A Testimony to Pastor John

I had been researching all this for two years or so alongwith my wife, Olive who had accompamied me during my visitations to various parishes in Scotland with associations with Livingstone.

As well as my interest in all this, I was the secretary of Livingston Rugby Football Club at the time.

One day I received a communication from the minister, off all parishes, Ancrum,   He was asking sport secretaries as myself if we had any surplus match programmes that he would appreciate.  He was collecting them and selling them off to collectors in aid of church funds.  This was August 1997.

I readily agreed to this request and asked him the arrangements for uplift or posting (mailing).  He said he would be in touch.

My wife and I at this time were beginning to worry over her health.  In September, 1997 she was taken into hospital to have a lung removed in the hope of securing her further time. The day of the operation arrived and I was alone in my house with my concerns.

A knock at the door was heard.  On opening it, I was confronted by a reverend gentleman.  He introduced himself as Rev. Frank Campbell, Minister of Ancrum, Roxburghshire.

I was floored.  Here was the direct descendant of John Livingstone of Ancrum,  340 years later.

What a co-incidence!  Or was it ordained?  I am tended to believe the latter.

I explained all this to Mr Campbell.  His immediate re-action was to invite me to pray with him.

This comforted me no end.  My wife came home a month later but alas she departed in June 1998.

All this, I am convinced, was to convince me my work was being appreciated from on high.

John P Stewart