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The Titanic's Last Hero: A Story of Courageous Heroism and Unshakable Faith
As the dark, freezing waters of the Atlantic crept slowly up the decks of the Titanic, John Harper shouted, Let the women, children and the unsaved into the lifeboats. Harper took his lifejacket the final hope of survival and gave it to another man.
168 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 20, 2016
How many Titanic books do you read that talk about John Harper, the Baptist minister who gave his life jacket for the life another; who preached salvation to the end? I'll say right now that besides this book I have read no other books about this man! We talk about how men stepped aside to let woman and children get on the lifeboats, we exclaim over the beauty of a couple staying on the boat together to the end...but let's talk about John Harper for a bit. How many of us, while drowning in freezing water, would call out verses to others in the water? How many of us would preach Christ while dying?
Although I would have loved to see more details about John Harper's time on the Titanic (most of the book are tributes from friends who spoke highly of his ministry), I highly recommend this book. It will make you think!
Although I would have loved to see more details about John Harper's time on the Titanic (most of the book are tributes from friends who spoke highly of his ministry), I highly recommend this book. It will make you think!
October 15, 2012
I found this book to be a disappointment because the back cover description gave me the impression that the book would be a bit of a biography and would delve into historical elements of John Harper's life and shed some light into his heroic nature. The first 120 pages are tributes to the religious zeal of John Harper. Some chapters are descriptions of John Harper's love of Christianity. Some chapters are testimonies from John Harper converts. The last twelve pages delves mildly into the background of John Harper the person and some basic facts about the Titanic's maiden voyage. Since the book was $12.95 I hardly find the final twelve pages to be worth the money or the time I spent reading this book about a hero.
March 26, 2017
First sentence: AS THE DARK, FRIGID WATERS of the Atlantic crept slowly up the decks of the Titanic, John Harper shouted, “Let the women, children, and the unsaved into the lifeboats!” Harper gave his life jacket—his last hope of survival—to another man. After the ship had slipped beneath the silent water and left Harper floundering, he was heard urging those around him to put their faith in Jesus Christ. It was the night of April 14, 1912, a night for heroes, and John Harper met the challenge. Though the waters swallowing him were bitterly cold and the sea about him was dark, John Harper left this world in a brilliant blaze of glory.
Premise/plot: Most of this one is a reprint of a much, much older title: John Harper: A Man of God (1912). The first chapter tells the essentials of the story of this Christian hero. The remaining chapters are written by a diverse group: John Climie, George Harper, eleven assorted preachers and missionaries, and an assorted gathering of testimonies of his converts. The book also includes, I believe, four sermon outlines by John Harper.
My thoughts: I have no doubt that demand was high for a book about John Harper in the year or two following the Titanic disaster. But I have to say that the book is uneven in quality. The first few chapters were really insightful and interesting. But most were not. The chapters written by eleven different pastors/evangelists/missionaries were essentially fillers. Like someone had put out an advertisement: have you ever spoken to John Harper? have you ever been in the same room with him? how would you like to be published in a book?! That is a bit mean of me, I suppose. But I really wish that the publisher had not made such a BOLD and DRAMATIC subtitle. It promises more than it can deliver.
That being said, I think there's room for a NEW book about John Harper that gathers the facts of his life and ministry. Perhaps a picture book for older readers?! I think this story would lend well to illustration. It would be lovely to gather together select quotes from John Harper and others that knew and loved him. I think the bare facts of the story are inspiring.
“Oh that we could only have more faith in a loving, living Savior, and that we would only open our hearts wide enough to receive more of His sweet, consuming, constraining, heart-piercing love, and oh! That we would open our ears to hear the sweet voice of the Bridegroom as He whispers to our souls, ‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away, and leave the fleeting phantoms of this fleeting day.’ And oh, that His soul-ravishing voice would so reach our cold hearts that we would be made to thirst and cry out for a closer fellowship with the crucified Savior.” ~ John Harper
Premise/plot: Most of this one is a reprint of a much, much older title: John Harper: A Man of God (1912). The first chapter tells the essentials of the story of this Christian hero. The remaining chapters are written by a diverse group: John Climie, George Harper, eleven assorted preachers and missionaries, and an assorted gathering of testimonies of his converts. The book also includes, I believe, four sermon outlines by John Harper.
