ay--Chocolate--brittleness!

Yet hero as he was, even David alas! once played the role of
Chocolate Soldier. HE STAYED AT HOME WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE GONE TO WAR.
His army, far off, in danger, fighting the enemy, won. David, at
home, secure, within sight of God's house and often going there,
suffered the one great defeat of his life, entailing such a bitter,
life-long reaping as might well deter others from the folly of sowing
wild oats. David's sin is a terrific sermon (like Lot's preaching in
Sodom must have been), its theme--"DON'T BE A CHOCOLATE SOLDIER!"

In his simple, quick, and full confession, David proved himself a man
again. It takes a real man to make a true confession--a Chocolate
Soldier will excuse or cloak his sin. He tumbles in the mud,
flounders on, wipes his mouth to try to get the bad taste of his
acted lie out of it, and then goes on his way saying, "I have done no
wickedness." A self-murdering fool! Killing his conscience to save
his face, like Balaam beating the ass who sought to save his master's
life. Being a Chocolate Soldier nearly did for David. Beware!

NATHAN was another real Christian Soldier. He went to his king and
rebuked him to his face, like Peter's dealing with Ananias (only
David embraced his opportunity and confessed), and unlike the
Chocolate Soldiers of today who go whispering about and refusing
either to judge, rebuke, or put away evil because of the entailed
scandal forsooth. Veritable Soapy Sams. They say "It is nothing!
nothing at all! A mere misunderstanding!" As though God's cause would
suffer more through a bold declaration and defense of the truth and
the use of the knife, than by the hiding up of sin, and the certain
development of mortification in the member, involving death to the
whole body. "He that doeth righteousness is righteous," and "he that
doeth sin is of the devil," and ought to be told so. He that is a
second time led captive by the devil needs neither plaster nor
treacle, but the brace rebuke and summons to repentance of a
righteous man to effect his salvation. WE ARE BADLY IN NEED OF
NATHANS TODAY, who fear God and nought else, no, not even a scandal.

DANIEL was another hero. Of course he was! Was he not the man greatly
beloved of God who sent an angel to tell him so?

I love to watch him as he walks, with firm step and radiant face, to
the lions' den, stopping but once--like his Master en route to
Calvary--to comfort his weeping and agonized emperor. G