JANUARY 2.
A Year of Opportunity.
By D. A. Kommel.

Scripture Lesson-Luke 3:6-9.

Memory Verse-"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

In the parable of the fruitless fig tree, the owner of the vineyard comes, expecting to find fruit on the fig tree. Finding none, he orders it cut down as it is only taking up space. The dresser of the vineyard pleads for one more year in which to give it special attention, in order that it might bear fruit.

As we look back over the few years of our League, we see perhaps many things that we might have done. Let us, however, not get discouraged, but rather let us to press on greater and better things. Our year of opportunity is before us.

are

In the Church-Never before in the history of our church has there been such a need for boys and girls with the proper religious training, and with consecrated hearts, who willing to give a little of their time to the service of their King. Congregations, Sunday schools, Junior Leagues, etc., are crying, give us more trained helpers. As you have been richly blessed by having the opportunity to train for service in your League so even now let us bear fruit and be willing and ready to hear the call as it comes to us. Ask your pastor in what way you can help him in his work.

In Our Lives-Never has the world needed boys and girls to show that Christianity is more than merely attending divine service on Sunday.

This we should always do, but we must carry the truths that we hear and put them into practice. Boys and girls are needed who will go about every day of their lives doing a good deed here, speaking a kind and gentle word there and showing kindness and mercy everywhere. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

In the Home-Someone has said, "As the Let people of a nation are, so is the nation." us remember that as the homes are so are the people. If we want this land of ours to be a land where Christ shall rule and reign, then must we also see that Christ rules and reigns in our homes.

Millions of homes, even so called Christian homes, have done away with the family altar. Only in a few homes do we see the entire family gathered together hearing the Word, and returning thanks to God for His many blessings. The saying of Grace at meals is practically forgotten. Men and women, boys and girls, need to learn again how to pray.

Leaguers, yours is the opportunity to bring religion back into the home; to make Christless homes into Christlike homes: to save a nation.

Let us take advantage of this year of opportunity and when the Master comes a year hence, He will find us bearing much fruit.

JANUARY 9.

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven.

By L. W. Rupp.

Scripture-Matthew 13:31-33.

Jesus takes two examples to teach us what His Kingdom is like. First, it is like a mustard seed, which to the Jews meant always something very small. But in Judaea the tiny mustard seed grew into a large and handsome

tree. Secondly, it is like the tiny cake of yeast which will spread through a large quantity of flour, so that many loaves of good bread may be baked.

A. God Begins with Very Small Things His Kingdom was at first so tiny that people despised it.

It began with the little Babe sleeping on the straw in the manger at Bethlehem. Very few came to see that Baby.

Our Leader was a Man of Sorrows so poor that He had no place where to lay His head. He was so despised that He was crucified.

There were only 120 names of those who were the seed of the Church after Christ had ascended into heaven. (Acts 1:15.)

B. God's Kingdom Has Power to Grow-The leaven is the Word of Christ which has gone through the world, and changed the hearts of

men.

Read

The Kingdom has grown in numbers. Acts 2:41. We now have all the millions of Christian people the whole world over.

It has caused men to give up unholy practices and vicious customs. It is the leaven which destroyed slavery, and which brought about prohibition in the United States.

It breaks down everything that is contrary to the will of God.

C. The Leaven Makes Men Grow-The Word of Christ drops into the heart like a tiny seed into the ground, and after while we see a beautiful Christian life.

The beginning may be small, only a single word, a thought, or a passing sentence.

But it will grow like a tree, first very small and weak, then stronger and stronger. What is the history of an apple seed from the time it falls into the soil?

D. How You Can Be a Seed and a LeavenEach of us can help the Kingdom of God to

grow.

We do it by hearing the Word of God, and by giving the Word a good chance for growth in ourselves.

We do it by working hard at anything our pastor, or teacher, or Luther League superintendent asks us to do.

We do it by kind words, by putting the good seed into other hearts, by bringing our friends to Bible school and Luther League, by learning how to pray well, and by reading the Bible.

Questions-How can I plant the good seed? What kind of a life ought the good seed to bring forth in me? What kind of a leaven am I?

JANUARY 16.

Hidden Treasures and the Pearl.

By P. M. Kinports.

Scripture Matt. 13:44-46.

Jesus is our great teacher. When He was upon the earth He taught people in parables, that they might understand more clearly His teachings. Jesus and His disciples are in the house of Simon and Andrew. He is telling them the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl. These were not only interesting to the disciples but contained great messages. They also were not intended for the disciples alone but for every one of us.

Jesus is instructing the disciples about the Kingdom of God, of which He is the king. Only as we acknowledge His kingship can we enter into that kingdom. It is the finding of life in Christ that we want to learn from these parables.

May we notice first the preciousness of that which is found. There were no banks in ancient times as we have now. People buried

their money in the fields for safe keeping. Sometimes after these treasures were hidden something happened to the people and the treasures were lost. The man whom Jesus speaks of found such a treasure in the field where it had been hidden. He immediately sells all he has and buys the field. The merchant who was seeking good pearls did not want imitations. He wanted smooth, beautiful pearls, and finding one he sells all he has and buys the pearl.

God hides many of the most precious things from us in order that we might seek for them. Is it not true, that we see clearly what is immediately before us, yet we fail to distinguish or suspect what is outside of our usual reach, though it may be real and close to us? Some young people can discover a microbe, but they do not see God. Elisha's servant could see the distant hosts of Syrians, but before he could see near to him, "Chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha" His master had to pray; "Lord open this young man's eyes that he may see." Christ was a hidden treasure, an unknown pearl to men. He had been hidden in types and shadows of Jewish worship, yet he was present in the world. John the Baptist had to say: "Behold there standeth one among you whom ye know not." The treasure was hidden in the field, many walked right over it, without so much as dreaming it was there. Is not this still true? Christ says: "the kingdom is within you," should we not try and find the treasure? Should we not be like the wise men who followed the star to find the pearl of great price, that we may pour all our treasures at the feet of the Child who is the Light of the world? Jesus is our Pearl of Great Price. May we each find Him.

But before these men could get the treasure and the pearl, they had to sacrifice all they had to get that which they had found. We all have to sacrifice to get that which we have found. Sometimes companions, or pleasant amusement, or some habits we have acquired. Jesus paid the price in sacrifice when He hung upon the cross. We do not have to suffer as much as He did to sacrifice and should be willing to sacrifice anything that is expected of us that He may be ours.

The glad thing to know is that Jesus, our Treasure and Pearl, is sure to be found by searching. Then when He is found and we have made the sacrifice, He is a very precious Treasure and Pearl indeed. Have you found this Treasure? If so, you are rich. See that you hold fast the Treasure you have found. If we have not yet found this Treasure, let us away to the field and dig. Read the Bible, think upon what it says, and pray. How many have the Bible, with its hidden treasures and Christ, the Pearl of Great Price so near them, that they realize not the riches hidden Hear what Jesus says: "Who so away there. findeth Me, findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sinneth against Me, wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate Me love death."

JANUARY 23. Help in Need.

By Rev. Frank W. Richter. Scripture Passage-Matt. 15:32-38; Parallel Passage Mark 8:1-9.

We have in our Scripture lesson an account of one of Christ's many miracles. It is recorded in two of His Gospels. There are many lessons we can learn from it but we will have time and space for only a few. The first lesson which impresses us is the fact that God always provides for those who love Him enough to go and hear His Gospel preached. In the second place we see Jesus, the very giver of the bread, offering up thanks to God before He distributes

the bread and the fish to the multitude. And then, in the third place, we see that God, with all His resources, never wastes anything.

You, my dear Luther Leaguers, may not have much of this world's goods to give or to waste. but you have your time which you can use in the Master's vineyard. Horace Mann penned one of the most beautiful passages on time ever written by uninspired man, when he said: "Lost, somewhere between sunrise and sunset. two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes, no reward is offered, for they are gone forever."

EXAMPLES OF "HELP IN NEED."

The Apostle Peter, walking upon the water. began to sink when his faith failed. Jesus stretched forth His hand and rescued him. He is ready and willing to help us in time of need.

