One of my heroes--Sgt Alvin York

Some of you may not remember Sgt. York of the First World War, but being a good Tennessean, I learned to idolize this sharpshooting man from the mountains from an early age. What you may not know is that this man was not just a man of duty who served his country, he was also a man of faith who served God. Let me relate a story about this man to you (with thanks to the magazine America's First Freedom, February 2006 edition, from which I paraphrase this material).

Alvin York made a commitment to Jesus Christ on Jan. 1, 1915 and joined the Church of Christ in Christian Union (a fundamentalist group that had spun off from the Methodists during the Civil War). The church was not officialy pacifist, but they had broken with the Methodists over support for the War between the States. In June 1917, York received his draft notice. He had read the command "Thou shalt not kill" and had interpreted that to mean that war was wrong. He originally put in for a conscientious objector status but was denied because his church had no "official" position on the matter. So, Alvin York went to basic training.

In the spring of 1918, York reiterated his objection to killing in the war to an officer of the army. Major George Edward Buxton got word of York's objections and had York come to his office for a discussion of the Bible. Buxton pointed out some places in Scripture that seem to indicate the necessity of war. York left this discussion unsure of his next move. Buxton gave him a 10 day pass to go home and mull things over with the promise that if York returned and still believed that he shouldn't kill, then Buxton would assign him to a non-combat position.

York returned home and was urged by his church to remain a conscientious objector. York decided, however, to go into the mountains and spend some time alone with God to pray for guidance. After two days and one night alone, York came down from the mountain and told his church, "If some fellow was to come along and bust into your home and mistreat your wife and murder your children, would you just stand for that? You wouldn't fight?"

York returned to his unit and took a combat position with the 82nd Infantry. The rest is history. York almost singlehandedly brought in 128 German enlisted men and four officers. He killed 25 German soldiers in combat and knocked 35 machine gun nests out of commission. York believed that God had supernaturally enabled him to do this amazing feat. He believed that God had protected him in the fight and given him victory. Later, General Julian Lindsey asked York, "How did you accomplish this feat?"

York replied, "Sir it is not by man power. A higher power than man power guided and watched over me and told me what to do." The general put his hand on York's shoulder and said, "Son, you are right."

Here's another York quote--"Liberty and freedom and democracy are so very precious that you do not fight to win them once and then stop. . . . Liberty and freedom are prizes that are awarded only to those people who fight to win them and then keep on fighting eternally to hold them."

York's devotion to God led him to defend his country and others in a time of war. I wonder if my devotion to Christ would cause me to fight with equal zeal to see people released from the bondage of sin?

I sure hope so!

May God raise up more Alvin Yorks!

Thanks for reading!