A Remembrance Story

I write this article just after Remembrance Sunday, and this reminds me of something that took place many years ago.

Two soldiers were sight-seeing in London before returning north after training in Woolwich. They arrived at the door of Westminster Abbey just as the door was being locked. Greatly disappointed, they were about to walk away when a voice behind them asked, “Would you like to look around the Abbey now?” Turning around, they saw that the enquirer was none other than Dean Stanley, the Dean of Westminster himself.

They gratefully accepted his offer and the Dean gave them a conducted tour. He paused before a monument erected in memory of one of Britain’s foremost warriors and said, “You may never obtain honour in this world such as this general received, or have your deeds recorded on a monument like this, but if your names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that will be your best possible memorial.”

The soldiers left, but returned to the Abbey the next day for the early morning service, and were again welcomed by the Dean. In parting he gave each one of them a small gift and said, “Well, we may never meet again on earth, but be sure to have your names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we shall meet in Heaven.”

The two soldiers travelled home and received a loving welcome from their respective families. One of them told his wife of his visit to the Abbey and added, “The Dean was wonderfully kind but twice he used a sentence that neither of us could understand. He told us to be sure to have our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” “That reminds me,” said his wife, “of what my Sunday School teacher used to tell me. I know what the Dean meant by the Lamb’s Book of Life.” She explained the meaning as best she could to her husband. The result was that the two men went to a church where they could learn more. Both were converted and became followers of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who took away their sin and in Whose “Book of Life” their names were written.

If you want to learn more about this, a warm welcome awaits you at Coedpenmaen Baptist Church.

Rev. Stan Vart