The Testimony of Willie Burton

You’re listening to a podcast by Lance Lambert Ministries. For more information on this ministry, visit www.lancelambert.org or follow us on social media to receive all of our updates. This is the fifth testimony in our series of testimonies given by brothers and sisters. The audiobook for Let the House of God Be Built will be released in less than a week! Make sure you’re signed up for our email list to be notified when the audiobook is officially available. In this episode, we will hear the testimony of Willie Burton, a servant of the Lord and a missionary in Congo. This testimony was shared at Halford House. Let’s listen. The 72nd psalm is a psalm which is dedicated to Solomon. And yet if you read this, we're not going to read it now, you can see that a greater than Solomon is there because it talks about all kings submitted to him and all creation. We can see who the king is. It's our King. Now, there's a tremendous lot that we might enjoy in that psalm, but I'm just going to turn your attention to one verse. In the 15th verse, 16th verse, there shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains. The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon. Corn on top of the mountains? That's a funny place to put corn, isn't it? And you wouldn't expect much of a crop if you did have a handful of corn on the top of the mountains. But this is speaking of the days when Jesus Christ is going to reign and it's going to be very much more fruitful than now. I was the other day going through Sussex. We were on the edge of a vast field of corn ready for reaping. And the wind was blowing over it. It was like waves. Now Lebanon isn't one of those abrupt, rocky, precipice sort of mountain ranges. It's undulating. And the crop that comes from this handful of of corn on the top of the mountains is like Lebanon. What a crop from such a little sowing and in such an unlikely place? If you are as fond as I am of getting up to the top of mountains you know that the wind and the rain blow all the soil away. And if there are a few straggling plants and a rough root or two it's about all you'll find there. Top of the mountains? You'd say that's not the place for corn and yet so fruitful when our Solomon comes to reign that it's going to be like that. And that's the way it is with God. He takes the most unlikely testimonies, the most unlikely sowings and he uses them for his glory. Jesus went across the Lake of Galilee and there were some people who had a herd of pigs they shouldn't have had. You know, pigs were an unclean animal. He went to shore and there was a madman there. They tried to tame him, they'd tried to hold him, they'd put him in chains and he'd broken the chains. He was dangerous. And just a brief interview with the Lord Jesus changed the whole situation. The man became sane and in his right mind. And not only so, he came to Jesus and said, let me come with you. The Lord said, no, don't come with me. Go back home and tell what great things God has done for you. And so he went to Decapolis. Now, Decapolis means ten cities. It was a group of ten cities that he went to and where he started publishing it. I say, what a crop for such a small sign. They asked Jesus to go away. He'd spoiled their herd of pigs. They'd committed suicide in the lake. And he went. But that one handful of corn and what crop, the whole of Decapolis, ten cities! Here's another case. It wasn't in his own country. He was among strangers. The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. But somehow Jesus got a bit of a dealing with a lady. He asked her for a drink of water. It wasn't a very big thing. In a ten minute talk with her, he changed her into a flaming evangelist. You'd say that she wasn't a good subject. She'd had five husbands and was living with a chap that wasn't her husband. And yet she didn't go to Bible school or anything of the sort. She went and told them and the whole city came out. It was a big reaping for such a simple little sowing, wasn't it? A handful, and in such an unlikely place. And yet what a crop. That's God's way of doing things. Andrew told his brother Peter, Simon, we found the Christ. Come and see. A little testimony. And three years later look, Peter stood up with the eleven and so preached that 3000 were converted. Andrew was standing by. I expect he was holding his cap. Go on, Peter, let them have it. 'Twas a good day when I won you for Jesus. That little testimony. We found Jesus, which is called the Christ. Shortly afterwards there were 5000 converted. What a crop. Oh, wonderful Solomon. Our Solomon. I was going down the road one day from a convention. We were off to have our lunch with Brother Grey and a ragged looking man touched his cap. Beg pardon, Mister, could you find a chap the price of a meal? I could have given him a half crown and thought I'd done the right thing. But he seemed to be a person that needed Christ. And I put my hand on his shoulder. There's a lot in a human touch. And I said, Tell me about it, old man. What's wrong? I suppose he realized something of compassion in my address. He said, I'll not hide it from you, Mister. I'm just out of jail. I've been His Majesty's guest for two years. We took him home to lunch. He kneeled and cried to God for salvation. In the afternoon, I put him in