‘Ello mate! I’m writing you from bonnie England—giving you a report on the first few days of the journey here in Britain. I will be brief on geography, but the first days were in a vacation home near Dolgellau, Wales. Beautiful! Extraordinarily surreal experience! Stepping back in time 3-400 years! Indescribable! Good fellowship with Peter, our gracious host, and Paul.
From Dolgellau I went to Swansea in South Wells, going there to see the Bible college that Rees Howells built. On Monday, January 25, I knocked on the door of the caretaker of the facility—David. He was gracious to take me on a tour of the facilities and the grounds. The Bible college itself moved to Rugby, England, in 2009, so there is little taking place there now.
You might be aware that in the early ‘80s, the Holy Spirit told me to ask for an example for my life, a man who, like you and me, walked this life out in this flesh. I thought that that example would have been a pastor whom I greatly respected at the time; but no, He gave me someone else—Rees Howells. You can read about Rees in a book by Norman Grubb (whom I heard speak twice), titled, Rees Howells, Intercessor. Rees was an intercessor extraordinaire! He was an incredible man with an incredible understanding, and possessed resolute dedication and focused purpose. I highly recommend that you read the book about him. Therefore, it was my great pleasure and honor to walk where he had walked and to so see what faith had built there at Swansea.
In hindsight, I must say that it is encouraging that a David had the key—the key of David (Revelation 3:7)—that opened all the doors for me there, including going into the house where the prayer meetings were held, as well as the room where Rees lived, and on February 12, 1950, died.
But the most amazing and humbling event that David opened the door to was a visit with Mr. Richard Maton. Mr. Maton was the third president of the college, preceded by Rees, followed by his son, Samuel. Mr. Maton personally knew Rees, and happened to be at the school that day working on his memoirs for a book about Samuel. I was grateful and honored to tell him that Rees continues to live on in a man, insomuch that God gave him to me as my example. Very briefly, I shared some of the intercessions that I have gone through, and affirmed some of the vital principles I initially learned from Rees—being willing to pay the price for others, the VITAL principle of identification, earning the right to be heard before God, and that immediate need gets immediate provision. Very much so, my life has been formed by identification with Rees.
With this personal expression, Mr. Maton then spoke, “Well David, I think we should give the man a gift.” He then turned to a table behind him and from it handed me a 4×8 inch box filled with files of paper about the size and order of index cards, all held together by a white cord. As he gave this to me, he explained, “These are the sayings of Rees Howells,” recorded by Mr. Geoffrey Crane, who is now dead. Be mindful, this was not a copy, but the one-of-a-kind hand-written originals from the period of at least (the ones that are dated) from 1937 to 1947.
I was amazed that he would give me this, and so was David, who questioned if it was not something that should be preserved for the archives. But no, Mr. Maton was confident that this was to be my gift. I was humbled and awestruck beyond words. This was an honor beyond anything I could ever imagine—the hand-written notes of a man who personally recorded Rees’ words. These very notes had supposedly been used in writing the book, The Intercession of Rees Howells, by former headmistress, Doris Ruscoe, which included many such quotes, and was possibly used by Norman Grubb as well. Now, I became their recipient and keeper! With wonder and honor I expressed my heart-felt gratitude to Mr. Maton. Yet even more meaningful, it was as if Yahweh had given me this gift after nearly thirty years of obedience in following this man’s example whom the Holy Spirit had given me.
Upon departing from David, I strolled the grounds, and at one point sat down on a garden bench and perused some of these remarkable sayings of Rees. One particular quote dated July 7, 1944, was so exceptionally noteworthy to my life that I found a piece of paper and marked it.Here is what he said:
Only those who can take revelations can be greatly used.
The path of receiving revelations has definitely been my own journey, especially since June, 1994, when the Holy Spirit began revealing these marvelous truths regarding the Bride and the kingdom of heaven. In fact, upon reading the estimated four hundred quotes, I found that three of the last four quotes recorded in 1947 were devoted to this same matter. Here they are:
December 19
The vision is in a revelation and cannot be received through commonsense. A proof is given after there has been a revelation.December 24
When God gives revelation, some, like Mary and Elizabeth, believe it and live in the joy of it; others, like Zacharias, disbelieve it and are dumb.December 29
One who has a revelation can never be shaken.
That year was closed with this final quote, ending Mr. Crane’s recordings (with exception to one entry on September 25, 1948):
December 30
You think you can believe by simply going on your knees, but you have to spend time until every difficulty is removed.
Because the Holy Spirit gave Rees as my example in life, he is like (though not literally) a first Remnant to me—paying the price, laying the groundwork, but ending with a breach. So when these personal records were given to me, I cannot help but regard that this message where he left off regarding the necessity of revelation, is being fulfilled today in this man’s life—the incredible revelation of Bride truth, fulfilling the very thing Rees taught.
In like regard, at the end of his life there was an important place of intercession that Rees gained but was never able to fulfill. On page 276 of Rees Howells, Intercessor, we read:
[Rees], with the rest of the College, had faith for translation, and in the spirit of victory over death through Christ, was awaiting the great day of His coming, and the fulfillment of Philippians 3:21 [“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (21-22)]. But after gaining this final place of intercession, he accepted the will of God in fullness of victory [i.e., death].
