Eric McCullough
Cedar Falls, IA USA

Perhaps the highest privilege of all, is the privilege of being born into a Christian home; a home where God is honored and His word obeyed. Such was true of the writer. I was saved on March 14, 1938, just 5 months before my 13th birthday.

My parents left the shores of Ulster for Nova Scotia in the year 1924 to labor for the Lord there. My father had been commended to the work of the Lord from Matchett St., Belfast in 1913. After a time in Donegal, S. Wales and a year in Norway, hearing about the need in Canada from the
late John Knox McEwen, they moved to Nova Scotia where I was born.

My recollection of the summer months as a boy were of living in the back of old store buildings and other lodgings as my father pioneered with the gospel. This meant attending meetings nightly from my earliest days. I cannot remember a time when I did not desire God's salvation. I can say with the apostle; "That from a child thou hast known the Holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation." Thoughts of the coming of the Lord, and the fact that if I died as I was, a sinner, I would never be in Heaven, often spoiled any joys that I had. At times when
awakening during the night, the first thought in my mind was, perhaps the Lord has come; and I would listen at the door of my parents room to hear if they were still breathing and then with a sigh of relief go back to bed.

When quite young my parents moved to the state of Connecticut; as at that time, the roads in Nova Scotia during the winter months were often blocked with snow and it was impossible to move around and have gospel meetings. Boyhood days were spent returning to Nova Scotia each summer; a 3 day journey by car in those days.

When a boy in S. school, a godly Sunday school teacher, Mr. Bunting from Ireland, often impressed eternity on his class of boys as he described a hill outside our city; mentioning that if a little bird filled its beak with sand and if possible, flew away to another planet, returning every thousand years. Then he would say, "boys, when that hill is all removed, eternity will have just begun." This would go like an arrow to my conscience and I would try to imagine what eternity would be like, and worst of all, to be lost for the great forever.

God spoke loudly to me on a number of occasions. I often dreamed that I was falling and falling and there was no bottom, and then wakening to be thankful that it was only a dream. One time in particular was at the death of my grand-father in Clough, N. Ireland. I did not know him. When my mother received the news of the home-call of her father, I can still hear her say; "son, if you ever expect to see your grand-father, you will have to get saved." All of these knockings by the Holy Spirit kept eternity before me.

It had been 17 years since my parents had been in Ireland, so they decided to go for a visit in June 1937 before their parents all died. This visit was to be for a few months; however my father became engaged in gospel meetings and it extended for 14 months. The hand of God was in all of this.

The school year was spent in Bangor and my S. school teacher in Central hall was Mr. T. E. Wilson's father. He too made many impressions on my young heart as he reminded us of our need of salvation.

Mr. David Craig began a series of gospel meetings in Central hall in Feb. 1938. I attended those meetings every night, and trembled as he preached about death, Hell and eternity as well as telling of the work of Christ upon the cross to meet the sinner's need. He preached for 6 weeks from the prophesy of Isaiah. God worked in those meetings and a dozen or so were saved. I was deeply convicted of sin by this time, but told noone. The last night of the meetings came, a Sunday night, and I left the hall a troubled soul longing for God's salvation. A class-mate of mine spoke to me outside as he could see my concern and told me that salvation was just like receiving a gift. He offered me his pen and said that all I would have to do to make it mine was to receive it. He pursuaded me to go back into the hall and speak with Mr. Craig. We sat down on the little chairs in the S. school classroom at the front of the hall and he opened his big Bible and read verse after verse to me, but all seemed dark. I had learned these verses in the S. school, but there seemed to be no help for me. I thought; surely God knows that I want to be saved, why doesn't He save me? After a time Mr. Craig, the wise soul-winner that he was, said "let us pray and you can go home."

I walked the mile or so home alone and when nearly there a car stopped beside me; it was Mr. Craig. He had thought of another illustration that he felt might help me. We sat down on the running board of his car and he told me about a man who was drowning and a life belt being thrown to him. All that he had to do to be saved was to take hold of it. But there was no help for me. I thought, I will never be saved and will just have to go to Hell in spite of all the gospel that I had heard.

