I notice that quite a number of our young friends who profess to be the Lord’s, are uncommonly shy in owning Him openly before the world. To be sure, they join in the singing of the precious hymn,
“I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend,” and seem to enjoy it immensely, when they are in the midst of a nice, warm circle of believers, all of the same mind as themselves. It does not take much decision to do that.
But when there is to be an out-and-out testimony for the Lord, in the open air, or near the school, or the workshop where everybody knows them, I notice some of them are not nearly so bright about it.
A few of us were out the other day taking a walk. We met a Christian young man giving away tracts on the street, and speaking a word for the Master.
Another, who is not much of a speaker, was carrying a board with a large Text on it by his side. We shook hands, and stood talking together a few minutes; but I noticed some of the young believers in our company were very much afraid of being identified too closely with the “board.” They kept looking this way and that way to see if anybody known to them was within sight.
You may imagine their horror when I volunteered to carry the board along the street, if they would keep alongside me. They did not like to bluntly refuse, but after we had walked a few hundred yards, one after another of the “faint hearted” quietly decamped without saying a word; and I guess they will not “take a walk” with me for some time to come.
Only two young boys remained, who, after they were laughed at for a quarter-of-an hour or so, seemed to get quite happy, and before we had finished our walk one of them wanted to carry the board.
From that afternoon, these two young believers have made progress in the divine life. They have gone on “going and growing,” and are both able to preach the Gospel simply, and well.
Where are the rest—the runaways? Half in the world, neither one thing nor another. Converted they may be, but unless they get out of their respectable “grave clothes,” and take a decided stand for Christ, they will soon be so like the world, that nobody will guess they are on the way to heaven.