Biography "But thou, abide in those things which thou hast learned, and of which thou hast been fully persuaded, knowing of whom thou hast learned them …" 2 Timothy 3: 14.
The biographical sketches presented here are based on information gleaned from various reliable sources.
Their brevity and incompleteness disqualify them from any distinction as biographies in the ordinary sense.
It would be impossible – in most instances – to avoid repeating information which is well known,
but it is hoped to present other lesser known but important details which may give a more rounded picture of the servant and his ministry.
These sketches should not be considered as final. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.
If the Lord will, as information becomes available sketches of other servants may also appear.
It is hoped that those who are unfamiliar with their lives and service will gain an appreciation of those beloved brethren who have served the saints so unselfishly.
This page also contains brief sketches of some lesser known brothers who are worthy of note but for whom only rather sparse information is presently available.
It is hoped that these brief sketches will be of interest to those who may come across the names of these brothers on 'My Brethren' or in various publications.
Additional details for any sketches which appear here – or of other servants whose ministry and faithfulness should be noticed – will be welcome.
It is my desire to present information – both here and in the History group – of which many visitors may be unaware, in the hope that this will lead to
a more balanced view of persons and events,
a sober and searching review of ancient prejudices inherited from former generations, and
a clarification of some longstanding doctrinal and historical misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
Mr. Catterall was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, and his parents were 'in fellowship', as we speak. Andrew Robertson recalls his grandfather – of the same name – speaking appreciatively of Mr. Catterall and his ministry.
He served throughout Great Britain in the ministry of the word in the early 1900's, and is believed to have been local in London in later years.
His initials – JBC-l – appear often in various readings in London with JT in 1922 and 1923 – New Series 18 – and in Belfast in 1924 – New Series 19: 24-93.
Mr. Catterall was taken by the Lord in mid-life – just 48 years old – as another earlier and valued servant, Mr. William Trotter was taken at the early age of 47 years.
Attachment to Christ – an address he gave at meetings with JT in Belfast in 1924 – has recently, 2001, been reprinted from 'Ministry by J. Taylor, Old Series' by Kingston Bible Trust in 'Selected Addresses 1'.
Mon, 18 Feb 2002: In response to the offer by a guest of 'Memorials of J. B. Catterall's Ministry' "at an exorbitant price", David Porter advised that the following books are in the library of a brother in North Ireland.
Memorials of J. B. Catterall's Ministry; H/back; 242pp.
- Collected by H. F. Nunnerley and published by G. Morrish. Selected Ministry 2, a recent – 2001 – KBT publication, has 3 addresses from the above:
Mr. H. D'Arcy Champney, M.A. of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, was ordained as a Church of England clergyman.
He served at St. Andrew the Less, but is not shown in the official listing of Anglican clergy.
He is reported to have crossed out the names of the candidates, in the parliamentary elections, and wrote "I vote for King Jesus."
Mr. Champney was gifted in preaching, especially the gospel, but despite the fact that there was a large field of labour open to him in Cambridge, he resigned his clerical post to throw in his lot with the 'brethren'.
Subsequently he started a school for the sons of brethren at 51 Bateman Street, Cambridge.
"He started his career as a clergyman, I understand, and then ran the brethren's school at Cambridge which my father [A. J. H. Brown] subsequently took over and transferred to Bexhill about 1898".
Mr. Champney wrote 32 gospel tracts and 24 pamphlets – including 'My Son' on our Lord's Sonship – and composed 100 hymns and poems which were published as 'Hymns for Hearth and Home'. All these are long out of print.
He has ten choice hymns in the 1973 Hymn Book.
'The Battle Fought' – a personal confession and touching poetic tribute to the service of FER – is in Biography: F. E. Raven.
Mr. Champney was only 36 in 1890 – and living in Cambridge – when he wrote his 'Letter to the Saints Gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ'.
See History: The Champney Letter, in which he skilfully chronicles the malicious and vicious opposition to Mr. Raven and the truth –
and touchingly appeals to those in danger of being led astray by the partisan and divisive actions of some prominent persons.
His initials often appear in readings with both F. E. Raven and J. Taylor.
Ministry: H. D'Arcy Champney has three fine addresses included in 'Selected Addresses' and 'Selected Ministry' published by Kingston Bible Trust:
Suffering and Glory - London, October 1914,
The House of God, Belfast - April 1929,
The Holy City Jerusalem and its Political Influence in the Coming Day - Place and Date Unknown.
In 'Reminiscences of FER' Miss Mercy Menzies has the following note to her remark that "FER felt that the brethren should not be conspicuous":
It was remarkable that when it had been arranged to have a large gathering at the Crystal Palace, Mr. H. D'Arcy Champney was praying at home that this might be stopped.
His wife was very ill – in fact dying at the time – and Mr. Champney would not leave her side, and not long before the time arranged for the meetings to take place – May 1937 – on Monday night during many meetings for prayer, the Palace burnt to the ground [in December 1936]. In God's mercy no one was even injured and birds and all animals were preserved – at that time they were having animals on show. MM
Jan 26, 2004, Gordon W. Simmonds writes:
… regarding the Crystal Palace fire before World war II. We lived in West Croydon at the time and I remember my Father telling me that when the Brethren came out of the meeting – prayer meeting I think – the road was lit up by the fire.
My Father thought it rather hard that some were suggesting that those who had been involved in arranging meetings in the Crystal palace should have no more part in the arrangement of the proposed meetings.
Mr. George Cutting is well known, even in evangelical circles, as the author of 'Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment' but, sadly, little personal information is available.
He was born in 1843 and taken by his Lord in 1934 while living in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
In addition to many booklets and gospel tracts, he co-authored hymn 234 in the 1973 hymn book.
"Once I visited Mr. George Cutting, the author of the famous booklet 'Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment' … When I met him,
he said, 'Brother Nee, I cannot live without Him, and He cannot live without me'. He had such a deep fellowship with the Lord.
"Thank the Lord, there were over eighty members in his
household. All of them were saved. Every one of his sons, daughters-in-law, grandsons, granddaughters, nephews, nieces, great-grandchildren, old or young, male or female, were saved.
"George Cutting himself believed in the word: 'Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household'. His whole household was saved …"
The following is a list of the known ministry of Mr. Cutting. Most items are now out of print. The number of pages and size are shown for general information.
• After conversion: expectation, with divine authority and
without it. 47p. 4.5".
• The approaching end, as God has foretold it. 48p. 5".
• Are you a member? And of what? A word to believers as to
fellowship with Christians. 32p. 4.5".
• Are you indwelt of the Spirit? 47+[1]p. 4.5".
• Backsliding in its three aspects. 46+[1]p. 5".
• Brief remarks on eternal life. 8p. 7".
• A bright sunset … 16p. 5". Earing and Harvest Series No.1.
• Brotherly care and personal trespass. 30+[1]p. 5".
• The bullet-pierced Bible and an unseen foe.16p. 5".
• "Caught up" by the bridegroom, coming with the king.
46p. 5".
• Christian privileges. [iv]+155p. 7".
• Every-day cheer for the rest of the road.
[Verse. Signed "Geo. C." [4p.] 4".
• Forgiveness in its three aspects 46+[2]p. 4.5".
• Freedom from sin: what is it? 46p. 4.5".
• Going where? 16p. 4.5".
• "Good in every man." Is it true according to God? 32p. 4.5"
• Have you a difficulty? Or, helps for the anxious …
126+[2]p. 5".
• Have you seen the balance sheet? 7+[1]p. 4.5".
• Helps for enquirers on the subject of faith. 48p. 4.5".
• "How shall they hear?" 46+[1]p. 4.5". – What is God's Way
of Reaching the Miilions Who Go Nowhere?
