Story of the Knight

‘* Thuanus reporteih of Ludovicus Marsacus, a knight of France, when he was led, with other martyrs that were bound with cords, to executioji, ajid he for his dignity was not bound, he cried, ‘Give me my chains, too; let me be a knight of the sa?ne order Certainly, it is an honour to be made vile for God; David purposed to abound in such vileness (2 Sam. vi. 22). Shame for Christ’s sake is an honour no more to be declined than the highest dignity a mortal man can wear. Among the early Christians the relatives of martyrs were a sort of aristocracy, and the martyrs themselves were regarded as the nobility of the Church. We need a spice of the same spirit at this day. A true believer should tremble when the world commends him, but he should feel complimented when it utterly despises him.

What do we suffer, after all? The most of us are but feather-bed soldiers. Our ways are strewn with roses compared with those who endured hardness in the olden time. We are poor and mean successors of noble ancestors, — ennobled by their supreme sufferings. If we cannot reach their superior dignity, nor hope to wear the ruby crown of martyrdom, at least let us not shun such glory as may be obtainable, but accept with cheerful patience whatever of opprobrium this worthless world may honour us with.