SHINING TRUTH

OBJECTS: An Assortment of Candles Teaching a Number
of Lessons

In this chapter you will find a few brief candle-light lessons which you can use when you wish to give a series of short talks of seven minutes. They can be arranged into one whole sermon if so desired. It is a cluster of shining truth candles, arrange them as you like.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Arrange ten candles in a straight line. Select blue candles, because they are called "Blue Laws," but show that the light is white because it is night, and they have been shedding light for the whole dark world.

The universal laws of the nations are taken from these great legal lights. They are God's lights, because they came from God, and if the world ever extinguishes them the world will be lost in hopeless darkness forever. Produce two yellow candles which stand for the two commandments Christ gave which contain the truth of all the Ten Commandments. This is how the blue laws turn to gold.

THE HIDDEN LIGHT

Produce a candle from a box in the corner. This represents a hidden light which does not shine even "in its own corner." It is a light hidden under a bushel. Many a soul has fine powers to serve the world for Jesus, but they are hidden in the dark box of disuse, and are worthless in the black world. They have buried the talent. Take it out of the box, light it, and place it on top of the box, and say, "Henceforth thou shalt be as a city set on a hill whose business it is just to shine."

THE VANITY FAIR CIRCLE

Arrange a semicircle of a number of highly ornamented candles. Name them Mr. Fine Clothes, Miss Fine Feather, Mrs. Good Opinion, Miss Show Off, etc. This is an exclusive circle, some of the noted 400 giving a little pink tea. Now bring in a plain white candle and say: "After all, this white candle shines forth as brightly as any one of them. It makes no noise, says nothing about itself, but just goes on and shines. It is not the clothes which make the light of life shine the brighter."

EXAMPLE CANDLES

Arrange on a table a long row of unlit candles. Light the first one, the second one from the first, the third, from the second one, and so one until the end of the line. This illustrates the power of a good example. One follows after another.

THE PRODIGAL SON IN CANDLES

This is the dear old story of the Prodigal Son in candles. Produce a solitary candle. This represents the boy at home. Surround it with a number of other candles, calling them the Prodigal's family. He feels he is all alone. He is not happy with parents and brother, so goes out where he may shine. Now move the light to the other end of the table. This you may call the "far country." Here bring a few other lighted candles and put them around the Prodigal light, and call them the gay company he found in the white way of the new land. Now take all the lights away except the Prodigal light, and say: "Now he is poor and alone. His gay companions have taken their departure, they have forsaken him and left him in want and poverty." Move his light to another part of the platform or place it on the floor. He is now down and almost out. He is feeding swine in the field. He is left all alone. No man cares for the swine-tenders. Now bring in a small yellow candle and place this beside him and say, "This represents memory," so he thinks of his Father's home and his Father's bread—enough and to spare, and as he thinks he says he will arise, and go home again. (Here remove the "memory" light.) Place another light in the middle of the table representing the Great Father who comes out to meet him. Now take both the lights back to the old home. At this point bring in a cluster of lights to represent the neighbors and friends who have come to greet him, and rejoice with his Father. "And they began to be merry." Then from another corner produce a candle which represents the elder brother, who would not go in to the banquet because of his dislike for his brother. Now take a light from the Home Cluster representing the Father, take it over to the Elder Brother light, and bring both lights back to the feast. Sing "Brighten the Corner," and drive home the lesson of coming back to the light, to Father and home.

THE HOT TEMPER CANDLE

This candle represents the angry man, the man with the ungovernable temper. With a good rasp, file off an ounce from the fire end of a poker. The iron filings produced are perfectly combustible, as may be proved by sprinkling them over the flame of a candle. As they descend into the flame they take fire, each particle burning like a star—producing, in fact, miniature fireworks.

THE HOT TEMPER CANDLE

The little shower of sparks will greatly impress the small eyes and will not be forgotten. (See Fig. above.)

SHINING THE LONGEST FOR JESUS

An evangelist was talking to a meeting of children. He illustrated his talk by bringing out a row of candles on a board. A very long candle was at one end and a short candle at the other. Between the long and short candles there were candles of various heights. He said by these candles he wanted to represent the Grandfather, the Grandmother, Father and Mother, and boys and girls, and the baby of the family who had never heard of Jesus until a missionary came, whom he represented by a lighted candle, and then they gave their hearts to Jesus, and from that day loved and served him. He then lit all the candles and said, "The whole family are now shining for Jesus." He then asked which candle represented the Grandmother, the Grandfather, and so on. They all thought the tallest candle would represent the oldest of the family, and said that one must stand for Grandfather. The evangelist said "No, that stands for the baby, the youngest member of the family," and then said, "Do any of you know why?" Presently a little fellow piped out, "I know why, he has the chance to shine the longest for Jesus." That was a wonderful answer, and it made a great impression on the audience. It was the heart of the lesson, Thus we find a message in the candle. Hear it. See it.