Mr. Ridley, welcome to the microphone.
How did you become a Christian?
I was born again under the ministry of
the Reverend William Lamb in 1915.
Unexpectedly, I went there to hear him speak
about the war.
And having a keen soldier background, I went
to answer and to gather all I could
about the war position from William Lamb.
Instead of that, I was arrested by scram
preaching on the second coming of Christ and
led to a definite decision and acceptance of
the Saviour and the confession of the same
dear Redeemer.
This was in the Burton Street Baptist Church
or the Burton Street Tabernacle, as most people
know it by.
And Mr. Lamb, of course, was a great
prophetic preacher, wasn't he?
Wonderful preacher, Mr. Turnham, a wonderful preacher.
He held a congregation in the grip of
God for well over an hour often in
his preaching.
And he opened to me and to many
others the word of God from its prophetic
angle as well as its evangelistic angle.
Now, Mr. Ridley, after your conversion to Christ
of the Burton Street Baptist Church, you went
to France, didn't you?
Yes, within a few months, sir, I went
off to France.
And after some months in Egypt, rather, first
of all to Egypt, after some months in
Egypt, waiting to go to Gallipoli, when they
had the evacuation from Anzac, we were taken
into the Arabian Desert to meet the Turks.
And the Turks didn't turn up.
And then we were swept across the Mediterranean
to enter into the war in France, which
I saw a great deal of.
Now, I notice you have a military decoration.
That is simply the military cross that many
others may have won if they'd just been
seen at the time.
But it was graciously granted to me at
the storming of the Hindenburg Line in 1918.
Tell us the circumstances of that.
I'm hesitant to tell of the circumstances about
it because, after all, I feel so many
of my comrades deserved the decoration as much
as I did.
But I've been long in the battalion and
have fought in every battle save one in
our long history, the 53rd Battalion.
And perhaps they gave it to me at
the last battle because I had consideration of
my surviving of so many earlier battles.
But it was really by bringing in wounded
from the Hindenburg Line system and going out
under difficult conditions to rescue some of our
men.
So I think I really got what some
of the other men won for me in
some way.
Mr. Ridley, have you found in 50 years
as a Christian of being, Mr. Ridley, have
you found that being a Christian for 50
years, it has helped being a member of
the Army or not?
A great help to me, sir, in having
the background of an Army experience both in
the First and Second Wars, World Wars, because
I had an idea of the rough and
tumble of life in the services.
Now tell us about your evangelistic work.
Have you ever had a pastorate?
Only for 19 months.
After my return from World War I, I
was at Maroubra for about 19 months as
a student pastor and then collapsed at the
close of that time in a wartime reactionary
breakdown from my battle wound and long years
under fire.
And then you took up a new kind
of ministry in full-time evangelism.
Tell us how you started out on that.
Well, I really went out jackarooing for a
start on a Western keep and cattle station
to try and recover my health.
And then failing to do that, I went
from pitter to post for some three years
in very bad health.
And finally, after about three and a half
years, I was anointed with oil and prayed
over by some of the brethren.
Soon after that, I had a call to
go out just as a bush missionary in
the back country, the Word of God and
with Bibles and Christian literature and to speak
more than to preach to lonely wanderers of
the outback.
Mr. Ridley, you've been very well known in
churches of all denominations, although you are a
Baptist minister.
Have you found real fellowship with people of
other denominations?
Generally speaking, yes.
I think I can say I have found
fellowship with all the denominations that I've served
with and I have with most of them,
sometime or other.
But I expect, I must say I have
had a little more fellowship with the Baptists
because they are my own kith and kin
in the theological sense.
But I've enjoyed the time when I've got
over the fence and labored with other denominations
as well as with my own people.
Mr. Ridley, after 50 years as a Christian,
could you answer this question?
When you first became a Christian, did you
find everything became easy and all your problems
were solved or not?
Not exactly, Mr. Turner, but I did find
this, a new power had come into my
life, an amazing power that changed my ambitions
and ideals from the army in which I
was set upon for my career and to
my own amazement swung me around during the
war years the desire to advocate the Savior's
cause rather than go ahead with my army
career.
And I think it was an inward power,
I'm sure it was an inward power, the
power of God and the Holy Spirit that
changed me from a military career to a
ministry in evangelism.
