The following letter was left with the Colonel to be sent to the writer’s wife, if he was killed in action. The writer was an earnest Christian officer, who was killed in action on November 11TH 1916:
“My Darling— I hope you will never see this letter, my own darling, for it will not be posted unless God sees fit to call me home. If, in His providence, He sees fit to allow this to happen, I want you not to grieve as one without hope, for we have a great hope, a hope that can carry us through all things to its fulfillment, which will exceed all our hopes, and fill us both with joy everlasting. In this life parting must come some day for the one who goes first; a time of blessing, and waiting to welcome that other one, so dearly loved. Let this dear hope of reunion nerve us both, mv darling, to ‘carry on’ in humble trust and faith to the end. Here it is only ‘a little while’ that we can be separated, and the everlasting reunion will compensate more fully than we can now conceive. Sorrow cometh with the night, and fleeth away with the morning.
To that Morning Let us Look,
certain of its dawning, and though we are not worthy (none are), sure of God’s love, and pardon for all offenses, if we have truly repented of them and sought forgiveness through His most blessed Son, who died for our sins, and will yet come to earth to judge the quick and the dead. From wherever I am my love swill reach out to you, my darling, to our dear boys and girls, who will, I hope, grow up noble men and women, keeping fast ever the faith we have endeavored to instill into them. I am conscious of many imperfections in my conduct towards you and our children, but you who love me have pardoned them, I know, and in that I rest my hope of God’s pardon too. Let us all, then, trust Him Who is Love, sure that whatever He brings to pass is for the best, and that joys are to be ours which will make our sorrows seem like a passing cloud, a misty morning, or dark night, so soon will they pass away and be gone. To my dear girl, whose love has lightened every day since I ‘net her, to the dear children, who have blessed our married life, I send my love, deep and true, now and forever, and will, God willing, be awaiting each and all ‘on the other side.’—Your long husband, H.”