William Williams Pantycelyn (1717-1791) is generally seen as Wale’s premier hymnist. In religion he was among the leaders of the 18th century Welsh Methodist revival along with the evangelists Howell Harris and Duncan Rowland. He is also rated as one of the great literary figures of Wales, as a writer of poetry and prose. He was born on 11th February 1717 in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Wales. His parents were John and Dorothy Williams. When John died in 1742 Dorothy moved to a farm called Pantycelyn ( William was often referred to by that name). His family were nonconformists. He was educated locally at the nonconformist academy in Talgarth, He had intended to study medicine but following conversion in 1937/8, after the preaching of the evangelical Methodist revivalist Howell Harris, he choose to preach. In 1740 he took deacon’s orders in the established Anglican Church ( now called Church in Wales). His first appointment was as curate to Theophilus Evans in Llanddewi Abergwesyn. By this time he had become involved with the Methodist movement and in June 1742 his disapproving parishioners reported him to the Archdeacon’s court at Brecon. In 1743, when he applied for ordination, he was refused. He became a Methodist minister instead. He travelled through Wales preaching the doctrine of Calvinistic Methodism. he needed to be not only a theologian and an advocate for the new era but also an organiser and administrator. His reward was seeing the community grow and thrive over the years. Runnng parallel to what was happening in Wales we have the Wesley brothers , John and Charles and George Whitefield. William wrote over 900 hymns in his lifetime, the majority in Welsh. He started publishing in 1744. The best known undoubtedly is *Guide me ,O Thou Great redeemer ** written originally in Welsh. ( See’Hymns’) His poetry included 2 long poems on theological and religious themes (See ‘Poetry) His prose include his writing about the 1762 revival. He never wrote either a diary or autobiography. A short 12 page biography ’ The Spiritual Treasury’ was written by Thomas Charles In 1867 J.R. Kilsby Jones wrote *All the poetic and Prose work of William Williams *-846 pages ! He is acknowledged as one of the leaders of the Methodist revival in Wales during the 18th century, For much of his life William stayed in Llanfair-at-y-brn. He died on the 11th January 1791, aged 74. He was buried in the local parish churchyard In 1811 The Welsh Calvinistic Methodists broke away from the Anglican Church. See separate TES entries for Daniel Rowland and Howell harris Source used Wikipdeia

Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929) was an Indian Christian missionary. He is believed to have died in the foothills of the Himalayas. Sadhu was born into a Sikh family in the village of Rampur district, Ludhiana in northern India. He attended the Ewing Christian High school in Ludhiana to learn English. His mother died when he was 14. In his anger burnt page by page the Bible while his friends watched. He felt suicidal. He decided to a go to a railroad track but that very night he had a vision of Jesus. This changed every thing. He told his father Sher Singh that he would convert to Christianity and become a missionary. His father rejected him and his brother tried several times to poison him. Snakes were thrown into his house. He was rescued from this cruel treatment by nearby British Christians. He spent sometime working in the Christian Missionary Home with leprosy patients at Sabathu. On 16th birthday he was publicly baptised in the parish church of Simla. In 1906 Sundar set off on his life as a new Christian. He wore a saffron turban and robe as a Christian sadhu, a holy man. He knew Indians would not be converted unless in an Indian way. When he returned home he received an unexpected warm welcome. He then travelled through the Punjab, over the Bannihal Pass into Kashmir, through Muslim Afghanistan and into the brigand infested North West Frontier and Baluchistan. He was called ‘the apostle with bleeding feet’. He suffered arrest and stoning for his beliefs, and experienced mystical encounters. In 1908 he went into Tibet - appalled by conditions. Tried to visits Palestine but refused permit. December 1909 began training for ministry in Anglican college in Lahore. He left after only 8 months - ostracised for being different - the course was irrelevant to the Gospel message India needed - expected to wear ‘respectable’ European clerical clothing- rejected the mixing of Jesus and British culture. On his travels in 1912 he met Maharishi of Kailas and spent some weeks in deep fellowship. During his 20s Sundar’s Gospel work widened greatly, Before he was 30 his name and picture were familiar all over the Christian world. He was described as always human, approachable and humble. His talks and personal speech were informed by his habitual early morning meditation. In 1918 he toured South India and Ceylon. In 1919 he visited Burma, China and Japan. In 1920 his father gave him the fare so he visited Britain, USA and Australia 1922 visited Europe again. He was appalled at the materialism, emptiness and irreligion in the West after WW1 Back in India he continued to spread the Gospel but he was getting physically frail. In 1923 visited Tibet but came back exhausted. He gave himself to meditation, fellowship and writing. In 1929 set out for Tibet again! He reached Kalka. What happened next is a mystery. Sundar is revered by many as a formative, towering figure in the missionary conversions of the Christian church in India.

