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THE GIRDLE OF TRUTH.

"But you cannot do this effectually unless you seek help from some one or something higher than yourself. A little boy, climbing up a hill, gets to the top much quicker and safer if an elder brother lends him a hand; men who traverse mountains secure safety and strength by linking themselves together. Union is strength,' and if, in the course of your life climbing and life fighting, you bind yourself to some one who is mightier than you, you will come off more than conqueror. Arm yourself ready for the fight. Do what the Apostle tells you, 'Put on the whole armour of God;' there is nothing like it for protecting the wearer; with that securely clasped and fastened round about your body, you may go securely into the fight.

"Now, notice what the different pieces of armour are, Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth.' Men, when they prepare to run a race, to wrestle, or to fight, fasten a belt or kerchief tightly round their waist, which they feel to be a support and strength to that part of the frame where weakness first flies, where fatigue is first felt; so in our great life-fight, our great spiritual-fight, we have at all times to put on the girdle of truth, which will be help and strength to us.

"Next, you are to have on the 'breastplate of Righteousness, so that when you receive a bayonet charge from the enemy, the point may glance harmlessly off, and not pierce to the heart. A soldier once

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went into battle with a New Testament, the gift of his mother, in the bosom of his dress; he fought bravely throughout the battle, and at night, by the camp fire, took out his Bible to read, when, to his surprise, a bullet fell from among the leaves, and on examination he found the shot had penetrated half through the book. The Testament had been as a breastplate to him, and was the means of saving his life. Put on the breastplate of Righteousness,' it is both sword-proof and bullet-proof.

"The next thing with which you must equip yourselves is a 'preparation of the Gospel of peace,' with which you are to clad your feet. It will make them nimble and active, ever ready and willing to carry to others, who have been sore wounded in conflict, the message of glad tidings and peace, or swift to bring aid to those who are sore pressed by the enemy. You may have the girdle of truth, and the breastplate, yet, without your feet being shod with the Gospel of peace,' you may pass all your days fighting for yourselves, and never bestow a thought or care upon a poor fellow-soldier in distress.

"The Apostle says, 'Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. You see he lays particular stress upon taking the shield; that used to be a very important article in ancient warfare. He who was skilful in using it, could in an instant cover any part of his body which the foe threatened to assail. So, if

104 THE HELMET AND THE SWORD.

you carry about with you a good, strong, firm, and enduring faith, on which to receive all the blows of your wily enemy, it will save you from many a grievous wound.

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"Next, you are to wear the helmet of Salvation,' which is to be a protection to the head, as sometimes your enemy aims at that exclusively, and it becomes absolutely necessary to have it strictly guarded. There is an Italian proverb which says, 'He that has a head of wax should not walk in the sun,' that is as much as to say, if the head is the weakest part of your body, be careful in shielding it from all danger, and this cannot be more effectually done than by wearing the helmet of salvation.

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"Then you have to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. You must use your Bible as a weapon of defence to ward off blows, and as a weapon of offence with which to give strong, lusty blows in return for those which you receive.

"If, when you set out in life to fight the great battle which all must fight, you go forth clothed with such armour as Paul describes, you will be well prepared to meet your foes, for whom you must ever keep on the watch, and be constant in your prayer for strength,; for they are mighty and strong.

"A king of France, many hundred years ago, went out with his army to give battle to the enemy who had invaded his land; and he took with him his son, a little lad of twelve or thirteen years of age, to whom

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he said, before the battle commenced, 'Keep close to my side and fear not, I will protect you.' Now, the battle went sore against the king. His army was defeated and fled, and all his gallant knights slain or in the hands of the enemy, while the king himself was surrounded by foes who sought to take him and his son prisoners. The boy, remembering what his father had said, kept close to his side, and whenever and wherever he saw a foe about to strike, he shouted, 'Father, strike right! Father, strike left! Father, strike front!' And to whichever point the boy directed attention down came the battle-axe of the king, and a foe bit the dust.

"Now, that is how you boys should act. You have a Father, a King, able and willing to protect you. When your foes press round about you, and are too many for you, send up a swift and earnest prayer— 'Father, strike this !' Father, strike that!' and you will be master of the field. Fight the good fight, boys, and leave off school quarrels, which only disfigure your faces, and learn you to cherish bitter and uncharitable thoughts and feelings. Fight the good fight!"