The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-05-31
Tennyson's charge of the Light Brig.

No. tho the soldiers knew
Some one had blundered
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die
Into the valley of death
Rode the six hundred.
This characteristic of fidelity to truth
and duty is an essential quality i'm the
character of the true Christian soldier.
To-day a blunder in the Christian
ranks will keep dozen out of the
church, and on account of it half that
number will desert. Even Christians
stop to make reply, they continue to
reason why, they are afraid to do and
die in the valley of death with the six
hundred.
Soldiers cannot expect to know all
about the plans and purposes of their
commander. They often march day
and night, not knowing the purpose,
without making reply, not asking the
reason why, ready to do and die in the
valley of death with the six hundred.
What we want today is fidelity to
truth and duty in the face of all at
tacks from the kingdom o. Satan, or
keep in view absolute freedom from
the enslaving principle of sin.
The second characteristic of a true
soldier..is
DISCIPLINE.
Without discipline soldiers fideli-
ty is weak and Ineffective. The thor
ough discipline of bis tenth legion was
the last hope of Caesar. But discip-
line is much more necessary in the con-
| fiict for true manhood and woman
hood, or in the conflict for absolute
| freedom than on the field of action,
The reason there are so many weak
and one-sided characters may be found
in the want of Christian discipline
and consequently they cannot endure
hardship as good soldier of Jesus
Christ.
The third and last quality in the
character of true soldier, of which
shall speak, is
COURAGE.
This characteristic of true soldier
is recognized universally. But many
man has been able to face the cam
mons mouth who has not had the cour-
age to speak the truth and do the right.
Moral courage characterizes the high
est order of manhood and womanhOod
or of those who are free indeed.
The courage to seek and speak the
truth, to be just, to live honestly with
in our means and not dishonesty upon
the means of others-heroism in every
day life-speaks as well as on the field
of battle.
| Let us then hear the conclusion Of
the whole matter. Fidelity, discip.
line, courage, these are the chief ele.
ments in the character of the true sol.
der, no matter whether he is fighting
to rid the country of one form of evil,
or whether he is fighting for the en-.
tire freedom of the individual and the
race.
In these times of dishonesty in pub.
lie trusts, of weak, aimlesS and irreso.
Lutte lives we want to,urge uponyou the
characteristics of true soldier. You
who constitute the soldiery before me
have fought hard and long to free this
country from the curse of slavery. We
remember your fidelity, discipline and
courage. We honor your brave com.
rades who fell by your sides.
Let me implore you and all present
Let us by our fidelity, discipline and
courage, maintain the dignity and
freedom of this Republic. Let Us
have courage to go to the polls and tc
Il oihSO "itnouI previous engagements
Let not this fair land become prev t.
selfish schemers and of1ice-seekers
God have mercy on US, if fidelity, dis
cipline and courage are no longer es
sential to a position in the hands O
the people, Let us maintain the free
dom we have inherited, the freedom
for which you have fought, and with
renewed courage enter the conflict TO
true manhood and womanhood. or TO
the entire freedom of the individual
from the enslaving principle of sin
and reflect something of the image OF
the ideal man and soldier Jesus Christ
In Him quit you like men, be strong.
i s. A. ALT.