George Beverly Shea (1909-2013) was often called America’s beloved singer He lived to be 104 and spent nearly 60 years of those years singing and working with Bill Graham. He was born on 1st February 1909 in Winchester, Ontario, Canada. His first singing was in the choir of his father’s Wesleyan Methodist Church. He later sang with the Houghton (N.Y.) College Glee Club. He was educated at Annesley College in Ottawa (1926-8). and Houghton College. Houghton, N.Y. (1928-9). For the next 9 years he worked in a minor way in radio broadcasting (singing on WMCA and WHN), while working as a clerk of Mutual of New York insurance(1929-38). From 1938-44 he was an announcer and staff soloist at WMBI radio Chicago.He met Bllly Graham there in 1943. When Billy Graham took over the radio program Songs in the Night he remembered George and enlisted him to help with the broadcast. This was the beginning of a long association. In 1947 George went to sing at Charlotte, N.C., Billy’s hometown, at one of Billy’s first city wide Crusades. I have sometimes said that I would feel lost getting up to preach if Bev were not there to prepare the way through an appropriate song. Billy Graham. The famous 1949 Los Angeles tent meeting catapulted Billy and his associates to national attention. The team went onto share the Gospel on every continent. Bev with Cliff Barrows were the nucleus of the Crusade musical team. He was one of the busiest members of the team and he sung at hundreds of concerts. He was part of the team up until 2013. He was soloist on the Hour of Decision from 1950-2013. Singing weekly on this program for over 60 years his bass-baritone voice is recognised across the world. He used utilized all available media to share the ‘Good News’ of Jesus Christ. He was prolific recording artist and composer for over 50 years (1951-2013)and had 70 albums of hymns and 9 CDs. He was the recipient of 10 Grammy awards. He is on 3 lists of Hall of Fame- Gospel Music Association (1978), Religious Broadcasting (1996) and Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists (2008). He received many other awards and honours over the years. (See list of awards and honors). He never retired - all the dates go up to 2013 - the year he died. He died on Tuesday April 16th 2013 after a brief illness. Every hymn he sang was a testimony to the saving power of Jesus Christ. Source Wikipedia

John Alexander Dowie (1847-1907) was a Scottish-Australian minister known as an evangelist and faith healer. He started his career as a conventional minister in South Australia, After becoming both an evangelist and faith healer he immigrated with his family to the USA in 1888 He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 25th May 1847. In 1860 the family immigrated to Adelaide, Australia. He found work with his paternal uncle, Alexander Dowie in a prosperous bootmaker retail and factory business. In 1868, aged 21, he returned to Scotland to study theology. Back in Australia he was ordained in 1872 as pastor of a Congregational church at Alma, South Australia. 1873 moved to Manly, New South Wales. In 1875 moved to Newton. On 26th May 1876 he married his cousin, Jane Dowie, they had 3 children. About this time he became an independent evangelist. He held meetings in a theatre and claiming powers of healing. He was briefly involved with the Salvation Army. In early 1880s he went to Melbourne and attracted many followers. 1882 invited to Sackville Street Tabernacle, Collingwood. He forceful leadership caused a split in the church. He was fined and jailed briefly for leading unauthorised processions. His church was burnt down - arson suspected. Insurance paid off debts. By this time he had published 3 books based mainly on his lectures. In 1888 John immigrated with his family to the USA. He settled in San Francisco where he built a following by performing faith healings across the state. His ministry- International Divine Healing Association (IDHA), was run largely as a commercial enterprise. All members were expected to tithe (10%) - this made them eligible to request Dowie’s aid to heal their ills. Not all of his business was legal and 2 women sued and won their cases. As a result he moved to Chicago in 1890 to take advantage of the crowds attracted to the 1893 World Fair. At the fair he staged ‘Divine Healings’ -he used audience ‘plants’ and other dubious methods. Numbers continued to grow and in 1894 he established the Zion Tabernacle downtown and many Zion buildings. He held services at Chicago’s Auditorium building ( See notes). He launched Zion publishing and started a weekly newsletter- Leaves of Healing (See notes) In 1896 IDHA, renamed Christian Catholic Apostolic Church in 1903. (See CCC) With a following of 6,000 he secretly bought land 40 miles north of Chicago and founded in July 1901 the city of Zion, Illinois. He personally owned all the land and all the property. Followers forced to to deposit their funds in the Zion ‘bank’-never registered. His family lived in luxury but Zion was continually in debt. His wife and family left him in 1903 because of his questionable practices 1904 visited Australia. Deposed in 1905. He suffered a stroke and recuperated in Mexico. John died on the 9 March 1907 and is buried in Lake Mound Cemetery, Zion, Illinois.

Keith Gordon Green (1953-1982) was an American contemporary Christian music pianist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his strong devotion to Christ and challenging others to do the same. Several of his compositions became standards. He unfortunately died in a plane crash in 1982. !! in total died, 2 were children Josiah and Bethany. Keith took to music at a very early age -age 3 ukulele, age 5 guitar. age 7 piano. Aged 8 he was noted by a major newspaper… Aged 10 he played the role of Kurt von Trapp in ‘The Sound of Music’. In 1964, aged 10, he was youngest person to sign with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. In 1965 he signed a 5 year contract with Decca records. Keith had Jewish heritage and was raised in Christian Science. He grew up reading the New Testament. As a teenager he experimented in drugs but aged 19 he met a fellow seeker -Melody Steiner. They were inseparable and married in 1973. In 1975 he renounced Christian Science and became a Jewish believer in Jesus, the Messiah. A week later Melody also became a believer. They bought a small house in Los Angeles which became ‘The Greenhouse’ - the place where people grew. They were both staff songwriters for CBS Records in Hollywood and were able to support whoever came to their houses -they bought bought 1 and rented 5 more! This non-profit ministry becameLast Days Ministries.(LDM) During his concerts he would often exhort his listeners to repent and commit themselves more wholly to follow Jesus. When his music was in Christian book shops a second cassette was included free of charge to help spread the Gospel His recording took off. ( Read ‘Recording’) In 1978 LDM started to published Last Days Newsletter - in mid 1985 renamed Last Days Magazine and sent to 500,000 worldwide. The crash on 28th July 1982 happened according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) because the pilot Don Alan Burmeister unfortunately overloaded the plane beyond its operating limitations. (Read ‘Death in plane crash’). Melody continued to lead LDM from Texas until 1996 when she moved to California. She launched LDM on line where all of Keith’s writings are free and his music can be found. The free LDM Newsletter is also sent by request. She maintains his facebook page in honour of Keith and shares her opinions on her page where she interacts with Green’s fans and LDM fans. Sources Wikipedia Have also included Keith’s thought about * So You Wanna Be A Rock Star* He finishes with these words Amen. Let us die graciously together and endure to the end like brave soldiers who give their lives, without hesitation, for our noble and glorious King of Light.

