His is love, ‘tis love unbounded,
Without measure, without end;
Human thought is here confounded,
‘Tis too vast to comprehend.
Praise the Saviour,
Magnify the sinner’s Friend.
A BRAVE YOUNG ENSIGN
When nations send their ambassadors to any foreign capital, the houses in which these representatives live are called “Legations.” In the summer of 1900 the foreign legation in Peking was besieged by the Chinese. Their anger had been raised by the false stories about the foreigners in their midst, and the terrible cry went forth: “Kill, kill, the foreign devils! Kill them. Let none escape.” For hours this bloodthirsty cry was howled in front of the legations by a vast mob, which surged round the buildings, making efforts to force an entrance. But the little band of Europeans who were gathered together knew their lives were at stake and successfully repelled every attempt.
Day after day passed wearily, provisions grew low, and still the small band looked wistfully for rescue, which must soon come or it would be too late. At last the distant sound of a bugle was heard, and a cloud of dust was seen.
“They come, they come!” was the word passed from mouth to mouth; “the troops are coming.” And sure enough they were fighting every step of the way. Through a gap in the wall came several Sikhs, those stalwart Indian soldiers who are always ready to do or die. Then following close came the English troops headed by a young Ensign bearing the Union Jack. This was a brave deed—that English boy marching in front and facing a horde of barbarians. But there followed an act that was still braver. As soon as the lad had led his followers inside the breach, he grasped his country’s flag with one hand while he fell on his knees and covered his eyes with the other. Faithful to his earthly sovereign, he was no less faithful to his Heavenly King. For there, in the sight of all, rescuers and rescued, he audibly thanked God for this deliverance.
I think many eyes must have grown dim and many pale checks moistened as that young Christian testified as to whose he was and whom he served. This brave deed made a great impression upon the English, American, French, German and Russian Consuls. The French Ambassador thought so much of it that, in sending in his report to his own Government, he gave prominence to this incident. I read it there in one of their Government books. A. C.