CHATHAM CHRISTIAN BUSINESS MEN'S COMMITTEE
William Pitt Hotel - Chatham, Ontario
Before Blue Water Bible & Missionary Conference was opened by the Christian Business Men's Committees of London, Windsor, Detroit and Chatham. The Chatham committee was a fairly active and functioning group of men. I do not know when it first began, but Roy Martin was instrumental in establishing the same. Dad became involved with the group after he became a Christian. I remember Dad attending dinner meetings and coming home and telling us who the speaker was. There are only a couple of names of speakers that come to mind now, but one that came and spoke at one of their dinners was Dr. M. R. deHaan, the founder and teacher of the Radio Bible Class.
Mr. Martin also invited speakers to his home on occasion and would invite friends to attend. The Martins had a big house and lots of room. Some of these meetings pre-dated Blue Water and I think that some of them may have been after Blue Water started. I remember sitting close to one speaker. He was Norman Grubb, son-in-law of the famous missionary C. T. Studd who was the founder of WEC, World-Wide Evangelism for Christ.
There was also the time, one at least, when Roy Martin invited a speaker for a day. It was a holiday and I believe it was either the civic holiday in August or Labor Day. On one such day the Chatham Vocational School, across the street from Martin's house, was rented and the meetings advertised publicly. Dr. H. H. Savage, on radio twice on Sundays and pastor of the First Baptist Church, Pontiac, Michigan was the guest speaker. We had an afternoon meeting, picnic style supper on Martins property and then another meeting in the evening. All of these gatherings were times when my young hungry heart, hungry for Biblical teaching, was being fed.
Mr. Martin also invited speakers to his home on occasion and would invite friends to attend. The Martins had a big house and lots of room. Some of these meetings pre-dated Blue Water and I think that some of them may have been after Blue Water started. I remember sitting close to one speaker. He was Norman Grubb, son-in-law of the famous missionary C. T. Studd who was the founder of WEC, World-Wide Evangelism for Christ.
There was also the time, one at least, when Roy Martin invited a speaker for a day. It was a holiday and I believe it was either the civic holiday in August or Labor Day. On one such day the Chatham Vocational School, across the street from Martin's house, was rented and the meetings advertised publicly. Dr. H. H. Savage, on radio twice on Sundays and pastor of the First Baptist Church, Pontiac, Michigan was the guest speaker. We had an afternoon meeting, picnic style supper on Martins property and then another meeting in the evening. All of these gatherings were times when my young hungry heart, hungry for Biblical teaching, was being fed.
A little over one year after Dad's conversion, the Chatham CBMC purchased one half hour of radio time from CFCO Chatham and began broadcasting every Monday night at 7:30pm, a radio broadcast known as Good News Broadcast. Dad was given the responsibility of preparing for every weekly broadcast, selecting the music and the speakers and being the announcer for the same. The broadcast consisted of solos, duets and group singing. Dad always had some little story or poem interspersed between the musical selections. Mom and Dad were often involved as soloists and sang duets together.
A different speaker for Good News Broadcast was selected each week, usually a member of the CBMC. Dad took his turn at preaching and these were the beginning years of his teaching and preaching. Sometimes they had a guest speaker, a Bible teacher or missionary that was in the city. I remember Dad telling us that one night as the broadcast was beginning, a visiting Bible teacher in town was staying with some guests when the broadcast came on their radio. He suddenly remembered that he was to be the speaker. He grabbed his Bible rushed out the door hoping somehow he could find a ride to the station. There in front of the house was a taxi. He jumped in and told the cab driver to take him to the William Pitt Hotel.
A different speaker for Good News Broadcast was selected each week, usually a member of the CBMC. Dad took his turn at preaching and these were the beginning years of his teaching and preaching. Sometimes they had a guest speaker, a Bible teacher or missionary that was in the city. I remember Dad telling us that one night as the broadcast was beginning, a visiting Bible teacher in town was staying with some guests when the broadcast came on their radio. He suddenly remembered that he was to be the speaker. He grabbed his Bible rushed out the door hoping somehow he could find a ride to the station. There in front of the house was a taxi. He jumped in and told the cab driver to take him to the William Pitt Hotel.
CFCO had their studios in the William Pitt Hotel at that time. The main studio, with piano and room for several people was on the mezzanine floor of the hotel. All the rest of their equipment, the controls, turn tables, record library, smaller studios, newsroom, offices and staff were on either the third or fourth floor. I was responsible for looking after Barbara during some of those nights. I think that Aunt Ruth, one of Dad's sisters, came sometimes to stay with us while the folks were at the station. Sometimes Barbara and I got to sit in the studio and watch as the different ones participated in the live broadcast. Sometimes I would go upstairs and watch them at the main controls, etc. This was another rung in the ladder of my growing interest in radio.
The Good News Broadcast was aired for approximately four years, 1942 - 1946. The CBMC discontinued it in 1946, the year that Blue Water Bible Conference began and they were throwing their full support behind the Blue Water ministry.
Dad had a love for the radio ministry, that a couple of years after the Good News Broadcast ceased to be, he started his own broadcast. It was called Gospel Gems and he planned and prepared each broadcast, together with Mom. That, too, was a live broadcast which aired for a couple of years Monday nights at 9:00pm.
The folks also helped out Rev. Arnold Gingrich many Saturdays with his World Missions Broadcast, which aired on CFCO at 5:15pm each Saturday. Arnold entrusted me with producing this for him a time or so. I remember one such broadcast when I took Dad's reel to reel recorder and went out in front of the Gospel Text Publishers, which was on King Street West. My topic was "Are The Heathen Lost?" I stopped people on the street, asked if they would be willing to answer that question and then started the recorder, recording their answer. I pieced it all together later and aired it one Saturday afternoon.
The Good News Broadcast was aired for approximately four years, 1942 - 1946. The CBMC discontinued it in 1946, the year that Blue Water Bible Conference began and they were throwing their full support behind the Blue Water ministry.
Dad had a love for the radio ministry, that a couple of years after the Good News Broadcast ceased to be, he started his own broadcast. It was called Gospel Gems and he planned and prepared each broadcast, together with Mom. That, too, was a live broadcast which aired for a couple of years Monday nights at 9:00pm.
Gospel Gems Calendar 1950
The folks also helped out Rev. Arnold Gingrich many Saturdays with his World Missions Broadcast, which aired on CFCO at 5:15pm each Saturday. Arnold entrusted me with producing this for him a time or so. I remember one such broadcast when I took Dad's reel to reel recorder and went out in front of the Gospel Text Publishers, which was on King Street West. My topic was "Are The Heathen Lost?" I stopped people on the street, asked if they would be willing to answer that question and then started the recorder, recording their answer. I pieced it all together later and aired it one Saturday afternoon.
World Missions Broadcast, my Mom at the piano
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