Thomas Ball Barratt (1862-1949) was a British born Norwegian pastor and one of the founding figures of the Pentecostal movement in Europe. Thomas was born in Cornwall but his parents emigrated to Norway when he was only 4 - he was bilingual. He began to preach at the age of 17. He pastored several churches in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) in Norway. In 1905 he travelled to the USA with the aim of raising funds to build a new premises in Kristiania. The Azasa Street Revival had happened in Los Angles on 9th April that year which resulted in the forming of the Pentecostal movement. Several ministers who were baptized in the Spirit at the Azusa Street Mission and who were passionate about helping others encounter God in this way, intersected with Barratt in New York when he was on his way home. He asked for prayer to receive the same blessing they had received. He was baptised in the Spirit on 15th November 1906 ( or 7th October if dif. source used) and thereafter spoke and even sang in tongues ( Read ‘T.B. Barratt and Revival in Norway’ which includes his personal, powerful, inspiring testimony, by Jan Miskov - her testimony - which follows, can be found on Wikipedia, is also worth reading!) He returned to Norway in December without funds or support. Instead in 1907 he held revival meetings in Oslo at his newly formed Filadelfia assembly. This attracted international attention and he became one of the prime movers of the Pentecostal movement in Europe. Thomas went to Kristiania in December 1906. On 23rd he told of his spiritual baptism, he stood and wept. Although he did not utter a word, it was of great importance, the spirit was present. On the 2nd Christmas Day more people experienced similar things. By New Year 1907 ten people had been baptised spiritually. This is considered the beginning of the Pentecostal movement in Norway. Alexander Boddy went to Norway and invited Thomas to visit his All Saints Church in Monkwearmouth in Sunderland. On 13th September 1907 Thomas wrote the eyes of the religious millions in Great Britain are now fixed on Sunderland. Alexander went onto become one of the founders of Pentecostalism in Britain. Thomas continued to travel abroad visiting Sweden, Finland, Poland Estonia, Iceland and Denmark. 1909 the M E C terminated his membership. He travelled to the UK to preach in Sion College, London and then to Sunderland for what became an annual Pentecostal celebration known as Whitsuntide Convention. He then went to Bournemouth to stay with Stanley Frodsham - another Pentecostal pioneer. Thomas emigrated to the USA . He continued to travel overseas to Palestine and India. 1939 he was elected, unanimously, to be President of the Great European Pentecostal Conference in Stockholm. On 29th January 1940 , aged 77, he died and was buried in Oslo. Up to 20,000 people lined the streets for his funeral. Oslo Christina 1624 Kristiania 1877 Oslo 1925

The Azusa Street Revival was a historic revival meeting place that took place in Los Angeles, California. The Holy Spirit came in waves in April 9th, 1906. William J. Seymour, the one eyed 34 year old son of a free slave led the meeting at 216 North Bonnie Brae Street. On April 9th, 1906, after 5 weeks of William’s preaching and praying, and 3 days into an intended 10 day fast, Edward S. Lee spoke in tongues for the first time. At the next meeting William shared Edward’s testimony and preached a sermon on Acts ch 2 v 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. and soon 6 others began to speak in tongues, including Jennie Moor- William’s future wife. After praying all night William spoke in tongues for the first time on 12 th April . The news spread quickly and crowds gathered. They held their first meeting on April 14th, 1906. Services were held outside to accommodate the crowds, People were baptized in the Holy Spirit, the sick were healed and sinners received salvation. To further accommodate the crowd an old dilapidated two storey frame building at 312 Azusa Street, in the industrial section of the city, was secured. In this humble Azusa Street Mission, originally built for an African Methodist Episcopal church, which had been turned into a livery stable, storage building and tenement house, and referred by a newspaper as a tumble down shack the Pentecostal church was born. (Read Azusa Street ‘Conditions’) The revival was characterised by spiritual experiences accompanied with testimonies of physical healing miracles, worship services and speaking in tongues. Proud, well dressed preachers came to ‘investigate’. Soon their high looks replaced with wonder, then conviction comes, and very often you find them in a short time wallowing on the dirty floor, asking God to forgive them and make them little children. Apostolic Faith All sorts of people came in their 100s ( 300-1500 would attempt to fit into the building) to worship from a diversity of backgrounds and different ages. Some came with both skepticism and a desire to participate. By the end of 1906 most leaders from Azusa Street had spun off to form other congregations. By the end of 1913 the revival at Azusa Street had lost its momentum. There is so much more to read about -background, Azusa -Services and worship criticism , and Legacy The revival is considered by historians to be the primary catalyst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century. Today there are more than 500 million Pentecostal and charismatic believers across the globe. it is the fastest growing form of Christianity. We continue to need more revival PENTECOSTS. ( Acts ch 2 v1-4)

