Middletown transcript., 1876-10-14
CAN you STAND FIRE.

one night, I came upon fine, tall sol
dier, and entered into conversation will
him. In the course of our talk | said
There is one thing I cannot understand
about the British soldier. What is that
sir?' WELL I said, he is bold and
daring; you could not insult him more
than by calling him coward. There
are men among you who would rush VI
to the cannon's mouth. even if you
knew it would be certain death and
yet there are among you men who dare
not kneel down in the barrack-room a,
night and repeat the prayer their
mother taught them when they were
children. He paused, and said, That
is true What is the meaning Of il
soldier? He said, You remind me Of
what took place in my own room few
weeks ago A young fellow came in
our room, and the first night, before
going to bed, he knelt down to pray,
and instantly there was noise and dis
turbance in the room. Caps and belts
were flung over the man, but he did not
move. The second night there was a
general cry, will he try it again? Caps
and belts were thrown again, and the
men whistled. The third night be went
again on his knees, and again on the
forth night, with the same result. and
on the fifth night And then, he said,
the greatest blackguard in the room
cried out, He is genuine-he stands
fire, and from that night every one in
the room respected him, and began to
follow his example
In large establishment in Birming-
ham, very similar to what many Of you
are in, come seventy years ago. there
was youth who came from his moth
er's loving home in one Of our beautiful
villages He had been taught to stand
fire. not to be ashamed Of God or Of
prayer. The first night he retired to
rest in room with several other youth
be knelt down to pray, and, as in the
case Of the soldier, be was instantly
beset by the young fellows in the room
abusing him and ridiculing him, and
everything was done to induce him to
abstain him from prayer /; but he stood
fire, he was not ashamed Of the Cos
pei Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Among them was a strong built
youth who stood on the right, and who
said: MY mother taught me to do that.
l have been ashamed Of doing it; but
IwilIEdo it, That youth became the
celebrated minister, John Angel james.
If that youth bad not stood fire, the
world might never have known or been
blessed by the labors Of that eminent
man.
The soldier told me what l want to
leave with you. He said, Sir, as q
rule, the fresh fellows who kneel down
to pray do not do it second night
All, young men, may that never be said
Of you! That explains the meaning Of
those words, He stands fire. Do rot
be ashamed to acknowledge your Lord
and Master. isii.tlh53k t5MSEI
Some time ago, in one Of our great
ships Of war, there was solitary sailor
who was not ashamed to own himself a
follower Of Christ. For long time be
was alone; no other sailor Joined him.
His place Of prayer was amid the noise
and din of the sailors. One evening be
perceived shadow by the side Of the
gun. Another Jack Tar was creeping
along. and said. May come ? Oh the
Joy Of the young sailor to have COM
rade with him! They met for many
nights behind the gun, reading and
praying. They became the butt Of the
men in two or three Of the messes but
still they continued, bearing and for
bearing 1t came to the ears Of the
commander. who was Roman Catholic,
and / mention this to bis honor. The
moment be heard that two Of the sailors
were meeting for reading and prayer
behind one Of the guns, he sent for
them, and instantly ordered portion
of the lower deck to be curtained of,
and gave orders that no one should
molest them. For some nights they
we're the only two occupants, hut by
and-by the curtain was opened, and a
blue jacket said. May / come in 2 He
was welcomed. Another came, and an
other, and the last account I heard
from that ship was this, that every
night thirty-two men were meeting for
prayer, thirty Of them believed to be
converted characters and there. BY
standing fire. by standing firm, true to
what was his duty, God has blessed that
solitary sailor, and made him a spirit
ual father to at least thirty Of the men
on board the ship-Evongelical Maga-