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WITandWISDOM(tm) - July 31, 2000 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." - Kenny Rogers Source: Inspiration A Day!, inspiration_a_day-subscribe@listbot.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: A STORY OF THE TITANIC John Harper was born to a pair of solid Christian parents on May 29th, 1872. It was on the last Sunday of March 1886, when he was thirteen years of that he received Jesus as the Lord of his life. He never knew what it was to "sow his wild oats." He began to preach about four years later at the ripe old ago of 17 years by going down to the streets of his village and pouring out his soul in earnest entreaty for men to be reconciled to God. As John Harper's life unfolded, one thing was apparent: he was consumed by the Word of God. When asked by various ministers what his doctrine consisted of, he was known to reply, "The Word of God!" After five or six years of toiling on street corners preaching the gospel and working in the mill during the day, Harper was taken in by E. A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission in London, England. This set Harper free to devote his whole time and energy to the work so dear to his heart. Soon, John Harper started his own church in September of 1896. (Now known as the Harper Memorial Church.) This church which John Harper had started with just 25 members, had grown to over 500 members when he left 13 years later. During this time he had gotten married, God did bless John Harper with a beautiful little girl named Nana. Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When he was two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a well but was resuscitated by his mother. At the age of twenty-six, he was swept out to sea by a reverse current and barely survived, and at thirty-two he faced death on a leaking ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps, God used these experiences to prepare this servant for what he faced next. It was the night of April 14, 1912. The RMS Titanic sailed swiftly on the bitterly cold ocean waters heading unknowingly into the pages of history. On board this luxurious ocean liner were many rich and famous people. At the time of the ship's launch, it was the world's largest man-made moveable object. At 11:40 pm on that fateful night, an iceberg scraped the ship's starboard side, showering the decks with ice and ripping open six watertight compartments. The sea poured in. On board the ship that night was John Harper and his much-beloved six-year-old daughter, Nana. According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent that the ship was going to sink, John Harper immediately took his daughter to a lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed preacher could have easily gotten on board this boat to safety; however, it never seems to have crossed his mind. He bent down and kissed his precious little girl; looking into her eyes he told her that she would see him someday. The flares going off in the dark sky above reflected the tears on his face as he turned and headed towards the crowd of desperate humanity on the sinking ocean liner. As the rear of the huge ship began to lurch upwards, it was reported that Harper was seen making his way up the deck yelling, "Women, children, and unsaved into the lifeboats!" It was only minutes later that the Titanic began to rumble deep within. Most people thought it was an explosion; actually the gargantuan ship was literally breaking in half. At this point, many people jumped off the decks and into the icy, dark waters below. John Harper was one of these people. That night 1528 people went into the frigid waters. John Harper was seen swimming frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus before the hypothermia became fatal. Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths, "Are you saved?" The young man replied that he was not. Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was near shock, reply "No." John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw it to the man and said, "Here then, you need this more than I do." And swam away to other people. A few minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in leading him to salvation. Of the 1528 people that went into the water that night, six were rescued by the lifeboats. One of them was this young man on the debris. Four years later, at a survivors meeting, this young man stood up and in tears recounted how that after John Harper had led him to Christ, Mr. Harper had tried to swim back to help other people, yet because of the intense cold, had grown too weak to swim. His last words before going under in the frigid waters were, "Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no matter. This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were trying to buy their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save their own lives, John Harper gave up his life so that others could be saved. "Greater love hath no man that this, that he lay down his life for his friends". John Harper was truly the hero of the Titanic! From "The Titanic's Last Hero" by Moody Press 1997, Scriptures are quoted from the King James Bible. Source: Monday Fodder dgaufaaa@iohk.com?subject=Subscribe_Monday_Fodder via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: MORE INTERESTING NAMES Part 4 of 4 [Jun 29, Jul 11, 21, 31] Contributed by subscribers of WITandWISDOM(tm) Mailto:subscribe-wit-wisdom@xc.org Copyright by Richard Wimer 2000 Richard@witandwisdom.org One of the most popular soft drinks originated in Texas. Well, guess what, we have a physician in Austin, Texas who's name is the same as the soft drink's name. She practices emergency medicine at one of the local hospitals and her name is Dr. Pepper. Submitted by Louise Moreland My ob/gyn doctor who delivered both of my children was Dr. Devine. Submitted by S. Goldman, Texas We have a dentist in our town named Dr Smiley and also I worked for a plastic surgeon named Dr Hacker. When I was a child there was a doctor in town named Dr Goodenough. Submitted by Karyl Hamelink Several years ago at the Bank in Wallowa County, Oregon, two of their employees were a Mr. Cheatum and a Mr. Steele. Submitted by The Huntsmans We have a surgeon in town named Dr. Kutty. - Gord Moir, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada In New Zealand a while ago the Minister of Mines was Mr Colman. In the Philippines there is a Cardinal Sin. I heard of an Anglican clergyman whom the authorities were reluctant to promote since he would become Canon Ball. I guess there was a real chance he would be fired! My wife's dentist in Ashburton, New Zealand was Mr Gummer. In the Salvation Army in New Zealand there is (or was) a Major Major. On TV yesterday I saw someone involved in motor sport in New Zealand called Greg Rust. Submitted by Peter Cheyne, Gore, New Zealand At Hinsdale Hospital in Hinsdale Illinois these doctors are on their staff . . . An Orthopedic Surgeon . . . Dr. Orth. A Family Practice Specialist . . . Dr. Butcher. Submitted by Lawrence Years ago I went to a dentist named Dr. Hand. Submitted by Carol Weeks I had a ophthalmologist in Baltimore, MD named Dr. Glasser and a dentist in PA named Dr. Sugar. He had T-shirts and magnets made that said "Dr. Sugar is good for your teeth." Submitted by Not4Sale A church pastor in Mountain View, CA is Pastor Church. Submitted by Sherri Rimmer ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Don't tell me that worry doesn't do any good. I know better. The things I worry about don't happen. Source: The Funnies, andychaps_the-funnies-subscribe@egroups.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Why are they called "blue denim jeans?" . . . Jeans may be as American as apple pie, but the name comes to us from the land of pasta, via the land of croissants. The cotton cloth once used in work clothes was made in Genoa, a place that French weavers called 'Genes.' The name stuck to the pants, and all that was lacking was a designer label. During the nineteenth century California Gold Rush - before Calvin Klein or The GAP - a young tailor named Levi Strauss sold his jeans to miners. (He made them from a French cloth called serge de Nimes, from which we get "denim.") Strauss died the jeans blue so that dirt wouldn't easily show on them. All this so you would have something comfortable yet stylish to wear to school or after work. From: Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things Source: MailBits.com Copyright (c) 1998-2000. All rights reserved. Trivia-subscribe@mailbits.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org |