Character as a Testimony to Christ
Do not shrink from a profession of faith, and of all you have, for that would be a cowardly distrust of your principles; but take equal care to keep your character up with your professions. Have zeal; we have just seen the prime necessity for that; but pretend to no more than you have. A thousand eyes are watching—and some that you may not suspect—to find occasion for a stab at all religion in your hollow piety or your sanctimonious worldliness. Disappoint the wicked expectation. Shallow and inexcusable as that man’s objection is who objects to Christianity because its disciples are not perfect, furnish him in your own person wihout even his shadow of an apology. Character—noble, upright, pure, generous, devout, blameless character—that is testimony to Christ which every man and woman can afford—testimony the simplest and best. The deeper condemnation, then, must threaten that man who fails to bring it through the doubtful transactions of his business, and the immoralities of his self-indulgences; or that woman who fails to bring it, through the foolish levities of her behavior. Learning you may not have had opportunities to gather, as a contribution to your Master; genius may not have been your birthright; riches for splended subscriptions may be beyond your reach; but character is in your power, and where that is the express and open outgrowth of faith, it must be a strong unbelief that does not melt before the sweetness and majesty, the beauty and the strength, of its harmonious ascription to heaven.