With the Children on Sunday Part 3

Did his father, Jacob, and family go to live in Egypt? Yes.

How old was Joseph when he died? 110 years (Gen.

l: 26).

How long did Jacob's descendants remain in Egypt?

A little more than two hundred years.

Why did they desire to leave Egypt? Because of the oppressions and cruelty of Pharaoh (Ex. i: 8, 14).

Whom did G.o.d raise up to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt? Moses.

How long did they wander in the wilderness? Forty years.

Was Moses permitted to enter the Promised Land?

No.

Who led the Children of Israel into the Land of Canaan, which was the Promised Land? Joshua.

How did the Children of Israel cross the Red Sea and the Jordan? The waters were divided and they crossed "dry shod."

Who was the strongest man? Samson.

Who was the meekest man? Moses.

Who, as a ruler, was a man after G.o.d's own heart?

David.

Who built the Temple? Solomon.

Who went to Heaven in a chariot of fire? Elijah.

On whom did the mantle of Elijah fall? Elisha.

Who was swallowed by the great fish? Jonah (Jonah i: 17).

Who destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem and carried the Children of Israel into captivity?

Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24, 25).

Where did he take them? To Babylon (2 Kings 25).

How long were they captive in Babylon? Seventy years.

Who interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream? Daniel.

How did Nebuchadnezzar reward Daniel? Made him ruler over Babylon (Daniel ii: 48, 49).

What were the names of Daniel's three friends?

Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

What heathen names were given them instead?

Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego (Daniel i: 6, 7).

What befell the three friends of Daniel? They were cast into the burning fiery furnace.

Why were they cast into this furnace? Because they refused to fall down and wors.h.i.+p a great golden image which Nebuchadnezzar, the King, had set up in the plain of Dura.

Were they consumed in the furnace? No, G.o.d delivered them (Daniel iii).

What befell Daniel years later, when Darius was King? He was cast into the den of lions (Daniel vi).

Why was he cast into the den of lions? Because he prayed to the true G.o.d.

Did the lions harm Daniel? No, G.o.d stopped the mouths of the lions and delivered Daniel.

_The author's intense interest in the safeguarding and saving of the boys and girls from the evils which have wrought the ruin of such countless mult.i.tudes, prompts in connection with this introductory word, to call the special attention of the parents to an advertis.e.m.e.nt which has been placed at the close of this volume._

Through Eye-Gate and Ear-Gate Into the City of Child-Soul

THE OYSTER AND THE CRAB.

CONSCIENCE.

SUGGESTIONS TO PARENTS:--It will awaken the curiosity and add greatly to the interest of the children if the parent will have them secure during the week preceding a couple of oyster sh.e.l.ls. In most of cities and towns, these can be easily obtained. It is better for the children themselves to secure them, because it makes them partic.i.p.ants and important factors in what is to be done. Do not tell them in advance what use is to be made of the oyster sh.e.l.ls; simply say that they are for use in connection with Sunday afternoon.

Introduce the play idea from the beginning. Let the children arrange the chairs to "drive to church," as shown in the preceding pictures. If there are two children who both want to do the driving, suggest that one can drive to church and the other can drive when returning from church--and a third may drive from the house to the stable when the horses are to be put away.

At the church service let everything be done reverently, and make it a matter of real wors.h.i.+p.

One of the children can act as usher, and if there is but one child, this one can usher her dolls to seats; or imaginary people may be shown to seats.

All of this will appeal very strongly to the child. Select hymns suited to the children's tastes and such as they can sing. Do not sing too many verses. Children like variety.

The service ought to be such as is in harmony with that regularly attended by the parents, and such as the children are familiar with. It may be as informal as the Salvation Army, or a greatly abridged form of the "Episcopal Service" can be used. The Lord's Prayer may be repeated in unison, or sentence prayers used, or a brief selection from the Prayer Book. The preaching by one of the children should precede the reading of the Object sermon.

After carrying out the idea of the church service, the other ideas presented may be introduced, and after the imaginary drive home some simple refreshments can be served, as also mentioned in the chapter of "Suggestions to Parents" on page 17.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Oyster and Sh.e.l.l.]

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS: I want to speak to you to-day about "Having a good conscience." (I Peter iii: 16.) This is rather a hard subject, but I desire to make it plain by the use of a familiar object. "What's this I have in my hand?" I rather expected that you would say an oyster; but, really it is nothing but an oyster sh.e.l.l. I suppose you have all eaten stewed oysters, or oyster broth. I remember, when a little boy, that one day when we had stewed oysters for supper, I found a little yellow something in my broth. I did not know whether my mother had put it in purposely, or whether it had fallen in by accident; whether I should push it aside of my plate, that it might be thrown with the crumbs to the chickens, or whether I should eat it to discover what it was.