I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
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.
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.
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
I decided to create a poetry aid to go with my Snow and Ice material. I have included a Thaw vocabulary and poetry aid, a vocabulary sheet about flooding plus a clip art picture for best copy.
Thawing snow combined with heavy rain can create serious flooding,
I have put together several vocabularies which I hope will encourage children to write about themselves.
Self Portrait will get them to ‘draw’ in both picture and words themselves.
Hobbies and interests
They might even like to try and write a diary - useful phrases and word bank given.
In lock down perhaps they have been asked to help with DIY.
When I grow up - a chance to write down their dreams and ambitions.
Pranks - they might like to try one and write about the outcome/consequences!
Most children have or want a pet - 2 sets to choose from.
Cycling - most, if not all children have ridden a bicycle.
There is a chance to write either prose or attempt poetry.
In 1941 penicillin was used for the first time on a human. Albert Alexander was a policeman from Oxford. he had a sever facial infection. His condition improved but supplies of penicillin ran out and died.
Alexander Fleming and Ernest Chain shared a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 for their pioneer work in penicillin.
Source used
On This Day The history of the World in 366 days
Saint Blaise was a physician and bishop of Sebaste in Asia Minor. it is believed he was martyred in 316 AD.
People came ‘flocking’ to him because he was able to cure them of bodily and spiritual ills. Apparently he could also heal animals.
l
The Roman Emperor Licinius believed that arresting and punishing important leaders like Saint Blaise would prevent other people from becoming Christians.
One of the stories told about him was that on his way to prison he cured a boy who had a bone stuck in his throat. The legend reads-
As he was being led to jail, a mother set her son, choking to death of a fish-bone, at his feet, and the child was cured straight away. Regardless, the governor, unable to make Blaise renounce his faith, beat him with a stick, ripped his flesh with iron combs and beheaded him
Up until 1825 a Bishop Blaize festival and procession were held at Bradford. A child would recite these words-
Hail to the day when kind auspicious rays
Deigned first to smile on famous Bishop Blaize.
He is the patron saint of people with diseases of the throat.
On February 3rd many parishes bless the throats of their parishioners in a special ceremony. Two unlit candles are held next to each person’s throat as the priest or deacon says -
Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
His name is found on inn signs in towns which became centres of the wool trade such as Cirencester and Exeter.
It is believed he was tortured by having his body torn apart with the iron combs then used by woolcombers, then beheaded.
Saint Blaise is one of the 14 Holy helpers and became one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages.
According to Apocryphal tradition Saints Anna and Joachim were the parents of Mary, and therefore the grandparents of Jesus.
Anna is the a version of the Hebrew name Hanna. Anna means grace.
According to tradition Joachin went to the temple to pray but was not allowed in because he did not have a child. Anna heard, prayed and sacrificed.
She promise God she would bring up a child in in God’s name.
An angel came to them and were told they would be granted a baby.
When the baby was born they named the child Mary
Anna became the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Source
Saint Anne Facts for Kids
Cambridge Seven were 6 students from Cambridge University and one from the Royal Military Academy(RMA). In 1885 they decided to become missionaries in China through the China Inland Mission.
For a month before they left the 7 toured University campuses of England and Scotland, holding meetings for students. During the tour someone dubbed them '‘The Cambridge Seven’
On the 18th March 1885 they arrived in Shanghai and engaged in a variety of ministries throughout China.
The 7 were;-
William Wharton Cassels
Stanley Peregrine Smith
Charles (C.T.) Thomas Studd (See separate TES entry)
Arthur T. Polhill-Turner
Cecil H. Polhill- Turner
Montagu Harry Proctor Beuchamp
Dixon Hoste (RMA (See ‘Work’ for what each of them achieved)
One of the missiological distinctives of CIM was that the missionaries were expected to wear Chinese dress and queue (pigtail). ( See picture of 7)
The conversion and example of the 7 was one of the grand gestures of 19th century missions, making them religious celebrities; as a result their story was published as 'The Evangelisation of the World: A missionary Band and became a national best seller.
