CHAPTER XXIV
THOSE TEN FRIENDS OF MINE
Objects: Using the Human Hand
THOSE TEN LITTLE FRIENDS OF YOURS
NO one can truthfully say "I have no friends." If you do say those words, you are mistaken, because I know your friends so well, I can shut my eyes and count ten of them without stopping, because all boys and girls have ten good and helpful friends. These ten friends are never failing friends. They say to you "I'll stand by you, and perhaps I can make you rich and great some day." We must all depend on these ten friends, and they will never fail us. Now hold up both hands, open wide the fingers and say "These are your ten friends. They are your ten friends, and they are your ten best friends. They are ten obedient friends. They always do just what you tell them to do. They are never disobedient. They never refuse to work for you. They never go on a strike." A little boy selling newspapers on the streets of London, overheard a kind lady make the remark, as she looked at him, "Poor boy! how sad and lonely that poor little boy looks." He replied to the remark, by saying "I am not a bit lonely, good lady, because I always have lots of company, as I have these ten friends of mine ever with me." And as he spoke, he held up both his little hands. He was right. He was not lonely, because he had his ten faithful friends ever with him. Having these little working friends we should always work with them. Many a little boy has worked himself up the ladder of success by the aid of these ten friends. Give them something useful to do every day. They will do it for you and some day your friends may make the world watch you and your company of ten, doing things. The Bible says that "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." That is what the Bible says about your ten friends. When our ten friends all cuddle up together, as if hugging each other, then we have a strong weapon to defend us, then we can strike with the strength of the arm. These ten friends helped the boy David, as they clinched the cords of the sling, and brought the giant down. They go to war for us, and every last one of them fights bravely. An old college chum of mine was helped through school by these ten friends who worked hard for him. These friends paid his way through school, for he worked his way through by the labor of his hand. Sometimes the errand boy of the store has been helped so well by these ten friends that they helped him to a place in the firm, and he became part owner of the store. Sometimes these ten friends are bad little friends, they strike little sister, they steal things from shops, sometimes they lift strong drink to our lips and do lots of evil things but we must always remember they are only doing what we tell them to do. We are responsible for all the evil they do, for they only do as they are told. We should train them only to do well, and then they will only do well. There was a little boy in the great city of Philadelphia, that never knew the name of his father and mother, who was one day left on the doorstep of a stranger. The good lady who lived in the house, had pity upon the little stranger and took him in. They called him "George Washington," for they found him on Washington's birthday, and they called him "Child" for his last name. So his full name the good lady gave him was "George Washington Child." He and his ten friends sold papers on the streets of Philadelphia. His ten friends worked so hard and well that afterward he became the owner of the great Public Ledger of Philadelphia. Thus we see how much a poor boy and his ten friends can do when they all work together and for each other. These ten friends can work for God also. They can give a cup of cold water to the thirsty, and Jesus says it is giving unto Him. These ten friends can lead other little boys and girls to the church where they can hear about Jesus and be saved. Hold up the left hand and give the fingers a letter. Call the little finger "W," the next "O," and the next "R," and the following fingers "K" and "S"—"WORKS" is the name of the left hand. Now hold up the right hand and spell out the word "F.A.I.T.H." "FAITH" is the name of the right hand fingers, so working with both hands, these five friends called "WORKS" and these five called "FAITH" we can do wonders. Faith and Works can conquer the world. So our ten friends are an army of conquerors.
CHAPTER XXV
HEAVENLY MAIL FOR THE DISCIPLES
Objects: 12 Prepared Envelopes
HEAVENLY MAIL FOR THE DISCIPLES
THIS is a fine test for the memory which can be used for older children and adults. It will require some study before it can be used effectively.
Secure twelve large envelopes and enclose in each a beautiful scripture and floral card. Say you are about to distribute in the mail twelve letters for the Disciples. You will not call out the names. Now, ask twelve children, or adults, to come forward and say I have here twelve letters for the Disciples. I will not read their names, but will describe them. If you recognize them by the description I give, you are to speak the name and I will give you the letter to be delivered to them. If you cannot find the disciple whose name you pronounced, then you are to keep the letter and its contents as yours. Ask the first one in the row the first question: if he fails to answer, ask him to take his seat. If he answers it let him stand there in his place, but don't ask him again unless all the others have failed. The question about the second letter to the second individual, and so on, for the letters. Holding up the first letter you say "I have here a letter for one of the Disciples (on the envelope you have the description of the Disciple written) who was believed to be the oldest of them all. He once tried to walk on the water, wrote two epistles which bear his name, dined his Lord three times. What was his name? (Peter.)