I Must Be A Bit Daft Part Two (2/2)

Why put myself out at my stage in life?

I saw a video from The Salvation Army in the US. It featured a man who had oxygen tubes in his nose and confined to a wheel chair, manning the SA Christmas kettles. It was snowing quite a lot. He died not too long after the video was produced. I thought to myself: if he can do it, then I can do a similar thing. This may well be the last Christmas season that I'm able to ‘man’ the kettles, and by God's Grace, I will man the kettles this year! 

Just because I’ve been given, so to speak, my death-sentence, it doesn't mean I have to abandon the full and real living drawing on the resolve God’s instilled within me. I am alive and feeling well at the moment, so I refuse to feel sorry for myself, but think instead of the wellfare of others.

Limhamn Corps Sweden
Home of the Malmo brass initiative:











I am reminded of William Booth's one word telegraph message around the world. 

Pastor Jack Hyles, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana for over 42 years said: “I’ve always read biographies a great deal, especially in the early, formative days of my ministry… I have read about the lives of most great men. One of my favorite characters in all of history is General William Booth. General Booth was the founder of the great Salvation Army, when it was more salvation than it was army. He led in spreading the Gospel over much of the world, as he organized street meetings and evangelistic services.

With the passing of the years, General Booth became an invalid. His eyesight failed him, and one year he was in such bad health that he was unable to attend the Salvation Army Congress in London, England. Somebody suggested that General Booth send a telegram or a message to be read at the opening of the convention. General Booth agreed to do so.

When the thousands of delegates met, the moderator announced that General Booth would not be able to be present because of failing health and eyesight. Gloom and pessimism swept across the floor of the convention. A little light dispelled some of the darkness when the moderator announced that General Booth had sent a message to be read with the opening of the first session. He opened the message and began to read the following:

Dear Delegates of the Salvation Army Convention: 

OTHERS!

Signed, General Booth.

Lord, let me live from day to day

In such a self-forgetful way

That even when I kneel to pray,

My prayer shall be for others.

Others, Lord, yes, others;

Let this my motto be.

Help me to live for others

That I may live like Thee.

Others. That word says it all - it says everything that is necessary for a Salvationist to know about our mission: others!

In the spring of 2015 I’ll be purchasing a portable PA (public address) system that I can use when I sell and distribute thew Army’s weekly, The War Cry. At the same time I can use it to conduct Open-Air Meetings. There are a number of suitable town squares in Malmö, where I can take my place, sell the War Cry and at the same time conduct an Open-Air Meeting. 

Stan, a friend of mine, wrote on my Facebook timeline the following words: “Also remember you as faithful street meeting soldier on the corner of Irving Park and Pulaski!”( large intersection on Chicago’s near north-west side) Yes, he was right. When our Corps Officer felt we didn't need to have an Open-Air Meeting on some Sunday evenings, I was ‘in his face’, in a nice way, and reminded him, that “yes, we must be on the street corner because we never know if someone is waiting to hear the Gospel message that we proclaim.

What's the purpose of an Open-Air Meeting? The purpose of any Open-Air Meeting is to proclaim the Gospel message where people are to be found, period! Army history is replete with open-air victory stories and our soldiers the result, thousands who inquired about and accepted God’s gift of salvation right there on the spot. We may be given, by God's grace, the opportunity to lead a soul to accept Christ as Saviour. I think we must remember that saving a soul is the business of God the Holy Spirit, it is not our business. We present Christ as the Saviour of the world, the Holy Spirit convicts and effects salvation of the person's soul. We need to keep in mind what our job is and what is the job of the Holy Spirit. We witness and proclaim the Gospel message, the Holy Spirit effects salvation of the soul. 

As long as God gives me the strength, I will do that to which I’m assigned, my part in the Salvation War. Our Founder, William Booth purportedly said in his last public address: “While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!” These words are my inspiration and battle-cry - the example for me to follow, I too will fight to the very end! 

Leonard Johnson

Former Officer 

USA Central - 

Retired and resides in Sweden