The China Inland Mission was set up in 1865 by James Hudson Taylor. The missionary society became known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (1964), today it is called OMF International (1990s).
Source
Wikipedia
Saint Simon and Saint Jude share the same feast day - 28th October.
Simon the Zealot, or Simon the Canaanite, or Simon the Canaanean is one of the most obscure among the apostles of Jesus. He appears in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and the Book of Acts each time there is a list of the 12 apostles without further detail
Simon ( also called Peter) then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee). John (James’s brother), Philip, Barthlomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector) James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus. Simon ( the zealot) Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him) . NLT Study Bible
Matt 10 v 1-4 Luke 6 v14-16 Mark 3 v13-19 Act 2 v13
Simon may have belonged to the strict group of Pharisees who called themselves the Zealots.
Saint Jude was known under various names. In the list of 12 apostles above he is identified as Thaddeus. Elsewhere he is called Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus.
He is sometimes identified with Jude , the brother of Jesus but is clearly distinguished from Juda Iscariot, the apostle who who betrayed Jesus. In the Roman Catholic church he is the patron saint of desperate and lost causes
Most versions of the New Testament in languages, other than French or English, refer to Jude and Judas by the same name this makes Identification difficult.
He in not thought to be the author of the epistle of Jude! (Read ‘Identity’)
They are both listed in Acts ch 2 when the Holy Spirit fell upon upon the eleven and the other believers (about 120) at Pentecost. They are not mentioned again.
It is said that St. Simon might have been martyred in Persia and that St Jude was martyred at the same time.
Jim and Elisabeth Elliot are 2 of the most influential people in the history of missions. Their lives reflect total devotion to Christ and to the message of the gospel. Their stories of perseverance, suffering and even death have inspired many to go reach unreached peoples.
Madeline Pena
Jim decided to go with 4 friends to convert the Huaoriani people of Ecuador.
It cost all 5 their lives. Their plans were preempted by the arrival on January 8th 1956 of a large group of about 10 Huarorani Warriors who killed all five of them.
What I had not realised when I wrote my Acua 5 information for TES was what his wife, Elisabeth did following his death.
Elisabeth went back to the Aucas tribe in 1958 with their 3 year old daughter Valerie. She stayed with them for 2 years. In 1960 the tribe accepted Christ as their Lord and saviour.
Checking back on the notes I used last time I read about the Acua 5 *Books have been written about them in numerous biographers most notably Elisabeth Elliot.
Elisabeth indeed wrote 3 books which chronicled her husband’s martyrdom Shadow of the Almighty, Through Gates of Splendour and The Savage My Kinsman.
Elisabeth passed away in 2015.
See also Acua 5
Source used
Wikipedia
Kensington Temple is a Pentecostal Church in the Notting Hill area of London, England. Its former ministers include George Jeffries, Eldin Corsie, Wynne Lewis and Colin Dyer.
The present church building was founded as Horbury Chapel in 1849 and used by the Hornton Street Congregational church in 1849.
George Jeffireys, who birthed the Elim Pentecostal denomination, purchased the building in 1930.
This became the Bible Pattern Church Fellowship, Elim’s flagship church, becoming Kensington Temple Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1935. George chose the name of the church.
The building reverted to the Elim Church in the early 1960s. The church as it is known today was founded in 1965 by the Elim minister Rev. Eldin Corsie. The congregation grew under Corsie to 600. Under the next minister, Rev. Wynne Lewis the congregation became several .(He later became Elim’s Church General Superintendent .
Since the 1980’s Kensington Temple, nicknamed by its members as ’ KT’ has planted 150 churches across London.
Colin Dye became Senior Minister at KT in 1991. Soon after he experienced a new and powerful anointing on his life as the Lord released revelation gifts of prophecy, words of knowledge and healing. in various missions across the world he began to see signs and miracles accompany his ministry and rejoiced to see dramatic church growth,
He founded the International Bible Institute of London which is one of the nation’s premier centres of training for the ministry.
