When Major Whittle left home, he was not a Christian. But he had a godly mother and she sent him away with a prayer.
It was during the Civil War and young Whittle was wounded in battle. As he lay in the hospital, he began to read the Bible his mother had given him. He began with the book of Matthew. As he read on, he wanted to know more of the precious Book. Soon he saw that the hope of his salvation was in the Lord Jesus, and in Him alone. It was only He that could save from sins. Still he delayed to accept God’s salvation.
Then one day the nurse came to his bed and said, “There is a lad of nineteen here who is dying. He wants someone to pray with him. You are the only one I know that can do it.” Young Whittle told the nurse that he couldn’t help the boy, for he was not a Christian. Hover, the nurse asked him to come and do what he could. When he reached the bedside of the dying soldier boy, he knelt down and began to pray. As he prayed, he confessed his own sin, and asked the Lord to save him. Then he began to pray for the other boy. Both of them found salvation in Christ before the young soldier passed away.
Oh, how wonderful the grace and mercy of God!
‘Twas the same love that spread the feast
That gently forced me in,
Else I had still rejected grace,
And perished in my sin.
ML 04/09/1967