The Titanic's Last Hero (11 page)

The Christian brother asked me how long was it since I trusted Christ. I said, “When I raised my hand at the first meeting.” He then turned again to my wife and told her of his conversion. While telling her this, the light broke in, and she too was saved.

Praise God for His wondrous love and grace! Both saved the same night! That is over nine years ago, and from that day to this, we have gone on our way, “kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation.” Three months afterwards, we were baptized on our confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by Pastor Harper, received into fellowship, and have continued in fellowship with the church at Paisley Road since then.

We have often thanked God that He led us to Paisley Road Baptist Church that night of August 10, 1902, and that he privileged us to have ever known Mr. Harper. How he watched over us, praying for us, feeding us “on the finest of the wheat and honey from the rock,” and carefully and wisely counseling us. We owe all we are, humanly speaking, to the inspiration that came from his consecrated life, and our only desire is to follow on to know the Lord, walking humbly and prayerfully before our God, so that He may be honored and glorified by our daily lives.

Our hearts were stricken when we heard of his tragic end, and yet methinks he would rather have been taken away suddenly than lie on a bed with a lingering illness. He has now entered into his rest, and his works do follow him. But the memory of his life will be an inspiration to all who knew him, and his burning zeal, yearning passion, loyal devotion, and intense earnestness cannot but have left their stamp upon those who sat under his ministry.

Farewell, dear pastor and father in the gospel, may your children seek to walk worthy of the vocation unto which they are called. May the truths you have so often preached bear fruit in their lives. May your example of holy abandonment to the will of God draw others to follow—even as you have followed—Christ. And may your eyes even now rest on us all seeking to do the will of God and going on unto perfection. And yet it is not “farewell” but only “good night.” A few more days, and then we’ll all meet to part no more in that land of song and joy, where there are no more partings, and no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow, no more death, and no more sin. Thank God, no more sin.

Until the day dawns

and the shadows flee away.

Sleep on, beloved, sleep and take thy rest,

Lay down thy head upon thy Savior’s breast,

We loved thee well—but Jesus loves thee best,

Goodnight. Good night. Good night.

“They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).

—P.C.M.

A DRUNKARD FOUND DELIVERANCE

Testimony #2

As a brand plucked from the burning, I am thankful to God for His longsuffering and mercy, in that He did not cut me off in my sins. I had gone about as far as a man could go in the pleasures and follies of sin in drinking and gambling, and had on several occasions broken up my home and well-nigh ruined my business. It was while I was thus running on in my wild career that I was apprehended by the grace of God.

On Saturday night, November 6, 1897, I was as drunk as I could be, and on the Sunday night following was reaping what I had sowed. To while away the time, I took a walk along Paisley Road with a friend who introduced me to two of the church members of the Baptist church that had been formed about two months before, with Mr. Harper as pastor.

For the first time in my life, I was dealt with about my soul, and that night I was brought to a knowledge of the truth, being enabled from the heart to say, “I will trust, and not be afraid.” Since then I have been a wonder unto many. God Himself wrought the change. That night my wife was also enabled to close in with offered mercy, and since then we have journeyed to Zion together. Instead of seeking strong drink, I am satisfied with the Living Water that springs up into everlasting life.

Instead of gambling and worrying about what I might win, I have, by the grace of God, found the winner in Jesus Christ. Instead of blaspheming and using profanities, I have a new song in my mouth.

God has kept me by His grace for fourteen and a half years. To Him be all the glory. I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus who finished the work of my redemption on the cross. There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, and I believe in Him. Praise His holy name.

—J.B.

JOHN HARPER WAS, TO ME, A FATHER

Testimony #3

My heart’s desire and prayer to God is that some man who, like myself, has had the bitter and humiliating experience of innumerable trials and failures to lift himself out of sin, may on reading this humble testimony, trust Jesus Christ the only Savior and join with me in His praises.

I was a Roman Catholic by birth, education, training, and profession, learning to drink and to indulge in many other sins as well. While still very young, I joined the army, where the drink passion grew stronger, and I led a very loose life. I served my time and returned home with the drink habit stronger than ever—both in the service and in civil life.

I made several attempts to break away from drunkenness and other sins by going to confession, taking pledges, making resolutions, etc., but all to no avail. I could not save myself, and I often thought, “What is the good of all these confessions when each time I am as bad and often worse than before?” Then one Saturday night, January 14, 1905, I found myself in the Iron Church, Plantation Street, again under the influence of alcohol. It was a time of revival, and everyone seemed so intensely happy. The service went on, but I can’t tell much about what was taking place, only that I got very unhappy and convinced that I was a very great sinner and had been leading a very bad life.

Thanks be to God, a Christian man took notice of me and came over and sat down beside me. He was the means in God’s hand of leading me to the Savior. But it was not without a painful struggle. Satan brought up every possible and impossible reason why I should not trust Christ as my Savior. But, when I trusted Him, the joy and peace and sense of a new power more than made up for all.

Without the slightest doubt or fear, I felt and knew that I was saved and, thank God, I know it now. “I am not all I ought to be, but I am not what I used to be.” All I am I owe, under God, to our late, dearly beloved and much lamented Pastor John Harper, who was to me a father and brother, watching over me, praying for me, and instructing me in the new life.

Four days after my conversion, my wife was led to the Savior. Three months later, we were baptized and joined the church. I am now one of the deacons, having been appointed to the office a few months ago.

—H.P.

