The leader says something like this: "You are each going to make a story about anybody in the Bible you wish. You may take them anywhere in the Bible lands you wish, and give them anything people had in the Bible times. Only you must use nothing but persons, places, and things found in the Bible." Then the leader reads the story and the others write what they choose for the numbers. Afterwards the leader reads the story and each one gives his words for the numbered blanks. Here is a sample story:

Once upon a time, in the Bible lands, there was a man named (1), who lived in (2). His wife was named (3). They had two sons, (4) and (5), and a daughter named (6). One day (1) said to his wife, "I must go to (7), beyond Mount (8)." So he loaded his (9) with (10) to sell at (7). He hired a man named (11) to go with him as far as the river (12). Soon after they started they saw a flock of (13) and their (14) coming from the valley of (15). The (14) said, "Beyond the town of (16) look out for robbers. They may come from Mount (17). They robbed some merchants traveling on (18) from (19), and took some (20) and (21)." The men were afraid, but an hour later they met soldiers of (22) riding on (23). They were guarding a caravan carrying (24) to (25). So they all went safely on, and the man brought home to his wife (26) and to his children (27) and (28) to eat, and clothing made of (29).

This story might properly be called fiction. The story which follows is of a different sort, for this is to be supplied, not merely with any appropriate Biblical words, but with the correct names. It is a good way to test the knowledge of the Bible.

In the days when the Hebrews were captives in (1), where they had been taken by King (2), a prophet named (3) lived among them by the river (4). A boy once said to him, "Tell me, I pray, why all this trouble has come to our nation, and our holy city (5) is destroyed." The prophet said, "The God of our fathers, (6), (7), and (8), long ago brought our people out of (9) by the hand of (10), and led them through the (11) across the river (12) into the land of (13). When they abandoned God and served (14) and (15), they fell into trouble. When they turned to God he raised up people called (16) who delivered them. In the days of the old priest (17) the ark of God was taken by the (18), and set up in the temple of (19). Later it was returned to the town of (20). With the old priest lived the boy (21), who many years later chose (22) as King of (23). The King's son (24)

was a friend of the young (25) who killed (26) of (27). This young man was later King, first of (28), then of all (29). He captured the city (30) and made it his capital. His son, King (31), built the (32). The next king, (33), foolishly lost part of his kingdom. He retained (34), but (35) revolted. The first king of that kingdom was (36). Later two great nations ruled over the land: first (37), then in our day (38). God sent prophets to our people, like (39), who called the priests of (40) to Mount (41), and (42), who had a vision of God sitting on a throne in the temple, and (43) who had a vision of an almond branch. But the people persisted in abandoning God, and at last the city (44) was taken, the king (45) captured, and many of the people brought here to (46).

"WHO LIVED FIRST?"

One of the complaints regarding popular Bible knowledge is the general lack of any sense of time relations. That David and Isaiah were both characters in the Bible many people know, but could not tell which one was the earlier. Often the teaching in the home and Sunday school has been so fragmentary that the child has had no real opportunity to learn time relations in the history of Israel.

"Who lived first?" is designed to call attention to these relations. The leader may say, "Who lived first, Eli or Elijah?" The answers may be called for from individuals, till the right answer is given; or written on paper by each, and later the answers compared, when the one with most correct answers wins; or given orally by all who know. The leader may prepare beforehand a list of names, or he may start the list and each in turn propound a question. If any one gives the names of two persons who lived at the same time he must give another question as a penalty. Of course the questions will be graded by the presumed familiarity of the company with the Bible. "Who lived first?" may be made to fit any group. Adam or Peter?" would be easy even for the little ones; "Zelophehad or Shechaniah?" might send very good Bible students on a searching expedition.

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The following are a few groups of names, varying in difficulty. Which lived first? Abraham or David, Gideon or Joseph, Samuel or Simeon, Nathan or Nathaniel, Obadiah or Aaron, Miriam or Peter, Jeremiah or Isaiah, Phinehas or Philip, Josiah or Jonathan, Micah or Mordecai, Saul or Solomon, Haman or Hannah, Haggai or Elisha, Jesse or Zerubbabel?

The Chronological Tables show the relations of certain events, characters and dates.

"SEARCH AND FIND" QUESTIONS

Here is a list of questions without answers. They are all questions whose answers are in the Bible, and if you look for them you can find them.

