On the icy, tragic night of April 14, 1912, when the gigantic Titanic was plunging into the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, unrest had gripped the hearts of all aboard.
Amidst the confusion, panic, and cold-blooded fear, one man’s faith and courage lit up the fading lights of the ship—Pastor John Harper.
John Harper was a Scottish missionary, known for his fiery preaching and unwavering devotion to Christ. He was headed to Chicago, invited to preach at the historic Moody Church.
What was to be a mission trip was instantly turned into a tragic piece of history, but Harper’s response would have his name branded on one of the greatest faith stories in the midst of death.
When the Titanic collided with the iceberg, Harper did not worry about himself. He was concerned about others instead. He first saved his six-year-old daughter, Nana.
He placed her in a lifeboat very carefully, thinking he would maybe never see her again. Yet, even then, he was composed, and he left her fate in God’s hands.
With no thought of rescuing himself, Harper returned to the deck of the ship. Inciting growing panic, he bellowed with urgency, “Women, children, and the unsaved into the lifeboats!” Directing not only people to safety, his voice beckoned them to salvation as well. He saw the disaster not as terminus, but more as a final opportunity to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As the Titanic went apart and sank into the ocean, Harper was among those submerged in the cold water. But even in death, his work hadn’t stopped yet. Witnesses later said they saw John Harper clinging onto pieces of debris, swimming from person to person, with only one question in mind: “Are you saved?
Should they say no, he would preach the message of the cross—urging them to put faith in Jesus Christ before it was too late.”.
One of the survivors, a young man, later testified that Harper had spoken to him in the water, urged him to believe in Christ, and then had drifted away.
That man believed in Christ that night and lived to tell how John Harper led him to the Lord in the icy grip of the ocean.
Pastor John Harper gave up his life not out of fear, but in steadfast faith and unselfish devotion. He died as he lived—a consecrated servant of Christ, proclaiming the gospel right up until the moment he died.
His is a powerful, motivating example that even in our darkest hours, God can use our witness to radiate the light of salvation. Harper’s legacy lives on as a beacon of what it is to live—and die—with eternity in mind.
