"Little cradle, do you think,
With your pretty bows of pink,
You can faithful be and true
To the name we trust with you?
"As we lay it gently there
We will add a little prayer
That the little baby face
In our class may find a place."
Prayer is offered for the new children, the birthday child, the new baby, and all the babies on the cradle roll.
A Look Toward the LessonA new song may be introduced here, or some exercise, familiar song or game, suggestive of the thought of the lesson for the day. This will in a measure prepare for the lesson and give the children relaxation and rest. For instance, some of the children may be trees, with their spreading branches (arms extended); others flowers or bushes, with their buds opening (hands to represent opening buds), and some the whistling wind blowing the trees and flowers. The rain may come (children tapping with fingers on the floor), and then a rain song follow. This time may occasionally be used for the review of some previous lesson or possibly the telling of a favorite story.
Offering The offering boxes are now brought, the objects for which the money may be given are discussed briefly (sometimes a simple missionary story may be told), and then the children drop their money in the boxes as they choose.
The ChurchGradually the children's thought is led to the fact that this is God's day and God's house. The children may say together some such text as this, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." Or, "This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." The children like to sing about the church bells calling people to church:
