Some years ago in one of the mining-towns of central Pennsylvania, a
Christian English miner was noticed going to a secluded spot every
noon, and holding in his hand a small red book. He seemed to be
reading it, and was deeply interested in its contents.
This caused his fellow workmen no little astonishment as the book was
so small that he could easily read it through in a few minutes, yet
he continued to keep the book before his eyes each noon for many long
months. What could he be doing? Was he reading it or just looking at
it?
That was the big question they all had in their minds. At last they
determined to find out the truth about the book if possible, so one
day they approached him with the question: "What makes that little
book so interesting to you? It certainly must contain a most
wonderful story to engage your attention for so long a time." The man
made a courteous reply by saying: "It is a wordless book, and you are
quite correct when you say it must contain a wonderful story, for it
does record the most wonderful story the world has ever heard; it is
the story of salvation." He then showed them the book. It was a book
of colors only, not words, It was the Story of Salvation in Colors.
He then explained: "The first page is black; that stands for sin. The
second page is red; that stands for the blood of Jesus which covers
the black. The third page is white; that stands for righteousness.
And the last page is yellow; that stands for heaven with its streets
of gold. This is the most wonderful story of the world, because it is
the Story of Redemption which never grows old, and I never grow tired
of thinking about it and seeing it by colors."
Years ago when I was a child I saw a little book just like that. It
was published in London, England. When I first began to use object
lessons in talking, I made an enlarged copy of it.
Later I got out an improved edition of this book, using one
additional color (green) and have put it on the market. It is called
the "American Improved Wordless Book."
With but little difficulty you can make one for your own use. This is
the way to do it. Secure an ordinary note-book and cover the two open
pages with black paper; this stands for sin. Cover the next two open
pages with red paper, which will stand for the blood of Christ. Cover
the next two pages with pure white paper without the ruled lines on
it; this will stand for righteousness. Cover the next two with green
paper; this will represent fruitfulness or good works. Cover the last
two open pages with yellow; this will stand for heaven, with its
sheets of yellow gold. You may make this book as large as you desire,
and when you have finished it hold it up before your hearers and open
it at the black pages and say, "The black stands for the sinful heart
of man."
Read the following Scripture, "By one man sin entered into the world,
so death [black crape] passed upon all men, for that all have sinned"
(Rom. 5:12). Quote also John 3:19, "Men love darkness [black] rather
than light because their deeds are evil" (black). Romans 6:23 is also
a black verse; it reads, "The wages of sin is death" (black). Ezekiel
33:11 is another black verse. It says: "Turn ye, turn ye from your
evil [black] ways; for why will ye die?" (Black.)
This is a picture of the heart covered with unforgiven sin, just as
Jesus sees it and just as the judgment will show it.
What shall I do to get rid of the black? Look, and I will show you
how. Open the next two pages, and they are red; that stands for the
blood of Jesus. Now you notice that the black is hidden because it is
all under the blood. Read Hebrews 9:22: "Without the shedding of
blood [red] there is no remission." Isaiah 53:5-8 tells us: "He was
wounded [red] for our transgressions, he was bruised [red] for our
iniquities, ...the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity [red] of us
all." Also quote 1 John 1:7, "The blood [red] of Jesus Christ his son
cleanseth us from all sin." Make it clear that the only thing that
will cover sin so it will stay covered is the blood (red) of Jesus.
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered"
(Ps. 32:1).
God's red covering, the blood of Jesus his Son, is the only covering
for sin; the Bible has so revealed it. Sometimes we try to cover over
our sins with a lie or smooth words, but our sins will not stay
covered that way. The Bible says, "Be sure your sin will find you
out," which means, Be sure your sins will find their way out also.
I read in a little old story-book years ago this interesting little
tale. Three little brothers had been promised by their father that if
they planted a certain number of hills with beans they might go to
the circus that afternoon, and see the clown and everything. They
began early in the morning and worked with great vigor and zeal to
finish their task, but just before they got to the last row they
heard the circus band playing and saw the horses and elephants
passing by in the great street parade of the greatest show on earth.
