When I rejoined my regiment after a long furlough I found there a young lieutenant whom I had known as an active Christian. I called on him in his quarters, and expressed my hope to have his help in my work for the Lord.
"No, no!" said he. "I've given up all that stuff. I know now there's no truth in it, and I don't want to hear a word on the subject.”
How tempted I was to argue the point with the backslider! But I simply said: "You are not saying now what you believe, Lieutenant.”
He showed he was startled and that my quiet statement was totally unexpected. His assurance was all gone as he asked in genuine surprise: "What do you mean?”
"I mean that I know you well enough to understand that what you said and did for years has not suddenly been given up in your inmost heart. You can talk this way to me now to try to stiffen up your courage of resistance; but when the camp is quiet and you are alone in your bunk in the darkness, you would never talk in this way to God, who you know is near you always.”
"Well," he said somewhat gently, "I don't want to talk about this subject, at any rate.”
"But I must talk about it," said I. "It is very real to me. And I am here because of my belief. I shall keep in touch with you and I will not refrain from speaking to you.”
After a short time we engaged in a battle in which our regiment lost severely. Field hospitals were opened in many different parts of the area. As I was occupied in one of these hospitals, I heard that my friend the lieutenant lay wounded in another.
As soon as I had opportunity, I went to see him. He lay on a cot among many wounded. His right leg had been amputated near the hip. Looking up as I appeared, he said cheerily: "Well, Captain, the Lord has got me. I wouldn't serve Him with two legs, so He took away one. But now, please God, I'll be more of a man for Him with one leg than I was with two.”
I expressed my sympathy and interest in him, and he told me of his experience and exercise of soul.
"You were right that day you came to my quarters. I never really gave up my belief, or had any rest in my soul trying to live without God. As my leg went out from under me and I felt I was gone, I said, 'The Lord's got me, and I'm glad of it.' And now I believe I shall live nearer the Lord than ever, and have more comfort in Him.”