SCRIPTURE READING TO THE END:
Army Scripture Reader William G. Ransley
Edited by Bill Newton
Day One. 101 pages. £6
ISBN 978 1 846 256 035
What a fantastic little read!
A very timely reminder with the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI upon us.
This book takes extracts from William Ransley’s diaries of the soldiers he met on the battlefields and hospitals as he unswerv-ingly told them of their need of a Saviour.
Ransley was an Army Scripture Reader. His job simply was to make known the saving knowledge of Jesus to soldiers.
Stand-out themes
The two stand-out themes of this compelling book were: Firstly, how utterly different and so far removed from my own experiences his life was.
But secondly, despite that, however different all our lives are, we must and can show remarkable gospel compassion, gospel courage and gospel clarity. Just like Ransley did.
This book gives us some fascinating insights into the utter horrors of war, especially from those later WWI battlefields in France.
Yet, despite what Ransley witnessed, it was his love and belief in the gospel that motivated him to do what he did in the most desperate of places. He displayed great compassion to men who were at their lowest ebb, comforting and encouraging them. Yet the gospel dominated all his conversations, pointing the wounded, distraught, confused, shell-shocked and dying to trust in Christ alone for salvation.
The book is written in such a helpful way that it will surely compel us to go out and show that gospel compassion, courage and clarity to a world still desperately in need of a Saviour.
