The Dying Soldier.

THE DYING SOLDIER. 

by Dwight L. Moody

“As Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14, 15). Now there is the remedy. How am I to be saved? By looking to Christ; just by looking. It’s very cheap isn’t it? Very simple, isn’t it? Just look away to the Lamb of God now and be saved. 

What says the great wilderness preacher? “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” You might say the whole plan of salvation is in two words—Giving; Receiving. God gives; I receive. 

I remember, after one of the terrible battles in the American Civil War—I was in the army, tending soldiers—and I had just laid down one night, past midnight, to get a little rest, when a man came and told me that a wounded soldier wanted to see me. I went to the dying man. He said, “I wish you to help me to die.” I said, “I would help you to die if I could. I would take you on my shoulders and carry you into the kingdom of God if I could; but I cannot. I can tell you of One who can.” 

And I told him of Christ being willing to save him; and how Christ left heaven and came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. I just quoted promise after promise, but all was dark, and it almost seemed as if the shades of eternal death were gathering around his soul. I could not leave him, and at last I thought of this third chapter of John, and I said to him, “Look here, I am going to read to you now a conversation that Christ had with a man that went to Him when he was in your state of mind, and inquired what he was to do to be saved.” 

I just read that conversation to the dying man, and he lay there with his eves riveted upon me, and every word seemed to be going home to his heart, which was open to receive the truth. 

When I came to the verse where it says, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”—the dying man cried, “Stop, sir. Is that there?” 

“Yes, it is all here.” Then he said, “Won’t you please read it to me again?” I read it the second time. The dying man brought his hands together, and he said, “Bless God for that. Won’t you please read it to me again?” I read through the whole chapter, but long before the end of it he had closed his eyes. 

He seemed to lose all interest in the rest of the chapter, and when I got through it his arms were folded on his breast, he had a sweet smile on his face; remorse and despair had fled away. His lips were quivering, and I leaned over him, and heard him faintly whisper from his dying lips, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” 

He opened his eyes, and fixed his calm, deathly look on me, and he said, “Oh, that is enough; that is all I want”; and in a few hours he pillowed his dying head upon the truth of those two verses, and rode away on one of the Savior’s chariots, and took his seat in the kingdom of God. Oh, sinner, you can be saved now if you will! Look and live. May God help every lost one here to look on the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.