Howell Harris (1714-1773 was a Calvinistic Methodist evangelist. He was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century along with Daniel Rowland and William Williams Pantyselyn. Howell was born on the 23rd January 1714 at Trefeca, naer Talgarth, Wales. He underwent religious conversion in May 1735 having heard Rev. Pryce Davies preach on palm Sunday on the necessity to take Holy Communion. After several weeks of self examination it reached a climax on Whit Sunday, May 1735, He felt convinced that he had received mercy through the blood of Christ. He began immediately to tell others. He held meetings in his house to encourage others to seek the same assurance. The Church of England were unwilling to accept him for ordination because of his ‘Methodist’ views so he became an itinerant preacher and travelled far and wide in Wales and England. He was tirelessly determined to spread the Word especially in Wales. His preaching led him into personal danger, persecution and hardship before he gained support. From 1738 Marmaduke Gwynne, a local squire and early convert, supported him. Howell became friends with Daniel Rowlands in about 1737. In 1750 he retreated to Trefeca after becoming the subject of a public scandal for his close friendship with ‘Madam’ Sidney Griffith. In 1752 he founded a religious community known as Teula Trefeca - The Trefeca family with himself as ‘Father’. His friendship with Daniel broke down when Howell became involved with Motavian errors. In 1763, 13 years later, friendship with Daniel renewed after reconciliation. They resumed their former activities. Howell died 10 years later on 21st July 1773. 20,000 are said to have attended his funeral. he was buried close to his birthplace in Talgarth. Howell Harris was effectively the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Wales, also known as the Calvinistic Methodist Church. In 1811 - not without much heart searching- the Welsh Calvinist Methodists broke away from the Church of England. He kept a detailed diary and filed letters sent and received. For years they gathered dust! These papers, some in Latin, offer a first hand account of the Welsh Methodist revival. In 2000 Howell Harris: From Conversion to Separation 1735-50 was published. ( Read ‘The papers of Howell Harris’)

Daniel Rowland(s) (c.1711/3 - 1790) was an Anglican curate who became a Methodist evangelist. He was one of the foremost figures in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist revival. along with Howell Harris and hymnist William Williams Pantycrlyn. For 55 years Daniel was one of the leading evangelists in Wales. Daniel was born early in the 18th century in Pantybeudy, Wales. He was ordained into the ministry aged 20. He was inducted as curate in the parishes of Natewnile and Llangeitho where his older brother was rector (he left the preaching and the work to Daniel). When his brother died he expected to be named rector but the bishop of St. David’s , to his surprise, named Daniel’s own son as the new rector. He was now curate to his son! Aged 20 he had no idea of the evangelical gospel. After a service he would enter with gusto into games and sports and end the day in a state of drunkenness. Daniel, in 1935, came under the influence of Griffith Jones who preached at Llandewibrefi and was converted. He was now 22 and married to Elinor(nee Davies). In February 1938 he met his counterpart Howell Harris, together they worked as leaders of the Methodist revival but in 1952 they fell out.(Howell had become involved with Moravian errors - they made up 10 years later). By 1742 a complete change had happened and he became one of the outstanding preachers of the evangelical awakening. Llangeitho memorably became a centre for Calvinistic Methodism in Wales. On Sundays the locals played sports and games.He went to them - he interrupted a cock-fight. He addressed them powerfully. No one opposed him and the Sabbath desecration stopped. From then on he never hesitated to preach in the open air. In 1760 the Methodist built a chapel in the village. The Anglican church in about 1763 deprived him of his Nantewnile curacy. In 1764 a new chapel was built. By 1770 he was attracting congregations of up to 10,000. His preaching now emphasised the saving work of Jesus on the cross, originally he had paid attention to God’s judgement,in his sermons. For nearly 55 years Daniel expound the Word of God in the village of Llangeitho and towns and villages close by. He would start with a verse from a hymn, read out his text and then in a calm and deliberate manner deliver his sermon. He would finish with a short prayer and give the benediction One morning he prayed 1935 ? *By Thine agony and bloody sweat, by Thy Cross and passion,by Thy precious death and burial, by Thy glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, good Lord deliver us. The minister and congregation were overcome by the presence of the Lord. The Holy Spirit had visited Llangeitho and soon the whole of the country would know He continued his weekly ministry for the next 55 years. On 16th October 1790, aged 77, he died. All agreed his ministry had been blessed In 1811, not without much heart searching, the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists broke away from the Church of England

Jane Mathison Haining (1897-1944) was a Scottish missionary for the church of Scotland in Budapest, Hungary. On 17th July 1944 she died in the infamous German concentration camp of Auschwitz. Jane, born on 6th June 1897, at Lochenhead farm, Duncore, Dumfrieshire, Scotland was the fifth child of Thomas and Jane Mathison. Her mother died giving birth to their sixth child in 1902, Jane was about 5. She grew up as a member of the Craig Church in Dunscore, part of the United Free church of Scotland. In 1909 she won a scholarship to Dunfries Academy where she boarded in the Moat Hostel for Girls. She graduated as the school’s dux (top pupil). After graduating she trained at the Athenaeum Commercial College in Glasgow. From 1917-27 she worked in Paisley for J.and P. Coats Ltd, a thread manufacturer, first as a clerk then as a secretary. She attended Queen’s Park West United Free church and taught Sunday School. This is when she thought about becoming a missionary. In 1927 she attended a meeting in Glasgow of the Jewish Mission Committee where the Rev. Dr. George Mackenzie discussed his missionary work. I have found my lifework! she reportedly said to a friend. Jane continued to work at Coats for nearly a year and a half - her manager at work was ill (5 months) and it took a year to train her replacement. She then did a 1 year diploma course at Glasgow College for Domestic Science in domestic science and housekeeping. After this she worked temporarily in Glasgow and then in Manchester as a matron. In 1932 she saw an ad in Life and Work for a matron in a Jewish girls’ mission school in Budapest, Hungary. ( See ‘Secretarial work, retraining’) She went for further training at St. Colm’s Women Missionary College in Edinburgh. her dedication service happened on 19th June 1932. The next day she left for Budapest. Jane liked Hungary and Budapest and soon became fluent in the language. She dedicated herself to helping helping her pupils Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on 30th January 1933. She was well liked by both her pupils and colleagues who regarded her as the best matron they had ever known. WW11 broke out on 3rd September 1939. Jane was on holiday in Cornwall with Margit Prem, the head of the school in Budapest. They immediately returned to Budapest. In 1940 she was advised to return home. She stayed saying Hungary was neutral. In 1941 Jewish refugees, from all over German occupied Europe, fled to Hungary to escape the Holocaust. On 19th March 1944 the German Wehrmacht invaded Hungary. Late April, early May, 1944 the Gestapo arrived. ( See ‘Arrest’ for charges) 15th May deported to Auschwitz - given no. 79467. Selected for work rather than gas chamber. 17th July died in hospital of cachexia and intestinal catarrh. In 1997 Jane was recognised by Yad Vashem in Israel as Righteous Among the Nations.

