In the army of the Lord we need more men with the spirit of the little flag boy of the Civil War. During one of the raging battles, while bullets were flying everywhere and men were falling by the hundreds, the little lad forgot everything but to keep the flag before the army. In his haste he forgot the army. Finally he heard a shrill call saying, “Bring that flag back here!” He turned to see the army retreating and the commander beckoning for him to retreat with them. The lad cried out, “Bring the army up to the flag, sir!” This one sentence stirred the soul of the commander until he ordered the men to advance against the enemy. It is said that out of the seeming defeat a great victory was won.
This reminds one of the little drummer boy who was with Napoleon in one of the battles. It seemed that the army of France could not overcome; thousands were falling. Napoleon said, “Lad, can you beat a retreat?” The boy replied, “Sir, I have never learned to beat a retreat, but can beat a charge that will stir the last remains of the patriotism of the army.” The Emperor cried, “Beat a charge then, lad.” And that charge beaten from the drum was the means of the victory being won that day.
That is the spirit we must have in the work of the Lord – that we shall never know how to retreat in the face of the enemy of the kingdom of Heaven, but that we shall be able to beat a charge that will cause others to take courage and fight on until the last foe is conquered. This is the spirit of God’s heroes.
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