Christ a Guide
Hrist is with us as a — Guide. jHow deep our need of Him as such, and how endeared does it make Him! So blind are we, so dark our future, so perplexing our present path, the very next step might be a false one — taking us into a wrong direction, entailing untold anxieties and sorrows, or hurling us from a precipice into total ruin. Yes, we need just such a leader as Christ. What Alpine traveler would attempt the ascent of a steep glacier, or cross the dangerous pass unattended by an experienced guide — one who knew the route, whose skilful eye could detect the treacherous crevice, and whose nervous arm could fence the narrow, winding way? Our path to eternity demands just such a one as the prophet foretold Christ should be. have given Him says God, a Leader and Commander to the peopled His own gracious words corroborate this statement when speaking of Himself as the Shepherd of His flock, who ‘goeth BEFORE the’iu and the sheep follow Him for they hiow His voiced Oh, what a privilege — in every path of doubt, in every circumstance of danger, where human judgment is either warped or beclouded, and your own hesitate and falters — to have at your side such a wonderful Counselor, such a divine Guide as Christ! As such He is ever with you. He will guide you with His eye of providence, and with His hand of power, and with His heart of love. He knows the way that you take, for He has ordained it.
He knows every crook in your lot, for He has appointed it. He will roll away the stone of difficulty, will level mountains and fill up valleys, make the crooked path straight and the rough place smooth; this will He do unto you, and not forsake you. Oh, be honest and upright with Him! Go to Him first, consult Him first, acknowledge Him in all your ways before you consult a human oracle — let Christ, in all the minute details of your life, have the Learn to lay your own judgment at His feet. The meek will He guide in judgment and the meek will He teach His — mot our way — but ‘’His way.” We must first surrender our way and will before He will teach us His. The “meeic” He will guide: the childlike, trustful, unquestioning disciple, that humbly locks his hand in Christ’s and says, “Lord, lead me and guide me, not in my own way, but in Thine Oh, take a firm grasp of this triple staff, and you shall travel safely, surely, through all your unknown future. Be honest and sincere only to know and to walk in the Lord’s way, the way in which He would have you to go; and then will He fulfil His most gracious promise, “Z(9, I am with you alwayP
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Christ must be our guide in the midst of the utmost peril and dangers. Many a soldier on the battle field is consoled with the belief that Christ is his guide though leading him to death, and through death to glory.
The following notes were written in pencil by Samuel F. “Willard, of Madison, Conn., captain in the fourteenth Connecticut regiment. They were addressed to his wife, and within an hour after the last record, which was found on his person, was made, he had fallen on the battle field. On Sunday morning, September 14th, he wrote: “To-dav we started on our Ions: march on hard bread and cofi’ee alone; marched till four o’clock. We are now in line of battle in the Middletown Yalley — right in sight there is an artillery engagement — nothing very serious.”
Middletown Valley, Sept. 15, 1862.
Monday Morntxg.
These may be my last words; if so, they are these:
I have full faith in Jesus Christ my Saviour; I do not regret that I have fallen in d-efence of my country; I have loved you truly and know that you have loved me, and in leaving this world of sin I go to another and better one, where I am confident I shall meet you. I freely forgive all my enemies, and ask them for Christ’s sake to forgive me. If my body should ever reach home, let there be no ceremony; I ask no higher honor than to die for my country; lay me silently in the grave, imitate my virtues, and forgive all my errors.
I prefer death in the cause of my country, to life in sympathy with its enemies.
And now, my precious wife, good-bye. May the grace of God sustain you, and we will meet at last in heaven.
Signed in the valley on the battle ground near Boliver Heights, Md.
Samuel Francis Willard.
Tuesday Morning, Sept. 16, 1862.
The Division moved yesterday at about 10 A. M., passed through the region of the battle on the previous day — dead rebels on every side. Our surgeons administered to the wants of many of the wounded rebels.
Saw hundreds of wounded rebels as we passed through different villages, in barns, houses, hospitals. It was a very sony sight for our boys — rebels were strongly intrenched on the mountain and held a good position, but fled as the army approached. Generals McClellan and Burnside passed in front of the army — immense cheering. Rebel prisoners being brought in all the time poorly dressed but fine looking fellows — act as though they were glad to be taken in.
Tuesday Morning, — later
The battle has commenced, one man killed within twenty rods of me by a shell. My faith is in God; if I die, I die in the faith of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who died that I might live. We are now to go into battle. God save my men, God save me, God save the United States of America, God bless you my own dear wife, and may
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we meet at last in heaven where there will be no war or sin.
Camp near Peters ville, Md.,
Wednesday Morning, 17 th.
We are on the eve of a great battle. Yesterday, there was an artillery engagement close by us, and we were dodging shells and balls for about three hours. One man was killed within fifteen or twenty rods of me. Several others were wounded. We have an immense army here; Mc Clellan and Burnside are in command; I cannot say more; we are ordered off with eighty rounds of cartridges; cannon are booming on every side; my faith is in God.
I passed the battle ground Monday, saw the dead and dying on every side; I pray God we may be successful and that you may see me again.
And just there the pencil notes close suddenly. An hour later he lay dead on the field of victory, and this pencil story remains to tell how he died.