A MAN GREATLY BELOVED
The following autobiographical notes are taken almost verbatim from the writings of my grandfather, the late Ebenezer George Rowell, father of the late Editor of this magazine. He was a man widely known and greatly respected as a faithful preacher of the gospel amongst the Strict Baptist chapels of England. Those who loved him for the truth’s sake will remember his bold and forthright manner of speaking. He was not learned or academic as the world judges, but he was truly taught by the Spirit of the living God. I have felt it would be best to retain as much of the style of the original notes as possible because there are so many people still living who have grateful memories of his ministry and I believe they will catch the sound of his own simple, often ungrammatical statements, and perhaps feel their memory stirred to return thanks to the Lord again for the blessings they received through “A Man Greatly Beloved”. Editor.
38, Beauty Bank,
Old Hill, Staffs.
March 31. 1947.
I have often thought it would be nice to set down a little of the Lord’s leadings and His kindness to me, but through need of time I have put it off. But the other morning it was laid again with some more weight upon my mind, and in reading the life of Mr Cooper of Lakenheath, a godly minister that I loved, these words have been on my mind, “The memory of the just is blessed”. It was blessed to me, and also the lives of many of the Lord’s servants which I have by me. So I feel that if the Lord would help me I would add my own testimony.
I would advise all Christians to get and read as many lives of the Lord’s people as they can. I remember how the lives of John Kershaw of Rochdale and John Warburton of Trowbridge were made such a blessing and comfort to me in my young Christian days.
The Lord has been very good to our family unto the third and fourth generation, according to His promise. My grandfather was a godly man, and lived at Yaxley. He was a tailor and had a large family, and many of them were called by grace. He carried on that little chapel at Yaxley, with others, for many years. He was a great lover of Sovereign Grace, and often read the sermons of Philpot and others when there was no minister to preach. He was a very good reader and was a blessing to that church. But from my father’s remarks in his obituary in the Gospel Standard, he speaks of how his father had been very hard in contending for the things that he loved, and when he came to his end it was very dark with him. I remember, as a boy, staying there a few nights before he died and how he was crying that night for the Lord to come and pardon his sins, and was in the dark.
How needful that we should beg of the Lord to help us to contend for the truth but not in a bitter spirit. We are so apt to, when we feel such love to the truth which may be spoken against.
But I feel sure his end was peace. May the dear Lord grant me His presence when I come to the end. I often fear whether I might die in the dark.
My father was one of many, and was led away by Satan and ran the downward road for some years and no doubt gave his father and mother much trouble. He and his brother Walter learned the tailoring, and when grown up went to London and I believe lived a gay life. He got amongst a lot of hawkers and took up selling cheese and silver plated goods. He told me how they deceived the people. They bought a cheap common cheese and then made a hole in the middle and filled it with good cheese, then got the customers to taste it.
He now fell in love with the one who was my mother and came home and settled down a bit, and after some time was married to my mother. He and my uncle were very fond of coursing as they lived in the fens, and they both kept very fine greyhounds. My uncle was in a very good position and could stand it but my father was not, and as there was a young family come along he got behind (i.e. in debt. Ed.) and great trouble came into their lives.
Then the Lord began to work and He brought down his heart with labour. His business went wrong and was sold up, and at that time they were able to take even the beds as well. My mother at this time was expecting a little one again, and father had to make up a bed and beg some straw to fill it and mother had to lie on the floor. My mother was an only child and had been brought up well and cared for.
What with this and soul trouble, my father felt he could not carry on, and went to Peterborough bridge to throw himself over. But the Lord spoke to him and stopped him. How Satan loves to lead men on until he carries them to destruction. The way of transgressors is hard.
About this time he moved to a village called Wistow, near Ramsey, and started in business there, but things did not go very grand and at last he moved to Ramsey, Hunts.
My mother’s parents died and left her some money which helped them, but father bought too heavy, it was always one of his failings, so that poverty still followed them. It was at Ramsey my Father was taught (spiritually) and at last found a Baptist chapel. But after a time they could not feed (spiritually) so my father walked over to Warboys, four miles on a Sunday, to hear Mr. Lambourne and then I believe the Lord smiled upon them. He was able to get a pony and trap to go round the fens for orders, and to drive to Warboys.
