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The Children’s Six Minutes: God’s Call

GOD’S CALL

God calls each one of you. He asks you to give your life to him. He has a special work for you to do. You have heard of Wendell Phillips who did so much to make slavery unlawful in America! Once, when Wendell was a boy fourteen years of age, he heard Lyman Beecher preach. In the course of his sermon the preacher said, “You belong to God.” The boy Wendell thought that the preacher looked straight at him when he said that. He went to his home at the close of the service, climbed the stairs to his room, shut the door, knelt in prayer, saying, “O God, I belong to thee, take what is thine own.” He heard and answered God’s call.

Many, many years before Wendell Phillips lived there was another boy. He worked in the temple. He was a youthful assistant to the minister. I suppose he ran errands for him, and performed any and every service about the temple the minister desired. One night, as usual, the boy went to bed and fell asleep. As he slept he heard a voice calling him. Now he was an obedient boy, and though it was hard for him to rouse himself from a sound sleep and leave his comfortable bed he did so. He ran to the minister saying, “Here I am, you called me, what do you want?” The minister said, “No, my boy, I did not call you, go back to bed.” The boy returned to his bed and again went to sleep. A second time, and even a third time he was called. Each time the faithful, obedient lad leaped from his couch and ran to the minister. The third time it dawned on the mind of the minister that the voice the lad heard was the voice of God, calling him to himself and to his special service. Being a wise and loving man he said to the boy, “Return to your bed, and if you hear the call again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.'” The boy did as instructed and that night was forever memorable in his life, for that was the night God called Samuel and Samuel answered.

MEMORY VERSE, I Samuel 3: 10

“And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for thy servant heareth.”

MEMORY HYMN

“Hushed was the evening hymn.”

THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES by Bruce S. Wright

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The Children’s Six Minutes: A BOY FROM THE COUNTRY

A BOY FROM THE COUNTRY

Once upon a time there was a boy who lived in the country. It was said of him that he was “ruddy and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to.” I think that description fits a country lad. Well, this boy had brothers who were away from home in the army, fighting. One day the boy’s father said to him, “I wish you would go down and see how your brothers are getting along, and take with you this present.” The boy started on his journey. Now when he came to the place where the soldiers were encamped he saw a strange sight. A giant, from the opposing army, came out, blustering and issuing his challenge to any one who would dare come against him. All seemed afraid of him. Even the big, strong soldiers would not do battle with him. Therefore this youth from the country volunteered saying, “I will go out and fight him.” They tried to dissuade him, but he insisted. Now he was a perfect shot with the sling. He [27]chose five smooth stones from the brook. With one of these he prevailed over the giant.

This lad, however, had some other things which stood him in better stead even than the sling and the stones. What were they? First, he had courage. He possessed what all the others lacked. Second, he had the ability to do one thing and do that one thing well. He could use a sling with the utmost accuracy. Third, he had confidence in himself and faith in God. He was not conceited, no, we do not like that. Rather he had self-confidence. Above all was this—”I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts.” So said the lad from the country as he went to fight the giant. What was his name? It is a good name—David.

MEMORY VERSE, I Samuel 17: 45

“Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts.”

MEMORY HYMN

“Faith of our fathers.”

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The Children’s Six Minutes: SYSTEM

SYSTEM

Here are three books. I put them down like this, one beside the other, that is system. I throw them down carelessly, that is not system, it is not orderly.

Here is a little box. Inside are letters, such as you see on the sign in front of the Church. Each letter has a space all its own. Now if A were put down at M, M at Z, and E at X, what a task it would be to pick out the letters and make a sign!

One day I visited a Chinese school. Such lack of system, such disorderliness I never did see! Such noise I never did hear! They were all studying at the tops of their voices, sitting around in all sorts of ways, each trying to out-shout the other. Another day I went into a school here in our city. I saw the desks arranged in systematic fashion, each child with a desk all his own. In front I saw a platform, with a larger desk, for the teacher. All was quiet and orderly.

Here I have a package of envelopes. There [25]are fifty-two envelopes, one for each Sunday in the year. Each envelope is divided in the center. On one side I read, “For others.” On the other half I read, “For ourselves.” I need not tell you that these are church envelopes. In this way, this systematic way, we support our local church and pay to missions. We like to have the girls and boys, as well as older people, use these envelopes. The financial secretary of your church is just as willing to keep the records of young people who give but five cents in each side of the envelope as he is to keep the account of the man or woman who places five dollars in each side of the envelope every Sunday. You see we want you to grow up systematic and orderly in all your religious life. Our Master is pleased when we do our religious duties “decently and in order.”

