Five days after I had amputated that dear boy’s arm and leg he sent for me, and it was from him on that day I heard the first gospel sermon. “Doctor,” he said, “my time has come; I do not expect to see another sun rise, but, thank God, I am ready to go, and before I die, I desire to thank you with all my heart for your kindness to me. Doctor, you are a Jew; you do not believe in Jesus; will you please stand here and see me die, trusting my Saviour to the last moment of my life?” I tried to stay, but could not, for I had not the courage to stand by and see a Christian boy die, rejoicing in the love of that Jesus whom I had been taught to hate, so I hurriedly left the room. About twenty minutes later a steward, who found me sitting in my private office covering my face with my hand, said, “Doctor, Charlie Coulson wishes to see you.”
“I have just seen him,” I answered, “and cannot see him again.”
“But, Doctor, he says he must see you once more before he dies.” I now made up my mind to see him, say an endearing word, and then let him die, but I was determined that no word of his should influence me in the least, so far as his Jesus was concerned. When I entered the hospital I saw he was sinking fast, so I sat down by his bed. Asking me to take his hand, he said, “Doctor, I love you because you are a Jew; the best Friend I have found in this world was a Jew.”
I asked him who that was. He answered, “Jesus Christ, to whom I want to introduce you before I die; and will you promise me, Doctor, that what I am about to say to you, you will never forget?”
I promised; and he said, “Five days ago while you amputated my arm and leg, I prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ to convert your soul.”
These words went deep into my heart. I could not understand how, when I was causing him the most intense pain, he could forget all about himself and think of nothing but his Saviour and my unconverted soul. All I could say to him was, “Well, my dear boy, you will soon be all right.” With these words I left him, and twelve minutes later he fell asleep, “safe in the arms of Jesus.”
Hundreds of soldiers died in my hospital during the war but I only followed one to the grave, and that one was Charlie Coulson, the drummer boy, and I rode three miles to see him buried. I had him dressed in a new uniform and placed in an officer’s coffin with a United States flag over it.
That dear boy’s dying words made a deep impression upon me. I was rich at that time, so far as money is concerned, but I would have given every penny I possessed if I could have felt towards Christ as Charlie did; but that feeling cannot be bought with money. Alas! I soon forgot all about my Christian soldier’s little sermon but I could not forget the boy himself. I now know that at that time I was under deep conviction of sin, but I fought against Christ with all the hatred of an orthodox Jew for nearly ten years, until, finally, the dear boy’s prayer was answered and God converted my soul.
About eighteen months after my conversion I attended a prayer-meeting in the city of Brooklyn. It was one of those meetings where Christians testify to the loving kindness of their Saviour. After several of them had spoken, an elderly lady arose, and said, “Dear friends, this may be the last time that it is my privilege to testify for Christ. My family physician told me yesterday that my right lung is very nearly gone, and my left lung is very much affected; so at the best I have but a short time to be with you; but what is left of me belongs to Jesus. Oh! it is a great joy to know that I will meet my boy with Jesus in heaven. My son was not only a soldier for his country, but also a soldier for Christ. He was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, and fell into the hands of a Jewish doctor, who amputated his arm and leg, but he died five days after the operation. The Chaplain of the regiment wrote me a letter, and sent me my boy’s Bible. In that letter I was informed that my Charlie in his dying hour sent for that Jewish doctor and said to him, ‘Doctor, before I die I wish to tell you that five days ago, while you amputated my arm and leg, I prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ to convert your soul.’”
When I heard this lady’s testimony I could sit still no longer. I left my seat, crossed the room, and taking her by the hand, said, “God bless you, my dear sister; your boy’s prayer has been heard and answered. I am the Jewish doctor for whom your Charlie prayed and his Saviour is now my Saviour.”
“ ‘Whosoever heareth,’ shout, shout the sound,
Send the blessed tidings all the world around;
Spread the joyful news wherever man is found,
‘Whosoever will may come.’
‘Whosoever will, whosoever will,’
Send the proclamation over vale and hill;
‘Tis the loving Father calls the wanderer home;
‘Whosoever will may come.’
Whosoever cometh need not delay;
Now the door is open, enter while you may;
Jesus is the true, the only Living Way;
‘Whosoever will may come.’
‘Whosoever will,’ the promise is secure;
‘Whosoever will,’ forever shall endure;
‘Whosoever will,’ tis life for evermore;
‘Whosoever will may come.’”
ML 11/16/1902