Reports of Gospel Work

From the very inception of Previous Seed, Mr. C. H. Darch has taken a keen interest in all aspects of the Magazine, and has given valuable and much appreciated help in the collection of material for this Section. He now thinks that it would be good for this work to pass into younger hands, and we are glad to say that Mr. G. H. Maxwell (Exeter) has consented to act for us in the South West of England find we welcome his fellowship in the work, of collecting news of gospel activities in this area. Mr. Darch’s decision does not, of course, affect his interest in the Magazine in any way, and in fact we shall still count on the benefit of his counsel in this Section.

Readers are invited to draw the attention of our Correspondents to news-items suitable for publication in these pages. We wish to make it clear that Evangelists whose work is reported are in no way responsible to the Committee of Precious Seed and they do not receive any financial support from the Magazine. Some readers seem to consider that publication of news we receive concerning meetings conducted by an Evangelist, carries with it the implication that we are necessarily in agreement with all his methods. We are glad to think to think that the great majority of our readers will not see the slightest need to draw any such conclusion.

N. M. B.

LONDON and HOME COUNTIES

(London and the Counties of Middlesex, Hertford, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Surrey). Stanley H, Sayers, 33 Crieff Road, Wandsworth, S.W. 18.

SOUTHERN ENGLAND

(Wilts.. Gloucester, Oxford, Bucks., Berks., Hampshire and the Isle of Wight). A. C. Payne. 39 Solent Road, Drayton, Portsmouth.

SOUTH-WEST ENGLAND

(Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and the Channel Islands). G. H. Maxwell, “Leigh Beck,” 6 Birchy Barton Hill, Exeter.

MIDLANDS

(Cheshire, Derby, Notts., Shropshire, Stafford, Leicester, Rutland, Hereford, Worcester, Warwick and Northampton). Pearson P. Chamings, 3 Birch Road, Rubery, Nr. Birmingham.

EASTERN ENGLAND

(Lincoln, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Bedford and Hunts). T. G. Smith, “Charis,” St. David’s Drive, Broxbourne, Herts.

NORTHERN ENGLAND

(Lancashire, Westmorland, Cumberland, Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire and Isle of Man). J. Howard Hall, 12 Borough Road, Jarrow-on-Tyne. Co. Durham.

NORTHERN SCOTLAND

(The Counties of Inverness and Aberdeen, and the Areas north of them). A. Mulholland, 6 Commerce Road, Elgin.

CENTRAL and SOUTHERN SCOTLAND

(All Areas south of the Counties of Inverness and Aberdeen). Andrew McNeish, M.A. “Eastchaig,” 9 Jerviston Street, Motherwell.

WALES

Walter A. Norris, 3 Morlais Street, Cardiff. or Harold Thomas, 269 Caerphilly Rd., Cardiff.

NORTHERN IRELAND

David Craig, “Ailsa,” Fisherwick Gardens, Ballymena, Co. Antrim.

EIRE

T. Ernest Archer, “Dunran,” Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co, Dublin.

WAITING LIST FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

A very successful work is being carried on at Rise Park, Essex, in a small converted Nissen Hut with accommodation for only 200. A small assembly was established on this new estate two years ago, and 500 children and young people are already enrolled in the Sunday School and Bible Classes, which have to be held in two sessions. There is a growing waiting list of Sunday School scholars, and many unsaved are regularly attending the gospel meetings. Copies of a detailed Report can be obtained from E. L. W. King, “Suvla,” 9 Brook Road, Gidea Park, Essex.

FREE BIDES TO THE MEETINGS

H. E. Bentall recently conducted a special effort amongst young people at Drayton. Interest never flagged during the whole ten days, and a number of children professed to receive the Saviour. Prayer-meetings were held prior to the campaign, invitation cards were distributed from house to house and personal invitations given to children leaving school. Children from s housing estate two miles away were set each evening and escorted to the meeting in buses – their fares being paid for them. In view of the fact that from 40 to 00 journeyed to the Hall each evening, the local bus Company, quite spontaneously, ran an extra bus on several occasions especially for the children, A special effort was made to reach the parents on the second Sunday and the result was very encouraging; the Hall was filled, many parents being present for the first time.