That was a restless night for me, at times dozing and wakening with the thought of never being saved. In the morning, my mother came into the room and said; "Eric, are you saved yet?" I said "No mother, but I would love to be saved." She simply reached for a little Bible that was on the dresser and opened it to Isa. 53:5. Then she said, "Just read this verse and put your name in" and left the room. I read; "But He was wounded for "my" transgressions, He was bruised for "my" iniquities: The chastisment of "my" peace was upon Him." As I often tell, I did not finish the verse. It dawned upon my soul for the first time, that the Lord Jesus had died for "my" sins upon the cross nearly 2000 years ago. At that moment, the joy of God flooded my soul and I knew that I was saved. The burden of sin was gone and I had peace for the first time in my life. This was March 14, 1938, about five minutes to 9 o'clock. If I had been looking at my watch, I could have told you the very second when the great transaction took place. Now I had the assurance of Heaven and knew that I was ready if the Lord should come.

Those early days were happy days as with other boys we rode around the coast district of Bangor with gospel tracts and stood with the brethren at open air meetings.

We returned to the U.S.A. in Sept. 1938 on the Athenia, the first passenger ship to be sunk by a U-boat in W. War II. A year or so later the war broke out and like all young men at that time, at 18 years of age, we faced the draft. I spent 26 months in the U. S. Navy as a conscientious objector. God spared my life and after being discharged, I went to the city of Chicago, Ill. to the Chiropractic college at government expense. Upon graduation in 1950, I was married and we told the Lord that wherever we found a place to live, office space to rent, near a good assembly, we would consider settling there. I had obtained licensing in the states of Iowa and Wisconsin, so like Abraham; we "went out, not knowing whither we went." The only city that we found both a place to live and office space was Cedar Falls, Iowa. We settled here in 1951. This was 14 miles from the assembly in Stout where we found happy fellowship with believers.

Soon we were busy with open air meetings on Saturday evenings and gospel meetings on Lord's day. I had meetings at times in empty school houses and community buildings with the late Mr. Oliver Smith, a true pioneer who labored in these parts. Summer vacations were spent in tent work with Mr. Smith, Paul Elliott and others.

There was an increasing exercise about the gospel and a burden for the lost in spite of the fact that my practice was growing. I tried to forget about giving all my time to the work of the Lord, but God was impressing us with the fact that there was more to life than success in business.
At times, God would bless our efforts in the gospel and often Mr. Smith would say; "Anyone can work on spines, but not everyone can preach the gospel." He was a real source of encouragment to me and we had many happy times together. I made known my exercise about the work of the Lord to my wife and she was in complete agreement. This is an essential, particularly in this country when at times months are spent away from home and loved ones. We had 2 little girls by this time and I wanted to be sure of God's leading and was looking for definite guidance from Himself. One summer while away from home, spending time in a gospel tent effort, I was reading through Joshua in my regular reading. When I read verse 5 of chapter 1, the words: "as I was with Moses, so shall I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." seemed to stand out on the page. This seemed to be the voice of God to me and it was unmistakable. At that moment I bowed my heart and told God that I would give the rest of my days to His work. Upon returning home, I told the brethren about my exercise and decision to sell my practice. They asked me if I would be at the prayer meeting on Thursday night, and I told them I would. I thought nothing of this as it was our usual practice to be there. When we arrived, the hall was packed. Mr. Oliver Smith was there, also Paul Elliott and both of them told of times that we had been together in the gospel. Then they asked me to tell something of my exercise as to the work of the Lord. I said a few words, as I had realized that this was our "farewell." At the close of the meeting, a brother handed me an envelope that contained a letter of commendation that I had not asked for, also a gift of fellowship from those kind believers. I could hardly take it in. What a clear evidence of the leading of God in our lives.

The mail carrier, who was a patient of mine, asked me what salary I would be getting at "this preaching" as he termed it. When I told him that I had no guarantee of any salary, he questioned my sanity. I will never forget the day I made the last deposit in the bank. The bridges were burned, and I had a sinking feeling as the devil said; "you have bought your little girls their last ice-cream cone." However, I recognized this as the enemy and can attest to the grace of God who has met our every need.

It is 46 years ago this year that we stepped out in faith to serve the best of Masters. We have proven the faithfulness of our God, and can say with the apostle; "Having therefore obtained help from God, I continue unto this day."

Will close with the word of the hymnwriter:

If I can only tell Him as I know Him,
My redeemer who has brightened all my way;
If I could tell how precious is His presence,
I am sure that you would make Him yours today.

But I can never tell Him as I know Him;
Human love can never tell all love devine;
I only can intreat you to accept Him;
You can know Him only when you make Him thine.