They were sure they would be too late if they finished that row and
planted all the beans their father had given them, so the Tempter
said to them: "Dig a hole, put all the beans you have left into it,
and fill up the hole and roll a big stone over it, and they will be
hidden out of sight. Then go and tell your father you have finished
your planting, and he will then give you your circus money, and you
will thus see all of the show."
They listened to the Tempter, and did as he told them, and reported
to their father their work was done, and the father according to his
promise sent them to the circus. Some weeks afterward the father was
inspecting his garden, and noticed there was an entire row of
bean-hills from which no little green blades had yet made their
appearance. The father sent for his sons and called their attention
to the fact that in every row but the last one the beans had
sprouted; he wanted to know if they could explain to him the failure
of the last row. The boys assured the father that the seeds had been
planted and if he would wait just a little while longer they would
come up like the other seeds. The boys were troubled a lot about it,
but they thought their father would never know why the seeds did not
come up, because they had been cast into a hole and a great stone had
covered them over so no one would ever see them. But one day a week
or so after this the father was walking out again in that part of the
garden and thought he noticed some little green blades pushing
themselves out from beneath the stone; so he rolled away the stone
and there in the hole were the little seeds trying to sprout and come
up out of the dust.
He called his boys to him and showed them the sight, and they
confessed their wrong-doing and promised they would never deceive him
again, even to go to the greatest show on earth. So we see how their
sins did not stay covered, they found their way out. So it will be
with all our sins, they will find us out, and at the day of judgment
will find their way out also.
The only thing that will cover sin so that it will not find us out is
to put it under the Blood. There it will not find its way out,
because forgiven sin is taken away to stay forever.
Open now the next pages, and you will find them pure white. The white
stands for righteousness. Read Psalm 51:7: "Whiter than snow." This
is the Snow Prayer. Ask the children to repeat it in concert. Read
John 13:10: "Clean every whit"; this means all the black has gone,
and the all white has come in its place. Only the blood of Jesus can
do this. Make no effort to explain this, but quote it as a fact. It
is so stated in the Bible and the Bible is true.
Now open the pages showing the green and say: "Green stands for
fruitfulness, as it is the green branch which bears the leaf,
blossom, and fruit, so should we bear much fruit or as the great
Sankey sang in other days, 'When Jesus has found you, tell others the
story'; that is what I am doing now, telling you the story and trying
to bear fruit." Read Matthew 21:28, "Son, go work today in my
vineyard." Read also Galatians 6:10, "As we have therefore
opportunity, let us do good unto all men."
Say to the children that as the pine and ivy are green all the year
around and never change with the seasons, so should the Christian
always be abounding in the work of the Lord. Read Galatians 6:9; "And
let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if
we faint not."
Now open the last pages and you will note they are both "yellow";
these pages stand for heaven, with its streets of yellow gold. These
pages remind us of our eternal home, the home of the soul to which we
will all go if we follow the teaching of this book. Quote John
14:2,3: "I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again and
receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also." Read
also selections from Revelation 22.
You now say I have finished my story. It is the most wonderful story
in the world, because it is the story of salvation. It is a story
without words, because it is a story in colors.
Close the book, and ask the children how many colors they saw in the
book. Ask them to name the colors in their proper order. Drill them
in repeating the colors of the book. Then ask them to give you the
meaning of each color, after this fashion: Black for sin, red for
blood, white for righteousness, green for fruitfulness, yellow for
heaven.
Drill them now in the meaning of the colors. When I am giving this
lesson I ask some little fellow to come to the platform, and offering
him the book, I say: "Would you like to have this little book as your
own?" Of course, he says, "Yes," and as you offer it to him he
reaches out his hand to take it, and you explain that this is just
the way to receive salvation. You simply "Take it." Conclude by
quoting "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and whosoever will let
him take."
A private use may be made of this book in the devotional hour. Look
at every page and read the Scripture noted, and then meditate in
silence.
[1]The author has prepared such a book. Write to him about it in care
of the publishers.
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