An account involving Mr. Sankey
Before Ira Sankey became D.L. Moody's mission partner, he had been a soldier in the American Civil War. One night he was out on guard duty; he lifted his eyes to heaven and began singing praise to the LORD. Years after the war ended, Sankey was sailing somewhere and a crowd of people recognised him and asked him to sing. He again looked Heavenward and sang a hymn. A man from the crowd asked him if, on a certain night during the war, he had performed night duty for a certain infantry unit. "Yes, I did." was his reply. The man continued, "I was on the opposite side of the war, hiding by a bush near your camp. My gun was aimed at your head when you looked upward and began to sing. As I liked music I thought I'd let you finish the song before shooting you. Then I realised what you were singing. It was the same hymn my mother sang to me many times when I was a child; the one you sang tonight. I tried, but I was powerless to pull the trigger. I recognised that yo...
