What's Left Behind is Important

One of God’s incredible blessings on my life is that I am the youngest son of Warren Howell (who turns 91 later this month!). I’ve done nothing to earn it, and had nothing to do with the selection process. It’s simply one of God’s amazing gifts of grace that has marked me and shaped aspects of my personality, my work ethic, my parenting, and my views as a Salvationist.

If I had the time, I’d tell you about Warren Howell the Corps Sergeant-Major of nearly every corps we attended, or Warren Howell the Songster Leader, or Warren Howell the de facto corps officer of a small military base in Morocco, Africa, and the many other times where he saw a ministry-related need and filled it. That’s just the way he always was.

The way he is now, however, is something altogether different. In many ways he’s even someone altogether different. Alzheimer’s disease does that to people. Slowly, irreversibly, the quietly strong, spiritually passionate man I’ve known as my dad continues to fade away like an old photograph. The fragile, older man I see in his place bears a striking resemblance to him, but it’s only a faint representation. Many of the best details of his personality have already disappeared,

But throughout his life – one day at a time – my dad has built and handed me a rich legacy. It’s a blessing I deeply treasure, and take great joy in sharing with others. What’s more is that I carefully guard and protect it. You see, I wouldn’t want any careless action on my part to cast a shadow on the heritage he has passed to me.

As Salvationists, just how careful are we with the doctrine of and belief in heart holiness which has been handed to us by our Army forbears? Far beyond the lives of the Booths, Railton, Brengle, and other well-known personalities, a vast Army of faithful soldiers – the majority of whose names have faded from our memories – have proved the possibility of living a holy life.

I wonder… Are we in danger of allowing this spiritual birthright to fade until it becomes little more than a footnote in a religious history book, or will we pray that God’s Spirit rekindle this burning zeal that inspires us to live our lives out from under the power of sin? Will we hold to our God-given spiritual heritage of holiness or will we blend into the background in an eager attempt to look like everyone else on the evangelical landscape?

In a classic passage in his book Love Slaves, Commissioner Brengle shares his concern on this very subject:

“…it is this Holiness – the doctrine, the experience, the action – that we Salvationists must maintain, otherwise we shall betray our trust; we shall lose our birthright; we shall cease to be a spiritual power in the earth; we shall have a name to live and yet be dead; our glory will depart; and we, like Samson shorn of his locks, shall become as other men; the souls with whom we are entrusted will grope in darkness or go elsewhere for soul-nourishment and guidance and while we may still have titles and ranks, which will have become vainglorious, to bestow upon our children, we shall have no heritage to bequeath them of martyr-like sacrifice, or spiritual power, or dare-devil faith, of pure, deep joy, of burning love, of holy triumph.”

– Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle
Love Slaves

I think his words have proven to be rather prophetic, don’t you?

Tell me...What kind of an Army are you leaving to those behind us?

Keep your altar ready and your fire hot…!

Willis

An "Over the Line" Life

Colonel William Barrett Travis knew the situation was hopeless.

He was in command of a rag-tag group of rebels holed up in San Antonio, Texas, in an old Spanish mission called the Alamo, surrounded by thousands of Mexican troops under the leadership of General Santa Anna. Travis offered a final opportunity to the men gathered with him inside the walls. According to legend, Travis drew his sword and scratched a line in the sand. He then challenged all those who were willing to stand and die for what they believed to cross the line.

The choice Travis put to his men couldn’t have been clearer. It was a classic “black-and-white” decision:

• CHOICE A – Stay, fight, and accept the consequence for their actions and convictions.
• CHOICE B – Give in and surrender to the force that surrounded them.

Choose this or that — period. No third option, no “middle ground.”

The stakes were ultimately high. One side of the line meant life and general comfort. The other side represented sacrifice, pain, and probably death -- a fact that was certainly in sharp focus.

While the “line in the sand” story may or may not be true, we do know that a life-or-death choice was, in fact, made by each man in the Alamo. History records that in the early hours of Sunday, March 6, 1836, Santa Anna’s forces breached the walls and eventually killed every Alamo defender. But their courageous stand inspired an army and their sacrifice fanned a flame of passion that led to the establishing of the Republic of Texas.

It’s not too much of a stretch to draw the parallel that as Christians – and especially as soldiers of The Salvation Army – we too are surrounded by an enemy force that would like to eliminate us. And like the Alamo’s soldiers, we have to choose to either make an uncompromising – often uncomfortable – stand for our convictions and our mission, or give in to the pressures of culture, peers, and critics all around us. Clear cut choices of right and wrong, good or bad, courage or cowardice, participant or by-stander, are put in front of us on a daily basis inviting us to choose a side and act accordingly. And the choices we make will either inspire others to similar acts of faith and courage or give them reason to question our beliefs and write-off our witness.

Generally speaking, today’s society doesn’t like well-defined lines — let alone people whose actions are determined by their beliefs and convictions. In fact, there are many who work very hard to blur and distort much of what is clear. Today’s culture tells us that there are few, if any, moral absolutes, truth should be left up to the individual and his/her circumstances, and that open-minded acceptance of everyone’s point of view is the preferred attitude of the day. Consequently far too many of God’s soldiers have become uncomfortable with openly declaring a firm position or opposing view about most of what goes on within their circle of influence. Rather than crossing the line, taking a stand, and making a difference, they sit back and blend in with the crowd, allowing people to sink deeper in sin and continue their slide toward Hell.

Friends, this kind of compromise and fence-straddling is simply not an option for the Salvationist!

Tell me… When was the last time you reviewed the terms and conditions you agreed to live by when you were sworn in and enrolled as “a true soldier of The Salvation Army”? The day you signed your Soldier’s Covenant, you made a choice and stepped over a line to make a clear declaration as to where you stood, what you believed, and how you would behave as a result of those beliefs (Check out the 10 “I will…” statements in the “Therefore” section of your Covenant.).

I wonder… Do you still feel that way? Does your life agree with your Covenant? Do your choices inspire and encourage the soldiers around you, spurring them forward to action?

I’m convinced that as Salvationists, we are called to be activists for Christ not passive spectators. This line is clear. The question is which side of it are you on?

Keep your altar ready and your fire hot…!

Willis