Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-11-14


looking the entire army. There he
watches the mobilizing of the enemy
lie secs whore the attacks are to he
made. Then when the crash comes
and the charging troops are hurled
against any one part of his lines and
that part threatens to give way the
commanding general sends forward
his reserve force. Then the wavering
troops are steadicd and the battle goes
on. until at last the victory Is won by
one side or the other
"Well," I answered, 1.-THE main pur-
pose of this rear guard or reserve
force is to keep a large part of the
troops back of the main line Of battle
TO REINFORCE any part Of that line
which is being overwhelmed by too
great an attacking force" Just that
and nothing else" my old friend said.
at IS absolutely imperative for a line
of battle to be kept straight. II one
part is defeated all will be defeated.
Thus, In order TO help the wavering
troops Of ono part OF his line, the COM
handing general keeps some OF his
best soldiers by his side in a reserve
lbltt w Htnt thtiu lul III W ouC,oi
those who are being worsted In the
conflict" "Ah," answered. this is the
first time have ever had a clear COLI
ception of what Isaiah meant In
familiar passage" In the ffty-second
chapter he exhorts the church to SO
forth and do the work God has given
her to do and he encourage her With
the promise. For We shall not go out
with haste nor by fight. for the Lord
will go before you, and the God of
Israel will be your rereward," That
means the Lord God Almighty will be
reserve force for his people in the
hard struggle OF life. Now I want TO
show you how God manipulates his
rear guard so rs to help us in our fight
against sin and in our battles for the
redemption of the world.
realize in the first place that 1t
would he useless to have a rear guard
for an army unless at the same time
you have n commanding general who
is in absolute control of all the diff
fcrent parts of the army That gen
eral must not only be in supreme COM
mand, but he must be able to detail
every individual soldier of every body
of troops to Just the position he would
have him take upon the battlefield. AS
the chess player can move forward his
queen and knights and p1wns, in order
, to overthrow the stronghold of his an
tagonist. so the commanding general
|, must have absolute control OF all the
army or else there is no practical use
for a rear guard. And It is the general
who has the most perfect control of
all his troops who can make the most
effective use Of his rear guard.
Use Of Rear Guard.
Perhaps you have seen that wonder
full picture Of Napoleon at AuSterlitz.
There he is upon the hillside, seated
upon his famous white horse. overlook
ing the field of battle. He is surround
ed by his staff The field glass is in his
hands The orderies are galloping ev-
erywhther Of in the distance you
can see the smoke of carnage You
can almost hear the shouts of triumph
and the groans of the dying Yet you
focus your study not SO much upon the
battlefield as on the flashing eye Of
the emperor, for you know that every
part of that line of battle has been Or
dered by him, You know that this one
military chieftaiu can speak a word
and his troops move in strict obedi-
ence to his will. Now, the application
of this fact is this: Upon the great
battlefield of life can God as the Di-
vine Commander, I've sure that we shall
lao "a nd az Ln nlnaSnSS
he say unto us, Go" and we go;
stop" and we stop; DO this" and
We do it: There is no use of rear
guard for our succor unless we are in
the place where the Divine Command
er has willed You know what that
position is. You know deep down in
Your heart what Co, wants you to do.
Brother. are sou obpyinG his will? The
question is not rs to The situation and
work of Other men. but are You will
ing in Gods sight to stand in the posi-
ton he has appointed for you?
I'uf there is another fact which forces
.tseif upon me. God not only details
rs to certain positions in the line of
battle, but he expects us to bear our
part we'll in the heat OF the struggle
and be ready to suffer with fortitude
In The conflict. He does not send us
forth rs Christian soldiers for a dress
parade. He does not want us to while
away the pleasant summer days in a
seaside encampmcnt. He places us
upon the line of battle to fight in his
name The Christian soldier, like ev,
cry other good soldier, must struggle
and suffer and bear the pangs of hun
ger and thirst ana prove his yalor by
the honor marks of mar" wounds The
Christian life is not u time for sport
1t Is an opportunity for conflict and
for warfare and for attacks and for
bleeding wounds aud for suffering and
agony and for grave trenches. And yet
to hear some people talk YOU would
never suppose that Christ spoke with
any meaning when he said, Think not
that am come to send peace on earth
but sword" Or In that other pas
sage when he said. blessed are We
when men shall revile you and perse-
4 cute you and shall say all manner of
evil against you falsely for my name S
sake" Does that imply that God Is ex-
pectinG his Christian soldiers TO have
= an easy time and not suffer in the