FERMANAGH CONVENTION, IRELAND, 1959 

DAVE CHRISTIE

My first convention was Crocknacrieve in 1904. I was there for a week. I had made my choice a short time previously. My first contact with the Truth was in Dundalk where I was in business, and George Walker and Irvine Weir were passing through on their way to Belfast on their bicycles before crossing the ocean to preach in United States [1903].

George gave me his testimony. He had been in the same business as myself, and had gone forth the same way as Jesus sent His preachers. We walked up and down the street together and then went to have dinner. All the time George was pouring it into me. That night I went to my room and locked the door. I opened the bible at 10th Matt. and 10th Luke. I closed the Book and said, "If this Book is right, and Jesus is right, these men are right too." The testimonies of the servants of God went deeper into my heart than anything I had heard before.

The Fall of that year when I took my vacation, I went to County Meath, where Bill and Mrs. Carroll were getting rid of all their possessions. I was there the day we helped to get the piano out - it could nearly swim out - there were so many tears. That week I heard a great deal about the Lowly Way of Jesus and the sacrifice it meant to be a servant of God in the world.

Timothy. There are a few good things in that letter and also warnings or danger signals. He singles out some men in the first chapter of whom he said, "And they made shipwreck." We have to admit that we have known people who made shipwreck too. For some reason, they did not hold to the faith end to the warnings of their conscience.

The voice of conscience is so tender that it would be very possible to stifle, but it is also so clear that you will not make any mistake about it. Conscience is that still small voice that makes you feel smaller. Conscience will never tell you that you did well, it will always tell you that you could have been better - you could have been truer, you could have been more sympathetic. These people managed to stifle the voice of conscience and then they put it away - the consequence was they made shipwreck.

Another warning - you are to give none occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully. We all know people who did that, because of unfaithfulness, disloyalty and prayerlessness, they have been defeated in their lives, and they brought condemnation and reproach even from people on the outside as well as sorrow of heart to… (missing text).

That will never happen. You can live carelessly so that it is bound to happen, and the world will say, "If that is Christianity, I am just as well without it." It happened in Pauls' day, and it else happens today.

There are very good things mentioned here - prayer is good and acceptable in the sight of God. Pray for your brethren - for those in Authority "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."

Then it speaks of women adorning themselves in that which becometh women professing godliness. Modesty in dress is good in the sight of God.

Paul said, "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up In the words of faith and of good doctrine."

Then in the 5th chapter it says, "Let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents, for that is good and acceptable before God." Maybe that is the hardest thing, because the people at home see you off your guard. They see you when things don't go so well. "Let them learn to show piety at home."

The things I enjoy most about the story of Noah end the Ark is this, it was the people who knew Noah best that believed in him the most. His wife believed in what she saw in him. One time I got in touch with people who were very religious and very loud in their profession of holiness. They had what they called camp meetings - several weeks of missions in tents. One Sunday this man said he was going there to the river side about 30 miles to a camp meeting. His wife said she wasn't going, but changed her mind and went on the next train. During the afternoon meeting, he was telling the people how he was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, when a female voice said "I am here, John"!! That was the end of his testimony!!

Two of the workers were preaching in Boston. A woman asked them home for dinner, hoping they would talk to her husband, who was not religious. They were talking to her. She said, "Preach at him, not me—I am holy." And the husband said, "A holy terror"!!

Noah's wife believed in what she saw in him and wanted it for herself. And Noah's three sons saw and wanted what they saw in their father and mother. They saw piety in the home. They saw in the life of Noah and his wife a devotion to Him and a practical living out of the will of God, and they wanted to have that themselves.

When I came in contact with the people of God in County Meath, I wanted what they had. I did not make any sacrifice to accept the Truth - it was the answer to all my seeking. Did you ever go down the street after travelling about all day, and as you went by a house, you smelt liver and onions? That is how the Gospel appealed to me. It was something I loved from the first time I heard it - something I wanted more than anything else.

That Convention I referred to in 1904, I went from Dublin to Ballinanallard. I was really intending to volunteer for the Work, but I got cold feet, and felt I was a little premature in my desire. That year when Willie Gill and companion were leaving for England, Willie said, "You had better come along." I replied, "I never told anybody else, but I have promised the Lord that I am willing to go when He makes it clear, but I haven't reached that place yet."

