Page 1 - Good News November 2019 paper
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Harper then ran along the decks
pleading with people to turn to
Christ, and, with the ship sinking,
he called upon the Titanic's
orchestra to play, "Nearer, My
God, to Thee." Gathering people
around him on deck, he then knelt
down, and "with holy joy in his
face," raised his arms in prayer.
As the ship began to lurch, he
jumped into the icy waters and
swam frantically to all he could
reach, beseeching them to turn to
the Lord Jesus and be saved.
Finally, as hypothermia set in,
John Harper sank beneath the
waters and passed into the Lord's
Presence. He was 39. brought him back a little later, and of John Harper's preaching had
he said, "Are you saved now?" been "the Cross of Christ, God's
Four years later, a young Scots- "No," I said, "I cannot honestly marvellous grace to man, and the
man by the name of Aguilla Webb say that I am." He said again, soon coming of our Lord Jesus
ohn Harper [a Baptist pastor stood up in a meeting in Hamilton, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ."
from Glasgow, Scotland] Canada, and gave the following and thou shalt be saved," and - Paul Wilkinson
Jhad spent three months testimony: I am a survivor of the shortly after, he went down; and
ministering at Moody Church in Titanic. When I was drifting alone there, alone in the night, and with 1. George Harper, "My Brother As
Chicago, during which time the on a spar that awful night, the tide two miles of water under me, I I Knew Him," in Moody Adams,
church had experienced "one of brought Mr John Harper of believed. I am John Harper's last The Titanic's Last Hero (Belfast:
the most wonderful revivals in its Glasgow, also on a piece of the convert. Ambassador, 1998), 55, cited in
history." He had not been back in wreck, near me. "Man," he said, Wilkinson, "You Shall Be My
Britain long, however, when he "are you saved?" "No," I said, "I In a tribute to Harper, which was Witnesses."
was asked to return and continue am not." He replied, "Believe on published in 1912 under the
his ministry. Harper quickly made the Lord Jesus Christ and thou heading, "The Three Themes of a 2. "A True Story from the Titanic,"
arrangements for himself and his shalt be saved." The waves bore Hero," William Andrew of Glas- http:www.corkfpc.com/14.html
six-year-old daughter, Nana, to him away; but, strange to say, gow noted that the three themes cited in Wilkinson.
travel back to America on board
the Lusitania but decided to delay
their departure for one week so
that they could sail on a new ship
which was about to make its
maiden voyage - the Titanic.
The Titanic struck an iceberg at
23:40 on April 14, 1912. As the call
was issued for passengers to
vacate their cabins, Harper
wrapped his daughter in a
blanket, told her that she would
see him again one day, and
passed her to one of the crew-
men. After watching her safely
board one of the lifeboats, he
removed his life-jacket and gave
it to one of the other passengers.
One survivor distinctly remem-
bered hearing him shout,
"Women, children, and the
unsaved into the lifeboats!"