The Children's Six Minutes by Bruce S. Wright
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THE CHILDREN'S SIX MINUTES
BRUCE S. WRIGHT
THE CHILDREN'S SIX MINUTES
BY
BRUCE S. WRIGHT
NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1922,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
THE CHILDREN'S SIX MINUTES. II
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TO
HARRIET
ELIZABETH
AND
ROBERT
INTRODUCTION
For many years it has been my custom to give, every Sunday morning, a
brief sermon to the boys and girls of my congregation. This sermon is
never more than six minutes, often only three. As a result there has
been a growing attendance of young people at our morning worship. They
are thus made to feel that they are wanted, and have a part in the
Church which all too often is looked upon as a Church solely for the
grownups. No part of my ministry has given me greater delight and
satisfaction than the thought that I am helping to establish in the
lives of many boys and girls that habit so indispensable to a steady
Christian experience, namely--the habit of Sunday morning worship.
The Memory Texts and Memory Hymns, from the Methodist Episcopal Hymnal,
suggested with each sermon are given for the reason that girls and boys
gladly do memory work if it is definitely assigned them.
CONTENTS
HAPPY NEW YEAR 12
GROWTH 14
SNOW 16
KINDNESS 18
GOD'S CALL 20
A HAPPY HOME 22
SYSTEM 24
A BOY FROM THE COUNTRY 26
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE WORLD 28
EASTER LIGHT 30
APRIL 32
HELPING FINGERS 34
TWO R'S AND AN A 36
CANDLE CHILDREN 38
ALAS, THE MARKS 40
A BLIND MAN WHO SAW 42
CHOOSING A KING 44
WORSHIP AND TOIL 46
GOD'S CLOCK 48
THE HUMAN KODAK 50
WATCH LESSONS 52
WHAT DID YOU SEE? 54
KNIFE LESSONS 56
LETTERS 58
A UNIQUE PSALM 60
THE FATHER'S CARE 62
YOKES 64
GOOD ADVICE 66
IF I WERE A BOY AGAIN 68
ONE BY ONE 70
COME 72
LOVE AND LOYALTY 74
KUMMOGOKDONATTOOTTAMMOCTITEAONGANNUNNONASH 76
WHAT THE TREES SAID TO ME 78
BANKS 80
WORK 82
THE BIG STORE 84
BREAD 86
GOD'S MEASURE 88
SLEEP 90
ON TIME 92
DOORS 94
CHEAPEST AND BEST 96
IN THE DARK 98
THE STILL SMALL VOICE 100
THANKSGIVING 102
MARBLES IN THE POCKET 104
THE FIRST MONTH 106
HIM AND HYMN 108
THE CHRISTMAS TREE 110
THE BEST WORD 112
LAST BUT NOT LEAST 114
THE CHILDREN'S SIX MINUTES
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Happy New Year, Juniors!
The morning of the first day of every year we enter into a contest. We
see who will be the first to give that day's greeting. Before I was
awake this morning my boy ran into my room shouting, "Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!" He won in the contest.
Now, however, you are in Church and it is not proper for you to speak
out loud, so I am able to get ahead of you. A Happy New Year to you,
every one.
Well, what will make this year a happy year for you? I will tell you.
Let us take this word Happy, and instead of writing it across the page
let us write it straight up and down.
H stands for Helpful. You cannot have a happy year unless you are
helpful. He who does not try to be helpful is never very happy.
A for Active. I want your year to be full of activity. I hope you will
be able to skate and slide down hill many days this winter, and that
you will enter into all the spring and summer sports with zest and joy.
P for Playful. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You will want
to do something other than play, of course. You will have some home
responsibilities, but sandwiched in with the work may there be a good
measure of play.
P for Purposeful. Yes, early hi life you should form a purpose. Two
questions will help you gain that purpose. 1st--What is it that I want
to do? 2nd--What is it that God wants me to do?
Y for Youth.
Helpful
Active
Playful
Purposeful
Youth.
MEMORY VERSE, _Psalm_ 19: 14
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."
