SHORTLY after my conversion at Gibraltar, and feeling the need of a place to spend my evenings, I, with three other Christian soldiers, decided to take a little room and fit it up for the preaching of the gospel, in the hope that many of our fellow-soldiers would attend the meetings, and be brought to trust in our blessed Lord. After solemnly opening the room with prayer and praise to God, we determined, by His help, never to let a day pass without trying to get some fellow-soldier to our room, and when there to try and win him for Christ. Notwithstanding many jeers and taunts, in a short time about thirty had been added to our number, who used to thank God they had ever been brought to our little Bethel. Amongst them was Teddy—, a bright and happy soldier of the Rifle Brigade, and the circumstances of his conversion were very remarkable. One evening when Paddy M—(one of the original four who opened the room) was leaving the barrack room to come to the meeting, he remembered he had not invited any of his fellow-soldiers to come with him, so he retraced his steps to the barrack room, and addressing the first man he came near, said, “I say, chummy, will ye come to our little room tonight to the Bible meeting, and after we will have some tea together?”
The man gruffly replied, “No, what do I want to go to your Bible reading for? See, there is Teddy—, he has looked miserable enough for days, ask him.”
Paddy—at once turned round and went over to Teddy—, who was cleaning his belts, &c., and invited him to come.
Teddy looked up and replied, “Well, yes, I am very miserable, and am only too glad to go with you.”
Well do I remember the night. I had just finished cleaning the room and getting it ready, when in came Paddy M—and his friend Teddy—. The latter was a fine, healthy looking man, every inch a soldier, of whose life the world would willingly have taken a lease. When I had shaken hands with him, I remarked that he looked so sad, and he replied, “Yes, I am greatly troubled about my sins, and feel I would give anything to have the assurance of salvation.” I asked him what made him so earnestly desire this salvation, and in such haste to obtain it.
He replied, “I feel I am getting my last chance now. When I was on the battle-field (he had just returned from the Ashantee war), and expecting death every moment, I, as I thought, gave my heart to God, but then there was no sense of sin, and when the war was over, and danger past, I went back to my old ways, until a few weeks back. Since then I have been troubled about my sins.”
I at once said, “Let us pray about it,” and we three knelt down, and, oh! how Paddy M—wrestled with God in prayer. In his simple Irish dialect he quoted many passages of scripture, and as the precious words of God fell from the fervent Irishman’s lips, the tears began to roll down poor Teddy’s face, until at last he sobbed aloud, calling on God for salvation. We were all thus weeping, and as other pious soldiers entered they also cried aloud with us to God for the soul of our clear comrade, until at last, that very night, dear Teddy decided for Christ. He believed the truth of God as a poor sinner, and trusted in the precious blood of Christ, resting on the Word of Him who has said, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 8:1212For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:12)); and, “Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38,3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).
From that night, Teddy became one of our hardest workers; filled with the fullness of first love to Christ, he spent all his time trying to bring others to the Saviour. About three weeks after his conversion, I missed Teddy from the meeting, and was told he was in hospital, taken suddenly ill. I was intending to go next day to see him, but in the morning I heard the solemn sounds of the “Dead March in Saul,” and the measured tread of the soldiers, as they carried the remains of a departed comrade to the burial ground. I stood and watched the procession, saluting the corpse as it passed, and asked a man standing by, whose funeral it was.
He replied, “It’s Teddy—, and he died so happy, though suddenly.”
In that country burial takes place the day after death in summer time. I afterwards found that lie had borne a bright testimony to Christ in the few hours he was conscious; and the last words he was heard to say were in response to an orderly covering him up in bed, “Thank—you—I am — very — happy,” and so he passed away, happy in the love of Christ. His end was peace. J. H.