CONVERSIONS IN CAMP

Hants and Dorset Christian Youth Camps for boys and girls have been held each summer for several years. As a result over 50 young people have been converted, baptised, and received into fellowship. It is felt that “follow up” work is very important, consequently it has been decided to commence a Camp News Letter to be sent to all who have attended camp since 1944. D. R. Meadows has undertaken to edit the Letter and issue it every three months. One particular response to such a Letter is of extreme interest. The mother of a boy who attended camp for thy first time this year wrote to our brother thanking him for the letter and booklet enclosed. “You will be interested to know" she wrote “that both ray son and I are now converted and will you please pray for my husband that he loo may &6 similarly blessed. Ho is the Hector of this parish.”

TABLES TURNED AT PAIGNTON

The tables were turned at Paignton, where a father, saved during Dan Cameron’s recent mission at Gerston Hall, remarked that his little boy was coming home teaching him things that he ought to be teaching the lad. The fortnight’s mission was essentially for children; the numbers of young folk attending were excellent throughout, whilst on the last night there were also 48 adults present. “Uncle Dan” took full advantage of “eye-gate” by the use of flannelgraph illustrations and models. Searching for texts was always popular, and successful searchers were appropriately rewarded with a small “cut-out" text. About twelve children confessed the Lord Jesus and a mother was saved, as well as the father already mentioned, A significant sequel to the mission was that an eleven-year-old girl came up to her Sunday School Superintendent on the Sunday following “Uncle Dan’s” departure and said she wanted to be saved. After a further talk the following evening she accepted the Lord Jesus into tier heart.

OPEN DOORS AT EXETER

What a contrast do the modern Old People’s Homes of Exeter strike with the out-moded Poor Law Institutions of yesterday. Lounges equipped like moderate hotels, tastefully decorated and softly lit. Dining-rooms with tables for four or six – no benches and boards now. The bedrooms accommodate from three to five persons and by no means convey the idea of a dormitory. There are four such homes at present (another is opening soon) and each accommodates about; 20 people. Each homo is visited once a fortnight, by a band of eight to ten workers from the city assemblies. These visits are greatly appreciated by all the old folk, especially those who are already the Lord’s. The Welfare Officer gives every encouragement, to the work. After an opening hymn and prayer, “favourites” are asked for, which are always readily forthcoming. One of the band gives a ten-fifteen minute talk, followed by the concluding hymn and benediction. Handshakes are then exchanged and a personal word of cheer is given by every worker.

TO SEEK AND TO SAVE

The following is an extract from the 1949 Annual Report of the Christian Tract Distributing Enterprise at Birmingham. 37,400 tracts, booklets and Scripture portions have been used up during 1949; about 10,600 of these were sent to other Christians, who wrote to us requesting literature for use in their own locality; 22 such appeals were made to us, one from an African Christian in Nigeria; 6,150 homes in nearby districts received gospel literature, and distributions were made amongst crowds of pleasure-seekers. Applications were received for further literature from nine young people and one mother.” From letters received it is evident that some of the “Seed” sown has fallen into “good ground.”

HELP IN TIME OF NEED

Because of the fellowship of a band of young people known as the “Herefordshire Christian Young People Movement,” it has been possible for Victor Cirel to hold special meetings for nine weeks in that county. The financial help provided by those young people made possible an extended effort, which would have been a great burden to the small local assemblies.

A RESIDENT EVANGELIST

E. Hague lives at Bovington Camp in order to reach this needy area in Dorset, where there are two or three thousand soldiers and civilians engaged on Army work. In visitation work and tract distribution he has met with opposition. A Sunday School has been commenced, however, and gospel services are held at Lulworth, Permission has been granted to hold Sunday gospel services at Bovington also.

SUSTAINED INTEREST AT NEWCASTLE

The friends of Bethany Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne received much encouragement in connection with the special effort for young people over a period of ten days in February. Meetings were conducted by D. Mackenzie Miller. The average attendance nightly was round 400, whilst at the peak the number was between 600 and 700. Three girls and one boy professed to trust the Saviour. A pleasing feature of the meetings was the fact that, sonic of the parents of the children attending were also present. Benefit has been felt from these efforts in increased attendances at the Sunday School, in the women’s meeting and at the regular Sunday evening gospel meeting.

