Some great soldiers for Christ were actual soldiers. Major General Henry Havelock was one such man.
Henry Havelock and his siblings were raised under the influence of the Word of God; his mother read the scriptures to her children every day. But the family grew up in the days when Napoleon threatened England. Eventually each of the boys in the family joined the military, with Henry enlisting a month after the battle of Waterloo. When ordered to serve in the Far East, Henry studied Hindustani and Persian before being commissioned a second lieutenant in a rifle brigade. While on the long voyage to India, another young lieutenant led Henry to Christ, where he became convinced of his salvation through God’s grace. During the first British war with Burma in 1823, Henry was stationed in Rangoon, where between engagements, he began sharing the gospel with other soldiers. In time, about a hundred men were converted, becoming known as “Havelock’s Saints.” Not only were they Christians, they became an exceptional military force, often being tasked with extremely dangerous missions.
At the close of that war, Havelock was invited to dine with Sir Archibald Campbell, the English General. Among the guests were Adoniram Judson and Brother and Sister Joshua Marshman. Through that visit, not only did Havelock become a Baptist in doctrine and practice, but he also met Hannah Marshman, whom he married on this day in 1829.
The story of Brother Henry Havelock is extremely exciting and worth reading. He was a true military hero, risking his life to save the lives of hundreds during the so-called “Indian Mutiny.” His bravery lead his homeland to erect a statue in his honor in Trafalgar Square along with other eminent national heroes like Admiral Horacio Nelson.
The story of Brother Henry Havelock is extremely exciting and worth reading. He was a true military hero, risking his life to save the lives of hundreds during the so-called “Indian Mutiny.” His bravery lead his homeland to erect a statue in his honor in Trafalgar Square along with other eminent national heroes like Admiral Horacio Nelson.
When he was nearing the end of his life, Havelock’s testimony was not so much about his military accomplishments, but about his Saviour. Close to the end, Brother Havelock said to his son, “Come, my son, see how a Christian can die.”
– Source: This Day in Baptist History II, Cummins and Thompson