power to command, but only to preach and pray, to help and inspire
nobody to reach somebody who becomes 'Great in the sight of the Lord.' Let us have no hesitancy in permitting our spiritual imagination to reinforce our faith and enkindle our hope and so sustain our courage in the face of massed and mocking foes and threatened defeat. 3. The true Campaigner is a humble man. He seeks nothing for himself. He is willing for others to carry off the so-called prizes of this life. He is not a lord over Christ's heritage; he is a shepherd of the sheep, 'an ensample to the flock.' He holds no dominion over the faith of his brethren, but he is a helper of their joy (2 Corinthians 1:24). Like John the Baptist, he is quite willing to decrease, if only Christ increases; his joy is that of the friend of the Bridegroom (John 3:29, 30). Like Paul he is jealous over his comrades with a godly jealousy, desirous above all things to espouse them to one husband and present them as a chaste virgin to Christ; and he fears lest by any means that old serpent who beguiled Eve through his subtlety, should corrupt them from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3). And like Epaphras, he labours fervently in prayer that they may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (Colossians 4:12). 4. Finally, this lonely man, coming to a Division and Corps, with no power to command, but only to preach and pray, to help and inspire and to seek the lost, should be received as the messenger of God, and supported by love and prayers and understanding sympathy and helped in his mission in every possible way, that Christ may be glorified, souls won, little children gathered into the fold, and all comrades quickened and sanctified.
Chapter 9; MUST YOU BE FED WITH A SPOON? I I am watching with much interest and some personal profit the development of my grandchildren. They are a luxury to my old heart; but, like all children, they are somewhat of a problem as well as a joy to their parents. At first, when brought to the table, they were fed with a spoon, but one day the spoon was put into their tiny hands and they were permitted to feed themselves. I was fascinated. Plunge would go the spoon into the porridge or apple sauce and come up at various and sundry angles and start on a wobbling journey to the sweet, wee, wide-open mouth. Sometimes it would hit and sometimes it would miss. If it reached the open mouth, well. Its contents were soon lost in the dark 'little red lane' below. But if it missed, or if there were miscalculation as to time, and the mouth closed before the spoon arrived, it was awesome. The little mouth closed on air, and another plunge and wobbling effort was made. The bib and plate and platter were often a fearsome sight, and the small face was often battered and buttered in a way that was a joy to behold, but they were learning. It was the only way they could learn. They could not always be fed with a spoon by others. They must feed themselves, and some day they may have to feed others. But their first lesson is to feed themselves. Of course, their food is all prepared for them by other hands. But the day will come when they will not only have to feed themselves, but they may have to prepare their own food. But before the food can be prepared, it must be found. The farmer must cultivate the soil and raise wheat and corn. The fisherman must catch the fish. The horticulturist must grow the fruit. The herdsmen must raise the cattle and sheep. And it is just possible that in some far-oft day these children must not only feed themselves, and prepare the food, but go out and find the food to prepare and eat; or they may toil for the money with which to buy of those who have laboured to produce. The feeding of men is a complex process, which we may live a lifetime without considering, but which is most instructive and humbling to consider.