MEMORY HYMN, [572]
_"Break, newborn year, on glad eyes break."_
GROWTH
This second Sunday morning of the New Year I desire to talk to you about
growth. The most important holiday afterthought is the thought of
growth. You are going to grow every day of this year. Whenever I see a
boy on his way to school, or on the field or gymnasium floor, running,
romping, playing, I say to myself, "Can it be possible that this
restless, energetic lad was ever a quiet, helpless little babe in the
cradle!" Yes, he was, but he has grown, and he is going to keep right on
growing.
It was said of the boy Jesus, "He grew." His growth was natural. There
was nothing of precociousness in the childhood of Jesus. He grew, just
as every boy grows.
"A simple-hearted child was he,
And he was nothing more;
In summer days, like you and me,
He played about the door,
Or gathered, where the father toiled,
The shavings from the floor."
His growth continued. It did not stop with childhood, but right on
through boyhood, youth and manhood he kept growing. Best of all his
growth was balanced. He grew physically, mentally and spiritually. He
had a sound body. He loved the out-of-doors. He companionshiped much
with nature. Most of his graphic illustrations were taken from living,
growing things. He talked, almost chiefly, about seeds, grain, harvests,
trees, birds and living waters. Boys and girls, strive to grow. Be like
your Master who grew inward, outward, and upward; selfward, manward, and
Godward. "How can I grow?" you ask. I will tell you by passing on to you
the secret as given by Maltbie Babcock.
Go
Right
On
Working
MEMORY VERSE, _Luke_ 2: 40
"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him."
MEMORY HYMN [681]
_"Brightly gleams our banner."_
SNOW
"Goody, goody, it's snowing!" This is what I heard early yesterday
morning. I think there were many other homes in which this shout of joy
ushered in the day. It being Saturday the day was mostly free for
playing in the snow. What did you do? You made a snow man. You built a
snow fort or house. You had a snowball battle. You slid down hill. You
played fox and geese, tracking one another across white fields and
through the woods. You had a happy, wonderful day, I know you did.
Have you ever thought how snow is made, and whence it comes? It is
formed high in the air, from vapor, and comes down from the clouds, just
like rain. Snowdrops are like people in one respect, no two are alike.
If you will look at the snowflakes through a magnifying glass you will
see a great variety of shapes. And all of them are beautiful. We talk
about the sparkling beauty of diamonds and other precious gems; crystal
snowflakes are more beautiful by far. If only we could keep them from
melting what a necklace or a setting for a ring a collection of
snowflakes would make!
God's love is shown to us in the snow. For a fall of snow is like a
great blanket, covering the tender roots and seeds, keeping them from
freezing, assuring us of another harvest. As to-day you walk home
through the snow let it speak to you of your Father's love.
MEMORY VERSE, _Job 38: 22_
"Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?"
MEMORY HYMN [355]
_"Love divine, all loves excelling."_
KINDNESS
One day last week I saw a huge pair of bobs, heavily loaded with coal,
being pulled up the street by two big, fine-looking horses. There were
two men on the load. Their faces were black, but it was the dirt of
honest toil, it was coal dust. They stopped the horses in front of the
house directly across the street from me. I watched them with interest.
The first thing one of the men did was to get down, take a board, go
around to the front of the horses, lift up the heavy wagon tongue, place
the board underneath it as a brace that the necks of the horses might be
relieved of the strain of the wagon tongue. At the same time the other
man took two warm blankets and covered the horses with them, tucking in
the corners beneath the harness to make them tight and warm. Then the
men set to work to carry the coal, basket by basket, into the cellar.
That was kindness, was it not, to see that the horses were so well cared
for on a cold winter day!
To my mind one of the finest acts of our city government is the way we
are taught kindness to dumb animals and birds, by permitting them to
make their homes and nests in the public park. What a delight it is to
walk through the park and have the squirrels come running up so close,
to eat from one's hand! That is kindness.
How about kindness to people? Have you ever seen an older person walking
along the street with a little child of three or four years of age, the
child reaching up as far as he could to take the hand of the older
person, the older one jerking, pulling, yanking, all the while saying,
"Come now, hurry up, hurry up." That is not kindness, is it?
