and two sticks or pencils. Let the children make a “ scroll.” Print upon it Jesus’ fare¬ well message to his disciples. (The first verse of the Bible Reading Lesson.) SUNDAY SESSION PETER AND THE ROMAN CAPTAIN Acts 10:1-9, 17-48 Memory Verse “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye have love one to another.”—John 13:35. The Teacher’s Preparation In to-day’s lesson we find Peter located at Jafifa, or Joppa, thirty-five miles from Jerusalem and the scenes so lately familiar to him. Why was he here ? He was making good progress with the work that his Master had given him to do. He had made circuits of the towns round about, and had gone to Lydda, where his teach¬ ing and his remarkable healing power became noised abroad. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 261 Not far from Lydda was the city of Joppa. At this place lived Dorcas, a woman noted for her charitable deeds toward the poor. She fell sick and died. Her friends heard that Peter was in the near-by town of Lydda and called him to come to their help. (Read in Acts, chapter 9, the account of her restoration to life by Peter.) While at Joppa Peter went to stay with Simon the tanner, with whom he “ abode many days.” Joppa was the seaport of Jerusalem, situated on the Medi¬ terranean. A road leads out from the town to the city of the Temple. It is one of the oldest cities of the world, having been founded many hundred years before the birth of Christ. It was a city of great importance, since it was the gateway by the sea out of and into Palestine and the countries beyond. Orchards of fruit—juicy oranges, olives, and many other kinds—made the city attractive. The houses were built up the rocky eminence that rose from the sea. In the days when Peter sojourned at the house of Simon the tanner, there must have been market places and booths where the merchants, clothed in their flowing, Oriental robes of bright colors, sat cross-legged in front of their wares, ready to bargain and argue over prices as has been the custom for centuries. Joppa should be a city of the greatest interest for the Christian world, as it was here that the story of Jesus was so clearly given the beginning of its journey out into the Gentile world. (Read the story of Peter’s vision as given in Acts 10:9-20.) This vision helped Peter to understand the full significance of that word “ all,” which was contained in Jesus’ farewell command. There were many restrictions regarding food which the Jews rigidly enforced. Read Leviticus, chapter 11, which will explain Peter’s point of view. Caesarea was a beautiful city, about forty miles north of Joppa, also on the coast of the Mediterranean. It was a wealthy town, and had been built by Herod the Great; it was one of his residences, and the name had been given in honor of his over-ruler, Caesar Augustus. The Roman rulers of Jesusalem preferred living here rather than at Jerusalem. Cornelius, the centurion, lived here; he was captain over 262 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the cohort called the Italian band. These men had all been born in Italy. Cornelius was a Gentile. The Story It was noontime; but dinner in the house of Simon the tanner was not quite ready. The home of Simon the tanner was in Joppa, by the sea. He had a guest at his house. Peter had come to stay there for a while. Peter loved the sea; he liked to hear the waves beat up against the shore and to watch the boats. He liked the songs of the sailors as they worked. All these sights and sounds made him think of another sea, the Sea of Galilee, where he used to fish; where he sometimes sailed with Jesus in his ship. This was not the Sea of Galilee, but the great Mediter¬ ranean. Peter was a stranger, lately come, and was visiting at the house of Simon the tanner. For a number of years, now, he had been carrying Jesus’ message from place to place. Peter was obeying. Dinner was not quite ready. Perhaps the sea air had made Peter sleepy; perhaps his work had made him tired. At any rate, he went up on the housetop where it was cool and pleasant, to wait, and as he waited, he fell asleep and dreamed a dream. He thought a great, big sheet was let down by its four corners from heaven. In it were all sorts of animals, among them animals that Jewish people had been taught were un¬ clean for food. The Jewish people were also inclined to think themselves cleaner and better than other people round about them. As Peter looked at the sheet full of animals a voice from heaven spoke, saying, “ Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But, hungry as Peter was, he remembered the laws about clean and unclean food. “Not so, Lord; for I never have eaten anything that is common and unclean! ” he exclaimed. The voice said, “ Do not call unclean and common that which belongs to God.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 263 Three times this was done, and then the sheet disappeared into heaven. Peter thought a great deal about the dream, and was very much puzzled. While he was still puzzling, three men were hurrying to the house to find him. They knocked at the door and asked for Peter. “ Our master hath sent us,” they said. Peter saw that one of the men was a soldier. “ Our master is Captain Cornelius. He lives at Caesarea, and is commander of the Italian band. He had a dream, yesterday, and was told by an angel of the Lord to send for you to come and talk with him.” The messengers told Peter how good their master was. “ He fears and obeys God; he is kind and generous to the poor,” they said. The next day Peter and several friends started on the journey for the home of Cornelius. The soldiers and the two trusty servants led the way. They reached the house of the captain the following day. Peter entered the house, and Cornelius fell down at his feet. But Peter said, “ Stand up; I myself also am a man.” Then he began by saying: “ You know that it is an unlaw¬ ful thing for the Jews to be friends with other people. But God has just shown me how wrong it is for me to call any¬ one common. So I have come.” Captain Cornelius told his dream: how an angel had told him to go and find Peter at the house of Simon the tanner. Then Peter told the captain and all those gathered in his house the beautiful story of Jesus and his love. Although Cornelius and his family were Gentiles, he knew that the story was for them. The love of Jesus belongs to everyone in all the world. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people.”—Luke 2:10. (Emphasis on the word “all.”) 264 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begot¬ ten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.”—John 3:16. (Emphasis on the word “ whosoever.”) “ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. “ And they went forth, and preached everywhere.” —Mark 16:20. prayer Heavenly Father, may we remember always that the mes¬ sage of Jesus was not a selfish message. We know that his love is wider than the sea. May we, too, be ready to help in the telling of it. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make an impromptu dramatization of the story. CHAPTER XXVIII WEEK DAY SESSION PAUL IS TOLD WHAT TO DO Acts 9:1-19; 22:3-16; 26:9-ll Memory Verse; “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. The Teacher's Preparation Paul was the great apostle to the Gentiles. He was born at Tarsus, the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia. This city was located about twelve miles from the sea. It was a city of military importance. The inhabitants were mostly Romans and Greeks; but a great many Jews, also, settled there for the purpose of trade. Amongst these Jewish families were the parents of Paul, then called Saul. They were Pharisees, and his father was a Roman citizen, enjoying the great privileges which this fact bestowed. Their boy’s education began at the age of six. When he was older, he was sent to Jerusalem, and sat “ at the feet of Gamaliel,” one of the greatest teachers amongst the Jews at that time. It was also the custom for Jewish parents to see that their children were taught some useful trade, and Paul’s trade was that of tent-making and weaving. This became of great use to him in after life. Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen, so he was in Jerusalem shortly after the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, though we do not know that he ever actually saw the Saviour. Damascus, the city to which Paul was bound on this memorable occasion, was the oldest city in the world. It is about one hundred and fifty miles from Jerusalem. It 265 266 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS is made beautiful and fertile by the waters of the two rivers Pharpar and Abana. The approach to it is through a desert. The Story One hot day a group of men traveled along a dusty road. They had a long journey before them, about one hundred and fifty miles.. They were going from Jerusalem to Damascus, and these two cities were a hundred and fifty miles apart. The leader of the men was Saul. His face was not very pleasant to look at, sometimes, because he was thinking such wicked and angry thoughts. He carried a letter in the girdle round his waist, and he was very careful not to lose it. It was a very cruel letter. It gave this man the right to go to Damascus and hunt for the people who loved Jesus, and to punish them and hurt them. It was not many years since Jesus had gone back to heaven, but his message of love had reached further each year. A good many people who loved Jesus had gone to Damascus to live, because they thought that they would be safer there. In many places it was not safe for Jesus’ friends to live in those days. As Saul put the letter in his belt he said to himself: “ I will chain those followers of Christ, now that this letter gives me the right to hunt for them. I will drag them from their houses! I will take them out of their churches! I will bind them and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished! “ These followers of Christ shall not live! ” he fumed and threatened as he rode along. “ Men and women shall die! ” And so he traveled along, getting nearer and nearer to the city of Damascus. The city itself was very beautiful; the rivers that flowed through it made it one of the loveliest spots in the world. But the road that Saul was traveling was a desert; the sand was dazzling, and the rays of the sun beat down with hot fury. Noontime came, and Saul should have rested until the cooler part of the day; but he was anxious to begin his wicked work. The sooner he could find those people and PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 2 67 bring them back in chains to be punished, the better he would be pleased. As he hurried along, suddenly a bright light darted out from heaven. It struck Saul and he fell to the earth. Then he heard a voice saying, “ Saul, Saul, why perse- cutest thou me ? ” Saul answered, “ Who art thou, Lord ? ” “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” The stunned and frightened men that were with Saul were speechless; they heard the voice, but saw no' one. Saul rose from the earth, but he found that he was blind, quite blind. The men led him by the hand into the city. There he remained without sight for three days, wishing neither to eat nor to drink. But Saul thought: oh, how many things he had to think about! There was a good Christian man living in Damascus whose name was Ananias; God said to him in a vision: “ Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man named Saul of Tarsus. Behold, he prayeth; he hath dreamed that thou hast come and laid thy hands on him to give him back his sight.” Ananias was afraid, for he had heard of Saul. He said, “ Lord, I have heard about this man, and what he did to thy people at Jerusalem.” But God still told him to go, and he obeyed. Ananias found Saul and laid his hands upon him, saying, “ Brother Saul, Jesus, who appeared to thee in the way, hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight, that thou mayest believe in him and become his follower.” Immediately the scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he re¬ ceived his sight. He arose and was baptized. Then he ate some food and was strengthened. And Saul never did what he had come to the city to do; from that time he gave his heart to Jesus. He spent the rest of his life in telling the message of Jesus. Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON “ Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to show love unto strangers. 268 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Remember them that are in bonds, . . . them that are ill- treated. “ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea and for ever.’’—Hebrews 13:1-3, 8. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to see how the love of Jesus takes evil from the heart and replaces the evil with that which is good and kind and loving. Help us to remember that this love of Jesus is for everyone, and may we watch for opportunities for spreading his message. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse, or one of the Bible Reading verses. If possible send a class contribution to some mission field. This might take the form of something for creature com¬ fort and also the message of Tesus. Paste pictures in the scrapbook. SUNDAY SESSION PAUL IN AN ANGRY MOB Acts 19:1, 23-41 Memory Verse “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. The Teacher's Preparation The story selected for to-day in illustration of our theme is the account of Pauhs encounter with the mob stirred up by Demetrius and his angry fellow craftsmen who sold silver shrines of the heathen goddess Diana at Ephesus. Ephesus was a city of Lydia in Asia Minor. It was an important town in that it was located at the junction of sev¬ eral trade routes. Many Jews resided there. It was a heathen community whose divinity was Diana, a goddess of PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 269 nature. A magnificent temple had been erected in her honor. Her image was supposed to have fallen from heaven. The silversmiths of Ephesus, amongst them Demetrius, who seems to have been the leader of a sort of trade-union, made silver models of this shrine and conducted a lucrative business by their sale. The month of May was devoted especially to festivities connected with the worship of the goddess, and people gath¬ ered from far and near to engage in the celebration. An un¬ usually large harvest was reaped by the shrine makers, and the merchants who sold the shrines at the booths as me¬ mentos of the festival. Paul was at Ephesus at this time, spreading the gospel, teaching and baptizing. He taught in the synagogue for three months, and afterwards in the school of Tyrannus for two years. Opportunity was thus given for the message of Jesus to be widely spread throughout the vicinity, and many heard and believed. To such an extent was this the case that the sale of the silver shrines at the holiday season was affected. This stirred up the silversmiths, incited by Demetrius, who appealed to them from two standpoints: their business and their religion. Their business he mentioned first. Throughout the terrifying episode Paul acquitted himself as a brave messenger of the Master whom he served. The: Story It was May in the city of Ephesus, the loveliest time of the year. Everyone who was able in all the country round about was going to the city to have a good time. There were to be games of all sorts. There would be fun and laughter. The streets would be crowded. There would be plenty to eat. And the temple! The great, wonderful temple would be decorated for the holiday. But this temple was not God’s house. It was a shrine to the goddess Diana. Ephesus was a heathen city. Most of the people worshiped the goddess and believed in her. Outside the temple were booths filled with little silver shrines made to look like the wonderful temple where the idol goddess was kept. 270 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Hundreds and hundreds of these little silver buildings had been made by the silversmiths to sell to the people who came to the Maytime holiday. “ Silver shrines of Diana! Diana, our goddess! Come buy! Come buy! Come buy a silver shrine! ” the men at the booths would call. “ Do not go home without buying a silver shrine! Diana our goddess!” And for years and years the people had bought; no one would leave the city without a silver shrine. Often these shrines were taken to those at home who 1 could not come to the city. Probably many and many would say their prayers to these silver shrines that were nothing at all but make-believes. When the Maytime was over and the silversmiths counted their money, they would smile with satisfaction as they said, “ Great is Diana of the Ephesians! ” Year after year they grew richer and richer. Year after year poor people who knew no better said their prayers to a silver goddess in a silver shrine who could neither see nor hear nor help them. But one May things were different. The silversmiths made just as many silver shrines. The men at the booths cried just as loudly. But not nearly so many of the silver shrines were sold. There were just as many people passing the booths, but the silver shrines were not bought. What could the mat¬ ter be? Presently a man named Demetrius, one of the chiefs of all the silversmiths, called his fellow workers together. He began to talk to them. “ Sirs,” he said, “ This is our business; this is the way we get our wealth! Our business is going to pieces, and I have found the reason. “ There is a man named Paul who has come to our city, and he has been talking to the people. He says there are no gods that are made with hands. He has been teaching and preaching and turning the people against us. “ He has turned the heads of many of the people by say¬ ing that there are no gods made with hands. This Paul will spoil our trade! “ Not only is there danger that the man will spoil our PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 271 trade, but he may turn the people against the great goddess, Diana, and make the temple of no account. The great temple ! The great goddess ! The whole world worships at her shrine! ” All the silversmiths were filled with wrath. Everyone be¬ gan to shout. “ Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Great is Diana of the Ephesians! ” The people throughout the city took up the cry. They yelled until their throats were hoarse! For two hours they shouted, “ Great is Diana of the Ephesians! ” The city was in an uproar. What Demetrius had said was true. A brave man named Paul had left his home beyond the seas and had come to Ephesus to tell about Jesus and about the love of the one true God. He was obeying Jesus’ last command, “ Go ye into all the world.” The message of Jesus was for the people of Ephesus, too. Paul had traveled through many dangers to come to tell them. Some of the people were beginning to believe in Jesus, and to' love him. Some would never buy another silver shrine. Some would never say another prayer to a silver goddess made with hands. Paul heard the shouts of the angry people, “ Great is Diana of the Ephesians! ” For two long hours he listened. His life seemed in danger; but he trusted the Master whom he served to take care of him. The mob seized two friends of Paul. Paul tried to go to speak to the angry people, but his friends held him back. “ Do not show yourself! ” they begged. “ It is not safe.” Everyone screamed something, even though he did not know why he was crying. Everything was in confusion. A man named Alexander tried to stop the shouting, but all to no purpose. At length the voices were hoarse; they were nearly gone. The town clerk saw his chance. He rose and began to speak. “ Men of Ephesus,” he said, “ everyone knows how great is Diana; how great is her wonderful temple. Does not everyone know that her image fell down from the skies? “ Everyone knows all this, so be quiet! Do nothing rash ! 272 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ These men are neither robbers of temples nor blas¬ phemers of our goddess. “ If Demetrius and the silversmiths have a grievance, let them go to the courts. Keep out! “ You are in danger of getting into trouble by this day’s riot! There is no cause for it. You cannot be excused.” The people were quieted. They had something to think about. They began to go away; more and more went to their homes. By and by the crowd had melted away. Paul, the helper of Jesus, was safe; his Master had taken care of him so that he could go on with his work. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON (Explain that these words were taken from a letter which Paul once wrote to the friends in Ephesus.) “ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.” —Ephesians 4:31, 32. “ Children, obey your parents in the Lord : for this is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first command¬ ment with promise.)—Ephesians 6:1, 2. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the example of the brave men who carried the message of Jesus in those days long ago. Help us to be willing to have some part in the telling of thy love. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse, or one of the Bible Reading verses. Try to do some specially brave thing for Jesus this week. Mount pictures about spring life in the scrapbook. THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD FOR JESUS CHAPTER XXIX WEEK DAY SESSION SEEKING THE LOST SHEEP Luke 15 :3-7 Memory Verse “ Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”—Luke 15:6b. The Teacher’s Preparation For several weeks we are to consider the theme, “ The Children of the World for Jesus,” endeavoring to make clear the facts of the wideness and the universality of the love of Jesus, and also of the needs of children the wide world over, children who do not yet know of his love. We are to show the pupils how the helpers of Jesus are still carrying on his work, and how even they, in their small way, may have a part in this endeavor. The lessons under the theme will alternate. First there will be a Biblical lesson showing the pervasiveness of Jesus’ love and the love of the Father; then will be given a lesson making the pupils acquainted with some of their little neighbors in far-off lands and mission fields, and also with some of the less fortunate who live near at hand. Thus will be awakened an interest in the needs and well-being of these children, and a feeling of responsibility. The lessons introducing child life in other lands will correlate admirably with the work being done in the secular schools, and in many sections the teachers will be surprised to find the amount of knowledge already possessed by their pupils. Take advantage of this, draw out this knowledge, and build upon it. The lesson chosen for to-day is the story of the Lost Sheep, which Jesus told to illustrate his love for those who 275 276 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS are the less fortunate of the world, the unprivileged, even the outcasts. By means of this story he explained his position clearly. Jesus was constantly followed by gatherings of these peo¬ ple who heard his teachings gladly. The law as interpreted by the scribes and Pharisees forbade association with these outcasts, and from their point of view, a lapse meant sin. The self-righteous upper classes prided themselves upon their exclusiveness, and when they saw Jesus with the people whom they despised, teaching them, healing them, even eat¬ ing with them, they were highly incensed, and added this to the long list of offenses with which they were charging him. This was really much to their own satisfaction and gratifica¬ tion. Jesus understood their attitude, and exposed and de¬ nounced it. To illustrate his point, he told the story of the Lost Sheep, thus, as was so often his custom, using an in¬ cident drawn from the everyday life round about him, an incident with which both he and his hearers were perfectly familiar. When you tell this story add enough of the everyday life of the Oriental shepherd to make the story more intelligible to the children who are not familiar with it; tell of the sheepfold; of the way in which the shepherds led their sheep; of the several accessories which the shepherd always carried, such as the crook, club, and bottle of oil; of the go¬ ing forth to pasture; of the return; of the way the sheep were counted as they passed through the narrow door of the fold; of the naming of the sheep; of their love of the shepherd because he loved them and was good to them. Bring out very clearly why Jesus told the story, what he meant to show. Before the session make a sketch upon the blackboard of one or more sheep, using as a copy the picture given at the end of the lesson. A teacher who has trained herself to make the simple, bold, large sketches of the few objects which so clearly emphasize the life in the Orient will find that she has added a most important asset to her power of awakening curiosity and interest, and of holding atten¬ tion. These little sketches are also extremely instructive, and are the means of adding clearness to the verbal picture. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 277 Study the outline pictures that are furnished from time to time. Practice from the copy, then without, using the fewest possible lines to produce your picture. A very rest¬ less class will often be captivated by the use of pictures. Tell something of the great numbers of sheep that were found in the land where Jesus lived; how they were to be seen in the meadows and on the hillsides. Jesus saw them, and once he told a beautiful story about them. Give the purpose of the story in some such way as the following: There were a great many poor people in the land where Jesus lived, and Jesus never turned any one of them away from him. He loved them, and always wanted to help them. Never had the poor and the sick and the troubled had such a Friend. He comforted them; he healed their sickness; he told them his glad message of love. After a while, when he went from place to place, they followed him, for they were grateful, and they loved him. Now, in that same land, out in the country, in the mead¬ ows and on the hillsides, there were a great many sheep. Sheep follow after their shepherd, and are grateful for his goodness, and they love him. When Jesus saw the people following after him, he was reminded of the shepherds and their sheep, which he so often had seen. But not all the people in that land loved Jesus and fol¬ lowed after him like sheep. There were some men called scribes and Pharisees who thought themselves very wise and good. They thought themselves far better than the poor people who listened to Jesus so gladly, and who loved him and followed him. They hated Jesus, and they hated the poor people ; they were angry whenever they saw the crowds. The scribes and Pharisees were selfish; they wanted the best of everything for themselves. They were selfish even with the love of God, and did not want to share it. Jesus came to teach unselfishness; he came to show that the love of God is for everyone. One day a group of these selfish scribes and Pharisees were talking with Jesus. They told him that he was break¬ ing the law by letting these people stay with him so closely, and especially when he went to their houses to eat a meal. 278 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Then Jesus told a beautiful story about some sheep. The Story Once there was a shepherd who had a hundred sheep in his flock. He built a sheepfold for his sheep. It was something like this. (Draw.) There was a fence made of stones, and on the top he placed prickly briers to keep out the wolves and the bears. At one end was a narrow door through which the sheep could pass, one by one. When the weather was very cold or stormy the sheep could be quite comfortable within the fold. The shepherd and his dog kept watch near by. Now this good shepherd loved his sheep. He had given each a name. There were Curly Horn and Black Foot and Blue Eyes and good old Mother Sheep, and all the others. The sheep knew the voice of their shepherd, and would come to him when he called them by their names. But the sheep would not answer the voice of a stranger; no, not even if he dressed himself in the good shepherd’s coat and tried to mimic his voice. When the shepherd led his sheep out to pasture, he car- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 279 ried a long crook like this. (Draw.) It was made of a branch of olive wood, and the end was bent round like this. (Show.) He used his crook to reach far into the flock, and sometimes to draw a little sheep from danger. One day the good shepherd started out with his sheep for the pasture; all the hundred were there. He led them to the places where the greenest grass could be found, and to the clear, cool streams of water when they were thirsty. When it was time to return to the fold, he called them to him, and led them back again. They passed through the narrow door, one by one. The shepherd talked to them, and petted them. If any little lamb had cut its feet on the sharp stones, he poured oil on the hurt place. He counted as they passed in—one, two, three! He counted until he came to the last—ninety-nine! Ninety-nine! But there should be one hundred! He counted again. One was missing! Now the way was long, and the shepherd was tired. But he forgot all that; he fastened the door of the fold and went back to hunt for his poor, lost sheep. Perhaps it was fastened in the briers; perhaps the wolves would get it. The shepherd clutched his club. He peered over the rocks; he looked in the shadows. He looked everywhere. He called until the echoes rang. Presently he heard a weak little “ Ba-a-a!” He called again; the little sheep answered. He followed the voice. Poor little Wandering Sheep had strayed away from the others; he was all alone, crying for his shepherd. The shepherd reached down among the rocks with his long crook, and tenderly lifted his little sheep up. He was cut and bruised and trembling with fright. He was hurt by the fall. He was hungry and miserable. The shepherd spoke his name so tenderly; then he gathered the sheep in his arms and carried him all the way back to the fold. When he reached home, he called to his friends and his neighbors: “ Come rejoice with me ! I have found my sheep which was lost!” 280 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON THE STORY OF THE LOST SHEEP IN BIBLE WORDS “ What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, f®r I have found my sheep which was lost.”