Jeanne- Marie Bouvier de la Motte- Guyon (1648-1717) ( commonly known as Madame Guyon was a French mystic and was accused of advocating Quietism, although she never called herself a Quiestist. Madame Guyon, born on the 13th April 1648, was the daughter of Claude Bouvier, a procurator of the tribunal of Montargis , in France. She was sickly as a child and her education neglected. Her childhood was spent between the convent and the home of of wealthy parents - moving 9 times in 10 years. Her parents were very religious and gave her a pious training. In 1664, aged 15, she was forced into an arranged marriage to Jacques Guyon, aged 38. She was in an unhappy marriage being treated badly by the mother-in-law and maidservant. Relatives died -half sister, mother and father. She had 5 children, 2 of those died. Her husband died leaving her a widow at the age of 28. During the marriage she was introduced to and instructed in mysticism by Fr. Francois La Combe. a Barnabite. (Mysticism -popularly know as becoming one with God or the Absolute. ( See 'Mysticism) Barnabite - religious order of clerics founded in 1530 (See Barnabites) ) After the death of her husband she lived quietly as a wealthy widower in Montargis. In 1679 re-established contact with Francois. In 1680 felt need to go to Geneva. The bishop encouraged her to set up a house for ‘new catholics’ in Gex, Savoy. There were problems with the sisters and Francois sent to intervene. She became ill and asked her mother-in-law to look after her 2 sons. She left her personal possessions but kept an annuity for herself. The bishop asked her to leave because of her ideas of mysticism. He expelled Francois. They moved to Turin and then onto Grenoble in France. January 1685 she published Moyen court et facile de faire oraison - A Short and Very Easy Method of Prayer. Quietism - the elevating of contemplation over mediation was regarded as a heresy. (Read Quietism ‘Christian philosophy’) The Bishop of Grenoble was perturbed- she left the city at his request. Francois was shut up in the Bastille. The arrest of Madam Guyon followed. She was released 7 months later. Theologians examined her book and she made a retraction of the propositions. Her book resulted in secret conferences being held at Issy. The 34 articles of Issy followed and she signed submission to them and returned secretly to Paris. On 24th December 1695 she was arrested again. She was imprisoned at Vincennes, then a convent at Vaugirard and then the Bastille. She signed another retraction on 23rd August 1699. After 7 years she was finally released on 21st March 1703. She retired to live with one of her children in Blois. Many pilgrims visited her. She enjoyed writing. She died, aged 69, on 9th June 1717. She never called herself a Quietist. Her book is still available ( See ‘Amazon’)

Ernest Gordon (1916-2002) was a soldier, a Japanese prisoner of War (POW) at the River Kwai Bridge, an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, a former Presbyterian dean of the chapel at Princeton University and an author. Ernest was born on 31st May 1916 in Greenock, Scotland. His parents were James Gordon and Sarah R. MacMillan. He became a company commanding officer in the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He fought in the Malayan Campaign and the battle of Singapore. He was captured in 1942. He was captured when trying to escape to Java. He spent 3 years in a Japanese POW - he helped build the Kwai bridge. He became seriously ill following torturous events and was placed in the ‘Death Ward’ - left to die. But thanks to 2 soldiers- a Methodist named 'Dusty Miller and ‘Dinty’ Moore, and their 24 hour care, he recovered. They would boil rags and clean and massage his diseased legs every day. On recovering he started a university in the camp in order to add purpose and direction the lives of the men. Ernest had arrived an agnostic but thanks to their care left a Christian. What happened to the 2 men who saved his life? Dusty Miller was crucified by a Japanese guard who was frustrated by his calm in the face of hardship. Dinty Moore died when the Allies sank his unmarked prisoner transport ship. Ernest returned to Scotland and became an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland at Paisley Abbey in 1950. He moved to the USA where he preached in Amagansett and Montauk. He then became the Presbyterian chaplain at Princeton, N.J. in 1954 and in 1955 he became dean (1955-81). In 1962 Through the Valley of the Kwai was published which gave a first hand account of the story of the ‘railway of death’. This inspired the movie *To End All Wars. * During his 27 year tenure at Princeton he was a frequent lecturer and author of articles on religion and morality on college campuses for theological journals and magazines. He was the first President of the Church Service Society of America. He served as trustee of the Purcell School and chaired the New Jersey Mental Health Research and Development Fund. On retirement in 1981 he moved to Washington D.C. to be the president of the Christian Rescue Effort for the Emancipation of Dissidents (CREED). He helped 100s of dissidents get out of prison in the Eastern Bloc. He travelled the world as a visiting lecturer. He later moved back to Princeton. Ernest died on 16th January 2002 aged 85. Thanks to the care of his two friends he lived another 60 years - years spent actively in the Lord’s service. Source used Wikipedia