the care of a brother, Now care for him. Used to teach him in the scriptures. The police were after him continually. Whenever he found a job, they would go to his employer and say look out there. You've got a criminal. But he determined he'd go straight. Mind you, I knew nothing of all these ups and downs in his life. I'd gone back to Congo. At last when the police saw that he meant business, they turned to be his friends. He's started to witness. He could play the banjo and somebody gave him an old banjo. He'd stand at the street corner and sing. Then he got hold of an old ramshackle army hut and put it up on a piece of wasteland outside the town. Painted in large letters along the side Mount Calvary Mission. And there he attracted all the tramps and the outcasts, the drunks and the harlots and the dischargee from jails and every other disreputable element. And he'd pray over them and cry over them and got them converted until he had so many of them that they had to get another hut and put on the end of the first. And still they came. Oh, what a collection of ragtag and bob tails they were. And still he witnessed till the greengrocers in the city had new methods of conserving their stuff. And so they said, We've got an old warehouse in the middle of the town. We'll give it to this chap. They called him Thomas Tweedy. And he took down the sign from outside the city and put it up in the very center of the city Mount Calvary Mission. They made forms and a platform for him and there he held forth winning hundreds. Often he was praying for the sick when he was sicker than the people he was praying for. And at last he died. And the mayor and corporation of the city and the heads of the police force were at the grave side of Thomas Tweedy to do honor to the man that had made good. I was away in the Congo at the time. My wife and I had a problem. We didn't know where to get the wherewithal to meet a certain debt. And those at the graveside of Thomas Tweedy said let's send the hat round and take up a collection for the man that pointed Thomas Tweedy to Christ. And so one day, out of the blue, there came a check to meet our need. But now look back on it, that day when he touched his cap, Could you spare a chap the price of a meal? I could have gone by. Just a little word of testimony and in such an unlikely place it was like a handful of corn in the earth on the top of the mountains. But, oh, I expect to meet hundreds of them in glory one day. What a waving crop. I got in the canoe on the great Lomami River, big shining stream about 200 yards wide. I lifted my heart to God, I want to witness to these ferry men. And so we started across the river [foreign language]. And I said, Chaps, I'm trusting you. Yes, they said, of course you're trusting us. I said, you'll not turn over the canoe or let me drift down stream. No, they said, are you afraid? No, I said, I'm not a bit afraid. I tell you, I'm trusting you. They said, Here, what are you getting at? I said, I'm getting at this. Just in the same way as I put myself in your hands and I know you'll take me to my destination, so I've put myself in the hands of the Lord Jesus, God's Son, who became man in order to die for us and live again. I put myself in his hands and I know he'll take me safely to glory. Are you trusting him? They said, we don't know anything about Him. And just then the canoe bumped into the opposite bed. And it was their duty to step out and hand me ashore. They didn't do anything of the sort. They sat solidly still. Go on, white man, tell us some more. And the canoe was leaking. It was coming higher, higher. But I sat for about three quarters of an hour, leaky canoe, telling them about Jesus. And then I went on my way. I was away for several years. And then I found myself back at that particular crossing again. I got in the canoe, same two men. They recognized me. Go on, white men, tell us some more time. [foreign language] So I told them some more. And when we got to the opposite side, they said, would you mind coming through the forest? We want to show you something. The banks of the Lomami River are clothed with mighty trees, huge branches interlocking and great festoons of creepers. It's almost dark in the undergrowth there. They took me along a little path till we came to a beautiful clearing with two rows of neatly thatched huts and at the end a chapel and school building. I said, I didn't know that you had an assembly at [foreign location]. They said we didn't have. But when you last came over here you started by saying, Chaps, I'm trusting you. And you awoke such a spirit of curiosity in our hearts that we put our younger brothers in charge of the canoe. And we went over to [foreign location], three days journey away. And there we bought Bibles, learned to read and better still, learned of the Lord Jesus. Saw the way that they conducted the affairs in the church and then went back to our own village and started witnessing. We built our own chapel and last Sunday morning there were 27 of us at the breaking of bread. A lot more since then. It was quite a crop, wasn't it? For a handful of corn. That little chance expression, you might say, Chaps, I'm trusting you. But what a harvest. Oh, God takes our little and he makes it so much. The hall keeper was impatient. These Pentecostal people aren't in a