The above is an illustration of a book without words. Some of my readers have seen such a book or card, but those who have not may say, “How could one understand a wordless book — a book without words?”
I will tell you. There are, as you see, four sorts of pages — black, red, white, and golden — and each of these pages has a meaning.
The Black Speaks of sin and death. Once there was no sin, and therefore no death, but with sin came death. All are sinners, and therefore all are naturally on the black page; but I know A number of boys and girls, as well as big people, who are on.
THE WHITE.
Do you ask, “What is the meaning of the white page? and how came they to get from the black to the white?”
Well, as the black speaks of sin, and the condition of the sinner who is still in his sins, so the white speaks of what that same sinner is in the sight of God after he has had his sins taken away.
But you ask, “How does the sinner get from the black to the white?” or, in other words, “How does he get his sins taken away so that he is no longer on the black page?” It is all-important, my little reader, that you should know how such takes place, for the judgment must come upon all those who remain upon the black. To get from the black to the white — that is, from darkness to light, from death to life — you must know the value of that which is referred to by.
THE RED.
The red means the blood — the precious blood of Christ. It alone can cleanse from sin and make fit for the presence of God, for no sinner who is still on the black, whose sins are not washed away, can ever dwell in that place, where there is no darkness, but where all is bright.
You could not by all your doings make yourself white — you could not cleanse yourself and fit yourself for God’s presence: there is nothing can wash away the black — that is, sin — but the blood of Jesus. “The blood of Jesus Christ” [God’s Son] “cleanseth from all sin.” How much is left if all is washed away? Why, none! No — not any. Those who believe in Jesus are “clean every whit.” They are no longer on the black, but on the white — they have “passed from death unto life, and shall not come into condemnation” [judgment].
Now, little reader, which page are you on? Perhaps you say, “I am still on the black page, but I desire to be upon the white.” Well, I know many little girls and boys who have so expressed themselves, and some of them are now on the white. What did they do? They believed in the power of the blood of Christ to cleanse them―they believed God’s word that Christ died to save sinners, and those who believe in Him are made white.
“I know,” said a little boy, “that the black page means sin; the red, the blood; and that the white means after a soul has been washed in the blood of Christ.”
Yes, my little friend, a soul that is washed in the blood of Christ is white — “whiter than snow.” The blood can wash all sin away, and the sinner so washed is fit to stand in the presence of God.
“I love Jesus, and have come to sing about Him,” said a little one a short time ago when coming to a children’s meeting. “I want to learn more about Jesus,” said another; and one dear little girl said, “I have taken the text, God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,’ to myself. I think it was very kind of God to give His only Son to die for such a wicked sinner as me.”
Such have been the thoughts and expressions of some I know, and, though I may not know you, my little reader, or be known to you, my desire is that you too might believe the love which God has to you, in that He sent His Son to die that you might live. What the little girl meant by taking to herself the verse, John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16), was this — she took it as though her name was there, where you find the word “whosoever” — she took it to herself that Christ died for her. Take it to yourself, little one. It is true for you, and, believing, YOU will have everlasting life.
Well, then, we have thought of the black — sin; of the red — the precious blood, which cleanseth from all sin; and of the white — that which the believing sinner is made — and we know from the word of God that that whiteness is “whiter than snow.” There now remains
THE GOLDEN.
Only those who are upon the white, having known the value of the red, will know the blessedness of the gold. It speaks of heaver— glory.
The souls that are washed in the blood an made white, and can rejoice now that their sins are forgiven―can be happy in the presence of God; but it is not only they are saved from coming judgment, but saved to be in the glory. The Lord Jesus is coming to take His own to be with Him up there, in heaven; but should any little ones who believe pass away by death — fall asleep — they go to be with Him, and wait there till the time 01 The coming glory.
Remember, dear little one, if you have not believed — if you are not white — you are still on the black, and if you were to die as yet are you could not be taken to be where Christ is, but would be forever where it is all blackness; but if now you believe you will pass from the black to the white — from dead; unto life — you will be able to rejoice in your being made “whiter than snow,” and be able to look forward to the being with Christ— in the, glory.