Crayon and Character: Truth Made Clear Through Eye and Ear Part 10

"As the years go by, you will find that you need all your energy, your brains, and your physical strength to enable you to meet the problems of life. You will find that your later years will be filled with battles; the defeats will be bitter; the victories sweet. One of the necessary victories is the successful earning of a living. Money is a splendid thing. It is the love of it and the wrong use of it that is 'the root of all evil.' In the later years, if you are a slave to strong drink, you may recall with bitterness the warning of the Psalmist who declares that 'the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.' But true prosperity comes most surely when the life is pure. I know you are resolved that yours shall be such lives, so we shall change the drawing to indicate something more acceptable to the life that well deserves a reward for right living. [Add lines to complete Fig. 48.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 48]

"Paul pictures to us the successful man when he uses these words, 'Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.'"

THE CIGARETTE FACE --Temptation --Evil Habits

A Unique Presentation of a Truth Important to Every Child and Youth.

THE LESSON--That Indulgence in injurious habits undermines the moral and physical structure and is a barrier to true success.

The chalk talk here presented is certain to prove of enduring value in impressing upon young minds the truth of the deadly effects of the use of cigarettes. The talk may form a part of a program given on Temperance day, as the cigarette habit and liquor-drinking are very closely allied.

~~The Talk.~~

"We are going to talk for a few minutes about our food. Of course, we all know that when we are very young children our food consists very largely of milk, and the physicians say that boys and girls should not be allowed to drink tea and coffee or to eat meat and other solid foods until they have reached a certain age when their bodies demand such food. But ofttimes we find that parents do not know about this or else they try to please their children, for they frequently allow them to eat and drink the forbidden things. The result is that as they grow older, their bodies, having become accustomed to the foods which were too strong for them, demand still stronger food. So it is, often, that a young man possesses a craving for a stimulant which is unnatural at his youthful age, and we find him turning to drinking and cigarette smoking. But this does not satisfy the hungering and thirsting for stronger and more exciting things. Many times the life of the young man is ruined in his mad search for something to meet the demands of his physical nature and he goes down to the grave a physical, mental and moral wreck!

"And now, with this thought before us, I want to speak for a few minutes particularly about cigarettes. And in this, also, I want to speak only to the girls. Will every girl please listen and do as I ask? Now, then: I am going to ask you to take your paper and pencils, if you have them, and copy the picture that I shall draw, and, if you haven't them, carry the picture with you in your mind so that you may use it when the occasion comes.

"Here we go! Whenever you see one of your boy friends with a cigarette in his mouth, ask him if he ever saw the picture of the 'Cigarette Face.' Of course, he will say, 'No.' Then you will ask him to spell 'cigarettes' for you, very slowly, and as he p.r.o.nounces the letters, you put them down, just like I shall do. Now, watch:

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 49]

"'C' [Step 1, Fig. 49].

"'I' [Step 2].

"'G' [Step 3].

"'A-R-E-T-T-E-S' [Step 4].

"And now, we will draw the cigarette itself [Step 5].

"And finish the picture by drawing the encircling smoke. [Step 6, completing the final scene].

"Is it a true portrait? Go and ask any physician. Go and ask the warden of any insane asylum. Go and ask many a heartbroken mother.

"Does cigarette smoking make criminals out of boys? Magistrate LeRoy B. Crane, of New York City, says that three hundred boys were brought before him, charged with crimes. All but five of them were cigarette smokers, and that report ought to _cure forever_ every boy in this town of the expensive _curse_.

"Does cigarette smoking make failures out of boys? Once, when he was asked about it, the late E.H. Harriman, one of the greatest railroad managers in the history of America, said that railroads might as well go to lunatic asylums for their employes as to hire cigarette smokers. Yet some boys I know haven't a bit more sense than to smoke them. Girls, isn't it a pity?

"Let us remember that habit is the very foundation of our lives.

Everything that we do repeatedly becomes easier for us to do each succeeding day. This would be a most discouraging condition if it applied only to bad habits. But, thanks be to G.o.d, the rule applies equally well to good habits. Diligence, economy, perseverance, gentleness, pure thoughts--may all become the governing habits of our lives if we will but center our attention upon them repeatedly and crowd out the evil tendencies. We are so const.i.tuted that we must form habits. We cannot think or say or feel anything without leaving an effect which will influence every succeeding thought or action or feeling. Let us, therefore, look carefully to the forming of our own habits and to helping others form theirs."

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS --Prayer --Faith

Although He Died Believing His Mission Had Failed, His Prayer Was More Than Answered.

