A MOST INTERESTING STORY

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. relates this story told to him by an old veteran of the Civil War.  It seems the old veteran was a "ward-master" in a field hospital.

One evening while on his rounds a 17 year old patient stopped him and said; "Ward-master, I believe I am going to die.  I am not a Christian.  I have never had any Christian training.  I heard a women once tell about a man who went to see Jesus one night.  Jesus told him he had to be born again.  I have never been born again.  Would you call the chaplain so he can tell me how to be born again.”

The veteran was, during the war an agnostic.  He refused to get the chaplain.  The boy asked for a doctor then as he was choking.  This request was granted.  An hour later when the ward-master went back by the young boy’s bed he expected to find the boy dead.  He was not.  He asked again for the chaplain.  He was so weak by this time the ward-master knew it was useless.  Instead he told the dying boy a verse his mother taught him.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

The boy started to repeat the verse, a few words at a time, over and over and over.  "For God so loved the world...He gave His only begotten Son...that whosoever believeth, believeth in Him, believeth in Him.”  Then he stopped and said "Praise God, ward-master it works.  I believe in Him!  I shall not perish, I have been born again."  He crossed his arms on his chest and went to the arms of his Saviour.

The old man wiping tears out of his eyes and tears out of the wrinkles of his face, said, "The lad was right.  It does work.  Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, It works, I know it works."