The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-04-25

his place and fulfilling of duty in his
place, though it may be an humble
and difficult one, for the benefit it will
be to Others besides himself. A man
who tries to secure his own salvation
with no care for others, fails. There
Is no such thing as individual souls
each one in its own hard isolation 60
ing into heaven, like so many bullets
shot there at random. There is a
kingdom of souls under King, the
Lord Jesus Christ, brotherhood and
family, that is going there and indi-
vidual souls, because they belong to it,
go in with it. But an educa ton here
in is needed; for just as men in bar
barous and savage conditions live each
for himself and fight every one against
every other, and as they go on towards
civilization there are tribes and
clans and then nations; so in spiritual
matters, to begin with, souls which
go on to their destiny, each in its own
little pathway, work out a private, Sc
cret salvation each one, make some
special selfish agreement with the
powers above; but the Gospel is a civil
lizing force in the spiritual order of
things, it brings souls together, unites
them in common salvation, makes
them one.
You see, readily, how some OF the
highest virtues grow naturally out of
this, the virtues that most honor our
race, that most make the earth a
place in which natures of flesh and
blood, natures made to feel, can live
without despair; brotherly sympathy
and help, devotion to duty, asking no
questions, championship of the truth
whether we live by it or, fall.
Why should a Christian stand by
some article of the Creed which in his
day in not popular? What reason is
there that he should thus limit and
lessen his influence upon the society in
which he lives? The reason is that
the church to which he belongs is not
for day but for all time, and in de-
Tending her Greed he does it not for
his little day only but for the ayes
that are to come. In a word he full
fills the duty which belongs to him as
member Of brotherhood; and the
those of the Divine Master.
On the eve of one of Napoleon's bat
ties (Eylau) a French captain was sta.
toned in a cemetery with 12O men,
with orders to stay there at whate ver
cost, die as slowly as possible, and last
till the next evening. They slept
there that night without shelter in
snow. The next morning began the
battle. The storm.and thesmoke from
600 cannon shut out the contending
armies from their view. They know
not how the battle is going, nor why
they must stay where they are.
Meanwhile one after another they
fall. Their number, 12O in the morn
ing, is reduced by noon to 40 living.
An hour or two later they count 80.
At night fall they hear the shout of
the French army, Victory. And then
this little company who have held the
cemetery are sought out and three of
them remain, besides the wounded
captain; the rest have crossed the
silent river or are drawing near it.
''The victory is ours?" asks the cap
tain. Eyes, ours" "And to what
regiment, to what division belongs the
honor Of winning the victory?" again
asks the captain. ITO you and your
l20." So it is in the Christian war.
The martyr, so unpopular in his day
that they burn him at the stake, holds
the field, it may be, in just that thing
for which they burn him, for the
whole Christian army. The doctrine
which was rejected by the majority,
held devoted]y by few, lives on by
means of their constancy and becomes
at future day the faith of the ma
jority and blessing beyond estimate
to souls beyond numbering.
II we would be truly Christ's we
shall have ourselves numbered with
His people; and belonging to His peo-
pie shall commit ourselves to His
leadership in the Moses and Aaron of
His appointment. AS members of a
flock shall we be led-in humble sub
mission, in unity and concord, in mu-
tual forbearance, help and love. We
may not, indeed, gain for ourselves
conspicuousness and notoriety, or a
name for originality and independence,
but we shall be surely going on our
way to the Eternal land which the
glory of God doth tighten and the
Lamb is the light thereof. We may
seem weak and helpless company,
only quiet and meek among the loud
contending forces of the world, but
we know that as the centuries 80 by
the world is growing better and the
Holy church throughout all the world
is getting stronger and we hear always
the encouraging word from above,
which was spoken to the first disciples,
the twelve, "Fear not, little flock, for
it is your Fathers good pleasure to
give you the kingdom"
a.