My thoughts: I have no doubt that demand was high for a book about John Harper in the year or two following the Titanic disaster. But I have to say that the book is uneven in quality. The first few chapters were really insightful and interesting. But most were not. The chapters written by eleven different pastors/evangelists/missionaries were essentially fillers. Like someone had put out an advertisement: have you ever spoken to John Harper? have you ever been in the same room with him? how would you like to be published in a book?! That is a bit mean of me, I suppose. But I really wish that the publisher had not made such a BOLD and DRAMATIC subtitle. It promises more than it can deliver.
That being said, I think there's room for a NEW book about John Harper that gathers the facts of his life and ministry. Perhaps a picture book for older readers?! I think this story would lend well to illustration. It would be lovely to gather together select quotes from John Harper and others that knew and loved him. I think the bare facts of the story are inspiring.
“Oh that we could only have more faith in a loving, living Savior, and that we would only open our hearts wide enough to receive more of His sweet, consuming, constraining, heart-piercing love, and oh! That we would open our ears to hear the sweet voice of the Bridegroom as He whispers to our souls, ‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away, and leave the fleeting phantoms of this fleeting day.’ And oh, that His soul-ravishing voice would so reach our cold hearts that we would be made to thirst and cry out for a closer fellowship with the crucified Savior.” ~ John Harper
June 21, 2017
3.5 stars. This book has some interesting testimonies about lives touched by John Harper. They show a life which was dedicated to the service of God and others.
It would have been good if this book had had more about his time on the Titanic.
It would have been good if this book had had more about his time on the Titanic.
April 10, 2016
Tributes to John Harper, a preacher on the Titanic. Just wish it would have had more on the last soul he saved.
December 27, 2025
Reading this book, it is so clear that the Lord prepared John Harper for his Titanic moment. The Lord knew He could trust him to be the last witness of the Lord's love before these souls entered eternity. I was so moved and challenged by John Harper's complete dedication to the Lord. This book is short, but impactful!
April 10, 2018
The Titanic’s Last Hero is a passionate and loving tribute to pastor John Harper, a second class passenger who went down with the ship ministering to the lost. Mainly a reprint of John Climie’s John Harper: A Man of God, the book consists of over a dozen testimonials and tributes by Harper’s fellow clergyman and parishioners from his church, along with several outlines of Harper’s sermons. And in this new printing, additional appendix material has been included providing biographical material about Harper and information about all of Titanic’s clergy and some facts and figures about the Titanic tragedy. However, the book doesn’t really give a complete picture of John Harper’s life, but kind of isn’t meant to. Instead, the testimonies are meant to reveal who he was as a man and his passion to save lost souls…and they do so incredibly well. While the story of John Harper ministering to lost souls in the freezing waters even after the sinking is a bit apocryphal, more legend than fact, it speaks to the truth of his character. A compelling look at the man behind one of Titanic’s most enduring stories of heroism, The Titanic’s Last Hero is touching and inspirational.
October 18, 2013
Good in depth story about John Harper yet so much more could have be said.
March 6, 2021
The Titanic's Last Hero: A Startling True Story That Can Change Your Life Forever ~ Moody Adams
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
I never heard before of the name of John Harper and now I shall never forget. John was an amazing man of God, fully given over to the great commission. Here is a man who preached what he believed. This man of God would pray for hours with tears over the lost, he would often be in agony during his prayers, asking God to save the lost. This minster would pray for every name who sat on each seat in his church, he loved God and people and wherever he was he took the gospel with Him.
John was one of the people that died on the Titanic, before his final voyage in a prayer meeting one of the people praying turned to John and told him that the Holy Spirit told him that this voyage would end in disaster and pleased with John not to go on this journey. John was fully convinced that he should go and that of it ended in disaster that would be the will of God - he knew God was sovereign and so was prepared to go anywhere God sent him.
John's wife had died a few years earlier and they had a young daughter who accompanied John on this journey on the Titanic. She lived though this.
The night before the disaster John was seen leading a man to Christ on the top deck, such was John's way, he loved to share the gospel.
Before the Titanic set sail it was written that the Titanic was the ultimate achievement in mankind's machanical engineering feats. They were quoted to have said, "Not even God could sink the Titanic."
On the night the Titanic sunk, the boat hot and iceberg and panic was on board. This ship had over 2208 passengers onboard, only 712 people survived that night, 212 which were crew members.
it was reported that John took of his life jacket and gave it to an unbeliever. John then took his daughter and put her onboard a life boat then he turned to do what he was born to do, saved souls.
