No girl or boy would ever knowingly worship a coward.
The very fact that we have heroes that always stand to us for big, brave, noble people, should make us anxious to be big, brave and noble ourselves.
Everybody admires Scott who died in the search for the South Pole; and Shackleton who died on his way to explore that part of the earth. Everybody has learned to think highly of the fearless John Knox, who was not afraid to talk back to the Queen when she did wrong; or Luther, who defied the Emperor and the whole Empire because he knew he was right. It was one of the greatest moments in history when the little monk stood straight up and looked his enemies in the eye, and said, "I will not retract. I can do no other. Here I stand!"
When you think of people like that, how it makes us ashamed of ourselves when fear grips our heart.
And yet, cowardice is not quite the same as fear.
Wellington, England's great general, once in a battle ordered a young officer to a dangerous spot. The young fellow turned deadly pale, but put spurs to his horse and went straight to duty. And General Wellington said, "There goes a courageous man. He is afraid, but he only thinks of duty!"
Nor is physical courage the highest kind. That is a matter of physical nerve and sometimes of health. But moral courage is still higher—the very highest kind.
A poet once wrote:
"One dared to die, a swift moment's pace
Fell in war's forefront, laughter on his face,
Bronze tells the tale in many a market-place.
"One dared to live the whole day through,
Felt his life blood ooze like morning dew,
And smiled for duty's sake, and no one knew."
Neither were cowards, but I think the second was the braver, don't you?