BEGINNING LIFE AGAIN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 198, 7 September 1937, Page 8

BEGINNING LIFE AGAIN

Blind Soldier's Story DISABILITIES OVERCOME A largo audience in the Baptist Clmrcli, Hastings, last night listened mtently to tbe fascinating autobio- ; grapbical lecturc given by tbe blind ! soldier and preachcr, Mr Andrcw Jobn- j ston, who spoke upon "How I began j life over again." "Mr Johnston told bow, on the - evening of May 4, 1918, by a sboll-burst in France, be completely lOst his sigbt aud pas'sed into Brockenhurst Hospital. From tbere he went to St. Dunstan 's, in Eegent Park, Lon(i'On, and spent 10 months in tbat institution. St. Dunstan 's. said Mr Johnston, was founded by Sir Arthur Pcarson who liimself became blind. When Mr Johnston entered toward^ the end of 1918 he found that as many" as from 1S00 to 2000 soidiers and sail* ors wounded during' the war and mostly tolally blind had passed throu'gh the institution. The spcaker deseribed vividly the life in Bt. Dunstan 'a and the various types of work done. He had himself takou up training in poultry farming there. Lectures and practical work was done, and cxaminations beid in which they were required to identify the various types of poultry and grains by touch. Mr Johnston related many amusing mcidents of the strauge predicaments which often befell the inmates. Oue bind maii came back to his "ward" rejoicing in a particularly line bath •vliich he had had witli sceuted soap. lt was later discovered tbat he liad "found his way" to the .matron's bathroom in mistake. The speaker dealt at length in a most interesting way witp the Braille i-eadmg. His first Braille book had been St. Jolui's Gospel. it seemed a formidable task to begin the masi.ery of this system and oue often became confused at first if oue continued i«r too tong a period at a time. Mr Johnston said he felt his head was i'ull of "dots" in the first days and it required patience and perseverauce. Ile had strenuousJy worked to master Braille as soon as possible and he had spent a great deai of time whilo in St. Dunstan 's in rcading, doing extra work on many evenings. He JiOw enjoyed his reading tremendously. His Bible was a very large oue, eotimsting of about 70 volumes. He now understood, he said, that in tliose first day and years of his blindness God was iitting him for the special work of preacbing.

Mr Johnston gave an impressive testimony to the halp and support that God had given him in the days of testing when he had to face beginning life again. He could say that iie had always been kcpt from dcspair and pessimism and he knew that God had avemiled bis affliction in a wonderful way. At tlie elose of the meeting Mr Johnston exhibited the Braille uiachine and also his watch and other things. Mrs Johnston sang a solo. The meetings will be continued to-night at 7.30 when another large gathering is anticipated.