A HELPLESS PRODIGAL’S DEBT TO JOHN HARPER

Testimony #4

I was a poor, helpless sinner, held by the power of strong drink and a blaspheming tongue. I tried to repent by going to church and taking the pledge, but it proved of no avail. A special mission was being held in the Baptist church in Gordon Halls. I had a brother who was a member of the church. Special prayer was made for me. God heard and answered the prayer. By invitation I went to one of the services. At the close, one of the deacons spoke to me and asked if I was saved or if I would like to be. He read to me John 3:16, and he showed me that “whosoever” meant anyone and must mean me. I trusted Christ that night, October 11, 1898.

Mr. Harper came to the house the next morning to see if I had confessed Christ, which I had done and have done ever since. I am what I am by the grace of God. I owe very much to my dear, late pastor Mr. Harper, for his teaching and inspiration, and for the encouragement he gave me to be out and out for God. I praise God for the privilege of sitting under him for twelve years and for being engaged in the Lord’s work with him during that time. I now hold the position of a deacon—I, who was once a poor drunkard and blasphemer! But I found mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ.

“To God be all the glory, great things he hath done.”

—A.M.L.

A “DEEP-DYED” SINNER IS CLEANSED

Testimony #5

Thank God for His saving grace in lifting a poor sinner like me from the dunghill and setting me among the princes. I was brought up a Presbyterian but had no knowledge of God’s salvation. As a lad, when living in Greenock, I went into the spirit trade with the determination to avoid the drink in any form and not to taste it. But I soon fell under its power and dominion and became a confirmed drunkard. I got so used to it that I could drink all the day long, and yet one could hardly tell it on me.

I was twelve years selling the cursed stuff behind a public-house counter, and never once in all those years did I go home sober. I left the drink trade and went to a lemonade manufacturer. But that was as bad, as I supplied the public houses with aerated water, and I got drunk there as well.

At the age of twenty-five, I came to Glasgow and went into the employment of P. & W. M’Lellan, at Clutha Iron Works. But still I was a victim to strong drink. I was gripped by the giant evil and could not get free of its power.

One night, at New Year’s 1901, I took very ill, and the doctor was called to come to me. He said I had only three hours to live. This, then, was the end of my drinking; three hours—and then hell. I knew that was where I would go. I knew there was no hope, but yet I prayed that God would spare me, and I would stop drinking and live a better life. He did spare me, and for two years afterwards I struggled against my love for whiskey and beer but still drank wine.

I determined to pay a visit to every church in Glasgow to see if I could hear of something that would bring me rest and peace. One Sunday evening, November 1, 1903, I found myself in the Baptist church on Plantation Street and heard Mr. Harper preach. A young lady sang “Over the Dead Line,” and I felt that if I did not accept Jesus Christ, I would pass over that dead line and be lost.

No one spoke to me. I was so awakened to my need of Christ that I knew all I had to do was accept Him as my Savior. I did so, and now after eight and a half years of victory over drink and sin, I can say that God’s Word is true, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I was in a new world. The drink desire was gone. Peace filled my soul. I knew from the moment I said, “Lord, I’ll trust Thee, sink or swim, I’ll trust Thee,” that I was saved, and thank God, I have been kept ever since by His mighty power and grace. About a year after that, I was baptized and joined the church.

I am now a deacon in the church. Oh, what grace that transforms a poor drunkard, a seller of whiskey, and a deep-dyed sinner, such as I was, into a son of God and a child of His love! All I owe in my spiritual life, I owe to the influence and teaching of Mr. Harper, who taught me the things of God, and whose life was an inspiration to me.

May God help some poor drunkard to trust in my Savior and find that “wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

—J.C.

HARPER OVERCAME “ARMS OF REBELLION”

Testimony #6

I just want to give my humble testimony to the saving and keeping power of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has been my Savior now for fifteen years. It was on October 27, 1897. My mother was giving a Halloween party, and I was asked to bring up my sweetheart for her tea. Little did I think that it was for the purpose of getting me in touch with Mr. Harper that the party had been arranged. At length the night came, and we were all gathered in the room, and to my great surprise, who did I see in the room but Mr. Harper and several members of the church (one of them now the senior deacon of the church).

My mother was a member of the church, being among the first number that was at the start of the church in the Gordon Halls. Of course, I knew what would happen after tea—I would be spoken to about my soul. Well, we had our tea, and then after a little conversation, I thought it was time for me to get out. It was getting too warm for me, so I got up to get my cap, but I could not find it. It had been removed from its place.

I went out with my bare head, but I did not stop long as it was a cold night, so I had to go back to the house again, for this purpose of getting some covering for my head. Little did I think I was to get a covering for my sins.

When I got to the house, an elderly brother got hold of me and spoke to me about Christ. In the corner of the room, Mr. Harper was dealing with my sweetheart about her soul. Shortly after, Mr. Harper engaged in prayer, thanking God for her decision. I then threw down the arms of rebellion and accepted Christ also as my Savior and Lord. The Scriptures through which we saw the light were Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep,” etc., and Romans 10:9, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, though shalt be saved.”

That eventful night will never be erased from our memories, and we were baptized shortly afterwards and joined the church. After over fourteen years’ experience of Christ’s love and salvation, we can say that His grace is sufficient for us, and His strength is made perfect in weakness.

What we are in the Christian life, we owe to our late lamented pastor, Mr. Harper, whose godly life and holy example proved such a help to us, and who looked after us as carefully as a father after his children, and brought us to love the study of Scripture and the joy of waiting upon God in prayer. Would to God I could pray like him, and now that he is in the presence of the Lord whom he so much loved and so loyally served, our only desire is to follow in his steps even as he followed Christ.

—C.B. and Mrs. B.