Capt. Hedley Vicars by G. W. A.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 3, 1872

Capt. Hedley Vicars.

By G. W. A.

THE American Tract Society furnishes an interesting Sabbath-school volume in the biography of Capt. Hedley Vicars. It is for sale at the REVIEW Office. The book is a useful little treatise, and shows how a young British officer, even amid the surrounding dissipations of camp-life, gave his heart to the Saviour, and to the day of his death was “a burning and shining light,” a living, working disciple of Jesus. His useful life was sacrificed in the Crimean war, March 22, 1855, in helping repulse a night attack of the Russians.

The following paragraph from pages 118, 119, of his “Memorials,” is a part of a letter to his mother. It is dated “Sebastopol, Feb. 19, 1855,” and shows how Capt. Vicars regarded the subject of our Lord’s soon-coming. He says:—

“As I gazed on the magnificent scenery, on the wildness and grandeur of the distant, lofty and snow-capped mountains, giving an additional charm to the surrounding loveliness, all around was so still and calm that my thoughts wandered to more peaceful climes, and to that not far distant day when JESUS SHALL RETURN to this beautiful, although sin-marred, world; when wars shall cease forever, and love and holiness fill the breasts of his redeemed people. Oh! dearest mother, there are times when I long for this final consummation of all things. What a blessed thing it will be to serve Christ with a heart wholly renewed and made like unto his, when sin can no more afflict us with its presence, or bow us down under its intolerable burden. But it is not always thus that my soul longs and pants for that great advent of my glorious and precious Saviour. Oh! that I were ever waiting and ready to welcome him, on his triumphant return to a world where once he took upon him the form of a servant, to redeem and save sinners.”

No one can read this biography of Capt. Vicars without being greatly quickened in the heavenly life. G. W. A.