Figure 2.--No white stripes and only seven stripes in all. If there is no white in the life, there is no Christian Life. It is short of the standard of thirteen stripes. Only seven appear here. Figure 3.--Red and white stripes appear, not thirteen but eleven. In the making of a Christian there cannot be a perfect Christian with some of the commandments left out. He that fails in one is guilty of all. Figure 4.--Here we see the field but the stars left out. This is not the flag of the U.S.A. That man who calls himself a Christian without the Star of Bethlehem is not a New Testament Christian. Figure 5.--Here we have nothing but stripes--no blue field. This is not the national banner of our country. It lacks the one thing--the blue. In making of the Christian we must not lack one thing; if we do, the life is rejected. "One thing thou lackest:" Such a life cannot have the mark of a Christian. Figure 6.--All stars and no stripes. This cannot be the National flag of our people. The number of stars is correct, but the red and white stripes are missing. In the making of a Christian if we lack the red of the Blood, and the White of right living we cannot pass as the Bible Christian in the Kingdom of Heaven. Figure 7.--Here we note sixteen stripes and fifty stars. This would also be rejected. Congress stipulates a banner of thirteen stripes and forty-eight stars; that alone constitutes the lawful banner of America. In the making of a Christian, we must not add to that life what is not given in the law. No other doctrine can be mixed with God's truth. Just God's word alone, nothing added from the worldly philosophy or the worldly wisdom of man. Figure 8.--This is the old Colonial flag. A wonderful flag of the past, but not the mighty flag of today. So in the making of a Christian, the past will not suffice. We must grow, in grace, and have an experience up to date. [Illustration: A variety of American flags labelled 1 through 10] Figure 9.--This is the American flag with a foreign mark upon it. It is not truly American. It would be rejected by the government of the United States. So in the making of a Christian, all marks of another government must be cast out. Jesus only. God and not mammon, must obtain. Figure 10.--Is the correct picture of the flag according to the laws of the nation. So in the making of the Christian, we must be according to the Pattern. We must do His commandments to bear His family name of Christian. Thus we can learn from the making of the flag to make a Christian. =CHAPTER IX THE HAND OF FAITH= _Objects: The Fingers of the Human Hand_ THE HAND OF FAITH