Archives for May 13, 2022

We did a little sight-seeing today with David and Fiona Carmichael (photo #1). New Lanark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a cotton mill and community for its workers, built in 1786 along the River Clyde. The founders, Richard Arkwright, David Dale, and later his son-in-law, Robert Owen vastly improved working conditions by providing good food and clean living quarters for their workers. Later, they provided education and child care. Still later, they strove for “utopian style” community living. What started as Christian philanthropy moved toward a socialist way of living. The mills operated until 1986, when the industry declined. The buildings are now used as a hotel, apartments, offices, and tourism sites (photo #2). At the top of the trail are beautiful waterfalls (photo #3), as well as along the way (photo #4). We enjoyed a delicious lunch after our hike.

Yesterday I addressed a group of ministers, elders, and friends from a variety of denominations at the Evangelical Fellowship of Ireland (EFI), a biannual gathering, on “Union with Christ and Our Sanctification” and “The Puritans on Sanctification” at Moira Presbyterian Church, near Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was really good to connect with a friend whom we have not seen for many years, Pastor Mark Johnston (Photo #1, on the right). We also enjoyed conversing with Andrew Curry (photo #1, left), a pastor who helps with administering the DMin program at Master’s Seminary in California. We enjoyed fellowshipping with the attendees of EFI over lunch (photo #2).

After the conference, Pastor Aaron Dunlop took us to his home for supper with his beautiful family (photo #3), before heading off to fly to Glasgow. A gentleman recognized us in the airport and shared that he has been blessed by my books and other RHB titles (photo #4). Rev. David Carmichael greeted us at the airport and brought us to his home.