NEW HALL AT BRIDGEND

The town of Bridgend, of rather more than 10,000 population, is eighteen miles from Cardiff on the main traffic routes to Swansea and is a busy shopping centre for surrounding mining and agricultural districts. An assembly of the Lord’s people lists been active in testimony tee for many years, but has been moved from place to plain in hired, buildings. However, in February a new Hall was opened is Oddfellows Street,, and saints gathered from many assemblies to join this local believers in praise and thanksgiving to God. The Word was ministered by Stanley Kenyon, Arthur Greenwood and W. A. Norris. Gospel meetings were field the following week by Stanley Kenyon, when two young men wore saved. On the next Lord’s Day five young men were baptized. Good interest has been shown in the meetings since. Two Sundays in March the Christian Youth Witness Team from Cardiff assemblies booked the Town Hall for after-church services. Over 200 people attended each time and it was felt the Lord was speaking.

THE GOSPEL WALES

Manselton assembly is in a thickly-populated part of Swansea. The Lord gave the saints here the joy of seeing saved during a series of well-attended gospel meetings conducted by Aneurin Ward. Believers were also stirred and helped. At Llanely, gospel meetings were conducted by Luther Rees in the Barry Hall, when the messages were much appreciated; and meetings for children were held in the Evangelistic Hall, by Arthur Greenwood, with evidence of the Lord’s working. Briton Ferry assembly had the joy of seeing three believers baptized, and later had visits for a series, of teachings by John Dan Jones and Luther Rees. Cross Hands believers met for prayer at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the period in which gospel meetings were being held there in March by A. J. Chilcott, and were grateful to the Lord for the marked interest shown. Scores of mining villages are to be found in Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, and a number of these wore plunged into deep sorrow by the air disaster in March, as most of the dead were from these areas. There are assemblies in some of these places where the saints count it their privilege to go on in Scriptural simplicity, even though few in number. These gatherings greatly value the help given them week by week in the gospel, and ministry. During the early months of this year series of meetings have been held by L. H. Tranter at Dowlais and Risca; W. A. Norris at Pencoed; T. J. Allen at Dowlais. T. J. Allen also visited Cardiff, and at Mount Joy Street, Newport, held a series of well-attended services for children, making use of the flannelgraph; some of the children remained for conversation and some of these confessed faith in the Lord.

OPPOSITION AND APATHY IN SIRE

We have received further reports of the work of John Scott and Alfred Poland in the villages of Eire. The faithful service of those colporteurs in the face of opposition and apathy should call forth thankfulness to God. It is encouraging to read that there are some who are willing to listen to the gospel, and no one can calculate the blessing which may come from the introduction of gospel literature into so many homes.

The Home Workers’ Conference, Llanfairfechan

Shall we ever forget the last week in March 1950? The well-ordered home of “Plas Menai”; the fellowship of those similarly engaged in the Lord’s work; the rich deep ministry of the Word; the ideal, weather and the delightful scenery of North Wales; all contributed to a week never to be forgotten.

Mr. and Mrs. A. Hall did everything possible for our comfort, and to him we are indebted for information received as we walked over mountains and toured much of the countryside.

It was a time when old friends met and when new friendships were made. The fellowship was wonderful, and the presence of three brethren from Northern Ireland greatly enriched it. The discussion of problems; the walks before retiring for the night (to say nothing of the conversations into the early hours!); the Sunday evening gospel service with its four speakers, each representing his own country; the varied contribution to the informal hour after dinner; each in its different way made fellowship of fragrant memory.

We shall always be indebted to Mr. Harold St. John for his rich anti deep ministry. One has rarely known a series of addresses that so exercised the mind and deeply touched the heart.

Many of those who will work far from assemblies during the summer, away in “Macedonia”, will remember with gratitude all who contributed to this enjoyable week.

G. E. ANDREWS (Sussex)

Missionary Holiday House Party

at “Slavanka” Conference Centre, Southbourne, Bournemouth,

from 1st to 8th July, 1950 (D.V.)

Many have felt the need to know our Overseas Missionaries better than is possible by only hearing them speak for a short time at Conferences, etc. To meet this need the above House Party has been convened. To live with Missionaries from different parts of the world for a whole Week is surely a unique experience and should not be missed by those who desire to know more intimately the work in other lands.

There are only 67 beds available and therefore early application to the under-mentioned is recommended, to avoid disappointment. J. Sidney St. Clair. 77 Out ram Road, Croydon, Surrey.