Page 4 - June 2025 - Truth & Tidings

ad you read any of David Oliver’s some cases wonderfully redirected – by the
original poems and hymns, you truths they learned from him. His ministry
Hwould have thought he could to the Lord’s people often uplifted confer-
have been a very good poet or hymnist. ences and left an indelible impression on
Had you watched him warmly meeting his hearers. During the funeral service,
and greeting people at a conference or John Dennison pointed out that many of
at a social gathering of believers, you the young men that David influenced are
would have thought he would have made now shepherds and teachers in various
a very good politician. Had you worked assemblies throughout the country.
with him on a linguistic task or revision For the last 10 years and more, his efforts
work, you would have thought he would to help in the local Philadelphia area were
have made a very good editor of a major an invaluable blessing, particularly to the
newspaper or magazine. But all of these Bryn Mawr assembly.
positions would have been a huge step
down from what he was and did – he was He was a gracious fellow-laborer to all
a servant of the Lord, who labored for the who worked with him. His love for the
salvation of souls, the blessing of God’s Lord was evident in the warmth of his
people, and the furtherance and protec- worship, the zeal of his gospel preaching,
tion of God’s assemblies. and the faithfulness with which he handled
David Oliver was born June 26, 1944, and divine truth. For David, his sudden home-
was saved on April 16, 1961, during meet- call on February 26 meant instant glory and
ings held by Mr. William Warke and Mr. immediate translation into the presence
Oswald MacLeod in the Bryn Mawr Gospel of his Lord. For his family and friends,
Hall. In 1974, he left his school-teaching job it seemed as though he went to heaven
and, with the full commendation of the much too early and left us far too soon. He
Bryn Mawr assembly, went forth to preach is survived by his wife Melody, son Rob
the gospel. He was a competent minister, a (Becky), daughter Rebekah (John) Nesbitt,
wise counselor, a stirring gospel preacher, John (Maggie) Nobles, brother Alan (Judy),
and a very knowledgeable student of the 14 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren,
Word of God. For 40 years, his labors numerous children in the faith, and all
among the Lord’s people richly blessed the the believers who knew him. Whenever a
assemblies of God. Countless souls heard Christian is taken home to heaven, our gen-
him preach the gospel and many respond- eral reaction is to say that that person will
ed to his entreaties. The lives of numerous be missed. In this case, that is eminently so.
young believers were directed – and in Eugene Higgins

164 TRUTH kTidings June 2025