The following is a brief account of a meeting together of five Christian soldiers of the 17th Middlesex Regiment, the night before the battle of the Scarp in France, by Private Bishop, one of the two survivors of the five at that battle. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psa. 91:11He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1).)
Private Bishop, of the 17th Middlesex, says: “The meeting-consisted of five Christian soldiers of the 17th Middlesex Regiment—Shenton, myself, Dines, Mottram and Thompson. The way it came about was as follows: I was standing watching the bursting shells away across the fields, thinking of home, my loved ones, the future, and the God who loves us all, when I heard someone say: ‘Bishop, I wish the Chaplain had had a meeting tonight.’ I looked round and saw Dines and two comrades with him. They said they should have liked to have thanked God for His past mercies, and asked Him for strength for the coming ‘attack.’ They were so earnest, they made me feel humbled. They said, ‘We came to See if you could do anything’—why I don’t know, for I had never done anything like this before, but hi a moment I thought God had sent them to me, so I said, ‘We will go over into one of those shell-holes.’ I invited Shenton on the way. We sat round the shell-hole, and read John 12 verse by verse, each one reading; then Dines wanted Matt. 24, and Shenton Psa. 91. I then spoke a few words from John 12:27,27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. (John 12:27) then we had prayers. I thanked God for bringing us together just before the battle, to renew our strength, and thanked Him for His presence. We all knew He was there in that shell-hole with us. One and another said ‘Amen, praise the Lord.’ Dines’ heart was full, and he thanked God for what He had done for him in the past. Shenton spoke of how grand it was to dwell in the secret place of the Most. High. They all spoke of the power of God the Holy Spirit with us that night. Shenton said he could have gone anywhere, and that same night he won the Military Medal. The others I feel sad about. I do not know what became of them, they were reported after the battle ‘missing’—which means either prisoners or killed.”
These three reported “missing” have not been heard of so we may therefore conclude they were killed. How gracious of our Heavenly Father to call these men together! For three of them it’ was their last prayer-meeting, but how blessed to think their last hours were spent with God in prayer; gathered together, surrounded by the murderous explosion of enemy shells, they were in that shell-hole, with God’s hand over them. How many were that night called to face death, for which they were not ready? None of us know how near death is, and yet many are unprepared. They have never accepted God’s sacrifice for sin―even Jesus Christ—and there is no other sacrifice that God will accept, but He will forgive the sinner, and blot out all his sins, if he has faith in Jesus Christ.
M. M. (WORTHING.)