John was seen going around asking people if they were saved, he would urge people to put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. This man was ready to die on board the ship.
Another account of His was seen, this time in the water. The water was freezing and people were screaming around him as they were dying of been in this frozen water. One man floated near him and John asked, "are you saved?" The man said, "no" and was pulled away by the current. John was freezing to death and going up and under the water as he struggled to breath. The man from before appeared again floating by and John asked with his gasping breath, "are you saved? Do you know Jesus?" The man said, "no." John told the mam to trust in Jesus for salvation and with that John couldn't hold on no more and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. This man survived by all the odds and he did put his faith in Jesus that very night and was born again in the freezing cold waters as the Titanic sunk... This man gave his whole life to Jesus and never forgot what this man of God John Harper did for him..
I loved this book, a short account of what happened onboard the Titanic but this book had so many testimonies about John's life that even before the Titanic he was a man of God always doing what he could for the salvation of others and God was with him. Brilliant book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
I never heard before of the name of John Harper and now I shall never forget. John was an amazing man of God, fully given over to the great commission. Here is a man who preached what he believed. This man of God would pray for hours with tears over the lost, he would often be in agony during his prayers, asking God to save the lost. This minster would pray for every name who sat on each seat in his church, he loved God and people and wherever he was he took the gospel with Him.
John was one of the people that died on the Titanic, before his final voyage in a prayer meeting one of the people praying turned to John and told him that the Holy Spirit told him that this voyage would end in disaster and pleased with John not to go on this journey. John was fully convinced that he should go and that of it ended in disaster that would be the will of God - he knew God was sovereign and so was prepared to go anywhere God sent him.
John's wife had died a few years earlier and they had a young daughter who accompanied John on this journey on the Titanic. She lived though this.
The night before the disaster John was seen leading a man to Christ on the top deck, such was John's way, he loved to share the gospel.
Before the Titanic set sail it was written that the Titanic was the ultimate achievement in mankind's machanical engineering feats. They were quoted to have said, "Not even God could sink the Titanic."
On the night the Titanic sunk, the boat hot and iceberg and panic was on board. This ship had over 2208 passengers onboard, only 712 people survived that night, 212 which were crew members.
it was reported that John took of his life jacket and gave it to an unbeliever. John then took his daughter and put her onboard a life boat then he turned to do what he was born to do, saved souls.
John was seen going around asking people if they were saved, he would urge people to put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. This man was ready to die on board the ship.
Another account of His was seen, this time in the water. The water was freezing and people were screaming around him as they were dying of been in this frozen water. One man floated near him and John asked, "are you saved?" The man said, "no" and was pulled away by the current. John was freezing to death and going up and under the water as he struggled to breath. The man from before appeared again floating by and John asked with his gasping breath, "are you saved? Do you know Jesus?" The man said, "no." John told the mam to trust in Jesus for salvation and with that John couldn't hold on no more and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. This man survived by all the odds and he did put his faith in Jesus that very night and was born again in the freezing cold waters as the Titanic sunk... This man gave his whole life to Jesus and never forgot what this man of God John Harper did for him..
I loved this book, a short account of what happened onboard the Titanic but this book had so many testimonies about John's life that even before the Titanic he was a man of God always doing what he could for the salvation of others and God was with him. Brilliant book.
Read
July 29, 2020This book, titled "The Titanic's Last Hero", should surely have more than 10 pages about that fateful voyage? It doesn't.
Please know, which I did not, that this book is not about the Titanic; it is telling the story of someone who drowned as a result. This is more about how John Harper became a pastor and how he would stand on the street preaching the word of god.
It is an interesting concept to find the image of a person through the testimony of others, however, I felt when reading, that this book was a 150 page eulogy with each person entering the pulpit and saying pretty much the same thing: he was a great man devoted to god. I never really seemed to find who John Harper was. He seems to have been a very loving man, very devoted to his faith and always willing to have a discussion regarding religion, but there is more to men than their faith - that was simply one part of his tragically short life.
Please know, which I did not, that this book is not about the Titanic; it is telling the story of someone who drowned as a result. This is more about how John Harper became a pastor and how he would stand on the street preaching the word of god.