He is being used by God to build on the successes of the past to take the church forward into the 21st century
Source used
Wikipedia
David Ray Wilkinson (1931-2011) was an American Christian evangelist and author best known for his book The Cross and the Switchblade (1962).
David was born on 19th May 1931 in Indiana. he is was born into a family of preachers. In his testimony he says he was baptized with the Holy Spirit aged 8.
He began to preach when he was 14. After high school he entered Central Bible College, Springfield in Missouri which was affiliated to the Assemblies of God. In 1952 he was ordained a minister.
In 1953 he married Gwendolyn Rose ‘Gwen’ Carosso. He served as pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg in Pennsylvania.
Early in 1958 he saw photographs in Life Magazine of 7 teenagers who were members of a gang called ‘Egyptian Dragons’ in New York. He went to the court to speak to them but the judge ejected him. Someone took a photo of him leaving and he became known as the Bible preacher who had interrupted the gang trial.
Soon after he began a street ministry to young drug addicts. In 1958 he founded Teen Challenge from a small office in Staten Island, New York (NY).
(Read ‘Our story-Teen Challenge’)
The Cross and the Switchblade book and film tells how he moved to N Y and changed the lives of the ‘Mau Maus’ teenager gang leader Nicky Cruz and his friend israel Narvaez, after they had heard him preach. The book was a best seller - 50 million copies were sold. The 1970 film stared Pat Boone.
( Read the challenging book- I did- see Amazon advert)
In 1967 he founded Youth Crusades an evangelistic ministry aimed at teenagers who were restless and bored. His goal was to prevent them becoming heavily involved with drugs, alcohol or violence, On 22nd September he founded World Challenge - which sort to promote and spread the Gospel throughout the world.
He claimed in 1986 the Holy Spirit, while in NY called him to raise a ministry in Times Square. He founded and became pastor of the non-denominational Times Square Church. In 1989 the Hellinger was leased to the Times Square Church for $1 million per year, on a 5 year lease.
(Read about ‘Mark Hellinger Theatre’)
On the 27th April, 2011 David, aged 79, died in Texas when his car crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a tractor -trailer. His wife was also serious injured.
At his funeral speakers, including leadership of the church Wilkerson had founded and his relatives, honoured the evangelical pastor for a life ‘well- lived’ through personal testimonies and songs rejoicing that he in now in heaven,
It was all about Jesus Christ, Carter Conion, senior pastor of Times Square Church, said of Wilkerson’s life
HIs wife, Gewndolyn, died a year later on 5th July 2012 from cancer, aged 81.
Source used
Wikipedia
William Adendnegro Thompson (1811-1880) was triplet. He was an English bare-knuckle boxer who won the heavy weight championship of England from James Burke on 12th February 1839. a
As a boxer he was credited with introducing the Southpaw stance. He had 2 nicknames Bendigo and Bendego.
On 6th June 1850 he fought and beat Tom Paddock, it was his last fight. He was arrested for drunkenness and fined 5 shillings. He won 19/20 of his bare-knuckle fights
In 1870 he saved 3 people from drowning.
In 1872 he attended a congregation held by preacher Richard Weaver. He was illiterate but delivered a strong and convincing sermon. When preaching he would take up his boxer’s stance. He would point to his trophies and say
See them belts? See them cups? I used to fight for those, but now I fight for Christ.
His popularity as a boxer brought enormous crowds to his sermons with scores left outside. He spent the next few years touring the country preaching to crowds of 1000s, becoming more popular. Some noted that although he couldn’t read the Bible his straightforward manly speech could be useful
Aged 68 he fell down the stairs fracturing a rib and puncturing a lung. He died seven weeks later on 23rd August 1880
1000s lined the street for his funeral procession and The Times of London published his obituary. His tomb, with a crouching lion, at the burial grounds at Bath Street Rest Gardens, near Victoria Leisure Centre bears this inscription.
