and takes away the fear which we would otherwise have in meeting the
difficulties which lie before us.
Two Americans who were crossing the Atlantic met on Sunday night to
sing hymns in the cabin. As they sang the hymn, "Jesus, Lover of my
Soul," one of the Americans heard an exceedingly rich and beautiful
voice behind him. He looked around, and although he did not know the
face he thought that he recognized the voice. So when the music ceased
he turned around and asked the man if he had not been in the Civil
war. The man replied that he had been a Confederate soldier. "Were you
at such a place on such a night?" asked the first. "Yes," he said,
"and a curious thing happened that night; this hymn recalled it to my
mind. I was on sentry duty on the edge of a wood. It was a dark night
and very cold, and I was a little frightened because the enemy were
supposed to be very near at hand. I felt very homesick and miserable,
and about midnight, when everything was very still, I was beginning to
feel very weary and thought that I would comfort myself by praying and
singing a hymn. I remember singing this hymn,
'All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring,
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.'
After I had sung those words a strange peace came down upon me, and
through the long night I remember having felt no more fear."
"Now," said the other man, "listen to my story. I was a Union soldier,
and was in the wood that night with a party of scouts. I saw you
standing up, although I didn't see your face, and my men had their
rifles focused upon you waiting the word to fire, but when you sang
out,
'Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of Thy wing,'
I said, 'Boys, put down your rifles, we will go home.' I couldn't kill
you after that."
God was working in each of them, in His own way carrying out His will.
God keeps his people and guides them and without Him life is but a
living death.