A man and his family were sitting out in the road. Their home and all their earthly goods had just been destroyed by fire. People were passing by and expressing sympathy. A man with more than sympathy in his heart came along and said to the crowd which had collected, "I pity this man and his family $10how much do you pity them?" In a short time he had quite a sum collected. Help in time of need.

Last summer at camp two young girls went out in a canoe and were upset by a boy who was in swimming. One of the girls could swim, while the other could not. Two young men and a fifteen year old boy were fishing on the banks of the stream, and when they saw the danger of the girl the boy jumped in and saved the girl from drowning. Help in time of need.

There are thousands of people in our hos pitals, almshouses, orphans and old people's homes, and institutions of correction who need our help, and you, dear Luther Leaguers, can give it. In our State and county institutions you can give spiritual help by helping to sing at services and distributing tracts and good reading matter. In our church institutions, the inmates need both temporal and spiritual help. You can help to give both.

JANUARY 30.

God's Mission Study Book.

By Rev. H. F. Baughman.

Men and women filled with earnest interest in the spreading of Christ's Kingdom, missionary zeal we call it, have written many books about missions. In these books they tell about conditions in heathen lands, the need of the Gospel; and about the work that is being done among heathen people, the answer Christians are giving to God's call. They seek to educate and interest others in the cause. These books are used by churches and societies as mission study books. They are written by men.

Now God has written a great Mission Study Book. It is from His Book that we learn in the first place all that we know about our duty as missionaries. His Book is the source of all missionary history and knowledge and inspiration. Its name is The Holy Bible.

In God's Book He has revealed His purpose and plan of salvation in two great ages; one is the Old Testament Age, the other the New Testament Age. Today we are studying about the Old Testament.

This part of His Book shows us the terrible consequences of sin and how there is no hope for the world without Christ. It tells us how God prepared the world for Christ's coming and sent His missionaries to announce it, and represents Him as the only Savior of a lost world.

When our first parents disobeyed God and sinned they and all their children, all mankind became subject to the penalty of sin. But God (Continued on page 33)

(These Hints for 1921 will be written in program form. We feel that this will make them of more practical value. "The Lamp That Lights the World" (The Bible) is the general theme for the first six months, and the Topics will follow this theme from these standpoints: (1) Missionary, (2) Practical, (3) (4)

Bible Study-favorite passages, and Bible Characters, with (5) special Topics for holidays and festivals. The book used will be "Lamplighters Across the Sea," and the Junior program packet, arranged by the Women's Missionary Society of the United Lutheran Church, securable from this office, will give the material, and further explain the scheme. Junior leaders should have both. Details will be given in the January REVIEW.)

Jan. 2. "Handing Down the Big Little Library"-See Topic.

Jan. 9. “My Favorite Bible Verse.” 1. Opening Exercises-Hymn, Prayer by Superintendent or Assistant, for more study of the Bible.

2. Roll Call, Reading of Minutes, New Members.

3. Memory Work-Books of the Bible in verse. (Get this in Program packet. Also see the Junior Luther League Helper for additional memory work.)

4. Study of Topic. (a) Topic as found in REVIEW divided into three parts, assigned beforehand to three Juniors, and presented by them at the meeting. (b) Favorite Bible verse recited by each child. (c) Talk by leader summing up Topic.

5. Hand-Work.. Have the children the first six months make Lamplighter notebooks with Bible verses and passages. Have at this first meeting the covers made-"The Holy Bible" printed in colored letters and some decorations cut from colored paper. Inside on the first page write Psalm 119:105.

6. Offering.

7. Closing Exercises-Lord's Prayer, Closing Prayer, "God be merciful unto us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations."

Jan. 16. "The Boy With the Beautiful Coat" (Joseph).

(A lesson on some Bible character, showing how God's Word helped them, will appear each month).

1. Opening Devotions-Hymn, Sentence Prayers by several Juniors, Psalm 1 read or recited.

2. Scripture lesson, read by JuniorGen. 37:3-4, 23-34.

3. Roll Call, Reading of Minutes, New Members.

4. Memory Work-Books of the Bible, Lamplighter Verse (Psalm 119:105) (have this recited at each meeting).

5. Topic Study. (a) Story of Joseph told by Junior boy (let the child tell the story from the REVIEW in his own words). (b) Lesson explained by leader, showing how obeying God's Word helped Joseph. (c) The story of Joseph sold by his brethren dramatized or "acted out" by a group of the Juniors.

