We all have them. People who we see as an example of personal fortitude or integrity. Whatever the reason, we will honor them whether they are living or not. I have always thought that these 2 people were examples that anyone could appreciate. Their names are Horatio and Anne Spafford. They lived in Chicago during the Civil War. He was a successful lawyer. They were good friends of Dwight L. Moody. They had 5 children. He owned a large amount of real estate in 1871. When Chicago burned to the ground. They helped rebuilt Chicago. In 1873, their 4 year son died of scarlet fever. The Spafford’s worked tirelessly for several years to rebuild Chicago. They decided to take a vacation in Europe. While in New York, Mrs. Spafford and their 4 daughters went ahead on a separate boat. Horatio Spafford got news the next day that the ship had sunk. A telegraph came from his wife, which read, “Saved alone”. On the voyage over to meet his wife, Horatio Spafford asked the captain of the ship where the other ship went down. He showed him the spot. On the back of the ship, he wrote, a song which has become a standard in Christian music, “It is Well with my Soul”. They went on to have 3 more daughters. The Spafford’s eventually moved to Jerusalem in the 1880’s. There they found abject poverty and deplorable conditions. They opened soup kitchens, hospitals, orphanages and other charitable ventures. He died in 1888 in Jerusalem and is buried there. These people lived a life worth honoring. When no one said they had to do anything and could have lived in relative ease. But because of their faith in God and strong sense of urgency, they lived a life worth honoring as heroes.
Joseph1637/Crain Blanchard 