Hold the fort: a book for the young

Introduction

In launching this little bark on the literary sea, we cannot with any degree of certainty predict its destiny. It has not the reputation of an established and renowned author to secure it a safe and successful voyage. It must go upon its own merits. We hope, however, that the reader will be gentle in his criticisms, and seek its merits rather than its demerits. We do not claim perfection for it. Like its author as well as its reader, it may have its imperfections.

Who does not enjoy a visit from a graodfather ? There is something grand in his silvery locks, in his seriousness, and in his rich experience. How pleasant it is to have him entertain the family, and especially the children, with his narrations of the past. Having lived through the late civil war, he recollects its stirring events, and can recall them at will. One incident, that of " Holding the Fort,*' he recalls with pleasure, and makes it the theme of several interesting evening talks. While he does not anticipate another civil war soon, he knows from experience that many conflicts await the young ; that in the moral and religious world there are many strongholds to be defended against the power of sin and satan ; that every individual who is on the side of right and truth, will have hand to hand conflicts with the enemy.

Moral and religious principles are great things. They are the strongholds of Christ's kingdom. Sa-

IV INTRODUCTION.

tan and his emissaries are trying to overthrow them. Christ calls upon all His followers to defend and maintain them— to hold the fort.

In this little book the buoyant youth who thinks not of danger, who is unconscious of the delusive paths of vice, and who suspects not the subtilty of the wicked one, is put on his guard and urged to vigilance. Here the professed soldier of the cros-, whose hands tremble and whose knees shake, is encouraged and exhorted to firmness and faithfulness. Here the child of affliction is taught the true significance of suffering, and is exhorted to patience and resignation to God's will, having the promise, " If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." 2 Tim. 2 : 12.

If this little volume should be the means of leading the youth to realize more fully his danger and to take a more positive stand on the side of right and truth, of leading the faltering Christian to brace up and meet with courage and faith the issues of life, and of leading the child of affliction to realize that God is gracious and sympathetic, and will soon exchange the bitter cup for the cup of heavenly nectar, then we shall feel that this book has accomplished a mission worthy of its existence. Believing that a kind Providence will attend its journeyings, we now send it forth into the wide world, hoping it will have access to many homes and the patronage of many readers. THE AUTHOR.

Obangeville, PAt

Dedication

To the glory of Christ, our Lord, I this little book award ; He is the Way, the Truth, the Life ; Our great Captain in the strife.

Next, I dedicate it to those Who me their shepherd chose, Who, in the use of holy rites. Seek the smiling face of Light.

Then in order, I counsel give To those who in wedlock live. Who at the altar's sacred shrine Vowed their marriage contract signed.

CHAPTER I. Hold the Fort

In an humble village home there lived a happy family consisting of the parents and four children. The names and ages of these children were respectively as follows : Amy, six years; David, eight; Charity, eleven, and Walter, fourteen. The father was a sober and industrious man ; and, although in very moderate circumstances, he made a comfortable living for his family. His children, like many others of their age, were at times a little boisterous and contentious. But it was easy for them to settle down and listen with patience to their grandfather who came to stay a few days with them. He was very fond of his grandchildren, and had the rare faculty of entertaining them with interesting and instructive stories. This 2 chapter introduces a talk which he gave them on the subject of ^^Hold the Fort/' and which is as follows :

You remember, children, that there is a song found in some of our Sunday school singing books called " Hold the Fort." This song at one time was very popular, and children generally loved to sing it. Its tune was inspiring and much more so its sentiment. But while that song may have worn out, the principle which it illustrated will not cease to exist. It is to inculcate that principle into your tender minds that I have selected this topic for my conversation, which I hope will be both interesting and profitable to you all. The expression " Hold the Fort" originated in this way : During the late civil war a garrison was occupying a fort which protected a very important place. The enemy made an attack upon this fort and endeavored to capture it. The contest was between a faithful few within the fort and a superior number of the enemy without. It was feared that the enemy would overpower the garrison and compel it to surrender. The attack on the fort being anticipated, a detachment of soldiers was sent to reinforce it. This assistance was very timely, perhaps saved the fort. Coming in sight at the most critical moment, its commander took in the situation and signaled, ^^Hold the fort," and then hastened to the rescue. The prospect of help renewed the courage of that devoted little band. Inspired with new hope, it shouted and resisted with renewed courage the attacks of the enemy. Soon the relief arrived and further efforts of the enemy to capture the fort were useless. You may well imagine the joy this timely hel23 awakened in the hearts of those brave defenders of that fort. The message that was signaled to them revived their dying hope, and, like magic, inspired their souls with courage. They held the fort and were crowned the victors of that conflict.