• "If that's in the Bible, I'm lost!"16p. 4.5".
• If you only knew. 7+[1]p. 4.5".
• In great earnest on the wrong road. 8p. 4.5".
• Incidents and illustrations of the gospel …
No.1: The Report and its Reception. 1904. 159p. 7.5".
• Incidents and illustrations of the gospel …
No.2: Followed and found. 1904. 160p. 7".
• Incidents and illustrations of the gospel …
No.3: Sought and brought. 1905. 160p. 7".
• Is it blasphemy or schism? Is a brother [F.E. Raven]
to be judged by his own words, or by the constructions
which others put upon them? [Containing] (Substance
of a letter … Plainfield, N.J., Oct. 14th, 1890), [signed]
(Geo.C), [and] (Who caused the division?) [signed]
(A.M.), [and followed by an appendix of other relevant
Xerox copy.
• Jottings on the railway.123+[1]p. 5".
• The last revival: Making ready in the church for the coming
of Christ. 57p. 6.5".
• "Let thine eyes look right on." 8p. 4.5".
• Liberty: who gets it? and how? 48p. 5".
• Light for anxious souls in some of their difficulties. 90p. 7".
• The Man in the glory: `The man Christ Jesus'-(1 Tim. 2: 5).
[Verse. Signed "G.C.] 4p. 4.5".
• Man's selfishness and God's love. 8p. 4.5".
• Man's way and God's. 7+[1]p. 4.5".
• The mending of man without meeting his sin. 15p. 5".
• "Never." 16p. 4.5".
• The old nature and the new birth: or, the new convert and his
difficulties. New edition, revised. 47p. 5".
• Opinions or facts. 8p. 4.5".
• Peace: is it yours? If not, why not? 48p. 4.5".
• "Run, speak to this young man." 8p. 4.5".
• Safety, certainty and enjoyment. 32p. 4.5".
• Salvation, liberty, and glory. [iii]+112p. 7.5".
With photograph of Cutting with family attached at front.
• Saved or deceived, which? 16p. 5". S.O.G. Series, No. 2.
• Secret doubters 8p. 4.5".
• Spiritual brotherhood not universal. 15p. 4.5".
• Three backsliders: are you one of them? 46p. 5".
• A three years' mistake. 7+[1]p. 4.5".
• "Until he find it." 15p. 4.5".
• Victorious gains, as God counts them. 16p. 5".
Earing and Harvest Series, No. 22.
• A voice. 8p. 4.5".
• What awoke them? 8p. 4.5".
• What if some did not believe? 8p. 4.5".
• "What if these things should be true?" 8p. 4.5".
Seed-Time Series, No.4.
• What profit? 7+[1]p. 4.5".
• Where have you left them? 8p. 4.5".
• Who will put the world right? 46+[2]p. 4.5".
• Why does man hate the Bible? 8p. 5".
Mr. Edward Dennett was born at Bembridge, in the Isle of Wight, in 1841. After a short illness, he was take by His Lord at Croydon in October 1914.
Edward was brought to the Lord in his youth through contact with a godly clergyman. His family belonged to the Church of England, but he left the church on personal conviction.
He matriculated at London University and then took the position of minister of a Baptist Chapel in Greenwich.
He was "smitten" by a severe illness and in March 1873 was sent to Switzerland to rest and recuperate.
While staying at Veytaux, he became convicted that his opposition to the 'Brethren', and the earlier publication of a book against their teachings and practices, was unjustified by Scripture.
On his return to England, he stated his convictions to his congregation and then resigned.
After a further detailed comparison of the teachings of the 'brethren' with the Scriptures, he made contact with Mr. Wm. Kelly and subsequently took his place in fellowship.
Mr. Dennett has fully described his exercise and experience in the instructive and valuable account The Step I Have Taken .
Those who do appreciate his ministry may be surprised to learn that – in the 1890 Bexhill division – he stood firm remaining with those who valued the ministry of Mr. F. E. Raven,
and subsequently that of Mr. James Taylor, until taken by the Lord in 1914.
There is a reference to ED in an 1898 letter of FER – page 142.
He was present, and gave out the first hymn, at the second marriage of Mr. James Taylor to Miss Georgina Brown, Barnet, November 5, 1913, less than a year before He was taken by the Lord.
Mr. Dennett laboured England, Scotland, Ireland and also visited Norway, Sweden, and America.
E.D. edited and contributed to 'The Christian Friend' 1874-1899 [?]. His other writings – not a complete list – include:
As senior trustee he presided at the Depot meetings in London in 1960, 1961 and 1962 – and perhaps at other occasions.
He accepted responsibilty with the other trustees – Wm. Henderson, G. H. Stuart Price and Robert Stott – for the 1962 revision of the hymn book.
Mr. Gardiner wrote No. 39 in the 1962 hymn book – No. 498 in the 1973 hymn book.
In 1951 the Depot published A.J.G.'s book 'The Recovery and Maintenance of the Truth',
"an account of the way the Lord has taken, since the beginning of the nineteenth century, to recover the truth of the assembly given to the apostle Paul".
A second enlarged and updated edition was published in 1963.
Both editions being out of print, Kingston Bible Trust published a reprint of the first edition in 2008.
I had just come 'into fellowship' in 1950, at 20 years of age. Hearing that he was to write a history, in my naîveté I wrote offering to lend him Noel's 'The History of the Brethren', mentioning its opposition to FER.
He sent a somewhat brusque reply that he would have no use for anything that criticized FER !
Mr. Gardiner served widely among the brethren – notably, following JT's death, at the 1953 and 1954 London meetings at which JT usually served.
What Believers Have Come to, Maidstone, August 1950
Selected Ministry 3
Manhood According to Christ,
Cambridge, NZ, December 1946
Jacob, God's People and Israel,
Okaiawa, NZ, January 1947
Servants of God, Richmond, NZ, February 1947
The Glory of Christ as Presented in the Ark,
Wellington, NZ, February 1947
How the Saints Are to Be in the World in the Absence of
Christ, Rangiora, NZ, March 1947
The Assembly as in the Epistle to the Ephesians,
Auckland, NZ, March 1947
Prayer, Auckland, NZ, March 1947
Christianity as Characterised by Mystery – 3 Readings
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, April 1947
The Son of Man in John's Gospel,
Stawell, Victoria, Australia, April 1947
The Spirit of God in the Believer,
Adelaide, South Australia, July 1947.
On a visit to Toronto in the 1960's, AJG gave quite an outstanding address on the features of the Lord's Manhood in Luke. He began with "dependence" but got no further.
At another time, I recall him speaking impressively on "star differs from star in glory", 1 Corinthians 15 41.
He spoke at the burial of CAC in 1945 – see Biography: C. A. Coates – and also at the burial of Mr. Percy Lyon, b. 1881, of London in 1966.
March/August 2004: Here are some comments of Charles Barrett:
In the 'brief sketches' it is stated that AJG lived until 1971 [now corrected per the following].
I stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner when they looked after J. H. Symington in February 1972 when JHS took the lead in the London Meetings.
AJG was very much alive then. I do not know when he passed away but I think it was after 1975.
The last three day meeting I attended was at Coventry 1975 and I had a conversation with a London friend of many years standing – who is still with the EBs –
who told me that the London brethren had been questioning Mr. Gardiner about the changing or altering of the ministry.
AJG, having lost his memory, could remember nothing about this.
In his life AJG was a good example to many. I know from first hand knowledge and saw with my own eyes that he tried to live his life according to the verse
As I worked at Stow Hill Depot as Accountant and proof reader 1962-1965 I am certain AJG was not involved in any altering of the sense and words of current ministry.