In life always brave,
Fighting like a lion
In death like a lamb,
Tranquil in Zion.
Source used
Wikipedia
Evan John Roberts was mightily used by the Holy Spirit between 1904/5.
He was an evangelist and leading figure of the 1904/5 Welsh Revival.
Evan was born in Loughor, Wales on 8th June 1878. He was raised in a Calvinistic Methodist home. He attended church regularly and memorized scripture at night.
His father had a serious accident down the coal mine when his son was nearly 12. When his father was fit to work 3 months later Evan left school and began to work in the coal mines as a doorboy. He took his Bible underground and read it at every opportunity. He worked in the coal mines until 1902. Aged 21 he became an apprentice to his uncle - a blacksmith in Pontarddulais. For 15 months he worked at the forge but his desire was to preach.
Meanwhile Rev. Seth Joshua, from the beginning of the 20th century, had been praying for God to send an ordinary young man, who had worked in the mines, to lead a Revival in Wales.
In 1904 Rev. Joseph Jenkins prayed earnestly for change in the church. In February young Florrie Evans rose to her feet*I love Jesus Christ with all of my heart *
Immediately the whole meeting seemed to catch fire. Young people found it easy to pray and talk about their experiences. (Read ‘The origins of the Revival’)
13th September Evan and his friend Sidney Evans went to Newcastle Emlyn to attend Trefecca College to train for the ministry.
On September 29th he attended a conference at Blaenannerch where the Rev. Seth Joshua prayed that God would ‘bend’ the people in the congregation. Evan prayed God would ‘bend’ him. He was made utterly obedient and utterly willing.
(Read ‘Evan at Blaenannerch’)
The Holy Spirit urged him to return home to Loughor. Having sought permission to go home from Rev. Evan Phillips, the minister of Newcastle, he followed his advice and caught the train.
What followed was an incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
From 31st October, in Moriah, he made pleas for people to rise and confess - each day the power of the Holy Spirit felt more powerful.
On 6th November Evan asked those attending a pray meeting in the vestry to pray the same pray.
O send the Holy spirit now for Jesus Christ’s sake.
**He descend with great fire upon the people present and they prayed until a late hour.
Read the rest of the 1904 sheets covering the Revival Meetings, The Effect of the Revival in Wales, The Out Pouring of the Holy Spirit in Wales. WONDERFUL.
This continued for 2 years. 100,000 Christians influenced the spiritual life of Wales and the world.
Evan in 1906, exhausted, mentally and physically, stayed in the home of William and Jessie Penn- Lewis.
He recovered in 1907 to became a prayer intercessor- praying up to 18 hours a day.
He occasionally spoke or counseled.
In 1930 he returned to Cardiff, Wales.
He died, aged 72, on 29th January 1951
Susanna Wesley (1669-1742) was the mother of John and Charles Wesley.
She is known as the Mother of Methodism because conscious or unconsciously would have applied the example and teachings and circumstances of their home life.
Susanna was the 25th of 25 children to be born into the Annesley Family. Her father Dr. Samuel Annesly was a Dissenter from the established church of England .
Aged 12 she stopped attending her father’s church and joined the Church of England.
She married Samuel Wesley on 12th November 1688 when she was 20, he was 27. They had 19 children. 9 died as infants - 4 were twins and one was accidentally smothered by a maid. When she died, aged 73, only 8 were still alive.
Her husband was a very authoritarian rector and unpopular with the people at Epworth - they tried twice to burn the rectory down. He was rescued from debtors prison by the personal intervention of Archbishop Sharpe of York. He left her for a year because of a minor dispute.
Susanna took responsibility for her children. She imposed s strict daily routine. From birth they were put into a regular METHOD of living. At a year old they were taught to fear the rod and to cry softly. They had 3 meals a day. At 6 in the evening, after family prayers, they had supper, washed and put to bed.
Aged 5 formal education began - they attended lessons for 6 hours a day. On day one they were expected to learn the alphabet - 2 daughters took a day and 1/2
She had the happy talent of imbuing a child’s mind with every kind of useful knowledge in such a way as to stamp it indelibly on the memory- grandson Charles.