6. Hand-Work-Story of Joseph written in note-book-large letters J (acob's favorite) O (bject of his brother's hatred) S(old as a slave) E (gyptian prisoner) P(haraoh's servant) H (elper of others).

7. Closing Exercises-Lord's Hymn, Closing Prayer.

Prayer,

Jan. 23. Bible Lamps-The Lamp That Lights Our Path.

(A series of practical lessons on lamps mentioned in the Bible, with a lesson drawn from each, will run through the course. Draw small lights, a candle, torch, parlor light, street lamp, lantern, lighthouse, etc., write the verses on these, or the parts of the program, and hand to the Juniors).

1. Opening Exercises-Hymn, Scripture Lesson, Psalm 119:105-112, Prayer.

2. Roll Call (have children respond with verses on light, announce this on previous Sunday), Minutes, New Members.

3. Study of Topic (a) Topic in REVIEW told by five Juniors. (b) Story or paper prepared by one of the older Juniors on "How the Bible Lights Our Way" read. Put up a chart with verses concerning light. 4. Exercise by the Juniors-Assign these subjects to five Juniors the week before, have them hunt up the story of how our Bible was made, and tell these stories in the meeting-(a) Martin Luther writing the Bible, (b) The printing press and the Bible, (c) The King James, Revised and other editions of our Bible, (d) the Story of a Chinese Bible (The Empress' Birthday Present, p. 47 and 48 in "Lamplighters Across the Sea"), (e) The Bible in Every Tongue (get leaflet from the American Bible Society, Bible House, New York City).

5. Hand-Work. Page of Bible written in old style (large colored title letter, with decorations at the top of the page), or a page of the Book in Latin, or some modern foreign tongue copied in note-book (get sample from the American Bible Society). (Continued on page 33)

3.

Prayer-Call on members to name some of the blessings of the past year, and give thanks for them. Also name some of the desired goals for the coming year and offer petitions that they may be reached. In advance of meeting slips may be distributed with short sentences of praise and petition so that the members may join audibly in the prayer. 4. Five minute talk by leader-introducing the year's theme. (Have sixty-six books piled on table. Beside them put a Bible. Explain according to suggestion in Leader's Helps that we are going to study sixty-six books.

5. Recitation of Lamplighters' Alphabet (see leaflet). If it is not possible to distribute copies of this in advance so that many of the members are prepared to join in, have one or two members learn the verses and recite them as the leader names the letters. Then distribute copies of leaflet to each member at close of meeting or have them copy the verse from the chart and memorize before the February meeting.

6.

The "Mighty Fortress" Psalm (see leaflet). At least the first verse should be memorized in meeting. Then the story as given in the leaflet should be read or told by the leader or by one of the older members or by a specially invited visitor. 7. Separate into three grades if desired.

If

this is done, leaders should adapt balance of program to meet the needs of the different grades. The subject matter is suitable for all. The grade work depends largely on the presentation.

8. Handing Down the Bible.

Show according to suggestion in Leaders' Help, page 5. how the Bible has been handed down. If impersonations are not possible or desirable, prepare simple statements of the steps in the handing down and have them told or read by various members. A good plan for making this feature of the program effective would be for the leader to invite eight of the older members to her home or to the church several days in advance of the meeting and go over with them thoroughly chapter one of the text book "Lamplighters Across the Sea," assign each one of the eight steps and let them learn to tell how the Bible was handed down, according to this outline, enlarging on each step: Step 1--Fathers and mothers tell the stories to their children and to their children's children. Step 2--Moses wrote down the stories of the first five books on papyrus leaves as God directed him. Step 3-Other good men wrote other stories and prophesies and poetry as God put it into their hearts. Step 4-Ezra, the Scribe, arranged these into the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament. Step 5-The friends and disciples of Jesus wrote down the things they had heard Him do and say and wrote letters of advice and ex

9.

