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Civil War Story: D.W. Whittle

Does everyone remember this old song from the Baptist hymnal? Yesterday, I heard the story behind it, and wanted to share it with y'all.


 I Know Whom I Have Believed

Text: Daniel W. Whittle
Music: James McGranahan
Tune: EL NATHAN, Meter: CM with Refrain 

1. I know not why God's wondrous grace 
 to me he hath made known, 
 nor why, unworthy, Christ in love 
 redeemed me for his own. 
Refrain:
 But I know whom I have believed, 
 and am persuaded that he is able 
 to keep that which I've committed
 unto him against that day. 

2. I know not how this saving faith 
 to me he did impart, 
 nor how believing in his word 
 wrought peace within my heart. 
 (Refrain)

3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
 convincing us of sin, 
 revealing Jesus through the word, 
 creating faith in him.
 (Refrain)

4. I know not when my Lord may come, 
 at night or noonday fair, 
 nor if I walk the vale with him, 
 or meet him in the air. 
 (Refrain)

Conversion of Major D. W. Whittle:
An American Civil War Veteran

compiled by Hy. Pickering
Major D.W. WhittleMajor Whittle, of the United States Army, and a well-known preacher, thus details how the great change took place:
"When the Civil War broke out, I left my home in New England and came to Virginia as lieutenant of a company in a Massachusetts regiment. My dear mother was a devout Christian, and parted from me with many a tear, and followed me with many a prayer. She had placed a New Testament in a pocket of the haversack that she arranged for me.
"We had many engagements, and I saw many sad sights, and in one of the battles I was knocked out, and that night my arm was amputated above the elbow. As I grew better, having a desire for something to read, I felt in my haversack, which I had been allowed to keep, and found the little Testament my mother had placed there.
"I read right through the book—Matthew, Mark, Luke, to Revelation. Every part was interesting to me; and I found to my surprise that I could understand it in a way that I never had before. When I had finished Revelation, I began at Matthew, and read it through again. And so for days I continued reading, and with continued interest; and still with no thought of becoming a Christian, I saw clearly from what I read the way of salvation through Christ.
"While in this state of mind, yet still with no purpose or plan to repent and accept the Saviour, I was awakened one midnight by the nurse, who said: 'There is a boy in the other end of the ward, one of your men, who is dying. He has been begging me for the past hour to pray for him, or to get someone to pray for him, and I can't stand it. I am a wicked man, and can't pray, and I have come to get you.'
"'Why,' said I, 'I can't pray. I never prayed in my life. I am just as wicked as you are.' 'Can't pray!' said the nurse; 'why, I thought sure from seeing you read the Testament that you were a praying man. And you are the only man in the ward that I have not heard curse. What shall I do? There is no one else for me to go to. I can't go back there alone. Won't you get up and come and see him at any rate?'
"Moved by his appeal, I arose from my cot, and went with him to the far comer of the room. A fair-haired boy of seventeen or eighteen lay there dying. There was a look of intense agony upon his face, as he fastened his eyes upon me and said:
"'Oh, pray for me! Pray for me! I am dying. I was a good boy at home in Maine. My mother and father are members of the Church, and I went to Sunday School and tried to be a good boy. But since I became a soldier I have learned to be wicked. I drank, and swore, and gambled, and went with bad men. And now I am dying, and I am not fit to die! Oh, ask God to forgive me! Pray for me. Ask Christ to save me!'
"As I stood there and heard these pleadings, God said to my soul by His Spirit, just as plainly as if He had spoken in audible tones, 'You know the way of salvation. Get right down on your knees and accept Christ, and pray for this boy.'
"I dropped upon my knees and held the boy's hand in mine, as in a few broken words I confessed my sins, and asked God for Christ's sake to forgive me. I believed right there that He did forgive me, and that I was Christ's child; I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet, and pressed my hand as I pleaded the promises. When I arose from my knees he was dead. A look of peace was upon his face, and I can but believe that God, who used him to bring me to my Saviour, used me to get his attention fixed upon Christ and to lead him to trust in His precious blood. I hope to meet him in Heaven.
"Many years have passed since that night in the Richmond Hospital, and I am still trusting and confessing the Lord Jesus Christ, and purpose by God's grace to continue doing so until He calls me Home."
Copied by Stephen Ross for WholesomeWords.org from Twice-Born Men: True Conversion Records of 100 Well-Known Men in All Ranks of Life compiled by Hy. Pickering. London: Pickering & Inglis, [193-?]

Comments

  1. lil red henApril 15, 2013 at 5:30 PM

    Yes, I know the song well! But I didn't know the story behind its writing ~~ interesting!

    ReplyDelete

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