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An overlooked ministry
It is, I believe, commonly recognized that the Doctor had a hidden ministry of personal counselling. I think much more significance should be given to this, and more thought given to the influence this had on him. After the Sunday services and Friday evening addresses on Romans the Church Parlour could be filled with as many as 20 to 30 people waiting to see him. It was just like being in a doctor’s waiting room at his surgery. One by one people would go in to his vestry. The Doctor sat. He usually had a cup of tea or coffee to drink – I’m not sure which – and a Kitkat to eat. Those who came in stood. He would listen to the problem; sometimes he would anticipate what was going to come next – he must have heard much the same sort of thing time and again. He would give his advice; clearly and succinctly. There were others waiting. Occasionally he would see people at other times – I once went to see him on a Thursday afternoon. In addition to this there were those who phoned him up, these were more likely to be fellow ministers. Others wrote letters and these were answered promptly – at least the two or three that I wrote to him were. His preaching ministry and his general understanding of the needs of the times must surely have been influenced by the things which he heard by the many who sought his advice.
