May, 1935
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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ing of the memory verse of the previous Sunday, together with the verse which preceded it. While Edward read, the others were asked to see what relation they could find be tween the two verses (John 14:14 ,15). It was decided that . when we prayed, if we expected God to answer, we must be ready to do everything we could to bring about the answer. Asked to tell one thing for which they wished to pray, they first replied, “ For the boys who are absent” (our at tendance that day was the smallest o f any time). In decid ing what they could do, each boy took two names and ad dresses o f those for whom he was to be responsible. Then we had prayer. Last Sunday all o f our regular boys were present. "We are learning .how God answers prayer. P riceless R ewards for F riendship The a m o u n t of
was written the couplet of a stanza. He inquired concern^ ing the author. None o f the great people present knew. Timidly a boy crept up to his side, whispered the name of the author, and quoted the rest of the poem. Burns was surprised and delighted. Laying his hand on the youth’s head, he exclaimed, “ Ah, bairnie, ye will be a great mon yet in Scotland some day!” From that day, Walter Scott was a changed lad. One o f the greatest men in the world believed that he would do great things! G etting that B oy ’ s A ttention To most teachers, the lesson period is the time of great
est importance. The question they ask is, “ How can I hold the attention o f the class on the lesson?” The way to hold their attention captive to the lesson is to win it— literally w in it. There are many com petitors to that inter est, and the mind in stinctively attends to the thing which has t h e greatest appeal. The lesson must be the most engrossing thins within sight or To make the les son interesting, t h e teacher must s t a r t with the interests of the class. Teacher and pupils must be assured that the lesson devel opment is something they are interested in knowing. Often the best way to begin is for teacher and boys to ask questions, with the understanding that sound.
Fathers, W hat W ould You Y )o ?
help the teacher can render his pupils is in proportion to the amount o f his friend ship with them. Per haps you cannot visit their homes as much as you would like, but this you can do: A r rive at yoUr classroom ten or fifteen minutes b e f o r e the opening hour. Have something planned to do. Per haps there is some thing to write on the blackboard, or a pic-B ture or map to hang. I f you make this a regular practice, you will find that some of your boys will begin to come early. Natur ally they will help you, and a bappy compan ionship will develop. They will t e l l you m any th in g s they would not during the
A RE we, as fathers, forgetting that any fog that * * clouds our minds on life's greatest issues will weave its trailing streamers about the mind of the boy who comes to us for light?" Philip E. Howard, author of Father and Son,* asks the question. He adds: "In our grown-up forgetfulness we do not take sufficiently into account the impetuousness, the clarity, the frank directness of the boy mind, nor- the childlikeness to which our Lord Jesus invited, and which He enjoined upon His followers. The questionings of the small boy are not commonly those of the doubter, but of the hopeful and teachable explorer. Hence, the father must take seriously the expression of the boy's interest in religious questions . . . . In applied religion the boy is much more sensitive and logical than some of us fathers have* quite realized. In the border-line ques
tions of social practices, and in those that are really not of the border-line sort at all, the boy who would be a loyal follower of Christ— I mean the true born-again, whole-hearted Christian boy— is seeing many things level-eyed. In a town where dancing is very popular, a boy was explaining to his father why he did not dance. The fellows may talk as they please to their parents about dancing's being all right, he exclaimed, but I hear what the boys say among themselves about it, and why they dance. I tell you, I wouldn't want them to talk about my sister as they talk about the other girls. No, I'm not going in for it.' And another boy in his teens, when he heard a community leader in good works say publicly that he did not object to dancing and card playing if they were done in the right way, said earnestly to some other boys: 'I wish he hadn't said that. The trouble is, they can't be done in the right way.' Would you agree with the boy, or would you, if he were your son, encourage him to dance and play cards 'in the right way'?"
*Harper & Brothers.
class session. You can talk to individuals in this informal atmosphere as you could not when all are present. It has been my experience that more decisions for Christ have been made in little groups before and after class than dur ing the regular session. A B oy ’ s R esponse to T rust If you are a real frierid to your boys, you trust them and expect great things from them, and they know it. They are unconsciously encouraged, and will seek to live up to your expectations. You see their faults, o f course, but you understand, and know that together you can help to over come them. You know that there are great possibilities for the life o f each boy. Together you and they can de velop them. They will discover with you that the greatest life is-the one in Christ’s control; the greatest vocation is a life’s task for Him. When Sir Walter Scott was a boy, he was considered a great dullard. His accustomed place in the schoolroom was the ignominious dunce corner with the high pointed paper cap o f shame on his head. One evening when he was twelve or fourteen, he chanced to be in a home where fa mous literary guests were being entertained. The great Robert Burns Was standing admiring a picture under which
these questions will be answered as the lesson proceeds. An illustration may be the clearest explanation. W e shall try to reproduce our class situation o f two weeks ago. The subject o f the lesson was “ The Lord’s Supper.” T eacher : “ Next Sunday is the first Sunday o f the month. What service will be held following the regular morning session ?” E dward : “ The Lord’s Supper.” T eacher : “ Most of you do not attend. Have you ever wondered about the purpose o f this service ?” M ilton : “ I thought it was only for church members.” M aynard : “ I know what it is for. It is to celebrate the passover supper.” F red : “ The bread is the body o f Christ, and the wine is His blood.” T eacher (to Milton) : “ Let us find out whom Christ wants to take part in this service.” (T o Maynard) “ Are the passover and the Lord’s Supper the same thing?” M aynard (dubiously) : “ Yes— ” T eacher : “ Do you recall having heard the word ‘pass- over’ in any Old Testament connection?” No response. T eacher : “ When were these words spoken: ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you’ ?”
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