10.

planation as God inspired them to do
and about the new churches away in
other places and lands. These stories
and letters are the books of the New
Testament. Step 6-The monks copied
on scrolls all that had been written.
Step 7-The translators put the word-
of Hebrew and Greek into English and
German and many other languages and
the printing presses printed them. (Here
have the story of "The Lamp on the
Hill" read from the leaflet in the
packet.) Step 8 The Bible societies
were formed to print the Bible and
send it into every land.

Recitation-"Twenty-eight Miles for a
Book" (see leaflet).

Hymn-"Holy Bible, Book Divine" (see
page 2, Leaders' Help, Tune Horton.
Print words on cloth or manila paper and
sing it at every meeting for the six
months.

11. Prayer for our Lamplighters in every land. Expression-Have the Juniors express their impressions by reading Bible lessons on shutins. Often a Junior may be led into paths of service simply by a definite suggestion that he should make an engagement for a chapter a day to be read to some one who is sick or whose sight is failing. Consider also plans for circulating the Bible at home and abroad. Suggestions will be made later for distributing Bibles in our mission stations.

Hand work may be effectively joined to serv ice by arranging for the Juniors to make "Comfort Powders" by copying Bible promises on slips of paper. Fold them as druggists fold powders and put in a box or large capsule with instructions to "take one three times a day before meals." Boxes of these may be given to shut-ins in homes or hospitals or other friends.

JANUARY 9.

My Favorite Bible Verse and Why I Chose It.
By Charles W. Fuhr.

Scripture Lesson-Psalm 119:97, 103, 104
Memory Text-Psalm 119:11.

In our Scripture lesson the Psalmist exclaims, "O how love I Thy law!" Can each one of us, like the Psalmist, truthfully say this of ourselves? Do we so love God's Word that we think of it every day? Do we read our Bibles regularly? And are we constantly storing away in our memories, some of the verses of precious truth which it contains?

What Jesus Did-When Jesus was a boy of twelve. He knew thoroughly the Scriptures of that time or that part of the Bible which we know as the Old Testament. The New Testa- ' ment had not yet been written. So thoroughly did He understand them that He surprised the great teachers of His day with His questions and answers. Later in life we find how He made use of some of the Scriptures. At one time, when Satan came to Him to tempt Him while He was weak from the lack of food, having fasted for forty days, Jesus resisted every temptation with the words: "It is written." and then would quote a verse of Scripture. After three attempts, Satan then left Him and angels came and ministered to Him. Many other times during His life time, Jesus would quote verses of Scripture.

Jesus Our Example-We, too, should study the Bible and memorize portions of it. You think it is important to go to school and to learn the lessons assigned to you and so it is. but of far greater importance is the study of the Bible where we may learn how to be Christians. The first has to do with this life, while

JUNIOR LEAGUE TOPICS

the latter has to do with eternity. How many of the members of our League are willing to store away in their minds and in their hearts, as many Bible verses as possible, and, like Jesus, have them ready for use when needed?

Why We Need Bible Verses-One of the surprising things to be said about the Bible and it can be said of no other book, is there is something in it that will fit us in every condition of life. If we are happy or sorrowful, successful or in trouble, sick or in good health, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, the Bible contains a message which we need. And to have this message at hand when we need it, we should have it "hid in our hearts."

My Favorite Bible Verse-To each Christian, there is always one or more verses of the Bible that are favorites and especially helpful. Do you have such a verse? Let us hear from each member. And let each boy and girl repeat his or her favorite verse and why chosen. JANUARY 16.

The Boy with the Beautiful Coat (Joseph). (Biblical.)

Gen. 37:4, 23, 31-33.

Our Bible is a great big story book, with many interesting and fine tales; one of the stories that boys and girls often pick out as their favorite is the story of Joseph. The whole life of Joseph teaches us many lessons, one of them is that Joseph, through all his life, held fast to God's Work, and His Commandments, and in that way overcame many difficulties. So we can overcome many of our difficulties, if we follow God's commandments as they are given to us in the Bible.

A Favorite Son-Joseph was his father's favorite son. While he had eleven other sons, Jacob loved Joseph best of all, and he showed his love for him in many ways. As a mark of special favor he gave him a coat of many colors which was bright and beautiful and far better than any which his brothers had. You may be sure that Joseph wore this very proudly, and this, of course, made his brothers envious and jealous of him, for I suppose Joseph did not try to hide from his brothers the fact that his father loved him best of all.

