inued regularly to come
direct from the morning session of the school to the services of the
church.

These sermons were preached without notes, were subsequently outlined
and then spoken into the phonograph, put in manuscript by a
phonographer, and, that the simplicity of style and diction might be
preserved, were printed with only slight verbal changes.

The objects used in illustrating these talks have been chosen from among
the ordinary things of every-day life. Such objects have the advantage
of being easily secured, and on account of their familiarity also prove
more impressive, and being more often seen, more frequently recall to
mind the truths taught.

To any thoughtful student who has marked the simple language and
beautiful illustrations used by that Great Preacher and Teacher who
"spake as never man spake," it will be unnecessary to say a single word
in justification of this method of presenting abstruse truths to the
easy comprehension of the young. Upon all occasions Jesus found in the
use of the ordinary, every-day things about Him, the easy means of
teaching the people the great truths of divine import. The door, the
water, the net, the vine, the flowers which sprang at His feet, the
birds that flew over His head, the unfruitful tree that grew by the
wayside, the wheat and the tares that grew together in the field, the
leaven which a woman hid in three measures of meal, the husbandman
pacing his field engaged in sowing his grain, the sheep and the goats
which rested together on the slopes waiting to be separated each into
their own fold, the old garment mended with a piece of new cloth, the
mustard seed, the salt--anything that chanced to be about the Master
was used as an illustration, that He might plainly and impressively
teach the people the saving truths of redemption and salvation. May we
not also reasonably suppose that if Jesus were upon the earth to-day He
would still exercise this same distinguishing wisdom in the use of the
common, every-day things by which He would now find Himself surrounded?

Let it be distinctly understood that this book is not a substitute for
the regular services of God's House. I believe in "the Church in the
house," but I also believe that the entire family, including the
children, should also be in the Church on the Lord's day. The absence of
the children from the services of the sanctuary is one of the alarming
evils of our day. There are but few congregations wh