Forty-Seven Years A60, on December 15, 1956, with her matron’s consent, nurse Daisy Wilson helped to prepare one of her hospital patients for an unusual day out. A tall, thin Indian man took the patient, Hugh Tingle, to Rockfort Mineral Baths, baptized him and then welcomed him as a member of the worldwide Christadelphian brotherhood.
After his baptism, Hugh began to preach to his fellow patients and often he could be seen sitting at some patient’s bedside teaching from the Bible. Soon there was a little group who seemed eager to listen to him. Hugh’s church brothers and sisters visited and these visitors gave talks on the wards about Bible subjects. Their doctrine seemed strange to Daisy, contrary to what she had been brought up to accept as Christianity. But the little group increased in numbers, and there were more requests for patients to be allowed out for baptism by complete immersion in water. It suddenly dawned upon the staff that they had a “church” right there in the hospital! There were criticisms and sarcasms. The “church” was nicknamed the “Milk and Milo Church” because the visitors would bring these items of food to supplement the poor hospital diet. In spite of all this, the number of believers increased. Women patients, as well as a nurse, one of Daisy’s colleagues, joined. They even started to have their meetings in an operating theatre.
Daisy asks questions
One day Nurse Wilson was struck by statements made by one of the visitors during his lecture on the Word of God. He was speaking about the devil and Satan, and Daisy was really alarmed at what he said. So she had a talk with him after his lecture, and accused him of leading the people astray. He calmly opened his Bible and read to her passages of scripture to prove every statement he had made. This was too much for Daisy Wilson. She started thinking: if the Bible says so, it must be true.
A Bible correspondence course was recommended. As she studied, she became drawn to the group of believers and listened to their discussions. Gradually she began to see the whole picture of grace and salvation as God has revealed it in the scriptures of truth.
On October 22, 1957, another moving episode took place in Daisy’s life. Veronica Vickers, twenty-two years old, had been a desperately ill patient in the hospital for the previous four years. She was the victim of seemingly hopeless despair, and she rejected every effort to support and help her. Then the Christadelphians brought the love of Jesus and the hope of the Kingdom into the life of this lost soul. Daisy helped with the difficult task of baptizing her into Christ in a bath filled to the brim with warm water, into which Veronica’s wasted frame was lifted tenderly in a blanket. The power of the Word of God came into Veronica’s life, bringing light and joy, and Daisy, along with all the staff, marveled at the transformation wrought by the gospel. Two weeks later, in November 1957, Daisy Wilson herself put on the saving Name of Jesus Christ at Rockfort Mineral Baths.
A full participant
Sister Daisy Wilson was not simply a new convert to a church. She soon found that the Christadelphian brotherhood is not “church” in the traditional sense. Every member, male and female, brother and sister, is a priest in full-time service, offering themselves as living sacrifices to God. The apostle Peter wrote: You, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Sister Daisy realized the potential which this great privilege offers, and at once dedicated herself to a lifelong service as, what the New Testament calls, a diakonos of the Kingston Christadelphian ecclesia.
In fulfilling that position of honor, sister Daisy became known and loved worldwide. Of course, because of her great age now, almost all the visitors to Jamaica with whom she worked in her younger days are now asleep in Christ. But there are still a few hoary heads alive today who salute her faith and dedication. (Sis. Daisy added her testimonial to a recent booklet produced in memory of Bro. Alfred Norris).
Sister Daisy married a brother who was showing great promise. Sadly, he made shipwreck of the faith, one of the relatively few Jamaican brothers to have done so over the past half century. Our earnest prayers were not answered in the way we all would have wished.
Sister Daisy Allen has been a source of sound advice and a tower of strength to the Kingston ecclesia for almost half a century, and continues to contribute that wisdom which comes from a life lived with God. Unlike some more timid and self-centered members of the Brotherhood, Daisy has always loved the business meetings of her ecclesia. We are sure there has never been a single such meeting in which she has not played a prominent part and contributed significantly — to the immense and permanent benefit of all her brothers and sisters. For years and years, Sis. Daisy Allen has been guide, counselor and friend to many in spiritual need. In her typically loving way, she will readily rebuke elders as well as humbler members of the brotherhood. At ninety, she continues this wonderful work with her spirit and mind unimpaired, and with a mighty heart. Her unwavering dream and goal has always been for her beloved Christadelphian brotherhood, and her Kingston ecclesia in particular, to be, in the apostle Paul’s words, a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Most of us believe that the 20 years since sister Daisy passed her three score years and ten have been the best years of her life. She is precious to us beyond any words can say. Before her is not just a little time of declining strength, but a glorious resurrection to immortality in which her great talents will be sanctified for ever in the service of our beloved Savior and Lord.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One