John Harper (pastor)
Encyclopedia
John Harper was a Baptist
pastor
from Great Britain
who died in the Titanic disaster on the North Atlantic
.
Harper was born in the village of Houston, Renfrewshire
, Scotland
, in 1872. He personally embraced his parents' Christian
faith at age 14 and began preaching
at 18. He supported himself in early adulthood by doing manual labor in a mill
until Baptist pastor E.A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission in London
heard of his preaching and placed him in ministry work in Govan
, Scotland. In 1897, he became the first pastor of Paisley Road Baptist Church in Glasgow
, Scotland. Under his care, the church quickly grew from 25 members to over 500 and soon moved to a new location on Plantation Street. In 1922, it moved into its present building on Craigiehall Street and was renamed Harper Memorial Baptist Church in his honor.
At the time of the Titanic disaster, Harper was 39, a widower with a six-year-old daughter, Annie Jessie (Nana), and pastor of Walworth Road Baptist Church in London. He was traveling with his daughter and niece Jessie W. Leitch to Chicago
to preach for several weeks at the Moody Church
, where he had been guest minister the previous fall, when the ship hit an iceberg
on the night of April 14, 1912, and was lost. His daughter and niece were put on a lifeboat
and survived, but Harper stayed behind and jumped into the water as the ship began to sink. Some who survived told that Harper preached the Gospel
to the end (especially Acts 16:31), first aboard the sinking ship and then afterward converting those in the freezing water before dying in it himself.
The story of John Harper aboard the Titanic is told in the book, The Titanic's Last Hero, published by Moody Adams.
A children's version of John Harpers last days on board the Titanic was published by Christian Focus Publications in March 2011 titled 'Titanic- Ship of Dreams - John Harper' written by Robert Plant.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
who died in the Titanic disaster on the North Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Harper was born in the village of Houston, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, in 1872. He personally embraced his parents' Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
faith at age 14 and began preaching
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
at 18. He supported himself in early adulthood by doing manual labor in a mill
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
until Baptist pastor E.A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
heard of his preaching and placed him in ministry work in Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, Scotland. In 1897, he became the first pastor of Paisley Road Baptist Church in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland. Under his care, the church quickly grew from 25 members to over 500 and soon moved to a new location on Plantation Street. In 1922, it moved into its present building on Craigiehall Street and was renamed Harper Memorial Baptist Church in his honor.
At the time of the Titanic disaster, Harper was 39, a widower with a six-year-old daughter, Annie Jessie (Nana), and pastor of Walworth Road Baptist Church in London. He was traveling with his daughter and niece Jessie W. Leitch to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to preach for several weeks at the Moody Church
Moody Church
The Moody Church is a historic Protestant church in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. right|thumb|270px|-Building:...
, where he had been guest minister the previous fall, when the ship hit an iceberg
Iceberg
An iceberg is a large piece of ice from freshwater that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. It may subsequently become frozen into pack ice...
on the night of April 14, 1912, and was lost. His daughter and niece were put on a lifeboat
Lifeboat (shipboard)
A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
and survived, but Harper stayed behind and jumped into the water as the ship began to sink. Some who survived told that Harper preached the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to the end (especially Acts 16:31), first aboard the sinking ship and then afterward converting those in the freezing water before dying in it himself.
See also
- Passengers of the RMS Titanic
The story of John Harper aboard the Titanic is told in the book, The Titanic's Last Hero, published by Moody Adams.
A children's version of John Harpers last days on board the Titanic was published by Christian Focus Publications in March 2011 titled 'Titanic- Ship of Dreams - John Harper' written by Robert Plant.