Thought for the week: A mother’s Godly influence is so important
Miss Isabella Turnbull arrived late for a meeting in Lurgan Baptist Church, and from behind the door she heard the preacher announce his text, ‘Whom having not seen, ye love’ (1 Peter 1:8).
Miss Turnbull did not see the preacher until later in the meeting, but he turned out to be the young Pastor James Kyle Paisley. That was the first time that she saw the man who was to become her husband, and they were married in Lurgan Baptist Church on August 1, 1923.
At that time Mr Paisley was the Pastor of Armagh Baptist Church, and on April 6, 1926 (almost 100 years ago!) their second son, Ian Richard Kyle Paisley was born. In 1928 when Ian was just two years of age, the Paisley family moved to Ballymena, where Pastor Paisley took up the ministry in Hill Street Baptist church.
Mrs Paisley was very active in the Church and dedicated her talents to the Lord’s work - she was a gifted soloist, organist and children’s worker.
On May, 29, 1932 Mrs Paisley was speaking at a children’s meeting on the verse: "I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). Her son Ian was in the meeting, and God spoke to him of his lost spiritual condition. So, after the meeting was over, he told his mother how he felt and they knelt together at one of the pews, and he asked the Good Shepherd to come into his heart to be his Saviour.
That was one of the greatest joys of Isabella Paisley’s life. In later years, Dr Paisley had in his possession the Bible his mother spoke from that day, the notes of her message, and even the very pew where he kneeled to pray. He said of his mother’s Bible: ‘I’m glad I have this Bible. It is a treasure. It is stained with mother’s tears, and it is precious by mother’s fingerprints.’
This is a story of the great influence of a Godly mother. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and this Tuesday March 17, is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.
In many ways, Mrs Isabella Paisley was the mother of the Free Presbyterian Church. It was through her life and ministry that her son was saved and became a mighty preacher of the gospel, who led thousands of souls to Christ, founded a separatist denomination, and stood for the defence of the Christian gospel. Let that encourage every Christan mother today to be diligent and faithful in the bringing up.