" Grandpa,'' said David, " were there any boys among those brave defenders of that fort?"

I think not. The government did not often enlist boys in the army. Occasionally a drummer boy was admitted, but the army was com|)osed of able-bodied men. Many were young men, even as young as eighteen years.

" I would like to be a soldier in some fort where I would have nothing to do but shoot out at the enemy when he advances to make an attack. I would give him a better brushing than Gen. Jackson gave the enemy that moved against his breastworks of cotton bales at New Orleans/' said David.

" Grandpa, did they have any girls in the army ?" inquired Charity.

No, not as soldiers. The government, however, employed a number of devoted women as nurses. They were often obliged to undergo a great many hardships and self-denials. They were indeed ministering angels to the sick and wounded soldiers. And many a soldier owes his life to the kindness of some faithful army nurse whose name and countenance he has forgotten, but whose kind attention he will never forget.

Thus, while our government did not employ women as soldiers to engage in actual battle, it did employ some as nurses to wait on the sick and wounded. But, children,. I know of a government which enlists in its military service not only men and women, but even boys and girls.

" O grandpa/' said David, " do tell us where that government is. What fun it would be if all of us boys and girls could be enlisted in military service. Yes, it would be sport to carry arms, stay in a fort and shoot at the enemy when he comes within gunshot. What fun it would be to put the enemy to flight. How we would beat the drum and shout, victory ! victory ! victory ! O grandpa, do tell us where they enlist boys and girls to defend forts. We will all volunteer, and be good and true as was that little band of faithful soldiers in the late civil war you have been telling us about."

Well, children, it will be necessary for me to explain matters a little. You know that during our great civil war there were two governments at war with each other. Tiie one was called the federal government, which consisted of the middle, northern and eastern states, and the other was called the confederate government, which consisted of the southern slave states. Now these two governments were unfriendly to each other. They took up arms and fought against each other. In like manner there are two opposing spiritual kingdoms in this world. The one is good and the other evil. The one is the kingdom of light, and the other the kingdom of darkness. The one is the kingdom of Christ, and the other the kingdom of satan. Now we all belong to the one or the other of these two opposing spiritual kingdoms. Which kingdom would you, children, rather belong to ?

" The kingdom of Light and Christ !'' they all exclaim.

I hope, dear children, that you are all in that kingdom and will be loyal to your King as long as you live.

Now what I wish to say is this : Christ's kingdom is opposed to the kingdom of satan. There is a great war going on between these two great powers. Satan has all his subjects enlisted in his cause, and Christ wants all His subjects to enlist in His cause.

" I am ready to join/' says David. " So am I," says Charity. '^And I, too," exclaims Walter.

Now, children, if you have a little j)atience, I will show you how Christ wants you all to join His army and that He has forts in which He wants to place all good men and women, boys and girls.

The strongholds of His kingdom are certain principles which we are to defend as a garrison defends a fort. He has a long line of these forts, and satan is trying to capture them. Whenever the enemy makes a severe attack, the Great Captain signals to the garrison, ^^Hold the Fort, for I am coming."

Indeed we may say that Christ has assigned to His followers the whole line of strongholds which protect His kingdom of Right and Truth from the power of sin and satan. Paul says in Ephesians 6, 12, " We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Now, as every fort has its particular point to guard and its assigned garrison to defend it, so every moral and religious fort has its^ j)articular principle to maintain and its assigned garrison. If we belong to the army of Christ and have espoused the cause of truth and righteousness, then we have some special principles to maintain — a fort to hold and a corresponding enemy to resist. In the course of our conversation we will pass along this line of forts and consider the bulwarks of Zion, and cheer and encourage their garrisons.

