GENERAL FLORES was commander-in-chief of 20,000 Bolivian troops in the Chaco war between Bolivia and Paraguay. In the space of three years 60,000 men died in that awful jungle conflict.
A missionary, who was also a chaplain, used to preach the gospel to the men as they moved up to the trenches, at any hour of the day or night.
General Flores himself took a real interest in the gospel. He and his staff would sit around on munition boxes and listen while the missionary preached to them of God’s love in sending His Son Jesus into this world to die for sinful men. He told them too of judgment to come.
One evening he preached from the verse, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27).
“General,” said the missionary, “you have escaped the bullets and the bombs these three years, but there’s one thing you cannot escape.”
“What is that,” asked the general. “You cannot escape the judgment of God.”
He was deeply impressed, that proud officer. Then he said, “I must make peace with God. I’m going to get on my knees and pray.” They both got down on their knees and that night the general found Christ, for before he got up again he had confessed Him as his Saviour. Praise God!
After the war General Flores said to his Christian friend, “I want you to come to the capital, La Paz. I have a wife and an only daughter; they’re both unsaved. I will make arrangements for you to come to my home with the gospel of Christ; and I want you to preach the gospel to my wife and daughter.” The missionary went and had the great joy of leading them both to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometime later General Flores left the capital and took charge of a large army on the Brazilian Frontier. Then the missionary got word that his friend and brother in Christ was gone. He was hit by a poisoned arrow fired by an Indian from one of those tribes that live on frontier.
But sudden death is sudden glory for the Christian, and so dear old General Flores went home to be with Christ. He’ll see his dear wife and daughter, and his missionary friend, with all the redeemed, “in the morning.”
ML-05/02/1976