Donald Oliver Soper, nicknamed Dr. Soapbox became a peer of the realm in 1965- Baron Soper. Donald was a methodist minister who loved to preach to large congregations - he preached in the open air. From 1926 until well into his 90s he preached at London’s centres of free speech - Tower Hill, and from 1942 Speaker’s corner in Hyde Park His combination of’modernist theology, high sacramentalism, and Socialist politics, expressed with wit and unapologetic elan, thrilled his audiences (congregations!), delighted admirers and greatly annoyed his opponents. What he said was often controversial. He was a pacifist - he did not agree with wars. He was lead campaigner against nuclear disarmament. In his last years, when crippled with arthritis, and in a wheelchair, he continued to preach and make public appearances. He died on 22 December 198, aged 95.

Saint Agnes of Bohemia (1205 - March 6th 1282) was born a princess. Her parents were queen Constance and King Ottakar I of Bohemia When she grew up she decided she wanted to live a religious life. She could have been queen of either of Germany or England , or empress of Rome. With the help of Pope Gregory IX she was allowed to choose marriage to God, the King of heaven. She built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars… She financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. She lived a life of piety. She was appointed abbess of the convent. She inspired other privileged women to become Poor Clares Devotion to her happened soon after her death. She was finally canonized in 1989.

Evangeline Booth, born in 1865, was the seventh of eight children to be born to William and Catherine Booth. William founded the Christian Mission in 1865 which was renamed the Salvation Army in 1878. In 1934 she became the first female international Salvation Army chief. She showed signs of being a gifted public speaker and preacher at an early age. In 1887, aged 21 she became the officer of the corps in Marylebone , West London. She appointed Field Commissioner in Great Britain from 1888 - 1891. In 1896 she was appointed Commander of the Salvation army in Canada. In 1904 she returned as Commander of the USA an held the post for 30 years Having been elected General in 1934 she travelled extensively during her five years in office but never lost the zeal or enthusiasm of the early years. The salvation Army greatly prospered under her leadership. She retired in 1939 back to America but continued to be a public servant. She died aged 1949 aged 84… Evangeline Booth’s father, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, put Evelyne on her birth certificate. Her mother, Catherine Booth wanted Evangeline. Only years later, when in the USA, that she was called Evangeline.

John and Betty Stam are Christian martyrs. They died at the ruthless hands of the Chinese Communists on December 8th, 1934. They had gone out to china as missionaries for the China Inland Mission. After their deaths hundreds of volunteers, of all ages, gave their lives to the Lord for missionary service. I have included the wikipedia information plus the opening page, on their lives, from Ambassadors for Christ.

William P. Nicholson was a preacher born in Bangor, County Down, Ireland. He was nicknamed the Tornado of the Pulpit. He wielded the Sword of the Spirit with a fury.His favourite themes were 'God’s 'love and 'God’s hell. His father took him to sea when he was only 6 years old. Aged 15 he became an apprentice seaman. A near disaster, where the ship he was sailing in, got caught in a tempest (see Sheet 1) resulted in them all being ‘saved’ from the sea. May 22nd 1899 he was really saved. Seven months later, when the Salvation Army h came to his town, he was persuaded to walk ‘down the street with two wee girls and a fool’,this was when he lost his reputation (sheet2). That same year he began to preach the Gospel March 1909 following training and testinghe joined Dr. Wilbur Chapman and Charles M. Alexander on a campaign down to Melbourne , Australia. In 1923 a stranger walked into his church in Los Angeles - Percy B. Crawford. That day he was saved and went on to establishing his radio and television ministry. One of thousands led to Christ by William (sheet 3). My main source was They Found the Secret by V. Raymond Edman (still available from Amazon) plus www sermomindex.net.

Dr. Walter Lewis Wilson (1881-1969) was never ordained but he led many to put their trust in Jesus. He was converted on December 21, 1896. He had always recognised the importance of God the Father and Jesus as the son of God, but had not held the Holy Spirit as being equal with the other two and the one sent to in place of the other two to help Christians in their daily life. Jjanuary 14th, 1914 ,listening to Dr. James M. Gray, some 18 years later,. he realised the real importance of the Holy Spirit. He went home with his father-in- law, each went to their own room, and he earnestly prayed that the Holy Spirit should take over his whole body. This impacted tremendously upon his life. I have photocopied the pages from They Found the Secret by V. Raymond Edman which shows the impact it had on his life and of others as a result. He founded the Central Bible Hall (now Central Bible Church) and Kansas City Bible College ( now Calvary Bible College) in Kansas City. He wrote 20 books. His best known probably being** Whose Body is Yours? ** When his father became ill he took over his tent making business and developed camouflaging and waterproofing for tents used during World War 1. He had a family of eight children with his wife Marion Baker Wilson They were married for 58 years. A year later he married Ruth Selders Wilson and they were together until his death on May24th, !969.