But the Lord deepened the work in his soul, and then exercised him about preaching, and after some time sent him out and made a way for him in the villages round about, to speak in His name. As a boy I sometimes went with him to Woodhurst, Benwick and Alconbury, but after some time he had calls from a distance and then supplied churches round Fenstanton, Elsworth, Oakington, Swaffam Prior, Chatteris, Eaton Bray, Lakenheath, and many
others at a greater distance. He was then called to Chatteris and took the pastorate there until his death. He had a most blessed end and on the day he died he was in a sweet frame and was able to converse to the end. In the morning of the day he died he asked my sister what time it was and she said it was twelve. Then he answered, “The Lord is coming to fetch me about four”. He asked again later and repeated the same words, and he passed away at a quarter to four.
I have run through my father’s life very quickly.
My mother had thirteen children, three died in their infancy but the other ten were brought up. I was about the sixth, and most of my brothers and sisters were called by grace. Mother was a most godly person and blessed with much of the grace of the Spirit. She was called by grace in the Church of England but was led to see the forms as only form, and at last had to leave it, against her will, and joined the church at Warboys with my father. In after years they withdrew from that church. Father joined the church at Yaxley and in after years mother joined Godmanchester. My mother’s end was peace. She lived until the age of 84.
I will now try and put a few things down in reference to my own life, and may the Lord help me.
I was born at Ramsey in 1875. When I was young I was a very weak child and my parents were afraid they would never be able to bring me up. I was once given up by the doctor but the Lord raised me up, to his great surprise. I was again very ill when I was about seven years old, and I think I can trace my first feelings after the Lord from then, and always remember how the Lord came and dropped His love into my heart when so young. As I grew older, things in my life troubled me and the Lord began to teach me a little of what a sinner I was, and I often had to cry to the Lord to forgive me. These things made me so that I could not do as others, and having this, which I believe was the fear of the Lord, kept me from many things that my school companions tried to get me to do. But how many things in my secret life I had to cry over!
When I was about eleven years old a godly young lad that was a bit older than myself had a great effect upon me and caused me to seek the Lord in reading the Little Gleaner, and in other ways. I have felt thankful that I ever came in touch with Walter Brown.
When I was about fourteen I was surrounded by a lot of lads who were very sinful, and how often I felt obliged to get away from them. About this time, at the Sunday School winter treat, the minister spoke a little on the words “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me”. I felt it was one of my feelings, but I seemed to get led away by my companions and thought that all that I had felt was nothing. But about this time the Lord began to deal with me more deeply and to carry on that work in me till this day. But I always feel the Lord’s work was begun in my heart when I was young.
I was once troubled that I had not had a “law work”, because one can only have the felt knowledge of sin by the law, and that was what
the Lord had been doing, and that is a “law work”. But it was only my schoolmaster to bring me to Christ in felt need of Him. All true religion which is the Spirit’s work leads to Christ. I was often exercised about being born again and a desire to be one of the Lord’s children. I often found help in reading the lives of godly men, the Gospel Standard, and other good books.
I and my sister Lizzie now became close companions and often went for a walk and chat together after we had finished work in the evening.
On several occasions I see how the dear Lord saved my life from an untimely end. On one occasion I felt such a love and thankful heart to the Lord for it.
When I was about sixteen I had it laid on my mind to go over to Godmanchester on my bicycle and hear Mr Oldfield preach. It was thirteen miles. I can’t remember what was spoken from, but felt a drawing to him and the friends at Godmanchester, so that as often as I could I went over on Sundays. I often feel sorry that Mr Oldfield did not leave a record of his life. He was a very godly minister and accepted in the churches, Gower Street and others, and most of his time was spent in preaching, weekdays and Sundays. I believe the Lord used him to build me up in the truth and to prepare me for the work that the Lord had for me to do. There was other godly servants who were made a blessing to me;
John Booth of Bradford on several occasions was a help; Mr. Greenwood of Siddal, Mr Cooper of Lakenheath, Mr White of Abingdon and many others.
When I was about twenty and had been going backwards and forwards to Godmanchester, a dear old lady, Mrs Ayers, spoke to me one Sunday morning, and asked if I was not exercised about joining them and honouring the Lord. I don’t think it had entered my mind but it made such an impression and caused a close examination, that I could not get away from it.
Then began much prayer and waiting upon the Lord for guidance, seeking the Lord to lead His servants into this matter. I remember Mr White coming to speak on this very thing, and it greatly encouraged me and many others. Also in an old Gospel Standard a sermon on Romans 7. 4 was helpful. I asked Him for another sign. On the Thursday I hoped to go to St Ives Anniversary, and begged that the Lord would lead His servant, and that night was a sealing time. I was then obliged to write Mr Oldfield. I came before the church and was baptized by Mr Oldfield in May 1897.
As I write this it is now 1947, over fifty years later, and what a favour to be kept and led along. O what grace!
Now, up to this time, what had I learned from sweet experience? My sinful nature, the absolute fall, and I am still learning that. A little of the holiness of God, the sweet truth of God the Father and His everlasting love. A sweet hope in Jesus Christ as my Redeemer and the Holy Spirit in communion and fellowship, but only a little. I know more now than then, but only a
little of His abounding grace.
I remember when I was about eighteen the Lord made the eighth chapter of Proverbs sweet in revealing more fully to me that our dear Lord was the Son of God. My salvation depends upon this blessed truth.
About this time I was driving home from chapel alone to Ramsey, and the blessed Spirit drew near and gave me a view of His leadings with me; and it was laid before me what the Spirit had done. I could see His work, from the beginning and right along up to that time; it was so assuring. I felt sure that I was born of the Spirit, and that I was a child of God. It has always made me a strong believer and lover of the third Person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. I thank Him for this and may the blessed Spirit more and more lead me into Christ in whom He has led me to have a good hope.
When I came before the church I was able to speak a little of these things, but I had told Mr Oldfield I had not had the felt application of the precious blood, and was willing to wait if it was felt necessary. Dear Mr Oldfield told me I might have to wait until my end for that, so whoever may read this and may be waiting for big things, may the dear Lord give you faith to venture on Him. I told them also how I was led to Baptism, to receive it and love it. May the dear Lord’s children be led to see how it is to His honour and glory to follow Him in this path.
The Lord made it a good day at my baptism, but the seal upon it was given to me early the next morning. I shall never forget the love that broke into my heart. The Lord is true to His word. “They that honour me I will honour”. I was twenty-two when baptized.
I must now go back a little. The Lord had been providing for me a helpmate. When I was about sixteen and in the exercise of these things I went several times to my brother in London and heard that faithful servant, Mr Prince. I came into the company of a young woman who became my wife. We saw each other very often and wrote to each other, and this continued until I was twenty three, when my father started me in business at Huntingdon just before Easter, and the Lord blessed the step so that I was able to get married in the December, by Mr Prince.
How I have seen the Lord going before me! The first night we bowed our knees together in prayer, and the 103rd Psalm was read, which was my feelings, and has been a choice Psalm of ours. My dear wife walked together with me in the things of the Lord, although she was always afraid to join the church. It was now so nice to be near the chapel, and not have the long journeys to take, and many times we were favoured under the Word.
The congregation at Godmanchester was about 300 and the church membership about 70, and a large Sunday School. It was not long before I was asked to take a class and was helped to teach the children for some years, and I hope the Lord blessed His Word to them and myself. I had a very great love to the friends and walked in love and communion. Mr Peacock, the deacon, and I
walked together in the things of God. He was a tried man but knew much of the Lord’s delivering hand.
The Lord continued to bless us in business and also gave us four children, one son and three daughters, which caused me to come to the Lord many times in prayer for them.
Going back over these years I will just write a little of the path. All the Lord’s children must be tried, but the Lord gives faith to stand. Sometimes it was darkness, hardness, lack of love, and also realizing the same as Paul in the seventh chapter of Romans. I remember well one morning being tried and tempted, and reading that chapter gave me a good hope that I was a child of God. If our dear Lord gives life there must be tribulation, and the Lord in His sovereignty has been pleased that we should carry this body of death to the end. But the Lord has said “My grace is sufficient”. Well might Paul cry out “O wretched man that I am”. If ever I get safe to heaven it will all be of grace.