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble ...".
He used to visit the elderly frequently and pray with them. As he grew more aged himself he was prone to forgetfulness. I have been told that he was humiliated in the last years of his life.
AJG [a widower] married Miss Nancy Harkness on 27th July 1965.
Nov. 28, 2009: Charles Barrett reported further:
I have just looked up the register of deaths for 1976 and discovered the following entry:
Deaths registered in January, February, March 1976: ALFRED JOHN GARDINER Date of birth 22nd October 1884. Death registered at Lambeth, London.
This confirms me in that I knew he died after June 1975.
The last 3 day meeting I attended was in June 1975 at Coventry when J.H. Symington took the lead. On that occasion I had a long chat to a friend who went to the London meeting, and he told me that brethren had been accusing AJG of tampering with the printing of the ministry, or allowing it to be changed.
AJG was a trustee of the Depot for many years. When they put it to him he could not remember, so they could get no further. From the early 1970s Mr Gardiner was losing his memory due to his advanced age.
What his accusers might not have known is that in the 1960s the trustees/management of the depot put together a list of rules (probably called a publishing house style) that were to be applied to the manuscripts of ministry that were sent for printing.
This included rules as to grammar, and where capital / lower case letters were to be used. For example, I remember that the phrase "with regard to" was considered better than the phrase "in regard of" so proof readers would make these changes.
The alleged treatment of AJG when he reached his 90s, speaks volumes as to how they think of their elderly members.
I expect his accusers couldn't find anything that they could pin on him as his life was exemplary, even declaring to the Inspector of Taxes money that he received in gifts from the brethren.
Sadly – as SMcC, PL and many other leading men of the time – AJG continued in the legal system which emerged in 1959.
He ascquiesced in the the spiritual slaying of Mr. G. R. Cowell and others in 1960, and subsequent departures from the truth in practice and teaching.
24, Jan 2007: Robert Munster wrote "One bit of info that you may find heartening is that in 1970 when the supporters of JTJr walked out of Park Street Mr. Gardiner remained, evidently having a
sound judgment of what had occurred.
Unfortunately, his wife and
daughter, who had walked out, later came back in to collect him, and (no
doubt being confused and suffering loss of memory) he then surrendered
to them, and thus it was. Feel free to add this to his biography if you
wish -- info is from my mother who was at that meeting".
Eventually he became a victim – as many – of the very system he had upheld. About 1975-6 at 91, he was withdrawn from – reason unknown – dying in disgrace.
It was a sad end for one who for many years had been a faithful servant and an honourable and beloved brother!
Wed, 18 Aug 2004: Mark Ghinn wrote "I remember him and was present at his funeral, I was about 10 years old. I do remember that his 'out' daughter was shunned at the grave which I think was in Streatham, SW London".
Mr. Alfred M. Hayward ministered widely among the brethren in Great Britain, North America and Australasia.
He is mentioned a number of times in 'Letters of James Taylor' from 1917 to 1945, and his initials often appear in readings in 'Ministry by J. Taylor'.
He appears with JT and CAC – outside the 57 Park Street Room, London – in a 1931 group photo of ten brothers who worked on the 1932 hymn book revision. See History: Hymns: Revisions to 1951
In his earlier years he was apparently local in London, England, but later he moved to New Zealand, residing first in Wellington and then in Auckland.
He was taken by his Lord, between 1952 and 1957.
Mrs. Hayward, his wife, wrote the well known hymn, "Lord Jesus, Thou by whom the worlds were made", No. 99 in the 1973 Hymn Book.
His brother S. Jack Hayward, a photographer, was local in Montreal.
The only book of Mr. Hayward's ministry presently known – previously owned by a Sydney H. Jones – is now in the library of a brother in Germany who wants his name withheld. It is:
'The Laws of the Kingdom', Addresses in Australia,1935
Stow Hill Bible and Tract Depot, 22 Paternoster Row,
London, EC4, 150 pages. The subjects are:
Laws of the Kingdom *
A Kingdom of Priests
The Terms upon which God is with us *
Shepherding *
The Economy of Grace
The Bride and the Harlot
Christ's Sufferings for His Bride 1 *
Christ's Sufferings for His Bride 2 *
Grace and Truth
The last address was in Malvern, July 10th, the others in
Melbourne, between April 10th and June 5th, 1935.
Recent publications – 1998-2001 – of Kingston Bible Trust include several of his addresses:
Mr. Edward J. Hemmings of Acton (London) served extensively in the ministry but personal details are sparse.
He contributed to the Stow Hill publications 'Words of Truth' and 'Words of Grace and Comfort'.
Some of his later ministry – after his departure from the legal sect in 1960-1 – was published by Philip Haddad.
In 1962 he visited the brethren in Australia and New Zealand who had separated from the legal sect.
There are several letters to Mr. Hemmings from J.T. including the following:
October 30th, 1930.
Mr. E. J. Hemmings.
Beloved Brother, – I wish to thank you for your letter of the 1st instant and the account of the visit by you and Mr. Cooper to the Baltic Countries*. I earnestly trust and pray that there may be fruit for God from the seed sown.
* This is the first contact with Miss Stenbock before she was breaking bread. Editor.
The energy shown by you both in working in such difficult fields, also by Messrs. Fiske and Crocker in visiting Iceland, is cheering and leads one to pray that others may also be led to move out on to fresh grounds.
There can be no doubt that the work intended by the Lord for those to whom He has given the light of Christ and the church is to move in the unfolding of positive truth, exemplifying it in our ways.
This is the sure way of maintaining the truth – "for a testimony to them", as the Lord Himself says, and in this respect the movement for less costly written ministry will be, I believe, prospered by Him, for in this way believers will be reached who could not be orally.
But contact with our brethren is of special importance and so I am cast on the Lord to lead to more energy and sacrifice in this service.
… With love in Christ, in which my wife would join, I am,
Affectionately yours in Him, James Taylor. Letters 1:283-4.
Thu, May 12, 2011: Paul Allison writes "I see you have a biographical note about E.J.Hemmings but there is no mention of his three brothers Joy, Fred and Douglas, all of whom were active in ministry.
I think each of them took fellowship meetings at Sutton Coldfield in the time our family lived there.
Mr.Fred Hemmings died in the pulpit during a gospel meeting at Dartford in about 1955. I drove Mr. [C. L.] Nunnerley there the Lord's Day following.
Mr.Hemmings Senior lived to a good old age in Coniston in the Lake District and I remember meeting him there while on holiday with my father in about 1952. Douglas Hemmings was there at the same time.
I seem to have a great memory for trivia out of the long-ago but at 78 my memory for what happened yesterday is not so bright!"
E. J. Hemmings – With Christ, Dec. 13, 1962
Word by G. R. Cowell
Revelation 13: 14; Acts 8: 2; John 2: 33-35
Today is a time of weeping; therefore it is a time when the Father of compassions and the God of all comfort would pour in comfort in a fresh way. The comfort of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit would come to us in a fresh way also.
The first passage read can be applied to our brother. It say,
“Write, Blessed the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth”.
This had to be written. It was permanent, so to speak. We have no doubt that our brother died in the Lord.
Having known him since 1919, I can speak with personal knowledge of his devoted service to the Lord and to the church through a long life.
I do not think I can recall a life of more constant labour among my contemporaries, labours which often involved journeys of great length in order to succour isolated souls – surely a life which is an example for us all.
In the day of which this scripture speaks, when men will be required to take the mark of the beast, the faithful will be called upon to die in the Lord.
Today, through God's merciful hand upon those in authority, we have the opportunity to live in the Lord, also; and to die in the Lord should we be called away.
