Many years ago British missionary pioneer (and cricketer) CT Studd (1862-1931) wrote an essay called “The Chocolate Soldier: or Heroism – The Lost Chord of Christianity” (see here). He exhorted his readers thus:
EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A SOLDIER – of Christ – a hero “par excellence”! Braver than the bravest – scorning the soft seductions of peace and her oft repeated warnings against hardship, disease, danger and death, whom he counts among his bosom friends.
THE OTHERWISE CHRISTIAN IS A Chocolate Christian, dissolving in water and melting at the smell of fire.
Studd then goes on demonstrate the two kinds of Christian from Biblical examples, in ways remarkably similar to Doug Giles’s Townhall column from last November in which he demanded: “Do You Have a Pit Bull Attitude?” Compare the following; Studd in maroon, Giles in green:
NOAH walked with God: he did not only preach righteousness, he acted it. He went through water and did not melt. He breasted the current of the popular opinion of his day, scorning alike the hatred and ridicule of the scoffers who mocked at the thought of there being but one way of salvation. He warned the unbelieving and, entering the ark himself, did not open the door an inch when once God had shut it. A real hero untainted by the fear of man!
NOAH preached and lived righteously when the rest of the world was wicked. He feared God when it wasn’t popular. He obeyed God when everyone mocked him. Noah and his family alone survived the flood when it came upon the earth. Noah got the last laugh…because Noah was a pit bull.
ABRAHAM, a simple farmer, at a word from the invisible God, marched with family and stock through the terrible desert to a distant land to live among a people whose language he could neither speak nor understand! Not bad that! But later he did even better, marching hot foot against the combined armies of five kings, flushed with recent victory, to rescue one man! His army? Just 318 odd fellows, armed like a circus crowd. And he won!
ABRAHAM was 75 years old when he left everything and followed God. That’s radical. With 318 men, this old bulldog whipped the combined armies of five great kings. Not too shabby for a farmer. His secret? He was a pit bull who lived to please his Master.
…There are Chocolates à la Reuben, who have great searchings of heart, and make great resolves of heart too. But somehow they still sit among the sheepfolds, listening to the pipings of their much loved organs, or the strumming of their guitars. It is good to have great heart-searching. It is better to make a great heart resolve. But if, instead of obeying, we squat among the sheep, leaving our few hard-pressed brothers to tackle the wolves by themselves, we are only Chocolate Christians.
…REUBEN, Jacob’s eldest, was a poodle. He had great intentions and serious heart resolves. But at the end of the day, he preferred to sit and listen to the shepherds play songs rather than get into the fray. He chose to squat on the sidelines of life rather than be on the playing field.
It goes on, of course, but it’s a boring exercise…especially as I’ve looked at Giles’s “borrowings” before.
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