Some day life's winding pathway may lead you through the Gethsemane garden, and, amid the anguish and gloom, the knowledge of one faithful friend will be to you as a bright star shining through the darkness. A friend who believes in you, who will stand loyal and true to you and your interests under all circumstances, will be as an anchor to your soul when the storm of the world's censure threatens to drive you to despair.
This is LOYALTY, loyalty to a cause, your cause. Happy the man or woman with such a friend. Christian, whoever and wherever you may be, listen: You profess allegiance to the Christ. Are you as loyal to Him and His cause as you would desire to be to a worthy friend? He represents the greatest cause this world has ever known: “The Kingdom of God upon earth.” Have you seen in your Master the greatest Patriot the world has ever seen? Truly He was, for He was absolutely loyal to His cause. And you are representing Him today. He lived, prayed, suffered, and died for His cause, and He says to you and me, “Follow thou Me.” He also tells us to take up His cross, but many of the professed loyal Christian soldiers are today “dodging the cross and the sacrifice.” But God will not accept from you the title “Lord and Master” unless you are whole-hearted for His cause. Listen while one of earth’s great men tells you how he regarded your Leader:—
“I have inspired multitudes with such devotion that they would have died for me,” said Napoleon on St. Helena, “but to do this it was necessary that I should be present, with the electric influence of my looks, my words, my voice. Christ alone has succeeded in so raising the mind of man toward the unseen that it becomes insensible to the barriers of time and space. Across the chasm of eighteen hundred years Jesus Christ makes a demand which is above all others difficult to satisfy. He asks for that which a philosopher may often seek in vain at the hands of his friends, or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart. He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands unconditionally, and forthwith395His demand is granted. Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man with all its powers becomes an annexation to the empire of Christ. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish the sacred flame; time can neither exhaust its strength nor put a limit to its range. This it is which strikes me most. I have often thought of it. This it is which proves to me quite conclusively the divinity of Jesus Christ.”—“Manhood of the Master,” by H. E. Fosdick, D.D.
This man, a leader of armies, sees in the Christ One who asks of His followers that which He Himself gave, absolute devotion, loyalty.
Pathe Photo. MELBOURNE SHOWS ITS LOYALTY TO THE ROYAL VISITOR
A Personal Question
Have you given Him this? Let your heart answer as you kneel before your Prince in the quiet hour. He is speaking to you: “Ye call Me Lord and Master”; “Many shall say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matt. 7:21, 22.
What fearful condemnation to those who not only professed to serve Christ, but actually did marvellous works in His name! But verses 21 and 24 tell us plainly why they were rejected,—disloyalty. “He that doeth the will of My Father”; “whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine and doeth them.”
This means loyal obedience to all our Leader’s commands, standing true to every principle of His cause. Disloyalty does not alone consist of refusing large responsibility, a call to larger or more difficult service, but it is in the little daily duties which come to us that we prove whether we are loyal to our vow of allegiance, loyal to our Commander. We may think we hear a call to a larger field of labour than the one in which we now serve. Loyalty consists in our standing true to duty just where the Leader places us. Humble duty it may seem, but it is for a King we serve, and although humble it may be, it is essential to the success of His cause. If you fail to do it faithfully, He will find some one to fill your place. The cause cannot fail; victory may be delayed; but the loss will be yours eternally.
Your profession does not flatter the Master. He knows your heart just as He read men and women in days of old. Christ demands loyalty to His cause.
Christian, your Leader asks of you today, “Are you all for the Master”? He says, “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Just so surely is it impossible to hide your false profession. The world knows what a Christian should be. The world knows what you are, just how much you are like your great Leader. Don’t let them point the finger of scorn at His cause because you are false to your vows of loyalty. Don’t disappoint Him. Many manifest great pleasure at hearing of the wonderful progress of God’s work in the earth; they enjoy association with God’s people. Perhaps at one time they took the vow of loyal service, but the battle went hard, rations could perhaps have been more plentiful, and they began to feel that the One in charge of the storehouse had neglected to396provide for them, so they “dropped out of the ranks” to gather a little more of this world’s goods, and now are watching the progress of the army, and endeavouring to hush the still small voice which disturbs their peace. They see the army is marching on to victory, but the carnal heart says: “Wait a while longer; don’t make any needless sacrifice, for it will embarrass your interests in business if you give your support to the cause without making considerable reserve for this world. You did good service once, God won’t forget that, and you can make a decided step later on.”
Friend, how much will your good intentions avail when God “cuts His work short in righteousness,” and the warfare ceases suddenly? When the Master of the house arises and shuts the door, will your former association and present interest stand you in good stead then? No. In “that day” you will say, “Lord, Lord, we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence and Thou hast taught in our streets.” But He shall say, “I know you not, whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.” Sad scene! May you have no part in it, for it is your privilege to hear from your Commander, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Have you tried to be loyal and failed? What then? The cause is bound to win. Victory is assured. Your Leader was certain of that, for when “all forsook Him and fled,” in that very hour He said: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matt. 26:56, 64.
That power is at your disposal today. “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore.”
Can you hold back your full devoted service from such a Commander? The arch-enemy may taunt you with the discouraging words: “You are very weak; you have tried to make good many times; you are doomed to fail.” Turn a deaf ear to him. It is your continued trying that makes success certain.
Now look at the battle from the other side. “Where to us have appeared only confusion, disappointment, broken purposes, and thwarted plans, will be seen a grand overruling, victorious purpose, a divine harmony.”—“Education,” page 305. Will you, therefore, again resolve today that your loyalty will hasten the victory for your Commander and cause? Remember, as one writer puts it, “He is counting on you.”
