Taken from Stuart K Hine’s autobiography (unpublished), p15. Stuart K Hine was the author of the hymn ‘How Great Thou Art’.
Winter 1917-18 brought disaster to the Allies. Losses in dead and wounded were so heavy, it was decided to draft for active service ‘men’ aged 18½. Thus, I went to France at the age of 18 years and 7 months.
Most of our contingent entrained for Dover that night were drunk. To a Christian, sober and able to ponder what awaited us, questions clamoured for an answer. Many Christians I knew had refused to bear arms, on conscientious grounds, and their plea had been accepted. Ought I to have done the same? On the other hand, if I had not served with my battalion, would the fellows have heard my testimony to Christ? As I prayed about this, a verse came to my mind, “God hath not left Himself without a witness.” (Acts 14:17.) That was why I had to be there.
Yet other Christians refused to serve with fighting units. Were they not right? Ought a Christian to fight? The answer came, even as we were marching down to the station for Dover and France. A civilian friend caught up with our ragged, drunken formation, found me, and broke through the ranks, holding out a ‘promise box’.
Gratefully, I drew out one of the scores of curled up slips of paper, as soon as I could reach a lamppost, I read it. It was Exodus 14:14, “The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace.”
And with that promise, my soul was at rest. *Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro