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December 24. 1913.
Lesson I. January 4, 1914,
LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN.
By Anna Pritchard George.
First Quarter.
JESUS AND THE CHILDREN.
Mark 9:30-41; 10:13-16.
Jack, do you love your niother? "More than
anyone else." Does your mother love you,
Jeanne? "Yes, and she cries when I'm sick." Do
you know that Jesus loves you children lar more
than you love your mothers—even far more than
your mothers love you.
One day Jesus and his disciples Avalk along a
country road toAvard Capernaum-, On the table
sink this pan of water in the sand for the Sea of
Galilee which Jesus loves so Avell. Pile up the
sand for the hills around. These boxes are lor
the flat-roofedhouses of 'Capernaum by the Sea
of Galilee. Score the course of the Jordan River
in the sand. These clothespins are for Jesus and
his disciples. The disciples are arguing among
themselves. They do not know that Jesus can
hear. Can he May? "He hears everything." Yes,
he knows all they say, but waits till he can have
them by themselves before he corrects them.
They enter this house in Capernaum, Jesus says,
"I overheard you talking. What were you disagreeing
about?" He wants the men to tell him
themselves. But they are ashamed, and hang,
their heads. They had been arguing as to which
of them would be greatest among Christ's followers.
Jesus sits down and calls his disciples
around him. Is he cross. Bud? No, Jesus knows
the disciples do not know any better, so he
teaches them. He says, "If any man desire to be
first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of
all." The best man is not the one who wears
fine clothes and can boss everyone else; the best
boy and the best girl are not those who live in
big houses and have servants to wait on him.
The man who is firstwith God is the one Avho
A FAMILY PAPER.
waits on other people and puts himself last every
time. The boy and girl who are firstwith Jesus
are those who give up to others—who give the
best seat to the timid little girl, who get father's
slippers and do all they can for mother without
being.told, who praise everyone else instead of
themselves, and who love everyone. These are
the first with Jesus, the ones Avho put themselves
last.
As Jesus is talking with his disciples, a little
lioy stands quietly by. This stick is he. Jesus'
face is so beautiful and kind, and his voice so
sweet and loving—altogether more Avonderlul is
he than any other man—the child cannot take
his eyes off Jesus. Jesus looks up and smiles at
the boy, then he calls him. Does the boy run
away, Rosanna? "I guess he runs right up to
Jesus just as fast as he can." Jesus reaches
down and gathers the little boy up in his arms,
for Jesus loves children so much. As he sits
holding this little boy close, he says to the
disciples, "Whosoever shall receive one of such
children in my name, receiveth me." Don't you
think that boy was happy, James? Do you think
he would grow up to be a bad man? No, I think
every time he would be tempted to do wrong,
Le Avould think of Jesus smiling at him and
reaching out his arms. Then instead of doing
wrong, he would say, "No," and feel Jesus' arms
about him again, as he did -when a little boy.
Jesus and his disciples leave his house, and
one day they come to a place here on the eastern
shore of the Jordan. This box is for the house
Avhere they are stopping. Leave off the top. A
crowd of people came to hear Jesus. These sticks
are they. While Jesus is talking with these grown
up folk, there come a lot of children trying to
get through the crowd to Jesus. Some may have
seen him before and have brought others to
.Jesus. These small sticks are the children. Then
here come the mothers carrying tiny babies. They
wish to bring them to Jesus too. But there
seems to be no way to reach the :Master, the
crOAvd of grown folk is so great. Then to make
things worse, the disciples try to send them
away, "This is no place for you children. The
Master is busy." They think the children will
be in Jesus' way. Does Jesus think so too, John?
"Xo, he loves the children." Jesus is never too
busy for even the tiniest child to come to him.
As the children and mothers sadly turn away,
Jesus calls out, and oh, how wondrously SAveet
his voice rings in their ears, "Suffer the little
children to come unto me; and forbid them not;
for of such is the kingdom ol God." He turns from
the wise rulers of the JeAvs to the children. They
almost flyto him, they are so glad. Here comes a
boy like Alvin. Jesus places his arm about him.
A mother brings her tiny baby, Russell's size. As
Jesus slas'Ps the baby in his arms, the little one
cuddles up close, A little girl like Ruth comes
shyly forward. Jesus draAvs her up, too. The children,
big and little, crowd around Jesus, and he
blesses them all, taking each one in turn in his
arms. Oh, how they all love Jesus, and the love
of Jesus for them is so great that it shines right
out in his face till even the most timid child goes
to him eagerly. Will any of them ever forget
that Jesus loves them, Ellis? "I don't think so."
Jesus turns to the crowd around and says, "Whosoever
shall not receive the kingdom of God as
a little child, he shall not enter therein."
Can you boys and girls see Jesus iiow, George?
No, you cannot see his face. But Jesus can see
you, and can draw you close to him as he did
those other children. Just remember that Jesus
will never turn you away. Some grown people
may say, "There is no room for children here."
