The recollection of a sentry patroling his post and giving his challenge, "Halt! Who goes there?" when some indiscernible form looms up in the darkness, has impressed me while guarding against error. The great Commander-in-Chief of the spiritual forces has charged us, "What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch," and this command, appearing under the heading of the Christian Science Sentinel every week, reiterates an instruction which is the most important that the Christian soldier needs to bear in mind.
It is the duty of the sentry to watch,—to observe the approach of danger, to note "Who goes there,"—and to fail to perform this duty in time of war is to suffer a penalty which is the more significant to the Christian Scientist who knows that "the wages of sin is death." To allow evil to enter consciousness through neglect to watch and challenge its every suggestion, coming from within or without, is the most serious offence against self and against humanity.
The man on guard duty has a beat to patrol under all conditions,—in fair weather, in blinding snowstorms, or in prostrating heat. All through the weary night he treads his beat and the dawn finds him still on guard. In time of war the patrol on the outskirts of a camp in a hostile country needs to be alert and courageous; negligence or timidity has often brought disaster upon a country and its defenders.
