Miss M. E. G― R―writes to me, speaking of her interview with two wounded soldiers. It is so full of interest I am glad to print the letter.
Dear Dr. Wreford,
“The summer before last, when visiting near Stroud, my cousin took me to see some wounded soldiers. We found that as the majority were convalescent, they had gone for an outing-all save two. One poor fellow, who had been wounded at Neuve Chapelle, had, previous to the War, been in India, and though his wound had healed, he was suffering with malaria. After a little chat, I took his poor, thin hand in mine to say farewell, adding: ‘You will be surprised to hear that you are the first wounded soldier I have seen.’ He looked very surprised. I continued: ‘My home is in a remote village in Devon, and we never see any there. We women of England are very grateful to all you men for having gone to the Front to keep off the enemy, for had you not done so the Germans would have invaded England, and would have treated us as they have the women and children of Belgium.’ He responded: ‘Yes, they would have.’
“I continued: ‘So I feel that you have been wounded instead of me, and I am very grateful. This reminds me of a verse in the Bible about the Lord Jesus which says: “He was wounded for our transgressions”―yours and mine―and it is so wonderful to think that He was wounded for us, although we were His enemies. Now you can understand my feeling grateful to you for being wounded instead of me. How much more grateful should you and I be to the Lord Jesus for having been wounded for our transgressions.’
“ ‘Thank you, Miss,’ he said feelingly, as I left him.
“Stepping down the ward, I came to the other soldier—a younger man—who was going home the next day on leave. Telling him a little of what I had said to the first man, I added: You men never know how soon you may have to meet death.’ He answered seriously: ‘No, we don’t.’ I continued: Therefore it is very necessary that you should be ready to die. God tells us in His Word that “all have sinned” ―you have sinned; I have sinned. Sin is a disease of the soul. We know very well that if we have any disease of the body, and we don’t get it cured, it will grow worse and worse, and end in death. It is just the same with the disease of the soul, sin—if not cured—will land us in hell. There is only one cure for this disease, sin, and that is the precious blood of Christ. “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from ail sin.”
“And so I left them, earnestly looking up for the salvation of both these men.”