always, regardless of
consequences, though it may entail loss of friendships, or money, or
position, or social standing, or personal preference, or radical change
of plans, or, what not.

Judas assented to the cravings of his ambitious self and said "no" to
his Master, thinking possibly, with his worldly shrewdness, thereby to
force Jesus to assert His power. He little knew what a time of crisis it
was, and what terrific results would follow.

Peter stood on the side of his cowardly, shrinking self in the
court-yard that dark night, and against his Master. And though with
matchless love he was forgiven, he never forgave himself, nor was able
to get that night's doings out of his memory. Judas and Peter were
brothers in action that night, and there are evidences that many other
disciples are standing over in the same group. Are you? Which road do
you choose to-night: this--to the left? Or, this--to the right?

I knew a young man who was deeply attached to an admirable young woman,
both refined christian persons, much above the average in native
ability, and in culture. He made known to her his feelings. But as many
a woman who does not trust her best Friend in such matters is apt to do
she held him off, testing him repeatedly, to find out just how real his
attachment was. Finally revealing indirectly her own feeling she still
withheld the consent he pleaded for, until he would yield acquiescence
in a certain plan of hers for him. The plan, proper enough in itself,
was an ambitious one, and tended decidedly toward swinging him away from
the high, tenderly spiritual ideals that had swayed his life in college
and afterwards, though he probably was not clearly conscious of this
tendency. The only safe thing to do under such strong circumstances was
to take time, aside, alone, for calm, poised, thought and prayer, to
learn if her plan was also the Master's plan for him. But the personal
element proved too strong for such deliberation. The possibility of
losing her swung him off of his feet. It was no longer a question
between her plan and the Master's plan. The latter dropped out of view,
probably half-unconsciously because hurriedly. _He must have her_, he
thought. That rose before his eyes above all else. And so the decision
was made. With what result? He is to-day prominent in christian service,
an earnest speaker, a tireless worker, with a most winsome personality.
But his inner spiritual life has perceptibly dwarfed.