Looking back over 50 years, you can see
certain people who've come to Christ.
Could you tell us about some of these
people?
Well, sir, I could tell you of some
of the cases that have been most striking.
One known to some of my heroes of
one of the worst criminals of the city,
in a provincial city in New South Wales,
who was not only a criminal but an
alcoholic and a very bad character, who was
apprehended by a voice that seemed to advise
him that he had a better life ahead
if only he would turn.
And he went and sought help from a
Salvation Army officer who said there was no
meeting that night but that I was holding
a mission there and he came to my
meeting.
He was then, you might say, a catadermalian,
a poor broken-down sinner.
And he said he heard the gospel for
the first time that night and he came
to the Lord Jesus under the message, the
Master has come and calleth for thee.
And that thee got him and he came
out for Christ that night.
And though we had grave fears how he
would progress, he went on faithfully for many
years and has now passed to be with
the Lord a living witness in his own
city right up to the end.
That's one of the cases.
And there are many others that I don't
think I could possibly give in this brief
interview but I remember another who was a
railway porter whose swearing was so great that
the girls of the home where he was
staying, a farm home, said that the father
had decided that the porter would be told
to go unless his swearing decreased and his
conduct improved.
Well, during our little mission in the very
wild and lonely country church, he came out
for Christ and was graciously saved and has
become a minister of Christ in his own
order and is an excellent preacher and so
one of this day.
Mr. Ridley, would you have any idea how
many people have been won to Christ over
these 50 years of ministry?
None at all, sir.
I don't like to count numbers even because
I believe that many that I have been
privileged to welcome to Jesus Christ have been
prayed in by others in the background, behind
the scenes, and perhaps in the long run
when our work is measured up at the
judgment seat of Christ, the prayers will have
more to their credit from the Lord than
the preacher.
I could not tell you how many but
I thank God for a number in the
ministry and in the mission field today and
others, yes, ordinary Christians who the Lord privileged
me to welcome the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mr. Ridley, we've been speaking about the highlights
of your ministry.
How about the bad times?
Can you remember any times when you were
really down low and things weren't happening and
you may have thought your ministry was a
failure?
Indeed I can, sir.
Very early in my evangelistic ministry I had
two very hard meetings along the western country
line, going out west.
First one was in Lithgow and I had
very little response.
Second one was in Millthorpe where I'd only
two came out in answer to the appeal
after 10 days of fighting for decisions and
I began to think I was not really
fitted to be an evangelist.
But I received a sweet message from Dr.
Alexander Smelly's book, In the Hour of Silence,
where he said when it comes to soul
winning we must recognize that the Lord is
the one that gives the inquest.
We can pray, we can preach, we can
plead, but only God can give the inquest.
That comforted me, strengthened me, and I went
on to Dubbo, and as we drove into
Dubbo I said, Oh Lord, do grant me
some seal of thy power and presence, and
we came across a little revival there, revived
my own heart as well.
Mr. Ridley, over a period of 50 years
the world has changed almost beyond recognition, particularly
in the technologies.
Have you noticed any change in spiritual life
of people and also in the change, have
you noticed any changes in, I'm going to
take it again, keep going.
Mr. Ridley, in the 50 years that you've
been a Christian the world has changed almost
beyond recognition, particularly in the technologies.
Do you think people have changed in this
50 years?
I rather think there has been a certain
change in that attitude to the standards of
the gospel.
I don't think people have changed, basically I
think they're still in desperate need individually of
the redeeming blood of Christ and the mighty
changing power of the Spirit, but I do
feel there's been a hardening because the standards
in the church appear to me to have
fallen to some extent from the early days
when I was a young convert and a
young Christian.
In those days there seemed to be a
more instant passion to go out and rescue
others when one was saved and there was
more joy in seeing real conversions than I
generally notice today when people make a decision
there doesn't seem to be the leaping forward
into the life of love for others as
in those days that was so distinctly imprinted
upon my mind.
Though the same need I think is still
there basically people need Christ and his transforming
power.
And over these 50 years have you noticed
any change in the approach of the preacher
to the unconverted?
Any new method you've discovered along the way?
I'm old now sir and I haven't dared
to change horses in my long ministry of
evangelism and I don't dare to do it
now.
