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there is a boy whose heart is loyal to the Kingdom of God； the
Kingdom of God is within him。
What is the Kingdom of God？ Every Kingdom has its exports； it
products。 Go down the river here and you will find ships coming
in with cotton； you know they come from America。 You will find
ships with tea； you know they are from China。 Ships with wool；
you know they come from Australia。 Ships with sugar； you know they
come from Java。
What comes from the Kingdom of God？ Again； we must refer to our
Guide…book。 Turn to Romans； and we shall find what the Kingdom
of God is。 I will read it： 〃The Kingdom of God is righteousness；
peace； joy〃three things。 〃The Kingdom of God is righteousness；
peace； joy。〃 Righteousness； of course is just doing what is right。
Any boy who does what is RIGHT has the Kingdom of God within him。
Any boy who； instead of being quarrelsome； lives at peace with
the other boys； has the Kingdom of God within him。 Any boy whose
heart is filled with joy because he does what is right； has the
Kingdom of God within him。 The Kingdom of God is not going to
religious meetings； and hearing strange religious experiences； the
Kingdom of God is doing what is rightliving at peace with all
men； being filled with joy in the Holy Ghost。
Boys； if you are going to be Christians； be Christians as boys； and
not as your grandmothers。 A grandmother has to be a Christian as
a grandmother； and that is the right and the beautiful thing for her；
but if you cannot read your Bible by the hours as your grandmother
can； or delight in meetings as she can； don't think you are
necessarily a bad boy。 When you are your grandmother's age you will
have your grandmother's kind of religion。 Meantime； be a Christian
as a boy。 Live a boy's life。 Do the straight thing； seek the
kingdom of righteousness and honor and truth。 Keep the peace with
the boys about you； and be filled with the joy of being a loyal；
and simple； and natural； and boy…like servant of Christ。
You can very easily tell a house； or a workshop； or an office where
the Kingdom of God is NOT。 The first thing you see in that pace
is that the 〃straight thing〃 is not always done。 Customers do not
get fair play。 You are in danger of learning to cheat and to lie。
Better a thousand times to starve than to stay in a place where
you cannot do what is right。
Or； when you go into your workshop； you find everybody sulky； touchy；
and ill…tempered； everybody at daggers…drawn with everybody else；
some of the men not on speaking terms with some of the others； and
the whole FEEL of the place miserable and unhappy。 The Kingdom of
God is not thee； for IT is peace。 It is the Kingdom of the Devil
that is anger； and wrath and malice。
If you want to get the Kingdom of God into your workshop； or
into your home； let the quarreling be stopped。 Live in peace and
harmony and brotherliness with everyone。 For the Kingdom of God
is a kingdom of brothers。 It is a great Society； founded by Jesus
Christ； of all the people who try to live like Him； and to make the
world better and sweeter and happier。 Wherever boy is trying to
do that； in the house or on the street； in the workshop or on the
baseball field； there is the Kingdom of God。 And every boy； however
small or obscure or poor； who is seeking that； is a member of it。
You see now； I hope； what the Kingdom is。
II。
I pass； therefore； to the second head； What was it？ Arithmetic。
Are there any arithmetic words in this text？ 〃Added。〃 What other
arithmetic words？ 〃First。〃
Now； don't you think you could not have anything better to seek
〃first〃 than the things I have named to do what is right； to live
at peace； and be always making those about you happy？ You see at
once why Christ tells us to seek these things firstbecause they
are
The best worth seeking。
Do you know anything better than these three things； anything
happier； purer； nobler？ If you do； seek them first。 But if you
do not； seek first the Kingdom of God。 I do not tell you to be
religious。 You know that。 I do not tell you to seek the Kingdom
of God。 I tell you to seek the Kingdom of God FIRST。 FIRST。
Not many people do that。 They put a little religion into their
lifeonce a week； perhaps。 They might just as well let it alone。
It is not worth seeking the Kingdom of God unless we seek it FIRST。
Suppose you take the helm out of a ship and hang it over the bow；
and send that ship to sea； will it ever reach the other side？
Certainly not。 It will drift about anyhow。 Keep religion in its
place； and it will take you straight through life and straight to
your Father in heaven when life is over。 But if you do not put
it in its place； you may just as well have nothing to do with it。
Religion out of its place in a human life is the most miserable
thing in the world。 There is nothing that requires so much to be
kept in its place as religion； and its place is what？ second？ third？
〃First。〃 Boys； FIRST the Kingdom of God； make it so that it will
be natural to you to think about that the very first thing。
There was a boy in Glasgow apprenticed to a gentleman who made
telegraphs。 （The gentleman told me this himself。） One day this
boy was up on the top of a four…story house with a number of men
fixing up a telegraph wire。 The work was all but done。 It was
getting late； and the men said they were going away home； and the
boy was to nip off the ends of the wire himself。 Before going
down they told him to be sure to go back to the workshop； when he
was finished； with his master's tools。
〃Do not leave any of them lying about； whatever you do；〃 said the
foreman。
The boy climbed up the pole and began to nip off the ends of the
wire。 It was a very cold winter night； and the dusk was gathering。
He lost his hold and fell upon the slates； slid down； and then
over and over to the ground below。 A clothes…rope stretched across
the 〃green〃 on which he was just about to fall； caught him on the
chest and broke his fall； but the shock was terrible； and he lay
unconscious among some clothes upon the green。
An old woman came out； seeing her rope broken and the clothes all
soiled； thought the boy was drunk； shook him； scolded him； and
went for the policeman。 The boy with the shaking came back to
consciousness； rubbed his eyes； and got back on his feet。 What do
you think he did？ He staggered； half…blind； up the stairs。 He
climbed the ladder。 He got on to the roof of the house。 He gathered
up his tools； put them into his basket； took them down； and when
he got to the ground again fainted dead away。
Just then the policeman came； saw there was something seriously
wrong； and carried him away to the hospital； where he lay for some
time。 I am glad to say he got better。
What was his first thought at that terrible moment？ His duty。
He was not thinking of himself； he was thinking about his master。
First； the Kin