He Who said, “I come not to do mine own will but the will of Him that sent Me,” also said, “I lay My life down of Myself, no man taketh it from Me.”  Herein is the discipline of sacrifice complete by the using of one’s own will to surrender it absolutely to the will of another.

We have spoken so fully of the surrenders of will being made on all sides that we need say no more now on that point, but for further illustration let us turn our thoughts in a somewhat fresh direction.

The example of Belgium is a living witness of the power of self-sacrifice.

G.K.  Chesterton has put forth a striking pamphlet entitled “The Martyrdom of Belgium”; in it he says: 

“There are certain quite unique and arresting features about the case of Belgium.  To begin with, it cannot be too much considered what a daring stroke of statesmanship—­far-sighted, perhaps, but of frightful courage—­the King of the Belgians ventured in resisting at all.  Of that statesmanship we had the whole advantage, and Belgium the whole disadvantage:  she saved France, she saved England—­herself she could not save.”

Had Belgium yielded instead of standing out, then, humanly speaking, nothing could have averted the immediate success of the German dash for Paris.

Now think for one moment of the solemn obligation this lays upon us in regard to that gallant, struggling, yet temporarily dismembered little nation.  We must look after the refugees.  There are those who say, “The Government have brought the Belgians over here, let the Government make their support a State matter.”

One almost blushes to have to deal with such a sentiment.  Could 1_s._ in the L income-tax take the place, morally, spiritually, or ethically, of the rich profusion of voluntary aid now being poured forth?  The loss to the nation, of that which is purest and noblest in its life, would be simply unspeakable.  It is suffering that provides opportunity for the exercise of the highest duty known to man, “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ.”  Try to picture to yourself, quietly yet resolutely, what it would mean to you to-morrow morning, to find suddenly that you had to leave your house, not in a motor-car for a railway train; no! but to turn out at once, without time to put together any belongings; to tramp, perhaps in pouring rain, along miles of road, foodless, cold, exhausted; seeing those around you dropping out to faint or die by the wayside; not knowing where or how the journey should end.  This is what has happened to tens of thousands of Belgians; many, cultured and refined, coming forth penniless from homes of comfort and plenty!

In ministering to the needs of the Belgians you find a glorious privilege, a priceless opportunity.  Again, to quote G.K.  Chesterton: