Interesting, my apologies if it has been forwarded before.>< < BreakPoint Commentary - April 14, 1999 > > Twice Saved - A True Titanic Hero > > By Charles W. Colson > > > > If you saw the movie "Titanic," you know much of what > > took place 87 years ago tonight, when the ship that > > even God couldn't sink, DID sink. Of the 1,528 people > > who ended up in the icy water, only six were rescued. > > But did you know that one of those six was actually > > saved twice that night? > > > > His story is an inspiring reminder that there's more > > to life than mere survival. > > > > To tell this man's story, though, I have to first > > tell you about another man, a Scot named John Harper. > > Harper, a minister of the Gospel, boarded the Titanic > > with his six-year-old daughter, Nana. He planned to > > travel to the Moody Church in Chicago, where he'd > > been invited to preach for three months. When the > > ship struck the fateful iceberg and began to sink, > > Harper made sure his daughter was placed into one of > > the lifeboats. He then began what would be the last > > evangelistic work of his young life. > > > > As the freezing waters began to fill 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. "Don't worry about me," he reportedly > > said, "I'm not going down, I'm going up!" > > > > When the ship began to sink, more than 1,500 > > passengers jumped or fell into the icy waters. As they > > gradually drowned or froze to death, Harper was seen > > swimming from one passenger to another, pleading with > > them to accept Christ. > > > > Only six of the 1,500 people struggling in the water > > were later rescued, including a man who later > > identified himself as Harper's last convert. This > > young man had climbed up on a piece of debris. > > Harper, who was struggling in the water near him, > > shouted out, "Are you saved?" "No," the man replied. > > Harper then shouted the words from Scripture: > > "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be > > saved." The man did not answer, and a moment later he > > drifted away on the waves. > > > > A few minutes later, the current brought the two men > > back together. Again Harper asked, "Are you saved?" > > Once again, the answer was "no." With his dying > > breath, Harper shouted, "Believe on the Lord Jesus > > Christ and thou shalt be saved." He then slipped > > under the waves for the last time. > > > > Then and there, the man he had witnessed to decided > > to turn his life over to Christ. Four years later, > > at a Titanic survivors meeting in Ontario, Canada, > > this man tearfully gave his testimony recounting how > > John Harper had led him to the Lord. > > > > I don't need to tell you that this dramatic story > > never made it into the movie. We live in a culture > > that seems to be more interested in fictional stories > > of romance, illicit sex, and priceless jewelry than > > in the real romance between God and His people. > > > > When the subject of the Titanic comes up, as it may > > today on the eighty-seventh anniversary of the sinking, > > tell your friends the story of the young Scottish > > minister who witnessed to Christ with his dying breath. > > And make sure your kids know the story a well. John > > Harper reminds us of a great lesson, the secret of the > > ages: that there's more to life than mere survival. > > > > [The information for this BreakPoint commentary came > > from the book "The Titanic's Last Hero" by Moody Adams > > (The Olive Press, 1997). The testimonies in this book > > were originally compiled in 1912 by John Climie of > > Scotland.] > > > > Copyright (c) 1999 Prison Fellowship Ministries