Page 5 - Good News June 2016 paper

he following story is a true brandy on my breath?" I will never and when I closed my own eyes,
account, taken from an old, forget the look that boy gave me. the words, "Blessed Jesus, stand
Tout-of-print book called At that time I hated Jesus, but I by me now," kept ringing in my
"Touching Incidents And respected that boy's loyalty to his ears.
Remarkable Answers To Prayer" Saviour. And when I saw how he
compiled by S.B. Shaw and loved and trusted Him to the very A little after midnight, I finally left
published in 1894. end, something touched my heart my bed and visited the hospital - a
deeply. I did for that boy what I had thing I had never done before
I was a surgeon in the United never done for any other soldier - I unless there was an emergency. I
States Army during the Civil War. asked him if he wanted to see his had such a strange and strong
After the battle of Gettysburg, chaplain. desire to see that boy. When I got
there were hundreds of wounded there, an aide told me that 16 of
soldiers in my hospital. Many Chaplain R. knew the boy well the badly wounded soldiers had
were wounded so severely that a from having seen him frequently died. "Was Charlie Coulson one of
leg or an arm, or sometimes both, at the tent prayer meetings. them?" I asked. "No, sir," he
needed to be amputated. Taking his hand, he said, "Charlie, answered, "he's sleeping as
I'm really sorry to see you like sweetly as a babe."
One of these was a boy who had this." "Oh, I'm all right, sir,"
only been in the service for three Charlie answered. "The doctor When I came to his bed, one of the
months. Since he was too young offered me chloroform, but I told nurses said that at about nine
to be a soldier, he had enlisted as him I didn't want any. Then he o'clock, two members of the
a drummer boy. When my wanted to give me brandy, which I YMCA came through the hospital Christ, and I want to introduce you
assistants came to give him didn't want either. So now, if my to read and sing a hymn. Chaplain to Him before I die. Will you
chloroform before the ampu- Saviour calls me, I can go to Him R. was with them and he knelt by promise me, Doctor, that what I
tation, he turned his head and in my right mind." "You might not Charlie's bed and offered a am about to say to you, you will
refused it. die, Charlie," said the chaplain, fervent and soul-stirring prayer. never forget?" I promised, and he
"but if the Lord does call you Then, while still on their knees, said, "Five days ago, while you
When they told him that it was the home, is there anything I can do they sang one of the sweetest of amputated my arm and leg, I
doctor's orders, he said, "Send for you after you're gone?" all hymns, "Jesus, Lover Of My prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ
the doctor to me." I came to his Soul." and asked Him to make His love
bedside and said, "Young man, "Chaplain, please reach under my known to you."
why do you refuse the chloro- pillow and take my little Bible. My Charlie sang along with them, too.
form? When I found you on the mother's address is inside. I couldn't understand how that Those words went deep into my
battlefield, you were so far gone Please send it to her and write a boy, who was in such horrible heart. I couldn't understand how,
that I almost didn't bother to pick letter for me. Tell her that since I pain, could sing. Five days after I when I was causing him the most
you up, but when you opened left home, I have never let a single performed the operation, Charlie intense pain, he could forget all
those large blue eyes, it occurred day pass - no matter if we were on sent for me, and it was from him about himself and think of
to me that you had a mother the march on the battlefield, or in that I heard my first Gospel nothing but his Saviour and my
somewhere who might be the hospital - without reading a sermon. "Doctor," he said, "my unconverted soul. All I could say
thinking of you at that very portion of God's Word, and daily time has come. I don't expect to to him was, "Well, my dear boy,
moment. I didn't want you to die praying that He would bless her." see another sunrise. I want to you will soon be all right." With
on the field, so I had you brought thank you with all my heart for these words I left him, and 12
here. But you've lost so much "Is there anything else I can do for your kindness to me. I know you minutes later he fell asleep, "safe
blood that you're just too weak to you, my lad?" asked the chaplain. are Jewish, and that you don't in the arms of Jesus."
live through an operation without "Yes - please write a letter to the believe in Jesus, but I want you to
chloroform. You'd better let me Sunday School teacher of the stay with me, and see me die Hundreds of soldiers died in my
give you some." Sands Street Church in Brooklyn, trusting my Saviour to the last hospital during the war, but I only
New York. Tell him that I've never moment of my life." followed one to the grave, and
He laid his hand on mine, looked forgotten his encouragement, that was Charlie Coulson. I rode
me in the face and said, "Doctor, good advice, and many prayers I tried to stay, but I just couldn't. I three miles to see him buried. I
one Sunday afternoon, when I for me. They have helped and didn't have the courage to stand had him dressed in a new uniform,
was nine and a half years old, I comforted me through all the by and see a Christian boy die and placed in an officer's coffin,
gave my heart to Christ. I learned dangers of battle. And now, in my rejoicing in the love of that Jesus with a United States flag over it.
to trust Him then, and I've been dying hour, I thank the Lord for my whom I hated. So I hurriedly left
trusting Him ever since. I know I dear old teacher, and ask Him to the room. About 20 minutes later That boy's dying words made a
can trust Him now. He is my bless and strengthen him. That is the aide came and found me deep impression upon me. I was
strength. He will support me while all." Then turning to me, he said, sitting in my office with my hands rich at that time so far as money
you amputate my arm and leg." "I'm ready, doctor. I promise I covering my face. He told me that was concerned, but I would have
won't even groan while you take Charlie wanted to see me. "I've given every penny I possessed if I
I asked him if he would at least let off my arm and leg, if you don't just seen him," I answered, "and I could have felt towards Christ as
me give him a little brandy. Again offer me chloroform." can't see him again." "But, Charlie did. But that feeling
he looked at me and said, "Doctor, Doctor, he says he must see you cannot be bought with money.
when I was about five years old, I promised, but I didn't have the once more before he dies."
my mother knelt by my side with courage to take the knife in my Alas, I soon forgot all about my
her arms around me and said: hand without first going into the So I made up my mind to go and Christian soldier's little sermon,
'Charlie, I am praying to Jesus next room and taking a little see Charlie, say an endearing but I could not forget the boy
that you will never take even one brandy myself. While cutting word, and let him die. However, I himself. Looking back, I now
drink of alcohol. Your father died a through the flesh, Charlie Coul- was determined that nothing he know that I was under deep
drunkard, and I've asked God to son never groaned. But when I could say would influence me in conviction of sin at that time. But
use you to warn people against took the saw to separate the bone, the least bit, so far as his Jesus for nearly ten years I fought
the dangers of drinking, and to the lad took the corner of his was concerned. against Christ with all the hatred I
encourage them to love and serve pillow in his mouth, and all I could had, until finally the dear boy's
the Lord.' hear him whisper was, "O Jesus, When I entered the hospital I saw prayer was answered, and I
blessed Jesus! Stand by me he was sinking fast, so I sat down surrendered my life to the love of
I am now 17 years old, and I have now." He kept his promise. He by his bed. Asking me to take his Jesus.
never had anything stronger than never groaned. hand, he said, "Doctor, I love you
tea or coffee. There is a very good because you are a Jew. The best About a year-and-a-half after my
chance that I am about to die and I couldn't sleep that night, Friend I have found in this world conversion, l went to a prayer
appear in the presence of my God. Whichever way I tossed and was a Jew." I asked him who that meeting one evening in Brooklyn.
Continued on p. 7
Would you send me there with turned, I saw those soft blue eyes, was, and he answered, "Jesus Continued on p. 7