| soul that
I had not found in the daily practice of Roman Catholicism.
Not having studied Latin at school I attended their Seminary to learn Latin and
continued my secular education. I enjoyed this life greatly at first, but as
the months went by I began to realise that a change of environment did not bring
about a change of heart. After almost two years I left the Seminary and returned
to Dublin. I rejoined the Legion of Mary, an organisation within Catholic
Action, and continued the picketing of open-air gospel meetings.
It was through the witness of a young Christian that I began to
study the Bible. The more I read the Scriptures the more confused
I became, until one evening while reading John 10:27-28 the Holy
Spirit enlightened my soul and I realised that I was not a sheep
of the fold of Jesus. On the evening of April 19th 1957 I opened
the Bible at Jn10: 27-28 and prayed that God would forgive me my
sins and give me the life that Jesus spoke about. A great peace
filled my soul as I poured out my heart before God and cried to
Him for mercy. The guilt, burden, and consciousness of my sin just
vanished away and for the first time in my life I knew what it
was to be in the presence of the Living God.
I left the Roman Catholic Church and worshipped with believers at Fairview
Hall, a small Brethren Assembly. I was greatly helped by the Christians in
Dublin, in understanding the doctrines of the Word of God, but I was particularly
indebted to the Rev.T R. Horne, of the Irish Church Missions for the time he
spent with me explaining the doctrinal errors of Rome, through a proper understanding
of scripture. The Archbishop of Dublin threatened my family with excommunication
if I was not evicted from my home, so I came to London in the January
of 1958. I worked for the Evangelical Protestant Society for three years,
after which I accepted the call to pastor an Evangelical Free Church
in Rainham, Essex and later, the Evangelical Free Church in South
Ockendon, Essex. After some years of pastoring, I returned to secular
employment and continued to minister the Word of God in various
churches. I worked with an international company of hauliers as Administration
Manager for their large fleet of vehicles. When I took early retirement
I started my own business doing small business accounts and Income
Tax returns. In 2003 I launched my own web site www.in-understanding.org for
the evangelisation of Roman Catholics. I also oversee the PTS web
site. I am pleased to be a member of the council of the Protestant
Truth Society and strongly believe that such a witness is as vital
today as it has ever been. Dermot Nash |