Remembering John Harper

It's not often you read about Baptist Pastors on the BBC news website; but I did on Monday!

That's because the final letter written by The Revd John Harper, posted in Ireland and written aboard the Titanic, was auctioned for £42,000.

I didn't know his story.  He came from Scotland and in 1912 was Minister of Walworth Road Baptist Church in London. (I was once minister of Walsworth Road Baptist Church in Hitchin, slightly different spelling!) He was a widower travelling to Chicago with his sister and young daughter to preach at the Moody Church.  

On April 12th, 1912, as Titantic went down The Revd Harper gave up his seat in the lifeboat and then gave away his life jacket to another passenger.  Survivors report he spent his final hours preaching the gospel and comforting the anxious.  One described him as the bravest man aboard.

His young daughter lived to become the longest lived survivor of Titanic, passing away in 1986.

Well, it's quite a story; one of courage and integrity.  Made even more so, in my view, when we understand why he was going to America.  The Moody Church in Chicago then, as now, has an enormous congregation and this was obviosly his opportunity of a lifetime to be invited to preach.  Who knows what might have developed for him personally after his viist.  Yet, he gave it all up to help and assist others during a night of unimaginable terror.

I, for one, was inspired reading his story on the BBC on Monday.

Just as a footnote: I came to preach with either a 'view' or a 'squint' at AFC in April 2012.  Eric, our organist at the time, played the hymn 'Nearer my God to Thee' during the offering.  With a glint in his eye he asked me afterwards if I recognised it and knew why he'd played it.  I said yes to the first part of the question, and no to the second.  Eric then told me that this partticular Sunday was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  Of course, I later learnt that he loved marking anniversaries in this way - by playing something appropriate.  One of the blessings of Lockdown is that we have once again heard Eric's playing in the Audio Service recordings.

Whatever you do this day, may you know God's blessing of joy and peace.