Tom Needham’s parents were Christians who lived in the South of Ireland. Tom was the youngest of ten children, and, along with his siblings, he was brought up in the fear of God.
At the age of 13, Tom entered the British Royal Navy. Several years later, he left the navy to sail in a merchant ship for South America. The captain of the ship was a very ungodly and cruel man. One day when they were in the Bay of St. George, Patagonia, Tom and some other sailors were sent to shore in a small boat. Then, without any warning, because of instructions from the cruel captain, Tom was left behind alone on that rocky coast.
Tom was captured by Tehuelche natives, who were hunting seals, and they took him to their camp. Tom’s captors prided themselves on the fact that they never let a white man live. However, the chief took a special liking to the young Irish fellow, and through the merciful intervention of God, his life was spared. During his year’s captivity in Patagonia, he learned their language and accompanied them on their hunting expeditions. He became an expert in lassoing wild cattle and in catching ostriches with the bola, a type of throwing weapon which has weights on the ends of cords.
But Tom’s heart longed for liberty, and he determined to try to escape. One day when the Tehuelche were off guard, he mounted one of the strongest and fastest of the horses and galloped off into the tall pampas. Several of the braves pursued him for miles but he was able to escape. When canoeing down the Parana River, he found that there was a war raging between Paraguay and Brazil. Tom was seized as a spy and condemned to be shot. He was led out for execution and the soldiers stood ready to fire.
Right before the word of command was given, there was a commotion in the crowd as a man suddenly appeared on horseback. Dismounting, he rushed to an officer standing by and exclaimed: “Don’t you dare shoot that boy. If you do, I will hold your country responsible for the outrage. He is either British or American, and I am the Austrian Consul.”
As he spoke, he waved in the air a document sealed with various seals. Once again, Tom’s life was spared. He was released and handed over to the care of the Consul. Tom’s heart was filled with gratitude to the man for being the means of saving his life, and he told him so.
After many other difficult experiences and narrow escapes, Tom finally reached the coast and boarded a ship for England. There he learned that all of his brothers and sisters had moved to Boston in the United States, so he travelled to Boston. At first, his sisters would not believe that he was their long-lost brother Tom. However, his oldest brother recognized him, and then — how he was welcomed!
It so happened that an American preacher was having special meetings in Boston just then. A cousin took Tom to hear him. The address that night was on the words, “[You are] weighed in the balances, and [are] found wanting” (Daniel 5:2727TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Daniel 5:27)).
God caused the words to enter in power to Tom’s heart and conscience, and he saw that he was lost, completely unable to say or do anything to save himself. That very night he understood the wonderful truth that the Lord Jesus was wounded for his transgressions and bruised for his iniquities (Isaiah 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)), and by believing on Him, Tom was saved (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). He immediately confessed Christ before others, and then he began to teach to others the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ.
One evening when he was preaching in a Canadian town, he told some of his experiences. At the close of the service an elderly man, shaking with emotion, took his hand and invited him to his home. As they entered the house, Tom Needham saw a painting of a ship, and at once he recognized her as the one in which he had sailed to Patagonia. The man then said, “I was the captain you told about in your story today. Now I want to ask for your forgiveness.” Tom freely and fully forgave him, and then he had the joy of pointing his former captain, who had left him on the Patagonian shore, to the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)). The old captain was saved, and his life afterward proved that his heart had truly been changed.
Messages of God’s Love 9/21/2025