But Jesus never does. He makes room for children
first. There is always room for you in
Jesus' house and in Jesus' arms. Do not be afraid
to come to him. He loves you and he wants you.
He says for you to "Suffer the little children to
come unto me, and forbid them not."
Lesson II. January 11, 1914 and Bethsaida on the northern shore
of the Sea of Galilee, and for Chorazin,
a little north ol Capernaum. Do
the people in these cities know Jesus,
LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN-
By Anna Pritchard George.
THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY.
Luke 10:1-24,
How many of you children love
Jesus? It is good to see so many
hands and happy faces. Do you know
tliere are millions of boys and girls
in this world who do not even know
who Jesus is? What good does it
do you to know and love Jesus, Ruth?
"He makes us good and happy," "And
he'll take us home to heaven, too.''
Then we would like all these other
children to know about Jesus too,
would we not? But how can they
ever know him, George? "We'll have
to tell them." Yes, and some people
who do not know him, live in far, far
away lands. So some men and women
spend their lives as missionaries
among these heathen people, telling
them all about Jesus and his love, so
they can be good and happy too. Today's
lesson is about some of the
first missionaries—those whom Jesus
sent himself.
On the table lay out Palestine with
this pan of water for the Sea of
(lalilee. Bud, you score the 'course of
the Jordan River in the sand. Let us
place these tiny boxes for Capernaum
Ruth? Yes, Jesus has had his home
here in Capernaum every time he has
been preaching and helping the people
in Galilee. In these cities he has
healed so many sick iPeople—made
the lame to walk, the blind to see, the
deaf to hear—he had done such Avonderful
things. But over here on this
other side of the Jordan live a great
many people who do not know Jesus.
Jesus has not been over here very
often, and the people have not had a
chance to hear all the good things
Jesus has to tell, nor see the wonderful
things he does. These other boxes
.will do for the cities along this eastern
short of the Jordan, and these
sticks the people in them. These
clothespins are Jesus and his disciples
and many of Jesus' friends who
follow him. They are gathered here
on the shore of the Jordan.
Jesus wants the people in these
cities on this side ol the Jordan to
them as missionaries to people who
do not knoAV Him.
Buster, when you go on a journey,
do you take any extra clothing with
you? "About a trunkful." Jesus tells
these missionaries to carry nothing—
no ipocketbook even, nor food, nor
extra shoes, nor clothes. They are to
go just as they are, and God will
provide the rest. He will open the
hearts of the people to take care of
his missionaries. "Carry neither purse,
nor scrip, nor shoes."
Then Jesus divides them- into
groups. They go two by two and each
couple go to a city by themselves.
Jesus is going later to these same
cities, but he sends, these missionaries
first to , prepare the way and
tell the people about him. "The harvest
truly is great," says Jesus, "but
the laborers are few." When the
ranchers have a big harvest, Alvin,
does it take many hands in the field?
"It is hard to get enough." Jesus
says there are so many people who
need to be told about God and his
love, but there are not enough who
are willin,o; to be sent.
Is it always an easy thing to tell
about Jesus, Grace? No, not always.
.Jesus says, "I send you forth as
lambs among wolves." We know how
Here they start out, two by tAvo.
These two go to this city, these two
to the next. They tell the people
about Jesus and heal the sick people.
Here comes a father with his boy,
who is possessed with an evil spirit
—a devil. The missionaries cast out
even this devil in Jesus' name. God
gives them power to do such wonderiul
things just as Jesus does. The
people flock around to hear the story
of Jesus, and see the miracles his
missionaries perform. So these faithful
friends of Jesus • go around from
city to city, never once thinking
about clothes or food, for they trust
only in God. They are preparing the
way for Jesus.
After a time they return to Jesus,
delighted with their success. "The
seventy returned again with joy, saying.
Lord, even the devils are subject
unto us through thy name."
Can children go away to other
cities and far away lands to tell about
Jesus, Jack? "No, we must stay at
home till we're big." But, Elmer, don't
you know some little boy who does
not know Jesus? "The little Mexican
boy. He swears." Cannot you tell him
about Jesus and bring him to Sabbath
School? If each boy and each girl
tell about Jesus wherever they go,
have a chance to believe in him and
love him and to go home to heaven
v.'hen they die. There are so many
people to reach, that he asks others
to help him. So he 'calls them out
from this crowd of his friends. He
chooses seventy of them, calling each
man by his own name. Jesus's twelve
disciples are not among these seven­
wolves treat little lambs, just as the that is being a missionary for Jesus
coyottes kill the chickens. And some just as truly as going to China or
bad people are very cruel to God'^ Turkey. God can work through you
missionaries, sometimes even killing boys and girls to bring many to him
ty, place these clothespins for the
among seventy wishes them to one to tell side. do. them He Jesus is what sending stands he
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