After the second fire she was forced to place the children in different houses for nearly 2 years. She was responsible for their education and mortified that her children began to use improper speech and play more than study. She found time to spend time with each child during the week.
When her husband went to London to defend a friend, on charges of heresy, he appointed a curate. His sermon in the morning service revolved solely about repaying debts so she set up her own Sunday afternoon activities. The children read psalms, she read her husband’s sermons. The locals asked if they could join- The curate was unhappy and complained to Samuel. Susanna’s response was if he forbade her doing good, he would have to stand with her on judgement day and explain why he had issued this command. Samuel bowed to her challenge and the meetings resumed.
Samuel’s work on the Book of Job , his life’s work, had little impact on his family other than hardship.
Susanna practised daily devotions. throughout her life.
She wrote letters,meditations and scriptural commentaries. many were lost in the rectory fire but many survived. *Susanna Wesley, The complete writings
has been made accessible by Charles Wallace.
Susanna Wesley, the Mother of Methodism, died on 23rd July 1742 aged 73, and was buried at Bunhill Fields in London.
Samuel Kaboo Morris (1873-1893) was a Liberian prince from the Kru Tribe. He was converted to evangelical Christianity around the age of 14 - a short time after a ‘blinding light’ released him from his ropes.
Around the age of 18 he left Liberia for USA to achieve an education and arrived at Taylor University in December 1891. He died from complications of a respiratory infection in 1893. A residence hall at Taylor University bears his name.
His life has been the subject of 5 novels, over 12 biographies, a 1954 film and a 1988 documentary.
He was born in Liberia in 1973, He was a prince of the Kru tribe. Aged 14 his tribe was attacked by the Grebos. He was captured and used as a ‘pawn’. His father was forced to pay each month to ensure his safety. When he had no more money the Grebos began to daily tortured his son with a poisonous, thorny vine he used as a whip.
One night there was a flash of light and a voice telling Kaboo to flee. His ropes fell off and his sick body gained strength. The bright light guided him through the night.
(Read his incredible story based on his own account).
Having escaped he came to a coffee plantation owned by a former slave who was a Christian. He worked there with another boy from his village. He began to attend church where he was taught by missionaries. On hearing of Paul’s conversion where he encountered a blinding light he converted to Christianity. he was baptised and took the name Samuel Morris -the name of one of the missionaries. He wanted to go
to America and was encouraged to meet Stephen Merritt, a Christian teacher in New York.
After waiting at the docks he eventually found a passage to N.Y. in exchange fro work. He was initially abused on the 5 month journey but he won them round. They saw him praying even during dangerous storms Many of the crew were converted.
In N.Y. he found Stephen Merritt.and he lodged with him. The Samuel Morris Missionary Society was formed to to collect funds to send Kaboo to Taylor University.
he encouraged many people in their faith. Students often asked to pray with him
Newspapers wrote about the boy from Africa who was charging Fort Wayne with the electric power of God.
His desire was to return to Africa as a a missionary but late in 1892 he suffered a case of pneumonia which would eventually end his life. He died on 12th May 1893 aged just 20.
Students acted as pallbearers at his funeral. many felt led to go to Africa as missionaries in his place.
HIs body initially was buried in the ‘Negro’ section of the cemetery but was moved to the centre of the cemetery, linking blacks and whites in death like he did in life.
Famous Christian Mystic
Apostle of Simple faith
Exponent of the Spirit filled life
(Read the rest of the memorial placed at his gravesite)
David Brainerd (1718-1747) was an American missionary to the Native Americans. He had a fruitful ministry among the Delaware Indians of New Jersey. During his short life he was beset by many physical difficulties.
As a result his diary,Life and diary Of David Brainerd(1749) edited by Jonathan Edwards, he became a source of inspiration and encouragement to many Christians.
