True Hero of the Titanic

[snopes]

True Hero of the Titanic

John Harper was born to a pair of solid Christian parents on May 29th,
1872. It was on the last Sunday of March 1886, when he was thirteen years
old that he received Jesus as the Lord of his life. He never knew what it
was to "sow his wild oats." He began to preach about four years later at
the ripe old age of 17 years by going down to the streets of his village
and pouring out his soul in earnest entreaty for men to be reconciled to
God.

As John Harper's life unfolded, one thing was apparent...he was consumed
by the word of God. When asked by various ministers what his doctrine
consisted of, he was known to reply "The Word of God!" After five or six
years of toiling on street corners preaching the gospel and working in the
mill during the day, Harper was taken in by Rev. E. A. Carter of Baptist
Pioneer Mission in London, England. This set Harper free to devote his
whole time of energy to the work so dear to his heart. Soon, John Harper
started his own church in September of 1896. (Now known as the Harper
Memorial Church). This church which John Harper had started with just 25
members, had grown to over 500 members when he left 13 years later. During
this time he had gotten married, but was shortly there after widowed.
However brief the marriage, God did bless John Harper with a beautiful
little girl named Nana.

Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When
he was two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a
well but was resuscitated by his mother. At the age of twenty-six, he was
swept out to sea by a reverse current and barely survived, and at
thirty-two he faced death on a leaking ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps,
God used these experiences to prepare this servant for what he faced
next.......

It was the night of April 14, 1912. The RMS Titanic sailed swiftly on the
bitterly cold ocean waters heading unknowingly into the pages of history.
On board this luxurious ocean liner were many rich and famous people.

At the time of the ship's launch, it was the world's largest man-made
moveable object. At 11:40 p.m. on that fateful night, an iceberg scraped
the ship's starboard side, showering the decks with ice and ripping open
six watertight compartments. The sea poured in.

On board the ship that night was John Harper and his much-beloved
six-year-old daughter Nana. According to documented reports, as soon as it
was apparent that the ship was going to sink, John Harper immediately took
his daughter to a lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed
preacher could have easily gotten on board this boat to safety; however,
it never seems to have crossed his mind. He bent down and kissed his
precious little girl; looking into her eyes he told her that she would see
him again someday. The flares going off in the dark sky above reflected
the tears on his face as he turned and headed towards the crowd of
desperate humanity on the sinking ocean liner. As the rear of the huge
ship began to lurch upwards, it was reported that Harper was seen making
his way up the deck yelling "Women, children and unsaved into the
lifeboats!" It was only minutes later that the Titanic began to rumble
deep within. Most people thought it was an explosion; actually the
gargantuan ship was literally breaking in half. At this point, many people
jumped off the decks and into the icy, dark waters below. John Harper was
one of these people.

That night 1528 people went into the frigid waters. John Harper was seen
swimming frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus before
the hypothermia became fatal. Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had
climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths,
"Are you saved?" The young man replied that he was not.

Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was
near shock, reply no. John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw
it to the man and said "Here then, you need this more than I do..." and
swam away to other people.

A few minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in
leading him to salvation. Of the 1528 people that went into the water that
night, six were rescued by the lifeboats. One of them was this young man
on the debris. Four years later, at a survivors meeting, this young man
stood up and in tears recounted how John Harper had led him to Christ. Mr.
Harper had tried to swim back to help other people, yet because of the
intense cold, had grown too weak to swim. His last words before going
under in the frigid waters were "Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus and
you will be saved." Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no
matter. This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were
trying to buy their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save
their own lives, John Harper gave up his life so that others could be
saved.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends..." John Harper was truly the hero of the Titanic!"

[snopes]

According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent that the ship was going to sink, John Harper immediately took his daughter to a lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed preacher could have easily gotten on board this boat to safety; however, it never seems to have crossed his mind.

Probably not. His daughter ended up on Boat 11, which was launched at 1:25 AM. By then the officers in charge of loading the lifeboats were pretty strictly enforcing the "women and children only" code.

- snopes

[Mad Jay]

Originally Posted by snopes

True Hero of the Titanic


Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When
he was two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a
well but was resuscitated by his mother. At the age of twenty-six, he was
swept out to sea by a reverse current and barely survived, and at
thirty-two he faced death on a leaking ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps,
God used these experiences to prepare this servant for what he faced
next.......

No, God wanted him to die. He wouldn't stay dead. God had to sink the frickin Titanic to kill him

[queen of the caramels]

John Harper certainly was on board the Titanic as was his daughter Anne .

As to whether he did all of that remains to be seen.

[Tootsie Plunkette]

Originally Posted by snopes

Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had
climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths,
"Are you saved?" The young man replied that he was not.

Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was
near shock, reply no. John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw
it to the man and said "Here then, you need this more than I do..." and
swam away to other people.