A Dreamer-Joseph was a strange boy in many ways, he did not help his brothers with the flocks, but stayed with his father, and did much as he pleased. He had two strange dreams. In the one he dreamed that he and his brothers were in the field binding up the sheaves of grain, and his sheaf arose and stood up straight, while all his brothers' sheaves bowed down to his. In the other dream, he thought that the sun, moon and eleven stars came and bowed down to him. These two dreams meant about the same thing. Some day Joseph was to be high in power, and his brothers and even his father were to do his will. Of course his brothers did not like these dreams when they heard them, they became angrier than ever with him. They called him the dreamer, and said, "shalt thou indeed some day rule over us?" They hated him for this and planned how they might prevent it. Their chance soon came.

Sold Into Egypt-Joseph's brothers had gone to Shechem with their flocks, about sixty miles from Hebron, their home, and Jacob sent Joseph to take them a message. As they saw him coming, they were filled with anger and planned at once to put him to death. Reuben, the eldest brother, persuaded them, however, not to kill him, but just to throw him into a large empty pit nearby. So when Joseph came up, they stripped him of the beautiful coat which he so proudly wore, and threw him into the pit. Just then a band of travelers on their way to Egypt came by, and Judah, another brother, said, "Let's sell Joseph to these men,

instead, and get some money." So they pulled him out of the pit again, and for twenty pieces of silver sold him to the caravan, who carried him off into Egypt as a slave. And the beautiful coat which he had worn they dipped in the blood of a young goat which they killed, and carrying it to their father, said, "We have found this coat, is it not Joseph's?" And the old father, filled with grief, answered "Yes, an evil beast must have devoured him." And he refused to be comforted.

The Slave Boy-Even though Joseph had been proud and selfish-he was not so different than boys and girls today in that wayhe was really a good boy, and after he was carried down into Egypt, he tried to do the best he could, and to follow all the teachings of God which he knew. He had many hard times down in Egypt, and if he had not done right and followed God's laws, God would not have helped him as He did. Joseph was made a servant of Potiphar, one of King Pharaoh's officers. He did the work so well that he became a favorite with every one, yet he also had enemies who, when he would not do wrong, had him thrown into prison. Here God was with him, too, for he was made one of the keepers. And when two of the king's servants who were in prison had strange dreams. Joseph was able to tell them what they meant.

And not long afterwards the king himself had two strange dreams which troubled him greatly. (Have Genesis 41:1-9 read.) No one could tell the king the meaning of these dreams until Joseph was called. God was with Joseph again, and He showed him the meaning of the dreams. (Have the explanation of the dreams read.)

Joseph as Ruler-Because Joseph had followed God, and had overcome all these difficulties, he now has his reward. King Pharaoh makes him a ruler over all the land, he gives him his signet as a mark of authority, clothes him in fine linen, puts a golden chain about his neck, and has him ride in a chariot second to his. He is a great man.

An Example-Read the rest of the story of Joseph in your Bible when you get home, and find out how Joseph was given charge of all the wealth of the land, and how, when seven years of famine came and his brothers had to come up to Egypt for food, he forgave them for the wrong they had done him long ago, and how Jacob and the brothers came down into Egypt to live.

And let us remember as we think over the whole story of Joseph, that just as Joseph held fast to the right in all his difficulties, so we can take our Bible as our guide, and by following all the commands given us there, overcome all the hard things which come to us.

JANUARY 23.

The Lamp that Lights Our Path. (Practical.)

Psalm 119:105.

By Brenda L. Mehlhouse.

If we were traveling through a dark forest, or going on a journey by night, we would want some light to guide us and light the way. If we live in the country we take a lantern when we go out on the dark roads, in the cities we have the street lamps and the bright lights of the buildings and stores and cars to make everything bright.

A Lamp for Our Journey-It is just so in our lives, we need a light to guide us. Our life is just one big journey through this world, for we are traveling on our way to Heaven. Jesus tells us there is only one Road for us to take on this journey. (Have Matt. 7:13, 14 read.) We must follow Jesus every step of the road. He said, "I am the Way." But sometimes it is hard. The way may be narrow and full of