Titanic

The Brush

A Man like Me, in a Place Like This

Chalk Artist Major Ronald Kerley

The guards laughed as the prisoner called me over to the bars, where 
wire mesh had been installed on his cell to keep him from throwing urine 
on passers by. 

“You have nothing to fear from me, Major” the prisoner said. “I have done 
nothing but evil all my life. I want to do one good thing before I die. I heard 
from the other prisoners that you have a heart that is half-dead and you are dying. I am going to volunteer to be executed early to give you a new heart to save your life."

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Major Kerley responded saying, "Your thought is as good as the act in God's eyes, but that won't get you to heaven.” The Major went on to say, “Jesus cared for you. You have a heart that is half-dead in sin. He volunteered to be executed to give you a new heart to save your soul."

With tears in his eyes the prisoner cried, "You mean that God can care about a man like me in a place like

this!" It was as if a wall went up around us as he said that. The obscenity and noise from other cells ceased.

With tears in his eyes, Major Kerley said, "Why not? You cared about a man like me!"

The prisoner said, "Pray with me. I want a new heart." Kerley could not hold his hand as he prayed because of the wire mesh, so the prisoner stuck one finger through the wire mesh. Kerley held his finger as he received a new heart and eternal life.