01/17/2025
On April 10th, 1912, the Titanic departed from Southhampton, England on its maiden voyage to New York City.
A man named John Harper boarded the ship with his young daughter, with many of the wealthiest of their day. John was a Scottish evangelist invited to America to speak at Moody Church in Chicago.
On the evening of April 14 - as passengers danced, played cards, and enjoyed all of the pleasures this voyage offered - John Harper put his daughter to bed and read his devotions, as he did every night.
At 11:40 PM, the Titanic struck an iceberg. The ship labeled "Unsinkable" was doomed. The passengers were initially unaware; dancing away, enjoying themselves, not knowing that over 1500 of them would step into eternity in just a few hours.
Reality soon appeared. Chaos ensued. It all happened so fast.
John Harper awakened his daughter, wrapped her in a blanket, picked her up, took her up to deck, kissed her goodbye, and handed her to a crewman who put her into lifeboat #11. Harper knew he would never see his daughter again. She would be orphaned at six years of age.
Harper then gave his life jacket to a fellow passenger, forfeiting any chance for his own survival. Survivors recount him saying, "Women, children, and unsaved people into the lifeboats!", understanding many on board were facing eternity unsaved. Survivors recall him on his knees on the upper deck, others gathered around, as he prayed for their salvation.
At 2:40 AM, the Titanic disappeared into the North Atlantic, with well over 1,000 people (including Harper) flailing and fighting for their lives in the fridgid waters.
Harper found a piece of floating wreckage to hold onto, swimming from person to person, urging them to put their trust in Jesus. To each person, this question: "Are you saved?" And as rapidly as he could, explained the gospel to them.
He finally succumbed, slipped under the waters, and into heaven.
One survivor recalled, "I was only 1 of 6 of the over 1,000 pulled from the water that night. Like the hundreds around me, I found myself struggling in the cold, dark waters of the Atlantic. The wail of the perishing was ringing in my ears as a man passed me, asking, 'Is your soul saved?', then crying out to others, as people all around me were sinking into the waters.
That night, with 2 miles of water beneath me...I cried out to the Lord to save me. I am John Harper's last convert."
113 years later, the need is still the same. So too is the question:
"Are you saved?"
