He Stands Fire | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 5, 1875

He Stands Fire.

I was walking along the Strand one night, and I came upon a fine, tall soldier. I entered into conversation with him; and said, "There is one thing I cannot understand about the British soldier." "What is that, sir?" "Well," I said, "he is bold and daring: you could not insult him more than by calling him a coward. There are men amongst you who would rush up to the cannon's mouth, even if you knew it would be certain death, and yet there are men amongst you who dare not kneel down in the barrack-room at night, and repeat the prayer their mother taught them when they were children." He paused and said, "That is true, sir."

"What is the meaning of it, soldier?" He said, "You remind me of what took place in my own roll a few weeks ago. A young fellow come into our room, and the first night before going to bed he knelt down to pray, and instantly there was a noise and disturbance in the room. Caps and belts were flung over at the man, but he did not move. The second night there was a general cry, 'Willie, try it again.' Down he went on his knees again. Caps and belts were thrown again, and the men whistled. The third night he went again on his knees, and again on the fourth night, with the same result, and on the fifth night. And then," he said, "the greatest blackguard in the room cried out, 'Lads, he is genuine—he stands fire,' and from that night every one in the room respected him, and began to follow his example."

Now my dear friends, in a large establishment in Birmingham, very similar to what many of you are in, in this town, some seventy years ago, there was a youth who came from his mother's loving home in one of our beautiful villages. He had been taught to "stand fire," not to be ashamed of God or of prayer. The first night he retired to rest with several other youths. He knelt down to pray, and as in the case of the soldier, he was instantly beset by the young fellows in the room, abusing him and ridiculing him; and everything was done to induce him to abstain from prayer, but he "stood fire"; he was not ashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amongst them was a strong built youth, who stood on his right, and who said, "My mother taught me to do that. I have been ashamed of doing it, but I will do it." That youth became the great, the noble John Angell James.

Oh, young men, if that youth had not stood fire the world might never have known or been blessed by the labors of John Angell James. The soldier told me what I want to leave with you. He said, "Sir, as a rule the fresh fellows who kneel down to pray do not do it a second night." Ah, young men, may that never be said of you. That explains the meaning of those words, "He stands fire." Do not be ashamed to acknowledge your Lord and Master.—Sel.