1. Joab was the son of Zeruiah. What relation was Zeruiah to Joab?

2. To what governor was it promised that he should be as God's signet?

3. Whose daughter was Noah?

4. Who said, "All that a man hath will he give for his life"? 5. Where is the ostrich mentioned in the Bible?

6. What book begins, "Adam, Seth, Enoch, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared"?

7. Who stole a graven image from a private house?

8. Who said, "Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?"?

9. Where in the Bible is the town clerk mentioned?

10. What man was taken from a pit by an Ethiopian slave?

11. Who dug through a wall and carried out his household stuff? 12. What was done with a pen-knife?

13. Of what is it said, "Thou sendest out thy Spirit, they are created"?

14. Where were carvings of pomegranates used for ornaments? 15. Does the Bible say that a whale swallowed Jonah?

16. How was an awl used with a slave?

17. Who saved her husband by putting an image in his bed?

18. Who said, "To obey is better than sacrifice"?

19. What did a boy have for lunch in Jesus' time?

20. Whose image did they say "fell down from heaven"?

21. Who said, "I go a-fishing"?

22. What is the reference to "ten righteous in the city"? 23. Who, in vision, saw his lips touched with a live coal? 24. Where are wagons first mentioned in the Bible?

25. Who was Keren-happuch?

26. Who was Maher-shalal-hash-baz?

27. Who beat out wheat in a wine-press?

28. What "suffereth long and is kind”?

29. Does the Bible say "Answer a fool according to his folly," Answer not a fool according to his folly"?

30. What were the twelve tribes of Israel?

31. Who smote the waters of the Jordan with his mantle?

32. Is "God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb" in Proverbs? 33. Who in the Bible lived two years in a hired house in Rome? 34. What foreign king was called God's shepherd?

35. Who cut off the skirt of a king's robe?

36. What is it "the fool hath said in his heart"?

37. What four things are little "but exceeding wise"?

38. Who is advised to go to the ant?

39. Who in the Old Testament said, "The just shall live by his faith"?

MISQUOTATIONS

In each of the following quotations there is some error. What is wrong, and how should it be corrected to make the quotation or allusion right?

1. He stood like Moses surveying the Promised Land from Mount Carmel.

2. Israel chose Saul of Tarsus as its first king.

3. Many in our day, like Shebna of old, seek great things for themselves.

4. He was like Goliath, taller than the people from his shoulders and upward.

5. He asked for butter, and she gave him milk; she brought him water in a lordly glass.

6. He flourished like a green palm-tree.

7. Gideon's fleece of many colors.

8. The vision of the seer on the Island of Patmos, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts."

9. Jairus' daughter who touched the skirt of Jesus' robe and was healed.

10. As brave as Queen Vashti who pled for her people.

11. Wrong must be rebuked as boldly as Isaiah rebuked Ahab. 12. Elijah raised the son of the Shulamite woman.

13. It is well to learn the truth of what the Book of Proverbs says, "Honesty is the best policy."

14. The Prophet says, "God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb."

15. Every man will sit under his own vine and olive-tree.

16. She is as beautiful as Beersheba, the mother of Solomon. 17. He died full of days, but, like King David, his eye was not dim nor his natural strength abated.

18. He sent his son out with the counsel which Samuel gave to Gideon, "Be strong and of good courage."

19. "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have give I thee," said the priest to young David as he gave him the show-bread from the altar.

20. The ark of the covenant in which Noah sailed the flood.

21. David played upon the harp before Samuel, and Samuel said "This is the man whom the Lord hath chosen."

22. It was a lonely death, like that of Moses on Mount Moriah. 23. The beloved disciple, who leaned on Jesus' breast and said, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

24. This man was a veritable John the Baptist, living on milk and honey, and preaching judgment to all who heard.

25. Remember that to Belshazzar saying in his pride, "Is not this great Babylon which I have built?" the voice of the Lord came in rebuke, "Thou art weighed and found wanting."

26. Washington was our Moses, leading his people over the Jordan into the Promised Land.

27. The aged Simon blessed the infant Saviour.

28. Gehazi, the servant of Elijah, said, "Master, shall I smite them?" And Elijah said, "Give them food and drink and let them go."

29. Great timbers were piled up, great as the cedars of Lebanon which Solomon purchased from Haman, King of Tyre.

30. He carried his burdens as easily as Samson carried the gates of Gath.

31. And Eli said, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." 32. John the Baptist ate manna in the wilderness.

33. Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Joshua in the battle, till he made the Philistines to flee.

34. Here was the cave of Adullam, which Abraham bought with thirty pieces of silver for a burial place.

35. As God said to the proud waves at the flood, "Hitherto shalt thou come and no farther."

36. Paul said, "I appeal to Herod."