II Can you feed your own soul, or must you still be fed? Do you prepare your own soul-food, or do others prepare it for you? Do you labour for it, or do others give it to you? 'I will guarantee I can send the worst kind of a backslidden Officer to the Corps at W., and in three months the Soldiers will have prayed for him and helped him, and loved him and gotten him so blessed that he will be on fire for God and souls.' So said young Divisional Commander Thomas Estill, as reported to me the other day by an old Officer who knew him in those days of long ago, when we were returning from the graveside of our friend and comrade, the Commissioner. Those Soldiers were no longer spiritual babies that had to be fed with a spoon. No doubt they had vigorous spiritual appetites, and enjoyed a meal of 'strong meat ' prepared for them. But they were no longer dependent. They were independent. They were no longer babes in Christ. They had 'exercised their senses' and become spiritual men and women, able to feed themselves; able to prepare their own food; able to work and forage for themselves and find their own food. And not only so, but they were able to feed others. If their Officers did not give them suitable soul-food, then they fed the Officers. If nobody blessed them, then they rose up in their splendid spiritual manhood and womanhood and blessed somebody else, and so blessed themselves. Like the widow of Sarepta, who divided her poor little handful of meal and her few spoonsful of oil with Elijah, and found the meal and oil unwasting through months of famine, so they gave of their spiritual food to more needy souls, and found themselves enriched from God's unfailing supplies. I know one of the finest Bands in the U.S.A., composed of a splendid group of Soldiers, who for years would not have, and for ought I know to this day, will not have, as Bandsman, one who has not the Blessing of a Clean Heart. 'We want our Band to be not only a Combination of musical instruments, but also of harmonious hearts. We want to produce melody from our hearts as from our instruments. We cannot have discord in our Band. We must have sweetest harmony.' And so, before a man was admitted as a member of the Band, he must not only
give evidence that he could play an instrument, but that he could live peaceably, humbly, lovingly, loyally with his comrades. They were prepared to pray with him and lead him into the blessed experience of Holiness, of perfect love, of purity and power, and then gladly accept him as a comrade in the Band. They could feed themselves and others too. And that Band became a great spiritual influence in that city and famous for a hundred miles around. One day Paul came to Corinth and found a certain Jew and his wife, Priscilla, and because he was of the same trade he lived with them and worked, for they were tent-makers, just humble, lay people. But they later moved to Ephesus, and then one day, Apollos, an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, came to the city, fervent in spirit and speaking and teaching diligently the things of the Lord. He was a great orator, teacher, and preacher. But this humble tent-maker and his wife had learned more from Paul than Apollos knew, so they invited him home to dinner with them, 'and expounded to him the way of the Lord more perfectly.' Read the story in Acts 18:1, 2, 24-28. Aquila and Priscilla had learned to feed themselves and others too, even such a man as Apollos, eloquent, burning with zeal and mighty in the Scriptures. They must have had fullness of love and very gracious ways, and a divine tact to approach a great man like that and lead him into fullness of blessing. Oh, for an army of soldiers like that! III We found ourselves sitting together after the Meeting on our way to our lodgings. ' I was at the penitent-form,' said he. 'Were you? I missed you and wondered where you were.' I had seen him sitting down in the audience while the Commissioner poured out his heart in a torrent of searching truth on the crowd. There was a look on his face that puzzled me. I was not sure whether defiance, cynicism, questioning, indifference, or soul-hunger was revealed in that look. When the Prayer Meeting began every head was bowed, but he sat erect with that puzzling look in his face intensified. People were melting and flowing down to the penitent-form, but still he sat erect, open-eyed, apparently unmoved. I knelt to deal with seekers, and when I looked again he was gone, and not till after the Meeting did I learn that he had been to the penitent-form.
'Yes, I was at the penitent-form. An old Officer came and asked if he could help me, but I told him, "No, I want to be left alone." I was vexed; half angry.' 'Angry! What were you angry about?' 'Well, while I listened to the Commissioner, I wondered, "Why don't our leaders feed us young fellows? They don't have Meetings with us. Why don't they help us?" ' I had up to that time thought of him as a youngster. He belongs to the younger set of Officers. I had known him since he was a small lad, and I had always thought of him as a young man, but when he called himself a 'young fellow' my mind turned a somersault. I looked at him and asked, 'How old are you?' 'Thirty-five.' 'And you have been married thirteen years and have a family of children, the oldest of whom is twelve. You are not a young fellow. You are a middle-aged man. And you want your leaders to feed you. But that is not what you need. You need to feed yourself. Your leaders cannot tell you anything you do not know. But do you diligently practice what you know? You don't pray enough. You do not search the Scriptures and feed on the Word of God as you should. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Is not that your trouble? Do you deny yourself as you should? Do you search for soul-food in good books? Or do you not spend more time reading the sporting page of the morning and evening papers, than you spend over your Bible and books that would enrich your mind and heart? Are you not starving yourself and waiting for some one to come and feed you, when you should be feeding yourself? I knew a Field Officer who, when I first met him, was sodden with drink. But within a few days he was saved and sanctified. Shortly after he became an Officer, and then got himself a small, but choice library of the most deeply spiritual books. He would sit up till after midnight reading, praying, and meditating on what he read, until in a short time I marvelled at him. His mind was all alert, his soul was on fire and his mental and spiritual equipment was a joy to those who knew him. He laboured for spiritual food, and grew in mental and spiritual stature
and in favour with God and man. And he was soon able to feed others. Whenever I met him he wanted to talk on spiritual things. His grasp of doctrine, his knowledge of Scripture and the literature of Holiness, and his intimate acquaintance and communion with God delighted and refreshed me. He was an ordinary country boy, but he became extraordinary by the diligence with which he sought fellowship with God, and the eagerness with which he hunted for truth from books and from experienced comrades, and the loving zeal with which he sought to impart the truth to other souls about him. Officers should feed their Soldiers; Commissioners and Divisional Commanders should feed their Officers. But both Officers and Soldiers should learn to find spiritual food and to feed themselves. 'Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared,' said wise old Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8:10). Learn to feed yourself, and not only so, but to share your soul-food with yet needier souls, and so you shall know no soul-famine, but be 'fat and flourishing.'
