to come to the help of the Lord against the mighty? You who may be instead of eyes, can you hold back ingloriously?

The Son of God goes forth to war,

A kingly crown to gain;

His blood-red banner streams afar:-
Who follows in His train?

Even if Christ's venture for the world be a forlorn hope; even if the fair vision of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth be but a beautiful dream; even if the foe be too strong to be dislodged; aye, even if there be no Promised Land at all (put it as an impossible, an almost unthinkable hypothesis); even if good could never conquer evil, and love triumph over hate; even then it would be the better part for you; it would still be the master-light of all your seeing; and you could not escape the appeal Christ makes to you to stand by His side. This is the heroic note the Lord of the human heart strikes in your heart now; and it would be craven to refuse. "Whoso would

serve Me, let him follow Me."

XXIV

THE GIFT OF YOUTH

Let no man despise thy youth.-1 TIMOTHY iv. 12.

THE Apostle is instructing Timothy in his behaviour towards the people, how he is to teach and rule and make full proof of his ministry. With the fine fibre and sweet disposition of the young man there seems to have been a constitutional timidity. Of loving and trustful and gentle nature, he had as a defect of his quality an undue distrust of his own judgment, and was inclined to fall back on external authority. He lacked somewhat confidence and courage and the robuster virtues. The Apostle seems to have been anxious lest he should be underrated, as men are apt to underrate a man who lacks confidence. There is a type of youth which is extravagantly assertive, with the sublime conceit of ignorance; but there is another type as common, which is too subservient to the opinions of others, easily discouraged, easily laughed out of opinions, or frightened out of principles, too diffident to let it be thought that he has convictions and

principles from which he will not be moved. The writer seemed to have in mind Timothy's special temptation in this respect to timidity, and seeks to inspire him with the necessary confidence and self-respect and the authority which his work needs and should give. "Let no man despise thy youth."

It is a double-barrelled charge, to the people to respect him for his office, not to let any prejudice hinder his influence, and not to depreciate his work because of his youth; and to himself also to give him a touch of independence, to brace him up to his high task, to make him assume the authority of truth and command the respect of the people. But the way he is to command this respect is not by insisting on the authority of his office, not by arrogance of manner, or any sort of self-assertion, but by making his influence so true and potent that all will be compelled to acknowledge his claims as a teacher. The authority which depends merely on an office, on a fact of external position, on what we call "the cloth" speaking of the clergy, is a very poor sort of authority at the best. It is moral influence to which the Apostle here points. To gain and hold real respect Timothy is to make himself an example. He is to win his place of authority by his character, and faith, and zeal, and determination, and good works. "Let

no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity." His Christian character and Christian conduct are to impress themselves so persuasively that men will forget the things that might prejudice them against his message, will forget that he is young.

It is not always easy for men to forget that another who assumes the right to teach, or who advances anything original, or who is zealous over some reform, is young. The words which Dr. Johnson put into the mouth of Pitt as defending himself against "the atrocious crime of being a young man," describe the situation for many another besides Pitt. There is a common despising of youth, especially in the region of opinion, as if wisdom could only be, and must always be, on the side of experience. The despising may be done with a look which says plainly

You are very young," as the supreme and clenching argument, or which says in the presence of enthusiasm and fervid zeal, "When you are old you will take things more calmly." That is too true, and indeed it constitutes the great and magnificent quality of youth that it can glow and blaze. It is a very commonplace thought after all that when men are old they will take things more calmly, meaning only

that the fires will have burned low. Cynicism is a poor exchange for enthusiasm. There are many and manifest temptations of youth, such as rashness, both of judgment and of conduct, hotheadedness, passion, unbalanced zeal, but these are all the extravagances of what is its finest quality. The world needs the strong hopefulness and buoyancy of youth, as well as the large experience and cautious wisdom of age. Youth is the motive power of the world, driving it to new ends, and bringing to it new hopes.

Only the foolish despise youth: only the foolish look down upon it and seek ever to cramp and stifle it; though few even of the wise estimate aright the glorious gift of youth. Poets and romancers sing the praises of youth, but often only for its capacity of joy, as a wonderful time of abounding energy and fresh optimism, a time of joy and hope and strength. Older men will sometimes envy youth because of this, not for its opportunity, but for its capacity for enjoyment. Even for that it is not to be despised. The pleasures of health and strength, the first delight in the world of nature; the pleasures of friendship, meeting in the fresh glow of loyal feeling without suspicion, without self-interest, without considering motives, without thought of anything but sympathy, and kindness, and goodwill; the pleasures of