Gospel Work and other Assembly Activities

Two brethren held some Gospel meetings at the invitation of an assembly some miles from their homes. A brother in this assembly whose relatives lived away in the city, implored them to come and hear the Gospel. His brother responded to the invitation and was gloriously saved.

One of those helping in the door to door visitation each day was a brother who had retired from work early so that he could serve the Lord in this way.

South Wales. For several months the assembly at Abergavenny had been exercised regarding its failure to make a more effective impact on the population of the town with the Gospel, even though the area is systematically tracted.

Some ten believers spent the Easter weekend in door to door visitation. They offered a Gospel of Mark, a tract and a personal invitation to the forthcoming Gospel meetings. A card was also left on which a request could be made for either someone to visit them or for correspondence courses to be sent.

The evangelists R. Jordan and D. Richards visited the homes and preached the Gospel every evening to both children and adults. Unsaved folk were present every night for the two weeks concerned. During this time two teenagers were saved, and such was the blessing and interest that all were happy to continue for a further week. A special parents’ night was held, when the children took part, and this was very well attended.

Since these special meetings a person who had been a backslider for fifteen years has started to attend the assembly meetings. Others who are under conviction of sin are still attending. A mid-week children’s hour has been started, followed by a young believers’ class on the same evening.

The assembly of just over twenty, quite a number of whom are elderly, are now praying for suitable transport to enable them to convey the elderly folk and children from housing estates to the hall.

At Ebenezer Gospel Hall, Swansea, attendances were quite encouraging during a Gospel campaign conducted by N. Mellish.

In these days when it seems difficult to bring unsaved folk into Gospel Halls, it is still possible to reach them through their children. The believers responsible for the Swansea and District Assemblies Scripture Study Test were encouraged to see George Street Gospel Hall full to its utmost capacity for the presentation of prizes and certificates. Over two hundred children sat for the tests. The good company of parents were presented with the Gospel during the gathering.

Southern Scotland. Villages are notoriously difficult places for getting unsaved folk to attend Gospel meetings. However the believers at Annbank Gospel Hall, Ayrshire, look back to last winter as a most encouraging period from the point of view of interest. It was therefore difficult to understand why a special effort in February proved difficult, apart from it coming at the end of a flu epidemic.

It was interesting to note that several people who attended those meetings, conducted by J. Clunas, professed conversion later. Young brethren from Beith, twenty-five miles away, brought members of their girls’ class each Lord’s Day evening. The week after the Annbank meetings finished two of these professed to accept the Saviour. The same evening a young fellow in his early twenties made a profession of faith in his own home at Crosshouse. A few weeks later, a man of fifty-three who had come to the last of J. Clunas’ meetings, walked to the front of the hall during the closing hymn and indicated his desire to return to the Lord. Following that a middle-aged batchelor who lived with his believing mother, was saved during a trade union conference. He heard God warning him that it was his last chance.

Normally the Annbank assembly, like others in Ayrshire, spend the Lord’s Day evenings in the summer in the open air instead of holding an indoor Gospel meeting. Because of the attendance of those mentioned above and another couple, indoor meetings are being continued.

The believers at the Gospel Hall, Chappell Street, Barrhead, had an encouraging three weeks of Gospel meetings during March. These were taken by J. Gordon and C. Clark. An interest was created among both young and old and a few souls made a profession of faith. A special feature was the Senior Citizens night when many of the older folks came to enjoy the hospitality of the assembly and to hear the Word of life. It was the first time that some had entered the hall.

A weekend of meetings was held in Drummore, Wigtownshire, in February, when a company of young believers preached and interest was shown among the villagers.

J. Burns preached for six weeks during February and March in Mayfield, West Lothian. Although there were never large numbers of unsaved present at any time, some were there each night. All classes were included, from the local roadsweeper to the local minister. A man was saved whose mother was in fellowship a quarter of a century ago. The following weeks saw his teenage son saved3 and then his two younger daughters. This was an encouragement to all the assembly.

Dorset. During a fortnight’s mission in Lyme Regis, S. Gillham and the assembly were thankful for well attended sessions at Bethany Chapel, Coombe Street. In fact there had not been such numbers present for very many years. At least thirty unsaved adults and seventy-five children came during the fortnight. One young girl, a visitor to the town, was saved on the first night. A local young lady confessed during the week to have placed her faith in the Saviour just previously. A keen interest was evidenced among a number of older girls.

There have been forty lean years of assembly testimony in Lyme Regis. Even now it is largely maintained by two couples, one of which will shortly be leaving the district. Their trust is in God to meet their needs.

The fellowship of summer visitors is always appreciated, but sustained effort is essential for the healthy growth of the assembly.

Postal Sunday Schools. The Worcester P.S.S. now has over five hundred regular scholars and nearly forty teachers. Once again a stand is being organised at the Three Counties Show to bring this outreach to the notice of as many as possible.

Republic of Ireland. In days when there is so much error being taught concerning the person of the Holy Spirit and His work, it is vital that the truth is taught on these matters. Following the Cork conference in March, H. Tickner took up this subject in Skibbereen for a few nights. Interest was aroused especially among some young folk from Catholic homes who had been recently converted.

Northern Ireland. The Verners Bridge area in Co. Tyrone has been largely untried with the Gospel by assemblies for some years. Recently A. McShane and N. Turkington held seven weeks of Gospel meetings there in a portable hall. There was a fair measure of interest with some blessing. After this effort the same two brethren held two weeks of well attended ministry meetings with the assembly in Dromore, Co. Down. These were considered good and profitable.

In the little town of Newtownstewart in the same county, J. Brown and J. Lennox had a good spell of Gospel meetings in the Gospel Hall. Numbers were really good including many local unsaved people and all were encouraged by a number professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

During April and May, E. Wishart held an encouraging Gospel effort in the town of Ballymoney, North Antrim. A number stated that they had accepted Christ as Saviour as a result of these meetings.

T. McKelvey and E. McCullough preached for six weeks at Ballinaloob. Although the hall is in a quiet rural area the assembly maintains an active Gospel testimony. Here also numbers were good and some made a confession of having trusted the Lord Jesus as Saviour.

W. Nesbitt and J. Preston had good and fruitful meetings in a garage near to Keady in the border area. Local people attended well and several spoke of being saved.

Some interesting cases of conversion resulted from Gospel meetings taken by J. Wishart and R. Clyde at Waringstown, Co. Armagh.;

Ministry meetings were taken by T. McKelvey and J. G. Hutchinson in Ballycastle following Gospel efforts in the district earlier in the season. Six believers were baptized and added to assemblies in the North Antrim area. This has been a great encouragement as these assemblies are small in numbers.