‘It was just after a battle, where hundreds of brave men had fallen,’ writes another chaplain,
and where hundreds more were wounded, that a soldier came to my tent and said: “Chaplain, one of our boys is badly wounded, and wants to see you right away.” Immediately following the soldier, I was taken to the hospital and led to a bed, where lay a noble young man, pale and blood-stained from a terrible wound above the temple. I saw at a glance that he had but a few hours to live. Taking his hand, I said: “Well, my brother, what can I do for you?” He looked up in my face, and placing his finger where his hair was stained with blood, he said: “Chaplain, cut a big lock from here for mother—for mother, mind, chaplain.” I hesitated to do it. “Don't be afraid, chaplain, to disfigure my hair. It's for mother, and nobody will come to see me in the dead-house tomorrow.” I did as he requested me. “Now, chaplain,” said the dying man, “I want you to kneel down by me and return thanks to God.” “For what?” I asked. “For giving me such a mother. Oh, chaplain, she is a good mother; her teachings comfort and console me now. And, chaplain, thank God that by His grace I am a Christian. Oh, what would I do now if I was not a Christian! I know that my Redeemer liveth. I feel that His finished work has saved me. And, chaplain, thank God for giving me dying grace. He has made my bed feel ‘soft as downy pillows are.’ Thank him for the promised home in glory. I'll soon be there—there, where there is no more war, nor sorrow, nor desolation, nor death—where I'll see Jesus and be forever with the Lord.” I kneeled by him, and thanked God for the blessings he had bestowed upon him—a good mother, a Christian hope, and dying grace to bear testimony to God's faithfulness. Shortly after the prayer, he said: “Good-bye, chaplain; if you see mother, tell her it was all well.”
A young soldier, while dying very happily, broke out in singing the following stanza:
Great Jehovah, we adore thee,
God the Father, God the Son,
God the Spirit, joined in glory
On the same eternal throne:
Endless praises
To Jehovah, three in one.The chaplain then asked if he had any message to send to his friends. “Yes,” said he. “Tell my father that I have tried to ”
