John Harper: Faith, Courage, and Final Moments on the Titanic

John Harper: Faith, Courage, and Final Moments on the Titanic

I have been learning about some of the people who were on the Titanic, and today I wanted to tell you about John Harper.

He was born on the 29th of May 1872 in Houston, Renfrewshire, in Scotland. By the age of 13 he had embraced his beliefs, and by 17 he was already preaching. He worked in a mill to support himself, but it did not stop him from following what he clearly felt was a calling.

In 1897, he became pastor of a small church in Glasgow. It grew quickly, suggesting he drew people in. He moved to London, continuing his work while raising his young daughter after being widowed.

In April 1912, he boarded the RMS Titanic with his daughter and sister, they were travelling to Chicago to preach. When the ship hit the iceberg, he made sure that his daughter was safely in a lifeboat. He stayed behind. Survivors recalled him offering comfort and sharing his faith, even in the freezing water right up until the end.