— Luke 15:4-6. prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this beautiful story that Jesus told. May it make us more unselfish. May it make us very anxious to help in the spreading of the mes¬ sage of thy love. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Set up a sheepfold on the sand table. Make sheep cut-outs. Make a class poster in silhouette of an Oriental shepherd and his flock. SUNDAY SESSION THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS Luke 15:3-7 (Review and Apply) Memory Verse “ Let the peoples praise thee, O God; Let all the peoples praise thee.” •—Psalm 67:3 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 281 The Teacher’s Preparation Review the story of the Lost Sheep, emphasizing promi¬ nently the truths that the story was intended to show: the fact that the Father’s love is to be given to all, and that it is especially tender toward the less fortunate. Make the state¬ ment that little Indian boys and girls are among those to whom the love of God is to be carried. As was said in the preceding lesson, many of the chil¬ dren have been taught much about the Indians in the secular schools, and will be glad to tell what they remem¬ ber of these lessons. The handwork in connection with the lesson will be par¬ ticularly interesting to them, and they will be fully equal to the problems you give them. Let us remember that there is a natural hunger to know about God in the individual which has its beginning very early in life; and that in our studies of the primitive races of man, we find this same instinct. “ What is God ?” “ What are we ?” “ What is our re¬ lation to God ?” These questions are “ first ” questions, and there is a yearning wonder for the answers. Little children can easily understand this longing for the truth in the primitive races which so strikingly resembles their own sometimes subconscious questionings. We have been answering these questions by means of the stories in the Bible given by God for the answers. Now we take our pupils a step further: “ What is our relation to those in the world round about us ?” “ What is our duty in regard to the needs and questionings and longings of our fejlow men?” Stories about the apostles as they carried out Jesus’ last command begin the answer; and with these stories that fol¬ low, we bring the child into dawning consciousness of his own duty, and of his wonderful opportunity. Many of you who are teachers in secular schools or who are familiar with the work and the courses of study, know that Longfellow’s “ Hiawatha ” is the classic that is used to present Indian life to the children. Its peculiarly beauti¬ ful and appropriate rhythm, its simplicity, accuracy, its re¬ markably vivid word pictures, its truthfulness to the primi- 282 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS tive life, its fullness in the presentation of the manners and customs of the Indians, its lists of musical Indian names— all these and many other features make it admirably adapted to the need which it so long has served. A stirring Indian story showing strikingly the inborn longing for “ God ” has been adapted from “ Winning the Oregon Country,” by John T. Faris. This story takes us back to the early days when Marcus Whitman and his company blazed the trail to that wonder¬ land of the West, taking with them the white man’s “ Book of Heaven ” in response to the longings of the Nez Perces. Let us bear in mind the fact that our purpose is primarily to tell how God’s message of love has been and still is be¬ ing taken to these people who' need it. In this our work dif¬ fers from that of the teacher of the secular school whose primary purpose is to instruct in the manners and customs of these people. But with her work we should correlate ours, and one should supplement the other. The Story It was the Fourth of July, more than eighty years ago, away out west, in the land where scarcely anyone but Indians lived. Seven white people had come hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles from their homes, and now had stopped to rest awhile. Three Indian boys were traveling with them. Nowadays no one would think of traveling as those people were traveling. There was a spring wagon for the two women, but the stronger of the two generally rode on horseback. The two husbands also rode on horseback, and with them rode a friend who had accompanied them on their long journey. Then came two teamsters with wagons filled with things to eat, blankets, and tents. After these followed the three Indian boys who chattered together like magpies. They were helpful boys, for they could explain to the wild, unfriendly looking Indians who often passed that these were the great, wise medicine men and their wives from the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 283 East who had come to help their people, and to bring them the white man’s “ Book of Heaven.” For many, many moons the Indians of that far western land had wanted the white man’s “ Book of Heaven.” There were very few white men living in that land, but some of the old Indians had heard of the wonderful, won¬ derful Book. It told about the great God of the white man, and of the home in heaven where he lived. It told many, many things that the Indians wanted to know. The old men talked about the Book as they sat at the doors of their wigwams and smoked their peace pipes. The mothers wondered about it as they wove pictures about the Great Spirit in the blankets they were making. Even the little children had heard their fathers and grand¬ fathers talk of this wonderful Book that would help them to grow wise as the white men were. Now these travelers from the East had heard how the Indians longed for the Bible. They loved Jesus and knew his command, “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” They had the Bible with them, and were on their way to take it to the Indians. This is the reason that they had left their homes and had come on the long journey. “ Let us rest awhile on this Fourth of July,” they said. So they stopped, spread their blankets, and unfurled an American flag. Then they knelt down and thanked God for bringing them so far in safety, and asked him to help them the rest of the way. Then on they went. Every little while a band of wild Indians would pass them by. But the boys would say: “ These are the good Medicine Men from the East. They have come to bring the white man’s Book of Heaven.” By and by the travelers came near to the end of their journey, the land by the Big-Sea-Water. It was a land of great forests, in which lived many wild animals which the Indian fathers hunted with their bows and arrows. The Big-Sea-Water was filled with fish which the fathers caught and the mothers cooked. There was plenty to eat in that land called Oregon: fish and meat and roots and ber¬ ries. There were warm robes made of the skins of the buf- 284 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS falo and other wild animals. There were blankets which the mothers wove. The little boys and girls had coats of skin and mittens and shoes of fur. The mothers made these things, sometimes working with little baby brother or sister strapped to their backs. As the strangers from the East looked toward the land where they were going, they saw some Indians on horses rid¬ ing furiously toward them. The horses plunged and snorted. The strangers were frightened. “ But look!” said one of the Indian boys. “ See the white flag!” “ The white flag comes first/’ said another. “ The white flag means friends !” said the third. On came the Indians, riding faster and faster. They yelled! They made strange, wild motions with their arms! Never had the travelers from the East seen such riding! The horses dashed madly up to the strangers. Then in one volley the Indians shot their guns right over their heads! They wheeled their horses and came back. Then they turned again. Back and forth and round and round they rode dizzily. They performed all the mad tricks they knew, and so did their well-trained horses. “ This is the red man’s welcome,” said one of the Indian boys. “ They have watched for you for many moons,” said an¬ other. “ They have waited long for the Book of Heaven,” said the third. Not very long after that day the Indians and the good white men were busily working together. The Indians were cutting down trees from their big forests, logs so big and heavy that it took twelve of these eager red men to carry one log. They were helping the white men to build a school. When the school was finished and the fathers and the grandfathers sat at the doors of their wigwams to smoke the peace pipe, this is what they said: PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 285 “ Are you going to let your little Rabbit Skin go to the great tepee to see how the white man lives ?” “ Yes, he shall go,” and they smoked a while and thought. “ Are you going to let your little Rain-in-the-Face go to the great tepee to see how the white men live ?” “ Yes, he shall go.” Then one of the great braves said: “ Let the children go to the lodge of the white men. We are too old to learn.” “ Yes,” said another brave, “ we will hunt in the day¬ time while they are learning, and in the evening we will sit and smoke about the camp fire, and the children will tell us what the white men have told them is written in the ‘ Book of Heaven.’ ” “Yes,” said an old grandfather, “they will tell us all they have learned since the rising of the sun. We will listen to the words from the Book of Heaven while we smoke.” And so the Indians of the Oregon Country began to learn about the love of God. Topics to Talk About Homes, Food, Dress, Occupations, Implements of War, Beliefs. 286 PRIMARY C1IURCPI SCHOOL LESSONS QUOTATION PROM “ HIAWATHA ” DESCRIBING THE DRESS OE AN INDIAN BOY Dressed in deerskin shirt and leggings, Richly wrought with quills and wampum; On his head his eagle feathers, Round his waist his belt of wampum, With his mittens, Minjekawum, With his moccasins enchanted. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ God be merciful unto us, and bless us, And cause his face to shine upon us; That thy way may be known upon earth, Thy salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise thee, O God; Let all the peoples praise thee. Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” —Psalm 67:1-4a. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that thou dost love all people. We are glad that the message has traveled so far. May we be able to find some small way of helping to spread thy message of love. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Show the children how to set up an Indian tepee. Use thirteen poles sunk in the ground and tied at the top. Begin the weaving of an Indian blanket. (See directions for setting up a loom in the first book of this series, “ God the Loving Father.”) Cut out and make an Indian paper doll. See sketch. Set up an Indian camp, following the description given in “ Hiawatha.” Make a collection of Indian pictures to mount in a small scrapbook to send to some child who is a convalescent. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 287 Handwork and Blackboard Decoration CHAPTER XXX WEEK DAY SESSION A BOY AND HIS LUNCH BASKET John 6:1-14 Memory Verse “ With lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”—Jeremiah 31:3b. The Teacher's Preparation Our theme is “ The Children of the World for Jesus,” and we are to develop it by means of alternating lessons: first a Biblical story, then a story picturing some place in the world where the children need to have the knowledge of the love of Jesus carried to them. For to-day’s study let us lay stress upon the magnetism of Jesus, his drawing power: Jesus as a magnet. Let us show this characteristic through the story of the feeding of the five thousand. This story has been told before, and will be told again; but let us remember that these stories are many-sided, and that they teach many different lessons. In choosing it two points will be gained: the repetition of the facts, which is essential, and the development of the new thought. Historical Statement At the time of the occurrence of this incident, Jesus’ hold upon the “ common people ” was growing, much to the dissatisfaction of the ruling and upper classes. Herod Antipas had murdered John the Baptist, and now super- stitiously concluded that Jesus was his victim, returned from the dead. Jesus knew that at the present time neither he nor his followers were safe within Herod’s territory, so, con¬ sidering this fact, and also remembering that they were all 288 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 289 very much wearied from their long and extended labors in behalf of the multitudes, he arranged for a holiday out amongst the hills and glens of the country round Bethsaida, across the lake. They would take one of the fishing ships, make for the northeast coast, land and find their way out into the country, thus finding relief from the tension of overstrained nerves. But the plan was not to be carried out so easily; some one saw the departing boat and spread the news. The eager multitudes poured from Capernaum and other villages on the lake, and hurried on foot, reaching the place even before Jesus and his party landed. The tired Master gave up his holiday and his greatly needed rest, and spent the day in healing, comforting, teach¬ ing, preaching. All through your story picture the little boy edging his way through the crowd, fascinated and drawn by the mag¬ netic presence. Make Jesus his Magnet. This Story There was once a boy who lived in Capernaum, a town by the side of a sea. There were many good times for a boy who lived by the seashore in those long-ago days. He could watch the fisher¬ men come in with their boats loaded with fish. He could stand by when the men emptied their catch in great silvery piles on the beach. He could watch the fishermen wash their nets and mend the holes as they made ready for another trip. He could listen to their stories about the sudden storms that often stirred the waters until the waves rose up like big, angry monsters, almost as tall as mountains, so that no ship was safe upon them! Sometimes he could go * ^ong with the fishermen, and that was one of the best things a boy could do. Perhaps he would have a meal of fresh fish, baked over a fire built on the beach. Now at this time there was great excitement in the town by the Sea of Galilee. The most wonderful Man that the bov ever had seen had come to live there. He stayed at the home of Peter the fisherman. Twelve 290 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS men were his special friends, and went with him everywhere. James and John, two brothers who were also fishermen and owned a ship, were among those friends. The Man’s name was Jesus, and he did very wonderful things. The boy knew about some of these things. Right in Capernaum he had opened the eyes of two blind men. And there was a man who could not speak, a dumb man, who now was able to talk as well as anyone, just be¬ cause Jesus had bidden him do so! And a little girl, a rich man’s child, had fallen so sick that no doctor in all Capernaum could cure her. Her father had heard about Jesus, and had run to get him, for he was at that time out of town; but she had died before Jesus could reach her. Jesus went right on to the rich man’s house, and took the little girl by the hand, and spoke to her, and she rose from the dead! This was right in Capernaum by the sea! Wasn’t it enough to make a boy want to see the wonderful Man who was living in his own home city? He would find him; he would hear him speak; he would look into his face. / Now it was quite true that Jesus had done these wonderful things, and many, many more. He and his twelve special friends were tired; they needed a rest. So they planned to take a holiday, out in the country across the lake. They took one of the fishermen’s boats and soon were sailing toward the village of Bethsaida. But some one saw the boat. Disappointed people pointed to the Master whom they could not spare even for a day. “ He is gone!” they exclaimed. Then some one started to follow on foot round the edge of the lake. Others joined, and soon there was a crowd, hurrying, hurrying, almost running. They had a long distance to go, but they reached the land¬ ing place even before the boat got there. (Show by a map how this could be done.) Alas for Jesus’ rest! He looked into the tired, eager faces and gave up his holiday! Soon that boy found himself edging in and out of the crowd, because a boy can get through very small places. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 291 He wanted to get as close as he could to Jesus. He wanted to see what Jesus did. He wanted to look right up into his face. He wanted to be so near that he could hear every word. He wanted to see if, perchance, Jesus might do any more of those wonderful things. The boy was not disappointed. His eyes soon grew big with wonder. What a loving face! What a kind voice! How tenderly he looked at the sick people! And then—the boy saw— Lame children walked; blind men opened their eyes; sick people were made well. All at a touch or a word from the wonderful Man! And the boy crept closer and closer, in between the big people, wherever there was a space half large enough for even his body. He could not keep away. He forgot even to be hungry, and he had a good lunch along with him, five loaves and two fishes. By and by evening came. The disciples said: “ Master, the day is gone. There is nothing to eat here. Send the people away that they may go to the village and buy food for themselves.” “ They need not go away,” said Jesus, “ Give ye them to eat.” “ Why, Master, it would take a great deal of bread to feed such a crowd, even to give very little to each!” said one man. “ Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread would not be enough,” said another. “How many loaves have you?” asked Jesus. “Go and see.” One of the disciples named Andrew soon came back and said: “ There is a little boy here who has five loaves and two small fishes. But what are they among so many?” But here was the little boy’s chance! He came and gave his lunch to Jesus, all of it. “ Make the people sit down,” said Jesus to his disciples. Then all the crowd sat down on the grass; there were five thousand men, and a great many women and children. 292 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS They sat in groups as is done at a picnic. The gay-colored clothes made the field look as if it were covered with flowers. Jesus took the little boy’s five loaves and two fishes. He asked a blessing on the food. Then he began to break the bread and meat into pieces, and gave to his disciples to pass to the people. In some wonderful way, the food grew more and more and more. The hungry people ate as much as they wanted, and still there was enough to go round. All the men and women in the great crowd ate until they were hungry no longer. When the meal was over Jesus said, “ Gather up the pieces,” and the disciples filled twelve baskets with the fragments that remained. The little boy saw it all, and he never forgot that day. He was glad that he had been able to help the Master, and he would love him as long as he lived. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON : THE STORY IN BIBLE WORDS “ After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee.. . . And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. . . . Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do....One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes : but what are these among so many? Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he dis¬ tributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. And when they were filled, he .said unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 293 the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten.”—John 6:1-13. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we think that we should have done just as that little boy did, if we had been living in that long-ago time. We, too, would have been glad to have been there and to have been able to help. Perhaps we can find some way of helping now. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Weave a raffia basket, and put in it something to make some one happy. Make a poster picture of an Oriental boat upon the water. (See Blackboard Decoration.) Blackboard Decoration SUNDAY SESSION THE ESKIMOS John 6:1-14 (Review) Memory Verse “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. 294 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Ti-ie Teacher's Preparation After referring to the little boy who wanted to be with Jesus, to see him, to behold what he did, remind the pupils that this state of mind should be natural to all, and is the right of all little children. Some have not had the op¬ portunity of hearing about Jesus. Among these are many of the Eskimos, and to them the message of Jesus should go. Items of Interest for the Teacher to Weave into Her Story of Eskimo Life Their appearance, dress, food, climate of the homeland, homes, occupations of fathers, what the mothers do, sledges and dog teams, night and day in the far North, children’s playtime. Information may easily be gleaned from the following books: “ The Eskimo Twins,” Lucy Fitch Perkins. “ Eskimo Stories,” Smith. “ Little Folks of Many Lands,” Chance. “ Big People and Little People of Other Lands,” Shaw. The Story* Tobias, Metek, and Nasuk were three little Eskimo boys who lived up in the far North where it is very, very cold. Nasuk had a little sister whose name was Netka. In that strange land of snow and ice, there are six months of day, daylight all the time; then come six months of night when the sun does not shine. The children like the daylight season, and welcome the coming of the sun, for then it is less cold, and they can see to play their merry games. Tobias’ father was a great man in the place, and he owned a splendid team of dogs. When he went from place to place he rode in a sledge made of bone, and his dogs were hitched one after the other. The name of the wisest of all the dogs was Grim. He was the pet, and the children loved him. * This story is adapted from the book entitled “ Hans the Eskimo/’ (a story of Arctic Adventure) by Christiana Scandlin and is used by permission of the publishers, Silver, Burdett and Company. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 295 Grim was the only one of all the dogs that Mother Kersut allowed to come into the queer-looking house that was round like this (sketch), and was made of blocks of ice. These four little people were dressed in fur from head to foot. Father Hans caught the animals, and Mother Ker¬ sut sewed the skins into cunning little suits with a needle made from the bone of a walrus. Their stockings and shirts were made of the soft skins of birds, with the downy feathers turned inside. They had coats and hoods and trousers and boots of bearskin. Big fur mittens covered their hands. Indeed, they looked, at first sight, more like little bears than like children! The boys could play a long time on the ice and in the snow without feeling the cold. What fun it was to take a ride in the sledge drawn by a dozen dogs! Father carried a long whip which he could send flying through the air. The dogs liked the fun as well as the children. With a word from father they would come to a stop. “ Ka ! Ka!” father would shout; then on the dogs would dash again. When they reached home after their ride, the children would clamber out of the sledge. “ Wait a minute, boys,” father would say as they hurried to the igloo, as the funny-looking house is called. “ Let me go first.” Then he stooped and crawled on his hands and knees through the l6w, covered passageway, ten feet long. Up the steep incline at the end he went, pushed aside the heavy skin curtain which formed the door. Then he dropped down into the snug, dark igloo. “ All right! Come in,” he called. Then, one at a time, each of the merry party crawled in. Mother Kersut put some pieces of fat into a soapstone dish. Father Hans put a piece of dried moss and a little package of dried pussy willows on the dish beside the fat. He struck a piece of steel upon a stone. Then—Presto ! a spark of fire lighted the moss and made a merry flame which spread to the fat. The moss burned brightly like a candle and lighted the igloo and made it warm. 296 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The children shouted a welcome to the light and danced about it with their hands spread out to catch its warmth. Father Hans brought in the skins and spread them about for carpets and beds. Mother warmed a piece of meat, and the family ate their supper. “ You promised to tell us a story, father,” said Tobias, when all were comfortably seated round the stove. “ I remember,” said Father Hans. “ What shall it be ?” But Father Hans was not surprised when all the children cried: “ About the Christ-child, father! The story about the Christ-child!” Many years before, Father Hans had worked on a ship for one of the white men who had come from the country in the far Southland, and he had told the story of the com¬ ing- of the Christ-child. Father Hans had remembered it always, and this was the story he told: How the Christ-child was born in a manger; how the shepherds saw the bright light which rested over his birthplace; how the angels told that the Christ-child had been born, and sang their beauti¬ ful song; how the shepherds hurried over the cold fields, led by the star, and found the dear Baby with his mother. The story was finished; that was all father knew. “ I wish that I could have heard the angels and have seen the Christ-child,” said Tobias, wistfully. “ So do I,” lisped little Netka. “ Do angels often come to the earth, father?” asked Tobias. “ No,” answered Father Hans. “ But the good white man said that in some places people believe that the Christ-child returns to earth at Christmas time and gives gifts to those children who have been good all during the year. The chil¬ dren hang up their stockings at the chimney on Christmas Eve.” “ I wish that we lived in the Southland, so that we might know all about those things,” sighed Metek. “ I wish we knew more about the Christ-child,” said Nasuk. “ Yes,” added little Netka, “ more about the Christ-child.” “ What is a chimney, father?” asked Tobias. “It is an opening over the stove for the smoke to pass through,” answered father. / PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 297 “If only we had a chimney,” said Metek. “ Perhaps the Christ-child might look down into our ig¬ loo through the window,” said Tobias. “If he should see our stockings hanging just beneath the window, perhaps, perhaps he would not pass us by!” ex¬ claimed Tobias excitedly. “ You may try it,” said father. So Mother Kersut gave them each a soft stocking made of feathery bird skins. Father pounded four nails made from the bone of a wal¬ rus just underneath the window, and the four children hung up their stockings and then went to bed. Soon they were sleeping soundly. It was midnight when little Tobias awoke. He sat up in bed and looked about him. All was very still except for the breathing of the sleepers. The little lamp gave a faint light. He softly crept from the skin coverlets, wrapped himself in fur, and made his way down the dark passage. Grim’s quick ears caught the sound. “ Grim,” he whispered. “ Grim, don’t bark. It is only Tobias.” Tap, tap went Grim’s tail on the snow floor. He patted Grim’s head, and the good dog rose and went with him. He went on. Then he looked out of doors and into the sky. A beautiful, bright star shone in the heavens, a star which seemed brighter than any of the others. “ Perhaps it is the Christmas star that guided the shep¬ herds!” whispered Tobias to himself. Then from the northern heavens there streamed a light. Higher and higher it rose. There came a flash of rose color, then green, then violet, until all the heavens seemed to glow. The light lasted a moment. Then it faded and went out. Tobias gave a sigh, hiding his face in Grim’s furry neck. “ We were too late to see the angels or hear them sing,” he whispered, “ but we saw the great glory.” Then he wished, oh, how he wished that he knew more about the Christ-child. The boy and the dog went back to sleep while the Christ¬ mas star traveled silently on its way. 298 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS When the children awoke they found something in every stocking. What shouts of delight filled the igloo! Each boy found something that he wanted; and in little Netka’s stocking was a funny doll made of bone and dressed in fur. Instead of candy they found sticks of walrus meat. Grim was as gay as anyone, and jumped about and barked, and the children gave him bits of their meat. And the children were happy on this happiest day of all the year, happy because they were keeping the birthday of the Christ-child. Conclude the lesson with a sentence or two about the right of these little children to know more about Jesus, and of their gratitude for knowledge. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship be¬ fore thee, O Lord; And they shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.” —Psalm 86:9, 10. “ The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light.” —Matthew 4:16. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the stories about Jesus and his love that have been told to us. May all little children the wide world over, be told of his love. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Represent the home of the Eskimo children on the sand table. Use a half of a coconut shell for the igloo, covering it over with a coat of whitewash, white paint, or even a crinkly white paper napkin. Indicate sketchily the cakes of ice. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 299 The children will be interested in making Eskimo dolls, sledges, dogs, white polar bears, and fish from cardboard, to supply the needed life. Blackboard and Handwork Hllps CHAPTER XXXI WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS TELLS A STORY ABOUT A FATHER’S LOVE Luke 15:11-32 Memory Verse “ Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him. ,, —Psalm 103:13. The Teacher’s Preparation As you prepare these lessons, keep constantly in mind your theme: “The Children of the World for Jesus.” Bring out in this Biblical lesson some phase of the “ needs ” of the “ children the wide world over.” A very young child understands the meaning of forgive¬ ness ; he realizes his own little, everyday naughtiness, the feeling of guilt, the relief when forgiveness has been granted after mother or father has been told all about it. The heavenly Father is represented in this parable of Jesus as a Father who welcomes the sinner who' is sorry, and who gives an abundant share of love to him. He is represented as a father to whom a little stranger, or one who has unknowingly or even knowingly broken his rules, may come without fear and ask forgiveness, sure of a loving reinstatement and a welcome. This parable was told just after the telling of the parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Piece of Silver. It reinforced the teachings of these two stories in a remarkably forceful manner, showing the tenderness of God’s love. Use it as a orelude for one of these other lessons, giv¬ ing illustration of certain little children who need to be told of all this love which is theirs. 300 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 301 The purpose of the secular illustrative lessons is to awaken the social service and missionary spirit in the hearts of our pupils. Before: the Story One day Jesus was trying to show how much the heavenly Father wants everyone to come to him, even those who have made mistakes and have sinned, those who have been selfish, and mean, and altogether full of wrong; how the Father longs to have them come to him and ask his forgiveness and share in his love. Lie said, “ Let me tell you a story.” And this is the story. The Story Once there was a man who had two sons. He was a rich man, and the two boys had had everything that a loving father could give them: a pleasant home, plenty to eat, and comfortable clothes to wear. One day the younger son came to his father and said: “ Father, I have come to ask you to give me my share of the property; the share that you intend to leave to me, which is my right.” Of course the son knew that he was the younger of his father’s two boys, and that it was the law in that land for the younger to have only half as much as the older. He understood all this when he said, “ I pray thee, give me my share that I may have it now, to do with as I like.” The father, then, did as this son asked. Lie divided his wealth and gave his younger son his share, to do with as he liked. The other portion was for his older son, but he saved this part in his own keeping until the time that he should die, as he should have done with the younger son’s part, if his boy had not begged it away. Now when this younger son had all this large sum of money in his own hands to do with as he liked, he began to act in a strangely foolish way. By and by he began to feel that his father’s house and even his home city were too tame for him. He longed to go where he could see new sights and to be where he could spend his money just as he liked, to have a very gay time. 302 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS So he said good-by to his father and his brother and left his home and traveled away. For a while he had a very gay time. It was easy to make friends wherever he went. He spent his money for everything he wanted. He ate too much; he drank; he bought clothes that were altogether too costly! After a while he noticed that his money was growing less; and it was not so long before it was gone. Now about this time a great famine arose in the land. Nothing grew in the fields, which made food hard to get, and very costly. Instead of having the daintiest food, the young man was glad enough to get the very coarsest. At last he was so poor that he had to go and ask for work —work of any kind in order to get money enough to buy the commonest food to eat to keep himself alive. One man gave him the job of keeping his pigs. This was a shameful piece of work for a proud Jew, for the Jews considered swine the most unclean of all the ani¬ mals ! But the younger son took the job, rather than starve. Even this did not turn out well, for his master paid no attention to his hunger or his poverty or his suffering. He was glad enough to eat the pods that were given to him to feed to the pigs. Then the ^on, tattered and torn and dirty and hungry, began to think about his old home and the good father whom he had left; the father whose teachings he had de¬ spised and forgotten. He grew very homesick. “ My father’s servants are far better off than I,” he said to himself as he fed the pigs. “ They have more bread than they can eat, and I, his son, am dying here of hunger.” He was ashamed of what he had done; sorry and ashamed. Then he said: “ I will arise and go back to my father. I will tell him how sinful I have been. I have sinned against heaven, and against him. I will tell him how sorry I am. I will tell him that I am no longer worthy to be called his son. I will ask him if I may be as one of his servants. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 303 I will work for my bread, if only he will take me back again.” So the lonely, ragged hungry son started on his journey toward his old home. But while he was yet a great way off his father saw him coming. He ran to meet him. When he reached him, he took his tattered son in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Nothing but forgiveness and love were in that father’s face. “ I have been very wicked, father. I have sinned against God and against thee. I am not worthy to be called thy son any longer.” But he could not say the rest of the story that he intended to say. The father understood. He saw that his boy was sorry, and that was enough. He forgave everything. “ My son has come home,” he cried to his servants. “ Bring me a robe, the best in the house! Put a ring on his finger! Put sandals on his feet! My son has come home!” Then he called to other servants: “ Kill the fatted calf! We shall have a feast to-day! My son has come home! I was afraid he was dead in a strange land! He has come home! Let us make merry in his honor!” Presently the house was gay with happy music and laughter and dancing. The fragrance of the feast stole out in the air. The elder brother came back to the house from the field. He heard the sound of the music and the laughter, and smelled the cooking feast, he called a servant and asked the cause of the merrymaking. But as he heard, he began to scowl and look very ugly, indeed. He was not glad to see his brother nor pleased because his father was happy. He would not enter the house. The good father came out to talk to him and ask him to come in. “ I have worked for you many years, and obeyed you al¬ ways. Yet you never gave me even a kid to make a party for my friends, not to speak of the fatted calf!” the older son said sullenly. 304 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Now this fellow comes along, and see what you do for him!” “ He’s wasted your money and has done everything bad that he wished!” grumbled the big brother. “Now he’s come back, and you give him the best robe, and kill the fatted calf for him!” “ My son,” said the father gently. “ You have been with me always. All that I have is yours. Have you forgotten that all that is left is really yours? You are my heir. “ Your brother has been away from me all this time and now has come back. Can you not spare this little pleasure for him? You should not be selfish! Surely you should be glad that your long-lost brother has come home to his father’s house! Surely you should be willing to give him a royal welcome!” Alter tiie Lesson In one or two sentences tell the children that God’s wel¬ come and forgiveness are like that shown by the father to the younger son in this story. Remark that we who' have the knowledge of God’s love do not want to be like the elder son, selfish and unwilling to share. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations; Laud him, all ye peoples. For his lovingkindness is great toward us; And the truth of Jehovah endureth for ever. Praise ye Jehovah.” —Psalm 117. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we have known what it is to do wrong things, and to be sorry, and we have known the gladness of being forgiven. We thank thee that thou art so loving and forgiving to us and to all who need to be forgiven. Keep us from being selfish and forgetful of other little children who need to know all about ways of coming to thee and sharing in thy love and forgiveness. Amen. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 305 Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Dramatize the story in several short dialogues: The younger son’s request of the father. The son goes on his journey. The return. The dialogue between the elder son and his father. Make a bookmark to give to father. SUNDAY SESSION THE CHILDREN OF CHERRY BLOSSOM LAND Luke 15 :25-32 Memory Verse “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”—Mark 16:15. The Teacher’s Preparation Review the secondary portion of the story of the Prodigal Son, the part which pictures the selfishness of the elder son. The study of Japan and the little children of that flowery land may be made very interesting to your pupils. A few simple decorations in the room, such as chrysan¬ themums (real or paper), lanterns, fans, and parasols will suggest the country. Tell a little about this far-away country, which is an island country: about the beautiful snow-capped mountain, Fuji¬ yama, so well-beloved that it is found in very many Japanese pictures; tell of the love which the Japanese have for their gardens, which are of all sizes from the great estates contain¬ ing rockeries, pools, and bridges to the tiny bowl affair with its bit of green, its stones, and toy fish and frogs. Describe or show models and pictures of the interesting bamboo houses; tell of the furnishings of low cushions instead of chairs, tiny tables with trays for the food and dishes; tell how the Japanese eat their food with chopsticks. Tell some¬ thing of the food: fish of all kinds, fowl, meat, fruits, rice, and tea. 306 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS An interesting talk could be made about tea, and how it is grown. Another talk could be planned about the silk industry; how many little children are employed to feed and raise the worms on ground mulberry leaves; about the unhappy lives of the girls who work in the silk factories. Japanese: Children Describe their appearance; their dress (Kimono tied with obi, or sash, shoes, big pockets, paper handkerchiefs, para¬ sols) ; give some of their names. Tell how they sit on the floor; eat with chopsticks; ride in jinrikishas; read from the back of a hook to the front; how the girls often carry their baby brothers or sisters on their backs. Tell something of their holidays: Feast of Lanterns; Feast of Flags; celebration of the cherry-blossom season. Religion: The worship of idols (Buddha) ; tell something of their superstitions. The Story It was cherry-blossom time and the tree in the garden was a glory of pink and white bloom. Generally little O Hana was as gay as the butterflies, the cho cho as she called them, that danced from flower to flower. Indeed, little O Hana, or little Miss Flower as we should call her, was quite like a blossom herself, and many and many was the time when she and the cho cho played in the garden together. But to-day she was a very sad-looking little blossom, in¬ deed. She had no eyes for the cherry tree, and the cho cho lighted for a minute on the flowers of her gay kimono quite unnoticed. Her brown eyes were fixed on the great building that the foreign teachers had built as a school. . She did not even hear the shrill cry of kashi-uri, the cake seller, as he came along with a large tub filled with sweet cakes balanced on his head. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 307 Little O Hana had four sen, enough for two cakes, in her sash, hut she had forgotten all about them. Her little hands were clutching something else that was carefully tucked in the folds of her silken obi, as the broad sash was called. “ Honorable Miss Teacher/’ she sighed to herself, “ I wish you had it back!” Then she drew the “ something ” out and looked at it. It was the stone-studded comb that lately had rested in the hair of the newest teacher in the kindergarten, honorable Miss Golden-Hair, little O Hana called her. O Hana did not go to the school on the hill, but she wished that she did. Father worshiped the Buddha in the temple, and he would not let O Hana go to the school, though mother and he were very polite when honorable Miss Golden-Hair came to ask if O Hana might come. Mother gave her the softest cushion to sit upon, and brought out the prettiest bowl of sweetmeats and the loveliest cup of tea and the sweetest of all the cakes to make her feel quite at home. But “ No, noble teacher from afar would have to excuse miserable family, for insignificant child, O Hana, could not go to the honorable school!” It was when Miss Golden-Hair came into the house that O Hana first spied the comb which looked “ very adorable.” When Miss Golden-Hair had finished eating the cake and the sweetmeats, and had bowed good-by, O Hana looked again at the golden head. “ It are vanish,” she thought to herself. “ Where?” The gem-studded comb was gone. But it was not long after that she knew where the comb was. Right beside the cushion it lay, where it had fallen from the curls. O Hana picked it up. “ Oh, most magnificent comb!” exclaimed O Hana. “ I will put it in my own miserable hair!” O Hana went out into the garden with the treasure, and put the comb into her own dark, shining knot, then, looked down into the little, make-believe lake where the iris blos¬ soms grew. She nodded and smiled at the picture she saw. “Are I real? I are most Americanly!” she said to her- s elf. # For a week she had kept the American comb. Then some- 308 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS , thing happened, that turned all the happiness of O Hana into trouble. Brother Tak-e brought the news. He had been out near the foreign school flying his kite. He had seen the honorable teacher who had called, looking very white and ill, sitting on the verandah. “ Bottle of medicine and cup were on table near by; hon¬ orable teacher looked very sick,” said Tak-e. O Hana went into the garden and sat under the cherry tree. “ Clio cho, I never again can play as you do,” she said. “ It is all my fault! The comb was the honorable teacher’s charm. She has lost it!” Then a sudden fear made her heart seem to jump to her throat. “ Perhaps the Fox Woman is after her!” The Fox Woman! The very name made O Hana’s face grow pale. The foxes are the servants of the rice god, and change into human beings, so the Japanese children think. They are very much afraid of displeasing the Fox Woman and of the harm that she can do. They know no better. “ The Fox Woman has come to hunt the honorable teacher because her charm is gone!” said O Hana to herself. “ I wish she had it back. But I am afraid to take it. Oh, I am afraid of the Fox Woman.” So day after day O Hana sat under the cherry tree, look¬ ing like a very miserable little withered flower, indeed. “ O Hana must be sick,” said mother. “ She will not eat her rice and fish.” “ She is growing thin,” said father. O Hana really did make herself sick from mourning over the honorable teacher’s comb, which she still carried in the silken fold of her obi, and over her fright of the Fox Woman. “ I will call the honorable doctor that lives in the American school ” said father. “ He knows much about the sickness of children.” So the doctor came to see little O Hana, and when she looked into his kind face, something gave her courage to tell the secret she could not keep a minute longer. “ Magnificent doctor of the American school, will you PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 309 take this back to the honorable teacher with the golden hair ? The Fox Woman has got her! The Fox Woman has made her sick. She lost it under the cushion! It are vanish from her head! Will you take it back?’’ This was quite a jumble, and the doctor was puzzled at first. But he knew whom little O Hana meant by the teacher with the golden hair, and he remembered the comb. He knew, too, that poor little O Hana was suffering from fright of some kind. “And who is the Fox Woman, dear?” he said. “Tell me all about it.” “ The honorable Miss Golden-Hair came to see my mother, and sit on the cushion and eat sweetmeats and drink tea with the adorable comb in her head ”—O Hana stopped. “ And then ”—helped the doctor. “ And then she bow and it fell out and it vanish from her head.” “ And then you ”—helped the doctor. “ Then I found it and—and put it in my obi and went out into the garden—and—and put it into my own head.” “ Yes,” smiled the doctor, who began to understand. “And what about the Fox Woman?” “ She came after honorable teacher because the comb was gone,” sobbed O Hana. “ Oh, the comb was Miss Golden-Hair’s charm, you think,” said the doctor. “ Well, little O Hana, you will be glad to know that Miss Golden-Hair is quite well again, and you need not be afraid that the Fox Woman is troubling her at all. “ In a day or two, when you are better, you may come with me and give her back her comb, and she will tell you a story. Now take this medicine and shut your brown eyes and take a nap. You will feel much better when you wake up. I will come again to-morrow. The Fox Woman cannot come to the American school.” No one could help minding the most excellent American doctor, so O Hana was soon fast asleep, and, as the doctor saw in two days, she was quite herself again, ready for the expected visit to honorable Miss Golden-Hair. And what a visit that was! The honorable teacher with 310 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS the golden hair told her stories as they sat together on the veranda. O Hana asked if she could come again. “ Certainly you may, my dear,” answered Miss Teacher from Afar. “ And if the comb is the means of bringing you into our school, it will indeed be a treasure, but it certainly is not a charm to keep the Fox Woman away.” Not long afterwards father let O Hana go to the American school, and she learned how foolish she had been to believe the story of the Fox Woman. Better than that, she learned to read for herself the beau¬ tiful stories in the Book of God which Miss Teacher had come all the way to the land of the cherry blossoms to bring to the little children. Devotional Service a bibee reading lesson THE SELEISH BROTHER “ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.... But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him. But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a command¬ ment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but when this thy son came,.. .thou killedst for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine. But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother. . .was lost, and is found.”—Luke 15 : 25 , 28 - 32 . PRAYER Heavenly Father, may we never be selfish with the love that thou hast given to all the world. May we ever be ready to do our part, that other children may have their rightful share. Amen. Suggested Activities Represent phases of Japanese life on the sand table. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 311 Make cut-outs of dolls; make paper flowers, such as the chrysanthemum. Make little lanterns or fans. Make a special collection for the Kanazawa Mission. Blackboard Drawing CHAPTER XXXII WEEK DAY SESSION JESUS HELPING A MOTHER AND CHILD Matthew 15:21-28 Memory Verse “ Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”—Deuteronomy 10:19. The Teacher's Preparation The story chosen for to-day is most excellent to use in connection with our series of lessons in social service, in that it points in a marvelously true manner to the Christ- like way of treating those who may be likened to the “ so¬ journers ” in our own land. Kindness and sympathy should be shown to those who are strangers in our country. If the children can be taught to consider how they themselves would feel and act were they placed in similar circumstances, a great step toward reaching the right point of view will be taken. The Lesson Setting Jesus had attended the third passover at Jerusalem since the beginning of his ministry. He had gained a greater and more enthusiastic following from the ordinary people, who “ heard him gladly,” and a corresponding hatred from the scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem. They feared the results of his growing popularity; they were aroused to fury. Herod Antipas was superstitiously afraid of Jesus, as¬ sociating him closely with John the Baptist whom he had murdered. In the vicinity of Jerusalem animosity toward Jesus was especially pronounced, and it was constantly spreading to¬ ward the districts of the north. Jesus knew that his earthly life with his disciples was 312 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 313 rapidly drawing toward its close, and he stressed his teach¬ ings in every way possible, by precept, by story, and, when¬ ever opportunity presented itself, by concrete example. One of his missions was to impress the fact of the “ wide¬ ness ” of his gospel; of the misconception which the ex¬ clusive Pharisees held; of the mistake of saying that his gospel was an “ exclusive ” gospel, of the unloveliness of selfishness in the enjoyment of his love. A remarkable opportunity came when he met the Syro- phoenician woman, who 1 came imploring aid for her afflicted daughter. To escape for a time the accusing scribes and Pharisees, Jesus, accompanied by his twelve disciples, left Galilee and and directed his course to the north, in the direction of Tyre and Sidon. The road led over the highlands, in view of snowy Mount Lebanon, then on toward the plain where Tyre is located on the Mediterranean Sea. Tyre was a city of great age; it is thought to have been founded about 2750 b.c. In the minds of Jesus and his disciples it was probably thought of as the city to whose king, Hiram, David applied for aid in obtaining lumber for building the Temple. The Tyrians were a people devoted to commerce, and they naturally were familiar with the seas. Among their products were metal and glassware, and they were especially noted for their beautiful dyes, particularly the far-famed “ Tyrian purple ” obtained from fish abound¬ ing in the waters of the vicinity. Their trade made them princelike in wealth, and their wares were famous among all the nations. But the Tyrians, with all their property, were not recog¬ nized as equals by the scribes and Pharisees. They were idolaters, their god being Baal. They belonged to the de¬ spised Canaanitish race. The Canaanitish woman (Syrophoenician) came to Jesus with her agonized request. Here was an opportunity to teach the disciples a very forceful concrete lesson. Thl Story A long journey over a rocky road in the days when Jesus lived on earth would make the feet very tired. 314 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS When a traveler started he put on his stoutest, strongest sandals, as the shoes were called. Sandals would be odd-looking things to see on a traveler’s feet to-day. They were made of leather, something like the sole of your shoe, and fastened on with a strip of leather, which was passed under the foot, and then crossed at the ankles and tied. The skin of the foot was kept from the sharp stones, in¬ deed, but how the dust soiled and how it tired! No wonder the sandals must be taken off and left at the door when a house was reached, and the feet bathed in cool, cleansing water! One day Jesus and his twelve disciples started on a long journey. Much of the way was through a rough and rocky country. They had strapped their sandals on their feet, and girded their mantles about them. The scribes and proud Pharisees were angry at Jesus for helping the common people. They were seeking to harm him. This was why it was best for him to go away for a little while. Jesus was very sorry to see how the proud and the rich often treated those who were poorer, and those who did not belong to the same nation as themselves. Whenever he could, he taught a lesson about the right way to treat these people. As Jesus and his followers walked along, Jesus talked to them. This made the way seem less hard to travel. After many miles the road became more smooth, and by and by they came in sight of a beautiful city by a sea. It was the rich and wonderful city of Tyre, and its roofs and towers looked very beautiful as the bright sun shone upon them. But the Jews—the scribes and the Pharisees—despised the people who lived in this land. They belonged to a different nation; they were different in very many ways. As Jesus and his disciples walked along, a woman drew near. She was in great trouble, and her face looked sad. Her little girl was very ill at her home. “ Help me! O Lord, help me!” she cried. “ My little daughter is very ill.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 315 The disciples glanced at the woman. She was not a Jewess. “ She is one of these Canaanites that live about here, a foreigner,’’ they thought to themselves. “ Jesus is not for her,” said each man to himself. “ Send her away; for she crieth after us,” they said. But Jesus said, “ I did not come only for the Jewish peo¬ ple, but for all.” The woman worshiped Jesus and said, “Lord, help me!” Jesus thought that he would test her, and also teach a lesson to his disciples. “ It is not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs,” said Jesus. The Jewish people had a very wrong way of calling any¬ one who was not a Jew a dog. He let his disciples hear how it sounded. But the woman said, “ Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” This was the same as saying, “Yes, Jesus; but others may have a share of thee after the Jews have had their share.” Jesus was very much pleased with her answer. “ You are right; I have come for all,” he said. “ Because thou believest this, thou shalt have thy wish. Thy daughter is healed.” And when the mother went home, she found her child happy and well. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ And they were bringing unto him little children, that he should touch them.. . . “ Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God.. .. “ And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.”—Mark 10:13, 14, 16. Prayer Heavenly Father, help us to remember this lesson about t 316 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS being kind to those who belong to a different nation from ourselves, to those who are strangers in our land. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Cut a paper model of a sandal. Do one especially kind deed to a foreigner. SUNDAY SESSION THE IMMIGRANT CHILD Matthew 15:21-28 (Review) Memory Verse “ Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”—Deuteronomy 10:19. The Teacher's Preparation These lessons on “ the stranger ” or the “ foreigner ” may be made very practical to your pupils. There are few lo¬ calities where the immigrants are not found, and the chil¬ dren are thrown into close association with these other children in very many of the public schools. Your pupils can be taught to put themselves in the posi¬ tion in which these little children have found themselves. It PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 317 will not be difficult to picture their loneliness among stran¬ gers ; their awkwardness because of the unaccustomed sur¬ roundings ; their disadvantages because of their ignorance of customs; their helplessness because of language diffi¬ culties. These things call for sympathy rather than for the ridicule which they sometimes receive, and much of that sympathy may be given by the children to the children. Review the story of Jesus’ encounter with the foreign woman, and stress particularly his kindness to her. Then tell a story of an everyday association with those of other lands, such as the following. The Story Silas, who was chauffeur, gardener, and helper in general for Charlotte’s father, came in one morning and announced a piece of news in a very indignant voice. “ An Italian family’s come to live in de little house down by de orchard road!” Father had to catch the train for the city, and scarcely put down the paper he was reading while he drank his last bit of coffee, so he answered absent-mindedly: “Well, Silas, I can trust you. Hurry the car round here; we’ll be just in time. I’ll have to hear about this another day.” “ Yes, suh,” answered Silas whose greatest pride was his ability to drive a car, and to get Charlotte’s father to the train. But an Italian family in the house by the orchard road! Silas hated Italians! Besides, the little house by the orchard road had long, long been occupied by colored families, and now that it was empty, Silas had hoped-to get it for his sister and her little family. “ I’s powerful disappointed !” said Silas to himself. “ Yes suh, I’s powerful disappointed; but I reckon mebbe I kin git em out!” which wasn’t a very nice thing for Silas to say to himself at all. “ Them chillun shore will be gittin into mischief!” And he nodded wisely. But the days passed by, and Silas saw very little indeed of the children who lived in the little house. 