It is a blessed thing to be committed to the testimony of our Lord as a soldier and a workman.
“Yea, saith the Spirit”,
the One by whom alone all true labour can be performed.
Think of His operations in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus; then think of how the Lord Jesus was carried by the Spirit, driven by the Spirit and led by the Spirit in the wilderness; how He cast out demons by the Spirit; and then, finally, how by the Eternal Spirit, He offered Himself spotless to God.
And so, at this point, the Spirit Himself interposes an interjection, “Yea, saith the Spirit”. What an expression of divine feelings! Whatever has been done effectively by our brother, or any other labourer, has been done by His power.
He knows well all that has entered into the labours of the servant. Like Paul, he will have to appear before the Lord, the righteous judge. Paul knew that he would receive the crown of righteousness.
As regards our brother, his works follow with him. Nothing will be lost of what has been done in the Lord. The Lord says,
“Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to render to everyone as his work shall be”.
In our second passage it speaks of great lamentation. This is what is suited to an occasion like this.
Our brother's labours are over; we shall have his companionship in the testimony no more. We mourn his loss.
But this is all in the Lord's wisdom and I am persuaded that this sudden departure of our brother to be with Christ will turn out to be for the glory of God and for the glory of the Son of God.
Our third passage concerns our beloved sister who has been such a true partner to him. They have indeed been one in exercise and one in service.
The Lord Jesus knows the sorrow of her heart.
It says, “Jesus wept”. He would weep with the widow at this time. And yet He is the One who says, “I am the resurrection and the life”.
He would come into our presence now and give us the sense that He is the resurrection and the life. He has annulled death and has annulled him that has the power of death. May the God of all encouragement comfort her heart and the hearts of us all.
Burial at Guildford, December 20, 1962, G. R. Cowell.
Mr. Percy Lyon was born in 1881. He was serving in France when the Lord took him on February 25, 1966; he was buried at Valence on February 28.
His father, Mr. Lyon Sr, had been a close companion of Mr. F. E. Raven, when they were young and still connected with the Church of England.
PL – as he was invariably known – lived in London, was local at Rochford Street and was an Estate Agent.
He spoke French fluently and said that he 'thought in French'. He served widely in the ministry of the word in the U.K., France, U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
His initials appear often in readings with Mr. James Taylor Sr., whose letters show that he valued PL's service highly.
In 1931, PL participated in consultations in London on the 1932 Hymn Book.
He appears in a group photo, outside 57 Park Street room, with JT, CAC, AEM and six other brothers.
The story is told of his being in Australia when there was still more than one cup being used at the Lord's Supper. After the meeting, PL spoke to the brothers saying, "God therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now enjoins men that they shall all everywhere repent", Acts 17:30.
He was noted for his hospitality and I was privileged to be in his home – the well known 164 Haverstock Hill – for tea with a large number of brethren a few days after the 1964 Dorking meetings.
Mr. Lyon was married late in life – January 1951 – to Ruth Bodman, sister of Dr. A. Paul Bodman of Bristol.
They were married in South Africa. PL flew there to meet Ruth who had travelled by ship.
He referred to himself as having been a 'Ruthless Lyon' before their marriage.
Betty and I had a delightful visit with them in our home in September 1965.
PL was noted for the attractive and poetic manner in which he expressed the truth, much the same as Mr. J. G. Bellett was noted for in his day.
Sadly – as AJG, SMcC and other leading men – PL was continued in the legal system which emerged in 1959 but, mercifully, was taken by the Lord before the 1970 Aberdeen episode.
Recent publications of Kingston Bible Trust include several of his readings and addresses:
Selected Addresses 1:
The Spirit in which Divine Thoughts are Cherished
Citizens of Zion
The Blessing of the Tribes
The Prophetic Word in Relation to the Testimony of Jesus
Ministry of the Word 2003:
Service: A Word of Exhortation
Ministry of the Word 2004:
Definiteness and Devotedness
There are also two volumes of 'Ministry by P. Lyon', published posthumously by 'Bible and Gospel Trust', the agent for the legal sect, for which BGT claims copyright!
They contain readings and addresses 1943-66.
He also has 2 hymns, 158 and 544, in the 1973/93 hymn book.
Regarding his last days, Mrs. Lyon said that our brother had laboured from Monday until Thursday without a break.
Very early Friday morning [Feb. 25, 1966] he was taken with severe pain, also a kind of convulsion.
Mrs. Lyon sent for the doctor. When he came PL was sitting on the side of the bed.
He said to the doctor, 'Come quickly doctor and inject my arm', and held out his wrist. The doctor took his wrist, but his pulse was gone.
Mrs. Lyon said it was just one step into His presence. PL's last word of ministry was from Luke 10. It is a worldwide appeal. "Take care of him".
His Burial - February 28, 1966
There were about 500 present and arrangements were made in an orderly way for brethren to view our brother in the coffin.
At the grave-side Mr. Paul Blanc served in the committal very feelingly but the hearing was difficult on account of the pouring rain.
The French hymn book was used. The numbers – 270 and 411 – of the hymns sung are the same in the 1962 and 1973 English hymn books.
Hymn 270: Mr. George H. Patton, Belfast ('And shall we see Thy face?')
Prayer: Mr. Alfred G. Howse, Coventry
Word: Paul G. Blanc, Valence
1 Thess. 5: 12-13 (… work), Phil. 3: 17 (middle to end)
We should all be impressed by the character of the brother we are burying. We are burying today one of the Lord's servants.
I have thought very much these days of the Scripture we have in Joshua where Jehovah speaks to Joshua Himself, saying, "Moses My Servant
is dead".
We have had that very passage before us with our brother in Toulon, and this Scripture has especially impressed me during these past days, in the sense that it is the measure of the continuation of the service.
Moses had served in the wilderness, and Joshua must continue the service in taking possession of the land.
So Jehovah speaks at once to Joshua, saying, "Moses My Servant is dead", and of course Joshua knew it, but Jehovah said it to him so that he should be impressed;
and I think we need to be impressed, all of us – in Valence, in France and in the whole world, because our brother has served universally;
but I think especially of the way in which he has served in this country, and we must all be impressed particularly by the fact that our brother has been taken here.
He had thought of his departure, and he had said that where he was taken, there he would be buried. So we have the responsibility to consider
what has taken place, how the Lord has taken His servant to Him,
and where he has been taken.
We must see what is to follow; not only should we retain the ministry, the teaching that our brother has given amongst us, a very precious and accurate teaching,
but we must be impressed particularly by the way he has served us his manner of service. What a man he was, and what a servant he was!
So the apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says, "We beg you brethren". Note the expression, "We beg you, brethren, to know those who labour among you, and take the lead among you … and to regard them exceedingly in love on account of their work".
It is not only to esteem them, but to regard them exceedingly in love because of their work.
Our brother has served us; his service is over now, and he has served us about sixty-five years. He came to France in 1901; he came back in 1902 – and was already here when FER came that year – and very often since then.
What is the gain that we have really received from his service? The apostle says, "On account of their work".
It is not that we are drawing attention to the man, but we are drawing attention to what the Lord has done through His servant, and now we have to continue in the way.
So we have to consider the way he has walked, his devotion, the way he has served until the end, for he served up to the last day.
He served at St. Julien on Thursday, he came back from there, and he
still had energy to pray for the saints in that place.
So we need to note the phrase "as ye have us for a model". So we are to continue, I trust, together, in serving better, with more devotion, considering those servants who have been before us, and focusing our eyes on the Lord Himself constantly, on Him who is the perfect Servant. May the Lord bless the word.
Word – George W. Brown, London
Luke 10: 34-35
How thankful we are, dear brethren, that we are the Lord's. How increasingly thankful we are as we grow older that we belong to Christ.
