Gospel Work and other Assembly Activities

The following reports tell of the salvation of souls in various parts of the country. The sowing of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God is still the only method which can result in eternal blessing for the unsaved.

Lancashire. The first children’s campaign at Parbold for some years took place in October. S. Gillham was greatly helped by enthus-iastic workers as almost everyone in fellowship played some part. Special prayer meetings preceded the campaign. Attendances increased each night and the closing service saw the hall packed with children and parents. Several of the latter seemed impressed with the claims of Christ as set forth in the Gospel.

During October the assembly at Worsley Road, Swinton, held a two week Gospel campaign for adults with F. Whitmore as evangelist. The meetings proved to be very fruitful, the assembly being much encouraged by the number who professed salvation. This was a great source of joy to the believers.

Yorkshire. The number of homes for senior citizens increases each year, and they all provide opportunities for the teaching of the Word of God. Are those in your area reached in this way?

The believers meeting at South Featherstone Gospel Hall, Ponte-fract, commenced such a work in 1965, visiting the six homes of this type in the town after the Gospel meeting on Lord’s Day evenings. They have been encouraged as a small number have made a pro-fession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. One of these was a warden of one such centre who not only believed but was baptized and received into assembly fellowship. Is this not a challenge to us all?

Southern Scotland. The Lanarkshire portable hall was taken to Carstairs at die end of the normal summer season, R. McPheat being in charge. The prayer meetings were remarkable as nearly fifty believ-ers met from the nearby assemblies which were responsible for the work. A number of conversions took place. Of the two young men who were personally responsible for the start of the work one rejoiced as his wife was saved while the other was blessed in the restoration of his mother. Truly the Lord is no man’s debtor.

As a result of the interest it was decided to hold a monthly Gospel meeting during the winter at Carstairs. Those who have been saved meet once a week with some from the surrounding assemblies to study the Word of God and engage in prayer.

J. Smyth had an encouraging time in the Gospel at Chaplehall, when a good number, including old as well as young, professed to have come to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus as Saviour.

At Forth, Lanarkshire, during the visit of J. Clunas, a large number of unsaved folk came under the sound of the Gospel. A very successful venture was the invitation by the sisters of their neighbours into their homes in the morning for a cup of tea with the evangelist. Many of these women came to the evening meetings.

Believers in Helensburgh have found increased opposition to their preaching in the open air. However door to door visitation has been encouraging. They have seen blessing in die children’s meetings, four of the young folk having been saved.

A Sunday School parents’ night at Dumfries showed that a few of the mothers were really interested in what their children were being taught. Such occasions provide an opportunity for the truth that we believe to be simply stated in their hearing.

The small assembly at Bridge of Weir was encouraged by a cam-paign held in September by D. Hinchcliffe. A week of ministry meetings was followed by two weeks of Gospel activity among old and young. A fair interest was maintained but there were no known professions of faith. After a lapse of many years a conference was held and it is hoped that this will now be an annual feature of the assembly’s activity.

On the second and last Saturdays of the winter months Gospel meetings are held at Stranraer and Newton Stewart respectively. These have proved profitable. What provision is made for die spiritual needs of people in your area, both saved and unsaved, on Saturdays?

R. Walker spent two weeks in Peeblesbire. A couple who attended every night have been saved since these meetings ended.

Northern Scotland. H. Burness and F. Reid took the Gospel tent to Tain last summer. Interest was good on die part of teenagers and children but not with the adults.

S. Stewart and J. Gordon preached for five weeks at Kirkintilloch during the autumn. Ten spoke of accepting the Saviour and three obeyed Him in baptism.

In Strathspey G. Huskisson helped the new assembly of believers at Kingussie. Sowing the good seed of the Word from door to door has brought him into contact with isolated believers as well as folk needing the Gospel.

During November G. Miller and P. Harding have been campaigning with the Gospel in the market town of Elgin, where there is a small assembly.

R. Soutar has been visiting towns and villages around Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, and also reaching into the villages of Deeside and Donside where there are but few assemblies.

Northern Ireland. Some areas seem more difficult than others to reach with the Gospel. Perhaps this could be said of Comber, Co. Down, for while the assembly has grown through hard work in the Sunday School, it has proved difficult to get large Gospel meetings. A. Lyttle and J. Hawthorne spent some weeks there at the beginning of the winter and rejoiced as one young man professed conversion. His family circle is large and unsaved.

S. Thompson and R. Jordan obtained the use of a building for Gospel meetings at Macabrah near Lisburn, an area in which diere has been little assembly work. Although the meetings were not large some local folk attended and two professed conversion, an elderly man and a young woman.

The believers meeting at Bloomfield Gospel Hall, Belfast, are really ‘Gospel minded’ and since the foundation of the assembly they have been active and aggressive in Gospel work. Last year A. Aicken and S. Maze led their Gospel effort. Attendances were good consider-ing the ‘troubles’, and so the meetings continued for seven weeks. All rejoiced in the salvation of souls including two from one family.

South Wales. The young believers in fellowship at Gors Road assembly, Swansea, have undertaken the task of systematically visiting six hundred homes in the Town Hill area and making personal contact with the residents. What a great need there is for such work in all parts of the country.

P. Harding reached many homes in the Llanelli area during a special Gospel effort. H. German received some encouragement at Tycroes, Carmarthenshire.

Postal Sunday Schools. We are always glad to mention the work of the Postal Sunday Schools, believing that this is one way in which the Gospel can be taken to every person in this land.

In the early part of 1972 the interest that had been aroused in this work in the Worcester area came to fruition and the first pupils were enrolled. Now over one hundred scholars are searching the Scriptures and returning their lessons. A large part of the county has been visited with literature and the work has in fact spread beyond the county boundary. The highlight of the year was a stand erected at the Three Counties Show which was visited by many schoolchildren as well as adults. An influx of scholars resulted.

Workers with the Welsh Postal School spent a week last September distributing leaflets in the county of Montgomery. The four young brethren reached out to the farms and small villages, and this produced a number of new contacts, including adults who asked for a course suitable for themselves. Many isolated farm folk were surprised that someone was interested enough to go such a distance to give them a leaflet. Eighteen girls accepted the Saviour at their camp last year. Some have Jed their friends to the Lord since returning home.