Edward McKendree Bounds (1835-1913) known as E. M. Bounds was an American author, attorney and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South clergy. He wrote 11 books, 9 on prayer, but only 2 were published before his death. Edward was born on 15th August 1835. His parents were Thomas and Hester Bounds. It is surmised he got his middle name from the evangelist William McKendree. He was the fifth of 6 children, 3 boys, 3 girls. His father was the first Justice of the Peace in Shelby County. As County Commissioner in 1940 he advanced the building of the First Methodist Church. He died in 1849 of tuberculosis Edward, now aged 14, joined relatives in a trek to Mesquite Canyon in California following the discovery of gold. After 4 unsuccessful years they return to Missouri. He studied law at Hannibal Missouri. Aged 19 he became the youngest practicing lawyer in the area. Although apprenticed as an attorney he felt a call to the ministry during the Third Great Awakening. Following a brush outside revival meeting by evangelist Smith Thomas he closed his office and moved to Palmyra to enroll in the Centenary Seminary. 1859, aged 24, he was ordained and named pastor of Moticello, MIssouri Methodist Church. 12th April 1861-9th May 1865 the American Civil War. Edward lived in the north, but did not support slavery so he was held with other non-combatants in a Federal prison in St. Louis for 18 months. He was then transferred to Memphis and released in a prison exchange. On his release he became chaplain in the Confederate States Army. During the second battle of Franklin he suffered a sever forehead injury and taken prisoner. On28th June 1865 he was released upon taking the oath of loyalty to the United States. He felt compelled to return to war torn Franklin where he became the pastor of Franklin Methodist Episcopal Church. He was regionally celebrated for leading spiritual revival in Franklin. He eventually began an itinerant preaching ministry across the USA. He served served important churches in St. Louis. He became editor of the St. Louis Christian Advocate for 8 years. Then assistant editor of *The Nashville Christian Advocate * for 4 years. The trial of his faith came to him while in Nashville, and he quietly retired to his home without taking a pension. His principal work in Washington was rising and praying from 4 am to 7 am. He filled a few engagements as an evangelist during the remaining 18 years. While on speaking engagements he did not neglect his early morning time in prayer. No man could have made more melting appeals for lost souls and backslidden ministers then did Bounds. Tears ran down his face as he pleaded for us all in that room.Not a foolish word did we ever hear him utter. The Rev. Claudius Lysias Chilton Jr., an admirer of Bounds, worked on preserving and preparing his collection of manuscripts for publication. By 1921 Homer W. Hodge completed additional editorial work. ( see ‘Published works’)

Jeremiah Calvin Lanphier (1809-1898) was an American lay missionary in New York City. He is popularly regarded as having been instrumental in instigating the American religious revival of 1857-8. Jeremiah was born in Coxsackie, New York. His parents had emigrated from Holland. Aged 16 he was an apprenticed tailor in Albany. He later studied music under George Andrews. Together they became partners as cloth merchants in Lower Manhattan. Unfortunately they went bankrupt in 1842. While working as a cloth merchant he joined the choir at Broadway Tabernacle and became an evangelical Christian. He joined two other choirs, one being Pearl Street Church and took an active interest in the work of the church. When Pearl Street Church closed in 1853 he joined Duane Street Presbyterian Church, pastored by James Waddel Alexander. A member of the diocese of the nearby North Dutch Church offered him the position of lay missionary. He closed his business and began to work for the church on 1st July 1857. Although he was theologically trained he was a remarkable candidate for such a ministry. ( See characterization in ‘Entering the ministry’) As a lay missionary he distributed tracts, visited local businesses, invited children to Sunday school and invited guests staying in hotels to attend church. He felt time spent in prayer brought him the most peace and resolve. He decided to start a weekly noon prayer meeting for businesses when they closed for lunch. He handed out handbills to draw attention to the meetings. On Wednesday, 23rd September 1857 he set up a signboard in front of the church. No one came to the appointed room. He prayed for 30 minutes alone. At 12.30 another man joined him. 4 more joined before 1 o’clock. Week 2 - 20 men Week 3 - 40 men By October they met daily. By January 1858 they needed a second room By February they needed a third room with 20 noon meetings elsewhere. Mid March, Burton’s Theatre - capacity 3000 -was crowded End of March -New York church and public hall filled 10,000 met daily for prayer EXPEDIENTIALLY it EXPLODED. It was Pentecost all over again. The Holy Spirit was at work among the men of New York. The media were quick to spread the Good News. J. Edwin Orr, a student of the revival, estimated 1,000,000 were converted between 1858-9. Jeremiah’s prayers was answered. It was estimated that he preside over 11,000 prayer meetings at which 500,000 attended over 36 years. 56,000 prayers offered and 225,000 written prayers were submitted. Throughout the revival and for years afterwards he continued to hold his daily prayer meeting in Lower Manhattan. * The New York Times on his retirement, due to age and declining vision, in 1893, wrote success did not elate him, nor was he discouraged by indifference. Jeremiah died on 26th December 1898, aged 89.

