Wartime decision stands test of time
THE Second World War may have delayed Arthur Richardson's baptism by almost a year, but the wait did not diminish his decision to follow Jesus for the rest of his life. Arthur, 84, was speaking during a recent morning service as he marked 70 years as a member of what is now known as Marshalswick Baptist Free Church
(MBFC), in St Albans.
He recalled how he chose to follow Jesus in October 1940. 'For a month or so I didn't tell anyone. Then I asked our minister, the Revd C E Duffy*, if I could be baptised and join the church.
'In those days there was no television, so everyone used to come to church n the evenings. But, because of the war, all lights had to be blacked out at night, so it wasn't until the summer that the baptism was arranged, for
June 22, 1941.
'Most Sunday evenings the church would be full - and it certainly was that night,' he said.
Arthur served as church secretary for many years, and was in that role in 1968 when MBFC was opened - on the Marshalswick estate - following the church's move from Tabernacle Baptist Church, in Victoria Street, St Albans. He also spent many years serving in various capacities within the Hertfordshire Baptist Association, now part of the Central Baptist Association.
At the recent service he was presented with a framed, inscribed copy of a painting, made by one of the church's previous ministers, the Revd Robin Davies.
'If you are seriously thinking about baptism and church membership, speak to the minister or one of the deacons,' he said. 'You can't decide for Christ too soon.'
*nb Revd C E Duffy was at one time the minister of Houghton Regis Bapist Church.
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