Crayon and Character: Truth Made Clear Through Eye and Ear Part 2

It is well for the beginner to cultivate an individual style of speaking. Subst.i.tute your own methods of expression in place of the language of the book. The more you do it, the larger will be the feeling that the message is a personal one from you to your hearers.

Whenever you can do so, subst.i.tute a "home" ill.u.s.tration for the one in the book. As you become more accustomed to the work you will doubtless use pictures and subjects entirely outside of the book. Remember that any outline picture may be enlarged after the method here shown. Cut your picture into squares with drawn lines, and enlarge it in the same manner. Many Bible scenes may be shown in this way.

~~International or Graded Lessons.~~

The book has been provided with two indexes. One directs you to fitting talks for special days. The other serves as a guide to talks and ill.u.s.trations suitable to the application of any lesson. Determine the central thought of the lesson and consult the Subject Index. It will help you choose a talk appropriate for the day. The talk may need a little revision to enable you to give it the proper application, but the main thought will be readily apparent.

~~Talks for Special Days.~~

The index for suitable talks for special days includes some which are not yet generally observed but which are of growing importance.

Introducing some of these into your school or church as novelties, they may become as permanent as Easter, Children's Day, Rally Day and others.

~~Talk vs. Chalk.~~

No matter how little preparation you may need for your talk, remember that the words you speak are of greatest importance. It is to your words that you must give careful study, or your audience may lose the force of your thought while centering their attention upon the developing picture.

Never apologize for the appearance of your drawing or of your ability as an artist. Strive to present truth only. Truth needs no apology.

Do not draw in a sketchy manner. Determine on the place to begin your drawing and then use a continuous, easy line, without lifting the chalk from the paper, except when necessary to start in a new place.

~~Strive Only for Good.~~

The design of this book has been to present brief, impressive talks which hold attention for from ten to twelve minutes. It is advisable never to speak longer than this, especially when children form a part of your audience and are the special object of your words. If you cease speaking just when the audience wants to hear more, you will always be a.s.sured of a hearing the next time. If you leave one single wholesome thought with your audience you will have accomplished the greatest good.

Avoid mannerisms. Cultivate an easy style of speaking and working.

Don't become discouraged if everything doesn't go to suit you. Your audience is not a critical but a sympathetic one. All are striving to do the Master's work, and the field you have undertaken will bring you the interest and the kindliest co-operation of all who are working with but one great object in view.

~~Recording Your Talks.~~

It is suggested that each talk, as you give it, be so marked in the book as to indicate the time and place of its use, so you will avoid possible repet.i.tion before the same audience months or years later.

~~A Word to Parents.~~

The same general principles of procedure as those here given are suggested as the best method of using this book in the home. For the very little children, the parent will find it well to enlarge the outlines upon paper and tell the stories in such a way as can be understood best, but for the boys or girls who are in the younger grades at school the book describes a method of drawing which will delight and instruct them. Of course, the parent will have to teach the method to the children, as they will be incapable of understanding it from the printed description. With this instruction will come the unfolding of the stories of the book and their application. A child, when he sees a picture of a face or a house or any other object, wants to know all about it--whose it is, what it is or what it is for. This is true especially if it be a picture which he is asked to draw for himself or which he sees drawn. This enables the parent to give into expectant and waiting ears the great truths of Christ as expressed in pictures which the child understands.

It is best, we believe; in instructing those who are old enough to do the drawing themselves or watch the parent do it, to select paper of such a size as can be used on a desk or table. Ordinary letter-size unruled tablet paper is convenient to get and easily handled. Let the child square off the page, under the parent's directions, and then let him do his part in tracing the picture from the book. Doubtless, some of the enlarged pictures will be "fearfully and wonderfully made," but it is a start in a splendid direction--a start which may have its ending in the happiness for which every parent longs and which cannot come unless the children begin in childhood to become the companions of their parents--companions who cannot be separated in later years by distance or the disturbances of the earthly life.

~~A Final Word to Ministers.~~

Do not forget that there is no earthly or heavenly reason why a minister should not have a blackboard or an easel on the pulpit platform or in the prayer meeting room to help him keep his audiences awake while he tries to drive truth home to heart and mind. It is every preacher's duty to be _interesting_, and if this book and the blackboard, or the equipment for chalk talk work, will help him to be so, then it is his plain duty to buy the book and secure the chalk and easel and _"get busy" being interesting_!

