When I was a lad of sixteen, many, many years ago now, I read in a book written about China, that in that vast empire, at every tick of the clock, a soul passed into eternity. The burden of these never-dying souls rested as an intolerable burden on my own soul. I cried weeping to God, over and over again, out of my aching heart, to let me go and tell those dying millions of the Saviour. It was not to be. God had Work for me at home, but I can never forget the soul-agony that was mine in those anxious days. And have we not had the same feelings today, as we think of the awful slaughter of the battlefields? Thousands of immortal souls passing from those scenes of carnage into eternity every day. And the value of each soul is more than the universe; the quenching of the light of life in those brave eyes is of more importance than the darkening of the sun would be; and the silencing of those heroic hearts by death of more account than stilling the music of creation. This is true of every soul, but it seems to have an added significance as we read the death roll of millions.
Oh! thank God for Christ, the personal Christ, upon the battlefield. Thousands of dying eyes see Christ, and, thousands of dying lips confess Him. “Come unto Me,” says Jesus, and they answer, “O Lamb of God, I come.” Yes, mother’s prayers are answered where brave men die. The Word of God is precious, and the dying lips repeat the invitations and the promises of God.
Oh! let us pray as we never prayed before, that a time of wonderful blessing may be given to our soldiers and sailors now. That the Testament given may be read and re-read; and that the songs of Zion may ring out from thousands of hearts and lips. This is the Christian soldier’s marching song to heaven: ―
“Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!
His the scepter; His the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark, the songs of holy Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood;
‘Jesus out of every nation,
Hath redeemed us by His blood!”’