Children's Sermon

“The Association Follows the Flag on Land and Sea”

Army Y.M.C.A. Fort Thomas, KY | Clinton Wunder, Building Secretary

The Christian Herald | Submitted for Children’s Sermon page

If not accepted please return--postage enclosed

Jesse Halsey, 2726 Cleinview Ave, Cincinnati, O | Seventh Presbyterian Church

OUR GUARDS

We have two little men at our house—and they live in the cellar. Isn’t that a strange place to keep them? It must be cold there in winter at times. Possibly these hot days they enjoy the cool weather that is found in the cellar. These little men have a fine room with steel walls, all nicely painted. It is fitted up very comfortably, but it has no bed, for they never go to sleep. They are on guard duty and a sentry never sleeps, you know, but must always watch. Day and night these little men protect our home.

Last Sunday night one of these guards lost his life. It was during that heavy thunder storm and there came a great crash of thunder, our lights went out. In the morning we had no electricity for light or for the fan or the iron or the electric toaster. This little guard who gave his life to save us from the danger of the lightening was named “Mr. Fuse.” Our guards are two brothers—both named “Fuse,” of course. The one who lost his life was “Mr. Twenty Ampere Fuse” and his older brother is named “Mr. Thirty-Ampere Fuse.” Little “Twenty Ampere Fuse” was weaker than his brother and the giant who tried to enter the house took his life, but the stronger brother successfully resisted , or possibly because the younger brother resisted so valiantly the giant never reached “Mr. Thirty Amperes”—at any rate he is here today, hearty and well. (Place fuse on pulpit.)

During ordinary days and nights these guards would open the bridge and let our friend “Mr. Electricity” in to help us in the house, but when the Giant Lightening gets loose and comes down the wires, the Fuse Guards throw up the bridge—one or both of them—and sacrifice their lives that the Giant can not come in and hurt us.

This little sentry (place other fuse on pulpit) gave his life to save us from danger and here is his stronger brother who was able to withstand the attack of the Giant, but was just as willing to die to protect us as his brother. Let us place these fuses here as a monument to our heroic guard that kept faithful watch last Sunday night to save some other little folks who live at our house from danger.

FOR THE NEXT SUNDAY

I have been thinking this week of the guard that stands at the entrance of our life to protect us from danger. His name is “Mr. Conscience.” He pleasantly introduces us to many happy things in life, just as the fuses bring useful electricity into our homes. But when pleasures become harmful Conscience warns us against the danger. If we obey the voice of Conscious we are safe; if we neglect his warning we are bound to be harmed. If we fail to take the warning that the guard gives time after time, the guard gives up his life in desperation, just as the fuse burned out in keeping the Giant out of the house, and we can go on our way and Conscious won’t “prick” us any more.

Some of our pleasures become our worst enemies, just as the helpful “Electricity” is first cousin to the “Giant Electricity.” Conscious, like these “Fuse Brothers,” will always admit the things that are helpful and uplifting, but will try and bar the way against evil things that come to us, and against the things which are good when properly used but harmful when used improperly or in too large a measure.

These fuses are marked with XX on the back and I have told you to obey your conscience because it also, is marked with X. That is, you have a Christian conscience—and Christ’s name, you know, began with X in the language that St. Paul and many of the early Christians used. It is because you have been to church and Sunday school and been taught the will of Christ that you can afford to listen to your conscious. Christ, our Master, who gave His life freely, to save us from danger, has also given us His Spirit to guide us, and as our conscience is marked with X we will be guided in doing Christlike things and hindered in doing the things that are unlike Him.