318 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Mother, there are five of them, I know. There is a lit¬ tle girl about as old as I am; she has big, brown eyes, and I’d like to speak to her, but she always hurries past,” said Charlotte to her mother. One thing only could Silas find to make complaints about: “ Dat old dawg which follows de biggest Italian boy.” It was “ dat old dawg ” that Silas was “ shore ” must have broken up the setting hen’s nest. It was the Italian “ dawg ” that teased the calf. The Italian “ dawg ” frightened his lit¬ tle nephews when they came to see him. It was even the Italian “ dawg ” that got into the cellar and spoiled the watermelon. “ But a dog doesn’t care for watermelons, Silas,” said Charlotte. “ I think it was a rat.” “You’ve never actually seen any of these things, Silas?” queried father. “ No, suh, but it’s the onliest way I kin think of. I’s powerful certain it must ov been that Italian boy’s dawg.” Not long after Silas had accused the Italian boy’s dog of stealing the sponge with which he washed the automobile, and while he was washing the car with a brand-new sponge, somehow, he slipped and fell in the garage. Crack! The muscles of poor Silas’ ankle were wrenched out of place! He tried to get up, but fell back with a groan. “ It’s broke ! It shore is broke! And it do hurt!” Then he began to call: “ Mis’ Charlotte ! Mis’ Charlotte !” But Charlotte was somewhere playing, and her mother was in a part of the house which the sound could not reach. “ Oh ! Oh ! Oh !” yelled Silas with pain and fright. Then presently he heard footsteps, and the Italian boy stood in the doorway with his dog. “ Oh ! Oh ! Oh !” groaned Silas. “ What-a you done to yourself?” asked the boy. “You break-de foot, yes?” The dog gave a yelp of sympathy. “ Go call Mis’ Charlotte, the big Mis’ Charlotte,” begged Silas. “ The little girl’s mother ?” asked the boy. “ Yes ; hurry up,” begged Silas. The boy went to the house and found Charlotte’s mother, and told her about the accident, PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 319 “ Oh, L’m so sorry! And the telephone is out of order this morning! I tried to use it a few minutes ago and couldn’t!” “ I’ll tell-a the doctor, leddy! See! I’m to tak-a de roses to de store. I’ll hurry!” said the boy. “ Why, thank you, dear child,” answered Charlotte’s mother gratefully. “ You are one of the little children who have moved into the house by the orchard road, are you not ?” So Pietro hurried away with his dog at his heels, and Charlotte and her mother went to find Silas. They helped him to a chair and were making him as comfortable as pos¬ sible when the doctor’s automobile drew up, and Silas was given into the physician’s care. Charlotte turned to see the brown-eyed little Italian girl looking sympathetically at the broken foot. “ Is he hurted much ?” she asked. “ I hope not, dear; but we are thankful to your brother for lending a helping hand. A real good little Samaritan he proved himself,” said mother. “ I brung you dis,” she said shyly to Charlotte. “ Oh, the lovely rose!” exclaimed Charlotte. “ Did it grow in your garden ?” and she started to smell it. “ No,” laughed the little Italian girl. “ I made it!” “You made it!” echoed Charlotte. “ We make-a de roses at our house. Hundreds and hun¬ dreds of roses for de hats. Raphael, Maria, Lucia, Philomena,” said the little girl, pointing to herself. “ Pietro take-a them to de store.” “ O mother, may I go and see?” cried Charlotte excitedly. “ Yes, dear; and I will go along. Here, let us take a basket of these pears from the garden.” “ Like-a de garden of de rich man in my countrie, Italia,” said Philomena, wistfully. “I make-a all-a my^roses like-a de roses in de rich man’s garden in my countrie.” They reached the tiny house. There in the front room they worked, all the little family except the baby who played with one of Philomena’s roses in a chair by mother’s side.. The table was piled high like a mountain with bits of silk and rosy petals and pieces of wire. Such earnest, grown-up faces for little children. The mother rose and told something of their story: In A. 320 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS their own country they had been quite comfortable before the war. Father was a gardener for one of the nobles; but he had been killed, and the family had come to America as a haven. “ I could not keep-a de children in de great city,” said mother. “ I begged for a place near a garden. The man that dug-a de well,” she pointed to a new dwelling, “ he live in New York. He tell-a me about dis. I come.” “ And so you settled near our garden,” said mother smil¬ ing. “ O, mother, they are really our little neighbors from across the sea,” exclaimed Charlotte. “ What fun we’ll have in getting acquainted.” And one little Italian family had a royal welcome after that day. Even Silas and the dog became the finest of friends. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song: Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth.” —Psalm 96:1. “He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the sojourner, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”—Deuteronomy 10:18, 19. PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us always to try to remember how we should like to be treated, were we strangers in a strange land. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Do some especially kind thing for a foreign child this week. LEARNING TO KNOW AND TO DO GOD’S WILL CHAPTER XXXIII WEEK DAY SESSION MOSES THE PRINCE Exodus 1:7-14, 22; 2:1-10 Memory Verse “Certainly I will be with thee.”—Exodus 3:12a. The Teacher’s Preparation God’s people, the Israelites, had been living in Egypt since the time when Joseph, having received his vision of the coming famine through God’s revelation, made himself so indispensable to Pharaoh, the king. In return for his in¬ estimable services Pharaoh invited the family of Joseph to leave the famine-stricken districts of Canaan and come to Egypt, giving them a home in the Land of Goshen. This Pharaoh belonged to the Hyksos dynasty, the Shep¬ herd Kings, who had seized the government from the real Egyptians. The Jews were happy and prosperous in the fertile coun¬ try, and became a constantly increasing nation as the years passed on. Indeed, they became educated in a civilization far superior to their own simple manner of life in the land of Canaan, for Egypt was a center of all luxury and splendor of the then-known world. But a new dynasty arose; the Hyksos were deposed, and the Egyptians came into their own again. An unfriendly Pharaoh began to take alarm because of the strength and prosperity of the foreign element in their land. So the Hebrews were reduced to a condition of slavery, and in every way their lives were made wretched. They were compelled to perform all the menial tasks for the rich, their masters, the Egyptians, and to engage in all the hardest labor in the great building enterprises for which that Pharaoh was famous. 323 324 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The Bible describes their weariness, and the injustice of the taskmasters as the slaves made bricks under the burning Egyptian sun. The native Egyptians desired the extermination of the hated race, so Pharaoh cruelly ordered that every male child that was born should be thrown into the River Nile. Our story for to-day relates how the little Moses, destined to become the emancipator of his people, was saved from the decree. The: Story Many, many years ago, in the land of Egypt, there lived a little girl and a boy who had a tiny, baby brother. Miriam was the oldest of the family; then came Aaron. Aaron was three years old when his baby brother was born. The two children thought that little Moses was the dearest baby they ever had seen. “ Isn’t he beautiful, mother?” Miriam would say a dozen times a day. Little Aaron would look down into the baby’s face and smile, when mother showed him his little brother. “ Yes, baby Moses is a beautiful child. But children, do not tell anyone that you have a baby brother. Do not tell anyone!” Mother spoke very soberly, as a troubled look came into her face. “ Miriam, child, sometimes mother will leave the baby in your care. Try to keep him from crying! No one must hear him. If the king finds out that you have a baby brother, our little Moses will be thrown into the river Nile!” “ Wicked king!” Miriam’s dark eyes flashed. “ Miriam will keep the secret,” thought mother to herself. “ But Aaron is so little, only three years old. Sometimes I am afraid ”— Then she told the story all over again: how Pharaoh, the king, hated the Hebrew people; how he had made them slaves; how he made the fathers work day after day, lifting great heavy loads of bricks to the builders who were mak¬ ing Pharaoh’s wonderful buildings; how some of the fathers had to make the bricks. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 325 “ Now the taskmasters make father work harder than ever,” said mother as the tears filled her eyes. “ Wicked king !” said Miriam. “ But the crudest thing that Pharaoh has done is to corn- mand that all the little, newborn baby boys shall be thrown into the river,” said mother as she gathered baby Moses close to her breast. So the days passed, and the baby grew sweeter, and they loved him more dearly. One month, two months passed, and at last the baby was three months old. “ I am afraid that I can hide him no longer,” thought mother to herself. One day she went down to the river and gathered some reeds. She made a cunning basket, just large enough to hold the baby. She daubed it with pitch and made it water-tight, so that it should not sink. Then she kissed her baby, placed him in the basket, and carried it down to the river. She then hid it among the tall grasses. “ Watch, Miriam,” she said, “ and if anyone comes, run and tell me.” The little sister watched faithfully. Presently she heard footsteps. Nearer and nearer they came. “ Oh, it is the princess! It is the king’s daughter!” thought Miriam. It was, indeed, Pharaoh’s daughter. She was coming to the river with her maids to bathe. “ What is that little basket among the reeds ?” she said. Then Miriam heard her command one of her maids, “ Go and get it for me!” The maid brought the basket. “ Open it!” said the prin¬ cess. “ A baby!” she exclaimed. “ What a beautiful child it is ! It must be one of the Hebrew children!” The baby began to cry. “ Poor little child!” said the princess. Miriam drew near. “ Shall I go and get a good nurse to help you take care of the baby?” she asked, while her heart thumped so loudly that she was afraid the princess would hear it. 326 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Yes, go!” said the great lady. Miriam ran home as fast as she could. “ Mother, O mother, come quickly! The king’s daughter has found the baby! She has sent me to find a good nurse. Come quickly, mother; come quickly!” The mother hurried to the river bank, and soon held her dear baby in her arms. “ Take care of him for me,” said the princess. “ I shall bring him up as my son.” So little Moses was brought up as a prince of the land of Egypt. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song: Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; Show forth his salvation from day to day.... For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.” —Psalm 96:1, 2, 4. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee that thou knowest what is happening in the world which is thine, and that thou carest for thine own. We thank thee that thou hast a plan for the lives of thy children. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Have a short talk about the character of the buildings in ancient Egypt, and make a sand-table representation. (See the blackboard sketch.) Make an impromptu dramatization of the story. Scene I Conversation between the mother and the two children, Miriam and Aaron. A doll may represent the baby. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 327 ScLNIv II Miriam watching basket. The Egyptian princess and her attendants approach. The conversation between Miriam and the princess. Miriam brings her mother, and the princess gives the baby into her care. Blackboard Decoration SUNDAY SESSION THE PRINCE BECOMES A SHEPHERD Exodus 2:11-21; 3:1-12, 17; 4:1-5; Hebrews 11:23-25 Memory Verse “ Certainly I will he with thee.”—Exodus 3:12a. The Teacher's Preparation Recent discoveries are shedding a remarkable light upon the wonderful civilization attained in ancient Egypt. In the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time has been made in the finding of the burial chambers of the Egyptian King Tutank¬ hamen. The relics buried with the king show the splendor and luxury of the life of that age. 328 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Magnificent beds and couches of gilt inlaid with ivory and semiprecious stones; beautiful boxes decorated with ebony and ivory, containing embroidered robes, jewels, and golden sandals; golden chariots incrusted with embellishments of carnelian, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and alabaster vases of exquisite workmanship—these and many other objects testify to the wonderful state of development of the Egyp¬ tian race. Ramses II is supposed to have been the Pharaoh of the oppression. He began his sovereignty when very young, and had a long reign. Egypt reached a high state of prosperity under his rule, and he was a great warrior. Meneptah II is supposed to have been the Pharaoh of the Exodus. He is believed to have been the thirteenth son of Ramses II. The daughter of Pharaoh brought up the child Moses, and he had all the advantages of a prince of this land of luxury and culture. This, added to the natural gifts which had been bestowed upon him by birth, rendered him re¬ markably prepared to become the leader of God’s people, which was his destiny. The court life must have been exceedingly attractive to the young, adopted prince, but Moses remembered that he really belonged to the suffering Hebrew people, and when he realized that God had called him for the special mission of extricating them from their misery, he returned to his own race. The; Story Little Prince Moses had so many beautiful things that he did not know what to do with them all. His robes were made of the costliest cloth and were richly embroidered. He wore sandals such as only princes could afford. He had a beautiful ring upon his finger. When he was tired of play, he rested upon a couch of gold inlaid with lovely, colored stones. When he was hungry, servants brought him delicious food on beautiful dishes. When he was hot, a servant fanned him with a great, long- handled fan made of gorgeous feathers. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 329 Whenever he liked, he went to ride in a golden-wheeled chariot. The years passed on, and each birthday that came found Moses a little stronger, a little taller, a little wiser. He was a great favorite in the palace. The king’s daughter loved him dearly; and even the king, her father, grew very fond of the handsome bov. J There was one however, who loved him more dearly than all others: his nurse, who really was his own mother. By and by the prince was old enough to go to watch the workers on the new buildings that the king was having made. He saw the burden bearers, the brickmakers. He saw the taskmasters strike the slow, and the tired, and the old who could not keep up with the work. He heard the groans of those who were overworked; he heard the cruel voices of the king’s taskmasters. “ Who are these who do the king’s work ?” he asked. Probably it was his mother nurse who told him. They were the Hebrews, his own people, slaves of Pharaoh! And so Moses learned more and more about these things as the days passed on, and he thought more about them than he did about the embroidered robes and the dainty food, and the golden chariot. At times his face was very sad. One day he saw an Egyptian taskmaster whip one of his people. There seemed to be no one near. Moses flew at the man angrily. He struck him! He struck harder than he in¬ tended ! The man was killed! Moses buried him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews quar¬ reling. He said to the man who did the wrong, “ Why do you smite your fellow worker?” “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?” an¬ swered the man, turning angrily. “ Do you think you can kill me as you killed the Egyptian, yesterday?” Moses’ wicked, wicked deed had been seen! He was afraid. He did not dare to go back to the palace; he left all the beautiful things that had been given to him, and ran away to save his life. He hurried to a place called Midian where shepherds lived. 330 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS He went to the house of an old man named Jethro, and helped him to take care of his sheep. He must often have grieved when he thought of the wicked deed that he had done. While he was out in the fields he also often thought of his poor people, still toiling for Pharaoh. He could not be happy while they worked so hard. One day, as he was with his flocks, he saw a very strange sight. A bush was burning, but it grew no smaller and was not destroyed. “ I will go closer and see this strange thing,” said Moses to himself. As he drew near, a voice from the bush said, “ Moses, Moses!” “ Here am I,” he answered. God was speaking, and his voice continued: “ Come no nearer. Put off thy shoes from thy feet, for this is holy ground. I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then God told Moses how he had seen the suffering of the children of Israel. God said: “ I know their sorrows. I am about to help them, to bring them away from Egypt to the land that I have promised them.” God then told Moses that he had chosen him to go back to Pharaoh’s land to help the people to get away. God said, “ I will be with thee.” Moses was afraid to go back at first. “ They will not believe me,” he said. It was going to be a hard task. But God promised to give him power and to help him. He said to Moses, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” And Moses chose the hard way. Always after that his work was to be for God and his people. Devotional Service: A BIBLE READING LESSON A PART OE THE STORY IN BIBLE WORDS “ Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro. . .and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 331 And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Llere am I/’—Exodus 3:1-4. PRAYER Heavenly Father, teach us that everyone in all the world must make choices of ways to do things, choices between right ways and wrong ways. Thou knowest that sometimes the right way seems harder than the wrong way. Help us to be as brave as Moses was when we make our choice. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Copy this “ short story ” on the blackboard, letting the children fill in the blanks: The Hebrews made - in Egypt. The-was cruel to them. Sometimes the taskmasters - them. God chose-to help them. Make a cut-out poster representing Moses as a shepherd. CHAPTER XXXIV WEEK DAY SESSION “ HERE AM I ” Exodus, chapter 3; 4:1-19 Memory Verse “ I have chosen the way of faithfulness.’’—Psalm 119:30. The Teacher’s Preparation For forty years Moses tended the sheep of Jethro in the wilderness. This was a period of preparation for the great work for which he was destined; it was a time for prayer and communion with God; it was a period of introspection. Before this he had had the remarkable training which the court life of Pharaoh gave him, so that he became the well- rounded man needed for the great undertaking. The wilder¬ ness training was to be a schooling of forty years to sup¬ plement the brilliant advantages given in Egypt. A new Pharaoh now occupied the throne of Egypt, and the woes of the Hebrews were increased. There were three million of his countrymen in the most humiliating and in¬ sufferable bondage. God had been watching the oppression of his people, and now the time had come for their deliver¬ ance, and the man whom God had chosen for their emanipa- tor was ready. Let us take up this history at the incident of the burning bush, thus making the connection by lapping over a bit with the preceding story. While wandering with his sheep in the wild pasture ground, Moses saw a remarkable phe¬ nomenon : a scrubby bush in the desert-like earth seemed to be burning. Moses watched, but it grew no smaller, neither were its leaves consumed. He determined to investigate. When he drew near a voice called from the fire, “ Moses! Moses!” Moses answered, “ Here am I.” 332 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 333 It was God speaking to him, and he tells Moses that he has watched with displeasure the suffering of his people, that the time for deliverance has come, and that he has chosen Moses for the deliverer. Fully did Moses realize the responsibilities of this stu¬ pendous work, and he wavered before giving his promise for the undertaking. Four times he excused himself. First, he was not worthy enough; he was not a big enough man for the work. But God promised to be with him. For his second excuse he told God that he should not know what to say when the children of Israel would ask, “ Who sent you ?” God made this quite clear by saying, “ Tell them that ‘ I Am ’ sent you.” Next he told God that the children of Israel would not believe him nor listen to him. God then gave him the power of performing three miracles to reinforce his statements. When the third excuse was satisfied Moses again tried to parley by saying: “ O Lord, I am not eloquent. I have always been slow of speech. Send some one else.” And God answered by saying, “ I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what to say.” Again Moses showed his reluctance by saying what amounted to, “ O Lord send some one else.” But in the end, Moses overcame the dread and the hesitancy, and decided bravely to do the thing which God had chosen him to do. How he fulfilled that mission will be the burden of other stories throughout the theme: “ Learning to know and to do God’s will.” The knowledge that there must be a real choice, the right, or the wrong, comes very early to every normal child. The fact that God’s will, the right, is often hard, comes as often as the choice. This story of Moses’ hesitation and struggle gives a very human touch to the story of his life, and wins sympathy at once. It often has been related that the bravest soldier who con¬ templates the coming battle shrinks from the ordeal, yet when he is in the thickest action does not hesitate to give all he has, his life, while doing what he knows is right. In telling the story review quickly the main events of Moses’ life as already told, and begin to-day’s story with the incident of the burning bush, as suggested. 334 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Thl Story One day Moses was out in the pasture land with his flock of sheep. It was a wild and lonely place. Far away could be seen a lofty mountain peak. Presently Moses saw a very strange sight. One of the bushes that grew in the place seemed to be on fire. Moses expected to see the bush burn up and the fire spread; but this did not happen. The bush still remained green, and it did not wither and crumple and turn to ashes. “That is very strange,” said Moses to himself. “I will go closer and see why the bush is not burned up,” and he did so. When he had come quite close to the burning bush, a voice spoke to him, saying, “ Moses, Moses.” It was God speaking, and Moses answered, “ Here am I.” God said to Moses: “ Come no closer. Put off thy shoes from thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground!” Then God said: “ I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look. Then God said: “ I have -surely seen the sorrows of my people that are in Egypt. I have heard their cries, because of their taskmasters. “ I know their sorrows, and I have come to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians. I have come to bring them out of that land to a good land and a large, a land of plenty which shall be their home. “ I have chosen thee to be their leader. Come now, there¬ fore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring my people out of Egypt.” It was a great work, but it was hard, very hard to do. Moses loved God, and he loved his people back in the land of Egypt. Day after day he had thought of their suf¬ fering, and longed to help them. But Moses had lived in the land of Egypt. He had lived in the palace. He knew how hard and cruel a king of Egypt could be. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 335 He remembered what a Pharaoh could do to anyone who displeased him. How could he, a runaway from Egypt, a poor shepherd, do this thing? So Moses began to make excuses to God. “ Who am I, that I shall go unto Pharaoh ? I am not smart enough to do this work. I could not bring the chil¬ dren of Israel out of Egypt.” God answered, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” Then Moses thought of another excuse to get out of the work. “If I should go to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘ The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you,’ and they should say to me, ‘ What is his name ?’ what shall I say to them ?” he asked God. God then told him just what to say to the people. Still Moses went on trying to find some way of getting out of this hard piece of work. “ But they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice,” said Moses. Then God said, “ What is that in thy hand ?” Moses answered, “ A rod.” And God said, “ Cast it on the ground.” Moses obeyed, and the rod became a serpent, squirming on the ground. Moses started to run away. Then God said to Moses, “ Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail.” Moses obeyed, and the serpent became a rod again. God also showed Moses another wonderful miracle as a sign to prove that God had sent him. He told him of a third, also that he could do. Yet again Moses thought of another excuse. “ O Lord, I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue. I never could talk with people very well,” he begged. Then God answered: “ Who hath made a man’s mouth ? Is it not I, God ? Do I not know how thou canst talk ? Now go, M'oses, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.” Moses could think of no other excuse, yet he was not readv to go. “ Oh Lord, send some one else,” he begged. 336 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Then God was sorely displeased with Moses. God saidIs there not Aaron thy brother ? I know that he can speak well. He is coining to meet thee. He will be glad when he sees thee. Thou shalt tell him what to say. He shall speak for thee. I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. Aaron shall be to thee a mouth and thou shalt tell him what to say. Take in thy hand this rod with which thou shalt do the signs.” Moses did not lose his chance. He decided just as God wanted him to decide. He made up his mind to do the hard thing that God had given to do, and to do it with all his heart and with all his might. He went back to Jethro, the owner of the sheep, and said, “ Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt.” And Jethro said to Moses, “ Go in peace.” Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: Praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: Praise ye him, all his host. . . . Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; Both young men and virgins; Old men and children: Let them praise the name of Jehovah; For his name alone is exalted.” —Selected from Psalm 148. PRAYER Heavenly Father, when we have hard things to do, help us to put aside being afraid; may we decide bravely as did Moses. Help us to remember thy promise, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 337 Copy the following sentences on the blackboard and let the children fill in the blanks. God’s voice called Moses from a burning-. Moses answered, “- God chose Moses to - his people. God promised, “ Certainly I will- Moses obeyed---. SUNDAY SESSION LEARNING TO BE FAITHFUL Exodus 3; 4:1-19 (Review) Memory Verse “ I have chosen the way of faithfulness.”—Psalm 119:30. The Teacher^s Preparation Review the story of Moses’ decision for the right, stress¬ ing his full appreciation of the dangers which he knew he must encounter if he decided to do God’s will. Experience soon teaches the little child that right things and good things are often hard to do. A story from child life may be told to try to amplify and to bring down to the pupils’ point of view the truth that we wish to show. The Story Harry was a boy who liked stories. His favorite stories were about people who were very brave when they had a hard thing to do, people who would go right ahead and do the hard thing even though sometimes they might have to suffer hunger or pain or even torture for doing it. Such people are called “ heroes.” Harry liked his book of hero stories. “The‘book calls these heroes ‘faithful,’” said Harry to his father. “ I like that word ‘ faithful/ The book calls the heroes ‘ faithful to the end.’ ” “ Well, if you like the word, why not choose it for your motto?” asked father. “ In olden times, when soldiers went 338 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS out to battle, they often wrote some word or words on their shields. This was called their ‘ device.’ The device was their guide word.” Harry liked the idea, and wrote the word “ faithful ” in his pocketbook and even on slips of paper for bookmarks to place in his books. It was easy enough to do all this, but when he tried to choose a hard thing to do, and then stick to it, he found it quite another matter. “ I can’t learn that lesson,” sometimes he would say. Then father would remind him of that motto, the device that he had chosen for himself. He would look at the word “ faithful ” which he had written on his bookmark. It would not be so very long before the troublesome lesson was conquered. One winter day he went out to the woods to get some spruce cones for his sister Mary, who was going to make some Christmas gifts. It had been a very windy day, and a great many of the pretty cones had fallen on the snow. Harry soon filled his basket, and then started for home. There was less snow on the road that passed along near the railroad, so he chose to go that way. Presently he saw something that made him stop short. A tree had blown right across the track. There was a curve in the road near by, so that there was danger that the engi¬ neer would not see the tree in time. Harry put down his basket of cones, and tugged at the tree with all his strength. It was too heavy for a boy of his size; he could not move it an inch. He sat down on a bank to take breath and think what he would better do. “ The express train comes through every evening with¬ out stopping,” he said to himself. “ It may he nearly due now. What an awful accident may happen!” Harry shuddered at the thought; it made him turn sick for a minute. “ What can I do ? What can I do ? ” he whispered to him¬ self. Then a plan came to him. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 339 Hastily he broke off a long pine branch. He tied his white handkerchief to it. Then he ran as far as the curve, where he could see a long way up the road, and stood there watching, ready to make a signal for the engineer to stop the train. It seemed so lonely and still. Harry began to wish that the train would come. He began to feel hungry. The wind began to rise again. It blew the snow against him. Harry began to wish he wasn’t there. “ I wish I could go home,” he said to himself. Then the motto, his motto, flashed through his mind. “ Faithful!” It semed as if he could see the word written in big letters in the snow. It grew colder. Harry ran up and down to keep warm. But in spite of all he could do he grew very cold, and his feet ached badly. “Oh, why don’t I leave and go home?” he cried. “It must be dinner time.” He ran up and down again, and blew his cold hands. “We were going to have such a good dinner, to-day. I heard mother planning it. How dreadfully hungry I am. I cannot stay here! I am so cold, I shall freeze!” Then he thought of his motto, and of the brave men in the storybook who chose to do right and to serve God at any cost to themselves, the men who were faithful. “ No, I won’t go away,” said Llarry out loud. “ I have decided. I will be faithful.” All the long afternoon poor Harry stayed by the railroad track. His hands and feet were aching. He was so hungry . that he felt almost as if he should faint. He could not help crying sometimes, but he never thought again of leaving his post. Over and over he prayed, “ O God, help me to be faith¬ ful.” At last came the distant rush of the evening train. There was the red light of the lantern on the locomotive. Harry’s cold form became alert. Now was his time to act! “ Stop ! Stop!” shouted Harry, springing up and down. “ Stop! Stop!” and he waved his signal wildly. The engineer saw him, the train slackened its speed, and before it reached the curve it had nearly stopped. 340 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Harry told his story; he pointed to the fallen tree. Then he sank down almost insensible on the snow. Grateful arms tenderly carried him into the nearest car. They rubbed his half-frozen limbs. They warmed him and soothed him and praised him and thanked him. Then they took him home. His mother cried when she saw him, but his father said, “You have saved many lives to-day, my brave, faithful boy.” Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON A VERSE WHICH TELLS GOD’S WILL TO HIS PEOPLE “ Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of Jehovah thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes.”—Deu¬ teronomy 27:10. A promise that god wishes erom his people “ All that Jehovah hath spoken will we do, and be obedient.”—Exodus 24:7. WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT DOING GOD’S WILL “ I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”—John 15:10b. Prayer Heavenly Father, may we be quick to see the things that thou wouldest have us do for thee. Help us to do thy will at all times, even though sometimes it may seem hard. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a bookmark and write upon it the word which Harry thought about while he did the hard thing which was right and which it was God’s will for him to do. CHAPTER XXXV WEEK DAY SESSION MOSES BEFORE TPIE KING Exodus 4:27 to 12:51 Memory Verse “ And Moses and Aaron did so, as Jehovah commanded;” —Exodus 7:20a. The Teacher's Preparation This lesson portrays the conflict between Jehovah, the one true God, and Pharaoh, the head of a civilization steeped in idolatry and arrogance. God’s first requirement of his people is obedience to his will. Moses had proved himself capable of giving this loyal obedience, born of love for God, and thus, as a leader, he would be able to get this requisite from the people he was to emancipate. Prompt obedience was to be an extreme necessity during the supreme crisis which was so soon to come to the Hebrew nation. Moses left Jethro and his flocks in the land of Midian, and took up his journey toward Egypt. On the way he met Aaron as God had told him he would do. The brothers exchanged affectionate greetings. Then Moses told of his mission, and of Aaron’s connection with it. Together they proceeded to Goshen and held a meeting with the Hebrew elders and chief men. Moses showed the signs from God, and they believed. Then the brothers went to the splendid palace of the Egyptian king. God had prepared Moses for the difficulties which he was to encounter, and for Pharaoh’s refusal and his hardness of heart. Pharaoh was not at all inclined to give up the slaves who brought lazy luxury to the nobles of Egypt, and whose life strength poured out in such lavishness 341 342 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS was the means of the erection of the magnificent structures which would cause his name to be handed down to history. He gave an absolute and defiant refusal even to the re¬ quest that the people be permitted to go into the wilderness to worship their God. He then increased the burdens put upon the slaves by withholding the straw which was neces¬ sary in the making of the bricks. They must hereafter find their own straw, going out into the fields to gather it. Yet the number of bricks was not diminished. This discouraged the people in the enterprise which had given hope, and they complained to Moses and Aaron. Moses went to God, and God renewed the promise of help which he had given at the outset. Jehovah’s purpose was not to be thwarted by a Pharaoh! Then followed the ten plagues, giving Pharaoh full warn¬ ing and abundant opportunity of understanding that the re¬ quest had come from God. Review the story of Moses up to this point, so that the pupils may be able to take up the new chapter intelligently. Thl Story Moses left his flocks and started on his journey toward Egypt. Now God had told Aaron to go into the wilderness and meet Moses; and so, while Moses was traveling along, think¬ ing of all the wonderful things that had happened, he looked up and saw his brother. It had been a long, long time since they had been together. They kissed each other, and asked many loving questions. Then Moses told Aaron about the voice in the burning bush, and all the things that God had told him to do. “ You are to speak for me, my brother. You are ready with speech,” said Moses. The two brothers traveled along until they came to that part of Egypt where the children of Israel lived. Moses saw how they still suffered, and how cruelly Pharaoh treated them. He told them how God had seen the king’s cruelty; how he was about to help them to get away; how he was going to PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 343 give them a beautiful new home. He showed them the signs that God had given him. The poor people believed; they bowed their heads and worshiped God in thankfulness. Then Moses and Aaron went to the palace where dwelt Pharaoh, the king. It was a wonderful place, with walls and floors of pre¬ cious stone, furniture of gold, and tall statues of the false gods that the king and his people worshiped. But the two brothers were not frightened by the riches of the king. They walked past the statues and the beautiful golden furniture, into the presence of Pharaoh. Then Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh what God had com¬ manded them to tell him: “ Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel,” they said to the king. “ ‘ Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.’ ” But the proud king answered: “ Who is Jehovah, that I should listen to his voice? I know not Jehovah. I will not let the people go !” Moses and Aaron tried to persuade the king, but he grew harder of heart than ever. “ Why do you want to take the people from their work, Moses and Aaron ?” he asked, and he sent them away. That same day he said to the taskmasters: “ Do not give the slaves any more straw to make the bricks. They shall gather the straw for themselves. But the number of bricks shall be the same as before. They are too idle, and so they have time to say, ‘ Let us go and sacrifice to our God/ Give them more work to do.” So the taskmasters said to the people: “ Thus saith Pharaoh, ‘ I will no more give you straw/ Go, then, and gather it where you can find it. But the number of bricks must not be less.” Then the people had to work harder than ever, and when thev could not finish their work, the taskmasters beat them. Pharaoh would not even believe when he saw the signs that God had given Moses and Aaron power to show. God then said to Moses: “ Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘ Thus saith Jehovah, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refusest to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs/ ” 344 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Moses did as God commanded, and gave this message. When Pharaoh refused, God said to Moses, “ Tell Aaron to stretch forth his rod over the waters.” Aaron obeyed. Frogs swarmed the rivers. They came out of the waters, and into the houses, into the bedrooms. They even came into the king’s bed. They got into the ovens and into the kneading troughs when the cooks were mixing the bread. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. “ Beg your God to take away the frogs from me and from my people. I will let the people go,” he cried. “ When do you wish them away ?” asked Moses. “ To-morrow,” answered the king. “ Be it according to your wish, that you may know that there is none like Jehovah, our God. The frogs shall de¬ part to-morrow; they shall remain in the river only.” Moses cried to God, and he answered. The frogs died in the houses and in the fields; and the people gathered them up in heaps. But when Pharaoh saw that the land was rid of the frogs, he hardened his heart again. He would not let the people g°- God said to Moses: “ Rise up early in the morning, and meet Pharaoh as he goes down to the river. Say to him: ‘ Thus saith Jehovah, Let my people go, that they may serve me. If thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon you, and upon your servants and upon your people. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies; but my people shall be spared. There shall be no flies in the houses of the children of Israel ’.” Pharaoh refused, and the plague of flies came. There were swarms in all the houses of the Egyptians. The food was spoiled by them. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “ Go sacrifice to your God, but do not leave the land of Egypt. Do not go very far away,” he said. But when the flies were gone, Pharaoh again refused to let the people go. God sent other plagues to Pharaoh’s land. A disease came PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 345 to the cattle, the horses, the camels and the flocks. Still Pharaoh refused. Then the king and his people were afflicted with very painful boils. Then a great hail came. There was terrible thunder and lightning, a storm such as never before had been seen in Egypt. Trees fell; fields were ruined; men and beasts were killed. Pharaoh was terrified. “ Send for Moses and Aaron,” he cried. “ I have sinned. God is righteous. I and my peo¬ ple are wicked. Beg God to take away the thunderings and lightnings. I will let the people go.” Moses prayed God to stop the storm, and he did. But again Pharaoh dared God, and refused to let the people go. Then God sent a plague of locusts. Every green thing was eaten up. There was not a leaf left. Still Pharaoh would not let the people go. God sent a plague of darkness all over the land for three days. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “ Go! Serve Jehovah! But leave your flocks and your herds. Take your children along with you!” But Moses said: “ Our cattle and our herds go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind!” Then Pharaoh exclaimed angrily: “Get you from me! But beware! See my face no more! The day you see my face again, you shall die!” Moses answered: “ You have spoken the truth. I will see your face a^ain no more!” And so Moses, the servant of God, left the disobedient king. Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON “With my whole heart I have sought thee: Oh let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Jehovah: Teach me thy statutes.... I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” Selected from Psalm 119. 346 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS (Explain the words that are new to the children’s vo¬ cabulary.) PRAYER Heavenly Father, may we be brave as was Moses in doing what thou hast for us to do. Help us to be obedient. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Write the names of the two brothers who tried to learn what God wanted them to do, and did the work obediently. Write the name of the disobedient king. Try to do one especially hard, obedient thing this week. SUNDAY SESSION MOSES LEADING THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT Exodus, chapters 12, 14 Memory Verse “Certainly I will be with thee.”—Exodus 3:12. Tiie Teacher’s Preparation The end of Pharaoh’s conflict with God was at hand. Final instructions for the great Exodus were given. On the tenth day of the month a lamb without defect or disease of any kind was to be chosen and kept until the fourteenth of the month. This was to be killed, roasted entire, and was to be eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The blood was to be sprinkled with a branch of hyssop on the two side posts and upper doorpost. This was to mark the dwelling places of the Israelites from those of the Egyp¬ tians. The feast was to be eaten in haste, and all were to be dressed ready for a journey. The most faithful attention and obedience were renuiWd. But the people were learning obedience to God’s will, and they listened, ready to comply implicitly. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 347 Review the story up to this point sufficiently to help the children to take up the new chapter with a clear understand¬ ing. The: Story' The king who had disobeyed God went back to his own way again; but he could not have been happy. He must have been troubled. At last God said to Moses: “ One more punishment will I send to Pharaoh and his land. He must stop troubling my people. He surely must let them go.” Then Moses told the children of Israel that a great sor¬ row would come to every house in which dwelt an Egyptian, for death would come and take away the oldest born of every family, of the rich and of the poor, even the oldest child of the king. But this was to be a strange and wonderful night for the children of Israel, God’s people. None should die in their homes, and it was to be the night when they were to start for the new land that God had promised them. Pharaoh would surely let them go. God told Moses how he wanted them to get ready for the journey, and Moses told the people. “ Choose a lamb without disease of any kind,” he said to the fathers. “ If a lamb is too large for your family, your neighbor may join with you. “ On the fourteenth day of the month, kill it and prepare a feast. The lamb shall be roasted whole, but not boiled. You are to eat bitter herbs and unleavened bread with it. “ Before you eat, dress for a journey. Be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Have your sandals tied, your traveling coats belted, and your staffs in your hands. “ Listen for the signal! Be ready to start!” But one of the most important things that they must do was to sprinkle some of the blood of the lamb on the door¬ posts with a bunch of hyssop. This was to mark the houses of the children of Israel from the houses of the Egyptians. The night of the feast came. It was a beautiful, moon¬ light night. All were ready for the journey. Here, there, 348 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS and all about the houses were bundles, packed: clothing, tents, kneading troughs, dishes, jewelry, all that could be carried. They ate the feast hurriedly, waiting for the signal. At midnight a great cry of grief went up from every house where lived an Egyptian. Pharaoh exclaimed to Moses: “Go! Go from my land, you and all your people ! Take away your flocks and herds! Begone!” And so the Israelites, with strange bundles and many flocks, the fathers and mothers and children, hurried away in the night. God led them by a bright cloud at night, and a pillar of cloud by day. By and by they came to the great sea, and God told Moses and his people to set up their tents and rest, and they did. Now, after the people had gone, Pharaoh began to miss them right away. The brickyards were still; the buildings grew no higher; this thing and that thing which had been the work of the poor slaves was not done. “ I am sorry that I let them go,” thought Pharaoh. “ I will go after them, and bring them back. They cannot get far; they probably now are lost in the wilderness.” So he called for his chariots; he gathered together his soldiers. Soon six hundred chariots were ready for the chase. Presently the fastest horses in all Egypt were running their best. While the Israelites were resting by the sea, some of them heard the noise of the coming army. They listened. They gave the alarm. “ Pharaoh is after us! The Egyptians are almost upon us!” The news spread from tent to tent, and everyone was sorely afraid. They cried to God. They complained to Moses. They said that they wished they were back in Egypt. There was great confusion and panic in all the camp. No one knew what to do. Then brave Moses said: “ Fear not; stand still and see what God will do for you. Hold your peace. God will take care of you.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 349 God then said to Moses: “ Tell the children of Israel to go forward. Lift up thy rod over the sea, and divide it. The children of Israel shall walk through the midst of the water on dry ground. I am Jehovah.” Moses obeyed God’s will; he stretched out his hand over the sea. A strong east wind drove the waters back, and a path appeared right through the sea. The Israelites hurried over it; they traveled between the waters. The Egyptians reached the sea, and saw the path. They sent their chariots forward. But the heavy wheels began to gather mud; they became heavier, and moved slowly. Moses and the people reached the other side in safety, and at God’s command, Moses stretched out his arm. Back rolled the waters. Pharaoh’s soldiers and horsemen were drowned. They never would trouble God’s people again. God’s people were glad that they had obeyed his will. Deaotionai, Service a bibee reading lesson “Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt,... He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; And he made the waters to stand as a heap. In the day-time also he led them with a cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.” —Psalm 78:12-14. “Oh come, let us sing unto Jehovah;... Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker: For he is our God.” —Psalm 95:1, 6, 7. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the wonderful things that thou hast power to do for thy people. Help us to re¬ member that thou knowest best what we should do, and give us courage to obey thee. Amen. 350 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Suggested Activities Write the Memory Verse. Make a poster picture of the sea, and write beneath the verse: “ The winds and the sea obey him/’ Write three sentences about this story at home, and bring them with you next time you come. (The teacher should insist upon good form and writing.) CHAPTER XXXVI WEEK DAY SESSION THIRSTY TRAVELERS Exodus 15:1, 22-27; Psalm 136:1, 10-16; 78:15-20 Memory Verse “ Teach me to do thy will; For thou art my God.”—Psalm 143:10a. The Teacher's Preparation Try to give the pupils some conception of the wonderful relief felt by the Israelites when they found themselves quite safe on the other side of the Red Sea, the journey toward their “ Promised Land ” fairly begun. Bring out the fact that the proper reaction was gratitude toward their God who had so miraculously preserved them from the danger which was so imminent. Picture the scene by the sea when all united in one of the greatest songs of thanksgiving that ever was sung. Tell of the taking up of the journey into the wilderness through the waste. Describe the need of water, and the in¬ evitable thirst; the coming to Marah, and the disappointment at finding the water bitter and impossible to drink; the mur¬ muring of the people; the appeal of Moses to God, and his help given according to his promise, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” Describe the visit to the beautiful oasis of Elim, where there was water in plenty for all. Bring out the fact that the people were beginning to learn lessons that God’s will was best for them; also that Moses was growing stronger in his power to follow God’s will, as the days passed by and he continued to obey. The Story The waves of the Red Sea lapped up over the shore. The path was gone. 351 352 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Thousands and thousands of the Israelites rested in the sand. They were tired, but very happy, and very thankful. God had helped them to get away from the land of Egypt. He had saved them from Pharaoh when he had tried to fol¬ low after them. Happy people sing, and presently these people began to sing such a wonderful thanksgiving song that the waves could not be heard. Moses and Aaron led the song, and the others joined. Miriam, their sister, took a timbrel in her hand and also began to sing. The other women followed her example. Then, when all were rested and had eaten a lunch, they started on their way again, a very happy procession of fathers, mothers, and little children. At first it seemed very easy to travel, even though the way was not over a well-made road, but through a great stretch of wild, wilderness country. Moses knew about living in the wilderness, for he had been a shepherd in such a land for many years. The children must have been very glad to go along with their fathers who had had to spend their lives in the king’s brickyards. The little girls must have enjoyed going with their mothers who, before this, were too busy and too sad to go on long excursions. But when children and even fathers and mothers travel far in a hot and dusty country, they soon grow thirsty. That is what happened to Joseph and Korah and Rachel and Sarah and Judah and all the other children. Over and over again they would run to their mothers and ask for a drink of water. Such queer-looking things the water bottles were! They were made from the skins of sheep. Mother would give Joseph a drink; then she would say, “ That is enough, son; save some for another time.” And Judah’s mother would say, “That is all, son; save some for your sister Sarah.” By and by the faces of the mothers grew very anxious. “ We have only a little water left,” they said to one another. Still the long, hot miles of sand stretched on. There were no wells, no streams, no springs anywhere in sight. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 353 At last the word spread from family to family, “We have no water left! ” When the children begged for a drink, the mothers had to say, “ There is no more.” There was none even for the smallest baby. The sheep and the cattle were so thirsty that their tongues hung from their mouths. They now had been traveling three days out into the wil¬ derness. What a tired, thirsty crowd of people they were! Moses cheered them on. At length they came to a place called Marah. There was water! The sound of the trickling stream was like the sweetest music to their ears. All hurried to get a drink, but quickly they put down their cups. The water was bitter! It was so bitter that even though they were afraid they would die of thirst, they could not drink it. They turned angrily toward Moses. “ What shall we drink? ” they cried. “ Our children are crying for water.” “ Our flocks will die! ” “Water! Water!” There were angry groans and complaints all through the long procession. Moses prayed to God. God answered; he showed him a certain tree, and bade him put its branches in the water. Moses obeyed, and the bitter waters were made sweet. Everyone had a good drink of water—all the children, all the grown people, and even the smallest lamb. Again God had kept his promise, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” After they had rested, and had had all the water they wanted, they went on with their journey, because the cloud that was leading them began to move. When they were thirsty again, the cloud led them to a place called Elim. There were seventy palm trees there, and twelve springs of water. It was a beautiful place to rest. The fathers set up the tents. The mothers spread the rugs. All the boys and girls, all the fathers and mothers, all the flocks had as much sweet, cool, clear water as they could drink. 354 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “I am Jehovah thy God, Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways ! ” —Psalm 81 :10, 13. “How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness, And grieve him in the desert! ” —Psalm 78 :40. “But he, being merciful, forgave them their iniquity, and destroyed them not.” •—Psalm 78 :38. Prayer Heavenly Father, may we never forget that when we are doing thy will, thou art with us. May we remember that thou wilt always keep the promise that thou hast made: “ Certainly I will be with thee.” Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Provide the children with pictures showing brooks, wells, animals drinking—pictures about water. Have these pic¬ tures cut out and mounted in the form of a class booklet. Insert in the booklet the following verses written by the children. “ The sea is his, and he made it.” —Psalm 95:5. “ He leadeth me beside still waters,” —Psalm 23 :2b. “ As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God.” —Psalm 42 :1. “ He sendeth forth springs into the valleys; They run among the mountains; They give drink to every beast of the field.” —Psalm 104:10, 11. “ IIo, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.” —Isaiah 55 :1. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 355 SUNDAY SESSION THE STORY OF THE MANNA Exodus 16:14-31; Psalm 78:23-25 Memory Verse “ Teach me to do thy will; For thou art my God.”