I
will go to the war in your place." He went, and was killed in action,
and the farmer had travelled many a weary mile to kneel beside his
grave, and to carve on the headstone the words--"_Died for me._"

Brethren, what ought our gratitude to be to the Lord Jesus, who loved
us, and died for us upon the Cross of Calvary? True gratitude is shown
by deeds as well as words. We must try to show our thankfulness to God
not only with our lips but in our lives. Too many people are content
to get all they can from God, and never to give anything in return.
They tell us that they are poor miserable sinners, who can do nothing,
and give nothing, they must leave all to the mercies of Jesus. Now,
brethren, this is very often mere selfishness. They do not _want_ to
give anything to God, they are not really thankful. It is not true to
say that we can give nothing to God. We are bidden in the Gospel to
render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things
that are God's. We can all give God _worship_, and we should give it
in the best way possible, as a token of our thankfulness.

It is for this reason that we build beautiful Churches, and decorate
them with stained glass windows, and rich carvings. Such Churches are
thank-offerings, signs of our gratitude to Him who on earth was
homeless, who was born in a stable, who had not where to lay His head.
There are people who murmur at the expense of building and decorating
such Churches. They say, "To what purpose was this waste?" They are
very nearly related to Judas Iscariot of old, who asked the same
question, and, like him, they love themselves, and the money bag,
better than their Master. These people tell us that God does not care
for handsome Churches and stately services. So they would give the
Almighty a white-washed building, whilst they dwell in a fair and
costly mansion. They would have fine damask and soft covering for
their table, whilst they have dirty linen and a moth eaten cloth for
the Altar of their God. They will drink out of cut-glass and silver at
their feasts, and they leave the feast of Christ's dying love, the
Blessed Sacrament of praise and thanksgiving, to be celebrated in
vessels of base metal. Their houses are kept in excellent repair, and
cleansed by careful hands, but they suffer the House of God to fall to
decay, and allow His Presence Chamber to be defiled with dirt. And all
this arises from a want of thankfulness to God.