Lance-Corporal Dennis Woodward was born at West Bromwich in 1884. He was a bright lad and easily led. “I often thought about my soul,” he said, “but no one ever spoke to me about eternal things.” For several years he was employed as a barman at an hotel in Birmingham, and during this time gave way to drinking, gambling and card playing. At the age of twenty-five he left his situation and, with a comrade, went off pleasure-seeking. Having spent their money, they soon, like the prodigal of Luke 15, began to be in want. In this condition Woodward and his comrade turned into a hall where gospel preaching was going on, and God, in His grace, saved both that night. After some eighteen months of bright testimony for the Lord, Woodward joined the Christian Colportage Association as a colporteur, being-stationed at Southport. For some three and a half years he was much used of God in this neighborhood, ever delighting in telling those around him of the love of God in giving His beloved Son to die for guilty man. At the outbreak of the War he, in company with five other Christians, enlisted in the 7th King’s Liverpool Regiment. These six kept together, and testified for the Lord amongst their comrades in France. On June 20th 1915 (Lord’s Day morning), Lance-Corporal Woodward was hit in the head by a hand grenade, and in two minutes his happy spirit had departed to be with Christ. To his beloved wife he would often say, “I shall be satisfied when I awake with His likeness.” His favorite hymn, which he delighted to sing, was: ―
In loving kindness Jesus came,
My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame
Through grace He lifted me.
He called me long before I heard,
Before my sinful heart was stirred;
But when I took Him at His word,
Forgiven He lifted me.
His brow was pierced with many a thorn,
His hands by cruel nails were torn;
When from my guilt and grief forlorn,
In love He lifted me.
Now on a higher plane I dwell,
And with my soul I know ‘tis well,
And whilst I live I mean to tell
His love who lifted me.
In a letter written a few days before his death he wrote: ―
“I am full of gratitude to God for His faithfulness. I am keeping well, and praising God for the wonderful way He has preserved me through many dangers. I am proving Him to be the faithful God, the God of all comfort and grace, even when we are expecting any moment to be blown up by the enemy’s artillery, the Lord draws near with words of peace and comfort.”
We give extracts from a few other letters: ―
“Waiting upon God in prayer is what we should all be doing more and more, that we might be strengthened. We need His strength. In Him is plenty, and all grace He gives. In Him is fullness. He is sufficient for all. I was speaking today with a man who desired to talk with me on spiritual things. I spoke to him about the way of salvation. Please pray that God will bless him.”
In the next letter he speaks of an officers’ prayer meeting: ―
“There has been a terrific bombardment going on for hours. I have never heard anything like it. We are expecting to make a big attack, and many are thinking seriously at the thought of being in a charge. The officers, I believe, went to a secret place for private prayer for five or ten minutes. I have had a talk with some of the men, and they were interested. I also gave them a Gospel of John each.”
His confidence in God is shown in the next extracts: ―
“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him. His love is upon all His children for their good. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. This encourages us to put our whole trust in Him. He is able to keep us.”
Extract from his last letter, written three days before his death:
“I pray God that you (his wife) may be strengthened each moment of the day. I can say: ―
‘Moment by moment
I’m kept in His love,
Moment by moment
I’ve life from above.’
How precious the thought that the Saviour loves us every moment, and cares for us every moment, keeps us, protects us, strengthens us, gives grace for every moment! How precious also arc Thy thoughts unto me, O God, how great is the sum of them! I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh on me.”
Corporal Wilfred H. Henshaw
Corporal W. H. Henshaw belonged to the 3rd Loyal North Lancs. Regiment, and departed to be with Christ whilst a prisoner of war in Germany, from wounds received in action, December 30th 1914. He was buried at Aachen, Germany. The following is an extract from a letter received a short time before his death: ―
“Will you pray God I may have His presence with me, and never bring His name to shame by my conduct? I can say, when shells are bursting and bullets whistling all around me, ‘Safe in the arms of Jesus,’ and think that any moment I may be in His presence, who has taught me to love Him.”
One of Corporal Henshaw’s Christian comrades described him as the finest Christian soldier he had ever seen. J. J. P.
The Last Entry in a Soldier’s Diary
The following is a part of a letter from the parents of a soldier killed in action recently: ― “Willie’s things came home a fortnight ago. It was a very hard trial to us; it seemed so little for one we held so dear. Well, his diary came with them, so I must tell you the last entry: ― ‘Dear mother and father, I am going into this fight with Jesus in my heart. Have no fear if anything should happen to me; I am safe in His keeping; He will watch over me.’”
And now, my reader and I must say “Goodbye” for another month. The time is short; if work is to be done, it must be done now. A correspondent says: ―
“I understand that for the sum of 5/- you will send a parcel containing Gospels, Testaments, and an assortment of magazines, etc., to the Front. Will you kindly send two parcels for me? I enclose 10/- in payment.”
We are also sending a Testament to every soldier or sailor who asks for one. We had about one hundred and fifty applications last week. Please study the invitation to every soldier and sailor on the last page of cover.