Our beloved brother is the Lord's; whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.
A company such as this, and an occasion such as this, bring home to one's own soul the blessedness that we are the Lord's, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – the glory of it; that Person came into the world!
JND says, 'He made Himself a man that He might die, that He might save sinners'. But He is risen and glorified. He has taken up each one; He has made us His own for ever, and how well He is caring for us!
"He took him to the inn and took care of him". That is what He has done for us.
He has put us in the best place He could find for us, in the assembly where the Spirit of God is, where there are divine affections Godward, and towards one another.
Our beloved brother has taught us lessons, bot only in word but in deed.
How long have we known him. Have we ever found anything else with him but love for Christ and love for those who belong to Him? What love he had
for Christ!
He has often said to me, Preach Christ! And I have found in a little measure that the saints appreciated Christ being preached.
He "took him to the inn and took care of him". How we love, every one of us, the witness of the care of the Lord for me, as Paul said, "The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me".
But then, going away, "taking out two denarii he gave them to the inn-keeper and said to him, Take care of him".
We speak of the Spirit; we speak of the Lord in His eternal love for us committing us to the care of the Spirit in this blessed circle, the assembly, into which He Himself has brought us. "And said to him, Take care of him";
how does the Spirit take care of us? Is it not through the affections and service of such as our beloved brother? How he cared for the saints
all his life! How he cared for us personally!
"Take care of him" is the word. One feels our brother heard that word. Throughout the world the brethren are a witness that he has heard that word, "Take care of him", and he has answered to it.
The poor of the flock as well as the rest, and the assembly and the
testimony as a whole, has been his burden.
One can go back thankfully to fifty years ago, and remember his visits to America particularly, and when he came back some of the brethren said, He is always bring back fresh things.
Thank God, those 'fresh things' have found effect amongst the saints, the ministry of our beloved brother Mr. James Taylor. How our brother appreciated the Lord's servant, and brought the truth back with him to help the saints appreciate him.
Well, the word is, "Whatsoever thou shalt expend more". The Lord gave him something – how well we know it! He took out two denarii and gave them to him.
The Lord gave him something unique, and I believe He has given him something every time He has met him, but the day is coming when the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, and our brother will be raised, the saints will be changed, and we shall go up to meet the Lord in the air.
That will be the final coming back, and what will be the portion of our brother from the Lord?
May we be encouraged, as our brother has already said, to be like him, to care for the saints, to further the testimony with integrity and devotion and affection, such as has been manifested in our beloved brother, for His name's sake.
Word: A. J. Gardiner, London
John 13: 23-25; 21: 19-22
I have been thinking of this disciple whom Jesus loved. He was in the bosom of Jesus and leaned on His breast.
One thinks of our beloved brother who is no longer with us. We have spoken of his service – the Lord will appraise it perfectly, but the saints all round the world have an appreciation of it.
But what lay behind his service was his nearness to Christ. You have always felt that about him, that he was near the Lord.
Peter was not as near to the Lord as John was. In the Lord's sovereignty Peter might have a more prominent place in service even than John, but John was nearer to the Lord, and Peter knew it.
So John was in the secret. One has always felt about our beloved brother that, not only was he near the Lord, but he was always thoroughly with what was current.
He was always in the current mind of the Spirit, always appreciating it, and that is a most important matter for us all, and can only result from keeping near the Lord.
And so there was at table one of His disciples in the bosom of Jesus whom Jesus loved. I do not think the position of John in the bosom of Jesus was exactly a matter of sovereignty.
I think it was that John took the place, and the Lord would have been quite prepared for anyone else to take the place.
No doubt there is room in the bosom of Jesus for anyone who wishes to take that place. But John took it, and he is spoken of in that way in the last chapter, "the disciple whom Jesus loved … who also leaned at supper on His breast, and said, Lord, who is it that delivers Thee up?"
John was quite equal to the crisis. It was a critical moment. The Lord had indicated that one of them was to betray Him. It was therefore a crisis,
but John was equal to the crisis.
I think one can say that our beloved brother has always been equal to very crisis. He has always been with the Lord in every crisis, and able therefore to give counsel to others, and to be of help to others.
The Lord does not occupy us with anyone, even our beloved brother, for the sake of making much of that person, save that we see the work of God appearing in one and another, and value it accordingly.
As the Scriptures we have already had before us have shown us, we are to take account of those in whom faithfulness to Christ particularly appears, and follow and imitate their example.
And that is what is so impressive to oneself at this moment in regard of these Scriptures, that John was in nearness to Christ; he was there characteristically;
and I believe we may rightly say that that was so with regard to our brother; and his service, distinctive, and extensive, and marked by unmistakeable gift, took character from nearness to Christ. Therefore it remains as a model for us.
And so in this last chapter of John's gospel, Peter is turning round. The Lord had said to Peter, Follow thou Me, but Peter turns and sees John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, following.
John did not need to be told. Peter is ready to be diverted; he immediately turns round, and as he turns round, when he should have been concerned about following the Lord, what meets his gaze is the disciple whom
Jesus loved following.
So that without any word, John's example rebuked and adjusted Peter, because John was following.
That is what will normally result from maintained nearness to Christ; it is the one thing that is important.
The movements of the Lord are discerned in the ministry that He gives; that is something that I hear the JTSr say years ago.
He was asked, What is involved in following Jesus? He said, The movements of the Lord are discerned in the ministry that He gives.
So that if there is nearness to Christ, we will be following what the Lord is giving distinctively in ministry, and will be kept in the current of His present mind and voice for the moment.
That was outstandingly one characteristic of our beloved brother. He was always fully sympathetic with the Lord's word for the moment, and
therefore encouraging and confirming the saints in it.
So Peter seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved following says, to Jesus, "Lord, and what of this man?" the Lord answers, "If I will that he abide until I come what is that to thee? Follow thou Me".
We do not know how many of us will be here when the Lord comes. No doubt many will be; others may be taken before He comes. Peter knew that he would be taken, but it is left open in regard of John. The Lord says, "If I will
that he abide until I come what is that to thee? Follow thou Me".
Well that involves that the Lord continues. One and another of beloved and faithful servants may be taken from us, but there is One who continues, and that is Christ. So the word is "Follow thou Me". I believe that is the word the Lord would leave with us.
If the testimony is to continue, we shall see in it the movement of the Lord in the ministry that He gives. There will the discerning of His word
in the ministry that He gives, the discerning of His movements too.
It is for all of us who love Christ to see that by grace we make up our
minds to follow Him, to follow to the end what He says. That is one thing that our beloved brother did; he was never behind the current voice of the Spirit. May the Lord encourage us all to be of the same mind to the end, for His name's sake.
I have been reading your excellent biographical notes about Percy Lyon. Regarding the details about his burial in France, the closing hymn sung was 411 "Lord, let us wait for Thee alone" by JND, and not 401 [Corrected: GAR].
This was one that PL often used to quote. I was present at his funeral and can confirm the hymn number from an account of the burial that I have, written by Norman Abernethie.
Prayer: Mr. Simon Blanc, Valence.
Mr. P. G. Blanc committed the body to the Lord at the grave.
A MAN GREATLY BELOVED —— In memory of PL ——
"The memory of the righteous man shall be blessed",
Proverbs 10: 7
Greatly beloved, we truly say,
Of one now present with the Lord.
His memory stirs our hearts today,
And fragrant sweetness doth afford.
Our brother here, throughout his days,
Was living in the world to come,
And in his walk, his word, his ways,
Truly reflected that bright home.
Ambassador from courts above,
Acquainted well with grace divine,
This servant, in devoted love,
Did here amidst his brethren shine.