—Psalm 143:10a. The Teacher's Preparation Food, also, became an imperative necessity to the wilder¬ ness travelers. It was a stupendous undertaking that Moses had to face, the feeding of such an army in a barren land. But Moses now knew that if it were God’s will for these people to pass through the place, the means would be pro¬ vided by the God who had promised, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” The food which they had been able to bring with them was soon exhausted, and the fear of hunger and starvation seized them. They had not yet learned the trust that their leader felt. A very humanly childish company of people be¬ gan to complain bitterly of their conditions, fretting even to be back in Egypt, the old land of their bondage, back among the fleshpots, l3ack in the place where there were onions and leeks and melons in plenty. They were forgetful already of the marvel of the path through the sea, of the miracle of the sweetened waters! They grumbled and doubted and considered retreat. “ Ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness ”—all these attributes be¬ longed to the God who was schooling them in the doing of his will. But they did not always remember these attributes yet. However, as Henry Ward Beecher has said, “ God par¬ dons like a mother who kisses away the repentant tears of her child.” Food was given the untrusting people in the wonderful way about which we are to tell the pupils in the story selected for our lesson to-day. 356 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The: Story There were no stores, no houses, not a place where the Israelites could get anything to eat during that strange desert journey. It was just as hard to get food as it was to get a drink of water. But if God could furnish water, he could also give those people food. The mothers tried to make the luncheons last, but the baskets became lighter and lighter. And the emptier the baskets grew, the hungrier those children seemed to be! “ I’m so hungry, mother; give me something to eat,” Rachel would say. “ I’m hungry, too,” Joseph would say. Then their mother would take out a very small piece of bread and give it to them. “ It’s gone, mother; we are very hungry,” Joseph would say. “ It is all that I can give you, children,” their mother would tell them. “ There is but a morsel left for next time.” Other children were crying for something to eat. Soon the mothers all through the procession were saying, “ Our food is gone; not a crumb remains.” Moses comforted them. “ God will surely take care of us. Remember his promise, ‘ Certainly I will be with thee.’ God is with us all the time. See the cloud that leads us. Do not fear; he will not let us starve.” “ I wish we were back in Egypt,” grumbled some one. “ At least we had plenty to eat there,” said another. “ Oh, the fleshpots of Egypt! ” groaned a hungry old man. “ And the onions and the leeks! ” “ And the sweet, juicy melons! ” “ God will not forget you, if you obey him,” said Moses. And God did not forget his people; for he saw that they were really trying to be his obedient children, even though they sometimes forgot and complained when things seemed hard. Lie spoke to Moses, saying: “I will rain bread from heaven for you. The people shall go out and gather it from the ground.” Then God told Moses that he was going to try the people PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 357 in a lesson of obedience to his will. Six days the food was to be given. They were to gather just enough for them¬ selves. and no more, except on the sixth day. On that day they would find that they had twice as much as on the other days, because the next day was the Sabbath. No food would be given on that day; no work should be done. Moses and Aaron told this good news to the people. “ To-morrow you shall see what God has power to do for you,” they said. So when the next morning came, and they looked from their tents, they saw a wonderful sight. All over the ground lay tiny, white, round things. “ What is it ? ” cried the fathers and mothers. “ What is it ? ” asked the children. “ It is the bread that God has given you to eat,” said Moses. “ Gather it every day, just enough, and no more.” They picked up some from the ground. They tasted it. How sweet it was! Then the fathers and mothers and the little children began to gather the strange bread. How glad they were to have this good food! “ Do not leave any until morning,” said Moses, for he re¬ membered what God had commanded. However, some of the people were afraid that they never would get any more. They did not obey what Moses told them, but kept some of the food and hid it away until morn¬ ing. They then found the food full of worms. Moses was very angry with those who had disobeyed. The next day, when the people rose and looked from their tents, the ground was again covered with the strange, new, sweet food. They began to call it “ manna,” that is, “ What is it? ” for they knew no other name. This time they obeyed God; they gathered just enough for their need, and no more. When the hot sun rose, the rest melted away. On the sixth day they found twice as much as on other days. Moses then said to them: “ This is God’s message to you: ‘ To-morrow is a rest day, the holy Sabbath, my day. Bake 358 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS or boil what you need for to-morrow as well as for to-day, and keep it over.’ ” The Israelites obeyed; and when the morning of the Sab¬ bath came, there was no manna upon the ground; but the food that they had cooked was still sweet, and they had enough. The people rested on the Sabbath day, and kept it as God told them to do. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. Oh give thanks unto the God of gods; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. Oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; To him who alone doeth great wonders; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. . . . Who giveth food to all flesh; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.” —Psalm 136:1-4, 25. “And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of the mighty: He sent them food to the full.” Psalm 78:24, 25. Prayer Heavenly Father, help us always to remember that thou art a God of loving-kindness, that thou wilt not ask us to do things that we cannot do. Help us to remember that while we are doing thy will, thou wilt take care of us. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Give an impromptu dramatization of the story. Make a class booklet similar to that suggested for the last lesson, using pictures of things suitable for food which the teacher has previously selected, for the children to cut out and mount. Intersperse verses selected from the Bible Read¬ ing lesson, and copied by the children. CHAPTER XXXVII WEEK DAY SESSION THE GIVING OF THE LAW Exodus 19:16-25; 20:1-18; 24:3, 4, 7 Memory Verse “ All that Jehovah hath spoken will we do, and be obedient.”—Exodus 24:7. The Teacher's Preparation Elim was a pleasant camping spot for the Israelites, but in late May or early June, they received the signal through the moving of the cloud that it was God’s will for them to take up their journey again. In due time they reached the foot of Mount Sinai. A wild, rugged mountain speaks a special message of grandeur and awe, and this must have been strongly marked in the case of these people who had spent their lives in a flat country. This truly was a place of wonderful majesty, with its desert waste and silence, while, just beyond, the mountain towered up toward heaven. The tents were pitched, and the people soon settled in the spot which was to be their camping place for eleven months, and where was to be enacted one of the momentous events in the history of their nation. They were about to enter upon a contract, or agreement, with God. Moses ascended the mount, and God spoke these words to him: “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles* wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession.” 359 360 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Moses came down and told the words of God to the people, and they solemnly answered, “ All that Jehovah hath spoken will we do.” Then Moses returned to the Mount, and the Lord told him that the people were to receive the covenant from him. Very solemn were the instructions, and very solemnly did the people follow them. In beginning the story dwell upon the majesty of the mountain; ask the children if they know what a mountain is. Sketch an outline of a mountain; compare a mountain and a hill. The: Story “ Mother, look ! ” “ Father, father, what is that ? ” Ever and ever so many little boys and girls asked this question one day quite a long time after they had left the pleasant place where the palm trees grew. A great, tall mountain lifted itself up, up right toward the sky. The land of Egypt was as flat as a table; the children never before had seen a mountain such as this. In some way it made them feel very solemn and quiet. The cloud that had been leading them stopped. Presently the fathers had pitched the tents. Here at the foot of the mountain they were to stay awhile. Moses went up into the mountain; and when he came down again, he had a wonderful message from God. God spoke to him away up there in the heights, and he told the message tO' the fathers and mothers. In three days God was coming to the mountain to talk to them. They were to make themselves ready to come into God’s presence. Then the mothers began to be busy, very busy. The big brothers and sisters had to take care of the babies and smallest children. The very biggest boys and girls helped their mothers. The mothers washed the clothes, and as they worked, they talked about the wonderful thing that was going to happen. The big boys and girls carried the water; they, too, talked about the day that was coming. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 361 “ Let us make haste to be ready,” said the mothers, and then everyone worked the harder. Boys and girls and mothers and fathers often looked at the top of the mountain. “ It is so high that it looks as if it must reach almost to heaven,” thought the children. God had said to Moses, “ Tell the people that if they obey me and keep the rules that I am about to give them, they shall be my own chosen people.” Then God told Moses how the people were to make ready. Moses went down the mountain and gave God’s message to the people. “ In three days God will speak to you,” he said. “ Make yourselves clean and fit and worthy to come into his pres¬ ence. Wash your clothes and get ready.” Then he placed a mark around the mountain. “ Come no nearer,” he warned solemnly. “ The man, woman, or child who passes beyond shall surely die.” The people rose bright and early on the morning of the third day. They dressed in their clean, best clothing; soon all were ready. They came from their tents, and waited for Moses to lead them. A thick cloud hung over the mountain, and there were thunderings and lightnings. Presently the loud sound of a trumpet was heard. Moses led the people from the camp; they came closer to the mountain. The trumpet sounded louder and louder. The mountain smoked like a furnace. The people were very quiet. Then Moses spoke, and God answered. He called Moses to come up to the top of the mountain, and Moses obeyed. God said, “ Go down and tell the people not to come too close, lest they die.” Moses answered, “ The people cannot come closer, for thou didst charge us to set bounds about the mount.” Then solemnly God spoke the words of his Law. There were Ten Commandments that they must obey. The First Commandment was about loving God. They must love God more than anything else in the world. This was right, for God had done everything for them. The Second Commandment told them that they must pray 362 ' PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS to God alone, and to no other god. This was right, for there is no other God. The Third Commandment told them to speak God’s name only in right ways. The Fourth Commandment told them that they must keep one day of the week for God, the holy sabbath day. The other laws told the people how they should treat one another. The Fifth Commandment was for every boy and girl. It said that they must honor and obey their fathers and mothers. Other laws commanded that they must not kill; they must not steal; they must not lie; they must not want what be¬ longed to some one else. All the laws were wonderful and true and good. God gave them because no one in all the wide world can be happy unless he keeps them. God wants the people to be happy. When the people heard these laws, they promised solemnly, “ All that Jehovah hath spoken will we do, and be obedient.” Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON EOUR OE god’s COMMANDMENTS “ Thou shalt have no other gods before me. “ Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing loving¬ kindness unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. “ Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” “ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man- PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 363 servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.” Prayer Heavenly Father, may we remember that these laws were for all thy people. May we remember that they are for us to obey; that keeping them is thy will. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a representation of the mount and the encampment below upon the sand table. Show the children how the tents were pitched. 364 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Make an assignment of a proper amount of the Ten Com¬ mandments for your particular class to memorize, and con¬ tinue until the task is completed. The teacher will find it a help to have the Commandments typewritten, ready to give to the pupils for home work. SUNDAY SESSION THE TWO BRAVE SPIES Numbers 13:1-3, 17-33; 14:1-10, 30 Memory Verse “Jehovah is with us: fear them not.”—Numbers 14:9. The Teacher's Preparation The Ten Commandments were given while the Israelites were encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai. They remained at this encampment, obediently awaiting the command to go forward, for eleven months, and then the signal came. The easiest way to the Promised Land was through Kadesh-barnea. This was a very trying march through the “ great and terrible wilderness,” filled with dangers because of heat and hunger and thirst. Among other hostile conditions were the wandering desert people, poisonous snakes, and the seemingly endless wastes without roads. Kadesh-barnea was eleven days’ journey from Sinai, and was near the southern boundary of Palestine. Moses said, “ Behold, Jehovah thy God hath set the land before thee: go up, take possession, . . . fear not, neither be dismayed.” God told them to send out a delegation of their number to find out something about the land. Twelve men, one from each tribe, were selected to “ spy out the land ” and to bring back a report as to the nature of the inhabitants, the kind of soil, climate, and vegetation; in fact, all information that they could obtain. The account of the mission, and its failure is the theme of to-day’s story. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 365 Thl Story The fathers and mothers and children grew quite used to living at the foot of Mount Sinai. The cloud rested there for nearly a year. Then some one saw it begin to move. “ The cloud is moving! The cloud is moving! ” The word passed from tent to tent. Soon everyone in the camp was hurrying about. Fathers gathered together the flocks, and pulled up the tent pins. Mothers rolled up the rugs and beds and packed the dishes and the baskets that were used for gathering the manna, the mixing troughs, and all the other things. The boys and girls helped; everyone was busy. It was not long before the great procession was again fol¬ lowing the cloud. They traveled for eleven days. Then Moses said: “ Look! God has brought you to the border of our Promised Land. It is just beyond. Go up and take it. Be not afraid. God has promised it to us.” But those people were afraid. They were not quite willing to obey the will of God. They stood back. They asked that a few of their company might go ahead to spy out the land. If it seemed quite safe to these scouts, if it were as good as God had said—then they would go. So God let them have their own way. Twelve men were chosen. They started away, and went into the hill country. Eagerly they looked over. The land was beautiful! Green fields and woods and flowery meadows and vines and hills were everywhere. God had put a great many beau¬ tiful things into this Promised Land for his people. Suddenly one of the spies clutched one of the others and pointed. “ Look ! Giants live there ! ” he exclaimed. Indeed, there were people living there; tall, strong men who could fight with arrows and spears and swords. They found some beautiful grapevines with fine, big, ripe clusters of fruit upon them. Never had they tasted such sweet and juicy grapes. They cut a branch which had one cluster; it was so large that they hung it over a staff, and two men carried it. 366 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS They also gathered some figs and other fruit to show to Moses and the people back in the camp. In forty days the spies were back again. They showed the splendid bunch of grapes, and the fruit. “ Truly it is a wonderful land ! See the fruit! ” they said. Then ten of the men began to talk excitedly. “ But there are giants living there! ” exclaimed one. 4 They are very strong; they can fight with spears and swords! ” “ Their cities have walls around them!” “ We saw the giants ! We all saw them ! ” Then the ten spies exclaimed, “ We are afraid of the giants in the land ! ” But two of the spies were braver than the others. “ Let us have courage! Let us go up and take our land. God will go with us,” said Caleb, one of these men. Joshua, the other brave spy, said the same. “ No, we cannot go up against those giants,” exclaimed the ten timid spies. “ We looked like grasshoppers beside those men! ” Very soon the whole camp was in an uproar. Those foolish people cried and groaned. They scolded Moses and Aaron. “ We might better have died in Egypt! We wish we had died in the desert! ” they grumbled. “ Those giants will kill us! ” cried the old men and women. “ Our little children will be killed! ” exclaimed the fathers and mothers. Then those foolish, cowardly people began to cry: “Let us go back to Egypt! Let us choose another captain and go back! ” Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. Caleb and Joshua, the two brave spies, tore their clothes as was the custom at that time, when people were in trouble, and wept for grief. God, too, was grieved. His people whom he had taken care of and brought to the edge of the Promised Land had treated his gift in a strange, ungrateful, wicked way. He had been patient with them so long! They were not ready yet to go into the Promised Land. They must remain outside, to learn many more lessons in obedience to his will. They could not go on. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 367 Their disobedience to God’s will brought this punishment: u You cannot come into the Promised Land that I wanted to give you. Only those who learn to obey my will may go. You must stay in the wilderness.” The people did not live long enough to reach the new homeland; but God promised that the two brave spies who had learned to obey and trust him should surely go into the new homeland. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON SIX MORE OE god’s COMMANDMENTS “ Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee. “ Thou shalt not kill. “ Thou shalt not commit adultery. “ Thou shalt not steal. “ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. “ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid¬ servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.” Prayer Heavenly Father, it sometimes takes courage to do thy will; but we know that that does not excuse us for not doing it. Help us to follow the example of the two brave men in this story. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make an impromptu dramatization of the story in three acts: Act I: Choosing the spies. Act II: The reconnoiter of the Promised Land. Act III: The return to the camp, the reception of the news, the result. Try to do one especially hard, right thing this week. CHAPTER XXXVIII WEEK DAY SESSION JOSHUA LEADING THE ISRAELITES INTO THE PROMISED LAND Joshua 1:6; chapters 3, 4; 5:10-12 Memory Verse “ Be strong and of good courage.”—Joshua 1:6. The Teacher's Preparation A great strangeness and loneliness must have pervaded the camp of Israel when Moses, the leader of the Israelites, did not return to them after he had ascended Mount Nebo to view the beauties of the Promised Land which lie himself was not to enter. “ O Lord God,” he must have prayed, knowing that his transgression at the miracle of the rock (Numbers, chap¬ ter 20) had denied him the privilege of leading the people into the land, “ let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan.” The view from Mount Nebo was the an¬ swer to this request. Although Moses did not actually achieve that for which he had striven all his life, it was through him that the great work was accomplished. The fact that he did not lead the people over the Jordan and triumphantly enter the land did not in any way detract from the wonderful strength and beauty of his character. This is a great thought for the teacher. Joshua was the man chosen to take up the work which Moses laid down. He and Caleb had been promised the right to enter the land, long years before, when, as spies, sent out to reconnoiter, they came back with brave hearts, and urged for an immediate and courageous move of the host into the land which had been promised them. 368 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 369 He was an Ephraimite, the son of Nun. He was a trust¬ worthy assistant to Moses, and was a man who made himself felt in that company of pilgrims. God chose him as Moses’ successor, and he was ordained as such by Moses before his death. At the Jordan River and after its passage, he proved him¬ self a man of military ability, a man who had determined to follow the will of God explicitly. The: Story Forty years had passed since the great procession of people hurried away from Egypt in the nighttime. The tiniest babies were now grown-up men and women. Many of the fathers and mothers and even Moses and Aaron and Miriam had been called to live in the heavenly home. Of all the grown people, only two were left—Joshua and Caleb. You remember what God said that day when the people threw stones at the two brave spies because they wished to obey God and go on. Before God called Moses to live in the heavenly home, Moses appointed Joshua as leader. Now, between the desert and the Promised Land there flowed the Jordan River. (Show on your diagram or sand table.) In many ways it is a strange sort of river; it rushes along wildly; there were no bridges over it, and no boats floated upon it. How were the people to get across? God said to Joshua, the new leader: “ Go over this Jordan, thou and all this people. Go over into the Promised Land. I will be with thee. Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid. I will go with thee. I will be with thee as I was with Moses.” Early in the morning Joshua told the people to come close to the river. This time the Israelites obeyed without com¬ plaining and crying; they were ready to do God’s will even though they could not understand just how they were going to cross the river. The most precious of all the things that the Israelites owned was the Ark of God. It was a sign of God’s nearness. The people loved the Ark, and were ready to protect it with their lives. 370 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS It was a box made of the strong wood of a tree that grew in some places in the wilderness. It was covered outside and lined inside with pure gold. There were two golden rings on each side. Two long, strong, wooden poles covered with gold were slipped through the rings, so that men could carry the Ark about without touching it. It had a lid of solid gold. There were two golden angels, called cherubim, at each end of the lid. They faced each other, and their wings were outstretched over the golden box. This golden box had been made to carry something very precious: God’s Ten Commandments written on two pieces of stone. No wonder the Ark of gold was very precious to the people. In three days officers went among the people and said, “ When ye see the priests carrying the Ark of God, ye are to follow.” Joshua said, “ God is about to do a wonderful thing for you.” The people folded away their tents; they were ready. The priests took up the Ark and went forward. They came to the brink of the river Jordan, the very edge. Then a marvelous thing happened. The waters were stopped in their course, and were kept back. The land ap¬ peared, and the people passed on. When the priests reached the middle of the river, they stood still, so that all the people might see the precious Ark. The people followed bravely; right through the Jordan they walked; everyone reached the other side. They had reached the Promised Land ! God had gone with them every step of the way. They had crossed over into their beautiful new homeland! God said to Joshua: “ Choose twelve men and tell them to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan. Place the stones together for a heap of memory stones, that you may never forget this day. When your children shall say, ‘ What mean these stones ? 5 you shall tell them about this day when the Lord dried up the waters of the Jordan.” The twelve men did as they were bidden; the twelve mem¬ ory stones were put in place. And when the people and the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 371 precious Ark were safely over in the Promised Land, the waters of the Jordan River flowed on in their old places again. Devotional Service: A BIBLE READING EESSON “ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way ( f the wicked shall perish.” —Psalm 1. Prayer Heavenly Father, help us to be strong and of good courage when we are told to do a thing that is right for us to do. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Stepping-Stones Over the Jordan If you have been teaching the Ten Commandments, here is a simple device which so savors of the spirit of play and of a game that will relieve the tedium of the repetition which is necessary. With the flat side of a short piece of crayon, rep¬ resent a sheet of water between two opposite bits of shore. Tell the children that this will represent the Jordan River, one bank the wilderness side, and the opposite bank the Promised Land. Now that the story of the wanderings and the crossing of the Jordan has been told, impress upon the minds of the pupils the fact that the “ Ten Commandments ” 372 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS were the “ helps ” that the people had in reaching their Prom¬ ised Land—they were like “ stepping-stones ” over the Jor¬ dan ; they are “ stepping-stones ” for us. They help in right living, and in pleasing God. Ask who wishes to “ cross over ” on these stones ? Each stone represents a Command¬ ment. Let the children recite as you point to a stone. Use the question, “ How far can you go? ” When the other side is reached “ by recitation,” give the child a seal or a gold star to paste on the “ shore.” SUNDAY SESSION A STORY OF SEVEN OBEDIENT DAYS Joshua 6:1-20 Memory Verse “ Whithersoever thou sendest us we will go.” —Joshua 1:16b. The Teacher's Preparation This lesson has been chosen to show that the Israelites themselves had made considerable progress toward that state of obedience to- God’s will that he desired and demanded from his chosen people. Tell the story in such a way that this obedience to Jehovah’s commands stands out in full relief. Joshua had been the constant helper and follower of Moses, and it was his affectionate desire to carry out the life-long wish of his leader. This was to be the purpose of the remainder of his own life. “ Be strong and of good courage,” his leader had said to him, and Joshua adopted this phrase as his watchword, and passed it on to the people. Jericho was a strategic city of Canaan, situated west of the Jordan, not far from the Dead Sea. Its vegetation was luxuriant. The rose of Jericho, the beautiful palm trees, the balsams, the sycamores and many, many other trees and plants grew in unusual abundance. At this time it was a walled town. Joshua was a man who stood for the right and battled for PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 373 it. Canaan’s inhabitants were idolators, and their lives were quite contrary to the ideals presented in the Ten Command¬ ments, the Israelites’ sacred code given them by Jehovah. It is recorded that during Joshua’s life Israel served God and obeyed his will. In the Primary class we need raise no question as to the falling of the walls of Jericho. Theirs is the story in its simplicity, representing a leader brave to do God’s will, a people struggling to learn this lesson and for the time succeeding. Review the preceding story to such an extent that the transition to to-day’s lesson will be simple. Thk Story Over the Jordan River, and not a life lost! Not even the friskiest boy was missing! All the flocks were safe! The beautiful, golden Ark was safe! Home at last in the Promised Land! But all was not yet going to be easy for the people. There was still much work to be done. There were the people who lived in the land; the people who cared not at all for the one true God. There were the walled cities filled with people who had weapons of war and who knew how to fight. Right ahead of them was a great city called Jericho. It had a towering big wall. The people of Jericho saw the Israelites, and they closed the big gates of the city and locked them fast. No one came out, and no one went in. When all the people were over the river, God spoke to Joshua, saying: “ I have given you the city.” Then God said: “ All the men of war, the soldiers, shall march round the walls of Jericho, once. Seven priests bear¬ ing trumpets made of rams’ horns shall march before the Ark. The seventh day ye shall march round the city seven times. The priests shall blow the trumpets.” God said: “ On the seventh day when the priests blow a long blast with the rams’ horns, all the people shall shout with a great shout. The walls of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him. Then Joshua called the priests. 