A True Story
By I. I. PIPER
WILLIE H ― became a bugler— in the Regiment during the Indian Mutiny. He was a delicate lad, but being born in the Regiment it seemed fitting that he should adopt the military calling. Shortly after Willie became a bugler, his father, as brave a man as ever lived, was killed in action, and his mother died six months later. She was the daughter of an Army Scripture Reader, and had brought up Willie in the fear of God, and he liked better going to the prayer meetings with her than joining in the horse-play of the other boys. This made the lad unpopular, and he suffered many coarse taunts and mocking gibes in consequence.
After his mother died, his life was made a misery to him by the scoffing sneers, and rude jokes, of the men of the regiment. When Willie was fourteen, the regiment was removed some miles away from the camp for rifle practice, and the Colonel wished to leave him behind, but the Sergeant-Major pleaded for him to be taken along with them. “There is mischief in the air, Colonel,” he said, “and rough as the men treat the lad (and they do lead him a life), his patience tells on them, for the boy is a saint, sir!” “I don’t believe in saints, and their influence,” the Colonel answered shortly. “But let him go.”
These were stirring times during the Indian Mutiny, and before the regiment had been away from camp many days several acts of insubordination had been brought to the Colonel’s notice, and he determined to make an example of the next offense by having the culprit flogged. One morning it was reported that the targets had been thrown down and mutilated so that the usual practice could not take place. This was serious, and the rascally act was traced to a man, or men, in the tent where Willie H― was billeted, two of them being the worst characters in the regiment. The whole lot were put under arrest to be tried by court martial, when enough evidence was produced to prove conclusively that one or more of the prisoners were guilty of the crime. An appeal was made to produce the culprit, or culprits, all to no effect; and the Colonel, turning to the prisoners, addressed them thus: “If any one of you who slept in No. 4 tent last night will come forward and take his punishment like a man the rest will get off free, but if not each man in turn will receive ten strokes of the cat.”
For a couple of minutes dead silence followed, then from the midst of the prisoners, where his slight form had been completely hidden, stepped Willie H―. He advanced to within two yards of the Colonel and said, “You have passed your word that if any one of those who slept in. No. 4 tent last night comes forward to take his punishment, the rest shall get off scot free. I am ready, sir and please may I take it now!”
For a moment the Colonel was speechless, then in a fury of anger and disgust he turned upon the men and said, “Is there no man among you worthy of the name? Are you all cowards enough to let this lad suffer for your sins, for that he is innocent you know as well as I.” But silent they stood, with never a word.
The Colonel’s word must stand, and a second time Willie repeated, “I am ready, sir,” and he was led away for punishment. With bared back the lad bravely stood as one, two, three strokes descended; at the fourth a faint moan escaped his white lips, and ere the fifth fell a hoarse cry burst from the group of prisoners, who had been forced to witness the scene; and with one bound Jim S―, the black sheep of the regiment, seized the cat and gasped out, “Stop it, Colonel, stop it! tie me up instead, he didn’t do it, I did,” and with anguished face he flung his arms round the boy. Almost speechless, Willie lifted his eyes to Jim’s face and smiled such a smile. “No, Jim,” he whispered, “you are safe now; the Colonel’s word will stand.” Then he fainted.
The next day as the Colonel was making for the hospital tent where the brave young bugler lay, he met the doctor. “How is the lad?” he asked. “Sinking, Colonel,” he replied quietly. “What!” he ejaculated. “Yes, the shock of yesterday was too much for his feeble strength. I knew it was only a question of time,” he muttered, “and this affair has only hastened matters.” Then gruffly the doctor added, “He is more fit for heaven than earth.”
“I shall never forget that sight,” said the Colonel. “In the corner of the hospital tent, propped up on the pillow, lay the lad dying, and half kneeling at his side was Jim S―. The boy’s face was deathly white. He was talking earnestly, but neither of them saw me.” “Why did ye do it, lad?” muttered Jim, the drops of sweat standing on his brow. “Because I wanted to take it for you, Jim,” Willie’s weak voice answered tenderly. “I thought if I did it, it might help you to understand a little bit why Christ died for you.” “Why Christ died for me?” repeated Jim. “Yes, He died for you, because He loved you, as I do, Jim, only Christ loves you much more; I only suffered for one sin, but Christ suffered the punishment for all your sins. The punishment of your sins is death, Jim, but Christ died for you.”
“Christ has naught to do with such as me, lad. I’m one of the bad ‘uns, and you ought to know that.” “But He died to save bad ones — just them. He says, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool’ (Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)). Dear Jim, shall the Lord have died in vain? Listen! He is calling you, He has poured out His precious life-blood for you, He is knocking at the door of your heart. Won’t you let Him in? Oh! you must, and then we shall meet again.”
Standing there in the shadow, the Colonel’s own heart became strangely stirred. He had heard such things from his mother, long, long ago, and the words seemed a faint echo of her own. Suddenly Jim raised a hoarse cry, and then it was seen that Willie had fainted. “I thought he was gone,” the Colonel added, “but a few drops of cordial revived him and he opened his eyes, now dim and sightless.” “Sing to me, mother,” he whispered, “The Gates of Pearl’ — I am so tired.” “In a flash the words came back to me,” said the Colonel. “I had heard them often in the shadowy past, and I found myself repeating them softly to the dying bugler lad: —
“ ‘Though the day be never so long,
It reigneth at length to evensong,
And the weary worker goes to his rest
With words of peace and pardon blest,
Though the path be never so steep,
And rough to walk in and hard to keep,
It will lead when the weary road is trod,
To the gates of pearl: The City of God.’
As the last words fell from my lips, his eyes met mine gratefully.” “Thank you, Colonel,” he whispered, “I shall soon be there.” “Where?” I said involuntarily. “Why in heaven, Colonel!” he answered with a smile. “The roll call has sounded for me; the gates are open; the price has been paid.” Then softly he repeated:
“just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.”
Once more the dying lad lifted his eyes to the Colonel. “You will help him, sir; you will show him the way to — the — Gates — of pearl.” Suddenly a glorious light flashed into his dying eyes, and with a radiant, happy cry he flung out his arms as if in welcome. “Mother, O mother!” That voice thrilled the heart of every man who heard it. The light faded from the shining eyes, and the brave spirit of Willie H― had fled to God.
By God’s mercy the frozen heart of Colonel H―was melted, under the power of redeeming love. He turned to the sinner’s Friend, as the only way of escape from the wrath to come. He rested his guilty soul on the atoning work of Christ, and lived for several years afterward to tell to those around him what a Saviour he had found.
Jim S―, brought to a sense of his guilt, was led to see that the Lord Jesus died for him on Calvary’s cross, bearing the judgment and curse due to him, and by believing on Him who did all, and paid all, he was saved. What eventually became of Jim I do not know. This I do know, that the Colonel, Willie and Jim, through faith in the precious blood of Christ, will meet again when Jesus comes.
Dear friend, this is a true story. Is not your heart touched as you read it? William H― laid down his life for Jim S―. Jesus Christ laid down His life for you.