Page 5 - February 2025 - Truth & Tidings
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full time. His first meetings were in a   Continued Efforts
        tent in Cresco, IA, with William Warke.
        They had some opposition that prepared   Brother Surgenor’s labors in West
        him for what he would encounter in the   Virginia can be read in his book Happenings
        future. He had labored in the steel mill   up the Hollow. He continued preaching in
        with rough men, so he was equipped to   different areas of the state with varied
        deal with any who might cause trouble.   results to the end of his life. I shared many
        One woman professed salvation, and    efforts with him in Glenville, Buckhannon,
        this encouraged them. On the last day of   Keyser, New Creek and elsewhere. Living
        those meetings, George Graham called.   with him in his trailer revealed a different
        He wanted him to help in some meetings   aspect of his person than what was
        in Romney, WV. They could not secure a   seen publicly. He was a very easy man
        suitable location there but found one in   to be with, sensitive to my desires and
        Fort Ashby, WV. They were encouraged   interests, and easy to share thoughts and
        with fruit in the gospel, which indicated   understandings of Scripture.
        the Lord’s direction for him to labor in   He made a regular practice of engaging
        that state.                           in extended prayer three times a day. He
          He went to Mannington, WV, the next   spent many hours daily studying the
        year. His wife was from this area so there   Scriptures.
        were relatives, and after laboring there   He wrote and printed about 283 different
        with Oswald MacLeod, some professed   tracts. Most of these are still available from
        salvation. Robert was encouraged and   Tim and Rachel Boddy in New Creek. He
        felt  that  the  Lord  was  directing  him   also wrote small booklets for believers
        specifically to the state of West Virginia.   on various topics and a number of larger
        In 1970, he pitched a tent south of Keyser   profitable books. His bread-making skills
        and began to visit homes. He labored   were part of his reputation, and, while he
        alone for 12 weeks, sometimes with 125   enjoyed it, he also used it to spread the
        people attending. Souls were saved,   gospel. Officials in his town, including
        including many in the Pancake family.   the mayor, firemen and policemen, as well
        He felt that the Lord was working to form
        an assembly testimony. He continued   as postal workers, neighbors and many
        the work in a schoolhouse south of    others received the gospel along with a
        where the present New Creek Gospel    loaf of bread.
        Hall now stands (Claysville School). He   In his last months, his strength failed to
        preached the gospel and taught New    the point that he and his dear wife, Wilda,
        Testament principles to believers for 37   entered an assisted living home. The Lord
        weeks. They began meeting for prayer,   took him home on August 14, 2024. No
        then commenced a Sunday School. After   doubt it was a reception with the words
        teaching 1 Corinthians 11, the saints told   “Well done …”
        Robert that they were going to break bread   Eternity will reveal the results of his
        the next Lord’s Day, March 21, and asked   labors in different places but especially
        if he wanted to join them! They began   in West Virginia. May the Lord stir others
        with 17 believers in the fellowship that   with a spiritual exercise to follow the same
        continues to the present.             pattern in their lives for the Lord.


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