A few minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in
leading him to salvation

...at which point, Harper wrested back the life jacket and went in search of another soul to save, leaving the young man to go "straight to Jesus!"

[vanilla]

Originally Posted by snopes

Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had
climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths,
"Are you saved?" The young man replied that he was not.

Do I look like I'm saved?!!? I'm not in a freakin' life boat, am I?!!!?

Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no
matter.

THen why bring it up now?

This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were
trying to buy their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save
their own lives, John Harper gave up his life so that others could be
saved.

It sounds like only one person he spoke to was actually saved.

[vanilla]

Originally Posted by Mad Jay

No, God wanted him to die. He wouldn't stay dead. God had to sink the frickin Titanic to kill him

If I was eating or drinking, you would have OMANK.

[Aimee Evilpixie]

Man, he sounds like an obnoxious bugger. Leave me to die in peace! Can't I at least do that?

[RivkahChaya]

The sea poured in.

[nitpick]Ocean.[/nitpick]

Four years later, at a survivors meeting, this young man stood up and in tears recounted how John Harper had led him to Christ.

Were there really meetings like this? "Survivors [sic] meeting" sounds like a very recent concept. Besides, the survivors were scattered across Europe & the US. Did they ever really get together again?

No, God wanted him to die. He wouldn't stay dead. God had to sink the frickin Titanic to kill him

Beautiful!

[qualli]

Originally Posted by snopes

it was reported that Harper was seen making
his way up the deck yelling "Women, children and unsaved into the
lifeboats!"

I can get behind that. My little pagan butt wasn't made for freezing

[Spamamander]

Hot damn! Finally a perk to being an atheist besides being able to watch football on Sundays uninterrupted...

[queen of the caramels]

I found this report on the Titanic Encyclopedia

Four years after the Titanic went down, a young Scotchman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Canada, and said, "I am a survivor of the Titanic. When I was drifting alone on a spar that awful night, the tide brought Mr. John Harper, of Glasgow, also on a piece of wreck near me. 'Man,' he said, 'are you saved?' 'No,' I said. 'I am not.' He replied, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.'"

It says nothing about a survivors meeeting, just a meeting .

Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no
matter.

Hollywood may not but Moody Adams wrote a book about him

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by queen of the caramels

I found this report on the Titanic Encyclopedia

Pardon my ignorance but what the heck is a "Scotchman"? That's the first time I've heard that one (though apparently not uncommon if you search the Web). It sounds vaguely derogatory.

[diddy]

Originally Posted by ganzfeld

Pardon my ignorance but what the heck is a "Scotchman"? That's the first time I've heard that one (though apparently not uncommon if you search the Web). It sounds vaguely derogatory.

"Scotch" is a term that was used to describe someone who essentially stingy. It also refers to something that is of Scottish origin. It became the basis for the 3M product scotch tape. I think the article actually wanted to say "Scotsman" referring to a person from Scotland.

Not really used frequently anymore though.

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by diddy

I think the article actually wanted to say "Scotsman" referring to a person from Scotland.

Ah, thanks. I gathered as much. I wasn't really asking.

[effo5231]

I'm not a huge science buff, but I'm pretty sure the water that our Christy hero was alledgedly swimming about will-nilly in was only a fraction of a degree above freezing. (Heck I'm pretty sure salt water can stay liquid even at temperatures below 32 degrees.) And as such would have rendered him immobile and in shock long before he could visit all those heathen souls.

Also, if I'm floating neck deep in sub freezing water and someone asks me if I want to be saved, he better be rowing a life boat not handing out bibles.

Large inflatable Bibles being the exception of course.

[Arriah]

Your non sciency mind got it right. The Ferenheit scale is based on salt water. 0°F is the freezing point of salt water so, yeah, he wouldn't have been able to visit too many other swimming souls.

Unless the spirit of Jesus warmed his feet so he could continue trying to save others...

[effo5231]

Oh of course, he was able to stay alive and not succumb to hypothermia because the FIRE of the HOLY SPIRIT was burning in his viens.

See illustration below.

<- John Harper

Of course eventually he passed said spirit into so many heathens that he ran out and froze to death?

[MapleLeaf]

Originally Posted by snopes

True Hero of the Titanic

John Harper was born to a pair of solid Christian parents on May 29th,
1872.

As opposed to liquid or gaseous Christian parents...

When asked by various ministers what his doctrine
consisted of, he was known to reply "The Word of God!"

It was clear to anyone who knew him that his fervour was matched only by a lack of any knowledge as to the content of his religion

Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life.

Mmm, yes. Ironic. It's ironic that he almost drowned a bunch of times before he actually drowned. NAWWWWT! [/Borat]

Originally Posted by queen of the caramels

It says nothing about a survivors meeeting, just a meeting

Four years later, at a survivors meeting, this young man...

[One-Fang]

Queen of the Caramels was talking about the link in her own post, not the OP.