Gospel Work and other Assembly Activities

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”, Rev. 20. 15.

Every account of the Lord’s work is bound to be varied in content. A wide field of events is covered each time. It is also inevitable that there will be repetit-ion – not of the actual events – but in the characteristics of the things that are done. Yet having said this, there are events that stand out as having some special appeal or challenge. There is one such in this report. A man, by his own request, is placed where he can hear the gospel being preached. Unknown to the preacher, he listens to the Word. He is desperately ill, and during the following night he dies. Could anything be more dramatic in terms of evangelism?

Such a happening raises many quest-ions. For the man himself it was the final chance. Did he decide for Christ? The answer to this will never be known on earth. Only eternity will tell the final story. For the preacher, it was an unknown crisis in evangelism – a soul on the brink of eter-nity, hearing for the last time the sweet sounds of the good news of salvation. This fact brings home forcibly to us the unknown potentials of life and death in every audience that listens to the Word of God. Only God Himself knows the true extent of human need. But without doubt, an evangelist in this position would with deep concern ask himself, “Could not I have done more?”. A solemn re-flection indeed !

Here is an incident that brings a chall-enge to the thinking of all who are in-volved in seeking to win people for Christ. Do we believe in eternal punishment? Is it a deep conviction with us as we preach the gospel, that those who refuse Christ will be lost for ever ? Very searching questions, in the climate of much religious thought today! The above text, and the passage from which it is taken, reveal the inevitable consequences of rejecting the love of God and the Person of the Saviour. When heaven’s final records reveal the names of all who have believed, none shall be able to question or affect their eternal security. Praise God for this! But if a name is not there – awful reality! There is no hope given, no second chance. What a sad picture! Perhaps the words of the Lord to Ezekiel make a fitting con-clusion to these reflections. “When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shall surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand”, Ezek. 33. 8. May the Lord increase our love for the lost!

Northern Ireland. A number of inter-esting items are to hand from Jim Graham. At least two people were saved in AN-TRIM, where Eric Wishart and Samuel Thompson held meetings. At the begin-ning of meetings held by Albert Aiken and John Beattie in BALLINECK, Co. Fermanagh, four professed faith in Christ. One was a man of 89 years, who thought he had plenty of time to settle things. Jim Hutchinson and T. McKelvey saw the Lord’s hand at work at CLONKEEN, Co. Antrim. At C00KST0WN, a movement of the Spirit of God was felt as Jim Allen preached to a large number in the hall. Nine professed salvation, and there was a great sense of blessing among those in the assembly fellowship who gave their support to the meetings. The wholesome sense of the Lord at work – how wonderful this is! Jim Flanigan had gospel meetings in BALLYMONEY, after four weeks of ministry in various assemblies with good response. In DONACLONEY, near Lurgan, the hall was packed and several were saved as Jim Brown and Jack Lennox conducted meetings. Sam McBride saw something of the Lord’s blessing in the gospel in ARMAGH City. The testimony is carried on steadily here, both in gospel and min-istry, in spite of the troubles in the famous “murder triangle" so close at hand. At DRUMANESS, near Ballynahinch, Reg Jordan and Lindsay Hunter held four weeks meetings with good attendances. Reg. Jordan had meetings in GROWELL where the small assembly carries on a faithful testimony. Recently a young man has been saved – he attended meetings held here in 1979. Please pray for the rest of his family. Twenty weeks of gospel meetings were held by Jim Martin and Wilson Jennings at TIVACONAVEY, Co. Antrim. Many were saved during these meetings. They were followed by ministry and Bible readings, when the evangelists were joined by John Wills, formerly of Venezuela. At LONDONDERRY, Sam Patterson and Gilbert Stewart held meet-ings in the Gospel Hall. These were small, and the believers need encouragement. Our brethren work hard in this area and in the DONEGAL area of Eire, often in out of the way places, and God has blessed their faithfulness to His Word. David Kane had a good spell of gospel meetings in LIMAVADY.

