John Harper
Evangelical Baptist Preacher, Age 39
~ Perished ~
John Harper was born May 29, 1872. He was a Baptist minister and began preaching at the young age of 17. After starting a church in 1896, he married but was widowed shortly after. When Harper boarded the Titanic with his six-year-old daughter, Annie, and Miss Jessie Leitch from Southampton, England, it was for the privilege of preaching revival meetings at one of the greatest churches in America, Moody Church in Chicago, Illinois, named for its famous founder Dwight L. Moody. The church was anxiously awaiting his arrival not only because of the pending services, but to meet their next pastor, as Harper planned to accept their invitation. Harper was known as an engaging preacher and had pastored two churches in Glasgow and London. His preaching style was suited for an evangelist as testified by the words of another local pastor. “He was a great open-air preacher and could always command large and appreciative audiences. . . . He could deal with all kinds of interrupters, his great and intelligent grasp of Bible truths enabling him to successfully combat all assailants.”
When the Titanic collided with an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912, Harper woke his daughter and carried her up to A-Deck. He hugged and kissed Annie goodbye and handed her to a crewman who put her and Miss Leitch into Lifeboat No. 11. Being a widower he may have been allowed to join her but instead forsook his own rescue, choosing to provide the masses with one more chance to know Christ. Harper ran person to person, passionately telling others about Christ. As the water began to submerge the “unsinkable” ship, Harper was heard shouting, “women, children, and the unsaved into the lifeboats.” Rebuffed by a certain man at the offer of salvation Harper gave him his own life vest, saying, “you need this more than I do.” Up until the last moment on the ship Harper pleaded with people to give their lives to Jesus. Even in the icy water, he urged all around him to put their faith in Jesus Christ.
— Ron Metheny
Bible Verse: How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? — Romans 10:14 ESV
Quotable Quote: The devil cannot touch you on resurrection ground. — John Harper (1872–1912)
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