MEMORY VERSE, I Corinthians 16: 2

“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.”

MEMORY HYMN

“Jesus shall reign where’er the sun.”

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The Children’s Six Minutes: Yokes

YOKES

A Yoke is a help, not a hindrance. Our first thought is that a yoke is burdensome. A little study reveals to us the great usefulness of the yoke.

Have you ever seen a yoke of oxen? What heavy, slow-moving creatures they are! But they are pullers of heavy loads. These loads could not be drawn by them were they not yoked together.

Now there are different kinds of yokes, that is, there are many ways of rendering easier the carrying of heavy loads. For example, there is the Oriental way. First, there is the manner in which one man will carry a heavy load. He takes a pole, on each end of the pole hangs a rope. Then he divides his load, fastening half of his load to either rope. He gets beneath the pole, which is shaped to fit his shoulder, lifts, and off he trots as easily and jauntily as can be. Sometimes the load is too heavy for one man. He then summons a companion. They get a longer, heavier pole, with a much stouter rope.This time they do not divide the load, rather they keep it together. They fasten the rope securely about it, and then tie it about the pole. The men stoop, one at each end of the heavy pole. They stand up straight, the load is lifted from the ground, only a few inches perhaps, but enough to clear the ground, then, singing and laughing, keeping perfect time each with the other, they swing down the street. It is incredible the heavy loads they carry. I could not believe my eyes when I looked upon some of them.

Jesus perfectly understood the helpfulness and value of the yoke. He made it most beautiful in that he told his followers that he would help them, that he would carry his part of the burden, that he would share with them the other side of the yoke.

MEMORY VERSE, Matthew 11: 29-30

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

MEMORY HYMN

“My times are in thy hand.”

1 My times are in Your hand;
my God, I wish them there!
My life, my friends, my soul, I leave
entirely to Your care.

2 My times are in Your hand
whatever they may be,
pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
as You know best for me.

3 My times are in Your hand;
why should I doubt or fear?
My Father’s hand will never cause
His child a needless tear.

4 My times are in Your hand:
Jesus, the Crucified;
those hands my cruel sins had pierced
are now my guard and guide.

5 My times are in Your hand;
such faith You give to me
that after death, at Your right hand
I shall for ever be.

Source: The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #516

THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES by Bruce S. Wright

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The Children’s Six Minutes: A Unique Psalm

A UNIQUE PSALM

I want to tell you about a unique Psalm. Which Psalm is it? It is the 119th.

The 119th Psalm is unique because of its length. It is the longest of the Psalms. It has one hundred and seventy-six verses.

It is unique because of its arrangement. It is divided into twenty-two equal parts. Each part contains eight verses.

Again, the 119th Psalm is an acrostic, or an alphabetical Psalm. It is built around the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the twenty-two portions begins with one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Psalm is unique because of its content. It is given over entirely to a consideration of the law and commandments of God. Indeed, if you will read the Psalm, you will find that every verse says something about the precepts, or the statutes, or the commandments, or the word of God.

The 119th Psalm contains some of the verses with which we are most familiar. “Wherewithal [61]shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

The Psalm reaches its highest point, and finds its fullest expression in the 94th verse, three words, “I am thine.”

Young people, I want you to read this 119th Psalm, and when you come to the 94th verse I want you to stop and say over very earnestly, very prayerfully, “I am thine.” And may you be His for all time is my prayer.

MEMORY VERSE, Psalm 119: 94

“I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.”

MEMORY HYMN

“Lord, I am thine, entirely thine.”

1 Lord, I am Thine, entirely Thine,
Purchased and saved by blood divine;
With full consent Thine I would be,
And own Thy sovereign right in me.

2 Grant one poor sinner more a place
Among the children of Thy grace;
A wretched sinner, lost to God,
But ransomed by Immanuel’s blood.

3 Thine would I live, Thine would I die,
Be Thine through all eternity:
The vow is past beyond repeal,
And now I set the solemn seal.

4 Here, at that cross where flows the blood
That bought my guilty soul for God,
Thee my new Master now I call,
And consecrate to Thee my all.

Amen.

Source: The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal: official hymnal of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church #469

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The Children’s Six Minutes: Knife Lessons

KNIFE LESSONS

I have here a knife. It was given me by a friend, a token of his affection and esteem, when I went aboard the steamer in Manila, Philippine Islands, to return to the homeland. All these years since then the knife has been on my study desk, daily teaching me. What lessons does this knife teach?

