By the Editor
The Breaking of the Dawn
“SOMEWHERE in France” the British soldier stands facing the dawn. The night has been lonely and chill, and the weary hours have passed slowly by. But now his eyes are fixed upon the glowing east, where the glad sun is rising in glory and in warmth to bless the new-born day. And a great sense of companionship comes into the soldier’s heart. It is like the benison of God, to watch the golden light flood sky and earth. He may never see another sunrise. God bless him as he stands on outpost sentry duty! Let us pray for him, and tens of thousands like him. He stands for England, with his rifle in his band, on those lonely battle-swept fields of France. He is doing his duty in the face of the dawn as he would in the face of death.
And what is our duty to him and his comrades? We may not be able to stand by their side in the ranks of war, but the duty of earnest prayer is ours, the duty of making them feel that we love them for Christ’s sake. We have to do our part in the work of helping to put a Gospel or a Testament into the pocket of every soldier. We have to help him and his mates to face the glory of another dawn — “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” It must be ours to bring them to the Saviour, so that He may “lift up the light of His countenance upon them,” and that through faith in Him and His finished work they may have peace with God. Then, when wounded and helpless on the battlefield, it will be theirs to feel a gracious Presence near them, and a wounded hand to bless them, and even if the eyes should close in death, the setting of the sun of earthly life will find them face to face with the breaking of the Dawn of endless Day. O God bless our soldiers and sailors, for Christ’s sake! Amen.