3 Sermon Illustrations on Discipleship Training

"When I stand in the pulpit before my own people on the Sabbath," says the Rev. John Todd, "I see before me an aged man in the gallery, for each Sabbath he is there, and the sight of him brings with it delightful associations.

"In former days he resided in North Wales. There were no Christians in his neighborhood. He wished to commence a Sunday-school, but could find no better place than a back-kitchen. Here he weekly assembled his little flock, and, for eleven years, labored alone, except with the aid of the scholars he had trained. Among his first pupils were two children of impenitent parents. These two girls had a little brother, to whom they were accustomed to teach what they learned in the Sabbath school. They were so interested in the Bible, that, being occupied in braiding straw as a business, they would first braid the length of a straw, then study a verse, then braid, and then study, so that they always came prepared with their Bible lesson.

"Their instructor, a long time ago, emigrated to this country, and this aged parishioner showed me a letter he had received from this scene of his early labors. The Sunday school is still taught there, not as before, in a back kitchen, but in a neat house of God. The minister of this sanctuary is a devoted man, laboring faithfully and successfully in his Master's vineyard. He is the "little brother" of those "little girls." His sisters are married. One is the mother of nine children, and lost her husband the last year by the falling in of a coal mine; but she had the happiness to know that, only the day before this event, he had renewedly consecrated himself to God. The minister lives contentedly upon forty pounds a year, happy in his home—happy in his people—happy in his Savior—blessed of God, and blessing others. This minister, this church, this flock, all sprang from that Sunday school; and, when I look upon my aged parishioner in the gallery, I cannot but reflect what a crown he has for his hoary head." # 391. Revivals.

Many children outside of the Sunday-school will learn the Bible from Christian parents or will study it for themselves; but there is no way, so far as I can conceive, of learning the industrial work of the church except in some such training-school as the young people’s society furnishes. For this work can be learned only by doing it. It can not be taught by text-books, or imparted by instruction. Like every other kind of industrial training, it must be gained by practise. The carpenter learns to build a house with saw and hammer and nails in hand, not by reading an elaborate treatise on housebuilding. The painter takes his easel and brush, and practises long and patiently, if he would be an artist; there is no other way. It is exactly the same with the necessary activities of church life. If the church is worth sustaining, if its work is to be done in the future, if we are to have prayer-meetings and missionary activities and an earnest religious life, if the Church is to be a power for good citizenship and righteous living, it must have some such industrial training-school.--FRANCIS E. CLARK, “Proceedings of the Religious Education Association,” 1903.