TWICE-BORN MEN
REMARKABLE CONVERSIONS OF WELL-KNOWN MEN
IN DIFFERENT AGES AND IN VARIED RANKS OF LIFE
Compiled by HY. PICKERING
The Hero of the Crimea
CAPTAIN HEDLEY VICARS was born in Mauritius, in 1826. His father was an officer in the Royal Engineers, the family estate being at Levally, in Queen’s County, Ireland When the boy was twelve years old his father’s dying hand was laid upon his head, with the earnest wish “that he might be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and so fight manfully under His banner as to glorify His Name.”
Early in life he joined the depot of the 97th Regiment in the Isle of Wight, and from first to last devoted himself to his duties.
In 1844 he went to Corfu with his regiment, and so entered into excesses in sin that he afterwards wrote: “You will be spared sore remorse in after years by remembering your Creator in the days of your youth (Eccles. 12. 1). I would give worlds if I had them to undo what I have done.” He was afterwards stationed at or visited Jamaica, Nova Scotia, and other parts of Canada. Some-tunes he was convicted of sin for a time; then again he would neglect his Bible and his God.
When stationed in Halifax in the month of November, 1851, he was awaiting the return of a brother officer to his room, and idly turned over the leaves of a Bible which lay on the table. The words of the 1st Epistle of John, chapter 1 verse. 7, caught his eye: “The Blood of Jesus Christ Ils.s Son cleasseth us from all sin.” Closing the Book, he said, “If this be true for me, henceforth I will live, by the grace of God, as a man shall live who has been washed in the Blood of J–us Christ”
That night he scarcely slept, pondering in his heart if these wondrous words were really meant for him. In the morning he rose calm in the assurance that they were “true for him,” and “a faithful saving, worthy of all acceptation” (I Tim. 1. 15). “The past,” he assured himself, “is blotted out. What I have to do is to go forward. I cannot return to the sins from which my Saviour has cleansed me with His own Blood.”
On the morning succeeding that memorable night he bought a large Bible, placed it open on the table of his sitting-room, determined that for the future “an open Bible” should be his colours. Some called him names, others shrugged their shoulders, one remarked, “Bad as you were, I never thought you would come to this, old fellow.” But he never faltered, and much grace was given him to confess Christ before others.
Busy years of service and happy months at home with his mother and sisters quickly flew past. The 97th was ordered out to the Crimea in 1854. He endeared himself by his unceasing care of the sick and suffering during that eventful winter before Sevastopol, the horrors of which are historic. The night of the 22nd of March was dark and dreary, the wind swept in wild gusts across the Crimea. Soon after ten o’clock firing commenced in the direction of the Victoria Redoubt. In the murky darkness a Russian force of 15,000 men crept out of Sevastopol, surprised the French, and passed on to the British lines. Vicars was the first to discover the enemy so near. He ordered his men to lie down until the Russians came within twenty paces, then leaping on the parapet, he cried, “Tats WAY 97rn,” and led his company of 200 against an advancing force of 2000. The next moment the strong arm fell helpless, and he dropped among his foes. His men fought their way through the ranks of the retreating Russians to defend the leader they loved, and bore him back to safety. As they laid his body down at his tent door his spirit winged its flight to the Land of unending peace. A good soldier of Jesus Christ, he had “fought a good fight, and finished his course; henceforth the crown (2 Tim. 4.7, 8).