“They almost flew at me”
A LANCE-CORPORAL WRITES: ― “No doubt you will find that you will get several post-cards belonging to the 14th ―. Well, sir, they are those you sent me to distribute, and they almost flew at me when I asked them who would like a post-card, and I soon got rid of them... Please send me some more. L.-Cpl. J. H.―.”
“It was my best friend”
DRIVER A. H. O― WRITES: ― “Will you send me one of your Testaments? I have lost the one I had; and I do so miss it... It was my very best friend. May God bless you for the good work which you have done for our soldiers and sailors.”
The Unknown Friend
A PRIVATE WRITES: ― “Please send me one of your Testaments, as I am a humble Christian, earnestly seeking Christ and endeavoring to live a sincere Christian life. One of my comrades gave me your address and told me to write to you, and this I am doing.... My dear unknown friend, I sincerely trust that God will bless you for your splendid work... If there is anything I can do for you, I humbly offer you my services, so trust you will remember me in your prayers, and so bring a blessing on the life of your brother in Christ. Pte. E. F―.”
A Rush for Testaments
“Many thanks for the box of Gospels and tracts which I received yesterday. You should have seen the rush for Testaments when I opened the box; they were soon all gone, also many of the tracts, and I have seen many of them reading them, Roman Catholics as well, and a number of them are now singing the hymns out of the red Gospels of John. Oh! brother, it is good to see such eagerness amongst the men for the Gospels. Let us pray more earnestly that God will bless those silent Messengers to many an unsaved soul, for we know that the gospel is still God’s power to salvation, to everyone that believes it. Dear brother, my prayer is that God will bless you in the work you have undertaken for Him. — Pte. H. L―.”
A Sapper’s Need
“Just a line to let you know I found one of your little booklets in the trenches entitled, ‘The Sin against the Living God and Sentimental Blasphemy.’ Would you kindly send me a khaki Testament for my pocket? I saw on the back page you would send a Testament to any soldier who wrote. I have been out in France eighteen months, and never had one, only an old one I found in the trenches, which I have yet. ― Sapper R. D—.”
A PRIVATE WRITES: ― “We had a small book of yours thrown from the train by someone, so I am just writing to ask you if you would be so kind as to send me a khaki Testament that would fit my pocket. One that I can pull out and read in my spare moments. ― G.W.M.”
“I have found Jesus”
ANOTHER PRIVATE WRITES: ― “I have received your beautiful Testament with many thanks. I find it a great comfort to me out here in the trenches. I am over forty, but I have found Jesus, and I have great peace of mind now, Doctor.., I read a portion of, the Scriptures every day, and I find great comfort in doing so. I have found the truth at last, thanks be to God. —W.H.”
Exeter Lads
ONE WRITES: ― “Just a small gift from an Exeter lad towards the sending of Testaments, etc., for the soldiers. May God bless your honorable work.”
ANOTHER WRITES: ― “Dear Sir, you are doing good work. A lot of my chums have received your gift. It is a great treasure to anyone. I am an Exeter lad myself, and I have attended your meetings regular and also my chum. He would like your gift as well, please. Would you kindly send me some post-cards and I will give them to my chums. Dear sir, I hope to be able to see you when we get leave again.”
“Trying to get us right with God”
“Your Testament reached me all right today. I was surprised at getting it so soon, as I thought it would take two weeks at the least. However, I am delighted to receive it, as my old original one is falling to pieces. My chums all admire this precious little book, so if you will send me some post-cards I will pass them to my chums, and so enable them to send to you for one. I must now conclude, wishing you all success in your glorious work for us in trying to get us right with. God. ―Pte. W. H―.”
A friend writes: ― “I am enclosing a P.O. for 2/6 for your work amongst the soldiers and sailors. The sum is small, but the Lord can make a little go a long way.”
Wants to be a Christian
A TOMMY SAYS IN A LETTER: ― “Thank you for the New Testament I have Just received. I shall be very grateful for your help to become a Christian, if you will really help me to become one of God’s soldiers.”
A Testament Postcard in a Dugout
A Signaler WRITES: ― “Thank you for Testament you have sent me, and which I value more than anything. How I came into possession of the post-card which I sent to you was in this way. While relieving another battalion in reserve billets, and having been there before, I was well accustomed to the dug-outs, which was well for me. On entering one of these dark recesses I accidentally placed my hand on a good number of your post-cards. I lit a match and read one through, and afterward handed them round to the boys, and I am pleased to say they are going to send to you as I am. The remainder I took up to the Signal Office and placed them on the table. Trust me, I will try my utmost to do my best in your effort to comfort us in our hour of need and peril. ― F. S. W―.”