374 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS “ Take up the Ark,” he said, “ and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Ark of God.” Then they called together the people and arranged them in a long, long procession. “ Pass on! March round the city! ” they commanded. “ Let the armed men march before the Ark of God! ” Everyone listened tO' the will of God. Everyone obeyed. The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on and blew the trumpets; the Ark of God followed; then followed the people. “ Ye shall not shout,” commanded Joshua. “ Ye shall not let your voices be heard. Not a word shall come out of your mouths until the day I bid you shout. Then shall ye shout! ” The people listened and obeyed. They marched round the city once; not a word was spoken. When they had gone all round the walls, they came back to the camp and went into their tents. The gates of the city were kept locked and bolted. The people inside were afraid when they saw the great army march round the walls. Joshua rose early the next morning and called the people. The priests took up the Ark; the armed men found their places; the priests bearing the trumpets took their places; they blew their trumpets as they went. They marched round the city walls once. Not a word was spoken. Then they went back to camp. The third day they did same thing, and the fourth. The people of Jericho who had at first been so frightened began to wonder. When the third and fourth days passed, and the walls still stood, the gates were still fast, they began to question. I suppose they said: “ Who are these queer strangers who march round our walls ? They say nothing! They do nothing! Ha! We need have no fear of these men! ” The fifth day came, and the men of Israel marched round the walls again—obediently, without a question, without a word. The sixth day they did the same. Then the seventh day dawned. Joshua rose early and called the people. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 375 “ March round the city seven times to-day,’’ he com¬ manded. “ When I bid you, shout! ” So the people marched—once around, twice around, and not a word was spoken; four times, five, six times. The seventh march began—then a loud, long blast of the trumpet sounded. “ Shout! ” commanded Joshua. “ Shout! for Jehovah hath given you the city! ” Then the people gave a mighty shout while the priests blew a blast loud and long upon their trumpets. Altogether they shouted, obedient to the command! The walls of Jericho fell flat! The people rushed in and took it as Jehovah had said. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ We will triumph in thy salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners: Jehovah fulfill all thy petitions. . . . Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will make mention of the name ot Jehovah our God. They are bowed down and fallen; But we are risen, and stand upright. Save, Jehovah: Let the King answer us when we call.” —Psalm 20 :5, 7-9. Prayer Heavenly Father, sometimes we may not quite understand why we must do a thing in just the way that we are told. But may we obey as exactly as those people obeyed. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a short dramatization of the marching scene. . THE RIGHT USE OF GOD’S GIFTS (TEMPERANCE) \ * CHAPTER XXXIX WEEK DAY SESSION THE HOUSE IN WHICH I LIVE I Corinthians 3:16, 17b; 9:4, 25, 27; II Corinthians 5:1 Memory Verse “ Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” —Romans 12 :9. The Teacher's Preparation “ Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ” So Paul reminds the Cor¬ inthians in his letter of instructions regarding right ways of living. “ And God created man in his own image . . . and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,” we are told at the very beginning of God’s Word, and the Book is filled with precept, exhortation, and ideal pictures which make it clear how God would have his children keep this temple as well as the “ real self,” the “ soul,” that dwells therein. Lessons on the care of this house of the soul should hold a most important part in the curriculum of the church school, and the beginning of such instruction is certainly in' place in simplified form in the Primary Department. The children should be taught respect for the body and a feeling of pride and responsibility in its proper care, de¬ velopment, and upkeep. They should be so trained that they are ashamed of any neglect of cleanliness, or “ letting down ” of personal appearance. They should be taught about the things that injure the body, such as overeating; improper kinds of food; germs which may enter the body by carelessness in handling drink¬ ing cups; or by coming in contact with the dirty house fly; by food contaminated by mice, and so forth, 379 380 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The terrible havoc wrought upon the body by indulging in strong drink may be referred to; but the real temperance les¬ sons for the Primary grade are such as those suggested above. Following out the suggestion given by Paul’s question, the teacher may make a comparison between the body and a house. It will not be difficult to make simple sketches upon the blackboard of a wigwam, a beehive, a bird house, an Oriental tent, a modern cottage. Get the children interested in the sketches and in describing them as homes, dwelling places, and in answering the questions: “Who lives here?” “ Who keeps the house ? ” “ Is it kept clean ? ” “ How is it kept clean ? ” When interest is aroused, make the transition as follows: Your own little body is very like a little house, your house in which the really-truly “ you ” lives. Your two eyes are two bright windows; your ears are windows, too; and your mouth is like the door. Who is going to do the housekeep¬ ing in this house? Yes, you, yourself. What kind of house¬ keeper are you? Now you have four good servants to help you with this work. I wonder if you can tell who they are? (The hands and feet.) Let us name some of the things that the two good servants Right Hand and Left Hand can do. (The children will be interested in being contributors to the lesson at this point. Let them make a list in an animated manner.) What can Right Foot and Left Foot do? Do you know that there are some enemies that we must try to keep out of our houses which we are trying to guard and take care of and keep so clean? Here is one enemy. What a dirty tramp he is! (Sketch a house fly.) Why, many a time he has made a hearty meal from the scavanger box! Many a time his feet are covered with the dirtiest kind of dirt! Many a time he has been where there is con¬ tagious disease! Try to keep this dirty tramp from soiling your clean house, and bringing you illness. Then there are some wicked little enemies called “ germs.” You will have to be careful of these little fellows, for they PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 381 are so small that you cannot see them. They sometimes lurk on the outside of fruit that has not been washed. Mother has to be careful where your milk has been bought and that it is kept in a clean place. You should be very, very careful of the kind of water that you drink, for one of the favorite hiding places is in water that does not come from a healthy place. Never use a drinking glass that belongs in a public place, because these sly little enemies are almost always clinging round the edge of such a glass. There is another little enemy that is waiting for an oppor¬ tunity to bring trouble to that nice, clean house of yours. Perhaps you can guess his name. He is quite a gay fellow, and sings a song of summer evening, but it is a song that we do not like. Yes, Mr. Mosquito. That sharp sting is often laden with poisons which make people ill. There are enemies of which big boys and men must espe¬ cially beware. But little boys will be big boys and men, some day, we hope, so we tell them in time to BEWARE. Cigar¬ ettes are dangerous enemies, because in them is hidden a poison called “ nicotine.” And what does nicotine do ? It often keeps the young boy from growing strong and sturdy as God intended him to be. Then again, one of the worst of all enemies that try to get in at the door of your body house is Strong Drink. Strong Drink is a thief—do you know that ? He steals a man's money. He steals away a man’s home, because he spends all his money in such foolish ways, after Strong Drink has made him foolish. He steals the very clothes from a man’s back, so that he goes about dressed like a beg¬ gar. He steals a man’s good looks. He steals from a man’s wife and even from his little children. What a thief is Strong Drink! You will never, never let him through the door of your house, will you ? Tell the story of the Prodigal Son in such a way as to emphasize clearly the disaster that intemperance in food and drink and wrong habits of life are sure to bring to the temple of the Spirit, and to the spirit that dwells within it. This is a retold story, and the children should be more or less familiar with the facts. 382 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS A Boy Who Turned Over a New Leap There was a certain man who had two sons. He was a good and kind father, and gave his boys a great many good things; for he was a rich man, and he loved them. One day the younger son said: “ Father, give me the por¬ tion of your wealth that you intend for me. Give it to me now, that I may go and enjoy it.” Then the father divided his fortune between his sons. Not many days afterwards, the younger son gathered all his possessions together and took his journey into a far country. There he made friends with bad companions. He ate too much; he drank until he was drunk. He lived a very wild life, and wasted the money that his father had given him. By and by it was all gone. At that time a great famine came to the country. The young man began to be in want. He had nothing to eat; he was in rags. He went to one of the rich men of the place and asked for work. The man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. That was a shameful piece of work for a proud young Jew, but he went to do it. The rich owner forgot all about his hired man, and he grew hungrier and hungrier. Fie would have been glad to eat the husks that he fed to the pigs. Then that young man began to think of his good father and his home and all the right ways of living that his father had taught him. He was homesick. He was ashamed of his dirty, ragged clothes. He was ashamed of his empty purse. He was sorry for his drunken¬ ness and his bad behaviour. “ How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 383 And he arose and went back to his father, and was for¬ given. Dlvotionai, Service a bibee reading lesson “ And God said, Get us make man in our image, after our likeness: . . . And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him.”—Genesis 1:26a; 27. % if: 5j: * >|c “ Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.” —I Corinthians 3:16, 17. Prayer Heavenly Father, may we never forget that we are made in thy likeness. Our body is like a house for the soul. Help us to keep it clean and fair for the soul that thou hast given us. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Write the names of two enemies of good health. Write three sentences about keeping the body well. During the week find a picture in the advertisement pages of a magazine of a little girl or boy whom you think is an example of a child whose body is properly cared for. SUNDAY SESSION TOM, THE WATER BABY I Corinthians 3:16, 17b; 9:4, 25, 27; II Corinthians 5:1 (Review). Memory Verse “ God created man in his own image.”—Genesis 1:27a. 384 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The Teacher’s Preparation A portion of Charles Kingsley’s charming classic for chil¬ dren, “ The Water Babies,” has been selected for an amplifi¬ cation of the thought which we are developing: “Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? ” Away back in the times of which the children have been learning when “ the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river,” cleanliness was insisted upon as a neces¬ sity of health and right living. Review the preceding lesson to such an extent that an easy transition may be made. A valuable list of books which is recommended by a special city instructor of sciences is given with this lesson. If the teachers will make a study of one or more of these books, this most important subject could easily be continued by very short suggestive talks during lesson periods which follow. The Story Once upon a time there was a little chimney sweep, and his name was Tom. He could neither read nor write, and he did not care to do either; and he never washed himself, for there was no water up in the court where he lived. He never had been taught to say his prayers. He cried half the time, and laughed the other half. He cried when he had to climb the dark flues, rubbing his poor knees and elbows raw; and when the soot got into his eyes, which it did every day in the week; and when his master beat him, which he did every day in the week; and when he had not enough to eat, which happened every day in the week likewise. One morning Mr. Grimes, Tom’s master, started out for Harthover Place to clean the chimneys. Of course he took Tom with him. Harthover Place was really a grand place, even for the rich north country. The house was large, and there were gardens, and a park around it which was full of deer. \ PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 385 Harthover was a grand place, and Sir John, the owner, was a grand old man. Grimes rode the donkey in front, and Tom, with the brushes, walked behind; out of the big city, and up the street, toward the real country. Soon, instead of the groaning of engines, they heard the skylark singing high up in the air, and the little birds warb¬ ling in the bushes. It was very early in the morning, and everyone else was asleep; even the cows in the meadows were fast asleep. On they went; and Tom looked and looked, for he never had been so far in the country before. He longed to get over a gate and pick buttercups; but Mr. Grimes would not have heard of that. Soon they came up with a poor Irishwoman, trudging along with a bundle at her back. She had a gray shawl over her head. She had neither shoes nor stockings, and limped along as if she were tired and footsore; but she was a very tall, handsome woman, with bright gray eyes, and heavy black hair hanging about her cheeks. She walked beside Tom, and talked to him, and asked him where he lived, and what he knew, and all about himself, until Tom thought that he had never met such a pleasant- spoken woman. And she asked him, at last, whether he had said his prayers! She seemed sad when he told her that he knew no prayers to say. Then he asked her where she lived, and she said that she lived far away by the sea. Tom asked her about the sea; and she told him how it rolled and roared over the rocks on winter nights, and lay still in the bright summer days, for the children to bathe and play in it. Tom began to long to go and see the sea, and bathe in it, likewise. At last, at the bottom of a hill, they came to a spring. Grimes stopped and looked; and Tom looked, too. Grimes got off his donkey, and knelt down, and began dipping his ugly head into the spring—and very dirty it made it. Tom was picking the flowers as fast as he could. The Irishwoman helped him. But when he saw Grimes actually wash, he stopped, quite 386 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS astonished; and when Grimes had finished, and began shak¬ ing his ears to dry them, he said: “ Why, master, I never saw you do that before.” “ Nor will again, most likely. ’Twasn’t for cleanliness I did it, but for coolness. I’d be ashamed to want washing every week or so, like any smutty collier lad.” “ I wish I might go and dip my head in,” said poor Tom. “ Thou come along,” said Grimes. “ What dost want with washing thyself ? ” “ I don’t care for you,” said Tom and ran down to the stream, and began washing his face. Grimes dashed after him, and began to beat him. “Are you not ashamed of yourself, Thomas Grimes?” cried the Irishwoman. Grimes looked up, startled at her knowing his name. He got on his donkey without another word. “ Those that wish to be clean, clean they will be; and those that wish to be dirty, dirty they will be! ” shouted the Irish¬ woman after them. “ Remember.” After a while they had gone three miles more and had come to the gates, and very grand gates they were. Tom swept so many chimneys that he grew quite tired, and puzzled, too, for they were not like the town flues. He lost his way in them, and was in pitchy darkness. But at last, coming down what he thought was the right chimney, he came down the wrong flue, and found himself standing on the hearth rug in a room the like of which he never had seen before. The room was all dressed in white—white window cur¬ tains, white bed curtains, white furniture, and white walls, with just a few lines of pink here and there. The carpet was all over gay little flowers; and the walls were hung with pictures in gilt frames, which amused Tom very much. There were pictures of ladies and gentlemen, and pictures of horses and dogs. But there were two pictures which took his fancy most. One of these was the picture of a man in long garments, with little children and their mothers round him, who was laying his hand upon the children’s heads. The other picture was that of a man nailed to a cross, PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 387 which surprised Tom much. But why was it there? “ Poor man ! ” thought Tom. “ And he looks so kind and quiet! ” And Tom felt sad, and awed, and turned to look at some¬ thing else. The next thing he saw, and that, too, puzzled him, was a washing stand, with ewers and basins, and soap and brushes, and towels, and a large bath full of clean water—what a heap of things all for washing! “ She must be a very dirty lady/’ thought Tom, “ by my master’s rule, to want as much scrubbing as all that. But she must be very cunning to put the dirt out of the way so well afterwards, for I don’t see a speck about the room, not even on the very towels.” And then, looking toward the bed, he saw that dirty lady and held his breath with astonishment. Under the snow-white coverlet, upon the snow-white pil¬ low, lay the most beautiful little girl that Tom had ever seen. Her cheeks were almost as white as the pillow, and her head was like threads of gold spread all about over the bed. “ No. She cannot be dirty. She could never have been dirty,” thought Tom to himself. And then he thought, “ Are all people like that when they are washed ? ” and he looked at his own wrist, and tried to rub the soot off, and wondered whether it ever would come off. “ Certainly I should look much prettier then, if I grew at all like her.” And looking round, he suddenly saw, standing close to him, a little ugly, black, ragged figure, with bleared eyes and grinning white teeth. He turned on it angrily. What did such a little black ape want in that sweet young lady’s room ? And behold, it was himself reflected in a great mirror, the like of which Tom had never seen before. And Tom, for the first time in his life, found out that he was dirty; and burst into tears with shame and anger; and turned to sneak up the chimney again and hide; and upset the fender and threw the fire-irons down, with a noise as .of ten thousand tin kettles tied to ten thousand mad dogs’ tails. Up jumped the little white lady in her bed, and, seeing Tom, screamed as shrill as any peacock. In rushed a stout old nurse from the next room, and seeing Tom likewise, made up her mind that he had come to rob, plunder, destroy, and burn; and dashed at him, as he lay over the fender, so fast that she caught him by the jacket. 388 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS But she did not hold him. He doubled under the good lady’s arm, across the room, and out of the window in a moment. The undergardener, mowing, saw Tom, and threw down his scythe and gave chase. The dairymaid heard the noise and gave chase to Tom. Grimes upset the soot sack in the new-graveled yard, and spoiled it all utterly; but he ran out and gave chase to Tom. The old steward opened the park gate and gave chase to Tom. The plowman left his horses and gave chase to Tom. Sir John looked out of his study window, ran out, and gave chase to Tom. The Irishwoman, too, was walking up to the house to beg, but she threw away her bundle, and gave chase to Tom likewise. In a word, never was there heard at Hall Place such a noise, row, hubbub, babel, shindy, hullabaloo, as that day, when Grimes, the gardener, the groom, the dairymaid, Sir John, the steward, the plowman, the keeper, and the Irish¬ woman, all ran up the park, shouting “ Stop, thief! ” And all the while poor Tom paddled up the park with his little bare feet. Of course he made for the woods. Then he went on and on, he hardly knew why; but he liked the great wide, strange place, and the cool, fresh, bracing air. He went on and on, until his head spun round with the heat, and he thought he heard church bells ringing a long way off. Behind him, far below, was Harthover, and the dark woods and the shining salmon river. Through the wood, hundreds of feet below him, he could see a clear stream glance. Oh, if he could but get down to that stream. So Tom went down; and all the while he never saw the Irish¬ woman going down behind him. A mile off, and a thousand feet down! So Tom found it. At last he got to the bottom. By and by he fell half asleep, and dreamt that he heard the little white lady crying to him, “ Oh, you’re so dirty; go and be washed.” All of a sudden he found himself over the road, with the stream just before him, saying continually, “ I must be clean, I must be clean.” So he pulled off all his clothes. And he put his poor, hot, sore feet into the water; and then his legs, and washed himself. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 389 Devotional Service (Repeat the devotional Bible Reading lesson for the pre¬ ceding lesson.) Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee that so many little chil¬ dren have more loving care given to their bodies by fathers and mothers than did this little boy in the story. But may we follow even this poor little boy’s example in wanting to make the body that thou hast given us as clean and pure and good as we know how. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. The teacher may find a number of pictures of children being bathed, or pictures suggesting “ cleanliness,” and let the pupils cut out and mount, and make a class booklet. A Short Fist oe Heepeue Books “ Primer of Hygiene,” Ritchie-Caldwell. (World Book Company, Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York.) “ First Book In Physiology,” Krohn. (Appleton.) “ Primer of Sanitation,” Ritchie. (World Book Com¬ pany.) “ Good Health,” Gulick. (Ginn and Company.) “ Town and City,” Gulick. (Ginn and Company.) “ The Body at Work,” Gulick. (Ginn and Company.) “ Control of Body and Mind,” Gulick. (Ginn and Com¬ pany.) CHAPTER XL WEEK DAY SESSION GOD’S GIFTS FOR FOOD Psalm 85:12; Leviticus 26:3-5; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Pro¬ verbs 23 :20, 21. Memory Verse “ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”—I Corinthians 10:31. The Teacher's Preparation For this lesson interest the children in gardening and plant culture. Pictures of fruits and vegetables that may be col¬ lected by the teacher from catalogues furnished by seeds¬ men will be found very useful. The small box favors shaped like fruits and vegetables that are to be found in candy stores will also help to make an attractive lesson. The teacher may also have a few small packages of seeds, and talk about the different varieties and the flowers or the vegetables that will grow from these tiny beginnings. Talk to the children about spring planting time, hinging your talk upon the following questions: Who does the planting? Can the planter make the seed grow ? What does God send to make the seed grow? (Rain and sunshine.) What does the gardener or farmer do to help, after the tiny seeds have sprouted ? What comes in the autumn if the farmer has done his part? Talk about good ways and wrong ways of using God’s good gifts of food. Make lists of foods that are good for children. Mention that one of the wrong ways of using God’s good gift of food is to turn the fruit juices into wine and drink until drunkenness is the result. Another wrong way is to eat too much until the body is made ill. 390 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 391 Another wrong way to treat God’s good gifts is to waste them. An excellent chapter on “ Eating ” is given in “ Good Health ” of the Gulick Hygiene Series. It discusses the four important topics: 1. What to eat. 2. When to eat. 3. How to eat. 4. How much to eat. There is also a very interesting discussion of the evil effects of alcohol upon the body. This is illustrated by the description of the experiment which a doctor made in the interest of science upon four little pupils Bum, Tipsy, Nig, and Topsy. “ The Candy Country,” by Louisa M. Alcott, may be told in a simplified form to illustrate how too much of the things that children like may make such things injurious and repulsive. Pictures will help this lesson. Two of the masterpieces are: Milking Time, by Dupre; The Gleaners, by Millet. Make a list of vegetables good for food. Make a list of meats. Make a list of fruits. A Bible Story About Eating Too Much And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted ex¬ ceedingly : and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look upon. And the manna was like coriander seed. . . . The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. . ’. . And Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased. . . . 392 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS And Jehovah said unto Moses, . . . Say thou unto the people, . . . Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? . . . And there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very' great plague.— Selected from Numbers, chapter 11. A Blackboard Drawing PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 393 A Health Acrostic 1 By Margaret Morton (This may also be used as the basis of an effective poster.) Have a clean handkerchief each morning. Exercise outdoors each day. Avoid using a common drinking cup. Leave coffee and tea alone. Take milk every day. H ave clean hands before meals. Remember four glasses of water a day. Use fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Let your teeth have a brush often. Each week take one bath or more. Sleep long hours with windows open. Devotional Service a bibee reading lesson “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.”— Leviticus 26:3-5. Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for thy good gifts of food. May we use these gifts in right ways, being very care¬ ful to eat what is best and not enough to hurt us. May we be generous and willing to share with those who may not have so much as they need. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Make a list of God’s good gifts of fruits, of vegetables, of other good things to eat. 1 From Normal Instruction and Primary Plans. Used by permis¬ sion of the F. A. Owen Publishing Company, Danville, New York. 394 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Copy the drawing on the blackboard. Bring in pictures of God’s good gifts of food to make a class booklet. Mount these and copy appropriate Bible verses to accompany the pictures. SUNDAY SESSION THE STORY OF THE RECHABITES Jeremiah 35:1-8, 12-14a, 18, 19 Memory Verse “ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”—I Corinthians 10:31. The Teacher’s Preparation A good quotation to write upon the blackboard and teach to the children in connection with this lesson is the following saying by Benjamin Franklin: “ Temperance puts wood in the fire, meal in the barrel, flour in the tub, money in the purse, credit in the country, contentment in the house, clothes on the back, and vigor in the body.” After the lesson has been taught, it may be possible to awaken a deeper interest in the subject by discussing how going without strong drink can: Put wood in the fire, Put meal in the barrel, Put flour in the tub, Put money in the purse, Put contentment in the house, Put clothes on the back, Put strength in the body. If you used the story of the little dogs Bum, Tipsy, Nig, and Topsy, retell it very briefly, or let one of the children tell it. Refer to the fact that God’s good gifts have been used in wrong ways when strong drink is made and is taken until the drinker is drunk. This is one way of spoiling the PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 395 “ house ” of the soul which we are to keep clean and pure and good because it has been made in the likeness of God. Tell the story of the Rechabites. The Story One day long, long ago, so long ago that it was many years before Jesus came to live in the world, a father called his sons to him. He wanted to ask them something. This father was a very wise man, because he knew that if he could get his sons to make a certain promise to him, and if they would keep that promise, he could help them more than if he should leave them the greatest wealth. One of the kings of his country had once written these words: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? . . . Who hath redness of eyes ? They that tarry long at the wine.” The father did not want his sons to have any of these troubles. Then the king had written: “ Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly: At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.” The father believed every word of this good advice. He made up his mind never to touch wine himself. He also made up his mind to get his sons to promise never to touch it. This would help them to keep strong. So he called his sons together, and they solemnly made the promise. Not only did they make the promise, but they kept it. They kept it after their father had died. They kept it even after they had grown to be old men. These people lived long ago, in a part of the land that God gave his chosen people to live in. They were called the Rechabites. So the Rechabites grew strong and sturdy. 