His ministry was ever sweet,
By it our souls were truly fed,
Presenting Christ in grace and power,
Heav'nward our footsteps always led.
As well acquainted with the land,
And with its choicest fruits divine,
How oft to us he did display
Some goodly grapes from Eschol's vine.
He helped us sorrows here to bear,
Also assembly joys to know,
With us he heav'nly things did share,
And often set our hearts aglow.
Right through until his closing days,
With his last strength himself did spend,
A burning and a shining light,
Filled with the glory till the end.
And now for him the sufferings
here
Are past, and he the goal has won –
How great our brother's joy will be
To hear the Master's glad, "Well done!"
I first heard this beloved servant away back in 1903 in London, England. I was then a youth of sixteen, and PL a young man of twenty.
He spoke on John 9, and the fervent way in which he dwelt on "a man called Jesus" left an impression on my mind which is fragrant today. How many times since he has charmed us divinely!
Born in MacDuff, Scotland, on October 29, 1904, Stanley McCallum was the youngest of six children. His parents were William J. and Mary Ann (Thompson) McCallum.
When he was nine years old he left school and started work on a fishing trawler. He worked, mostly as a cook, on trawlers until he was 21.
He was converted among the 'Open Brethren' in MacDuff and subsequently came into fellowship with brethren through George Patterson of MacDuff, the owner of a trawler that he worked on.
Reading the ministry of those represented on 'My Brethren' was instrumental – under God – to SMcC identifying himself with the brethren.
S.McC. That is really the way some of us came into the truth; we got hold of what was good and kept in connection with it, otherwise we, perhaps, from one way of looking at it, would not be where we are.
R.G.B. You told me, Mr. McCallum, that when you had the magazines, someone objected to your having them, and you said that it was for all the assembly.
S.McC. Yes, he actually said, Why is it you are always reading our ministry, and the reply was that the ministry was given to the whole assembly. Now that helped the brother and he then gave access to the Collected Writings.
In 1925 he immigrated to Windsor, Ontario, and then moved on to Detroit, Michigan. At that time he had a brother, John McCallum, who had preceded him to Windsor.
There were a number of brethren in Windsor and Detroit who had also emigrated from Scotland. These circumstances made the transition easier and resulted in life-long links with many in that area.
Brothers of Scottish origin in Detroit included Archie S. Brown, James W. Carnwath, Thomas L. Smith and James W. Wilson.
In 1931 he married Edna Anna Hoobler, who came to the meetings in Detroit through a high school classmate, and then came into fellowship. She was the only one in her family to come into fellowship among the brethren.
The McCallums had four children, David, Mary, John and Garth.
John, d. 2006, left the fellowship early, David and Garth remained with the legal sect, and Mary and her family are connected, as was SMcC, with some who withdrew after the 1970 Aberdeen meetings.
He attended Ford Trade School while working at Ford Motor Company and became a skilled tool grinder.
Subsequently he was employed at the Ex-Cell-O Corporation from October 1933 until August 1950.
During the war he was exempted from service due to the need for skilled labor to work on essential airplane parts.
His employment at Ex-Cell-O was terminated in 1950, along with two other brothers, as result of their asserting their consciences in regard to participation in a
trade union that had organized the employees of the company.
It was while performing his trade that he mentally composed most of his hymns. They were written with existing hymns and tunes in mind.
For example Hymns 130 and 261, where written to the tune “St. Margaret” set to “Oh, Love that will not Let Me Go”;
Hymn 221, with the tune “Ewing” set to “Jerusalem the Golden” in mind;
and Hymn 420, with the tune “Nicaea” set to “Holy, Holy, Holy” in mind.
He was very fond of music, and he often played the organ and the piano by ear and by the Tonic Sol-Fa method.
The thoughts conveyed in Mr. McCallum’s hymns were strongly influenced by the ministry of Mr. James Taylor, Senior.
For example “Jerusalem the Holy” was written after fresh light was shed on the truth of the assembly during meetings with Mr. Taylor in Germany.
He had a deep appreciation of the spiritual truths brought to light though Mr. Taylor’s ministry and whenever possible he traveled to New York to be at local readings and fellowship meetings.
He often spoke of Mr. Taylor’s godly spirit and the way he lived out his life at home and in the local meeting.
From 1932 he frequently sought the counsel of JT by letter regarding matters in Detroit and the Ontario area. He gave the first word at JT's burial in 1953.
JT spoke highly of him in his letters to others, from which we learn that SMcC began to be used in service among the saints in 1938, and to serve in three day special meetings from 1940.
In 1951 JT – who was usually invited to give the lead at the Rochester special meetings in May – was too weak to serve. However he was there sitting beside SMcC and supporting him in his service. AEM was also there despite a recent stroke which impaired his speech.
It was the custom for JT to serve at the annual London meetings; after JT's death in 1953, SMcC was invited to give the lead in 1957 and 1958.
We were often at meetings in Toronto and area in which he served and appreciated his ministry. At one time in the 1960's he was ill in bed and we, with a few others, drove the four hours Toronto-Detroit to visit him.
Mr. McCallum served at fellowship and three-day meetings throughout the United States, the Caribbean, [Argentina], Australia, New Zealand, India, Iran, South Africa, Europe and Great Britain.
The following is a list of the known printed books of his minisry:
meetings in London and Doncaster, July and April, 1958.
There are also a number of his readings and addresses in the recent Kingston Bible Trust series 'Selected Addresses' and 'Selected Ministry'.
He has six fine hymns in the the 1973/93 Hymn Book: 130 221 232 261 420 511.
When Mr. McCallum was at home, and there was no evening meeting, he spent his time reading the ministry, revising notes of meetings, and taking care of correspondence from all over the world.
One of the first things he would do upon arriving home from work, after greeting his wife, was to go to his study for a time of prayer. In fact, he would rise at 4:00 a.m. and begin each day in reading the scriptures and ministry and in communing with the Lord in prayer.
Despite a limited formal education, he had a large vocabulary gained through extensive reading and was a powerful speaker.
After the death of JT in 1953, many – who wrongly considered
JT to be the 'universal leader' – expected SMcC to replace him, but this did not happen.
As AJG, PL and other leading men, SMcC continued with the legal system which emerged in 1959.
But at the time of the crucial Aberdeen meetings in July 1970, he took the lead in challenging the immoral situation in the house.
In retaliation, his reputation was blackened and the Detroit meeting withdrew from him before he could return and refute the unfounded and malicious allegations.
He continued with those who withdrew after the Aberdeen meetings and, in our brief sojourn with them, we saw him at meetings several times and were with him at fellowship meetings in Columbus, Ohio, in 1971.
I recall him saying there that in the Song of Songs you do not have union but you have the language of union.
Due to declining health and isolation the McCallums moved to Villa Grove, Illinois, in 1975 to be near their daughter, Mary, and her family.
They encouraged their children and grandchildren to read the scriptures and the ministry, and to sing hymns.
They often reminisced about brethren whom they knew and loved throughout the world. As they related their life experiences the grandchildren received a real appreciation of the universality of the work of God and this left them with a desire to keep contact with brethren worldwide.
Towards the end of his life he was insistent on moving quickly in the service of God to the worship of the Holy Spirit.
Many saints, especially those who had contact with Mr. McCallum in their young years relate their appreciation of his fatherly influence on them in their formative years.
The Lord used him much in His service, but he was especially gifted in preaching the gospel.
When he returned to minister in the North of Scotland where he was raised, crowds would come to hear him speak. Even though there were times when halls overflowed into the streets, persons standing outside said they could hear him clearly.
He had a distinct impression of the mediatorial glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and His blessed humanity.