"Howe'er it be, it seems to me
'Tis only noble to be good;
Kind hearts are more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood."
MEMORY VERSE, _Ephesians_ 4: 32
"Be ye kind to one another."
MEMORY HYMN [554]
_"How sweet, how heavenly is the sight!"_
GOD'S CALL
God calls each one of you. He asks you to give your life to him. He has
a special work for you to do. You have heard of Wendell Phillips who did
so much to make slavery unlawful in America! Once, when Wendell was a
boy fourteen years of age, he heard Lyman Beecher preach. In the course
of his sermon the preacher said, "You belong to God." The boy Wendell
thought that the preacher looked straight at him when he said that. He
went to his home at the close of the service, climbed the stairs to his
room, shut the door, knelt in prayer, saying, "O God, I belong to thee,
take what is thine own." He heard and answered God's call.
Many, many years before Wendell Phillips lived there was another boy. He
worked in the temple. He was a youthful assistant to the minister. I
suppose he ran errands for him, and performed any and every service
about the temple the minister desired. One night, as usual, the boy went
to bed and fell asleep. As he slept he heard a voice calling him. Now he
was an obedient boy, and though it was hard for him to rouse himself
from a sound sleep and leave his comfortable bed he did so. He ran to
the minister saying, "Here I am, you called me, what do you want?" The
minister said, "No, my boy, I did not call you, go back to bed." The boy
returned to his bed and again went to sleep. A second time, and even a
third time he was called. Each time the faithful, obedient lad leaped
from his couch and ran to the minister. The third time it dawned on the
mind of the minister that the voice the lad heard was the voice of God,
calling him to himself and to his special service. Being a wise and
loving man he said to the boy, "Return to your bed, and if you hear the
call again, say, 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.'" The boy did as
instructed and that night was forever memorable in his life, for that
was the night God called Samuel and Samuel answered.
MEMORY VERSE, _I Samuel_ 3: 10
"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for thy servant
heareth."
MEMORY HYMN [674]
_"Hushed was the evening hymn."_
A HAPPY HOME
This morning, the first thing, my boy said to me, "Tell me a story."
This is the story I told him. Once upon a time, it was a long, long time
ago, so long ago that we can scarcely realize how long, more than
twenty-five hundred years ago. Well, once upon a time there was a
home--homes then were quite the same in most ways as homes are
now--there were children in that home. They played and were happy. And
too, I suppose they had their misunderstandings, and sometimes the
children quarreled. One day the children heard music. Looking up the
street they saw a great company of men marching right toward them. They
were soldiers. There were thirty thousand of them. In the center of the
marching army were some oxen. The oxen were harnessed to a fine, new
cart. On the cart was a chest, most beautifully carved and decorated. On
the soldiers came. What was the amazement of the boys and girls when
they stopped right in front of their house! Then the king, majestic in
his bearing and gorgeously arrayed, came to their father and said, "I
want to leave this chest here in your house. Take good care of it." The
king's men brought the wonderful chest within, set it down, went out,
and the army marched away. From that hour the home was a different home.
There was joy, and peace, and an utter absence of quarreling. Three
months passed by. Then one day the king came again and took the chest
away. But peace and happiness did not depart with the chest. The home
was as happy and peaceful and free from bickering through all the coming
months as through the three when the wonderful chest was in the house.
What was the chest? It was not the king's chest; it was the ark of God.
You will find this true story in Second Samuel, the sixth chapter.
Memory Verse, _II Samuel_ 6: 11
"And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the
Gittite three months; and the Lord blessed him, and all his
household."
MEMORY HYMN [671]
_"O happy home, where thou art loved the dearest."_
SYSTEM
Here are three books. I put them down like this, one beside the other,
that is system. I throw them down carelessly, that is not system, it is
not orderly.
Here is a little box. Inside are letters, such as you see on the sign in
front of the Church. Each letter has a space all its own. Now if A were
put down at M, M at Z, and E at X, what a task it would be to pick out
the letters and make a sign!