Chapter 10; FIRST THINGS FIRST One of the outstanding ironies of history is the utter disregard of ranks and titles in the final judgements men pass on each other. And if this be so of men, how much more must it be so of the judgements of God. Nero and Marcus Aurelius sat on the throne of Rome clothed with absolute power and worshipped as gods, but what a difference! Nero, a monster of iniquity and utter cruelty, execrated of all men Aurelius, a vigorous administrator and benign philosopher, writing meditations which the wise and learned still delight to read and ponder and which, after two millenniums, are a guide to safe and useful living. Washington and Napoleon were two great statesmen and military leaders. But what a difference! One a ruthless conqueror, building a glittering and evanescent empire on an ocean of blood, dying an exile on a lonely isle with a character for heartless selfishness which sinks lower and yet lower every year in the estimation of all right thinking men. The other refusing a crown, but laying the firm foundations of a State destined to be infinitely greater than Napoleon's empire, and dying at last honoured by his former foes, with a character above reproach, revered and beloved of all men. John and Judas were two Apostles. But what a difference! One was a devil betraying his master with a kiss for a paltry handful of silver, and getting to himself a name that is a synonym for all infamy and treachery. The other pillowed his head on the Master's bosom, and with wide, open eyes was permitted to look deep into Heaven, behold the great white throne and Him that sat on it, the worshipping angelhosts, the innumerable multitudes of the redeemed, the glory of the Lamb that was slain, and the face of the everlasting Father; while his name became a synonym for reverence and adoring love. This summing up and final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank and title a man has borne or the office he has held, but only for the quality of his deeds and the character of his mind and heart. The haughty patricians of Rome doubtless passed by with contemptuous indifference or scorn as the scarred, hooked-nose Jewish prisoner, Paul, with sore eyes and wearied feet, went clanking
by in chains to the dungeon, but their names have perished, while his name is enshrined in millions of hearts and embalmed in colleges, in cathedrals and cities, and libraries of books are reverently written about his character, his sufferings, and his work. Who remembers the Lord Bishops of England in Bunyan's day? But what unnumbered Christian hearts have turned with tears of deepest gratitude and tenderest affection and sympathy to the humble, joyous, inspired tinker, who, from the filthy, verminous Bedford jail, sent forth his immortal story of Pilgrim fleeing from the city of Destruction, and with hopes and fears, and tears and prayers, and sighs, and songs, pressing on over hills of difficulty, through sloughs of despond, past bewitching bowers of beguiling temptations and giants of despair and castles of doubt, till at last he beholds the delectable mountains, views not far away the city of the great King, hears the music of celestial harpers harping on their harps of gold, and, passing through the swelling river, is received with glad welcome on the other shore! These men whom history acclaims, posterity reveres, and God crowns are the MEN WHO PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST. To no living men and women is it more important than to us of The Salvation Army, that first things should have first place always in all our thoughts and plans, our affections, and activities. And what shall be first with us? Many hands stretch out toward us, and many voices plead with us for first place. Which shall have the primacy? Which shall have our last thoughts when falling asleep at night and our first thoughts on awaking in the morning? There are many things that make so subtle and apparently so reasonable an appeal, that if we do not watch and pray and keep in the Spirit, they will without right usurp first place, and we shall some day wake up and find that we have been bowing down to an idol instead of the living God. I. We may put our work first. Is it not commanded, 'Do with your might what your hands find to do'? And are we not exhorted to be 'not slothful in business'? And are we not assured that 'a man diligent in his business shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men'? Is not our work God's work? And can anything equal it in importance? Are we not warned that if we are careless we shall be