Mrs. McCallum went to be with the Lord at the age of 77 on October 25, 1982 after a severe heart attack.
At the end of his days, Mr. McCallum suffered from Diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases. The Lord mercifully took him to Himself at the age of 82, on July 11, 1987.
Mr. Joseph Pellatt was born in England, presumably in London for he is reported to have had a 'Cockney' accent.
From remarks in his ministry it appears that he was brought up in a religious atmosphere, for he said,
"I know where they put the breaking of bread in Christendom … I was taught once that it was a 'means of grace' – that we come to partake of the Lord's Supper as a means of grace – that if you do not know that your sins are forgiven the sacrament is a good place to be at. That is all wrong".
He recalls, "Part of my early days in London I was familiar with what is called hyper-Calvinistic Baptists. You could hear of election and predestination and foreknowledge by the hour, but I never was amongst such a dead-and-alive lot".
In speaking of "Joy unspeakable and full of glory", he said, "I used to be a methodist parson, but when you get this kind of joy there is no use going to a class meeting".
He also said, "We all would seek to be Philadelphian as to our state, but Philadelphia is not brethrenism. How that beloved servant of the Lord, Mr. Raven, laboured in his soul, that the saints might be delivered from the idea of brethrenism!
"When you come to 'isms', I would not give you much for the choice; I was once, and I am ashamed to say it, in Methodism, and I am sure the Lord never brought me out of Methodism to put me in another 'ism'.
"It is a matter of prayerful exercise, and has been with me for some years, that not one bit of 'ism' might be found about us, and I would wish the Lord to utterly divest me of it".
Mr. Pellatt lived in Indianapolis and was employed in the business of Mr. R. S. Sinclair.
There is no record of how he came amongst brethren or when he emigrated to the USA, but it was some time prior to 1898 as he is mentioned numerous time in History: FER in America, 1898.
On hearing of his departure to be with Christ, Mr. James Taylor, who came to New York in 1889, spoke of his "deep sorrow in the loss of one known so intimately during almost the whole of my Christian life".
The Lord took Mr. Pellatt to Himself shortly after his 70th birthday, while in England serving in ministry.
Mrs. Pellatt had remained at home and so was not with him at the end.
He was buried in Nunhead Cemetery, London, next to FER and Geo. Broomhead of Greenwich.
JT wrote of Mr. Pellatt, "I know of no one who loved the truth more than he did, and I never knew him to flinch when it was involved.
"When we consider the great ability he had to present it, and his long and varied experience in dealing with souls, the loss occasioned by his removal from amongst us is much more than may be assumed by most.
"But clearly his work was done, and to the heart of anyone who seeks to serve Christ it is most encouraging to note His gracious ways with our dear brother before taking him to Himself.
"Had he been taken before going to England, a cloud would have remained in the minds of many as to his real character and worth, which – now they had opportunity to see and hear him – must have altogether disappeared.
"His best ministry was, I believe, on your side; and, in supporting him thus, the Lord honoured His servant, and showed that, whatever others may have thought, He knew that he loved Him.
"Mr. [R. S.] Sinclair was greatly attached to Mr. Pellatt and, with many of us, feels keenly our great loss, but we are all greatly comforted by the consideration shown him by the Lord …
"Mr. Sinclair and myself were wondering whatever notes may be available of our dear brother's late ministry should not be collected, and perhaps a selection could be made and revised and published,
which would represent what that Lord was pleased to give through him at the close of his service. I am sure that any labour thus spent would be more than repaid."
The Closing Ministry of J. Pellatt was subsequently published. It has been long out of print, but is now all available on 'My Brethren'.
A 1998 publication of Kingston Bible Trust includes one of his addresses:
Selected Addresses 1
The Revelation of God and Eternal Life,
New York, May 1911
Mr. Pellatt has eight choice hymns – No.'s 37, 143, 144, 146, 163, 374, 400 and 430 – in the 1973 Hymn Book.
He was ahead of his time spiritually. Several of his hymns are most suitable for the higher levels of the service of God as they have since been opened up.
The following reminiscence is from an address by J. O. T. Darton at St. Leonards, July 13, 1963
Right Representation of God, Notes of Meetings, 5: 183.
Some may remember the incident in Mr. Pellatt's life when crossing the Atlantic. He saw the sun set, and watched the moon rise. The sight moved him to write:
The king went down in the glorious west,
He had brightened the world with his shining;
From his chariot of gold he lowered his crest
To the queen of the night, now resigning.
Then the pale-faced beauty ascending the throne,
Reigned peacefully over the darkness,
For she borrowed her ray from the absent one,
And shone faithfully on as his witness.
Then he turns it to Christ and says:
The King went down on the shameful tree
He had brightened the world with His shining,
'Mid suffering and blood, the Victor was He,
To His people the light now resigning.
If Christians His faithful witness would be,
And shine like the moon in this night-time,
They must keep close to Him, His bright glory see,
And live in the heavenly sunshine.
May the Lord help us to live in the heavenly sunshine, that there may be some shining now that is of the radiancy with which the assembly will be clothed when she will come down from God out of heaven, having the glory of God, to have her part with Christ in that day! J.O.T.D.
Mr. G. H. Stuart Price (1911-1963), of Wembley and Harrow, was a trustee of Stow Hill Bible and Tract Depot from 1954 until he was taken by the Lord on January 5, 1963.
When Mr. A. E. Myles – who had nearly finished the 1951 revision of the Hymn Book – suffered a stroke Mr. Price, with others, completed the work and he wrote The Hymn Book Revision 1951.
He also wrote the preface to 'The Little Flock Tune Book - 1954' and, with the other three Stow Hill trustees, participated in The Hymn Book Revision - 1962.
There are 6 of his hymns in the 1973 Re-Selection/1993 Supplement: 133 183 406 436 514 540.
He also edited 'A Selection of Poems by Christian Authors'.
The first Mrs. Price – Joan, a daughter of Mr. H. P. Wells – died March 1939 in childbirth, but twins survived.
Subsequently Mr. Price married Miss Grace Railton.
Mr. and Mrs. Price visited Canada at least twice.
In 1956, they stayed with Roy and Marian Devenish in Toronto. At that time the Price's gave them a specially bound set of 'Letters of James Taylor which Roy passed on to me shortly before the Lord took him on October 13, 2004.
In the early 1960's, Betty and I had a pleasant visit with Stuart and Grace in the home of Geoff and Lucy Marshall in Hamilton, Ontario.
Mr. Joseph Revell was born in 1852 in England and he departed to be with Christ April 10, 1900 – a short but full life of service to the saints.
On the title page of 'Comfort and other Re-published Papers' he is called 'Joseph Revell of Canada',
perhaps because of his service, and the fact that he died, in Canada.
On the arrival in Liverpool with FER in late 1898, Mr. J. S. Allen said, that "after a very good voyage [we] found several including Mr. Revell awaiting us". See History: FER in America, 1898.
At meetings in Chicago 1950, when an old man, Mr. James Taylor referred to "a servant known to us in this country fifty years ago, Mr. Revell, a man whom God used much".
Others recorded that Mr. Revell, who ministered much throughout America was a great help to JT .
JR edited a monthly magazine of ministry from January, 1895, until his death.
MEMORABILIA • Memories of a Sister: Mr. J. Revell
The 'memories' are those of Mrs. C. A. Markham (1880-1986) of Cranford, NJ – the former Mary Lock was a daughter of Frank Lock (c.1850-1938) and the mother of Marian Devenish. Mrs. C.A.M. also wrote 546 in the 1993 Hymn Supplement.
Further 'Memories' : Biography: F. E. Raven: Memorabilia and Biography: J. Taylor: Memorabilia.