Lest I weary you, I will close our conversation for to-night ; and to-morrow evening I will talk about one of those forts which God wants you to help defend.

CHAPTER 11.

Fort Honesty.

I have selected for our topic this evening Fort Honesty. God wants all boys and girls to enter this fort. He wants them to be honest.

Amy asks, " Grandpa, wdiat is honesty ?" It is to deal uprightly with our fellowmen. The other day I saw an advertisement of tobacco. It consisted df an old man with a stove-pipe hat on his head, holding up a plug of tobacco and calling it " Old Honesty." I certainly do not refer to any such filthy thing as tobacco. However genuine, it is not honest. On the contrary, it is very dishonest. It robs the toiler of his wages, the stomach of saliva, the body of health, the nerves of steadiness, and very often the family of food, raiment and shelter. No, tobacco tliat claims to be honest is a fraud, a deceit and a mock ; and he that uses it is not wise. But I mean honesty as a principle of right dealing with God and man. Honesty is a principle of moral strength. A man that is honest has one strong principle of right. He has influence with others and enjoys their confidence. A man may be poor in worldly goods, yet if he is honest, he is sure to command the respect of his fellowmen.

One of the first principles taught us when we were children, was honesty. Then we had this stronghold committed to us and its faithful defence enjoined upon us. There are many who have maintained this f)rinciple from youth. They are reputed as being honest at all times and in all things. But not a few, who, after maintaining the principle for a long time, at last in an unguarded moment allowed themselves to be surprised by satan and yielded to his temptation.

A few years ago there came to my notice

FOET HONESTY. 19

an occurrence which was sad mdeed, and almost led me to feel that no one is absolutely honest, but all are subjects of dishonesty and suspicion. A certain man enjoyed the confidence of the community from his youth. He filled difierent positions of trust, and moved in the line of confidence and promotion. He was beyond suspicion, and for many years held the fort of honesty against the assaults of the great tempter. It was thought that none could fill a certain position in the express company better and' safer than he. For a number of years he filled this position with great acceptance. But after many years of apparently faithful service, it was suddenly and very unexpectedly discovered that there was a shortage in his accounts. At first suspicion was fixed upon a young man who was subsequently proven to be innocent. Not the slightest clue of the guilty party could be found. For two years the whole affair was shrouded in mystery. No one breathed the least suspicion that the man who filled the responsible position and was considered proof against all temjDtation, might be the guilty one. But his subsequent outlay for his family, in excess of his income, gave rise to a little suspicion. This formed a very delicate clue, but by being carefully unravelled by experienced hands, it led to a shocking revelation. That voice of suspicion which at first was weak and feeble, at last uttered boldly the astonishing declaration, "Thou art the many Like a thunder clap on a cloudless day, it uttered a truth which the public was not inclined to believe. The whole town and neighborhood were thrown into excitement. Was it because an officer embezzled the funds of an express company ? No, that often occurs. But it was because the community felt that a fort had been captured — that a stronghold had been taken by the enemy ; that a man who had been noted for honesty so many years had fallen, and with him all the confidence that had been reposed in him. This is not a mere isolated case. Similar cases

FOET HONESTY. 21

are occurring almost daily. How true the admonition of our Lord, " Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. 10 : 12. How important that we daily seek God's grace, and pray, " Lead us not into temptation."

An honest man is said to be a most noble work of creation. There are many examples of persevering honesty. When Pompeii was being exhumed, a sentinel was found who, amidst showers of dust, fire and gas, was true to his trust and died at his post. . His name is unknown, but his deed is immortal. The principle of faithfulness to duty under the most trying circumstances lives and is worth more than ten thousand worthless lives. The furies of Vesuvius were turned against that man, but he flinched not ; he retreated not ; he held his position of trust to the end of life. And the eyes of the nineteenth century witness with exultant admiration his heroic deed. Children, think of this faithful sentinel when you are in positions of trust.

