t. They come to Jesus by night. They creep to his feet when
no eye is looking at them. They cannot brave the gaze of their
fellowmen. They are shy and timid. We may not say one harsh word
regarding such disciples. The Master said not one word implying blame
of his secret disciples.

Yet it cannot be doubted that secret discipleship is incomplete. It is
not just to Christ himself that we should receive the blessings of his
love and grace, and not speak of him to the world. We owe it to him
who gave himself for us to speak his name wherever we go, and to honor
him in every way. Secret discipleship does not fulfil love's duty to
the world. If we have found that which has blessed us richly, we owe
it to others to tell them about it. To hide away in our own heart the
knowledge of Christ is to rob those who do not know of him. It is the
worst selfishness to be willing to be saved alone. Further, secret
discipleship misses the fulness of blessing which comes to him who
confesses Christ before men. It is he who believes with his heart and
confesses with his mouth, who has promise of salvation. Confession is
half of faith. Secret discipleship is repressed, restrained, confined,
and is therefore hampered, hindered, stunted discipleship. It never
can grow into the best possible strength and richness of life. It is
only when one stands before the world in perfect freedom, with nothing
to conceal, that one grows into the fullest, loveliest Christlikeness.
To have the friendship of Christ, and to hide it from men is to lose
its blessing out of our own heart.

"To lie by the river of life and see it run to waste,
To eat of the tree of heaven while the nations go unfed,
To taste the full salvation--the only one to taste--
To live while the rest are lost--oh, better by far be dead!

For to share is the bliss of heaven, as it is the joy of earth;
And the unshared bread lacks savor, and the wine unshared, lacks zest;
And the joy of the soul redeemed would be little, little worth
If, content with its own security, it could forget the rest."

In the case of Nicodemus and Joseph, Jesus was very gentle with
timidity; but under the nurture of his gentleness timidity grew into
noble courage. Yet, beautiful as was their deed that day, who will not
say that it came too late for fullest honoring of the Master? It would
have been better if they had shown their friendship while he was
living, to have cheered