The Titanic's Last Hero

The Titanic’s Last Hero

A Startling True Story That Can Change Your Life Forever

Moody Adams

Published by The Olive Press, A division of Midnight Call Ministries, West Columbia, SC

This book is a reprint of testimonies and tributes originally published in Scotland in 1912. John Climie compiled and edited them at the request of John Harper’s brother, George.

The research and work of Bill Guthrie of Glasgow, Scotland made this book possible.

“The sinking of the Titanic with its living freight has created a wail of sorrow throughout the civilized world. The idea of 1522 lives being lost through the sinking of one ship is perfectly appalling.” (Preface to John Harper: A Man of God published in 1912)

John Harper’s life is remembered in this book.

In chapter one, the following sentences are found.

“As the dark, freezing waters of the Atlantic crept slowly up the decks of the Titanic, John Harper shouted, ‘Let the women, children and the unsaved into the lifeboats." Harper took his life jacket-the final hope of survival-and gave it to another man.

After the ship had disappeared beneath the dark water, leaving Harper floundering in the icy waters, he was heard urging those about him to put their faith in Jesus Christ.

It was the night of April 14, 1912, a night for heroes, and John Harper met the challenge.

Though the waters swallowing him were bitterly cold and the sea about him was dark, John Harper left this world in a brilliant blaze of glory.

Harper’s heroics were spontaneous. He had no reason to expect the Titanic to sink nor time to write a script.”

The Titanic was on its maiden voyage and was considered to be “practically unsinkable.” An employee of the White Star Shipbuilding Company said, “not even God Himself could sink this ship.”

The Associated Press wrote, All the wealth and modern workmanship could produce was embodied in the Titanic, the longest vessel ever built, over 4 city blocks in length with accommodations for a crew of 860 and a passenger capacity of 3,500, she was built with as much care is put into the finest chronometers.”

The Titanic’s lavish extravagance and record-breaking size awed the golden age of shipbuilding.

Her 50,000 hp engines that produced the 24 knots-per-hour speed were secured in sixteen water tight compartments. Each was protected by steel bulkheads. At the time of her launch, the Titanic was the world’s largest man-made movable object.

The following records the sinking of the Titanic.

At 11:40 p.m. April 14, 2012, an iceberg scraped the ship’s starboard side, showering the decks with ice and ripping open six water-tight compartments. The sea poured in.

Most passengers remained unconvinced that the Titanic would go down until the crew started shooting flares into the air. After the flares, no one had to be persuaded to enter the lifeboat.

As the stern of the Titanic rose high in the sky to prepare for her plunge to the ocean floor, a tremendous noise like an explosion jarred the night air. Passengers joined hands and leaped into the water.

At 2:20 a.m. the Titanic began her slow descent to the ocean floor, leaving a mushroom-like cloud of smoke and steam above her grave.

In the icy waters of the North Atlantic, in the dead of night, the most famous ship in the world ended her one and only voyage but gained a nautical mystique second only to Noah’s ark.

It all happened so fast, that Harper could only react. His response left an historic example of courage and faith.

“The heroes of mankind,” said A.P. Stanley, “are the mountains, the highlands of the moral world.” Such a hero was John Harper. (p. 17)

Rev. John Harper’s wife died in 1908. Their six year old daughter, Nana, was with him on the Titanic. When the alarm sounded, Harper handed Nana over to an upper deck captain with instructions to get her in a lifeboat before he set out to help others. John Harper gave his life jacket to another man. (p. 15) Nana was rescued and returned to Scotland where she grew up, married a minister and dedicated her life to the Lord her father had served. (p. 17)

Harper’s courage did not come from ignorance. Probably no one on the Titanic was as familiar with the terrors of drowning as John Harper.

At two and a half he had fallen into a well and was resuscitated just in time by his mother.

At twenty-six Harper was swept out to sea by a reverse current and barely survived.

At thirty-two he faced death on a leaking ship in the Mediterranean.

Perhaps, it was God’s way of testing this servant for his last-warning mission on the Titanic.

A confident John Harper faced death with absolute assurance that Jesus had conquered death and given him the gift of eternal life. This assurance overcame the terrors of drowning. (p. 20-21)

Harper was originally scheduled to sail a week earlier on the Lusitania to preach in Chicago’s Moody Memorial Church. In 1911 he had the best meetings since the days of great D.L. Moody and the church had invited him back for three months of meetings.

In a meeting at a Seaman’s Center, Mr. Robert English begged Harper not to make the trip to Chicago. English told Harper he had been in prayer and had an ominous impression that disaster awaited him if he took his voyage. He offered to pay for his ticket if he would delay his voyage.

English’s words were strikingly similar to those spoken to the Apostle Paul by a prophet named Agabus 1,900 years earlier. Harper’s refusal to turn back was much like Paul’s response in Acts 21:10-13. Both Paul and Harper had a sense of Divine purpose regarding their trips, and both were willing to die to carry out that purpose. John Harper became a final witness on a ship of death. (p. 22-23)

Two hours and forty minutes after the Titanic struck the iceberg, she sank beneath the icy waters.

For fifty minutes after the sinking of the Titanic, the cries for help from those in the water filled the night.

During those fifty minutes a man clinging to a board drifted near John Harper. Harper, who was struggling in the water, cried, “Are you saved?” The answer returned “No.” Harper shouted the words from the Bible: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Before responding the man drifted into the darkness.

Later, the current brought them back in sight of each other. Once more the dying Harper shouted the question, “Are you saved?” Once again he received the answer, “No.” Harper repeated the words of Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

The drowning Harper released his hold in the icy waters, and slipped into his watery grave.

The man he sought to win put his faith in Jesus Christ. Later he was rescued by the S.S. Carpathia’s lifeboats. In Hamilton, Ontario, this survivor testified that he was John Harper’s “last convert.”

Harper’s last convert was won by Harper’s last words, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

There were many heroes on the Titanic, but, helping others as he drowned, John Harper was the last. (p. 25)

The book documents the life of John Harper including his family, secular work, salvation, ministry, and influence on others. There are many testimonies from other pastors and members of his churches who shared their great appreciation and admiration for his preaching and prayers. At the end of the book there are a few of Harper’s sermon outlines.

The Titanic died, but John Harper’s heroism will live forever!

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