One day I visited a Chinese school. Such lack of system, such
disorderliness I never did see! Such noise I never did hear! They were
all studying at the tops of their voices, sitting around in all sorts of
ways, each trying to out-shout the other. Another day I went into a
school here in our city. I saw the desks arranged in systematic fashion,
each child with a desk all his own. In front I saw a platform, with a
larger desk, for the teacher. All was quiet and orderly.
Here I have a package of envelopes. There are fifty-two envelopes, one
for each Sunday in the year. Each envelope is divided in the center. On
one side I read, "For others." On the other half I read, "For
ourselves." I need not tell you that these are church envelopes. In this
way, this systematic way, we support our local church and pay to
missions. We like to have the girls and boys, as well as older people,
use these envelopes. The financial secretary of your church is just as
willing to keep the records of young people who give but five cents in
each side of the envelope as he is to keep the account of the man or
woman who places five dollars in each side of the envelope every Sunday.
You see we want you to grow up systematic and orderly in all your
religious life. Our Master is pleased when we do our religious duties
"decently and in order."
MEMORY VERSE, _I Corinthians_ 16: 2
"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him."
MEMORY HYMN [631]
_"Jesus shall reign where'er the sun."_
A BOY FROM THE COUNTRY
Once upon a time there was a boy who lived in the country. It was said
of him that he was "ruddy and withal of a beautiful countenance, and
goodly to look to." I think that description fits a country lad. Well,
this boy had brothers who were away from home in the army, fighting. One
day the boy's father said to him, "I wish you would go down and see how
your brothers are getting along, and take with you this present." The
boy started on his journey. Now when he came to the place where the
soldiers were encamped he saw a strange sight. A giant, from the
opposing army, came out, blustering and issuing his challenge to any one
who would dare come against him. All seemed afraid of him. Even the big,
strong soldiers would not do battle with him. Therefore this youth from
the country volunteered saying, "I will go out and fight him." They
tried to dissuade him, but he insisted. Now he was a perfect shot with
the sling. He chose five smooth stones from the brook. With one of
these he prevailed over the giant.
This lad, however, had some other things which stood him in better stead
even than the sling and the stones. What were they? First, he had
courage. He possessed what all the others lacked. Second, he had the
ability to do one thing and do that one thing well. He could use a sling
with the utmost accuracy. Third, he had confidence in himself and faith
in God. He was not conceited, no, we do not like that. Rather he had
self-confidence. Above all was this--"I come to thee in the name of the
Lord of hosts." So said the lad from the country as he went to fight the
giant. What was his name? It is a good name--David.
MEMORY VERSE, _I Samuel_ 17: 45
"Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a
shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts."
MEMORY HYMN [416]
_"Faith of our fathers."_
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE WORLD
The most beautiful thing in the world! Now what is it? If you will lift
your eyes just a little you will see the flowers on the table, but lift
them higher than the flowers, higher than this pulpit, higher than the
pipes of the organ, above the lights, above the arch, you will see the
most beautiful thing in the world. Do you see it? It is the Cross.
Do you know, girls and boys, that long ago the cross was the most
repulsive thing in the world? It was odious. It had none of the charm
and beauty that is now woven about it. But from the day that Jesus was
crucified on the cross it took on new meaning, and it has grown in charm
and power until I think we all agree that it is the most beautiful sight
in the world.
Out in Colorado, high up the side of a mountain, where the snow never
melts in the crevices, may be seen two long ravines, one straight up and
down, the other straight across. The snow is packed into those ravines
all through the year, and lifting the eyes one may see upon the lofty
mountain side the Holy Cross.
In the summer seas, one of the things that mariners are guided by and
that tourists look for, is the Southern Cross. There it is, fashioned by
the position of the stars in the clear skies of the tropics.
There are many men who wear a cross as a watch fob. There are women who
wear a cross as a pendant about the neck. This is an outward sign of an
inner devotion. The important thing, my dear young Christians, is to
have the cross, its power and meaning, stamped upon one's heart. Is that
where you wear the Saviour's cross?