Romulo Saune (1953-1992) was Christian martyr from Peru . He was known as Deaf and Stupid One - as a child he had been kicked in the head by a horse and became deaf. No one thought he would amount to much. He helped the missionaries translate the whole Bible for the Quechus, his people. Now his work was bearing fruit. He along with 20 others was killed by terrorists called the Shining Path. September 5th 1992 Saute and other family friends were traveling to Ayacucho to visit his grandfather’s grave - who had been brutally murdered two years before. The Shining Path set up a road block and killed Saute and 20 others Terry Whalin wrote an excellent article in 2014 about the growth of Christianity in Peru. It which was published in the Christian History Issue #109 . This excellent article explains the excitement of receiving the Bible in their own language and then after the deaths of Romulo and his friends how it committed a whole generation to winning Latin America for Jesus . I have included the article .

Eugine Price qualified as a dentist but went back to her first love which was writing. She became an author of over 60 books after embracing the Christian faith in her early thirties. During the 1950’s she wrote many inspirational and devotional books for women and also spoke at many church and civic events. Her combined sales were in the millions. Genie had a crisis time on September 24th 1954 having just written her biography the Burden is Light. V. Raymond Edman , in his book They Found the Secret** writes and quotes Genie about the day the Holy Spirit takes control of her Life**.

Robert E. Nicholas was a twentieth century Saint Nicholas. He was a successful businessman who used his wealth to help others .Combining wealth and consecration he generously donated funds, usually anonymously to churches, philanthropic activities and mission agencies. He contributed money towards the building of Wheaton College. In 1967 the library was named after him. In V. Raymond Edman’s book They found the Secret, chapter fourteen entitled ‘The Satisfying Life’ we find that God had an appointment with Him. (See and read pages 122-125 ). R.E., as he was called, found his Model ‘T’ would only go in one direction! He missed a train and ended up going back to a church he had tried to avoid! He had to hear the wonderful sermon by Dr, W. B. Riley about the Second Coming of Christ. He began to learn that ’ our disappointments are God’s appointments.’ When he returned home his wife immediately noticed a change. In a few words he gave his testimony. Together they knelt in prayer and she also realised the fullness of the Holy Spirit. For 10 years he was president of the building and loan association. He helped to such a degree, during the depression, that they pulled though without a single default.

Yesterday, Sunday, 13th October 2019, John Henry Newman was canonised - he was declared a saint. I went onto Google and found some information about Cardinal John Henry Newman. There’s lots to be found -here are a few relevant pieces of information.

Oswlad Chambers was an early 20th century Scottish Baptist and Holiness Movement evangelist and teacher. He is best known for his devotional ** My Utmost for the Highest** which his wife transcribed from her shorthand and published for the first time in 1927 - ten years after his untimely death from pulomary hemorrhaging whilst in Cairo, Egypt. He had gone to Egypt during the First World War - he was buried with full military honours. I have included a picture, wikipedia notes, notes from V. Raymond Edman’s book They Found the Secret which tells of Oswald’s baptism of the Holy Spirit around 1900 whilst tutoring philosophy at Dunoon College, plus a comment from Christianitytoday.

John Allen Wood’s teaching and testimony have been retained for us in his writings. Principally in the volume entitled Purity and Maturity, also Perfect Love. He was converted at the age of 10 but It was not until the tenth year of his ministry that he received the Second Blessing. I have concentrated on the Second Blessing- the blessing of the Holy Spirit and how it changed his life. V. Raymond Edman in his book They found the Secret in detail looks in detail at the blessing and the results of having the blessing.

Richard C. Halverson was a minister of the former United Presbyterian Church in the USA. He served as the chaplain of the United States Senate for 13 years. He had originally hoped to make it big in Hollywood but instead following his conversion he became a pastor. I have taken quotes from V. Raymond’s book They Found a Secret (pages 78-86) to show what the ‘three crisis’ - his words - had on his life. They about the growing influence of the Holy Spirit on his life

Bob Gass, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was a Christian with a mission. He was told on his wedding day, to Debbie, that he would reach more people through his writing than his preaching. From small beginnings of 3,5OO copies in 1994 of Word for Today to MILLIONS today. He died earlier this year leaving a legacy of Word for Today, plus several years of Word for Today in note form to be used for several more years.

Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, original name Marie-Bernarde Saubirous, a miller’s daughter, was the eldest of nine children. Her visions led to the founding of the shrine at Lourdes which today has 5 million visitors and tourists every season. I have included some brief information about Saint Bernadette and the shrine at Lourdes found on wikipedia and britannica websites.

Handley Carr Glyn Moule was a former Bishop of Durham. He became the the first principle of Ridley Hall, Cambridge. Although he was ordained in 1867 it was not until 1884, after he had become principle at Ridley college, that he received fully the gift of the Holy Ghost. ( See and read pages 104/5 from V. Raymond Edman’s book They Found the Secret. ) Following on from his ‘crisis’ the enrollment at Ridley hall was augmented and with the increase there came problems that were triumphantly faced. His principalship started in 1880 continued until 1899. In his lifetime he wrote over 60 theological books and pamphlets,he also published at least two volumes of poetry.plus a number of hymns. (see incomplete list)

Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899), was an evangelist and publisher, who has had a stunning impact stretching across generations and classes. He had boundless energy, natural shrewdness, self-confidence and eternal optimism. Reading his school report it is hard to believe the person he became. he was a young shoe clerk in Boston when he was converted. I have include a number of extracts from V. Raymond Edman’s book They Found the Secret. From humble beginnings he presented the claims of the Gospel to large audiences in both America and the UK. Early in his ministry he was told to honour the Holy Spirit in all his preaching. Two old ladies, who prayed for him said, ’ You need power’. he received the full measure of the Holy Spirit. The great fire of Chicago changed his sermons - originally it was his personal drive now it was the dynamic of the Holy Spirit. He talks about three classes of Christian- makes interesting reading. He remained a humble man. Read about his five secrets as described by Dr. C. L. Scofield at his funeral.

Charles G. Trumbell was a key factor in the formation of the Victorious Life Testimony which sponsors the American Keswick in New Jersey, USA. he was a spirit filled Christian journalist and leader. His testimony is retained in an excellent pamphlet The Life That Wins. He grew up in New Mexico and was educated at Yale and Notre Dame University. He held editorial and publishing positions at the National Academy of Science, Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty and Encyclopedia Britannica. I have included sections from V. Raymond Edman’s book They Found the Secret**** to illustrate how the Holy Spirit had a profound effect on his life His dates are born February 20th 1872; died January 13th 1941, aged 68.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria is one of the most popular Christian martyrs. Her feast day is November the 25th. She is also remembered on November 5th, Firework Night, because one of the fireworks - the Catherine Wheel - has been named after her. Very little is actually known about her. She is not mentioned in writing, until the 9th century, so it is only through memory and traditional stories, that we know anything about her. It is believed she was born of noble birth, probably a princess. She became a Christian aged 14 years old following amoving vision of Mary and the infant Jesus. She spoke to emperor Maxentius about his cruelty to Christians. Initially, rather than her executed, he summoned 50 orators and philosophers to debate with her. She was so eloquent in her defence of her faith that several pagans were converted. Unable to intimidate her to give up her faith he ordered her to be tortured and imprisoned. He decided to have a killed. She was tied to a water wheel fitted with spikes. Somehow she survived this form of torture. Eventually he had her beheaded. I have included pictures of Saint Catherine and listed meaning of her name. Sources used The Church’s Year, britannica, catholic org/saints and nameberry.

St. Cecilia lived during the 3rd century AD in Rome, Italy. She is one of the most famous Roman martyrs of the early church and historically most discussed. When she was forced to marry her husband Valerian, a pagan nobleman, she sat apart singing to God - for that she was later declared the saint of musicians. She retained her virginity by telling her husband that an angel of the Lord was watching over her. The husband asked to see the angel. She told him to be baptised by Pope Urban I. After the baptism he saw an angel standing beside her. She suffered martyrdom along with her husband and his brother Tiburtius, at the hands of prefect Turcius Almachius in the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius between 176-180 AD. The legend about her death is that she was struck on the neck by a sword three times and lived for three days. She asked the pope to turn her home into a church. She was later beheaded. Her body when moved in 1599 from the Catacomb of Callixtus to the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere was found to be still incurrupt, seemingly to be a sleep. Over the years a lot of music has been dedicated to her name by many famous composers - see list enclosed. *A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day * by John Dryden included My source for information was Wikipedia - a very well thought out source. Point of information Cecilia can also be spelt Cecity