hurry to go home after the meetings. And sometimes they say to me, brother, go and stand at the door and shake hands with the people as they go out. And I go and stand at the door, but they don't go out. Sometimes I wait there for more than half an hour and sometimes it's cold. You see, they like to get together and talk. And the hall keeper was a bit impatient. I suppose he wanted his supper. Come on, now. Come on. And he'd switch one light off. I saw over at the door a little ginger haired chappie hanging around. I watched and I thought, Little man, you're not there for nothing. I put my hand on his shoulder. I said, you want Jesus, don't you? Yes, he said. And his little eyes filled with tears. Mr. hall keeper, switch on a couple of lights. I won't keep you long. We sat down in the pew and read a few Scriptures together. He pinned his faith on the Lord Jesus, said he would trust in Christ. Yes, he knew he was right. Got him grounded on the Scripture. Now, Mr. hall keeper, you can switch out your light. And for 30 years, I never thought any more of it. I'd been 14 years out of England and when I came back, my chum Jimmy Salter, arranged a welcome home meeting for me in London. And there were a lot of ministers of the Gospel on the platform. And one of them came up to me and shook and shook me by the hand. Man, he said, for 30 years I waited to get hold of that hand. Do you remember a little chappie? And he related the incident and the hall keeper. Yes. Yes, I remember. I'm that chap. So when he went away, I said to Brother Salter, who is he? Don't you know? Why, it's Sam Gorman. One of the most brilliant evangelists of modern times. A man who has led thousands to the Lord Jesus. Sam Gorman. And this was the little chappie that I'd led to Christ. Isn't it wonderful? A handful of corn, and yet so much had come of it. Oh, I like to look back on these things and think how God has taken our small bit and makes, it doesn't count in numbers, you know? Old Marco was a blunderbuss of an evangelist, a dear old fellow. He had an antelope horn that he used to blow to call the people to the services. He and I went to a village. He went to the end of the village and blew his antelope horn. The crowd came around him. But I went and sat on a native veranda with an old man who was carving an idol. Deftly chipping a bit with his hands here and a bit there until very speedily his idol was carved. Got into conversation with him and another couple of old fellows came along. Before I had finished, all three of those men had trusted in Christ and they're going on well. After his meeting was over, in his kindly way, he took it on him to offer a gentle rebuke to bonny Burton. You didn't come along and help me? No Marco, did you get any souls saved? No, I didn't. Well, I got three. After all, it didn't, my numbers didn't count, did they? God works in such an amazing way. We have to marvel that we offers so little and he takes it and makes it so much. When I was a young engineer, I used every morning on my way to work to pass a barber's shop. I used to slip in and whisper to them a word or two from the word of God. They were young believers like myself. One morning, I slipped into the barber's shop and I whispered God's word says, My word shall not return unto me void, it should accomplish that whereto I sent it. I went on my way to my job. 14 miles away, a drunken Roman Catholic gambling cycle mender was put out of his house. They put the bailiffs in and he went out not knowing where he was going with nothing but a pair of pliers and a screwdriver in his pocket, his little boy on his shoulder and his poor demoralized wife tramping at his side and when they reached Preston, they passed the barber shop. And over the bell there was a piece of stamp paper. Don't ring. Bell out of order. Ah, he thought, here's a chance of a meal and sharpened by hunger. He went into the shop, said, Mister, I'll mend your bell for you if you'll give a meal to my wife, me and my little one. We've tramped from Blackpool. And so while she was preparing the meal, she thought, God says if I give a little word, it won't return void. He was up on a chair looking after the batteries when she went and pulled his trouser leg. Young man, God says, the word says, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. And he looked down at her as much as to say, poor silly fool. What's she talking about? And she went away thinking she'd made an ass of herself. But she hadn't. They had their meal. They set out to tramp again. And he said to his wife, Wife, I wonder what that woman meant? She said something about a Lamb of God that takes away sin. He was as ignorant of the Gospel as he was of Chinese. But he came back into the barber's shop. Mrs, what did you mean about the Lamb of God that takes away sin? And so speedily they were sitting in those old horsehaired chairs that I know so well on either side of the hearthplace where the barber and his wife were converted not long before. And there they listened for the first time to the sweet old Gospel message of salvation. Before they left the shop, they were converted. He soon found a job, got on well. They got a little home together. Then one day the priest came in. Mrs Sparrow, I want you at confession and mass. She said, I don't need to. When a bill is paid, it's