I heard God’s Word preached; believed the truth of this word; confessed Jesus Christ as my Saviour; publicly witnessed my faith by passing through the waters of Baptism; was added to the Church; and continued in the fellowship of believers. This is my full testimony - and all now know why I never achieved good marks for composition at school!
However - I have learned that the complete story requires just a little more meat on the bones.
Born in Glasgow in 1933, my father was a steel casement maker and my mother, who was from Airdrie, had been a seamstress. The marriage was what was called a “mixed marriage” - my father was nominally Protestant, my mother had been raised as a strict Roman Catholic. I never did find out where my father had ever worshipped, but he would not agree to the conditions laid down by the Roman Catholic church for a marriage into that church, hence the marriage was a Civil ceremony (and needless to say my mother was ex-communicated). I have a younger sister who now lives in the USA and the youngest of the family is my brother who lives in Moodiesburn (and who has our mother, now aged 100 years living with him). When I was old enough I joined the Life Boys and continued into the BB - 106th Glasgow Company. In those days it was compulsory for members to attend Sunday School and all Church Parades so I was getting some Christian teaching from an early age but have to confess my memory is very hazy regarding content. On leaving High School I joined Colvilles Central Research Department in Motherwell as an Apprentice Metallurgist. On Qualification, Her Majesty required my services for two years National Service (6 weeks Basic Training At Southsea Barracks Portsmouth, 9 months Trade Training at The School of Ammunition in Bramley and 1 year posting to Germany). On completion of National Service I returned to Colvilles. I have to confess that after leaving the BB the only time I was near a Church was when I was playing badminton in the Glasgow Churches league. However around 1961 while attending a dance in Glasgow, and there were no reasons why I shouldn’t, I met a certain attractive young lady, who belonging to a strict Brethren Meeting perhaps should not have been there - but then it is said that God moves in mysterious ways. We started “courting”. Like all young men in this situation I was anxious to please the love of my life and when Jean invited me to attend some Gospel meetings I was happy to comply. I can truly say that this was my first exposure to the opening up of the Word of God and can testify that the Evangelists of the Church of God Assembly involved in these meetings - through straight Gospel exposition - brought enlightenment to my understanding of the Word. Although at that time I made a private personal commitment to the Lord I did not feel ready to make a public commitment. Jean and I became engaged on Christmas day 1962, and as I had not made a public confession of faith Jean was “Read out” of the assembly of God. What women will suffer for love! We were married in September 1963 and settled down in Uddingston. Neil arrived August 1964. By this time the steel industry was beginning to run down in Scotland and I changed my employment to Bruce Peebles in Edinburgh which entailed a house move to Penicuik. This work change did not prove to be a good move and within two years I found employment at BP in Grangemouth where I remained for almost 25 years – until retirement. Shortly after moving to Grangemouth Colin had been born and seven years later the family was completed with the arrival of Mark.
During the early part of our married life we had only attended the very occasional meeting and we were perhaps beginning to realise this void in our lives. A year after moving to BP we moved to our current house in Stenhousemuir and through conversation with a work colleague were told that Larbert Baptist Church had a good Sunday School - which we were seeking for the boys. As we felt we could not send the boys to Sunday School and not attend the church we began regular attendance. One thing always leads to another and as I was already a “private” believer and finding myself in a fellowship where I was comfortable - despite my natural reluctance I could no longer refrain from a public confession of faith. After approaching the pastor - Chris Haig - I was baptised at the ripe age of 40 - was added to the Church - and hopefully have continued in the full fellowship of the Church.
