Dear Editor,
I would like to thank you for publishing the balanced review by Tony Wilkinson of the book Island Aflame [en January]. I feel grieved, though, at the subtitle that Tom Lennie chose to give it. I am reminded of the words of our late Queen on the Prince Harry situation: ‘Recollections may differ’. That was after seven months, not 70 years.
In 1959, I joined two friends to visit the Isle of Lewis having heard the Revd Duncan Campbell speak of the Revival earlier in the year. Duncan Campbell was to meet us in Stornoway and escort us to meet some of the people and places he had spoken about. On our arrival in Stornoway we were disappointed to find he was unwell and could not fulfill his promised task and that instead he had left us details of people to contact. For the next few days we moved around these contacts and often listened awestruck as different ones recounted those days of ‘revival’. Duncan Campbell was not there to prompt them as they spoke of a time that seemed almost too precious to put into words. We felt we were on holy ground. We also went with one person to view the church records for Barvas at the time of the Revival and which corresponded to what we had been told. I left Lewis with a new sense of the glory and holiness of God, His sovereignty and the power of the Holy Spirit to convict and convert. It was a precious time that laid foundations for my future and ministry. In 1961, I became a student at the Faith Mission Bible College where Duncan Campbell was the Principal. This was followed by 41 years in the Faith Mission’s work, including 22 years as its General Director. During retirement I have also spent 15 years working part-time in the Faith Mission’s Bookshop in Edinburgh.
Duncan Campell did not promote himself in any way in Lewis. He was not a perfect College Principal and did some times rely too much on his own memory. He was, however, a very godly man and I know of no other who brought such a sense of God’s presence into our gatherings He believed passionately in Revival and did not use the word lightly. As students he set our sights on what God can do, not on what he did for God. I feel all this greatly outweighs any slips he may have made in later years
Sincerely
Keith Percival
By email
