Born into a Christian home in Belfast, N. Ireland, Ernest Wilson left work at age 21 in the world’s largest shipyard to venture into the heart of Africa with the gospel. This volume tells of the forty years spent in his beloved Angola. Forced to leave in 1961, he continued his Bible teaching ministry throughout the United States and around the world for the next thirty-five years before going home to be with the Lord in 1996.
His autobiography, Angola Beloved, first published in 1967, still challenges believers today to live a life of faith. From boyhood, his imagination was fired by reading about David Livingston, Fred Arnot, and Mary Slessor. He wanted to follow in their footsteps, see the places they had pioneered.
From the foreword to the new edition:
In the fall of 1923, the world was gradually coming together after the horror and destruction of World War I but there was still great instability in many parts of Europe. The governments of Bulgaria and Spain were both overthrown in military coups. Vladimir Lenin suffered a third stroke and stepped down from the Soviet government. A young thirty-four year old Adolf Hitler led an unsuccessful revolt against the German government and in the United States, President Harding died in office and was replaced by Calvin Coolidge.
But in Belfast, Northern Ireland, there was only one thing on the mind of twenty-one year old, T. Ernest Wilson and that was the millions of lost souls in Africa who had never heard the gospel. When only eighteen years old, he had listened to missionaries tell of the great spiritual need in Angola and made a commitment in his heart to serve the Lord among those people. That heart-felt commitment became a reality when he was commended to the work of the Lord in Africa several years later by a small working class assembly in Belfast. He not only had a desire to be obedient but had also been deeply impressed by the faith and testimony of men like George Mueller, who had put their confidence entirely in the Lord, never asking for money. Believing this to be the way God intended us to live, he made it a practice to never mention his material needs to anyone but the Lord.
In the book, God is Faithful, compiled by Jabe Nicholson, a story is told that perfectly illustrates what living a life of faith really means. As T. Ernest Wilson was standing on the Belfast docks preparing to leave for Africa, a kind brother pressed two gold coins into his hand, saying, “If you are ever down to your last penny, there is something to fall back on.” As a testament to God’s faithfulness and provision, T. Ernest Wilson still had those two gold coins over seventy years later. God had fully met their needs during a life of service to Him.
This book is an account both of hardship and joy, as well as setback and accomplishment. It is a riveting story of danger, adventure and opportunity for the Lord. But more than all that, it is a practical example of how we as believers should be living. We do pray that this updated edition will reach a new generation of believers, both young and old who desire to serve the Lord faithfully, putting into practice the words of Philippians 4:19:
But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.