A Transcript of the above obituary:
DOUGLAS RUSSELL, Weston-super-Mare.
DOUGLAS RUSSELL, of Weston-super-Mare, passed Home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 14, [1933] at the ripe old age of ninety-one. Mr. Russell was born October 8, 1842, at Old Cumnock, Ayrshire. He was converted when a youth of nineteen, at a time of general awakening in Scotland. His first spiritual impressions were received through the ministry of Edward Payson Hammond, of the United States, when on an evangelistic visit to Great Britain. By this time, young Douglas Russell had been apprenticed to the Law, but the doctrines of free grace had taken such a grip of his young soul that he decided to step out as an evangelist to preach God's good news far and wide. Possessing a pleasing personality, fluent in speech, bright and kindly in manner, this youthful servant of Christ found everywhere a ready response to the Gospel message. In his evangelistic tours, he visited the United States and Canada, also Australia and New Zealand. Ever loyal to New Testament principles in worship and service, he always retained a love for all the Lord's people. He believed that wherever there is a sinner, there is the work of the evangelist, and wherever there is a saint, there is the work of the pastor or teacher, and he claimed perfect freedom in service for His worthy Lord. In his labours for the Lord, he has been associated with such men of God as Gordon Forlong, Harrison Ord, and others. Wherever he found an open door, he captured it for his Lord and the furtherance of His cause. Mr. Russell became acquainted with Messrs. Moody and Sankey on the American side, before those two God-sent evangelists paid their fruitful visits to Britain, and in the days of the Moody and Sankey revivals of 1873-1874 in this country, not only did he stand by them, but helped in some of their great missions, sometimes even leading the praise at the large gatherings.
A keen student of Scripture, and widely read, Douglas Russell was at all times ready by lip and pen to advance the cause of Gospel truth. He was a strong controversialist and would openly oppose all forms of heresies which came his way. Especially was he a strong opponent of Christian Science, whose propagators could not withstand his power and argument. He has been rightly described as a standard-bearer for the truth with a mind saturated with the Old and New Testaments. Mr. Russell loved to minister the truths of Scripture and sought at all times to lead the souls of his hearers to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Whom he loved and served.
Our friend loved the ministry of song and was rich in poetic gift. He tells us, however, that it was not until he was well past middle life that the poetic muse stirred within him, but the growing appreciation of the Divine blessings made known in the Gospel moved him to its expression again and again in sacred song. A selection of sacred poems and hymns by him, embracing thewhole scope of the Christian course, entitled "Songs of Salvation and Glory," were published some years ago, and can still be had.
Notwithstanding his advanced age, Mr. Russell did a good deal of walking, and enjoyed working in his garden and greenhouse almost till the end. For some considerable time, our brother has not been able to do any reading, but his only daughter, Pearl, was both sight and pen to him. As long as he was able, he attended the meetings at Gospel Hall, Weston, with regularity, frequently walking the distance of two miles each way.
He loved open-air work, and as late as August last year, he supported such meetings daily on the sands. Our brother was held in high esteem by the townspeople; so much so, that the local newspapers testified after his death that Weston would be incomparably poorer for the loss of our departed friend. He peacefully entered his heavenly home on November 14, 1933, and his remains were laid to rest in the local cemetery. Mr. Douglas Brealey, Mr. Revill, Mr. Green, and Dr. Latimer Short spoke suitable words at the funeral, which was large and representative.
“The Believer’s Pathway” 1934. John Gray, Ed.