captain Thomas Coram (c.1668-1751 was a philanthropist who created the London Foundling Hospital in Lamb’s Conduit Fields, Bloomsbury, to look after abandoned children. It is said to be the world’s first incorporated charity. Thomas Coram, while living in Rotherhithe , regularly travelled into London. He was frequently shocked by the sight of infants exposed in the streets, often in a dying . He agitated for the foundation of a foundling hospital. This institution was to be a children’s home for children and orphans who could not be properly cared for. He laboured for 17 years. He induced many ladies of rank to sign a memorial. King George 11, in 1739, finally signed a charter for the Foundling Hospital and considerable sums were subscribed. 20th November 1739 saw the first meeting of the guardians at Somerset House. Later a vote of thanks was given to Coram who requested thanks should also be given to the interested ladies. William Hogarth, a personal friend of Thomas, showed great interest in the undertaking. In May 1740 he presented his portrait of Coram to the hospital. He introduced a portrait of Coram into an engraved power of attorney for receiving subscriptions. He presented a picture of Moses with Pharaoh’s daughter. Finally he gave 157 tickets in the lottery for the ‘March to Finchley’ -one of the 157 tickets won the prize. Some houses were taken and the first children were admitted in 1741. A piece of land was bought for £7,000 in Bloomsbury. Lord Salisbury, the owner insisted that the whole of his ground as far as Gray’s inn lane should be taken. He also subscribed £500. Coram continued to invest in the hospital. Up until 1742 he continued to be elected to the General Committee. But at the May Day meeting in 1742 he did not receive enough votes. As a result he no longer had any say in the management of the hospital. Why? No clear reason is obvious but he is said to have spread defamatory rumours about 2 of the governors or he expressed criticism towards how the hospital was run. 16th September 1742 the foundation stone for the hospital was laid. October 1745 the west wing was finished. Children moved into the new building. Hogarth was among the first governors of the Foundling hospital. Handle gave performances at the hospital in 1749 and 1750. ( See ‘Legacy’) . Today the Foundling Hospital continues as the children’s charity Coram, with a mission to improve the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people. ( See ‘Coram’ for more info) In 2000Coram Boy - a children’s book about the hospital, by Jamila Gavin was published. Now a play. William Coram died on 29th March 1751, aged 81. He was buried in the chapel of the Foundling Hospital. A statue and inscription was erected in front of the building 100 years later. In 1935 the building was demolished. Today his exhumed remains are in the chapel of Ashlyns School.

William Grimshaw (1708-1763) is a name frequently missed when the 18th century revival is mentioned. William Romaine described him as the most indefatigable preacher that ever was in England. He was educated in Blackburn before going to Cambridge University as a sizar. (Sizars were given their education and keep free at the university in return for duties as servants to wealthy students, When they graduated they were ordained into the C. of E. and placed in outlying poor parishes.) He began his ministry as a curate in Todmorden, Yorkshire in 1731. There he indulged in very earthly pursuits- card playing, fox hunting, shooting etc. He changed when his young wife died, saw a parishioner suffering from post-natal depression and having a mystical experience. He under went a profound spiritual change and became an ardent evangelical. He had been a curate for 10 years before his converted. After his conversion in 1741 he moved to Haworth in 1742. When he arrived there was barely a dozen regular communicants, a year later there was nearly a 1000. Visiting preachers included the Wesley brothers and John Newton. In 1758 he built a Methodist chapel. 6,000 attended these meetings, William was a very powerful preacher and often used broad dialect. He mixed authority with humour, bluntness with tenderness, condemnation with compassion. Being healthy and strong he preached alternative weeks on 2 circuits. He was also a very good pastor. He regularly visited the housebound, elderly and sick and over seeing the education of the young. On one occasion he was so angry with his congregation’s response to his sermon he put a donkey in the pulpit! He imposed a rigorously imposed Sabbath observance on the whole village. By the time he died, 2i years later, there had been a major transformation in that bleak Yorkshire village.and the surrounding area. Drunkards had become sober, wasters had been changed into industrious family men and the Gospel flame spread far an wide. Faith Cook - William Grimshaw remembered William stayed until 1763 when he caught Typhus from a parishioner he went to visit. Realising he was about to die he asked his friend Henry Venn to preach at his funeral on For me to live is Christ and to die is gain - his personal beacon since his conversion. William, aged 55, died on 7th April 1763. Hie final whispered words were *I have nothing to do but step out of bed into heaven. I have my foot upon the threshold already. William Grimshaw of Haworth was a remarkable character and a leading figure in the evangelical revival of the 18th Century. Sources used William Grimshaw remembered The Revd. Willaim Grimshaw of Haworth (1708-17630 .

Christmas Evans (1766-1838) was born on Christmas day, December 25th 1766. He was Welsh nonconformist minister who has been described as ‘the greatest preacher that the Baptists have ever had in Great Britain’ known by D.M. Lloyd-Jones. Christmas was born near the village of Llandysul, Cardiganshire. His father, a shoemaker, died when his son was 9 years of age. He grew up as an illiterate farm labourer. He stood about 7 feet tall and lost an eye during a youthful brawl. Aged 17 he became the servant of David Davies, a Presbyterian minister, who taught him to read and write in English and Welsh. Visiting Calvinistic Methodist preachers and members of the Baptist church in Llandysul influenced him, so he joined the Baptists. Career In 1789 he settled for 2 years on the remote Llyn Peninsula in Caernarfonshire. He then moved to Llangeful in Anglesey. here on a stipend of £17 a year,he built up a strong Baptist community. Many new chapels were built, the money being collected on preaching tours which he undertook in South Wales. In 1826 he moved to Caerphilly, where he stayed for 2 years. In 1828 he moved to Cardiff. In 1832, responding to an urgent call, He settled in Caernarfon and again took undertook the old work of building and collecting. Style of preaching Christmas was a remarkably powerful preacher. With a natural aptitude for his calling he united a nimble mind and an inquiring spirit. His chief characteristic was a vivid and affluent imagination, which absorbed and controlled his other abilities, he earned the name ‘The Bunyan of Wales’. His sermons enlightened the understanding and warmed the heart. His piety humble and his faith fervently evangelical. His famous ‘The Graveyard Sermon’ was included in Grenville Kleiser’s 1909, 9 volume The World’s Great Sermons. . In 1838 he was taken ill, in the house of Daniel David,while on another tour of South Wales. He died in Swansea on 19th July 1838. His funeral was one of the largest ever attended in the country. He is buried in the grounds of Swansea’s Bethesda Chapel. His works were edited by Owen Davies in 3 volumes and published in Caernarvon between 1895-7. Christmas evans came on the scene in the late 18th century and became one of the greatest preachers in the national history of powerful Gospel preaching in Wales (It is believed to bring good luck to kiss his headstone - making it the Swansea version of the Barney Stone.) Source Wikipedia