MEMORY VERSE, _I Corinthians_ 1: 18
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto them which are saved it is the power of
God."
MEMORY HYMN [143]
_"In the cross of Christ I glory."_
EASTER LIGHT
This glad morning, when the world is so bright and beautiful, I want to
talk to you about Easter Light.
One of the most interesting men in our city is a man who goes about our
streets with two long sticks. He is the lamplighter. Here he comes down
the street! See how he pauses at each lamp post. With one stick he pulls
the little chain that turns on the gas; with the other he sets the light
going. He walks into the dark, but he leaves behind him miles of lighted
streets. I hope we shall have always many streets lighted with gas, for
I love to see the lamplighter dot his way along the streets and avenues
with lighted periods.
In the center of our city is the tall Electric Light Building. On the
very tip of the tower is a high power electric light. It is lighted
every evening from eight to eleven o'clock. Children, looking out of
their windows as they go to bed, think that it is another star in the
sky, it is so bright and steady.
More wonderful than any of these lights is the source of all light. It
is the light that God provides for all of his children. The sun warms
our fields, makes our gardens grow, and causes our harvests to prosper.
The sun never fails us.
Now there is another light, a light that is above even the sun. That is
the light of Easter day. The tomb of death is no longer dark, for the
resurrection light brightens every corner and shines in radiance through
the open doorway. The light of Easter also lights up the windows of our
heavenly home. When you are out of an evening it is not pleasant to
return to a dark house. There is a wondrous welcome in lighted windows.
That welcome God gives us in the light of Easter day. Christ, and his
resurrection, shine in the windows of heaven to greet us when we go
home.
MEMORY VERSE, _Matthew_ 28: 1
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first
day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the
sepulchre."
MEMORY HYMN [156]
_"Christ the Lord is risen to-day."_
APRIL
I have in my hand a small branch from a big tree. This branch is from an
apple tree. Here are seen the tiny buds, the promise of the blossom, and
after that the fruit. Have you ever seen an apple orchard in blossom?
People rave about the cherry blossoms of Japan, and the fire trees,
flaming red, of the Philippines. I have been in both countries, but I
think there is no more beautiful sight in any country than the
blossoming apple orchards of America.
As you came to church this morning you saw all along the streets and
avenues hundreds of trees like this branch, sending forth their first
buds. What do these buds tell us?
First of all they tell us of God. I do not see how any one can live
through the awakening spring season and not think daily thoughts of God.
Most people remember the Creator. Only one person has ever denied God.
"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." He said it to
himself, he did not dare speak it out loud.
In the second place, this branch tells us of God's Love. He, the loving
Father of all people, makes blessed provision for the care and nurture
of his children. He reminds us each year, in seedtime and harvest, of
his boundless love. His love never fails. There have been many hundreds
of years in the history of the world, yet each year has had its spring,
its seedtime, and its Resurrection. Young people, let God's April speak
to you.
"When I am gone, somehow I hope that April
Will typify my life, my faith,
My hope of victory through the years,
My steadiness of step, my clear and visioned eye.
The early flowers, the birds
Singing in the rain,
The increasing light, the slowly opening buds,
The almond blooms, the trees in vernal dress
Are like the silver crown upon the head;
A prophecy of heaven's summer time.
Yes, even now it is the April
Of my great immortality."
MEMORY VERSE, _John_ 11: 25
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life."
MEMORY HYMN [389]
_"Sow in the morn thy seed."_
HELPING FINGERS
For three years I lived in Manila, Philippine Islands. Not far from my
home was an orphanage for children who were deaf and dumb. Frequently
these children were seen at different entertainments that were given
about the city. One evening I went to attend a lecture in the Y.M.C.A.
Right in front of me sat three children. They were very quiet and
orderly. When the lecture began the boy who sat in the middle began to
make his fingers go as fast as he could, the two children on either side
watching him intently. That center boy could hear, the other two were
deaf. So he heard the lecture for them and told it to them by the finger
language.