“During the American Civil War the opposing armies of the Federals and Confederates on a certain occasion were facing each other. One night a Confederate sentry was on duty when he heard the sound of singing coming from the Federal lines. He proceeded cautiously in their direction, and observed an enemy sentry pacing up and down, singing ‘Jesu, Lover of My Soul.’ Bringing his gun to his shoulder, he was about to shoot, when the singer came to the words, ‘Cover my defenceless head with the shadow of Thy wing.’ This was too much for the Confederate and he lowered his weapon and allowed his would-be victim to go unharmed. Many years passed, and the Confederate, now a private gentleman, was aboard an excursion steamer on the Potomac River, when he heard an evangelist singing this hymn. Memories were aroused, and thinking he recognised the voice, he made his way to the singer and in conversation found that the evangelist was indeed the sentry he had nearly shot. Great was their mutual joy when he revealed to the singer the peril from which he had been saved in that night long ago, when on sentry duty he besought divine protection by singing, ‘Jesu, Lover of My Soul.’” Dr. Julian’s Hymnology Comments are closed.
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