True Words for Brave Men

said unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be he

at followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found s

heathens who were first drawn to our Lord Jes

of whom our Lord speaks in su

f God." Old legends say that his name was Longinus, and tell graceful tales of his

ornelius, of whom we read i

time when they are mentioned in Scripture, almost the worst work which a soldier can do. For they were not defending their own country against foreign enemies. They were keeping down a conquered nation, by a stern military despotism, in which the soldiery acted not merely as po

these soldiers' training, which made them more ready than other

ifficult to understand what was in his mind. He was plainly no talker; no orator. Like many a good English soldier, sailor, yeoman, man of business, he had very sound instincts in him, and drew very sound conclusions from them: but he could not put them into words. He knew that he was right, but he could not make a speech about it. Better that, than be-as too many a

scipline. Obedience. He was under authority, and must obey his superior officer. He had soldiers under him, and they must obey him. There must be not only no mutiny, but no neglect, no arguing, no asking why. If he said Go, a man must go; if he said Come, a man must come; and make no words abou

h our Lord's power, and wit

tion in heaven?" If he, a poor officer, could get his commands obeyed, by merely speaking the word; then how much more could God. If Jesus was-as He said-as His disciples said-the Lord, the God of the Jews: then He had no need to come and see a sick man; no n

emingly at first sight, that Jesu

next forty years. And the good Centurion had been accustomed to look at such men; and to look up to them beside, and say not merely-It is a duty to obey these men, but-It is a delight to obey them. He had been accustomed-as it is good for every man to be accustomed-to meet men superior to himself;

e spirit which delights in, and looks up to, all that is brave and able, great and good; the spirit of true independence, true freedom, and the true self-respect which respects its fellow men; and therefore it was, that when the Centurion came into the divine presence of Christ, he knew at once, instinctively and by a glance, into what a presence he had come. Christ's mere countenance, Christ's mere bearing, I believe, told that good soldier who He was. He knew of old the look of great

d what was his reward? Not merely that his favourite servant was healed at his request: but that he learnt to know the Lord Jesus Christ, whom truly to know is everlasting life;

never more called out than by subordination. A man never feels himself so much of a free man as when he is freely obeying those whom the laws of his country have set over him. A man never feels so able as when he is following the lead of an abler man than himself. Remember this. Make it a point of honour to do y

ion, without subordination; without obeying rules and orders strictly and without question: then perhaps there is no succeeding in spiritual and hea

d in the very nature of this world, which God has made. There is no escaping those Laws. They fulfil themselves. God says to them, "Go," and they go; "Come," and they come; "Do justice on the offender," and they do it. If we are fools and disobey them, they will grind us to powder. If we are wise and obe

y your own firesides, as men who feel that they are "ever beneath their great taskmaster's eye;" who have a solemn duty to perform, namely, the duty of living like good men toward your superior officers, your families, your neighbours, your country, and your

on to generation, the promises which God made, ages since, to the men of Judea of old; promises wh

and be doing good; dwell in the l

the righteous; and their inhe

he perilous time; and in the days

an's going; and maketh his

be cast down; for the Lord

yet saw I never the righteous forsa

the thing that is good;

ght; He forsaketh not his that are godly