Monday,
November 10, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND- Arose at 6 a.m. with most very
tired from last evenings preaching in London. However, Daniel Gowen
volunteered to drive towards Scotland, allowing the Director to
stand down, and enjoy the ride. Having two visiting preachers along,
that were not members of the Fellowship, it had become apparent
as to why, with both habitually striving to sharpen their swords
on the Brethren’s shields. With so much work to do, in preaching
the gospel to millions of lost sinners, it is not profitable to
any, to have young ministers constantly finding fault, and striving
“about words to no profit” (2 Timothy 2:14), who will
not be instructed, who “think themselves to be something,
when they are nothing” (Galatians 6:3). Within the last few
days, while others were rejoicing in the work of God that they were
so thankful to be a part of, these two constantly set upon the others,
to argue and strive, and make just a general nuisance out of themselves,
proffering such theological nonsense as, “God hates every
sinner”, “wickedness, iniquity, abominations and general
sin are all the same, and as long as these two divines did not sin
habitually, they had not sinned at all”. The younger of the
twain openly consigned the SPF Editor to hell as being unsaved,
for no reason other than having repeatedly asked (11 times) just
when the twenty three year old expert California theologian got
saved, which question was never answered. The younger of the two
derided the kindly Dr. Meador for allowing the others to call him
‘Doctor’, the little nuisance not knowing that the soft
spoken Dennis Meador was in deed a medical doctor, with two other
earned doctor’s degrees, who reads, writes and speaks nine
different languages fluently. Never mind that, take heed to the
little gripe that has never read any Bible through even once in
the two and half years he is been spouting off about what he knows
of being the best Christian around. Therefore, it was thought expedient
to have the Director cease from his driving, and joining with gentle
Dr. Meador, spend time in the back of the van for the edification
of all within ear shot. And so the journey to Scotland began, and
in deed, the fellowship was wonderful, as Brothers Meador and McRae
journeyed through the gospels adlibium. Said Brother McRae, “I
enjoyed that much every way. And I believe both myself and Doc Meador
learned a lot ourselves. That is what edification is all about.”
The aged George Thomson, has been a street preaching Anabaptists in Glasgow for 38 years, crying “Repent! Repent! Repent!” Said Brother Thomson to Director McRae, “I thought I was the only one in the world that preached like this. It is such a great encouragement to me, having met all of you!” Brother Thomson, age 67, still works part time in the morning as a gardener in support of himself and family, and has raised five sons and two daughters. His oldest son is on the mission field in Peru, one of his daughters has served the Lord on the mission field in Africa, and with her brother in Lima, and is now studying linguistics at the University of Edinburgh, so she can return to Lima to assist her brother. Brother Thomson preaches on the streets throughout Scotland, with a circuit running from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Brother Thomson will be joining the SPF in directing the preaching throughout Scotland.
Though arriving late into Glasgow, the SPF ministers preached into the night, and were enabled of God to reach almost 150,000 sinners with the preaching of the cross of Christ. The people of Glasgow were much receptive, though one elderly woman cried out, “Don’t ya know that Scotland gave up God years ago?” One Christian woman approached Brother McRae with tears, saying, “O this is absolutely a wonderful answer to my prayers. I did not think street preaching would ever return to Scotland! O, praise God! This is so wonderful! We have not seen open air preaching in many years.” And so they preached, and Glasgow demonstrated that the hearts of many are very fertile, “but where are the men of God?”
The people of Glasgow being so much more receptive to the gospel, the SPF ministers were much busied in the later hours with personal work up and down the Centre City walkway. There were young and old alike stopping to inquire of the way of God more perfectly. Catholics especially were drawn to the American street preachers, with one young Catholic man stating, “I feel that God has sent you here to Glasgow. Because who would come all this way to just preach in our city at their own expense, if God had not sent them?” The young people were much like those of America, with one very obvious exception. Their consciences are not yet seared. Just as the SPF preachers rolled up their banners for the night, there came to them one whose name of John, “who had committed murder” (Mark 15:7). Said he, “Aye dun slit a whore’s throat!” and he took offense to being filmed, saying, “I’m a wanted man, and don’ta care to have me picture taken!” In speaking to Ruben, the man had the absolute worst broken nose that any of the street preachers had ever seen. John had a deep gash on his right forehead, and scratches on his face, with dried blood in his stubby beard, and on his jacket. His jaw was broken, and you could hear the grinding of the bones as he tried to talk, barely opening his mouth when he spoke. He had caked blood on one of his hands and stubby fingers, as he kept the other in his coat pocket. He eerily described how he had just slit a prostitute’s throat, and with his free hand, pantomimed firing a pistol, saying, “Pow! Pow!” as he described to the preachers how he fired his gun after slitting her throat. His nose was completely caved into his face, completely shutting off any air passage. Watching his other hand hidden within his coat, Brother Ruben moved close to him, and he and Brother McRae kept their banners slung over their right shoulders, firmly gripping the poles in their hands within reach of the little killer’s head. Strange what sinners tell a street preacher!
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