By the Editor
WE are sending out the second 100,000 post-cards to the soldiers, and every week brings us more than 1,000 requests for Testaments from individual soldiers. When shall we realize the awful need? When shall we see the imploring hands held out to us from the battle-fronts, and hear the impassioned cry, “Give us the Word of God”?
A Christian sergeant writes: ― “Our battalion is well fed, well equipped, but is starving for God’s message, the distribution of which must give you unbounded pleasure. We have only been out here a few weeks... and the battalion’s strength is gradually going down, and the eternal welfare of many comrades is nil. Can they not participate in your blessed gifts? I may mention that I have great joy in reading a portion of Scripture every night (when convenient) to my ever ready and eager, listening comrades. ‘The alley man’ is bombarding us again, so I must say adieu! May the Lord’s richest blessing be yours! ―I am, yours in Christ’s keeping, H.H.”
And from a lance-corporal I get the following: ―
“The night before I went home on leave, I was in reserve trenches, and one of our platoon said he did not like the notice on the back of ‘A Message from God’ which says, ‘Dying for your country in battle will NOT save your soul; but looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ WILL save your soul.’ He thought that it was only right that God should give them a place in heaven if they died fighting for their country. I had the joy of passing on God’s Word to him. I left for England the following day, and when I came back again our regiment had been in one of the worst bombardments they have had, and he was amongst those who answered the ‘great roll call.’ I only saw his grave last week, but I trust the day will come when I shall meet him again, for I was told he accepted Jesus Christ the night before he died.”
The General’s Speech
On the 14th December, 1915, an Australian general made a stirring speech at the Melbourne Town Hall. The following extract is taken from the report in the Times:― “I believe that when the Day of Judgment comes―and I believe in a Day of Judgment―the man who has fought and died at Gallipoli — I do not care what he was, whether he was the biggest scoundrel that ever walked Australia, until he redeemed himself by dying, or not―I say when the Day of Judgment comes that man will be all right.”
This is all wrong and false. A man cannot redeem himself. “We are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.” Every soldier may be saved if he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, but he cannot save himself, “for by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9)).
A Striking Letter
I received this letter a week or two ago: ― “Dear Sir, ―Only two weeks ago a gentleman of culture and good social standing, told me that he had had a talk with a certain Professor of Divinity lately (and with whom he agreed), who said that our young men just now were offering a sacrifice as great, if not greater, than Christ’s! Oh! I was speechless, but I feebly tried to say something, but it was so unexpected and sudden that I could only cry, ‘God help me,’ and ‘God help him.’ This man’s only son has lately gone to Mesopotamia, and he is in despair. When your leaflet came into my hand (‘The Sin against the Soldier and the Saviour’), sent me by a dear friend, I thanked God and took courage, and sent your leaflet to my friend saying, ‘The enclosed expresses my views better than I can say them,’ and begged him to read it. Pray that God may use it to set him right ... ”
Drawing and Saving Love
Lieutenant-General B. W. D. Morton says, in a letter to Miss Perks, “I want you to kindly tell the soldiers that the Bible has taught me three truths of the greatest importance to everyone in this world. These three truths were uttered by the Saviour of the world. The first truth is one that puzzled me much. It is in John 6:44,44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44) ‘No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me draw him.’ It struck me, how can I ever know that the Father hath drawn me to Christ? You see I was getting a bit troubled, but the Master came to my help and I came across Matthew 11:28,28Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ This put me in better spirits, and I thought, ‘Oh! I’ll come all right, plenty of time.’ But a kind word from the same Master struck me all at once. You will find it in John 5:40: ‘Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life.’ The truth at last was now before me.
“The Father draws.
“The Lord Jesus says ‘Come.’
“Man will not come.