Sometimes the Lord gives to His children some sweet words to rest upon, not that all words that come are from Him, for I have found that Satan can quote words. But I remember the first sweet promise that was given me was when I was once going home from chapel. “In blessing, I will bless Thee”. I felt, how can that be for me, it was so sweet that faith just laid hold, and many times I have pleaded with the Lord, but after fifty years I feel that it was from the Lord and He has fulfilled it. Another time returning home one Sunday evening. I had had such a good time in hearing and the Lord’s Spirit rested upon me so that I was glad to get alone. At this time there were no words, but I do not forget the love in my heart. My dear mother told me once she was troubled about her love to the Lord, and the words came to her, “The melting of divine love upon the soul”, and how the Lord showed her how often she had this. And so it was with me that night and many times since. I remember one time in particular that I felt all my religion was gone, things natural seemed to take up all my affections, and this continued for several weeks and I felt I must give up going to chapel. But one Sunday after pleading with the Lord about the matter, in the evening the old deacon gave out the 619th hymn (Gadsby’s) which expressed my feeling. The Lord’s servant was nicely helped to trace out the path and I returned home with a sweet hope.
When the Lord saved His people and redeemed them unto God, joined with that was the certainty of sanctification by the Spirit, and so the time comes to each when the Holy Spirit returns and carries on that work, and so I have found it to be with me. If we know nothing of sanctification before we leave this world, we shall prove we have not been saved by His blood. Our dear Lord prayed in John 17, “Father sanctify them through thy truth.” I desire to thank and bless the dear Lord for the fulfillment of that prayer, though from the commencement there has been the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. If we are friends of the world we are enemies to God; and so the Lord began to
separate, and has been separating me from the world up till now. The Lord called me to learn many things, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. The Lord does not make big saints.
Before I was fully called out I was very fond of novel reading but the Lord called me from it. My godly mother would often say “I wish you would not read those books”, but I went on until the Lord separated, and I took the books down on the hearth in the barn and I burned them all, but O the struggle! Be careful, child of God, of anything that will draw you away from the Lord and get your time and affection.
I remember some few years afterward being caught in the snare again for a few weeks, and the Lord laid His afflicting hand upon my little child. I thought we should lose her and I felt I knew what it was for, and begged of the Lord to heal her and forgive me, which He kindly did. The Lord made me dislike novels ever after. It took some time before I could find my mind taken up in good books, but one day I came across the life of John Kershaw of Rochdale, and was taken sweetly up in it, and have found a
growing and increasing love to the lives of godly men and to good books. But I can say there is one book that I have read and it has read me, and that is the Bible. It is that word of truth that has caused much sanctification by the Spirit. What a favour to have life given us to receive His word. I feel I can say I have found His word and I did eat it, and it was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. But I am sorry to say how often I have felt dead in reading it, and neglected it; but now I am old it is upon His blessed word I rest and find great comfort at times. I have found the dear Lord’s prayer in John 17 fulfilled in the midst of all sin and the world, inside and out; His word has sanctified in answer to it. May the Lord lead us more to look upon the work of Jesus, so that our faith in His salvation may be more strong so as to fight against that awful sin of unbelief. But the Lord intends that there shall be the fight and conflict to the end, but for one purpose, that is to bring us to need and value our precious Christ. Our salvation is in the life, sufferings, death and resurrection of our dear Lord. Sanctification is the fruit and confirmation of the same. The Holy Spirit never leads us to rest upon His work within us, but takes of Jesus and reveals Him to us as the only way.
One of my great trials was being hasty, and in business there was much to try my patience. I well remember on one occasion Satan being allowed to try me. One of the men made a big mistake in his work and all at once I felt all the anger and passion rise, but was able to keep my lips and left it all and went for a walk and begged of the Lord to forgive me, and to help me not to give way; and I can say the Lord did. If we could only wait on the Lord more what a lot of trouble we should escape but the Lord knows how to deal with all our besetments.
On another occasion going into the workroom where the machines were all running with power and so much noise, I was
obliged to speak loud in giving orders, and also on this occasion something had gone wrong and I spoke very hastily. The foreman told one of our members that I used bad language, which I never did. But it led me to pray to the Lord to keep me that I might not bring a disgrace upon His name. I believe from that time the Lord enabled me to keep under a hasty spirit. How we, as the Lord’s children, are watched by the world. On the whole I believe my religion was seen in my walk and words amongst my workpeople and respected by them, but in our secret life before the Lord how we need daily forgiveness and washing so that we may approach our Lord at the close of the day accepted in our dear Lord. I often have to say with David “wash me and I shall be whiter than snow”. But this conflict makes us value salvation by grace.