THE LESSON--That "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

The life of Christopher Columbus contains much to inspire the present-day youth. In studying it, however, one should always take into account the prevailing superst.i.tions, darkened by the bigotry of the times. But above and beyond all this shone the steadfast belief of Columbus that his every act was directed by G.o.d. The talk is suited to all ages, for the mere mention of the name of Columbus will excite the interest of young and old.

~~The Talk.~~

"Every one of us knows that Columbus discovered America, but unless we have studied the life of this wonderful man we do not know of the great difficulties and hardships he endured before he was able to do it. We know that Ferdinand and Isabella, rulers of Spain, furnished him with the ships with which he came to the new land; but we should also know that for years and years he worked and struggled through sickening discouragement until he finally succeeded in procuring the support of the Spanish monarchs. We know that he found a great continent, and that his name is honored above all others of his time; but we should also know that he himself never knew that he was the discoverer of a new land, and that he died a broken-hearted, ridiculed man whose mission had failed miserably.

"And what was that mission? What was Columbus trying to do when he discovered America? He was simply trying to find a short way to reach India. Ferdinand and Isabella provided him with the ships only with the hope that he would find rich deposits of gold for them in some strange land. Both missions failed! But G.o.d was directing the life of Columbus. He put into his heart the firm belief that the world is round, and made him anxious to prove his theory to be true. Finally, down through years of hardship and discouragement, G.o.d brought Columbus to the age of maturity and wisdom, fully equipped for the great task which was before him. Then the Spanish monarchs provided the required vessels for the voyage. Here we have one of these quaint caravels, the Santa Maria. [Draw Fig. 50 complete, or, on account of the detail, prepare it in advance.] There were two other ships, the Pinta and the Nina. What curious looking boats they were! They left the coast of Spain on Friday, August 3, 1492. Where were they going?

n.o.body knew. But there was one man in that company who, deep in his heart, believed that G.o.d was directing the course of those three little caravels across the vast ocean. Washington Irving, in his Life of Columbus, says, 'He was a devoutly pious man. Religion mingled with the whole course of his thoughts, and shone forth in his most private and unstudied writings. Whenever he made a great discovery, he celebrated it by solemn thanks to G.o.d. The voice of prayer and melody of praise rose from his ships when they first beheld the new world, and his first action on landing was to prostrate himself on the earth and offer thanksgiving.'

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 50]

"Such a man was Christopher Columbus--_a man of faith and prayer_; He had prayed that G.o.d would direct him in the discovery of a new route to India. G.o.d answered that prayer in a richer, greater measure than Columbus ever knew, for to him whose life had been one of devotion and communion with G.o.d, was given a name above all other names written in the world's list of navigators and discoverers! He prayed for a great blessing. G.o.d gave him a greater one. As the Santa Maria entered the harbor of the little island of San Salvador and the crews of the three vessels, numbering 120 in all, knelt and thanked G.o.d for His great mercies, Columbus believed he had reached a distant coast of India. [Draw the ground and trees, Fig. 51.] But, in truth, it was infinitely more than that--he had found A NEW WORLD! [Add "A New World," completing Fig. 51.] Such was the blessing which G.o.d gave to Christopher Columbus. Such is the blessing he will give to all who trust Him and love Him. Always does the true Christian receive more than that for which he asks, for the human mind cannot know the thoughts of G.o.d or of His love for those who give their lives wholly into His keeping."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 51]

THE THIEF OF CHARACTER --Meditation --Conscience

The Unholy Thought Robs Life of Its Choicest Treasures--The Voice of Conscience.

THE LESSON--That as we use care in the selection of our confidential friends, so, also, should we guard the choice of our thoughts.

It was Lowell who said:

"Ah! let us hope that to our praise Good G.o.d not only reckons The moments when we tread His ways, But when the spirit beckons-- That some slight good is also wrought Beyond self-satisfaction, When we are simply good in thought, Howe'er we fail in action."

The truth that good thoughts must be encouraged every moment of our lives, if we would really live, is expressed by every great mind that the earth has known. It is here reviewed once more.

~~The Talk.~~

"I am going to place on the drawing paper today the picture of a young man of the type which we admire--a young fellow of upright life, good habits and Christian principles. We want him for our friend. [Draw Fig. 52, complete.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 52]

"But there is another type of man whose character we can well ill.u.s.trate by changing the lines in this first portrait. [With the broad side of your black crayon make the changes needed to produce Fig.

53. Shade the face with a light touch of the broad side of the crayon.]

He is a dishonest man--he is willing to risk his life in taking from us that which does not belong to him. Do we welcome such a man to our homes? No. The hand of every man is against a thief and a robber. He is an outcast. The law seeks to protect us from him by putting him in prison if he can be caught.