I don't for a moment think my method
is perfect and often I feel disappointed with
the way it's put over in the appeal
and the invitation whatever you like to call
it, but I have found the Lord so
often sealing it, often unknown to myself sealing
it, that I think it's better to stick
by the method that has been blessed than
to chant some new method.
Though I don't deny to others their right
to a new approach in the matter of
making an appeal or an advance to the
sinner, for myself I must stand by the
old landmarks that the fathers have set and
which I followed in such a case as
following the way my father in God William
Lamb used to plead with us intensely and
earnestly and beseech us to come to Christ
before his advent while we had time to
come.
What do you think then of modern evangelists
like Billy Graham?
I have heard Billy Graham and I've met
him personally of the highest esteem for him.
I thank God for his ministry and personally
I feel that he is a prophet to
the nations and we all ought to be
grateful for his great ministry.
I feel that he's warning as well as
wooing in the wonderful way in these last
days and I feel they are the last
days of this dispensation of righteousness.
I thank God for the great evangelists from
America.
One last question Mr. Whitley, what is your
view of the church union movement that's coming
up now?
Well I'm always or I try to be
very reserved in passing judgments but you've asked
me for my view many many years ago
the Reverend William Lamb in his ministry where
I was molded for my own work by
the grace of God warned us that a
day would come when Christendom would be united
but on a wrong basis not united on
the great fundamentals of the faith but coming
together in a kind of uncertain union trying
to bridge the differences but not going down
deeply to get a union of the spirit
and in the spirit for the great work
of God.
I do not feel happy myself personally in
the ecumenical movement though on the other hand
I'm in love and fellowship with all them
that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity
and truth though I don't favor an organic
union.
Finally Mr. Whitley, would you like to take
say five or ten minutes and give a
straight evangelistic message for your listeners?
Well sir I'm not prepared for it but
I'll do my best.
Go right ahead.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world
to save sinners and there is no doubt
about it that he came to save all
men because all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God.
There is none righteous no not one.
I remember a dear woman whom I was
with in England an aristocratic woman who had
her own little chapel and a number of
well-to-do people would gather in that
chapel when they came to stay with her
but she was essentially true to the gospel
and she told me on one occasion she
got these people to read a passage from
the prophecy of Isaiah in which they had
to repeat after her these very words all
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags and she
said I told them now think of it
all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
So in God's sight there is none righteous
no not one and it is essential that
we should preach the righteousness of Christ that
is that the Lord God Almighty hath made
him Jesus Christ who knew no sin to
be made sin for us that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him
that is that on his on the basis
of his righteousness I am accepted as righteous
though I know in my own heart that
I am not in myself a righteous man
yet the imputed righteousness of Christ is placed
on my account this is very wonderful this
covers all my sin with the cleansing blood
of Jesus and then gives me a robe
of righteousness and a garment of salvation when
David Sanderman a missionary to China was dying
after only a few years service he was
asked what was his hope in those dying
hours grandly he replied head to foot righteousness
he was covered with the righteousness of Christ
and of course we have that sweet word
that if any man sin we have an
advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous
and he is the propitiation for our sins
and not for ours only but for the
sins of the whole world so that anyone
coming to Christ and receiving him as their
personal savior while they may not become perfectly
righteous in their early days or even till
their last days they have constantly an advocate
with the father who is presenting to the
father his perfect righteousness on their behalf what
a wonderful gospel it is not of works
but all of grace we are saved by
grace through faith and that not of ourselves
it is the gift of God not of
works lest any man should boast I remember
on one occasion being in a train when
I was a chaplain in the second war
with an air force officer and we came
round to the subject of personal religion and
he said padre surely I am a decent
good man I belong to a church I've
done the best I can all my days
he said now listen I'll prove to you
that I am a good person because the
lady that I married she changed her religion
changed her denomination because of my life now
isn't that enough to get me to heaven
ah my friend I said not at all
you've given me a great opportunity to tell
you that you are boasting in righteousness and
the salvation of God is intended to blast
away boasting and pride and self-confidence why
