I had prayed the day we saw the planes fly into the Twin Towers in New York. I have no idea why my husband was drawn to turn on the tv that morning. We never do that. At the time I was working down town LA and decided to stay home that day (I have faith in God, but only an idiot puts themselves into potential harms way) after watching what happened. I prayed there were born again Christians in the towers Twin Towers who, (through all the people’s hysterics and startling emotions knowing they each would not survive or feared they would die), would step forth, in fear and in hope, tell those around them how they could be right with God, now, before they died, explaining quickly why they needed Jesus, and encourage them to repent and trust in Christ (righ then) for they were all about to step into eternity through death’s door.
I had always wondered if there were faithful believers there who did that. But I also had thought about those who were on the Titanic in much the same way. They were told everything was fine. They could go about their business. But tragedy was just around the corner for both. I had imagined what, (in hope), these Christians would say to those around them, (if there were any) in the Towers that day. I wondered if anyone had reached out with the gospel to those around them; imagining the faces and reactions of the frantic people who became scared for their lives, before they heard the gospel. Many did not get that kind of opportunity and had died instantly or while running through the stairwells.
It is true, that most people never get the chance to grow old or die slowly and have time for reflection on life and God before they pass away. Most people die in tragic situations in which they never saw it coming. Such was the fate of those who were on the Titanic. Over 1,500 people died that night. Something like 3,000 died in the Twin Towers terrorist attacks. I know that over 160,000 die every day in the world, and it makes me wonder if there were any faithful believers who reached out to those who were around them when the tragedy struck. On the Titanic, most were not worried or freaking out about the severity of the situation until it really started creaking and they were on the deck, or were in the lifeboats and saw the ship slowly sinking into the ocean.
We will never know about any faithful witnesses in the Twin Towers, this side of eternity. But today I learned that there was one person on the Titanic who evangelized the lost while it was sinking. In fact, he was even leading bible studies onboard, during the trip, even before the tragedy. This faithful servant of Christ was called John Harper.
The Titanic tragedy happened on April 15, 1912. Four years later, at a Titanic survivors meeting in Canada, a man tearfully gave his testimony recounting how John Harper had led him to the Lord.
Let me tell you about this man John Harper and the impact he had on this one; his last convert. John was a Scottish pastor, who lived in London. He started a small Baptist church just shortly after his wife had died. He, his daughter and a nanny were headed to the Moody church in Chicago to preach for three or four months. They sailed there on a new and amazingly large boat. When the ship hit the iceberg he ran to his daughter and made sure she was put into the life raft with the women and other children. John ran back through the ship. Harper was heard shouting, "Let the women, children and the unsaved into the lifeboats." Survivors reported that Harper took off his own life jacket and gave it to another man. No one thought it was a serious situation, because they had been told that this ship was “unsinkable”. When John gave his life jacket away he said "Don't worry about me, I'm not going down, I'm going up!"
As the musicians were playing ragtime tunes, they quickly began to realize the seriousness of the situation and began playing hymns as the stood on the deck of the ship. They played “Nearer my God to thee”, as the ship started to break apart. The band went down with the ship. The last hymn they played was "Autumn," which concludes with the prayer
Hold me up in mighty waters
Keep my eyes on things above,
Righteousness, divine Atonement,
Peace, and everlasting Love.
As the ship was sinking, those who remained on the boat were tossed into the water, or went down with it. By the time the rescue ships arrived, only 6 people were still alive. One man told the story of John Harper when he was interviewed. He said John drifted over to him holding a round preserver, and gave it to him. John said “You need this more than I do.” Then he asked me “Man, are you saved?” I replied “No sir”. John said “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” And then a wave took him away. Not long after, John drifted back towards me and said “Man, are you saved yet?” I replied “No sir, not yet.” With his dying breath, John said “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” The man recalled, “Shortly after that John sunk into the ocean and drown.” [Thinking of that fateful day he then said] “I was John’s last convert - I have been saved.”
His daughter and the nanny survived, and this man, who got saved, was saved twice that day.
Scripture tells us: "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for another..." John Harper cared about the souls of men! I hope you do too, every day…not just when tragedy strikes.
I don’t know about you…But I hope that if my life ends tragically, there are many people around in whom I can holler to about the gospel of Christ that saves. Pray to the Lord today, that you would be a more bold witness than you are today, and that he helps equip you to do it biblically and with patience, and with concern for their eternal soul.
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