Sitting under the ministry of Mr Oldfield, my soul was fed and also well grounded in the sweet and blessed doctrine of grace. Sundays were looked forward to, but many of my dear friends are now taken home. But even with such a ministry I knew what it was to sink into cold and backsliding places. Well may the word say, “Who can keep alive his own soul?” Not one, but the Lord does even in the midst of all this death, which I desire to bless and praise him for.
About this time we had Mr J. K. Popham come several times on the Anniversary, and the chapel was well filled. On another occasion Mr Brooks of Croydon, also Mr Hazleton of London. I look back to those days with thankfulness. I often went to the Anniversaries around which were held in the week. Heard Mr Hazelrigg of Leicester at St. Ives, Mr Calcott of Coventry, pastor of Old Hill, and Mr G. Rose. I feel there was more life in those days and liveliness in the things of God. So many today only go to chapel once on a Sunday. I remember how on one occasion I was tempted not to go to the week evening service as I had such a lot to do before Christmas, but the Lord helped me to overcome and leave it, and I believe the Lord, as from that time, enabled me to ever put first things first. But we have had our fights and temptations in these things, and have to say “Kept by the mighty power of God, through faith unto salvation.”
As I look back over my poor sinful life I see the slips and falls, and I feel the Lord permitted several to stand above all others, which make me often sigh. One particularly before I was called by grace, and one since. These give faith plenty of work to do, but they make us say “Lord to whom can we go, thou hast the words of eternal life”, and this makes us prize His precious blood. Two things keep a child of God steady in these evil days; taught of the Spirit our sins, and His grace. The Lord has said, I will send a Saviour and that a great One and we feel our need of Him more and more. What a mercy to be delivered from the free-will teaching of today, and creature ability which denies the Spirit’s work and the Lord’s power. It is only the Spirit that can teach aright.
I will now go a little further in my life, and this brings me from
my birth to about thirty-five years of the Lord’s forbearance and mercy. I will now try to write how the Lord led me to the work of the ministry. After I had been a member at Godmanchester a few years two of our aged deacons were taken home, Mr Gosland and Mr Dighton. I would be about thirty. They decided to make two more deacons and they chose Mr Alien, a godly man about sixty, and myself, though I was so young and there was a good number of male members older than myself. I was able to fulfil the office with the other deacons until I left to take my first pastorate.
My call to the ministry is not like anybody else’s. In the first place, I was quite satisfied to teach in the Sunday School, and never had any exercise or thoughts about the ministry.
There was a number of our friends that came to Godmanchester from Offord, about three miles, and used to walk. Then they found it too much, and they wondered if a little meeting could be started on the Sunday evening and some of our members sent over to take it. At a church meeting it was decided, and several of us were chosen to go over. I was one, and it was left with us to conduct the service as we felt led. Some spoke a little, others took sermons to read, and I also took a book of sermons to do the same. I gave out a hymn, read, and prayed, and before I started to read I spoke a little from the first verse in Romans 8 and was surprised to find time was gone, so that I was not able to read the sermon.
As there was six chosen it came my turn to go every sixth Lord’s day. I continued doing this, and it was done out of love to the old people and some younger ones. These services were held in the weekday school and there was a very good company which continued to meet for several years. I still had not thought of preaching until one day one of our old deacons said kindly, “Young man I hear you preach at the little meeting”. I said, “no, I just comment”. “O,” he said, “it is more than that”. From this came a great exercise to know if I was doing right, which caused much supplication at the throne of grace for the Lord to decide the question. I felt I was not qualified, and that I had not had the application of His precious blood, so could not on some points give a “Thus saith the Lord”, and I felt every minister should have that.