First of all the knife tells me of Strength. The most important part of this knife is what I call the backbone. It is the main portion of the knife to which all the blades are fastened, as well as the polished pearl handle. This would be a weak and useless knife did it not have a backbone. It says to me every day “Be strong, stand up, have convictions, be steadfast.”

Lesson number two, Discipline. This knife has been subjected to many trials and tests. The steel of which these blades are made had to go through a hard, hot, trying process before they were tempered and fit to take an edge and hold it. Sometimes I rebel about certain processes of the days, then I think of my knife and learn from it the lesson of discipline.

The third lesson this knife teaches me is Neatness. Now I can picture the man who bought this knife. As he went into the store, he stood before the glass show case wherein were displayed scores of different kinds of knives. There were dark knives and light knives, big knives and little knives. His eye caught this knife, with its graceful lines, its smooth pearl handle, and he said, “That is a neat knife, I’ll take that one.” People are attracted to you by your neatness.

The fourth lesson is Usefulness. Really it is quite wonderful the variety of uses to which this knife can be put. Here is a big blade, and a small blade; here is a blade with a file; folded in the back is a tiny pair of scissors. So the great test of life is its usefulness.

MEMORY VERSE, I Corinthians 9: 22

“I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

MEMORY HYMN

“Jesus calls us.”

1. Jesus calls us o’er the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless sea;
Day by day his sweet voice sounding,
Saying, “Christian, follow me.”

2. Brothers Simon, Andrew heard it
By the Galilean lake,
Turned from home, and toil, and kindred,
Leaving all for His dear sake.

3. Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, “Christian, love me more.”

4. In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love me more than these.”

5. Jesus calls us—By your mercies,
Savior, may we hear your call,
Give our hearts to your obedience,
Serve and love you best of all.

Source: Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #61

THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES by Bruce S. Wright

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THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES by Bruce S. Wright

THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES

BY

BRUCE S. WRIGHT

“The Children’s Six Minutes” by Bruce S. Wright is a collection of brief sermons written in the early 20th century, designed for young audiences in a church setting. The book aims to engage children during Sunday worship by delivering meaningful messages in a concise and relatable manner. Through a series of creative and child-friendly discussions, Wright emphasizes essential Christian values such as kindness, purpose, and the importance of spiritual growth.

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The Children’s Six Minutes: A Happy Home

A HAPPY HOME

This morning, the first thing, my boy said to me, “Tell me a story.” This is the story I told him. Once upon a time, it was a long, long time ago, so long ago that we can scarcely realize how long, more than twenty-five hundred years ago. Well, once upon a time there was a home—homes then were quite the same in most ways as homes are now—there were children in that home. They played and were happy. And too, I suppose they had their misunderstandings, and sometimes the children quarreled. One day the children heard music. Looking up the street they saw a great company of men marching right toward them. They were soldiers. There were thirty thousand of them. In the center of the marching army were some oxen. The oxen were harnessed to a fine, new cart. On the cart was a chest, most beautifully carved and decorated. On the soldiers came. What was the amazement of the boys and girls when they stopped right in front of their house! Then the king, majestic in his bearing and gorgeously arrayed, came to their father and said, “I want to leave this chest here in your house. Take good care of it.” The king’s men brought the wonderful chest within, set it down, went out, and the army marched away. From that hour the home was a different home. There was joy, and peace, and an utter absence of quarreling. Three months passed by. Then one day the king came again and took the chest away. But peace and happiness did not depart with the chest. The home was as happy and peaceful and free from bickering through all the coming months as through the three when the wonderful chest was in the house. What was the chest? It was not the king’s chest; it was the ark of God. You will find this true story in Second Samuel, the sixth chapter.

Memory Verse, II Samuel 6: 11

“And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months; and the Lord blessed him, and all his household.”

MEMORY HYMN

“O happy home, where thou art loved the dearest.”

1 O happy home, where thou art loved the dearest,
thou loving Friend and Savior of our race,
and where among the guests there never cometh
one who can hold such high and honored place!

2 O happy home, where two in heart united
in holy faith and blessed hope are one,
whom death a little while alone divideth,
and cannot end the union here begun!

3 O happy home, whose little ones are given
early to thee in humble faith and prayer,
to thee, their Friend, who from the heights of heaven
guides them, and guards with more than mother’s care!

4 O happy home, where each one serves thee, lowly,
whatever his appointed work may be,
till ev’ry common task seems great and holy,
when it is done, O Lord, as unto thee!

5 O happy home, where thou art not forgotten
when joy is overflowing, full and free,
O happy home, where ev’ry wounded spirit
is brought, Physician, Comforter, to thee –

6 Until at last, when earth’s day’s work is ended,
all meet thee in the blessed home above,
from whence thou camest, where thou hast ascended,
thine everlasting home of peace and love.

