Well, it's Friday already and it's another edition of Things Unseen.

And this week I've been sharing some memories and reflections on friends who helped me

in my early Christian life between my conversion just before my 15th birthday and my ordination

when I was 23.

The final friend I've chosen was a man whose name was Bill.

I first saw Bill and his family at the church I attended as a student and later that year

I met him again in a Hebrew class I took when I was an undergraduate.

He was older than I was by some way and he had several children.

And as it happened in the Providence of God, we ended up in the same year in our theology

degree at university.

We were different not only in age but also I think very much in personality.

But I cannot adequately express the impact his wonderfully human personal godliness made

on me.

He'd been a skilled market gardener and the Lord had called him into the ministry.

His life was full of the rich heavenly fruit of the spirit and especially patience.

He and his wife marrying with their children I think probably survived an epitons but what

they had they shared with me and treated me like a member of their family and I treasure

the memory of my student days with them.

A theological education was but I know means all conservative.

I'm not quite sure how much I learned from lectures with some notable exceptions but

I learned a great deal from Bill and his family and their love for Christ.

His life was one of humble godliness, seriousness without legubriousness.

...