I said the simple gospel is we are
saved by grace not of ourselves it is
the gift of God not of works lest
any man should boast and that's just what
you're doing but Jesus Christ did it all
when on the cross he said it is
finished why not kneel down here tonight and
receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart
and cease boasting in your own works and
begin to glory in him I thank God
that he suddenly said padre you have won
me you have caught me on the very
spot when I'm weak and I realize now
that I really need the savior he bent
down with me and kneeled down that night
in the train and opened his heart to
Christ and later made an open stand in
one of our meetings in the north he
was trusting to his own righteousness may I
close by saying that I was converted under
that simple and beautiful hymn Jesus and shall
it ever be a mortal man ashamed of
thee ashamed of thee whom angels praise whose
glory shine to endless days some of you
will remember how that wonderful hymn closes ashamed
of Jesus yes I may when I've no
guilt to wash away no fears to quell
no good to crave no tears to wipe
no soul to say till then till then
nor is my boasting vain till then I
boast a savior slain and oh may this
my glory be that Christ is not ashamed
of me and again remember that sweet and
wondrous word when I survive the wondrous cross
on which the prince of glory died my
richest gain I count but loss and poor
contempt on all my pride forbid it lord
that I should boast save in the death
of Christ my God all the vain things
that charm me most I sacrifice them to
his blood were the whole realm of nature
mine that were an offering far too small
love so amazing so divine demands my soul
my life my all as it demands that
may God give us grace friends to present
to him our souls our lives out all
as love answers to love divine amen Mr
Ridley you have been a Christian for 50
years on the 20th of June 1965 what
is your earthly age I am 68 almost
on the point of 69 would you like
to give a word of advice to young
preachers who are following in your footsteps yes
I could give an advice a word of
advice I I don't know that it will
count but I just speak from the experience
of the years I first of all thought
I wanted to be a great soldier when
I was converted then I wanted to be
a great Christian when I set my face
to the ministry then I wanted to be
a great preacher and slowly because of great
suffering that came to me tremendous suffering and
humbling in that suffering I realized that the
Lord Jesus Christ wanted a great lover and
it wasn't great preaching that counted or even
great Christianity in the eyes of the world
but great love for the Lord himself so
that I coined from Samuel Rutherford that beautiful
statement where he said to love the Lord
Jesus Christ is the last end of a
true believer's love and I think the making
of a preacher is that by the grace
of God through suffering or through some other
experience he falls in love with Jesus Christ
and can say with the apostle I am
determined to know nothing among you save Jesus
Christ and him the crucified that is one
point that I would stress to young preachers
another one I would stress it's essential that
we develop in some measure an inward life
of prayer I was wonderfully blessed by being
brought into a circle or concert of prayer
early in my Christian life with two other
valiant prayers that knew how to pray and
in those prayer meetings I discovered uh what
I could never have discovered at the feet
of a professor or in the theological college
or the bible college I discovered when we
draw nigh to God he draws nigh to
us and it was in prayer that I
began to see visions and dream dreams that
became to me afterwards the background and the
backbone of my evangelistic ministry when the Lord
was pleased to bring me back out of
the wilderness of suffering into the forefront of
service for some years another point I would
stress to young preachers would be to uh
endeavor as much as in them is to
discover what the Lord blesses to their own
soul in a special way he blessed my
soul the word of confession confession of Christ
and I had to prove it in the
very hard and difficult sphere of army camps
and battle trenches and very grim places on
the fields of Flanders and elsewhere and I
realized that I had to unfurl my flag
or fall from my Christian profession I heard
a message given by a valiant young heart
in Egypt in the days of the first
world war from those words in the psalms
thou hast given a banner to them that
fear thee that it may be a displayed
or unfurled because of the truth and the
Lord laid on my heart from the very
time I was challenged to make a confession
for Christ right down the years increasingly that
the Lord Jesus Christ needs valiant witnesses fearless
confessors of his name in a world that
has rejected him and does still reject him
in many ways but other men have laid
to their hearts perhaps the love of God
in a deeper way some have laid to
their hearts the message of judgment some have
laid to their heart the message of revival
in a general way but it's a good
thing as Duncan Matheson the great evangelist said
find out what God blesses through you and
then stick to it this recording was made
in Studio B on the 9th of June
1965 with the Reverend John Ridley commemorating his
50 years as a Christian on the 20th
of June 1965