Fisherman's Bethel Lowestoft (1921)
On the 'Thursday evening the meeting was transferred to the Fishermen's Bethel, not more than a hundred yards from the Baptist Church towards the Fishmarket, It was the annual meeting of the Bethel: Hugh Ferguson was in the chair and greetings and reports were on the programme and Douglas Brown would preach. The building was packed and the atmosphere was charged with spiritual power as the people waited for blessing. 'This is not an atmosphere for figures,' remarked the Treasurer as he gave his report in about three minutes! Douglas Brown was soon in the pulpit and, having been in the service of the White Star Shipping line, he was quite at home in the nautical surroundings. He preached on the words of Peter. ‘If it be Thou, bid me come to Thee on the water.' He showed that stepping down from the boat and stepping on the water was like casting off all human dependence, stepping on the Word of God and coming to Christ. Hugh Ferguson takes up the story again:
'The inquiry room was packed a few minutes after the sermon, with men and women crying to God, 'What must we do to he saved?' It was like an auction room. There was my brother the Rev. John Hayes, Vicar of Christ Church. dealing with anxious souls, and the Rev. John Edwards of Brixton standing on another form, and I was standing with some others, and we were all engaged in the glorious work of pointing men and women to Christ. The place was so packed that when you got in you could not alter your position. The missioner had simply to tell the people. “You will have to come to Christ where you are." That night they were coming to Jesus all over the building.’
From 'A Forgotten Revival' by Stanley Griffin, with permission from the publisher DayOne Publications, page 23-4.