A GENTLEMAN was once traveling through the country, and one day he came to a small town, and was surprised to see a sign-board carefully covered over with a tarpaulin, so that nothing could be read.
He inquired the reason, and at length, found out that boys had defaced the words painted on it so often that the authorities had had it freshly painted, and then covered neatly with tarpaulin.
Of what use was the sign-board?
Alas! how many Christians there are, young and old, who do not confess Christ. They cover themselves over, as it were: they are afraid of showing to whom they belong.
Dear reader, if you are one of these, I would advise you to “Take off the tarpaulin.”
“O, but,” you say, “I cannot speak or teach!”
Perhaps not, but all can be sign-boards. We have been washed in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, and saved through His bearing, in death, the judgment due to our sins, and now before us is all the brilliant glory of being with, and like Him, for ever and ever.
What sort of people ought we be? Ought there be no difference between us and the world? Yes, indeed, there should be. Christ Himself should shine out from us in all our actions, that others, may take knowledge of us, that we have been with Him, and thus learn the right road to everlasting glory, and in their turn, seek to live for Him.
Again, I say, dear young Christian, “Take off the tarpaulin.”
ML 03/15/1925