“I want you to help me to heaven”
F.B., H.M.S.― “Dear Sir, ― Just a few lines to let you know I received your letter quite safe. Thank you for sending the Testament, and I want to give my life to the Lord Jesus, and if you have a ‘register’ number for me put me in it. I want you to help me to heaven.”
Crowded Meetings at the Front
An earnest worker who has been home for a needed rest writes on his return to me: ― “I have had some blessed experiences since coming back. If anything I find the men even more anxious to listen to the ‘old, old story’ than ever. After one crowded meeting I took, numbers of men sat round while I again tried to explain God’s way of salvation. Four of these decided, but still remained eagerly listening till I had to leave them. Most of these left for the Front late that night, but one has come to my place daily for Bible reading and prayer. Almost the first man I met when I came back was a sergeant who had decided for Christ about three months ago. His first words when I asked how he was were, Oh! Mr. M— I can’t tell you how happy and contented I am.’ He looked it, praise God! I shall be very thankful if you can again send parcels as usual, as I have very little of the Word left. ― J.M.”
A Corporal’s Letter
“I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your most beautiful gift (a Testament), which I received this morning. You have no idea how it interested the men of our company when they knew that by sending a postcard they could receive such a useful and splendid gift. I was very badly off for one until I received yours. When at home I devoted my time in nothing else but trying to do what was in my power for our Lord and Master, and I continued to work for Him until I landed in France. Then temptations came stronger and stronger, until I thought of the time when I was at home, and I looked to Christ for strength to overcome these temptations, and I am proud to say He comforted me, and led me back to the road of salvation. I have distributed all the post-cards you sent me, and was pleased to see all my men sit down and fill them in and post them, and with the help of God my companion, Signaler R.W., and I will do our utmost in spreading the gospel throughout France as well as the trenches. Dear Doctor, I am, thank God, anxious to work for the Master, and if you could supply me with any gospels or tracts I should be much obliged. Before closing I beg an interest in your prayers for this company and for myself, and may God’s blessing rest on your good work for the Master. ―Cpl. G. C. H―.”
The Northern Patrol
S.G., H.M.D., NORTHERN PATROL: ― “I now have pleasure in answering your kind and encouraging letter, which I received on arriving in from sea last week, and I am greatly delighted with your kind message to me. Sir, I also received the Testament and books which you sent me. I shall be very glad to pass them on to my shipmates around me. I have a fine chum here in another ship along with my own, and through him I found out your address, and now I am glad to be able to let you see the way in which the Lord’s work spreads. If you would like to send me a parcel of Testaments to distribute I would gladly accept them and pass them round, and so try and help you a little!’
Cheer for our Helpers
An earnest worker at the Front, who has had many of our parcels, writes: ―
“As one looks back over these last ten months only, and thinks of the thousands of men who would have gone into the fighting line without God’s Word in their pocket but for your kind sympathy in sending the Testaments to me, and so giving me the real joy of passing them on, who can say how many were able to rest on some of God’s glorious promises through reading the Testaments? The Holy Spirit has been given to reveal Jesus through the Word. I took a service for the Chaplain last week, and invited any who wished to decide for Christ to come to my tent, and five came: four seemed to trust for salvation, the other did not seem so clear. The four came again next day for prayer and reading the Word. The day after they left for the Front.... I am afraid the War is too far off for the people in England to realize what this War is meaning for our dear men. As I write I can hear the booming of the guns. I try to imagine what the thoughts of our men, especially the married men, are just before they go over the trenches―not after, but before―when the order is given to be ready, and they have to wait. Oh! pray that just then God will reveal Himself to them in such a way that they will trust Him. He can do it. Then if they come back they will live for Him, if not they will go to be with Him. God bless you and all the kind friends who have helped.”
Groningen, Holland
“Dear Sir, ― I am very grateful to you for the prompt manner in which you have sent me New Testaments (khaki, pocket size). Might I suggest, as we have over fourteen hundred men here, and we never know if Holland will be involved in this War later, that if you can send me at least one hundred Testaments, I will faithfully promise to distribute them to men who I think will gladly accept them. I don’t advise many tracts to be sent, though a few will be acceptable... If you can spare two hundred Testaments so much the better, and they shall not be wasted. ― 1St Class Petty Officer E. H. S. C—, Hawke Battalion.”
A Lonely Soldier
PTE. A. P. WRITES: ― “I am very pleased to say I received your parcel of tracts and Testaments quite safely. I thank you very much for the same. I have distributed them among my comrades, and they were very glad to receive them. I am sorry to inform you that I have not a friend in this wide world to look to, but I think I have found one at last, and that is you. My mother died when I was three years old, and my father got killed in work as a bricklayer, and I was the only son. So you see I am proper destitute. ― A.P.”