This promise of not dying was, of course, given to the first Remnant as well: “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death unto seeing the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” This promised coming never took place, for He also said that at that time He would “come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds” (Matthew 16:27-28). Like Rees, they too received not the promise and died. This was equally like the promise given to Moses concerning entering into the Promised Land, yet not receiving it either. But even as the revelation of truth has come to the Bride, so will come the fulfillment of the promise of Philippians 3:21 that Rees beheld at a distance in hope. We, the Elijah company, the second bird of Leviticus 14:1-7, will not die but ascend alive.
Another seeming testimony of Rees being a first Remnant to me is that I was born on August 7, 1948. Rees died a year and a half later on February 12, 1950. While I was on this earth, he lived the duration of the first Remnant—one and a half years. His last words were, “Victory . . . Hallelujah.” “Victory” is the very word Yahweh once emphatically spoke to me and offered me, and even confirmed with Rees Howells, Intercessor. (You can read about this by clicking here.)
There are indeed many things that have unmistakably intertwined our lives, and the incredible gift given to me by Mr. Maton wonderfully amplified that Divinely appointed relationship. And regarding this trip to Britain, it appears that my beginning in Wales and Swansea is the first Remnant portion, even attested to by Rees. When in Dolgellau, I was asked what I expected in this trip. My reply was that, based on the government and order of Yahweh God, I anticipated that the trip to Wales would be a first Remnant blessing, that the second part of the trip to England would be passed over like Christianity, and that the third part in Scotland would have the greatest possibility for fulfillment; thus, the passing over principle.
I can affirm that my time here in London is a breach, other than being able to write this to you. Thursday, I went to the Thames River with Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace, where the Queen lives; and frankly, it all left me quite empty. The natural beauty and simplicity of Wales was far more satisfying. Women dress immodestly and seductively, and the statues around the Buckingham fountain were an affront to Yahweh God and did not give Him glory. I was very aware that man is an utter failure, corrupts this earth, and is desperately in need of truth, deliverance, and righteousness. London is vast in size with tall buildings everywhere, but to me they looked like dead men’s corpses. People were going everywhere, scurrying about in every direction according to their own wills and vain pursuits.
Finally taking my rest on the fountain wall, surrounded by the grandeur and opulence of man and thousands of gawking tourists, I asked myself what would give me the greatest pleasure at that time—dining somewhere, seeing some other sight? But I realized that the greatest pleasure I could experience in London was to return to my room, that Paul gratefully provided, and write. There is no hope through the plans and pursuits of man. The only hope we have is the Elijah work preparing the way for Immanuel, who will personally reign over man for a thousand years and solve this mess—the Millennial reign. Thus, straightforward I left the pomp, prestige, and pursuits of man, and went to my room as a searching pauper.
Regarding the third part of this trip—Scotland—it is most interesting that the stone located in Edinburgh called Jacob’s Pillow, the Stone of Scone, the Coronation Stone, and even the Stone of Destiny, was returned there from England in 1996. Seemingly quite significant, this is the very year that Yahweh had mercy on man (addressed in Cursed Time, Blessed Time. Hopefully, He is attesting by this transfer that mercy will be granted relative to the testimony of that stone and its location. Let us see why.
It is most interesting that that stone always lies in a horizontal position. You can see some photos of it by clicking here. Why is this so noteworthy?In Genesis 28:10-19, we read that the stone in its horizontal position speaks of a time of darkness and sleep. Granted, Jacob’s dream was very good and the promise was sure; but nonetheless, it speaks of darkness and a time of sleep and waiting. This has been the resting state of that stone for centuries. Why? Quite evidently, it waits for the time when the darkness is over and the stone can be lifted up and anointed.
In verse 18 we read, “So Jacob rose [from his sleep] early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top.” More literally in the Hebrew, this passage reads, “… and erected it upright and placed shemen on its head.” The latter part of this verse possesses the same two Hebrew words found in Psalm 23 that everyone is familiar with: “He anoints my head with shemen.” Jacob anointed the head of this erected stone with shemen.
The stone lying down was like unto Jacob—lying down, sleeping, waiting until the break of day. In the Scriptures stones often speak of men, and this stone that is erected upright with its head anointed with shemen is no exception. It is a man who, after darkness, is erected and anointed. And, it seams that Jacob’s Pillow in Edinburgh, Scotland, speaks of the same—waiting for the breaking of the light. I hope the day of that fulfillment is at hand.
Also regarding Scotland, if you look at Britain in the same way you look at Africa, then Scotland has the distinct identity of being the head of an uprighted stone, if you would. (Of course Africa’s head was crushed.) So, if the upright Stone of Destiny is Britain, for it is indeed distinctly upright in its shape and position, then Scotland, where the actual stone has resided since 1996, would receive the oil, the shemen. This is the third part of my journey.
In chapter thirty of Rees Howells, Intercessor, we read of the “Every Creature Vision” that Rees received at the end of 1934, and thereafter was at the forefront of his work. Did he or could he bring truth to every creature? No, but the second Remnant can. With the return of Immanuel made possible through the Remnant, truly every creature will believe. Faith will become sight; and as prophesied in kingdom John where the word faith is never used, there will be no more need for faith. Again, faith will become sight. Every man will behold the King.
Once again, our hope is the return of Immanuel; and on last Tuesday as I returned from a walk beyond the present Bible school boundaries, I noticed that the housing development that now sits on the property where the school gardens used to extend, was named Emmanuel Gardens. With all my heart I pray that through the Bride, the obedient people, the kingdom of Emmanuel, His restored Garden, will be established on this earth. So may it be.
Blessings from Britain. I will let you know what unfolds.