BAN FORSYTH

For forty years Ban Forsyth served as a missionary in Brazil. Now in his hundredth year, lhe ooks back to 1925. He has a remarkable, yet strange testimony of God's call upon his life.

A  STRANGE  TESTIMONY

Our God is not bound. He works out His wonders in ways of His choosing.

Who could imagine receiving a call to be a missionary, and some months later a conversion experience?  It happened that way with me.

The call came to me as I sat in the corner of the pew on the second or third Sunday of February, 1925. I was eighteen years old at the time. As the visiting minister began his sermon, a voice sounded clearly in my mind. “I want you to be a missionary in Peru, South America”. Instantly my hackles rose – I do not want to be a missionary – my life is already worked out.  I had just become a junior partner in my father’s business; I had a wife in view;  I certainly did not want to be a missionary – No! I do not want to go abroad. Besides I am tongue-tied, never said a word in public. Missionaries are supposed to preach: besides I do not have a message – the one I hear from this pulpit never did me any good and I doubt if it would do anyone else any good. No!  You must find someone else. In this turmoil the last hymn was announced.  The chorus was “All power is given unto me, go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel and lo, I am with you always”.  We sang it the first time, and as the chorus rang out, I was adamant – NO. I won’t be a missionary. The second time we sang the chorus: I am not going. And the third time, why me? Send someone else.  As we sang the last verse I knew that it was my last opportunity. “Lo, I am with you always”. I broke – I’ll go if you stand by your promise “Lo, I am with you always”. The struggle was over. I was destined to be a missionary!

The weeks went by and still no message. I was complying with all the Missionary Society demanded (Evangelical Union of South America- now Latin Link) – registering for study at the Bible Training Institute in Glasgow. In June came an invitation to attend a garden meeting held by the Mission in the grounds of the Mission’s chairman,  Mr. Ervine, a mill owner,  who had the old-fashioned lay-out for a prosperous business man – the stately home with its extensive grounds on a hill, and down below in the valley the flour mill, workmen’s cottages, etc. A vista joined the two.  My mother and I accepted the invitation. It was a gorgeous day. In the late afternoon Mr.Ervine invited me to meet some of the Board members in the breakfast room. Mr.Ervine twigged that I had no spiritual experience. He asked me if I realised I was a sinner.  My reaction was standard for my church. I said that I had never had any difficulty with the police, and that I knew that I was not perfect but I would not consider myself as a sinner. Mr.Ervine preached the Gospel to me, based on John 3, the experience of Nicodemus. He pointed out that I must be born again and showed me what that meant, laying emphasis on verses 14-16: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” The knowledge that I was a sinner and needed to be born again shook me and left me dazed. Mr.Ervine gave me a tract: “Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment” and urged me to read it on my way home.  My mother and I were fortunate in that we had a rail carriage to ourselves. I read that tract and somewhere between Oxford and Banbury on “God’s Wonderful Railway” I accepted Christ into my heart and life – and that was it.  I had my message – the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I preached my first sermon at a humble mission hall in Largs, Ayrshire, in February 1926 and my last on the first Sunday evening of 200l at the church here in Wiveliscombe on Psalm 23.  Seventy-five years of preaching the inexhaustible Gospel. 

Ban Forsyth