It has been said that JR – Mr. Joseph Revell – was sent to prepare the way in this country for FER .
A small, nervous, heavenly-minded man – no one has ever given me at greater sense of the nearness of heaven and of Christ: to use his own often-repeated words, "that precious Savior!"
My first memory of him in a meeting was a word at the Supper on "I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened until it shall have been accomplished!"
He stayed at my father's house [Frank Lock], with his wife, for several weeks, and my sister and I taught him to ride a bicycle in view of visiting Jamaica – this of course before the days of motor cars.
Nervous and gentle as he was in manner, he was inflexible when it came to the truth. We have hymns of his which he himself set to music and played.
We have two fine hymns by JR: 150 in the 1973 Re-Selection and 504 in the 1993 Supplement.
The only tune attributed to him that can be located is 'The Bride', 300 in the green 1979 Tune Book. It is used with hymn 41 by P. Ellis. GAR
Thu, Feb 8, 2007
, Nick Fleet writes: I notice in your brief biography of Joseph Revell that you say you can only trace one tune by him, 'The Bride'. However, he also wrote the
following which appear on pp 22-31 and 62 in 'Praise Songs', published by J. W. Sargeant of Peterborough c. 1900:
'A Praise Song', 1885
The Saviour's Praise, 8.7.8.7. (and #150 in 'Little Flock Tune Book
Supplement', 1965)
'Awake!'
'The Well By the Way'
'Blessed Be God', 1888
It was in 'Praise Songs' that some other well-known tunes (such as those
by Miss S. M. Walker) first appeared.
When asked on his last visit to this country to outline his itinerary he said, "I have no light beyond Winnipeg". There the Lord took him, and there he is buried. M.M.
Mr. Thomas Henry Reynolds was born in March, 1830, at Burford, Oxfordshire.
The last public record of him that can be found is his participation in meetings with JT in Bristol, in November, 1915 – in his eight-sixth year.
He is said to have ministered in his local meeting to within a few
years of his death in February, 1930, in his one hundreth year.
THR was closely associated in the work of the ministry with Mr. J. B. Stoney and Mr. F. E. Raven.
In 1896, when JBS was unable to continue the active editorship 'A Voice to the Faithful, on account of increasing bodily weakness, Mr. Reynolds took over the supervision of its publication.
In 1902, THR's daughter Mary was married to Edward Raven, FER's eldest son.
On July 25, 1901, FER wrote: "We have been recently having a meeting at Burford, and had a talk as to the hymn book …
"I hope that Mr. Reynolds will take in hand what is to be done; he is the brother and will command most confidence".
The only known book of Mr. Reynolds is a small volume – now out of print – entitled 'Reflections on the Prophetic Word in the Old Testament Scriptures'. His statement in the preface to that book is noteworthy:
"These notes will not be of interest to any reader who, though a Christian, has not accepted separation from this world, in some measure according to the Lord's desire in saying, 'For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.' "
Mr. Andrew Robertson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, May 8th 1923. In 1949 he moved to London in the banking business and was local at Streatham.
When his employer adamantly decided to transfer him to Brazil – where there was no possibility of continuing his links in Christian fellowship – Andrew resigned.
In February 1951, he emigrated to the USA, settled in New York, and was re-hired there by his former employer.
Andrew and Lois Wood, of New York, were married on October 27th 1951.
Andrew served the brethren in the ministry of the word in the USA, Canada and overseas.
He and Lois have a wide knowledge of matters among the brethren universally, especially in New York.
Andrew had a judgment of —— and his system, and acted on it nearly four months before Aberdeen.
Most of the brethren in New York were dominated by —— and – even after some withdrew from him they were still influenced by his system.
After their withdrawal from the —— sect on March 28, 1970, Andrew and Lois broke bread with some others in like situation and,
for a number of years, maintained links with brethren in a few places in Great Britain and Europe.
In May 1985, when the opportunity for fellowship in the New York area and elsewhere closed they moved from Staten Island to Centerville, Massachusetts, where they resided until Andrew's death.
After a lengthy hospitalized illness and operation, in much weakness Andrew was mercifully taken by the Lord on June 30, 2009.
He will be greatly missed by Lois, his wife and companion in service for nearly 58 years, as well as many contacts including myself, having had profitable weekly telephone chats for nearly 20 years.
Esli Forrest and David and Helen Church of Auckland, and Phil Hickmott of Christchurch, furnished much of the following.
Mr. Collie-Smith ministered among the brethren in New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, and North America.
He is mentioned several times from 1925 to 1943 in 'Letters of James Taylor'.
JC-S was born in Scotland (?) in 1883 but, because of his health, moved to New Zealand around 1902. He was then about 19 years of age and very unwell.
At first he lived in Christchurch with Phil Hickmott's grandmother who looked after him.
Before emigrating he had formed an attachment to a young sister in a small village in Scotland; they were marrried when she moved New Zealand.
Later he moved to Wellington where Esli Forrest's parents lived, both having been converted and come into 'the way'.
In the depression years the Collie-Smith's moved to Auckland, and were soon followed by the recently widowed Mrs. Forrest and her eight children.
Esli Forrest was impressed in his early years by Mr. Collie-Smith as one who cared with genuine feelings about how the saints got on.
In 1910, while still with the 'open' meetings, JC-S inquired of Mr. C. W. Wycherley of Christchurch – later of Auckland – as to the position of the brethren on baptism.
CWW was Helen Church's grand father.
In 1913 JC-S wrote to CWW, "After careful consideration and deep exercise regarding what you have brought before me in your letters concerning baptism, I am now free to state my mind as to the same".
He concluded by saying, "I am, and shall ever be be grateful for what you have brought before me, dear brother, and am thankful that the truth of baptism has found its right place in my mind".
Letters on Baptism, with all their correspondence, was reprinted in 1999 by Kingston Bible Trust.
When JC-S became clear as to the truth, he helped Mrs. Hickmott and her family into it as well.
The only book of Mr. Collie-Smith's ministry presently known is 'The Mystery'. See Ministry: J. Collie-Smith.
See the Mailbox for Jan. 16 and 22 Jan. 2001, and August 3, 2004, for Esli Forrest's impressions of the ministry of JC-S.
Mr. Collie-Smith was taken by his Lord, in December 1949 at the age of 66.
Mr. William Trotter was born in Yorkshire and was converted when he was twelve.
He began to preach at 14, and at 19 was ordained as a minister of the Mehodist New Connection, being used to the conversion of many in Halifax and York.
Shortly after he began to question several trends in the New Connection:
an increasing central control, a growing distinction between clergy and laity, and forcing acceptance of formal creeds.
In addition he published several lectures and pamphlets against worldly trends:
His 'Lecture on the Use of Money' criticized the laying up of wealth and material possessions.
When his views were attacked, he defended them in a pamphlet, 'The Foolishness of God wiser than the Wisdom of Men'.
In 1841, his condemnation of insurance and benefit societies, such as the denomination's benevolent fund for its clergy, put him in conflict with the ruling conference, resulting according to his own 'Brief Report' in his "being discontinued from the ministry".
At that time a large number withdrew from the New Connection, including almost all of Mr. Trotter's own Bradford circuit.
By 1844, he was identified with the brethren in Halifax.
For a few years he edited 'The Christian Brethren's Journal and Investigator' which, according to one report, gave accounts of the
"little companies of earnest men who began to meet in the early part of the nineteenth century in various parts of the country, unknown to each other, and under no human leadership …
"the inception of this movement arising from a new illumination of the Personality of Jesus Christ, and of the essential unity of all who believe in Him, under whatever names they were differentiated".
