The first thing that I must do is to greet you in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and to say, next, how much we appreciate your sending us the "Torch" so faithfully and so regularly . . . and . . . as a gift! We do really appreciate this, I assure you.

The latest "Torch" to arrive is the issue for Oct/Nov/Dec. 2004 issue and, believe me, it’s GOOD! Now, let me tell you something! We know of no other publication just like the "Torch", in this country!!! In Wimbledon, London, where we lived until moving here in the year 2000, we were able to attend a Baptist church where only the A.V. was used.

In fact, so far as we are aware, it was the only church in that part of London where the A.V. was used to the exclusion of all other versions of God’s Word! On coming to Deal we found a similar church which, although small, was very ‘sound` and where the A.V. was used exclusively.

Sadly, as members grew older some moved away, some died until, at last, it was too small to carry on and another group of believers came along and took over. The change was not to the liking of the few older members who remained so my wife and I left.

Here where we now live there is a small undenominational church and although they use both the N.I.V. and the A.V. we began attending for there is no other suitable church in this locality! The ‘last straw` came recently when the minister, while preaching one Sunday morning, held up, in one hand the A.V. and in the other a copy of the N.I.V. as though they are of equal value!

Further, on a table in the vestibule is a whole heap of copies of the N.I.V. and well-bound, too! In announcing the scripture to be read for the sermon, he said, "for those who use the New International Bible, please turn to page xyz", while for the few who still use the A.V. he gave the usual form of reference!

In fact, there are so few copies of the A.V. used in that particular church that the minister, on wishing to clarify some point before the service began, actually approached my wife and asked if he could borrow her A.V. for a moment since there was no other readily at hand!!!!

I might add that there is no longer a Sunday School there and no young people are among the members! You might ask what we do now. Simple. Just worship at home, as we used to do, but hoping that we might, eventually find an A.V. church again.

My wife, Millicent, was invited some time ago to attend a service at a church in Folkestone not far away. After the service was over in which the N.I.V. was used, she became drawn into conversation with a young married man, the father of a small family and a member of that church. My wife mentioned some of the errors of the N.I.V. and he seemed quite surprised and even mildly offended, remarking that he had never known any other Bible than the N.I.V.!!!!

Incidentally my sister, living a few miles away, on the N. Kent coast is in a similar position as ours in that the church she used to attend has abandoned the A.V. and gone completely Charismatic!

I have an old friend . . . an ex-airman . . . who lives about 150-200 miles away who is also in a position similar to ours in that he can find no A.V. church where he lives! In our isolation so far as the scriptures are concerned we are drawn closer together and there are many in our situation in this country, I assure you.

This makes the arrival of the "Torch" so very important to us so we emphasize how grateful we are to you. We are like you ‘getting up the hill a bit. Millicent is 82 and I am 83. We are counting our blessings every day, especially as we see from current events, that the Lord’s return is getting VERY, VERY close. See James 4:8.

Well, dear friends, space has gone and I must be gone too! The Lord bless you both, real good. Again please accept our most grateful thanks for your kindness in sending the "Torch" so regularly.

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