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It Happened In Edward Street
Outside Rowe's Cafe In Brisbane

BAPTISMAL SERVICE IN EDWARD ST.

One night a woman who had lost all her money on the racecourse came to our meeting. She was downcast, fed up, and in despair. She stopped to listen with her husband. She was interested in the concertina, then came the message. When the altar call was made, her husband stepped out and accepted the Lord. Then she came forward and claimed the Lord. Later they both wanted to be baptized. I applied to several Churches for the use of their Baptistery, but no church was willing to help us in this matter. Either they were not interested or thought I may be defiling the Baptistery.

The husband offered to buy a long old-fashioned bath, 7 feet by 2 feet 6 inches wide and 3 feet deep, and if I was game, both of them would be baptized in Edward St. in this bath. He said if St. John was here he would be only to glad with the opportunity. We then prepared the tank, carted it to Edward St., filled it with water, the man and his wife stood in white to give their testimony and then were baptized before hundreds of people. The first baptism out in a city street in history.

SUPPORT

The great question often asked is this question, “How do you live? Who supports you? How much money are you making out of it?” The world sizes up the Church by it’s wealth, not by its faith and spiritual power, thus my support has been by faith. I landed in Albury, N.S.W. once when I was traveling on caravan tour, broke, and with not enough to buy a galleon of petrol. Added to that, it rained for days, no one came to the tent, only one old woman who put up her brolly, because rain was coming through the tent.

The next night the tent was let down by four drunks, then we both felt sick, and could not even help one another. A few more days and we had to get off the ground. If ever we prayed, we prayed then. The good Lord answered our prayers because we prayed in faith. A letter came to me. It was sent by a Brother in Western Australia. He happened to be one of my converts years ago. I had not heard from this Brother for over 40 years. For some reason, after reading my first book, he grabbed up a 5-pound note, put it into an envelope and sent it to me with these words, “All the best in the Lord’s work. Yours………….”

At the same time God was planning to get me some cheap petrol. A petrol bowser war was declared in Albury. They fought one another till they brought the cost of petrol down to 1/- per gallon. We got a 43 gallon drum, two 12 gallon drums, 1 two gallon drum, and a tank full, and so we had no more worries until we reached Brisbane and for ever more I’ll believe the 11th chapter of Hebrews by faith.

Now back to Edward St. Someone said when I resigned my ministry in the Church, that I would go out on the road to starve, but I said, “The Lord will supply all my needs, and if the Church could only support me with two pounds per week, no extras, I am willing to go on bread and water for the Lord. The Lord has kept me and supported me for all these years, and he will support me to the end.

While I am on the subject of support I would like to mention a dear friend of ours by name, Mrs. Winkle. This dear lady came to our open air meetings many years ago. As she stood to listen, she was touched by the power of God. She came out for full surrender. She had been a good Christian, but great hardships had got her down. She wanted to help in the Lord’s work and while she mused on this, the Lord spoke to her and said, “These are the people I want you to help.” From that day to this day, the dear old Sister has stood by us, thick and thin, and I would not be writing this book if it were not for her support. Yes, one can be as much help in God’s work as the Preacher.

August 2002