Elizabeth Prout, a Shrewsbury born nun, is on course to become Britain’s first female non-martyr saint in 800 years after the Vatican ruled she had lived a life of ‘heroic virtue’. Her sainthood cause was submitted to the Vatican in 2008. Elizabeth Prout, also known as Mother Mary Joseph of Jesus (1820-1864) was the founder of the Roman Catholic religious institute originally called the Institute of the Holy Family, but known later as the Passionist Sisters or Sisters of the Cross and Passion. She was received into the Catholic faith in her early twenties-parents opposed it. The so called ‘Mother Teresa of Manchester’, i n 1848. aged 28, became a nun and was given a teaching post in some of th poorest areas of Manchester, working largely among Irish migrants and factory workers who were fleeing the Great Famine. Parts of Manchester in 1844 were described as ‘this hell on earth’. An observer 4 years later described the place where Elizabeth worked - the Angel Meadow district as*the lowest, most filthy, most unhealthy and most wicked locality - the home of prostitutes, their bullies, thieves, codgers, vagrants, tramps and in the very worst sties of filth and darkness- the low Irish. The life of Elizabeth and her female companions was strict They laboured for much of the day in prayer and working for the local poor. Her original companions found it too strict and left. Father Gaudentius Rossi, who greatly influenced her, drew up ’ a rule of life’ for the Institute of the Holy Family. and new recruits joined. On 21st November 1852 the new sisters received a religious habit . At her clothing she became Mother Mary Joseph of Jesus - her religious name. The new institute was criticised for its revolutionary ideas -the nuns had to earn their own wages to support themselves The nuns worked so they became ill. Unable to afford a doctor she nursed them back to health. Conflict within the community took its toll on her work, particularly the finances of the Institution. She went to Ireland to beg for alms for her Institute. On her return things were even worse- the sisters were accused of irregularity. The resulting investigation proved extremely positive because it revealed the deep poverty of the sisters and the sacrifices they had made in their hard work. She opened 9 schools for poor children and homes for the destitute women across the industrial region ( Read ‘Work in Manchester’) The Vatican approved the new order in 1863. The institute was originally called the Institute of the Holy Family, but later known as the Passionist Sisters or the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. The deeply practical Elizabeth was the first Superior General. Elizabeth, aged 43, died the following year,on 11th January, 1864. Her body , with Dominic Barberi and Ignatius Spencer lies in the shrine of St. Anne’s Church, Sutton. The latest up date on her possible saint hood. Elizabeth declared Venerable by the Vatican in January 2021.

Bapa Timmy (1897-1988) lived in a mountain village on Buru, one of 1000s of islands that make up the republic of Indonesia. Bapa as a young boy practiced animism. He worshiped his ancestors and did his best to please the evil spirits he believed were in the trees, rocks and other objects. Tragedy struck when 10 of his sisters and brothers died. In his sorrow he began to search for the unknown God he believed must exist. God began to reveal himself to him and he gave up his former religion. He asked God to forgive him his sins. Several years later he met an Assemblies of God believer. He then went to Bible school in Indonesia. On his return tn his village they were unhappy because he had rejected the local customs. One day 30 men came out of the mountains and attacked him. He was nearly beaten to death but within a week he had recovered but 24 of his attackers had died. The other 6 were afflicted with various sicknesses - they went to Bapa and joined him in following Jesus . One year, for 9 months, no rain fell on his village. Crops failed A recent forest fire had the left the land charred. The witch doctors efforts failed… Bapa saw this was an opportunity to show his village that the Lord Jesus was the one true God. He prayed to God for rain - he gave the witch doctors the day and the time. Like in the time of Elijah (1 Kings 18 verses 41-6) the rain poured down. Everywhere was wet except where Bapa and the witch doctors stood! He went to Danu Rana, a village nearby. 100 were waiting. They had already decided to accept God- the Holy Spirit fell and all began to speak in tongues. This happened in 1953. Bapa died in 1988 aged 91. His influence lives on in the 13 churches started through his influence. Enjoy reading out the story and showing the pictures. Source Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge from Assemblies of God World Missions

Demos Shakarian Jr. (1913-1993) was an American businessman of Armenian origin from Los Angeles. He founded the Full Gospel Business men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI). The Happiest People on Earth (1975) is his story and the story of FGBMFI. A large group of Pryguny (Christian Sect in Russia), including the Shakarian family, began to arrive in Los Angeles in 1905. They settled within a mile of the Azusa Street Revival and were delighted to meet spiritual faiths in America similar to theirs. Demos was born 8 years later. When he grew up he entered the family business of dairy farming. Their milk herd grew to become the largest in the world at that time. He used organizational abilities to facilitate Evangelistic campaigns with Charles S. Price and others. He spent most of his adult life building the FGNFI (started 1952) for free. Honorariums and monies from speaking engagements he deposited back into the ministry. Every year he would resign his position as president, step into the hall, and allow the 200 board to vote for the next president! He noted from his tent campaigns that they mainly attracted women. He wanted FGNFI to establish and encourage more participation by men by providing a platform for businessmen to give religious testimonies. The fellowship grew to 190 countries. He also played a key role in working with Paul Crouch to help launch Trinity broadcasting network (TBN), working to fund Joel Olsteen’s father John Olsteen’s ministry and played a key role in helping grow the Voice of Healing Revival. (Read ‘Healing Revival’) For the full story of Demos Shakarian and FGNFI the book need to be read. (See Amazon advert) The FGB today, has 6,000 chapters in around 160 countries worldwide. The FGB allows for men and women an opportunity to come together, from any church or non-church background to hear something of the reality of the presence of God and His power at work within our lives. (Read ‘About FGB’) Source used Wikipedia