Source: Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #718

THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES by Bruce S. Wright

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The Children’s Six Minutes: The Father’s Care

THE FATHER’S CARE

I have here a nut. It is a pecan. It grows in our southern states. It is a well formed nut with a hard shell. This nut I have is cracked. I open it and I notice just inside a thin, brown coating that covers the meat. I touch this coating to my lips. It is bitter and causes me to pucker my lips. This is the Creator’s blessed provision for the protection of the nut in its growing stage. The bitter coating keeps insects and pests away.

On my way to church this morning I looked up and saw a long piece of yarn flying across the street at a rapid rate. I wondered what could cause that. Then at the front end of the yarn I saw a bird. The bird flew to the gable of a big house. There, in a protected corner, she was making her nest. The yarn was to be woven into her new spring house. So God gives instinct to birds and all his creatures as a mark of his loving care.

The most delicate, sensitive portion of your body is the eye. When I consider how tender and open to harm the eye is I wonder that so many of us go through life with our eyes unhurt. But God has provided a sleepless protection for our eyes. There is a guard, always on duty. Whenever danger comes near, that guard, our eyelid, closes and effectively wards off impending trouble.

We started with the lowest form of life, an inanimate nut. Now we come to the highest, the soul of man. For in each one of you there is something eternal, something akin to God himself. The name we give that eternal spirit is the soul. For the protection of our soul God gives us faith, a sense of right and wrong, conscience, the still small voice. He surrounds us with Christian homes, the Church, helpful fellowship, the means of grace. All these things are a protection for the soul.

MEMORY VERSE, Matthew 6: 28, 29

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

MEMORY HYMN

“While thee I seek, protecting power.”

While Thee I seek, protecting Power,
Be my vain wishes stilled;
And may this consecrated hour
With better hopes be filled.

Thy love the power of thought bestowed;
To Thee my thoughts would soar:
Thy mercy over my life has flowed;
That mercy I adore.

In each event of life, how clear
Thy ruling hand I see!
Each blessing to my soul more dear,
Because conferred by Thee.

In every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain I bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.

When gladness wings my favored hour,
Thy love my thoughts shall fill;
Resigned, when storms of sorrow lower,
My soul shall meet Thy will.

My lifted eye, without a tear,
The gathering storm shall see:
My steadfast heart shall know no fear;
That heart will rest on Thee.

THE CHILDREN’S SIX MINUTES by Bruce S. Wright

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The Children’s Six Minutes: Letters

LETTERS

Who is the most popular man in your town? The Postman. Who is the man who is most eagerly looked for as he comes down the street? The Postman. Who receives, at every door where he stops, a most cordial welcome? The Postman. I wonder if the thrill of getting a letter will ever pass away. When you come home from school the first thing you do is to look on the hall table to see if the Postman has brought you a letter. It is the same when we grow up. No matter how many letters we may receive we never get over the keen delight at having the Postman bring us letters.

Last Sunday afternoon you wrote your grandmother. You said, “Only two months more of school and then I am coming to see you, and all the summer vacation I am going to play around your big house, and in the barn, and across the fields, and through the woods.” On your way to school Monday morning, you posted that letter. Monday afternoon you began looking for an answer. Tuesday you were impatient [59]that you had not received a reply. Wednesday you were almost in tears, though, had you only stopped to think you would have known that it takes two days for a letter to get to your grandmother, she lives so far away. Thursday the answer came. “I am eager for vacation time to come so that you, my dear grandchild, may be here with me.”

I have here an unusual book. It is a book of letters. All the letters were written by a big man, a father, to little children, his children. The man who wrote them was Theodore Roosevelt. What fortunate children were his! Not many fathers take time to write to their children as did our great president. Oh, for more fathers like Roosevelt! Oh, for appreciative children, who will not only gladly receive, but cheerfully write, letters of love!

MEMORY VERSE, I John 2: 12

“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.”

MEMORY HYMN

“I love to tell the story.”

1 I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and His glory,
of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story
because I know it’s true.
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.

Refrain:
I love to tell the story!
‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love.

2 I love to tell the story;
more wonderful it seems
than all the golden fancies
of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story;
it did so much for me,
and that is just the reason
I tell it now to thee. [Refrain]

3 I love to tell the story;
’tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it
more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story;
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God’s own holy Word. [Refrain]

4 I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
’twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. [Refrain]

Source: Our Great Redeemer’s Praise #160

https://articlesforchristians.blog/?p=16161

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