A short time afterwards, a servant of God came to Dublin and said, "I have no companion and am going to the North of Scotland. Will you come with me?" I had to work two weeks' notice, and he said he would wait for me. The next morning before I had an opportunity to give my notice, I had a telegram on my plate offering me a job at twice the salary. I jumped on my bicycle and put the telegram in front of him. He said, "That is exactly what happened to me." He said, "Dave, you will never be held down to one thing at any time in your life. At any time, you can deny yourself or deny the Lord. That is the surest proof to me that the Lord wants you." So, on 2nd November 1904, Harry Weir saw me off to Scotland.

On 8th August 1905, I left to preach in United States. For the last 35 years we have been down in Hawaii Islands. A lot don't even know where they are—a little speck on the Pacific Ocean. The Lord was very gracious in giving us an opportunity there, and in Honolulu there are six little churches; some of the other islands have a couple of churches, and one has fairly large church.

Our Conventions are always a week before Christmas, and we would like to have you for our Conventions. The friends there said, "Bring our love and greetings to the people of God over here, and tell them to pray for the extension of the Kingdom." We were alone for a number of years, and now there are three pairs of Workers on the Islands.

There are other good things, but I think I had better speak to you a little while about one verse that seems to stand out in my mind: "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." "The life that now is." That little word "now" occurs many times in the New Testament. "But are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." Godliness is profitable for this life."

And now are we the sons of God, and when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.
"Now we are the people of God — in time past you were not a people — now you are the people of God.
"Now to Him who is able to present you faultless."

Now we have joy in our souls — we have hope for the future, we have an understanding of the will of God. We have a clear grasp of the purpose of God for our lives. Before I met the Truth, I did not know why I was In this world. I knew what the animals were put in the world for, but I did not know it was God's plan and purpose for me in the world to put His Spirit in me.

The Truth of God has brought us a knowledge and understanding of God's plan and purpose for our lives now, and also for the life to come. Since I have been afflicted with coronary thrombosis three years ago, my activities have been restricted, and I am not able for very much. When I got the stroke, I was having five Gospel Meetings a week, but I have had a lot more time since for reading the Bible than I ever had before and more enjoyment from reading, and I have been giving a little look ahead.

The Lord has great things in store for us. Job asked, "If a man die, will he live again." He knew there was a resurrection. We are all acquainted where he gave a declaration of his faith. "I know in my flesh I will see God." He knew there was a resurrection, but he did not know what took place between death and the resurrection.

Jesus drew the curtain and gave us a look into the hereafter. "Lord remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom," and Jesus said, "Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise" — before the sun sets this very day. This was spoken sometime in the afternoon. Jesus was on the Cross from the 6th to 9th hour. Not tomorrow, or next week, but today thou shalt be with Me In paradise.

Once again, Jesus pulled the curtain aside and gave us a look into the future. He told of that man who died and was buried—he fared sumptuously every day. We ordinary people fair sumptuously once or twice a year, but this man who was so wealthy…(missing remaining text)

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Background: In 1923, David "Dave" E. Christie (born 5/31/1884; entered the work in 1904) married Emma (Emily) Florence Wilson (born 5/8/1883).  Dave died 9/30/1969, aged 85; Emily died 2/11/1975, aged 91. Both were workers from Ireland who married without obtaining the  permission of their overseer.  Dave was a cousin to the Carrolls.  The Carrolls' mother was Cecelia (Christie) Carroll, born in 1854 in Scotland.  On behalf of Dave and Emily Christie and their marriage, Jack Carroll made an announcement and statement concerning workers marrying on Dec. 1 1923 at the Milltown Convention.
The Christies PIONEERED the work in Hawaii in 1923. View 1926-27 List in Hawaii. They had 2 children: Mary Elizabeth (Betty) born 7/26/1924 and David Earl born 10/26/1925, both were born in Hawaii.  Betty married Wm. Clifton and died 3/14/1990 in California; Dave died 2/17/11 in Oregon. View Christie photo in TTT Photo Gallery at 1921 Washington Convention.