A Christian friend sent me the following touching story for “Message from God.”
He had to take a railway journey, and as was his custom, asked God to put him into a carriage where he could speak of Christ to some soldier or sailor, who needed Him. This is his account of his journey: ―
“At the junction on the main line, a few miles from my home, as the express drew up, (I again lifted up my heart in prayer that the Lord would undertake) a porter opened the door and pointed me to a seat in a compartment where five soldiers were—four young Flying Corps men and a wounded and discharged man now on home service.
We soon got friendly, and with a little encouragement the wounded man told us his story, which gave me a grand opportunity of putting the gospel before each of these dear lads, and work was done for eternity.
At the outbreak of war he was in Argentina, a civil engineer engaged in railway work. At the call of his country he flung up a good post and came home, enlisted, and for twenty-nine months served in France. Three of his special pals were killed in one engagement, one on each side of him, and he expressed gratitude that he had been spared. But of all his experiences there was one that stood out as the turning point of his life. After a long march a lad of nineteen, a great favorite in his company, told off for sentry duty, was found asleep at his post, was court-martialed, and sentenced to be shot at dawn.
The narrator was one of the firing party ordered to carry out the sentence stern discipline demanded.
The poor lad was tied to a tree, and the Provost Marshal asked him if he had any last request, any letter he wished to be written, but he said ‘No!’ ‘Surely there is something you would like to be done.’ Yes,’ said the boy, ‘I would like to sing a hymn before I die.’ Permission being granted, he sang:
“There is a green hill far away,
Without a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.
“There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven, and let us in.
“O dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.”
As the clear voice rang out on the still morning air there were few dry eyes among the listeners.
‘I learned that hymn in the Sunday school, sir! Now, I am ready!’