ON and ever on is the command. The ceaseless thunder of the mighty guns, the rat-tat-tat of the machine guns, the crack of the rifle, the poisonous gas and the scorching flames, the death-dealing bombs, the whirr of the airplanes, the charging of the eager hosts, all the effective strength of modern warfare must be used to its utmost now. The enemy has to be pushed back, to be defeated: this is the high command. And so the “Great Push” goes on. As a poet says:
1.
“Not a moment the charge must be stayed,
For no pity the battle delayed.
On we press in close ranks by our dead,
Leave our wounded where fallen they bled.
At all costs the day’s work must be wrought;
For our dead and our wounded we fought,
For their sakes not a pause must we dare,
For their sakes lying helplessly there,
For their sakes as we pressed on our way,
Closed the ranks, sped the charge, won the day.
2.
And now in the battle of life,
In the thick of the old ceaseless strife,
When those terrible gaps come again,
On the heart smites the blank and the pain,
And we know in our anguish too well
What we lost when thus stricken they fell;
Still that word of command on the ear,
Through the blank and death-silence rings clear,
‘Close the ranks!’
Press forward where they led the way,
Close the ranks, speed the charge, win the day―
Close the ranks!’”
Yes, the message comes to the soldiers of Christ today. It is the day of the “Great Push” for them. The hosts of sin are crowding on upon the battlefields of life. The huge guns of daring unbelief are sounding, “There is no God.” The poisonous gases and scorching flames of blasphemy against the Person and work of Christ are being poured out from the deep trenches of hell, where the devil has “dug himself in.” How are we to meet this foe? By constant, unremitting service to our Captain. “Not a moment the charge must be stayed.” We must never think we have done enough. “At all costs the day’s work must be wrought.” Paul, God’s great general, exhorts us to the fight. “Fight the good fight of faith,” “Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ,” “Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” He died on the field of battle, and his dying words are an inspiration to us to
“Press forward where he led the way,
Close the ranks, speed the charge, win the day.”
He died on the field of victory. Listen. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Brave soldier of Christ, well done! True hero of the Cross, fighting, suffering, dying, thou hast passed through every opposing host to the golden gates of heaven. What are we doing in the war for God now, in this “battle of life,” in this “ceaseless strife,” with sin and Satan? Are we keeping the banner of Christ flying? Are we storming the citadels of sin? Do our comrades know we belong to Christ? Never was there such desperate need to be true to our Saviour as now.
Let me tell you of one of Christ’s heroes who won his way to heaven.
“DON’T DENY CHRIST I NEVER DENY CHRIST!”
These were the words of a boy cadet. Words written on the books of God in heaven. But let me tell his story. He was one of eight boy cadets, who had been sent from England to join their regiments in a foreign land. They fell into the hands of their enemies; seven of them had their throats cut, the eighth (the boy I am writing about) was left for dead, but he managed to crawl away and hide in a ravine. For four days he lay hidden, suffering agonies from his wounds. Then he was found and carried back a prisoner. He was thrust into a hut where a Christian catechist was confined. This poor man had been a Mohammedan, and he was being tortured by his jailers to make him give up his faith in Christ. He was just on the eve of giving way when this brave English boy became his companion. The lad learned all, and did all he could to sustain his companion’s courage. Boy though he was, ‘his heart was full of love for his Redeemer. He was Christ’s soldier, and true to his colors. With flushed face, and earnest voice, he said:
“Don’t deny Christ! Never deny Christ!”
They were rescued, but four days after his release the brave English lad died of his wounds. His brave soul went to the Saviour he loved so well, but his burning words:
“Don’t deny Christ! Never deny Christ!”
will live forever. Ah! parents with boys like this, thank God, thank God. Thousands of young men from Christian homes in England are in the ranks today. They used to read the Bible and pray at home, but alas! they never do it now. They deny Christ many of them in thought and word and deed. Dear lads, brave as only English boys can be, be true to Christ. Let me tell you of another young lad who was true to Christ.
The First Night in Barracks
He had been a member of a prayer circle and M.S.C. in a town in the Midlands, who found further resistance useless, so was at last compelled to don the khaki and make the best of it. “Perhaps after all,” he mused, “God has some wise purpose in this.” He will never forget his first night in barracks. When the bugle sounded, and each man sought his straw bed and blankets for the night, a miniature war raged in his bosom. Should he read his portion, as he was accustomed to do, and afterward go down on his knees to pray before these thirty careless young fellows? After a time he drew out his pocket Bible and sat down to read his “chapter.” Whilst so engaged the conflict within waxed hotter and hotter. “It is not necessary,” a voice seemed to reiterate. “It would be a mockery to attempt to pray here. You can speak to God after getting into your blankets.” He was about to yield and slip quietly into bed, but, bracing himself for the occasion, he dropped on his knees and began to pray. He was conscious of a strange hush, the curse, the flippant jest, and the loud laughter ceased, and as he rose a feeling of joy thrilled his soul as he realized that God had given him the victory.
Next morning one of the worst of his companions. Taking his hand in both of his, the speaker asked bluntly: “What are you, anyhow?” “I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, a sinner saved by grace,” was the quiet answer. “I know that,” said his comrade, “but how did you get saved? I tell you I would have liked to have done what you did last night when you knelt down to pray before us all.” The Christian soldier, not many years old in the spiritual life, had the joy of telling the other the way of salvation. “Now I know,” he told the writer, why it was I was compelled to enter the Army.”
Reader, “Don’t deny Christ! Never deny Christ!”
“Press forward where He led the way,
Close the ranks, speed the charge, win the day.”