And they turned not when they went.—ezekiel i. 12.
What a description of directness, of sincerity, of truthfulness, of straightforwardness.
This is part of the prophet's description of the Living Creatures whom he saw in his vision; but how well it applies to men,—not to the Iscariots and Arnolds, but to good and true men, who go straight to their work, like an arrow from the bow. Such a man was Garrison. Such another man was John Brown. Such men were Judson the missionary, Bishop Heber, Father Mathew, Dr. Hopkins. Such men have we among us today,—aye! and women also. Having once embraced a cause, they obey the injunction of Jesus, and never look back or turn back. An arrow never looks back. It is no boomerang! It never returns on its course. But the arrow falls to the ground; whereas Ezekiel's Living Creatures never fell to the ground, but flew on and on, sailing, like some strong albatross, beneath the blue sky, in the blaze of sunlight.
