Sermon Preached to the S.V.C. in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Shanghai, by the Rev, A, Ne Rowland, on May 18, 1924
"Choose ye this day Whom ye will serve." Josh. 24. 15.
Thorp is nothing that searches a A brilliant French book publish-man more closely than the appeal ed just before the war tells of a for moral decision, and nothing that young officer who was sick of the satisfies him better when he has "good time" he had extracted for' made his answer. But can it be himself from the pleasures of Paris, expected of him, that he should and he took up a edmmand in the up his mind in religion seeing.
French provinces of North Afri there are so many conflicting claims, where he was confronted with 40 many churches and doctrines, Mohammedanism and its mark on much variety of stai social life. The thought pursued dards and standpoints? What and at last captured him that he, can a man do with all these. Why as an officer of the French army, should he not wait until the was representative of a Christian churches are greed, and the con-flag and a Christian standard, and troversies settled and all Chris-lhe must change his heart and his! tians perfect. And meantime drift? ways and he was to fulfil his trust. There is a better answer than that. It is a burning thought for us who Let a man put all these questions have come from Christian homes to and concentrate on the a non-Christian land.
"Choose Whom. ye will serve," Te that really matter really matters,
personal loyalty that makes 7-1 One glance at the last word be igion a reality.
in the Cambridge Boat that broke $2", Move, done. "Choose. Whom re T have done. "Choose Whar the spell of Oxtora's victories just el seree, God's will i a ser-before the war halt te evew were ct, Salvation in. the Christian keen Christian men, and one of heaven, but as John Masefield. pat them wan Kenneth Gordon Gamnett Meyer, but as John Masefeld put Mountaineer trid mithematican, "ta brother all the sous dan of unusual gifts and charm, he] Rett leave the, datneton won the M.C, the gospel selfishly. Whatever we memoir of him it is written Guerre and felt in 1917, Seema, elderly. Wheserer we lenos that, our mind isto be on herosworshipped his Lord and had quaws antt, oUF daubs oF difteuitien about dace My strate pi hand cutin mind is to be
that. But once a man hax made "Not all are s0 happy as] Jay ent generation with all that is within ws, Jesus Christ hiy hero he is free of Did you read of the cadets that his choices as to Church and doc-tung, free of his views as to Bible: were recently put on board a ship by the Chinese Government, that. or worship. Once settle your personal loyalty and your particular they might learn good seamanship under foreign direction and become Jearning may settle themselves.
take a homely illustration, Of service to their country? They: refused to keep time in their row-there may be a hundred standpoints ing or to haul up the boat until fon the rim of a wheel, but all on they had had their chow. "We tone axis, and so the old waggon came on board to be "captain,'"" removes on. That is just how the plied those young men, "not to take world didvances. Its future rests on the circle of those who" occupy: orders but to give them," and they. various standpoints but are all re-went on in their contemptible way. And by contrast we think of "His Jnted to Christ by faith and obe-Majesty's Service" with its tra dience, loyalty and service, which may be called the spokes of the tions and discipline and responsi-wheel. Decision for Christ fixes bility which are the pride of our race. your lite on its true centre, makes: We think again of the feudal you part of the wheel that tan car-our monarchy the burden, and makes you eaphas come to its place. of security able of bearing the strain. Whether and "honour—"Ich dien"—I serve. God gives you much or little to ear-'That secret of our public life came zy, whether your load be one of res-from Christ, whose programme Ponsibility or obedience, opposition, never was to please Hi waited on, but to Yous or success, life cannot buckle for break if it vests on Christ, others and' to give Hi "Choose Whom ye will serve." som for many." "Therefore. God. hath highly exalted Him that in the: name of Jesus every knee should how." "Choose ye this day Whom T suppose in the long run we all ye will serve." admit this, There in nota. man who would say itis not true, but many act ax if it were not urgent, and plan for a "good time" first,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.