paid. And I read in this old book all that believe are justified from all things. So I don't need to come to you. Oh, he was mad. He went round the house. He cursed the stove, he cursed the cupboard, he first cursed the tables and the chairs. He cursed the windows and the doors. And then he noticed that it wouldn't be long before she had another little one. And he cursed the unborn baby and stalked out of the house. Well, she had a remarkably easy time, and the baby was as good as gold. And so when, a couple of years later, the same sort of thing happened again, they wrote to the priest and said, would you mind coming and cursing them again? But he didn't come. But it all traces back to the morning when I slipped into the shop and left them that little text. God takes our little bit, doesn't he? And he makes so much of it. Oh, wonderful God. I write a bit, you know. You've seen some of my books. I was in New Zealand. They'd made a mistake. They'd billed me on one side of the island one night and the other side the other night, next night, and it's a three day journey across. I didn't know what to do, when a gentleman came forward with a high powered car. Burton, he said, I can get you across for your meeting tonight, if you'll trust me. And so we started off at 04:00 in the morning. The most extraordinary journey. He was a splendid driver. We went up sheep tracks and over rickety bridges. Seemed to know every little pass in the hills. And at midday he said, you know, Burton, up here among these mountains, there are no cafes or restaurants. If you want a meal, you go into the nearest farm and they're only too delighted to give you a meal. So we went into a farm. Nice little farmer and his wife. Would they make us a meal? Oh, delighted. Come on in. And so while they were preparing the meal, I thought, here's a chance for Jesus. I went up to the young farmer and his wife. I said, I wonder if you know my savior, the Lord Jesus. I wonder if you've realized your sins are forgiven and that you are right with God. Yes! Yes, they said, we do. Until a couple of years ago, we thought that if we tried to do our best and played the game, God would somehow accept us. But then we found out it didn't depend on us. It depended on the Lord Jesus. And now we're not depending on ourselves. We are depending on the crucified and risen Christ. And then she said in a sort of a soliloquy we found it out through a book called Mudishi Congo Hunter written by a chap called Burton. Tears came to my eyes and a lump to my throat. And she said, Are you sick? No, I said, I'm not sick. I am Burton. They didn't know what to do to show their gratitude. They were upset that we wouldn't stop with them a fortnight. Just fancy those books getting away to those out of the way reaches of the mountains in the heart of New Zealand. You don't know, do you? These things get spread about. Oh, wonderful Jesus. Well, now, tonight is my last service in Great Britain for some time. I put off this departure for a week specially so that I might have brother Lance Lambert here for my last meeting. And so now this is good night. You'll forgive me that I don't give you anymore. This is the fourth meeting. God bless you. It's been such a joy to have fellowship with you all. Father, I'm so glad that we are told to pray for one another. And that I can pray for this precious testimony and that Thou would use it for Thy glory in the salvation of the lost, in the deliverance of Thy children, in the filling of Thy saints with Thy Holy Spirit, in the healing of the sick, and that in all things the Lord Jesus may have the preeminence. I ask it in his precious name. And now good night all of you. I'm tired. I'm not going to shake hands with everybody. [Lance Lambert] And I think we should just pray for our dear brother, don't you, who's given so much to us. Let's pray, shall we? Together. Dear Lord, we pray for our brother. Wilt Thou renew him physically and spiritually as he goes back to South Africa? Give journeying mercies, Lord, we pray in these days of so much danger. We ask, Lord, that he may, as Thou hast promised, have not only a safe going out because Thou art watching over it, but a safe coming in at the other end. And Lord, we pray that this new spell in South Africa may be gloriously used of Thee. Oh, how we thank Thee, Father, that Thy word says that we shall bring forth fruit even in old age. And we pray together, that our brother, may know an even more fruitful phase in front of Him. Bless everything that he touches. And, Lord, we want to thank Thee for this weekend and to thank Thee for all it's meant to us, Lord, not only in what has been said, but in the presence of our brother. We praise thee and worship thee together. Now we commit one another to Thee in his name. Amen. Shall we stand and just sing that, I Was Lost but Jesus Found Me? Let's stand up and sing that. [Music] I was lost, but Jesus found me, Found the sheep that went astray, Threw His loving arms around me, Drew me back into His way. Hallelujah x8 Glory glory hallelujah Blessed be the King of Kings. Glory glory hallelujah With his praise all heaven rings Hallelujah x8 [Lance Lambert] And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen. [Narrator] May you be a handful of corn on the top of a mountain. May you know the deep deep love of Jesus.