TWO soldiers are lying wounded in a trench. One has received a mortal wound, and he knows he has to die. He says to his friend and comrade: “Can you tell me anything about God?”
His friend says, “I’m afraid I cannot, but this little book may help you.” Taking a Gospel of St. John out of his pocket, he gives it to the dying man. The poor fellow reads it eagerly, turning over the pages feebly with his dying hands. Then looking at his comrade, he says, “This is just what I wanted,” and soon after passed away, we feel sure, to be with Christ. What a sight for the angels to rejoice over. The dying soldier and the Living Word!
The mangled body lying in the trench, the soul passing from the din and horror of the battlefield to the rest and peace of heaven. Thank God for those little gospels given to the men. I wish I could have a thousand Gospels of John now, published by the Scripture Gift Mission, with hymns at the end, to give away.
One lad of the 1St South Wales Borderers said to a Christian: “I never knew what it was to pray before. We went into the trenches at the Aisne singing, ‘You made me do it, you know you made me do it,’ but once we got there man by man we got down on our knees till you could have heard the whole regiment praying. Now I pray always, for I believe in it.” And if they pray they ask if the people at home are praying for the boys who are doing their bit out here it is a great Honor to be allowed to speak to and to pray with such men. No wonder the doctors and nurses are ceaseless in their devotion. As a nurse said, “You can’t help staying for them, they are so grateful and good.” They are, and they are game to the end. On the Sunday morning of Communion day in Aberdeen I was chaplain at the funeral of a H.L.I. soldier aged twenty-eight, who has left a widow and three little children in Glasgow. As I was quitting his bedside on the night on which he died, I said, “Good-night, Jock, I shall be in early to-morrow.” He drew himself up a little, saluted feebly, and said, “Good-night, sir, I’ll be here; but if not, remember I’m all right. Send my love to Rachael and the little ones, and say I’ll be waiting for them.” Such men are God’s own children.
A dear Christian father and mother in Exeter have parted with their boy for the Front. Before he went they knelt together and asked God to take care of their boy and bring him back to them again; and the father tells me that now he is quite happy about it, and is sure he will come home safe.
From the War Cry we get the following touching incident: “The battle of — was in progress, and our trenches were being raked by the enemy’s fire. We were expecting any moment to be told that the German guns would have to be silenced, and presently along the line came the order, Charge!
“We scrambled into the open, and rushed forward, met by a perfect hail of bullets. Many of our men bit the dust, but we who remained came to grips with the enemy. I cannot write of what happened then. The killing of men is a ghastly business.
“On the way back to the trenches I saw a poor German soldier trying to get to his water-bottle. He was in a fearful condition. I knelt down by his side. Finding his own water-bottle was empty, I gave him water from mine. Somewhat revived, he opened his eyes and saw my ‘Salvation Army Leaguers’ button. His drawn face lit up with a smile, and he whispered in broken English: Salvation Army? I also am a Salvation soldier.’ Then he felt for his Army badge. It was still pinned to his coat, though bespattered with blood.
“I think we both shed a few tears, and then I picked up his poor, broken body, and with as much tenderness as possible, for the terrible hail of death was beginning again, I carried him to the ambulance. But he was beyond human aid. When I placed him on the wagon he gave a gentle tug at my coat. Thinking he wanted to say something, I bent low and listened, and he whispered, ‘JESUS, SAFE WITH JESUS!’”
One of the most interesting incidents in connection with the work of the Scripture Gift Mission during the past week has been the receipt of a letter from Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, who, as is well known, commands the British Fleet. He sends as a message to the sailors, two verses; one from the Old and one from the New Testament, as follows: —
“‘BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, BE NOT AFRAID, NEITHER BE THOU DISMAYED, FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS WITH THEE WHITHEOEVER THOU GOEST.’
“‘ Honor ALL MEN, LOVE THE BROTHERHOOD, FEAR GOD, Honor THE KING.’”
“Yours very truly,
“J. W. JELLICOE.”
A touching story is that of the young French infantryman — he was a youthful volunteer of eighteen — who was shot in the firing line. As his life-blood ebbed he wrote a farewell note, which was found afterwards pinned on the point of his bayonet: “I advanced at the order of my captain to the edge of a wood to take up a position. I found myself alone. I received a bullet in the chest, and I am dying.
“My dear parents sent me yesterday a postal order for five francs. I know they must have deprived themselves to send me this. So I beg whoever finds my body to send them back the postal order, which they will find in my pocket. “The poor little” piou-piou “had not much to leave, but his last will and testament is a charming example of tenderness and consideration.
We ought to pray for the thousands of young lads at the Front that they may be brought to Christ.
The most solemn incident of this war may be that Christ may come before it is ended. A dear Christian writes: ― “For an hour I could do nothing but walk my room, praising God because ‘Jesus is soon coming,’ and again today the joy is strong within me. Ah! how little earth’s trials look in the light of this! “Yes, amid the din of battle, and the roar of the cannon,” the Lord himself may descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God.” Then every Christian in the world, at peace or at war, at home or abroad, in the trenches, on the battlefield, or in the hospitals―every man, woman and child that loves the Lord Jesus Christ will hear that ‘SHOUT,’ that ‘VOICE,’ that ‘TRUMP,’ and be caught up with the risen dead; in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”
If the Lord should come this year, then indeed this world-war would change its character, and terrible the change would be. One shudders to think of the awful condition of those who will be left behind. Not only the wrath of man is to be feared, but the wrath of an angry God. Where will you be when Christ comes?