was
able, almost spent with fatigue, to stagger to the land. Now, what
saved that man? was it his gun? Surely not; it was the rock: _that_ was
his standing-ground. But was his gun, therefore, useless? Assuredly
not, for it helped to steady him on the rock, though it could not take
the place of the rock. Just so with the pledge; it is not the Christian
abstainer's standing-ground. Christ alone is that standing-ground. He
stands by the grace of Christ; but the pledge, like the gun, helps to
keep him steady on his standing-ground, the Rock of Ages."

"Well," said Mr Oldfield, "let us grant that there is some force in
your illustration. I would further ask how it can be that Frank's
taking the pledge would be a benefit to others as well as himself?"

"For the same reason that my own signing of the pledge is beneficial,"
replied the rector.

"Nay," interposed Sir Thomas; "would not your signing the pledge do
rather harm than good? Would it not rather weaken your own influence by
giving people reason to think, (those I mean especially who might not
know you well), that you had once been intemperate yourself, or that you
were unable to keep sober, or at any rate moderate, without the help of
the pledge."

"On the contrary," replied Mr Oliphant, "I look upon those who take the
pledge as greatly encouraging others who might be inclined to hang back.
It shows that the stronger are willing to fraternise with the weaker.
And this is specially the case when those who are known to have never
been entangled in the snares of drunkenness are willing to take the
pledge as an encouragement to those who have fallen. Perhaps you will
bear with me if I offer you another illustration. There is a great
chasm, a raging torrent at the bottom, and a single strong plank across
it. Now persons with steady heads can walk over the chasm without
difficulty, along the naked plank; but there are others who shudder at
the very thought, and dare not venture--their heads swim, their knees
tremble, as they approach the edge. What is to be done? Why, just put
a little light hand-rail from a post on either side, and let one who is
strong of head walk over, resting his hand on the rail; he does not need
the rail for himself but he uses it just to show how it may be a help,
and so the timid and the dizzy-headed follow and feel confidence, and
reach the other side in safety. Now, suppose the flood at the bottom of
that chasm to be intemperance