The rainbow never sets

didn't know what to do. My subconscious had been prodding and waiting for the appropriate moment to come to the surface. That moment was at Navuso Agricultural College. One could say that it was my Road to Damascus experience. We returned to Sydney not only refreshed, but with a renewed spirit and united in our plans for the future.

Soon afterwards I told Bob MacArthur that I wanted to become a minister. I asked him whether the church would accept me at my age: this was in 1965 and I was 37. Bob was absolutely delighted. He organised a series of interviews, with the members of Session (the local governing body), with Presbytery (the regional body), and the College Committee. The latter consisted of many church leaders, who were curious to know why a person in my position and my experience wanted to become a minister. One of them asked me: "Do you realise that you will go down in salary by about half of what you are earning now?"

I thought this was an odd question coming from a minister and I could only answer, somewhat puzzled: "Yes."

I believed that when God's call came to me, I could put myself wholly into his care, and that he would provide for all my and my family's needs. Then the question of a scholarship was raised. I told them that I had paid off our home in Lindfield, and if we could all stay there, we would not need much. Subsequently I was advised that I would receive a scholarship of $1,000 per annum.

Then I had to tell my boss Michael Selios of my decision. He was rather disappointed, but didn't want to put any obstacles in my way. He said that the firm would have to be re-structured, as he did not want to run the Sydney office by himself, and he did not wish to employ someone else. He showed great understanding for my decision and was most generous with me. He not only gave me a generous retirement lump-sum, but also the firm's car, which we had been driving. I was able to pay off the rest of the housing loan, and had some spare cash. It was not easy for me to leave Mike and Mac, the Melbourne manager, and the large wool trade family, but I had something new to look forward to. I knew that the challenge before me would fill my life with a purpose and a meaning which I had been subconsciously looking for ever since that fateful night in Posen, when at the age of sixteen I expected to die and when I handed my life over to God.

When Mutter had suggested that I become a business man when I was twenty one, I had never been completely convinced that this was my vocation. It filled a gap, but it could never fill my life. Going into the ministry, however, 'filled my life in every part with praise', as the hymn proclaims, and I vowed that 'all my life, in every step,' I would walk with God. I couldn't wait for my studies to begin.

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