The Ten Commandments were like the ten cords which bound Ulysses to the mast but did not keep his heart from desiring to fly to the sinful song-makers. The cords kept him from sin, but did not take the love of sin from his heart.
The Ten Commandments may keep us from doing and saying wrong things, but they will never take the love of sin away or change our hearts. The two new commandments of Jesus are like the music of Orpheus; they fill our hearts with a holy spell, and we lose all love for the pleasures of sin, because the two new commandments have reached our hearts and made us Christians. To love God with all our heart and our neighbors as ourselves is the full teaching of Christ's two new commandments.
To illustrate this truth, make a double heart out of strong cardboard so it will open by a hinge. Call this the Christian's heart. Mark it on the outside with a cross. As you open the heart let them see the word "God" marked on one side and on the other side the word "Man."
In the heart of every Christian you will find love for God and love for man. This heart will keep us from evil by taking away the call to evil. This the ten cords could not do. The only way to get such a heart is to go to Jesus. He gives new hearts for old. This is the only heart he gives away. If you will take it he will take all your sins away to stay.
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OBJECT-LESSONS EXTRAORDINARY
OBJECTS: Pictures of Animals and Living Objects
This chapter is simply a study for the object worker. It is an illustration of how ponderous and unusual objects can be used to teach religious truths. It is a far swing from the smaller and common objects which are available for the regular teacher who employs the eye appeal. Yet it is well to remember that ponderous things talk for God, for it is written that the heavens declare the glory of God, and there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
It is our big business to interpret the language of things in terms the people can understand. Translate the voice of the heavens into English. Some starlit night use the sky as an object-lesson. Gather the children around you and ask them to look up at the sky. Tell them a few things that astronomy has told you, concluding with the story of the Wise-men and the Christmas Star and other Biblical star stories. By so doing you will make the stars a golden path to Jesus and the objects in the heavens will preach of righteousness. If some day you can stand with the children by the side of the sea you can use the ocean as an object-lesson. Tell them stories of the wonders in the deep.