Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKE
Three years later news of a revival in the Hebrides began
to filter through. Faith was rising in Britain and Billy Graham
was making an impact with huge crusades in London. When,
in 1954, Verna took some of the village youngsters down to
hear him, they were stirred. Even the minister began to
change and started a friendly after-meeting on Sunday nights.
Things began to look promising. But within two years he’d
moved on.
Tyres screeched as the motorbike swerved off the Bedfordshire
lane and crashed through a hedge. A young man appeared,
unhurt except for a few bruises. He was Noel Stanton.
Noel, born in 1926, had grown up on his parents’ farm in
Bedfordshire. On leaving school he worked for a bank, but at
eighteen was conscripted into the Royal Navy. One day, when
serving in Sydney, Australia, a man approached him on the
street. ‘My young friend,’ he said, ‘where do you expect to
spend eternity?’ The word struck home and, not long after,
Noel gave his life to Christ.
After leaving the Navy, he was baptised by a pentecostal
pastor, and in the laying-on of hands there was a call to ministry.
Noel was soon out preaching with his friends from the
National Young Life Campaign. Together they organised village
crusades and gospel events. Then he went to All Nations
Bible College and for a while acted as deputation secretary
for what was then the West Amazon Mission.
Returning to Bedford, Noel worked as an accounts clerk
and later in a business partnership. He lodged with a
pentecostal family (with whose theology he disagreed!). He
27