Reason For The Season
While doing some online research today for my latest project The Southern Cross, a Christian-Confederate Devotional, I came upon a rather remarkable testimony recounting the spiritual awakening of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. As I am also simultaneously gathering materials for a fourth project entitled Nathan Bedford Forrest: Saint and Sinner, I decided to “kill two birds with one stone.” This particular essay is a wonderful discovery for me as it contains quotes from several of Forrest’s personal letters that I was unaware of.

Below is an excerpt from this brilliant sermon, which was delivered January 26, 1997, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (Summerville, Georgia) by Kenneth Studdard. You can read the entire text at The Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument. The title of the lecture is “Is That Enough?” and it deals with the personal transformation that N.B. Forrest experienced from that of a passive believer - to a born-again Christian. His story is one that I believe many of us can relate to, and although he certainly had his share of faults, he did accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior (after the Civil War) and was therefore, redeemed in the end. This is salvation in its simplest of terms.

Dr. J.B. Cowan, his medical officer and kinsman said of Nathan Bedford Forrest: "He had the most profound respect for religion, always had preaching at his headquarters on Sundays if there was a minister at hand, and had prayers in his tent at night. In those days we never started on an expedition but what the men were drawn up in line, and the chaplain, while the heads of all were uncovered, evoked God's blessing on our cause."

Like all other great men, behind Forrest was a great Christian woman whose name was Mary Ann Montgomery. She was a great influence on her husband and they were married on September 25, 1845. From then on, he was ever remembered in her prayers. After the war Forrest recounted her influence to a friend: "Major, I am not the same man you were with so long and knew so well. I hope I am a better man now than then. I have been and am trying to lead another kind of life. Mary has been praying for me night and day for all these years, and I feel now that through her prayers my life has been spared and I have passed safely through so many dangers."

That is an impressive testimony when you consider that during the war he was wounded 4 times, had 29 horses shot out from under him, and killed 30 men in hand-to-hand combat. In the battle of Fort Donelson, after leading a charge up a hill, he discovered 15 bullet holes in his overcoat, yet he was uninjured! Yes' the Lord had answered Mary's prayers and preserved him. Still, Forrest never truly surrendered himself to the promise of salvation.

After Mary had convinced him to attend a sermon on a Sunday morning in 1875, Forrest sat and listened as the pastor read from Matthew 7:24-27 (which presents Christ’s lesson on the difference between a “passive or non-believer” who builds his house upon the sand – and a “devout believer” who builds his house upon the rock). He added, “The only foundation that matters is Christ, for He is the only one that is acceptable. Our works win not save us, only His work. Our goodness will not save us, only His goodness. Our righteousness will not save us, for we have none. Only His righteousness will avail. Have you built your life on the saving work of Jesus Christ? Only that is enough!”

When he had finished, Forrest went forward, shook the preacher's hand and said in reference to the man who built his house on the sand: 'I am that man.' The prayers of Mary Ann were answered. Nathan Bedford Forrest had come to Christ! He realized that all of his accomplishments, all of his morality, and all of the religion in the world could not make him right with the Lord. Only Christ, the one foundation, could. From that day until his death October 27, 1877, Forrest lived his life for Christ. 'That was the change he spoke of to his friend.

Source: “Is That Enough?” by Kenneth Studdard (Pleasant Grove Baptist Church)