It is an interesting concept to find the image of a person through the testimony of others, however, I felt when reading, that this book was a 150 page eulogy with each person entering the pulpit and saying pretty much the same thing: he was a great man devoted to god. I never really seemed to find who John Harper was. He seems to have been a very loving man, very devoted to his faith and always willing to have a discussion regarding religion, but there is more to men than their faith - that was simply one part of his tragically short life.
Read
March 27, 2025p. 18 - Nature of man shown a ship is sinking - depraved
p. 18- John Astor, richest man in the world but cannot be saved.
p. 19 - Mrs. Isador Straus wife of Macy's owner did not get into lifeboat saying to her husband where you go - I go.
Story of Wifely Devotion
p. 23 - In the end only 2 classes of passengers. Those known to be saved, those known to be lost.
p. 25 - Harpers last convert - using his last words - Hamilton Ontario was his last convert.
p. 30 - Concept of "second blessing" used to describe a miraculous change suddenly shown in the life of a believer
p. 33-34 - God will call a man/person to fulfill his purposes: Elisha, Amos...
p. 34 - Wanderers must be brought back to God.
p. 36 - Men must not run before God sends them.
p. 53 - His wife died - not my will, but thine be done.
p. 18- John Astor, richest man in the world but cannot be saved.
p. 19 - Mrs. Isador Straus wife of Macy's owner did not get into lifeboat saying to her husband where you go - I go.
Story of Wifely Devotion
p. 23 - In the end only 2 classes of passengers. Those known to be saved, those known to be lost.
p. 25 - Harpers last convert - using his last words - Hamilton Ontario was his last convert.
p. 30 - Concept of "second blessing" used to describe a miraculous change suddenly shown in the life of a believer
p. 33-34 - God will call a man/person to fulfill his purposes: Elisha, Amos...
p. 34 - Wanderers must be brought back to God.
p. 36 - Men must not run before God sends them.
p. 53 - His wife died - not my will, but thine be done.
February 5, 2021
I had never heard of John Harper before this biography, but I enjoyed reading about another man who dearly loved his God. There are basically 4 parts to this book and some are more interesting and encouraging than others. My favorite part was the letters written by men who were brought to faith thigh John's evangelism. They are such sweet, hopeful letters to remind us of the importance of sharing the gospel.
May 14, 2017
This is a riveting narrative about a man of titanic faith. John Harper was faith and evangelism personified. In the tale of that catastrophic sinking of the ship, you hear little about this dynamic man of God and his off the chain faith and courage. For those of us needing spiritual encouragement and a template on what great faith should look like...John Harper is surely one of those.
October 28, 2022
I was disappointed this book did not give more info about him on the Titanic. It would have been great if there was a testimony from his “last” convert. This book was basically just a bunch of people telling about how great a Christian John Harper was. It felt very repetitive. The title if the book is somewhat misleading.
September 25, 2024
I thought this book would be more of a narrative of the character's life. Instead, it was a small portion of that and a larger portion dedicated to descriptions by those who knew him of his character and a compilation of his sermons. I did still enjoy it and learned from it- mostly through his example of keeping the gospel front and center and his prayer life.
March 27, 2020
This book was okay. It was mostly a memorial about a minister, John Harper. It you love history, this is a book for you. I'm handing my copy down to my dad. He's a history buff and will probably love this book.
August 3, 2021
What an amazing story of a mighty man of God!
John Harper was someone most people including myself may had not heard of but this story as the title says can truly change your life!!
John Harper was someone most people including myself may had not heard of but this story as the title says can truly change your life!!
November 12, 2020
Inspiring and challenging. John Harper's story needs to be told. I highly recommend this book to pastors and to young Christian men looking for an example of manhood.
September 9, 2021
Excellent! Short stories of John Harper's life by friends, family and acquaintances.
March 18, 2022
John Harper's story is amazing. I would love to read more from his sermons.
April 24, 2022
Good read!
March 17, 2024
Book 42 - Moody Adams - The Titanic’s Last Hero
The Titanic has always held a special place in my heart since my second year at Stranmillis when I taught the topic at Harding Memorial PS on teaching practice through to my dissertation that was about the life of Charles Lightoller, the surviving second officer, coming to a bookstore near you...maybe...lol
Pastor John Harper was a man of God and a man for God. He died in the cold waters of the Atlantic as the Titanic sank. He wasn’t even supposed to be on board...but last minute changes meant he was on that ill fated voyage. The book are testimonials and tributes to the difference he made to the lives of those around him - a powerful book of how one man of faith can move mountains with God doing the heavy lifting.