Southern Ireland. A work of per-sonal contact has been carried on by Robert and Joan McAllister on the Ballymun Housing Site, DUBLIN. For 131 years, door-to-door work has been done, and only one lady has been known to have trusted the Saviour. She needs prayer, as do her unsaved husband and family. Six months ago ten children were allowed to come to Sunday School – held in a small hall erected in the garden of this couple. This is work in very hard ground – let us remember them in prayer.

Scotland. We have plenty of news from Scotland. Well attended gospel meetings were held in Bay View Gospel Hall, STORNOWAY, by George Campbell who served the Lord for 23 years in Newfound-land. A powerful sense of Gods blessing was enjoyed. Two ladies accepted Christ as Saviour. One of these had been attending the morning meeting for six months, and after one meeting broke down in tears and found her way to the Saviour. There was great rejoicing ! During the past six months, the work in North Scotland has received two setbacks. Sandy Stewart of Hopeman and Ian Munro of Invergordon, who have laboured fulltime in these areas for about twenty years, have returned to find secular em-ployment. Both our brethren would value prayer. The small assembly at WICK has sustained a further loss – one of the four remaining brethren has been called Home. Let us also remember them as we pray. The assembly at FORRES, which has maintained a faithful witness for many years, had a touch of encourage-ment when an ex-Roman Catholic, con-verted a few years ago, returned to be baptized. His mother and Roman Catholic friend were present to witness this public testimony. Ian Munro reports on the continuance of Postal Sunday School work in the area of Invergordon. The summer camp will, D.V., be held this year at FINDOCHTY. Our brother also continues in the work of printing tracts, etc., for free distribution, and would value our prayers. Stewart McKenzie reports on a return to GLENLUCE for the baptism of a young man saved during meetings held during last summer. This conversion was unknown at the time. In PEEBLES, John Spiers has engaged in visitation work for about two months. This is a hard border town, but many good contacts have been made and believers have been much en-couraged. It is good to feel the “walls of iron” giving way to the power of the Spirit of God. At STEWARTON, Robert Revie found work in a portable hall very hard going. But at PATNA, where a special effort was made last autumn, five have been baptized. There are less than 12 in fellowship here, but 30 attend the mid-week meeting. This is a happy situation. We are quite often reminded that tract distribution still has great value in evangel-ism. A man called to see his parents, and while there he picked up a tract that had been handed in. As he read it, God spoke to him, and in attending gospel meetings he was eventually saved. He is now baptiz-ed and in fellowship. In Porch Hall, GLASGOW, a weekly Senior Citizens meeting has also become a meeting for unemployed men. About 160 attend weekly – only 20 of these are women. There are many needs represented, and much cause for prayer. A daughter of a member of this assembly was travelling on a bus, when she was accosted by a woman under the influence of drink. She took her address, and through visiting, she was saved. She has since been bap-tized and received into assembly fellow-ship. Jim Aitken, who conducts a very faithful work of correspondence evangel-ism, reports of blessing in the LANARK assembly. Over fifteen months, twelve have been baptized, and ten of these are now in fellowship. A Senior Citizens meeting held each week has proved a very fruitful field. Through it there have been con-versions and baptisms, with some added to the assembly. On the housing estate where this hall stands, a real impact has been made on the people round about. Through our brother’s correspondence work (about 100 letters go out each month with visits in between) six have made pro-fessions of faith during the past year. Fellowship in prayer would be valued. Two Aitken brothers have held gospel meetings in LAURIESTON, near Falkirk. There is a Friday Bible Class in the young offenders institution at DUMFRIES, conducted by some from the assembly and joined by other believers. About 30 attend, and there is a good interest shown. T. McDonald supplies Emmaus Courses, and through this work over the years upward of 20 lads have been saved. Three of these have been lads doing life sentences for murder. Two have been transferred to adult prison, but contact is maintained and they go on with the Lord.