History of the WORDLESS Book That Little Book by Ruth Overholtzer It's been around a long time now--well over a hundred years. That little Wordless Book. Whose brain-child was it? When did it first make an appearance? "Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world," exclaimed Benjamin Franklin. He referred, of course, to the alphabet from which he could form words and sentences, print a newspaper, produce a book. But the Wordless Book conquers without any words. It speaks through the universal language of color. That little book started with but three pages---black, red and white. In 1866, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon entitled "The Wordless Book." In it he told of an old unnamed minister who had put three pages together and often looked at them to remind himself of his sinfulness, of Christ's blood poured out for him, and the cleansing provided. Spurgeon then said, "I want you, dear friends, to read this book this evening....may God the Holy Spirit help us do so to our profit." When was the gold page added? We do not know but it brought another dimension to the book, depicting the glories of Heaven. We do know it was there nine years later when D. L. Moody used it. In the biography written by his son, William R. Moody, and published in 1900, he records: One of the most interesting meetings at Liverpool (January/February 1875) was the children's service, where Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey were both present. Some of the papers put down the number in the Victoria Hall at twelve thousand, with an overflow meeting of about two thousand in the Henglers Circus. Mr Moody gave an address founded on a book with four leaves, black, red, white and gold, a sort of running inter-change of simple yet searching questions and answers. Responses were very promptly given. Who hasn't heard of blind Fanny Crosby, the author of Blessed Assurance, Saved by Grace and hundreds more old hymns? Fanny loved children. "Tell us a story, Fanny. Tell us another," they begged. Fanny would take from her purse a Wordless Book and tell them the story of which they never tired. In 1895 the book traveled to India with Amy Carmichael. In Elisabeth Elliot's recent biography of her, A Chance to Die, she tells how Amy and her helper made a satin flag of gold, black, red and white, hoisted it in the cart pulled by oxen and went from village to village in southern India telling the Gospel. "A most useful text for an impromptu sermon," Amy commented. In smaller groups she used the little book itself. My first acquaintance with the book came in 1924. "Look what I found at the Bible bookstore," a fellow-student exuded as she burst into our training class one morning. "It will be great to show the boys and girls the way of salvation and lead them to Christ." The bookstore was operated by Dr. Harry A. Ironside before he became pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago. The book was published by Pickering and Ingles in London. When Child Evangelism Fellowship began to print that little book 15 years later, they added the final color, green, to represent Christian growth. They also published a leaflet telling how to use the book and giving Scripture verses for each page. In the ensuing years the message has been taken to over 80 countries by missionaries to boys and girls. Thousands of national workers have been taught how to use the Wordless Book with their own children. In the early 1950's Russell and Barbara Reed of Overseas Missionary Fellowship (formerly China Inland Mission) sought out hidden unknown tribes deep in the jungles of the Philippines. They used the Wordless Book with marked effect with these primitive peoples. When Russell explained the red page, light broke over them. They had a custom of sacrificing chickens to placate the spirits of whom they were deadly afraid, but now they were hearing that the Son of God had already been sacrificed for their sins. How wonderful this was to them! The little book made a big contribution toward founding the church of Jesus Christ among them. At Urbana '87, Dr. Helen Roseveare, an outstanding medical missionary, told thousands of missionary candidates and would-be candidates of her experience in Uganda in 1972. A native herdsman approached her asking, "Are you the one sent by a great God to tell us something?" Taking her five-color Wordless Book she related, "I sat down beside him and in 25 minutes he had put his trust in Jesus Christ." Arleigh Martin, Middle East regional director for CEF® had left Cypress to touch down in the Arabian Gulf countries. He carried with him a deep, nagging cough. "Do the colors in your suit pocket mean anything?" the Muslim X-ray technician asked when Arleigh landed in hospital. The technician was eyeing the corners of five colored handkerchiefs extended upwards from the missionary's pocket! "They remind me of a story I heard 45 years ago as a five-year-old boy in the mountains of Lebanon," he continued. "Why, yes, it's the same Wordless Book story!" Arleigh assured him. "Please tell it to me again," requested the technician. Arleigh briefly told the story of salvation with Scripture and the book of colors; gold for Heaven, black for the darkness of sin, red for the blood of Christ, white for the clean heart, green to grow in the knowledge of God. Tears streamed down the man's face. "God sent you here to encourage me today. It's been a renewal!" he said as he embraced Arleigh in a big bear hug (Middle East style). Apparently CEF® 's first missionary in Lebanon told this man the story years ago and he has been a secret believer, working and living in the midst of Islam. "Do you have a book like this that I could have?" he asked. "Yes, and here are some Bible verses for you to read to go with each page. Do you have a Bible?" "I have an Arabic Bible," he answered. "Why don't we have a word of prayer before I leave?" The technician agreed. But first he closed all the windows and doors so no one in the hospital compound could hear the praying. Arleigh prayed, "Lord, help this believer in You to grow...Amen." Another big embrace~ "Thank you for coming! This has been the greatest day in my life for years." Yes, the Wordless Book is still alive and well on planet earth. Have you ever used it to lead someone to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior? Try it! You will not only like it but experience unspeakable joy as you share the Gospel through "that little book." cef TOP