Mary D. had been given a Bible by her mother who was now with the Lord. For this reason it was her priceless treasure. Her mother had used it for many years and had marked the chapters and passages that had been especially precious to her.
It was Mary’s pleasure to read from it to the boys in her Bible class. Many of them accepted the truth and were happily saved; so this Bible, it seemed to her, had been especially blessed.
One day her Bible was missing. Someone had stolen it. Even though Mary offered a special reward it was not returned to her. Some of the boys were wild and unruly; still she could not believe that one of them had taken it. However, the precious Book was gone, and Mary prayed that whoever became the possessor of it might receive a rich blessing.
Then came the war! Mary became a nurse and went to work in one of the large army hospitals in the area. After a heavy battle many wounded and dying soldiers were brought in. As Mary moved among the suffering men she came to one who recognized her, but she did not know him. He gave his name and told the following story: “I am the one who stole your Bible,” he said; “and I did it just for sport; but I remembered that you told us the Bible was especially precious to you because it was a gift from your mother. This bothered me very much. I would have given anything had I not taken it, but I was too proud to confess that I was the thief. I wanted to bring it back, but I feared it would be said that I only did it to get the reward. Soon after this I went to another town. I sank morally lower and lower. I kept the Bible and hoped to return it some day without you ever finding out that it was I who had taken it.
“In the last three years I have experienced much suffering — long marches, and terrible battles. I was honored for being tough. Once I was sent on a mission with some spies but was taken prisoner. I managed to escape, but I nearly perished with hunger. At last I succeeded in getting back to our lines. All this time I felt guilty because I still had your Bible. Somehow I felt drawn to read it again and again. Once the passage, ‘Thou shalt not steal’ went as a dart to my soul. Another time in reading my eyes lit on the verse, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart’; and another time, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive’; ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them!’ Matthew 7:1212Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12). Every time I opened that Bible it convicted me, and I became more miserable.
“Once I purposed to burn the Bible, but on thinking it over I concluded that it would not alter my plight. I realized I never would be happy unless I confessed my sin and returned the Bible.
“In my trouble I went to my captain and told him my story. I said that I wanted to be honest and return the Book but, I was too much of a coward. The captain was an ungodly man who often cursed and did not believe in the Bible. He ridiculed me and said, ‘Don’t let such nonsense bother you. The Bible means no more than any other book.’ Through the grace of God I knew better and read more than ever in it. At last I began to pray earnestly. I confessed my sins to the Lord Jesus, and pleaded for mercy. I also prayed for my captain.
“When I was wounded he came to me and said that he would do anything he could for me. Then I asked him to take the Bible out of my pocket because I had lost both of my hands. He promised he would be very careful with it and would try to return it to you, and also tell you how he had gotten it. He had to return to the battle front and I was brought to this hospital. No doubt the same verses that brought conviction and salvation to me will do the same for him. God bless him!”
Shortly after the soldier finished this story, he breathed his last and was gone. Mary continued to; that God would use her precious Bible for further blessing.
Years passed. Mary came back to her home town. She labored and prayed for the boys in her neighborhood. It was striking to see how they were all deeply moved by the story of the dying soldier and the Bible. Was it only a story, or an answer to prayer?
One Sunday Colonel B. who was a famous evangelist, came to town to preach. He held a gospel meeting in the same school where Mary had a large class for boys. He told of his conversion which he accredited to a soldier in his company who had given him a Bible. As he said this, he pulled out of his pocket a book damaged by bullets and spattered with blood, and repeated the story we have just heard. He ended with these words: “Boys, the prayer of this soldier and the contents of this Bible transformed a wild and wicked man into a Christian and servant of the Lord. My story has been the means of bringing many souls to Christ. I have never been able to find the original owner of this book though the name is written inside ‘Mary D.’”
Mary was soon in possession of her precious Book which had been gone so long. She praised God for the wonders her Bible had accomplished and prayed they would continue.
ML 01/28/1968