David was born on 20th April 1718 in Haddam, Connecticut.He was one of 9 siblings.He was orphaned at the age of 14 when his father died, his mother died 5 years later.
After his mother’s death he lived with Jerusha, one of his older sisters. in East Haddam. Aged 19 he inherited a farm in Durham but did not enjoy the experience. He returned to his sister’s. A year later he prepared to go to Yale University.
12th July, 1739, he had ‘inspeakable glory’ - a conversion experience…
September entered Yale. In his second year he was sent home after a serious illness.(now believed to be tuberculosis (TB))
When he returned to Yale in December 1740 there was tension between the college trustees and their students relating to the enthusiasm of the students In 1741 a decree was passed that anyone who called staff hypocrites after a second offence would be expelled.
Jonathan Edwards came to preach and David commented that one of his tutors - Chauncey Whittelsey ‘has no more grace then a chair’. He was also alleged to ask why the Rector ‘did not drop dead’. He was expelled. He apologized for the first comment but denied making the second.
A recent law had been passed that ministers could only be appointed in Connecticut if they had graduated from Harvard or Yale. He had to reconsider his plans.
In 1742 he was licensed to preach for a group called ‘New Lights’. Jonathan Dickinson noticed him and tried to get him reinstated at Yale but failed. it was suggested he worked as a missionary among Native Americans, supported by the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian knowledge (SSPSK). He was approved on 25th November 1742.
1st April 1743, after a brief time serving a church on Long Island, he began working with Native Americans He began working at Kaunameek, a Housatonic Indian settlement. He stayed there a year. He began a school and to translate the Psalms.
He then worked for a year with the Delaware Indians along the Rivernorthwest of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
He then moved to Crossweeksung in New Jersey where he established a Christian community of 130 members.
By November 1746 his health- a form of depression - 22 times- stopped him from working. He moved first to Jonathan Dickenson’s house. After a few months rest. he moved to Jonathan Edward’s house. 17 year old Jerusha Edwards nursed him… He managed a trip to Boston.
He suffered greatly and died of TB at Edward’s house on the 9th October 1747, aged just 29.
Life and Diary of David Brainerd is still in print (see Amazon flier)
Douglas Roger Scott (1900-1967) was an English Revival preacher and evangelist who devoted most of his ministry to France. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal movement in France and the main founder of the Assemblies of God in France.
He was born in Essex.
Douglas experienced a conversion/new birth during an evangelistic meeting organised on Whitecross Street in London. From 1925 he devoted a large part of his time proclaiming the gospel in public meetings.He based hie message on the 4 pillars of Elim Pentecostalism - Jesus saves, heals, baptizes and will return. He became an itinerant preacher in Essex and founded an Elim Pentecostal church in London with another pastor.
He considers going to the Belgian Congo as an evangelist. William Burton advises him to go to France to learn French.
In 1927 he goes to Le Harve in France after receiving an invitation from Helene Biolley 1854-1947), of Swiss origin, who runs an non-alcoholic bar, the Ruban Bleu . Helene had been praying for 20 years that God would send missionaries to France. In her 70s her prayers were answered.
He prayed and preached with power and several people were miraculously healed.
Helena asked him to devote 6 months at her mission before going to the Congo. he agreed and returned to Le Havre in 1930. He ultimately devoted the rest of his life (37 years) to spreading the gospel across France. He sparked a significant pentecostal revival and helped bring cohesiveness to the movement through the organisaion of the Assembly of God of France in 1932.
Douglas, with his family, did get to the Belgian Congo in 1939. He preached in only French and Swahili. Returned to G.b in Autumn 1946.
Douglas also went to Algeria. he went for the second time in the early 1950s. He returned to France where he continue his work of evangelization and edification in the established Pentecostal churches. He also went overseas.
By 1965 he had heart problems but refused to retire. He continued to preach twice a day, every day. Douglas died in Chalon-sur-Saone on 15th April 1967, aged 66.
Sources
Assemblies of God
Douglas Scott (evangeliste)
Helene Biolley