A Dirty Postcard
One of our post-cards covered with mud front and back has been sent me by a private who wants a Testament. He writes: ― “I have had the great fortune to pick up the enclosed post-card a few yards from our firing line, and not having a Testament I should be very grateful if you could let me have one. ― G. H. H―.”
From a Corporal
“We have forty-one men on this station, and they would all like one of your Testaments if it is not asking too much of you... You know how hard it is to profess to be a Christian in a barrack room, and I am sure a lot would if they had encouragement, and the Testaments will give them that encouragement. I hope you will write to me and let me know how I can be brought nearer to God. I have been in the Army now nearly two years, and I was getting into very bad habits and had nearly forgotten my early training when saw your ‘Message from God,’ and it kind of brought me back to my senses, and by God’s power I will go along the narrow path to the Kingdom of God. God alone knows the trials that beset a soldier; the path is hard and stony; but with God’s grace I will win through in the end. I would be comforted if you would pray for the men on the Battery and myself. A soldier gets hold of a lot of books that are not fit to be read, so if you have any books to spare that will do them good I will give them to the men, and that will help your work. I hope to hear from you soon and also hope that you will mention me in your daily prayers. ― Corpl. M. W―.”
The Welcome Gift
PTE. E. R. SAYS: ― “Just a line to thank you so much for your welcome gift, which I received a few days ago. I shall always cherish it, and think of him Who did his best to satisfy the many wishes of a soldier who perhaps is in the thick of a fight, or resting after a well-fought victory. Early every morning, just before attending the ‘first parade,’ physical jerks at 7 a.m., I read a small portion from your book, ‘The Holy Bible,’ and it makes me put all my heart into my work and drill. ―E.R.”
A PRIVATE WRITES: ― “Please excuse me for not writing before as we have been on a charge and were successful. Now I must thank you very much for the Testament; it was safely received before going into action.”
A GUNNER WRITES: ― “Will you please accept this P.O. for 5/- in Christ’s name, to send the Word of Life to my comrades in arms. I should like you to spend it in Testaments, and to send them to the Front. I was reading one of your booklets, entitled ‘A Message from God,’ and I saw that the need was great. ―G.H.”
Willing to do his Best
S.C., H.M.D. S―, NORTHERN PATROL, WRITES: ― “I was more than glad when I received your parcel today. I have given every man on board the ship that I am in a Testament, and one of each kind of the other books and post-cards, and I was very glad to see them take them. I have also given some out to others on different ships. I am willing to do my best. ―G.S.”
Desires for Christ
L.-CORPL, H. O― WRITES: ― “I have in my possession one of your Testaments, for which I must kindly thank you. I was very much struck by your words inside: ‘If I can help you to Christ do write to me.’ That is why I am writing, as I think, sir, you are just the one who can lead me as a shepherd leads his flock. I want to win my place in heaven, even as the words in your little book show me that I can do. ― H.C.”
A Collecting Box for Christ
A dear friend in the North has had a collecting box made and put up in his shop. He has put a notice on it speaking of our work among the soldiers and sailors, and he gives a copy of “A Message from God” to any who are interested. He has already sent the result of three openings of the box. Boxes in the home or in other places might be blessed by God. I have heard lately from a friend who has one at home, Remember for 5/- you can send a parcel to the front. See last page of “Message.”
T. T., H.M.S.―, NAVAL BASE: ― “I beg to acknowledge, with many thanks, receipt of New Testament. I have now made up my mind to read a verse of the Testament every day, and to take Jesus Christ as my Friend and Master.”
From Macedonia
FROM MACEDONIA, A SOLDIER WRITES: ― “Thanks so much for your beautiful little Testament I received quite safe, and I have seen several more here. We are having some lovely meetings. God be with you and spare you in good health, and guard you from all danger. ― W.S.”
When the Mail Came In
“I have the greatest of pleasure, by the help of God, in acknowledging the Testament which I received quite safely yesterday. The men were most surprised when I told them what it was. They were playing a very evil part when the mail came in, and the first things to come out of the bag were Sergt. W―’s and my Testaments. The game was stopped at once, and I am very pleased to say everyone that was present wanted a post-card to send for a Testament. We had a word of prayer, and gave a lot of the post-cards to these men, and I am organizing a little meeting whenever I get the opportunity to help my comrades, who are practically strangers to the Lord’s Word. Sergt. W—and I are together, and we purpose to hold meetings every night, when we are out of the trenches for a rest. Will you then be so kind as to send me a parcel of Gospels, tracts and Testaments? ―Cpl. G. H―.”