ALONE
It is human to stand with the crowd…
It is divine to stand alone…
It is man-like to follow the people, to drift with the tide…
It is God like to follow a principle, to stem the tide.
It is natural to compromise conscience and follow the social and religious fashion for the sake of gain or pleasure; It is divine to sacrifice both on the altar of truth and duty.
“No man stood with me, but all men forsook me”, wrote the battle scarred apostle in describing his first appearance before Nero to answer for his life for believing and teaching contrary to the Roman World.
Truth has been out of fashion since man changed his robe of fadeless light fora garment of faded leaves.
Noah built and voyaged alone. His neighbours laughed at his strangeness and perished in style.
Abraham wandered and worshipped alone. Sodomites smiled at the simple shepherd, followed the following for fashion, and fed the flames.
Daniel dined and prayed alone, Elijah sacrificed and witnessed alone. Jeremiah prophesied and wept alone.
Jesus lived and died alone. He said of the lonely way his disciples should walk:
“Straight is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it”.
Of their treatment by the many who walk in the broad way He said,“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you”
The church in the wilderness praised Abraham and persecuted Moses. The church of the Kings praised Moses and persecuted the prophets. The church of
Caiaphus praised the prophets and persecuted Jesus.
The church of the popes praised the Saviour and persecuted the saints. And multitudes now, in the church and the world, applaud the courage of the patriarch and prophets, the apostles and martyrs but condemn as stubbornness or foolishness, like faithfulness of today.
Wanted Today, Men and Women, Young and Old who will Obey their Convictions of Truth and Duty at the Cost of Fortune and Friends and Life Itself.
Victor At Gallipoli
(An Address by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey)
“Those heroes that shed their blood
and lost their lives…
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country,
therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Jonnies
and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side.
Here in this country of ours…
You, the mothers,
who sent their sons from far away countries
wipe away your tears.
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have
become our sons as well.”
ANZAC Memorial, 1934.