It is said that Dr. Clark, who wrote the commentary on the Bible, when a boy clerked in a dry goods store. One day the proprietor asked him to help stretch a piece of goods which was not quite long enough to meet a certain order. The proprietor thought that if he took one end and Clark the other, they could stretch it sufficiently to make the required length. But Clark refused to help the proprietor. He said it was not honest, and he, like a little hero, defended the principle of honesty by thus refusing to do a dishonest act.

'' Grandpa, should not all clerks defend Fort Honesty V^ asked Amy.

Yes, my child. All clerks are surrounded by temptations to dishonesty, and they can defend the fort by resisting these temptations. The position of a clerk is a trying one. He is exposed to temj)tation, because the opportunities of being dishonest are numerous. It is the opportunity that makes the thief in many cases. Some do not steal because they do not have the opportunity.

FOKT HONESTY. 23

If any of you ever become a clerk, be honest. Do not take advantage of your customers by overcharging or in giving less change than is due them. Never be guilty of robbing your proprietor by taking, on the sly, articles of merchandize, or change from the money drawer. Be honest to the very penny, and you will fare better in the end.

God calls upon all clerks and merchants to defend this principle. There are many merchants who have the well-merited reputation of being honest. They are reliable, and. the people feel safe in dealing with them. They never blarney their customers and use few adjectives in reference to their goods. They give an honest statement as to their quality and price, and they are generally correct in their book accounts. A dishonest merchant is an unprincipled man. He flatters his customers and says much about the superior quality of his goods and their cheapness. His customers are finally drawn in and victimized. They soon discover that the goods have been too highly rated in quality and price. A feeling of dissatisfaction is produced. They lose confidence in that merchant, and will deal sparingly and suspiciously with him.

Be honest, children. It may ajDpear to be a plodding way of getting along, but it is the best. I have known merchants who have enjoyed the confidence of the community for years. Their prosperity wa-s not rapid, but gradual ; slow, but sure. They built up not only a trade, but also a reputation for honesty. They thus maintained in their business this principle and become its true defenders.

" Grandpa, are only merchants called upon to do garrison duty in this fort T^ asks David.

Oh, no, my dear child. The tailor is called upon to be honest in making garments. The shoemaker, too, should be honest in putting good material into the shoes he makes, and bestowing good work uj)on them. And the baker should be hon-

FOET HONESTY. 25

est in his business by using pure material. The carpenter can build a house honestly or dishonestly. The mason can do his work honestly or dishonestly. An honest mechanic is one who puts in his full time, is busy during working hours and does his work well. Any common laborer can rob liis employer by not giving in return for his wages a sufficient quantity and quality of work. " Killing time" and " standing out one's road tax/' are familiar examples.

Indeed every person is called upon to practice "honesty, the rich and the poor, the high and the low, the young and the aged. It is a great principle of the Christian religion. It is implied in the commandment, ^^ Thou shalt not steal." And it is positively declared in the words, " Provide things honest in the sight of all men."

Solomon in Prov. 15 : 3 says, " The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." Nothing can escape His notice. AVhen Achan stole the silver, the gold and the Babylonish garments, he 3 concealed them, and thought no one would find him out. But God saw him commit the deed, his own conscience condemned him ; and it was not long till his great sin was discovered by the people, and all Israel stoned him, and burned him and raised over him a great heap of stones. This was a monument to his crime and its punishment, and was a warning to God's people.

When Ananias and Sapphira withheld a certain portion from the Lord, they committed the sin of dishonesty. They thought no one knew their crime. When questioned, they lied about the matter. But they could not keep their crime hid from God, who not only disclosed their great sin, but also punished them immediately with death. This incident was faithfully recorded that it might be an admonition to the living in all subsequent time. This man and woman were not only dishonest, but were led by their dishonest act to tell a lie. So boys often do a dishonest act, and when they are questioned about it, they tell lies. Thus

FOKT HONESTY. 27

one sin leads to another, one crime to another. One step in the downward road prepares for another.

