Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 106:423 (Jul 1949)
Article: “It Profiteth Me Nothing”
Author: Frederick Zollicoffer Browne

BSac 106:423 (Jul 49) p. 325

“It Profiteth Me Nothing”

Fred Z. Browne

In a recent conversation quite extensive differences of opinion and resulting debate centered around the sacrifice of their lives by the four chaplains who, having received life belts, took them off and gave them to others when their torpedoed vessel was going down. The following elements enter into the situation: (1) there could have been no Christian impetus in the act of one individual—the Jewish chaplain—who was a rejector of Christ; (2) of the three others, one was a Roman Catholic priest, and another the son of a prominent modernist preacher (Like father, like son, probably in this case).

What were the motives of these men in surrendering their lives? All, undoubtedly, were actuated by patriotism, as the ship was a troop-ship. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (“It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country”). Should not the patriot soldier or sailor, however, have the privilege and glory of doing his own dying? Only under very peculiar circumstances, to say the least, can or should another take his place. Self-immolation and self-preservation are personal matters. Most usually, when the last debt of nature is to be paid it is a case of every man for himself. Some, or all of these four, were husbands and fathers. Not all of the four, certainly, were—in addition to their patriotism, as seen above—inspired by the Christian motive. One or two of them probably, impaled on the horn of a tragic dilemma, died because the others did.

The question arises, Is the Christian under any and all circumstances called upon to give his life for the life of

BSac 106:423 (Jul 49) p. 326

another? The writer’s answer was, and is, Not always. Each case must be decided on its own merits. To indiscriminately surrender one’s life without a definite Christian motive and purpose would savor of suicide. The Christian is immortal until his work is done. Let him beware, therefore, of ignoble use of his life and of light, useless and foolhardy termination of it.

Some illustrations occur to mind. Suppose a soldier of Israel, entering Jericho just before the walls fell, had said to a Canaanite, “Let me change places with you.” Or suppose Paul, floating near a Roman soldier after the shipwreck, had said, “Take my fragment of the ship.” Would not such conduct, in either case, have savored of the sin of tempting God? Two other illustrations, this time from Rider Haggard. In Haggard’s novel Allan Quatermain he pictures Mackenzie, the missionary, battling successfully with a Masai warrior, thus saving his daughter from death or a fate worse than death. The final story has to do with a missionary to this same tribe. Making a journe...