And there is one more thing: Don't forget you can do it--_if you try_!

And now, with these general instructions and observations, the book is commended to the use of all who have the love of Christ in their hearts and who, as faithful workers, may wish to add one more working tool to those they have used so well.

THE TWO FACES --Our Thoughts.

--Optimism.

"As a Man Thinketh in His Heart, So Is He"--A Lesson in Character Building.

THE LESSON--That our thoughts determine the kind of life we live, and often proclaim character in the face.

If the teacher succeeds in impressing upon the pupil the great need to "guard well thy thoughts," for "our thoughts are heard in heaven," he will have accomplished a work of immeasurable good in the life of the child or youth who is the fortunate object of such interest.

~~The Talk.~~

"Let us think a while about our thoughts. Do you know it is a fact that a man, seated quietly in an easy chair on his front porch on a summer evening, may be sinning against G.o.d and man? Yes, it's true, for, as he sits there in the silence, he can hate another man with a bitter hatred; he can plan to rob him or burn his house or slander him or even take his life. And the worst of it all is that if he allows such thoughts to rent a room in his head it may not be long before his evil designs have become awful deeds.

"Not many boys or girls think such terrible things, but thoughts of this kind are only the little bad thoughts allowed to grow year after year in the head and in the heart. And do you know, also, that if you allow these little bad thoughts to live in your head and heart for a while, they get so bold and 'sa.s.sy' that they insist on taking possession of the best room of your head and the parlor of your heart and defy you to put them out? The only thing to do is to throw them out the very first time they come in.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 7 (In each instance, the upper picture shows how the drawing will look when partly finished.)]

"Let us take a walk down-street and mix with the crowd. Every person whom we see is thinking about something, even though he doesn't say a word, and we believe, as we look into the faces we meet, that we can tell just what kind of thoughts some of them have. Here, for instance, is a man with a face something like this: [Draw the sour face, completing the first step, Fig. 7.] He looks grouchy; perhaps he is vicious, and we avoid brushing against him. Perhaps he has lost money in a business deal; perhaps he wanted a political position and didn't get it; perhaps a supposed friend has proven untrue; perhaps his disappointment, whatever it is, has made him sour and crabbed. But he pa.s.ses on, and we meet other faces. Here comes a man who looks something like this: [Draw the happy face, completing Fig. 8.] He doesn't look as if he had a care in all the world, does he? And yet we may find that he, too, has lost money in a business transaction that was full of promise--that he, also, has failed to win a political race; that he has been mistreated by a supposed friend. And yet, through it all, he has never lost sight of the sunshine. He has learned many a valuable lesson from each of his disappointments, and perhaps he has had a good many more of them than the other fellow ever knew.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 8 (The lower view shows the appearance of the drawing completed.)]

"Now, what has made the difference in these two men? Their thoughts have made the difference. The grouch has, for years, entertained grouchy thoughts. The sunshiny man has cultivated the habit of seeing the bright side of things. That's all there is to it.

"How about you, boys? And you, girls? What kind of thoughts do you think? I said, you remember, that if bad thoughts get into your head and heart, they stick there defiantly. But, listen! If you let good thoughts into your head and heart, they, too, will settle down and make their home with you and your happiness is a.s.sured.

"Don't get into the habit of growling because the street car is two minutes late. Thank your lucky stars that there is a street car to come at all!

"Learn to be happy. A smiling face is welcome everywhere. People scamper away from a scowling countenance, especially if the owner of it insists upon telling his woes and troubles.

"Remember that happiness depends not upon how many burdens we worry about, but upon how many blessings we are glad about--it depends not upon what we have, but upon what we enjoy. G.o.d says, 'Let the wicked forsake his ways and the _unrighteous_ man _his thoughts_'--that is, his unrighteous thoughts. Why? Because G.o.d knows that vulgar thoughts make vulgar men, and evil thoughts make evil men. So boys, make a practice of chasing them out of your heads as you would drive a snake out of your bedroom."

THE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS --Christmas --The Needy

It Is Well to Remember the Poor at Christmas, but it is Infinitely Better to Be a True Friend Every Day.

THE LESSON--That the true Christmas spirit is that which causes us to remember the needy always, whether their need be for the necessities of life or for the love of a real friend.

Too many of us are inclined to shower our gifts and our good wishes upon the needy at the glad Christmas season, and then neglect this great field of service throughout another twelve-month period.