1. I have yet to meet the man whom the Father has not drawn.
2. I have yet to meet the man to whom the Lord Jesus has not said ‘Come.’
3. I have met many among men (at one time myself) of whom it was true, ‘Ye will not come.’”
The Sunday Echo
The men in the trenches are working for God, hundreds of them, and their letters breathe out the true spirit of love for God and love for their fellow men. One says, thanking me for a Testament I sent him: ―
“You will be pleased to know I am one of Christ’s children, and if I can forward on the great Christian cause and help someone to find Him as their Saviour ... . I shall be pleased to do so. Words cannot express all that I feel and have felt of God’s presence while in among the shot and shell. How He has cheered, and comforted, and screened me front dangers in a thousand ways! He has given me coolness of mind and courage of heart, and I am thankful to Him tonight for all that He has done for me, and also for what He is still doing, and is going to do, and if I had a thousand tongues I would use them all for God’s glory. May God’s richest blessing rest on you, and the good work you are doing for Him, is my sincere prayer.”
Another writes: ― “Would you kindly send me two pocket Bibles, one for myself, the other for a comrade whom I hope the Lord will bring to Himself through reading it?”
Below you will find a block of a Weekly Echo, which is put up in a conspicuous place at the Front for men to see. The sender says in his letter: ― “Dear Brother, ―These Weekly Echoes speak to men who would not listen to the Word spoken by word of mouth; nevertheless, who shall say they were not warned?
H.L.W.”
An Appeal for Help
“Dear Brother, — I am sending an appeal for help. I love Jesus, but being the only Christian in my battalion it is so hard to live, although my Bible is my constant friend. My father sent me your address.” Pray for him, dear friends.
Another appeal: ― A Christian worker at the Front writes: “As I find great difficulty in getting supplied with Testaments and literature, I have been told you would gladly assist me. I should value your help very much. Our dear boys appreciate the Testaments so much, especially those going up to the firing line.”
My Appeal
My table is covered with letters, and I should like to put them all in, but I cannot. In humble dependence upon God I ask my dear Christian friends to send me at once the means to get Testaments. My heart aches at the thought of having to refuse a single request. Some days we post close on three hundred Testaments to individual soldiers who write for them. At this present moment we know where to send thousands. Will you help us to send them? For £5 we can purchase nearly a thousand Testaments, and for 5/-we can send a parcel to the Front.
The Lieutenant’s Burden
I am sure our dear soldiers like to read about their brave fellows who show the grand spirit they are of, not considering themselves, but thinking of others. Doubtless many there are who would be wearing the military cross or verse were their deeds known to the authorities, and had the same power to distribute to each one for his noble act. I wish to tell you of one such. G― is a young officer whose life God has spared when twice at least others were killed at his side. He got into the terrible zone of fire, two shells exploding at the back of his head. One knocked him sitting and nearly blinded him. He was thrown into the trench and fell on a bayonet firmly held in the hand of a dead British soldier who had two dead Germans lying on him. The bayonet ran into his thigh. When he recovered from the shock he got his wound tied up and then, what do you think he did? He carried a burden! He didn’t call it a burden. Oh, no, a glorious pleasure. He carried one of his own wounded soldiers for three miles to Fricourt, a place of safety. When I read of his act of courageous mercy I could not help thinking of our Lord and Master, who carried the burden of our sins in His own body on the cross, and offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin that we might be saved. Soldier, hare you thought of what Jesus, the Son of God, has done for you? Think now and read 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24).
Emily P. Leakey
Put Your Name In!
Put your name IN FULL in the spaces left in this verse. Keep the card where you can see it every day, and pray to God to save your soul.
“Grace and Peace be Multiplied unto You”
“I have dwelt much upon these words, and I think something of this spiritual arithmetic has been shown me. Let me take the figure 1; alone it makes but 1, let me bring a cipher beside the 1, and the 1 Isaiah 10, and another, and it makes 100, and another and it makes 1,000, and so on. Now Christ is this 1 to me. I bring my nothingness to Him, and to me His value is increased; and just in proportion as I bring more and more of my unworthiness beside His excellence, just so much is His grace and peace multiplied to me.”