As one tribute puts it - Mr Robert Logan, “He was strong in his love for the perishing. He had an intense love for souls...he burned, prayed, laboured and wept for the conversion of sinners; and, blessed be God, great numbers were led to the Saviour’s feet through his consecrated efforts.”
The story goes that he continued to save lives as the Titanic went down, and called upon them to change and be right with God up to the very last minute.
The subtitle of the book is ‘A story of courageous heroism and unshakeable faith’ - inspiring stories and wonderful truisms about a man and his God - astonishing stuff.
The Titanic has always held a special place in my heart since my second year at Stranmillis when I taught the topic at Harding Memorial PS on teaching practice through to my dissertation that was about the life of Charles Lightoller, the surviving second officer, coming to a bookstore near you...maybe...lol
Pastor John Harper was a man of God and a man for God. He died in the cold waters of the Atlantic as the Titanic sank. He wasn’t even supposed to be on board...but last minute changes meant he was on that ill fated voyage. The book are testimonials and tributes to the difference he made to the lives of those around him - a powerful book of how one man of faith can move mountains with God doing the heavy lifting.
As one tribute puts it - Mr Robert Logan, “He was strong in his love for the perishing. He had an intense love for souls...he burned, prayed, laboured and wept for the conversion of sinners; and, blessed be God, great numbers were led to the Saviour’s feet through his consecrated efforts.”
The story goes that he continued to save lives as the Titanic went down, and called upon them to change and be right with God up to the very last minute.
The subtitle of the book is ‘A story of courageous heroism and unshakeable faith’ - inspiring stories and wonderful truisms about a man and his God - astonishing stuff.
August 13, 2016
This book was originally written and published in 1912. The first chapter contained the information about John Harper's final moments on the Titanic. I was moved by his dedicated efforts to win souls for Christ to the very end of his life. Next there are a couple chapters on his life story. Then there are several tributes from friends and fellow pastors. After that there are several testimonies by people that he led to the Lord. The appendixes contained more information about the Titanic and John Harper. I think this would be an encouragement to pastors as a biography of a truly devoted pastor who steadfastly fulfilled the work of God even unto his death. I confess that I only read the first 2 chapters and the appendixes and then skimmed the rest.
July 14, 2013
Loved it! Very easy, quick read, though the language is quite different from what we are used to at times (early 1900's and Scottish). This book is a great testimony to a man who most have never heard of, a man who wasn't in the spotlight of the Titanic disaster, yet a man who likely made the most difference. This a man who was after God's own heart who called out "women, children, and the unsaved first!" when the lifeboats were being filled. His passion was to reach the lost, and though he was lost at sea, his soul and the hundreds of souls he touched will be found forever in the arms of the Saviour.
November 5, 2015
A two-star rating on Goodreads reflects an opinion that the book was "just ok" -- not great, but certainly not bad. The positives: great concept from which we learned of Reverend Harper's life through others and the retention of 1912 language. The negatives: too heavy on the religious angle (which I would expect to some degree but it was unfamiliar to me as I am of a different faith) and the narratives were repetitive. I did enjoy the appendix that put the story into historical perspective and wished that section was longer. While not my favorite of my books on Titanic passengers, every passenger's story is important -- for that reason, I am glad to have gotten to know the Reverend a bit.
March 8, 2019
excellent story of a man whose primary goal in life was to serve God to the best of his ability.
August 14, 2013
This is a spine-tingling tale of one man's claim to be the last convert of an inspiring minister who could have survived the Titanic but gave his life vest to non-believers. Is this fact or is it fiction. The debate may go on for another hundred years but the fact that this story continues to be told speaks for itself.
March 8, 2020
It was far from what I had expected so perhaps that's why I was rather disappointed. But it was also rather repetitative. There is a limit to how many times it makes sense to hear about how amazing a person is. No doubt rev. Harper was an incredible man, but I still think his story could have been told more interesting.
June 14, 2020
Contrary to the 1997 movie of the year, there was a Christian on the ship who helped get women and children to the lifeboats and witnessed to people after the ship sank. He had an opportunity to take another boat but chose this one.
April 15, 2012
Wonderful inspiring book! My thoughts here at... http://thoughtsonbookss.blogspot.ca/2...
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