Ananias and Sapphira were covetous. They pretended to have given their all to the Master, but kept back a part. So, we fear, many in our day are influenced by the same selfish spirit. Like them they may be prosperous and appear to be honest in their dealings with their fellowmen. Perhaps they are honest in their dealings because it is policy. But in dealing with God and His cause they act from neither policy nor principle. They daily partake of God's bounty and are dependent upon Him who is the giver of every good and perfect gift. But they do not recognize the claims of God upon them. They virtually defraud their Maker out of His just claims. In Malachi 3 : 8 we read, " Will a man rob God ? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say. Wherein have we robbed thee ? In tithes and offerings.'' In the Old Testament times the people were obliged to give one-tenth of their income to the cause of the Lord. In our dispensation there is no law rigidly binding us to a specified amount, but we are taught that all we have belongs to God, and that it is only loaned to us, and we are to use it for His honor and glory. Christ says in Matt. 10 : 8, " Freely ye have received, freely give." Christ highly commended the j30or widow who cast in two mites, which was all that she had. The rich usually give but little of their abundance, but this poor widow gave all that she had. One of His disciples said, " Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee." Mark 10 : 28. But what are professed Christians of to-day doing? In some churches the benevolence does not average yearly twentyfive cents per member, in others not over fifty cents per member, and in a very few churches does it average one dollar per member. The Jews gave one-tenth of their increase, but very few professed Christians in our day give one-hundredth. Is not this withholding from the Lord that which belongs to Him ?

FORT HOISTESTY. 29

Christ says the poor ye have always with you. He has His orphans' homes, the schools of the prophets where young men are prepared for the ministry, His superannuated ministers, and His missions at home and in foreign lands. These are some of the institutions of His kingdom. And He demands a portion of our income to sustaim them. In answer to the great questionv " Wilt a man rob God ?" I say the man who is withholding the Lord's portion does this. Hence " the love of money is the root of all ' evil." 1 Tim. 6 : 10. Jesus said, Mark 10 : 23 : '' How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God."

A man who sets his heart upon his riches is an idolator, and '' no idolator shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6 : 9. Our Savior said in Matth. 6 : 24, " No man can serve two masters : for either he will hate • the one, and love the other ; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Ananias and Sapphira tried to serve these two masters, but they were wrecked for two worlds, this and the future world. God entered into a fearful reckoning with them, and on account of their dishonesty and lying, tliey were stricken with instant death, temporal and eternal. We fear that many whom God has blessed with abundance will, in like manner, have a fearful reckoning at the last day. We should never forget that withholding the Lord's portion or that which we should give to charitable objects, is dishonesty in the sight of God. Solomon says in Prov. 11 : 24, " There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth ; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." At the judgment day Jesus will declare who were honest and who were not ; who withheld His portion and who did not. Let us turn to Matthew's 25th chapter and read from the 31st verse to the 46th verse: ^' When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory : And before him

FORT HOISTESTY. 31

shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats : And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, bnt the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world : For I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a .stranger, and ye took me in : Naked, and ye clothed me ; I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying. Lord, when saw we thee a hungered, and fed thee, or thirsty, and gave thee drink ? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the King shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall lie say also unto them on the left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlastmg fire, prepared for the devil and his angels : For I was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me not in : naked, and ye clothed me not : sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying. Lord, when saw we thee a hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee ? Then shall he answer them, saying. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous into life eternal."

Now, children, if you would enjoy the favor of God in this life and His commendations at the judgment day, be honest, not only in your dealings with mankind, but be honest in a higher sense by meeting the just claims of God and mankind upon your

FORT HOIN^ESTY. 33

liberality. We are servants of God. He has committed talents to us, and we are to use them for His glory and the good of mankind. That is rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. Withhold not that which belongs to God or your fellowmen. Remember that honesty is a great moral principle. You are called upon to hold this fort, that is, to maintain and practice this principle. This night, before lying down to sleep, ask God to give you grace to be honest, that you may never take advantage of your playmates or deceive them in any way ; and that should your lives be spared, that you f (may become honest men and women. As it is now late, we will close our interesting conversation, and, if God permits, we will talk | about another fort to-morrow night.