CANDLES IN THE PULPIT

OBJECTS: A Number of Candles and a Small Green
Tree Branch

Let us ask the candles to preach to us. These white-robed prophets will now speak. Candle No. 1, come to the desk and be preacher for us now.

In answer to this call a small boy or girl comes up upon the platform bearing a small candle and gives it to you. This, you say, is a little, but mighty preacher. In ancient story we are told of a mansion illuminated by a thousand candles, and in one of the candlesticks there was hidden the owner's will. The heirs searched for the candle with its message of gold. That candle had a message in it. So let us find the hidden truth in this and all the other candle prophets this night.

After lighting it you say, "It is a light bearing God's truth." Place it on the desk, saying, This is a little light, yet if the room was darkened it would lighten the entire room. This little prophet represents the child in the home, church, and world. The Bible says, "A little child shall lead them." That little child is Jesus. He led the wise men in the Temple of old. He is leading all men by the light of his Star to the Cross where sins are taken away. "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to me." This is the attractive power of a little child. All little children are sweet little lights, "the light of the home," so we all declare, and we are speaking well as we thus say, When this light is extinguished it has led many a soul back to God. This little light stands for the Primary Department of our Sunday school. They come to the school, they listen, and receive. They are there taking in light. They go out, and let it shine out, and many a soul has seen it and been saved. All the little folks look forward and see the light. Be ye little lights and shine in your corner for Jesus.

Our next preacher will be the large candle now brought forth by a larger boy. Place it on the desk, and remove the small candle, extinguish it, and put it out of sight.

This large candle is the pastor in the pulpit, who is a preaching candle. He is to tell the truth about things and to warn the people of dangers and present perils. Sometime the flock does not like his plain talk, and in Bible times they took him from his holy place and cast him out and stoned him to death. At this point have the boy so trained that he will come forward to the desk and try to take the candle out. You will stop him and ask him what he is doing. He will reply: "He talks too plain to us. We don't like it." You tell him, the preacher stands in God's place and is talking for him. Let all the people hear what the prophet has to say to the people. The candle is then placed back on the desk, and the preaching light continues to shine out its message.

"Who next will be our preacher tonight?" This call is responded to by two little girls, one bearing an ornamented candle coming first, the other bringing a plain candle following. As you take the first candle you say: "Beauty and adornment are useless and only pure vanity if just on the surface. People like to show off in religion, that is, they often like to show off their clothes and personal adornment, but you will notice after you have lit this candle that it does not give any more light than this plain candle," which you now take from the little girl standing a little space from you. You light the plain candle, and place them side by side, and by the side of the preacher's candle, and the preacher says, "Both the poor and the rich can shine alike for God, for he is Maker of them both."

Give the call again, "Who will preach for us next?" A child comes forward with a box wrapped in paper, and gives it to you. After you have opened it you produce a fine white candle. What does this mean, Mr. Preaching Candle? The candle answers, "I am a soul which hides his light under a bushel. I have gone out." Light it and place it by your side, that its light may call the people out of the easy pew and comfortable chair to the fortress to fight by light.

Behold! I see another prophet approaching. It is a foreigner. As he comes to the platform he bears the flag of China, and carries a Chinese lantern. He is coming not to preach but to listen. Hold up the lantern close to the preacher candle and say: "China is asking for the true light. What doth the preacher candle say?" And the candle answers: "Hear me, all ye people, Our Master's great commission tells us we are to go into all the world and preach the gospel. China is the largest nation of the world, and so according to the order of the Light of the World, we give China the light." Here light the lantern, and give it back to the child, and bid him Godspeed in his mission of light to his people who sit in darkness.

Give the call again, and six boys and girls come forward with a tall unlit candle in a candlestick. These are six Lay Preachers, Helpers of the Pastor. They do his bidding, and then they are sure to shine. Now light the six candles and let them stand around the desk holding their candles. Spread the children out as far as possible, so there will be no danger of their burning each other. Now the preacher candle says: "I am backed by my church-membership. They stand back of me. They are shining forth the same light that I shine out. This is a pulpit of power."

Here endeth the sermon of the candles in the pulpit. You now take the candles from the children and place them on the desk with the other candles and close by singing "The Light of the World Is Jesus."