The battle was over, and hundreds of men had been killed and wounded. A soldier came to my tent and said, “Chaplain, one of our boys is badly wounded and wants to see you right away.”
Hurriedly following him I was taken to the hospital and led to a bed on which lay a fine young fellow.
I could see at a glance that he had but a few hours to live on earth, so taking his hand I said, “Well, my boy, what can I do for you?”
The poor dying young fellow looked up into my face and placing his finger in his hair he said, “Chaplain, cut a big lock from here for Mother; for Mother, mind, Chaplain!”
I hesitated to do it, but he said, “Don’t be afraid to disfigure my hair, Chaplain. It’s for Mother, and nobody will come to see me after I’m gone.” So I did as he requested.
“Now, Chaplain,” said the dying boy, “I want you to kneel down beside me and return thanks to God.”
“For what?” I asked.
“For giving me such a mother!” he replied. “Oh, Chaplain, she is a good mother. Her teachings comfort and console me now. And, thank God, that by His grace I am a Christian. Oh what would I do now if I wasn’t a Christian? I know that my Redeemer liveth! I feel that His finished work has saved me. And, Chaplain, thank God for giving me dying grace. He has made my dying bed feel soft as downy pillows are. Thank Him for the promised home in glory. I’ll soon be there-there where there is no more war, no sorrow, nor desolation, nor death-where I’ll see Jesus, and be forever with the Lord.”
I knelt beside the dying boy and thanked God for the blessings He had bestowed upon him, as he requested. Shortly after the prayer he said, “Good-by, Chaplain. If you ever see Mother, tell her it was ‘ALL WELL!’ "
ML-10/24/1976