By the Editor
A RUSSIAN soldier’s lonely grave is our picture on the cover this month. The cross is surmounted by the dead, soldier’s cap, and by the side of the cross his rifle has been—buried, and only the butt is protruding—other things belonging to him are scattered around, and underneath the sod lies the body of a man who somewhere in Russia has a wife, or a sweetheart, or a mother, or a sister who would give all the world if they could hear his voice again, or even have the poor mangled body in the cemetery near at hand.
In these dark woods behind the cross there are miles and miles of trees and undergrowth, and the foliage is so thick that you can scarcely see fifty feet away. There in those well-nigh impenetrable depths, in the semi-darkness, tens of thousands of men fought and died for many awful days. We are told that sixteen thousand dead had been buried in the wood and in the open close by. Hundreds and thousands lay unburied under the shadow of that primeval forest, and along the margins of the wood for ten miles there was a forest of crosses showing where the dead were interred. And every man buried has an immortal soul. The soul has gone to live forever.
Oh! it makes one’s heart ache to think of the “flight of souls” into eternity on every battle-front. Where will they spend eternity? Are we doing what we can to point them to the Saviour? It is now or never. If we do not face our responsibility as Christians now, we shall be losers for all eternity. We do not grasp the tremendous need; we often fail to rise to the opportunity given to us. This is what a dear Christian writes from Russia: ―
“I have been doing a good work, distributing several thousand Gospels and New Testaments. In three days I gave away three thousand Gospels. On a Sunday the brave soldiers had come several versts to get a copy of the Gospel, as they had seen it in the possession of their comrades, and knew where they had received theirs. My house was surrounded for the whole day because each man desired to get one. Two days later they were all sent away, with sealed orders, to go to the Front. That was one of the busiest days, as they were all sent off from our railway station. I gave away the last Gospels, and the number fell short. At present we have here again several thousands of men, and I am expecting some thousands of books to give to them. I find that this is a most blessed opportunity to serve the Lord. I thought to go to the Far East, and now I find that the men from the East have come this time to me.
“Looking in the Bible, and watching the signs round about, I believe we shall not serve here much longer, but we will meet our blessed Lord and Master, and so we shall be forever with Him. How glorious it will be to meet each other and to meet Him who has loved us with an everlasting love, and we shall see His blessed face!”
It is the same everywhere. East and West, the Word of God is, needed—souls are hungering for it. Help us to send it.
“Can we, whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high,
Can we to men benighted
The Word of Life deny?”
Thank God, I have been able to send 270 parcels away in June. Of July I cannot speak now. I wish I could send 2,000. On every battle-front the need is the same. Will you give me the means to send more and more every month?
The incident you are about to read will appeal to you I know. When I read it my eyes were filled with tears, and my heart was moved as I thought of the wondrous privilege of working for the Lord Jesus Christ, and the rich reward.