OUR LESSON.—For April 26.
PREPARED BY MARGUERITE COOK
Title.—The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.—Luke 15:1-10.
Golden Text.—There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.—Luke 15:10.
Golden Text for Beginners.—God is love.—1 John 4:8.
Truth.—There is joy in heaven over every sinner saved.
1. The poor and sinful liked to hear Jesus talk.
2. The Pharisees and scribes found fault with Jesus because he let such people come near him, and even ate with them.
3. Jesus said that if a man had a hundred sheep and lost one, he would leave the ninety-nine safe in the fold and go to find the lost one.
4. When he found the sheep he would carry it home with joy.
5. He would ask his friends to rejoice with him.
6. Jesus said that one sinner saved causes great joy in heaven.
7. If a woman had ten pieces of money and lost one, she would bring a light and sweep the house, and search until she found the lost piece.
8. When she found it she would want every one to be glad too, and would call in her neighbors to rejoice with her.
9. Jesus said the angels rejoice over one sinner saved from sin.
10. Jesus loves to find and save sinners.
QUESTIONS
What is the Golden Text?
What is the Truth?
1. Who liked to hear Jesus talk?
2. Why did the Pharisees and scribes find fault?
3. If a man lost a sheep what would he do?
4. What would he do when he found it?
5. What would he ask his friends to do?
6. What did Jesus say would cause joy in heaven?
7. If a woman lost a piece of money, what would she do?
8. What would she do when she found it?
9. Over what do the angels rejoice?
10. What does Jesus love to do?
LESSON HYMN
Tune.—"Jesus loves me, this I know," omitting chorus (E flat).
When from him we wander far,
Jesus seeks us where we are;
If we will obey his voice,
Angels will o'er us rejoice.
Title of Lesson for May 3
The Prodigal Son (Temperance Lesson).—Luke 15:11-32.
Golden Text for May 3
I will arise and go to my father.—Luke 15:18.
Beginners Golden Text for May 3
God is love.—1 John 4:8.
The First Safety-pin
This is the way it came about. There was a little boy, by the name of Harrison, who lived across the ocean in England, and because his mother was busy with other work he often had to take care of his baby brother. Very often the baby cried, but instead of scolding him, or calling to his mother, that he couldn't do anything with the baby, Harrison would try and find out what it was that made him cry. And very often he found that it was because a pin was pricking him.
Now Harrison was not only patient with the baby, but he thought there might be some way the pins could be bent so there would be no danger of their pricking. He tried and tried for a long time to bend the pins so they would be safe, but every time he failed. One day his father, who was a blacksmith, asked him what he was doing. Harrison told him that he was trying to bend a pin so it could not prick the baby.
"That is a good idea," said his rather. "I will see what I can do." For his father knew that what would help his own baby would help all other babies. So he, too, tried, and at last he made the safety-pin that is in use all over the world. And though it was the father who finally made it, the thought came to him from Harrison, and his thought grew from the unselfish wish to made his baby brother comfortable. So we can truly say that it was to a little boy, and to a little boy's kind thought, that we owe the invention of the safety-pin.
—Adele E. Thompson.
Good Reading
The habit of good reading once acquired will be of inestimable value to a child all his life. Great care should be exercised at first that a taste for good literature be not spoiled by an earlier perusal of the more trashy stories so easily obtained.
See that the children have at hand the right kind of books. If they get their books at a public library it is well to exercise a little oversight over what is chosen.
Most librarians are always glad to talk with mothers and give a list of the best books for children according to their ages. More personal attention is likely to be given your children, too, if a talk has been had with the librarian. Children sometimes draw out books presumably for their parents which are not exactly suited to their own needs. Also having a list of children's books yourself, you can always have a book ready to suggest. It is wise not to say much about the books of which you disapprove lest you implant the desire for the forbidden and mysterious. It is better to suggest good books than to censor bad ones.
Reading aloud with the children from the best class of books is a splendid way to cultivate a desire for them. It is often enjoyable to read together what to read alone might seem a little heavy.