Illustrated by Gladys Bowman
Rev. Elmer L. Wilder
will be good soldiers, obeying the command to BE STRONG, STURDY, and SEPARATED.
flee from things that are sinful and follow after the things that are good. Sept. 13, 1953 S trong or W rong OBJECTS: A strong chain, a bolt and a compass. LESSON: I want to talk to you this morning about 3 “ B’s.” This strong chain reminds me of the first “ B.” In Second Timothy 2:1, the Apostle Paul told Timothy to BE STRONG. The boy who wants to make the team at school must be strong. He will do the things the coach suggests in order that he may play on the team. Christ is looking for boys and girls who will be strong for Him in the game of life.
Sept. 6, 1953 F ollow or F lee
OBJECTS: A large needle, a cork, a bowl of water and two large magnets. One magnet should be black and tha other white. Split the cork and keep one of the halves. On the round side of this piece of cork stick the needle in sufficiently to cause it to stand straight up when the cork is floating on the water. Rub the head of the needle on one of the prongs of the white magnet. Mark this prong so you will be sure of using it during the lesson. With the cork floating on the water, test the other magnet to see which prong will re pel the needle, and mark it for use in the lesson. Be careful not to let this magnet touch the needle, or the magnetism in the needle will be re versed.) LESSON: This needle floating peace fully on the water reminds me of a Christian. We will let this black magnet, representing tem p ta tion , come near. Look, the wise needle runs away from it. The action of this needle reminds me of some instructions which Paid gave in First Timothy 6:11, “ But thou, O man of God, flee these things.” The word “flee” means to run away from. It is a wise person who remem bers these instructions when tempta tion comes. We will see what the needle does when the white magnet comes near.
Sept. 20, 1953 F inding F ruit
OBJECTS: Two gloves, a coin, a mar ble, an imitation cigarette, and a small black rag. (Place the articles in the fingers of one glove, and leave the other glove empty.) LESSON: Would you expect a glove which did not have a hand in it to do any work? No, that would be fool ish. These two gloves remind me of what Christ said about fruit-bearing. “ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Just as the glove must have a hand in it to do any work, so we cannot do anything for God un less Christ is abiding within us. This glove for the left hand allows the hand to slip easily into it, but something in the fingers of the other glove will not allow the hand to en ter. The things which we find in the fingers of this glove are things that often are found in the lives of people, keeping the Spirit of God from filling them". A black rag fills one finger of the glove. Black reminds us of sin. A coin is in another finger. The love of money keeps Christ out of some lives. Here is a marble; and because it seems to be blocking this life, I am afraid it has been used to play “ keeps.” Playing marbles is not
This bolt suggests the second “ B.” It says to me, BE STURDY. In Sec ond Timothy 2:3, Paul said: “ Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” A soldier endures hardship for the sake of his country. The foot ball player never complains about the scratches and bumps he receives in the game. If the soldier and the football player go through hard things without complaining, don’t you think the Christian should do as much for Christ? This compass reminds me of the third “ B,” which we find in Second Timothy 2:4. Paul wanted Timothy to BE SEPARATED from worldly things, and he said, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” He wanted Timothy to go straight. The compass helps the travelers on land and sea to go straight. As far as we can learn from the New Testament, Timothy was a good soldier of Jesus Christ, obeying the commands given through Paul. The Lord is looking for people today who
Notice, it is being drawn. (Keep the magnet from touching the needle.) As we see the action of this needle, we are reminded further of what Paid said, “ And follow after right eousness, godliness, faith, love, pa tience, meekness” ( l Tim. 6:11). We can learn a valuable lesson from this needle — that we should A U G U S T 1 9 5 3
wrong in itself, if one does not gam ble, but gambling in any form keeps Christ from having full control in the life. I don’t wonder that the hand could not get into the glove with this imitation cigarette in one of the fingers. CONTINUED ► 47
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