The Discipline of War

e through

SUNDAY

uke x

n remembra

rests on facts, and its object is God's glory, not merely our profit. Our duty, th

rated on all sides i

lives, in circumstances which make it the duty of every Englishman to put everything in the world he possesses, everything that he values, into the scale to ensure s

e forward, and some are even now crying out for that compulsory service which may yet prove inevitable. They forget that the obedience of one free man is wor

m that of the sternest school or the strictest house of business. The surrender has been made vol

gh social position must obey the orders of a young lance-corporal just as exactly

generations from the fact that so vast a number, in all ranks of society, are now under obedienc

nswered,-hop

th, and dou

pet-voice p

chosen peo

the

was

heart of the n

, "Lord

Me." The facts are undisputed. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the tenderness of His co

the nonconformist in his ordinary dress, or the priest clad in costly vestments, whether in the humble room or the stately cathedral, which is, on the on

ing in our minds the exceeding value of

out to leave for the front, should have begged their late schoolmaster-now a Bishop-to give them a Celebrat

his brother at Southampton. "We spent our Christmas Day waiting for the Germans, who did not appear. But we managed to find time for c

of God, but out upon the ocean, expecting attack, realising the possible nearness of the end, leaving th

t. The Holy Communion was especially appreciated. On Christmas Day there were no fewer than seven hundred communicants from one regiment and four hundred from another, and the service was held in a ploughed field with a packing-case for an altar. He had conducted these services sometimes in the ba

by those who stop away fro

ebrates, nor is any member of the congregation. We sadly mi

them. You can imagine how one of them might say, "I am not worthy of such an honour; this little place is so poor and mean." Quite true, yet

orthy, grac

mines himself, confesses his sins, and firmly purpo

as a great Saviour. Feelings have nothing to do with duty. If they had, our army would be about half the size it is. Do you suppo

turn to the Saviour, and then in His holy ordinance you will

r meet them, you-the Christian soldier enlisted at your Baptism-will never have the chance of winning a victory. The one who stays away from Communion because

nough about the Christian life to be able to judge your fellow cr

lling to forgive and bury the past? "Yes, but he is not." All the more need

le might never have had the blessing of his p

do otherwise, for no one has ever yet found in Ch

ipline-nay, is almost identical with di

aside feelings, fancies, unworthy scruples, and casting ourselves unreservedly upon

ence is making a special and very careful preparat

sing fearlessly the "ministry of reconciliation" when necessary, and then of speci

unless we are very frequent communicants, so that we may lose none of

help, but that is all; they cannot make t

s a useful feature of the discipline of obedience. It is a custom which comes fr

t love requires than to choose our own time and come when it suits us best: that is when it requires l

rly Communion, but, while we can, let us make the most of the blessed morning hours, when in a

ion?" The answer depends upon so large a number of considerations that no

and thanksgiving. Better by far six Communions a year, which have meant real, living intercourse

ding the service whenever you wish, joining in the praises and pra

have a rule about your times of

ness of spirit springs from the careless way in which the chief spiritual food is treated. People go to the Holy Communion when they feel inclined, instead of according to a fixed rule, modifying the rule, j

icant who lets neither weather nor inclination interfere with dut

e. Surely never is our Lord more satisfied in seeing of the travail of His soul than when His faithful ones are gathered before His Hol

of the highest kind. That discipline which is ever putting self

st seek it, only poured forth upon such as are content to lose thei

tations during the