The Sentinel
*’ When a sentinel is set upon the watch he must not come off without the commander s leave and till he is discharged by authority. God hath set us in a watch, and we must not leave our ground till we have done all that is enjoined upon us, and receive a fair discharged The instance of the sentinel in Pompeii, whose skeleton was found erect at the city gate, when all but he had fled, need not be repeated in words; but it should be copied by each one of us in his life. If the earth should reel, it is ours to keep our place. If set to preach the gospel, let us maintain the truth, though philosophy should thin the number of our comrades till we remain alone. If commanded to teach a few little children, let us be as faithful to our trust as if we had been set to lead a legion of angels. Imagine what the universe would be if the stars forsook their marches, and the sun forbore to shine; yet this would only be among inanimate objects an imitation of the conduct of men who quit their posts, and leave their work undone. This is the spirit out of which fiends are made: first neglect, then omission, then treachery and rebellion. It is such an honour to bear his Majesty’s commission that King Jesus should have around him the most joyously faithful band of servants. “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” was Mary’s advice in her day, and the spirit of it should abide with all Christians to the end of time. Where God’s command has fixed us, there let us abide at all hazards. Our life, our honour, and our heaven lie, not in rising out of the place which our Master has allotted to us, but in fulfilling its duties to the uttermost. A sentinel must not leave his post even to gather pearls or diamonds; nor must we forsake our duty in order to acquire the highest honours. It matters nothing how well we have done other things if we neglect the thing. God bids us do this and if we fail it will be no excuse to be able to say — we have done that. If the watcher forsakes his post it will not avail that he climbed a mountain, or swam a river: he was not where he was ordered to be.