396 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The sons asked their children to keep the same promise and they did. The grandchildren, and even the great¬ grandchildren kept the promise. None of the family of Rechabites ever drank a drop of wine or of other strong drink. At one time the Rechabites were in the city of Jerusalem. There was a good man in Jerusalem named Jeremiah. God often spoke to him. He was called a prophet, and he taught God’s people. God said to Jeremiah: “ Go see how well the Rechabites can keep their promise. Go prove them.” So the Rechabites were called together. Bowls and cups of wine were set before them. They were invited to drink. “ No,” said the Rechabites, “ we will not drink! We have promised our fathers. We will keep our promise,” and they did not touch a drop of the wine. God was pleased with the Rechabites, and he said so. He is just as pleased whenever any of his children say: “ No, we will not drink strong drink. We have promised. We will keep our promise.” The Words of the Wise King “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; They that go to seek out mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, . . . At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.” —Selected from Proverbs, chapter 23. Devotional Service: A BIBLE READING LESSON “ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no under¬ standing ; Whose trappings must be bit and bridle to hold them in, Else they will not come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he that trusteth in Jehovah, lovingkindness shall compass him about.” —Psalm 32 :8-10. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 397 Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for lessons that help us know how to keep our bodies, the house in which the soul must dwell, clean and well and good. Help us to remember these lessons and obey them. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. The teacher may collect pictures suggesting the drinking of the proper beverages—milk, water, and so forth, and let the children cut them out and mount them in booklet form. A number of appropriate Bible verses and quotations may be added in order to impress the lesson. GOD IN HIS WORLD CHAPTER XLI WEEK DAY SESSION GOD’S CREATURES OF THE FIELD Genesis 1 :24, 25 ; Job 12:7-10; Proverbs 6:6-11 ; 30:24-28. Memory Verse “ The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fulness thereof: The world, and they that dwell therein.”—Psalm 24:1. The Teacher's Preparation One lesson period is a very small allotment of time for this subject, and the teacher will be bewildered most espe¬ cially in making a judicious selection out of the abundance of material which may be found if a proper search is made. Gather plenty of good animal pictures to help along in this lesson. Practice sketching some of the simpler animal forms, as nothing delights a class of children more than watching “ teachers draw.” Beautiful animal picture books are to be obtained, many of which are in colors. The advertisement pages of the magazines are excellent sources for pictures to mount. Animal toys will also add interest to this lesson. The aim of the lesson should be to teach the children that the animals and the creatures of the field are God’s, for he made them. They should be taught that these creatures have feeling; and that they should be treated with gentleness and kindness. A great many beautiful animal stories may be found. A most excellent book to use in preparing this lesson is “ The Kindred of the Wild (A Book of Animal Life),” by Charles G. D. Roberts. From this book the teacher may obtain plenty of material for retelling in simplified form. 401 402 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Other good books are: “Animal Stories, by Grimm.” (Illustrated by Rae.) “The Prince and His Ants,” Luigi Bertelli (Holt). “ The Pet Book,” Comstock (Comstock). “ At the Zoo,” A. O. Cooke. (Nelson.) “ Bird Stories,” E. M. Patch. (Atlantic.) “ The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts,” Abbie Farrell Brown. “ Wild Animals I Have Known,” Ernest Thompson Seton. Several especially good animal stories: “ Raggylug,” adapted from Ernest Thompson Seton’s “ Wild Animals I Have Known,” in “ How to Tell Stories to Children,” by Sara Cone Bryant. (Houghton, Mifflin Company.) (Children are always delighted with this story, which teaches such a good lesson.) “ The Ugly Duckling,” Hans Christian Anderson. “ The Bell of Atri,” Fifty Famous Stories. With this lesson you may teach the quotation from Cole¬ ridge’s “ Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. He prayeth best who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all. If you choose, you may lay stress upon birds in your par¬ ticular class. “ Hast thou named all the birds without a gun ? ” asked Emerson. Create a feeling of admiration for this “ for¬ bearance.” A beautiful story to use with this lesson would be the fol¬ lowing incident in Lincoln’s life—the story of the time when he left his two companions to go back to pick up a young fledgling that had fallen from its nest, remarking to them: “ I could not have slept to-night, if I had left the birds.” Bird songs on the phonograph would add interest to your lesson. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 403 A Good Littde Pokm " the: runaway bird " “ There’s a bad little bird in our pasture! Each day His mother calls out, as he’s running away (I s’pose from the house she can see him at play) : ‘ Bob White ! Bob White ! Bob White ! ’ “ I think he forgets, as a little bird will, How far he has gone in his playing, until He hears her cry out in a tone that is shrill: ‘ Bob White! Bob White! Bob White! ’ “ I always keep hoping his mother will find Some day that her Bobby is learning to mind! (A runaway child is the tiresomest kind!) ‘ Bob White! Bob White ! Bob White ! ’ ” Tell the children something of the wonders of insect life, especially of the bees and the ants. Tell about the queen bee and the deference of her “ sub¬ jects ”; of the worker bees and the life in and out of the hive. Tell about the wonderful life that is lived in the little ant hill: about the obedience shown to the queen; about the “ gladness ” that seems to pervade the cell where she happens to be present. It is said that when ants are happy, they have a way of standing up and skipping about something after the style of a little dance. This lesson hour cannot, of course, because of its brief¬ ness, be of a very scientific nature. The: Story A spider is a little thing, but once upon a time a spider helped a king to win a great battle. Robert Bruce, the king of Scotland, and all his brave soldiers loved their bonnie homeland. But the king of England and his great army had come marching into the land to drive Robert Bruce away, and take Scotland for themselves. Six times brave Robert Bruce at the head of his men tried to drive the enemy back. Six times they failed. Robert Bruce had to run away and hide among the moun¬ tains. The army was scattered; the brave men were here, there, and everywhere—trying to save their own lives. 404 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS The brave king was discouraged. He threw himself down on a bed of straw in a hut amongst the mountains. “ I can do no more,” he sighed. “ Scotland will soon be taken. I shall have to give up. The enemy will come. My men are discouraged. Six times we have been beaten! ” The poor king tried to sleep, but he could not. He lay on his bed of straw looking up into the rude rafters, thinking about his poor people, and how bonnie Scotland would soon fall into the hands of the enemy. By and by his tired eyes noticed a little gray spider. She was trying to spin a web from one beam to another. But the beams were quite far apart for the spider to throw her thread. Once she tried, and failed. Twice she tried, and the web fell short. Three times she threw the thread. The king watched. “ Poor little spider,” he whispered. “ You, too, know what it is to try and not succeed.” But the spider kept on. “ Four times, five times, six times! “Ah,” said the king. “Six times! You might as well give up! ” The king watched with brightening eyes. “ What! You are going to try again ? ” Eagerly he watched, as the little spider tried, oh, so hard! She threw her thread ! It caught! She succeeded ! “Aha!” cried the king, as he jumped from his bed of straw, with a new light in his eyes, and the look of a firm, strong soldier once more. “If you can try six times and fail, and try the seventh time and win, so can I! Pve learned a good lesson, little spider. I shall try again and win! ” So the king left the hut in the mountains. He gathered together his soldiers and told them the story. They all tried again, and they, too, won! A little spider had helped a king and his army to save bonnie Scotland. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 405 And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.” —Genesis 1:24, 25. “ But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this, In whose hand is the soul of every living thing.” —Job 12 :7-10a. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we thank thee for making the earth a pleasant place by creating the animals, the creatures of the field. They are thine, because thou hast made them. We will always be kind to these creatures which are thine, and help to protect them. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Cut out animal pictures and make a scrapbook, adding ap¬ propriate Bible verses and quotations written with care by the pupils. Let the children tell stories of their pets. 406 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS SUNDAY SESSION THE GREAT, WIDE SEA Psalms 33:7; 95:5; 104:25-27; 107:23-31; Mark 4:35-41. Memory Verse " Above the voice of many waters, The mighty breakers of the sea, Jehovah on high is mighty.”—Psalm 93 :4. The Teacher's Preparation Make a collection of pictures of boats, of seascapes, and of objects suggesting life about the shore. Make a blackboard sketch of boats upon the sea, as such a sketch will need very little skill. If possible have a few shells and such things as skeleton starfish to show the children. A review of the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea or the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River may be used to show the power of God over the waters. Many of the Bible verses given for to-day’s lesson are most beautiful, and the teacher may assign them for home¬ work learning, giving special credit to those who recite them before the class during the following lesson period. If your particular class is located in a city near the sea, the children will be glad to tell experiences they have had while at that most dearly loved place “ at the seashore.” The Story The sea is God’s, for he made it. God gave his Son, Jesus, power to do the same wonderful things that he himself has power to do. One day Jesus went out upon the Sea of Galilee in a boat, with his disciples. The day was clear and beautiful. Jesus had been very busy doing many kind things for people, and he was tired. He went to lie down, and soon he was fast asleep. Suddenly the sky changed. The waters became dark and angry-looking. Winds whistled down and struck the sea. The big waves rose and beat upon the boat. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 407 Jesus’ friends knew just how to manage a boat. But when they tried to make for the land, even their brawny arms could not steer the boat. The men grew frightened. It semed as if everyone would be drowned. And all this time, Jesus still slept. Presently the men hurried to Jesus. “ Lord, save us! We perish! ” they cried. Some one asked, “ Teacher, carest thou not that we perish ? ” “ Master, Master, we perish! ” still another man ex¬ claimed. Jesus woke up. Then he rose from his pillow. He said to the wind and to the sea, “ Peace, be still! ” His words were very gentle. The wind stopped blowing; the waves stopped beating; the storm was over. The sea obeyed its Master. “ Do ye not trust me? Why are ye afraid?” he asked the men. The power of God and his .Son in the world is very great. The following poem may be read to the class or told in prose form by the teacher. The Captain’s Daughter We were crowded in the cabin, Not a soul would dare to sleep,— It was midnight on the waters, And a storm was on the deep. ’Tis a fearful thing in winter To be shattered by the blast, And to hear the rattling trumpet Thunder, “ Cut away the mast! ” So we shuddered there in silence,— For the stoutest held his breath, While the hungry sea was roaring, And the breakers talked with death. As thus we sat in darkness, Each one busy with his prayers, “ We are lost! ” the captain shouted, As he staggered down the stairs. 408 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS But his little daughter whispered, As she took his icy hand, “ Isn’t God upon the ocean, Just the same as on the land?” Then we kissed the little maiden, And we spoke in better cheer, And we anchored safe in harbor When the morn was shining clear.” —James T. Fields. Devotional Service A BIBEE READING LESSON “ He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap.” “ The sea is his, and he made it.” “Yonder is the sea, great and wide, Wherein are things creeping innumerable, Both small and great beasts. There go the ships; There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to play therein. These wait all for thee, That thou mayest give them their food in due season.” Prayer Heavenly B'ather, when we visit the seashore and watch the waves come and go; when we watch the stormy sea; when we see the gentle waters; may we remember that the sea, too, belongs to thee, for thou hast made it. May we love it a little more because of this lesson, and these beautiful words that we have learned from the Bible. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Mount pictures of the sea in a booklet and add carefully written Bible verses. Give this book to some child who is shut in and would be pleased with it, or send to some hospital. CHAPTER XLII WEEK DAY SESSION DAY AND NIGHT Genesis 1:14-18 ; Psalms 19:1, 2; 74:16; 139:12; Jeremiah 31:35; Ecclesiastes 1:5; 11:7; Genesis 15:5b; Psalms 8:3; 104:19-24; Mark 1:21-34. Memory Verse “ The day is thine, the night also is thine.” —Psalm 74:16a. The Teacher's Preparation Write the following verses upon the blackboard before the session: “ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.” It is interesting as we read over the story of God’s work of creation in the first chapter of Genesis, to think of night as the oldest thing in the world: “ And darkness was upon the face of the deep.” God’s first creation was light, the forerunner of all his other great blessings, the wonderful thing that made them possible. Try to give the children some glimmering idea and appre¬ ciation of the wonder and beauty of the first great work of creation. Show them something of the beauty and use of both day and night. Call attention to the fact that the works of creation de¬ pended upon the light of day: point out how the grass, the flowers, and the trees need light for their growth; how the birds and the animals need the light of the daytime for their 409 410 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS growth and well-being; how necessary day is to the comfort and the very life of the people who live on the earth. Why did God give the night to man ? In order that he might rest. Tell how the night is made beautiful—by the soft lights of the moon and the stars in the sky; by the sweet odors of the flowers in the summer time; by the soft music of the insects in summer and autumn; by the restful, cool¬ ing winds on summer nights. After due attention has been given to this side of the les¬ son—the creation of day and night, their beauty, and their use in a broad sense, that is, work and rest—consider espe¬ cially the way in which God wishes his daytime to be spent. Write the first verse of Thomas Carlyle’s “ A Dawning Day ” upon the blackboard, giving in your own words the sense of the second and third verses. So here hath been dawning Another blue day. Think ! Wilt thou let it Slip useless away? Out of eternity This new day is born; Into eternity At night doth return. Behold it beforehand No eye ever did; So soon it forever From all eyes is hid. Mere hath been dawning Another blue day. Think ! Wilt thou let it Slip useless away? From this thought pass to the thought that Jesus was the Light of the world. How did he spend his days. Tell the story of one of Jesus’ days. The: Story Daytime had come again to the city of Capernaum. The sun rose over the blue lake of Galilee. The light peeped in at the doors and windows of Peter’s cottage—Peter the fish¬ erman of Galilee—and into all the other houses of the town. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 411 It was going to be a wonderful day. But this would not be only because the day always made the lake and the gar¬ dens and the pretty homes bright and pretty! There was another reason: Jesus was living in Peter’s home. And Jesus was going to help all the people he could —he was going to do many wonderful things that day. Jesus was going to spend the day just as God, his Father, wished him to spend it. It was the Sabbath morning. Jesus and Peter and James and John and Jesus’ other followers went to church. When they reached the synagogue, as the church was called, Jesus spoke to the people and taught them. “ We never heard anything like this before,” said one per¬ son to another, as they listened to his wonderful words. Now there happened to be a man who was suffering from a strange disease who came to church that day. People said he had an evil, unclean spirit. Often the man cried out and said words that he could not seem to help saying. Presently he exclaimed to Jesus: “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Nazarene? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus spoke to the unclean spirit, saying, “ Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” The unclean spirit left the man, and he was healed. The people were greatly amazed, and began to talk together; they wondered who Jesus was; they carried the story home with them, and the news spread throughout all the region. Jesus and his friends left the church, and Jesus went home with Peter. The house was kept by Peter’s wife and her mother. Very often during the week they had a dinner of fresh fish that Peter and Andrew had caught in their nets out in the sea. With the fish they had cakes that were made of the flour that Peter’s wife and her mother ground in the big mill. They put in the grains of wheat; then both took hold of the handle and turned one great stone upon another; the flour fell from between the stones. They mixed the flour with some water from the big, stone water jar, molded the loaves like flat cakes, and baked them in the oven. When Jesus and Peter and the others reached the house, they found that the mother had become very ill, and it seemed as if she could not get well. They came quickly to 412 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Jesus and asked for his help. And Jesus was ready and glad to help them, for he intended to spend all that day in helping everyone wno needed help and who came to him to ask for it. hLe bent over the sick mother and gently took her hand, he lifted her up. He commanded the fever to leave her. The fever immediately left the mother, and she rose and be¬ gan to care for her household again. This wonderful story of the cure spread far and near among the people who dwelt by the Sea of Galilee. “ We never saw anything like it,” said everyone. “ No one ever has helped us like this! ” they exclaimed. At evening time, when the sun had set, Peter’s cottage was surrounded by people who had come to find Jesus, and he was soon very busy. It was a poor, unhappy crowd; some people were lame and some were ill and some were blind. Some were so blind that they had to be led. Mothers carried sick little children in their arms. Jesus had comfort for all, and he healed them, and they went away with happiness and new life. I am sure that not one of those people who looked into the face of the Master, so filled with love and peace, ever forgot what he saw there. At last the hours for sleeping came and the people went away; the busy day was over. But Jesus did not sleep long; he left home before the coming of the daylight, and went out to the near-by hills to pray. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “ He appointed the moon for seasons: The sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night, Wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. The sun ariseth, they get them away, And lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work And to his labor until the evening. O Jehovah, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches.” Psalm 104:19-24. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 413 Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the beautiful light of the day which gives us health and happiness, and even life itself. We thank thee for its hours for work and play. May we spend the days of our lives as thou wouldst have us spend them, in doing right things and kind things. Help us often to think of this sample day that Jesus spent. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Cut out and mount pictures of children doing right things and kind things during a happy day. Make a booklet illustrating “ A Child’s Happy Day.” Intersperse the pages of these booklets with appropriate Bible verses and bits of beautiful quotations such as that suggested, “ So here hath been dawning another blue day.” Interest the children in spending one special day during the week in doing acts of kindness. SUNDAY SESSION SEEDTIME AND HARVEST Psalm 24:1; Job 28:5a ; Psalm 65 :9-13 ; Song of Solomon 7:13b; James 5 :7b; Mark 4 :28, 29; Genesis 8:22. Memory Verse “ While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”—Genesis 8:22. The Teacher’s Preparation A very great deal has been done in the secular schools in connection with nature instruction and also in the art and drawing courses which will help the Bible School teacher in the successful preparation of this lesson. Current numbers of the teacher’s magazines often contain fine full-page illustrations which correlate with this subject and will give the necessary helps and copies for blackboard illustration, as well as suggestions for poster and booklet work. 414 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS Many lessons in nature study are splendidly worked out. These can be used, adding, of course, your most vital and important touch, the thought that the seedtime and the har¬ vest time are God’s; that God is working in his world. Promises are very important things in the life of a little child. You could use this as a clue, as your “bait ” for “ interest ” at the beginning of your lesson. Talk a few minutes about “ mother’s promises ”: what are they like, always something nice for her good boys and girls. How are promises to be kept, and so forth. Say that you are going to talk about a very wonderful promise that a Father gave to his children—a very wonder¬ ful promise. Write the promise on the blackboard and read im¬ pressively. Base your lesson on the explanation of the question: How has this promise been kept? The Story Autumn is the season when God keeps a promise that he made so long ago that we have to- turn to the first part of our Bible to> find it. This promise is the Memory Verse that we are to learn with this lesson: “ While the earth re- maineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and sum¬ mer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Seedtime and harvest! These are words that mean a great deal to all of us, boys and girls and grown people; they mean a great deal even to the birds and animals. You will be very much surprised, perhaps when I tell you that much of our food is really seed. I know you thought that little birds are the creatures that live on seed. But let us think about it together. Of what is our bread made? Flour. And of what is flour made? Wheat. And wheat is a seed. Again: Of what are muffins made, that mother some¬ times bakes. Corn. (Show an ear.) And corn is a seed. Of what is the oatmeal made, that you often eat in the morn¬ ing for breakfast? Oats. And oats are seeds. Perhaps you will be surprised when I help you to think that the apples and pears and peaches that we call fruits are PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 415 really the outside coverings of seeds. See! (Cut open an apple.) Inside of the apple are the tiny brown seeds. You remember the great big pit or seed that you find inside of every juicy peach that you eat. And what are nuts but seeds? Chestnuts, walnuts, beech¬ nuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts—all these are seeds. (Write upon the blackboard in large letters: SEEDTIME AND HARVEST.) What does “harvest’’ mean? It is a beautiful word that means “ the gathering in ” time. The farmer says: “ I will harvest my wheat. I will harvest my corn. I will harvest my apples.” He means, “ I will gather in my wheat, my corn, my apples.” Now if you think a minute you will understand that when God promised, “ While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest shall always come,” he really was promising us our food. It was as if our Father in heaven said, “ While the earth remaineth, you shall have food to eat.” These are wonderful thoughts to think in the beautiful days of autumn, are they not? And now I want to help you to watch this fall for some of the ways that seeds sow themselves so that not only the food plants, but the flowers, the wild flowers, come back each year. (Select some winged seeds such as the milkweed, thistle, and fireweed to show to the children.) Here is a wonderful little seed. It is like a little airship ; and here is another and another. The slightest wind will blow them away. Mr. Bird likes to eat a great many seeds; they are part of his food. But many escape from him; they fly away and are carried off by the autumn winds; they hide them¬ selves under fallen leaves or under fences. They lie quietly all winter as if they were asleep. By and by, the warm spring rains fall, and the soft sun rays warm them, and then—some one surely can tell us what then happens ? (Continue your nature talk in this way, letting the children give their own experiences wherever possible. Call attention to the beggar’s-ticks and the sticktights, and how they are carried.) Additional Teaching Suggestions Tell the story of “ Our First Thanksgiving Day ” and why and how the Pilgrims kept it. 416 PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS \ Show several of the many Pilgrim pictures to be bought at the Perry Pictures Company and other companies where these inexpensive copies may be found. Devotional Service A BIBLE READING LESSON “The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.” —Psalm 24:1. »!' vD -J/ \1» 'p 'j' “ The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.”—Mark 4:28, 29. Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank thee for the Seedtime and the Harvest. We thank thee for the promise that thou didst make, that we shall have them always. May we act as chil¬ dren should act who have a Father who has made such a wonderful promise to them. Amen. Suggested Activities Copy the Memory Verse. Draw or cut out pictures of fruits, vegetables and so forth, suggestive of the seasons. Make poster pictures. Sing songs suggestive of the harvest season. Teach a Thanksgiving song. Let the children make a collection of winged seeds and seeds that are flat and paste them upon sheets of paper. A Good Poem to Read with This Lesson the tree The Tree’s early leaf buds were bursting their brown; “Shall I take them away?” said the Frost, sweeping down. “ No, leave them alone Till the blossoms have grown,” Prayed the Tree, while he trembled from rootlet to crown. PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 417 The Tree bore his blossoms, and all the birds sung: “Shall I take them away?” said the Wind, as he swung. “ No, leave them alone Till the blossoms have grown,” Said the Tree, while his leaflets quivering hung. The Tree bore his fruit in the midsummer glow: Said the child, “ May I gather thy berries now ? ” “Yes, all thou canst see: Take them; all are for thee,” Said the Tree, while he bent down his laden boughs low.” —Bjornstjerne Bjornson. Two Good Books to use: with This Le:sson “ The Farm Book,” story and pictures by E. Boyd Smith. Houghton. $3.00. This story book tells interestingly “ all about the farmer ” and how he plows, sows, reaps, milks, makes butter, cuts down trees. Children from three to nine will like this book. “ The Sandman, His Farm Stories.” Page. $1.75. These are sleepy-time stories told by Daddy to his three- year-old child. The stories of plowing and haying and har¬ vesting are interesting to all children of Primary age. Blackboard Decoration ■ * f 1 1012 01237 1672 Date Due H 2 3 "3S f)