vitality
is lowered, by the presence and influence of members who have said, 'I
will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest,' but whose vow was but a
flash in the pan, and never meant anything. They did not know what they
were saying. They had not stopped to think why they were saying it,
still less did they take the advice of the Master to count their forces
before they went into the battle, and see whether their ten thousand
could meet him that would come against them with twenty thousand.

I do not suppose that much of our modern religionism is in great danger
from too fervid emotion. That, certainly, is not the side on which our
average Christianity is defective. No feeling can be too fervid which
has been kindled by profound contemplation and hearty acceptance of
Christ's redeeming love. The facts to which sound religious emotion
looks, warrant, and the work in the Christian life which it has to do,
needs that it shall be at white-heat, if it is to be worthy of its
object and equal to its tasks. But there very often is emotion which is
too fervid for the convictions which are presumed to kindle it, and
which burns itself out quickly because it neither comes from principle
nor leads to action. No resolution to follow Christ can be too
enthusiastic, nor any renunciation for His sake too absolute, to
correspond to His supreme authority. But there may very easily be brave
words much too great for the real determination which is in them. A
half-empty bottle makes more noise, if you shake it, than a full one. We
cannot estimate the hindrances of the Christian life too lightly; if we
do so knowing them, and thinking little of them because we think so
joyfully of Christ our helper. But there may very easily be a
presumptuous contempt of these, which is only the result of ignorance
and self-confidence, and will soon be abased into dread of them, and
probably end in desertion of Him.

A sadly large number of professing Christians may see their own faces in
this mirror. How many of us are exactly like this man? Long, long ago we
vowed to follow Christ. Have we advanced a yard on the Christian course
since then, or do we stand very much at the same point as on that
far-off day? Some of us, who spent no breath in saying what we were
going to do, but used it in the prayer, 'Draw me, and I will run after
Thee,' have followed the Captain. Some of us have been like clumsy
recruits, who have only been marking time all the while, one