After some time I was going to Offord on the Lord’s day, and a word came and exercised me, in Col. 1. 13-14. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” I had a sweet meditation on the first verse, and felt the Lord had delivered me from darkness, and how He had translated me into the kingdom of His dear Son. I felt I could tell the friends of His kindness to me, and what the Holy Spirit had done to such an unworthy sinner. But felt I could not preach from the second verse, and so tried to get some other word to speak from. I told the Lord it was the last verse I needed to enable me to preach if He wished. As nothing laid hold of me, I went, and took the two verses, and intended to spend the time on the first verse. By now I had left off taking a
sermon to read as I felt ashamed after the Lord had helped so many times. After I had been led to speak from the first verse the time was not yet gone, so I ventured to speak a little on the next verse, and in a moment the Holy Spirit opened my understanding to see it was impossible to know the first and not be a subject of the other. Faith was given to me sweetly to rejoice in redemption through His blood, and I was led into the precious liberty of His children. I shall never forget that night, and many of the friends also spoke of it. As I went home with this sweet feeling upon my spirit I got off my bicycle to walk up the hill; I remember it was a lovely moonlight night. I said, “Now, dear Lord, I am willing to go”, and I made a vow that wherever He opened a door I would go. These meetings were the means of myself, Mr Bright and Mr Linford going forth to preach amongst our churches. After a time many of the friends died and some moved from the village and, for a little time, the services were continued in my dear old friend’s cottage, Mr and Mrs Landtaff. After I had laid them both in the grave the meetings had served their purpose and were discontinued. I still have the Bible which they gave to me, that we preached from.
While these meetings were still going on the Lord began to open doors, but I was greatly tried, as a friend that had to get ministers for a lot of little chapels round about, and some of them not of our persuasion, came and asked me if I would go and speak, as they had no minister. I said I would see what Mr Oldfield said, as I felt I could not go without his sanction. He felt sure I should only preach the truth and thought I should do right in going, and so I did, and was nicely helped. I spoke for them several times, but as soon as our churches knew they wrote to me. Fenstanton was the first and Elsworth and then Oakington and others, so that my days were filled up. After this Mr Oldfield thought it would be nice for each of us to preach a week-evening, which we did, and were then sent out by the church, and preached at home twice a year for some time.
Elsworth having a love to my ministry, asked if I would take the oversight and get the ministers, which I consented to, and preached to them once or twice a month. I always got those that I believed were faithful men, and was thus able to supply the pulpit, and to keep the doors open for over twenty-five years; and I feel I had the smile from the Lord, although I believe many misjudged me.
I tried to pass the responsibility to others, and it was settled for one to minister and to take over; and then I had a very strange dream which proved I was not to give it up. (My grandfather once told my father that he dreamt about a little black baby which he had to take and look after, and felt that this ‘black baby’ was Elsworth! Ed.) A week or two later the minister wrote to say he had decided not to take it over. No one knows the trouble I had. In the week I often went over on the Tuesday to preach for them, and entertained many of the supplies that were obliged to come
overnight as it was so difficult to get anyone to sleep ministers. Some people are very evil-minded and put it about that I was doing all this because I was after money, but the Lord knows I did all this out of love and took my 7/6 on the Sundays as others, and all the other things I did were entirely free. I had the love of the friends until the last, for about 30 years.
Now I will go back. After I had been preaching about two years I had a call from Oakington to take the pastorate. At first I refused, as I did not feel at all capable to carry on my business and preach every week to the same people. But they still pressed. At last I consented to preach two Sundays a month and then if they felt the same I would consent to take over if I could feel the Lord was with us in the matter. I afterwards accepted their invitation and started on Jan. 1 1914. I received the seat rents as payment, which amounted to about 10/- to 12/- a week. I then had to keep a pony and trap to go there and back from Huntingdon, which was about 13 miles, and cost me 30/- per week.
I begged of the Lord to know if I should give up Elsworth, and the Lord gave me these words of Esther, “If thou hold thy peace then deliverance shall come from another quarter”, and so I felt it was the Lord’s will that I should still carry both. The Lord also gave me a sweet promise in reference to Elsworth and my preaching. “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”, and as I write this after all these years, the Lord has been faithful. Some of the Lord’s dear servants have had to speak of what great bondage they often had in the ministry, but I cannot say that. Deep anxiety before hand, but I must say that my sweetest and happiest times have been when I have been declaring the glorious gospel of Christ, and many times felt thankful that the Lord ever called me to such a blessed work.
If anyone should read this that may be exercised about the ministry, the Lord will be sure to give you your penny and ever stand by you. He is faithful that promised. It has ever been my desire to encourage those that I feel may have been exercised, I