ALFRED PAGE, of Aylsham.

MANY will have heard with sorrow of the removal of a dear servant of Christ, Mr. Alfred Page, of Aylsham, Norfolk, who fell asleep on the 13th October, 1920, aged 69 years.
Brought to God in early days, and taking a decided stand as a Christian, the gift bestowed upon him was richly developed for the help and profit of those amongst whom he had the opportunity of ministering the Word of God.
In the matter of Christian fellowship, he gladly went where there was room for the whole Bible, and a readiness, so far as he knew, to carry out the will of God according to the Scriptures.
In personal matters, he was always ready to sympathise and help, and he never heard of any sorrow or cause of reproach amongst Christians without feeling it deeply. Anything that brought dishonour upon the Name of Christ was a heavy burden to him.  His spirit was very free from anything like sectarian narrowness, and he ever sought to embrace in his love and prayers, the whole Church of God.
It is no small joy to look back upon years of fellowship given by God in His grace, and it is still greater joy to look on to the day for which all who are "With Christ" are waiting.  T. S.

The following account from his own pen of God's gracious dealing with him is interesting:
"An accident in early childhood laid the foundation of a lifelong weakness and nervous exhaustion.  Spinal weakness developed at the age of nineteen.
We, as a family, owed much to the Scriptural teaching of a godly mother, who herself was a Bible-lover and a woman of prayer.
In my youthful days, after, alas, taking my own course by nature and manifesting the evil of the natural heart, I was led to see myself a guilty sinner in God's sight.  It was while in my teens that I rested by simple faith on the atoning work of the Lord Jesus.
I was baptised by immersion in my eighteenth year.  In the year 1870, my spinal weakness took a definite form and developed itself so that I was obliged to relinquish my business career and, having time and opportunity, became more occupied with the Lord's work.
It was about the year 1878 when I was really led to the simple gathering together as Christians to the Name of the Lord Jesus—'breaking bread' upon the first day of the week.  The severance of my membership from dear saints called Baptists with whom I had been associated was a sore pang to my heart, though as I write this in my sixty-third year, I feel assured it was entirely of the Lord, and the way He would have me take as a testimony for Himself.  It cost me much more than I express here.  Yet the gracious Lord has, I am sure, in His tender grace, compensated for it a thousand-fold. We first met in a very small humble cottage, where it was literally, the two or three gathered to His Name.  But the numbers afterward increased, and we remained there about five years.  Time would fail to tell of all the happy blessed seasons we had in that little cottage in prayer, 'breaking of bread,' reading the Word, and praise.  The meeting for 'breaking of bread' was discontinued at the cottage, and we met in an upper room in the Coffee House of the same little town.  There we remained about one year; then the Lord opened the way for us in a place which had formerly been a stable, but which was prepared for a meeting room in the same street.  Here the Lord accomplished a mighty work in saving souls and drawing saints together to His Name.  It became truly a 'Bethel' to many a precious one, and often was packed to the very door with hearers.  On one occasion, seventeen went to a distance for baptism, among whom were seven couples of man and wife; fifteen of these were all received into fellowship together one Lord's day morning, and our joy can be better imagined than described.  Blessed seasons were enjoyed in the 'old stable,' which seemed like an echo of blessing to the hallowed seasons in the cottage.  After a few years, we moved to a larger room.  In the year 1891, the pretty little Gospel Hall was built, which we have occupied ever since. The assembly numbered at one time about eighty in fellowship.  Many, since the hall was erected, have confessed the One Peerless Name in the waters of baptism.  Trial, difficulty, perplexity we have had, yet with all that seems adverse—the power of Satan and the influence of an evil world—the testimony has been continued, the Gospel faithfully proclaimed, and meetings continually carried on with more or less blessing.
It was about the year 1881, when I was thirty years of age, that I commenced more publicly to preach the Gospel.
In the year 1896, I had a severe nervous breakdown which effectually robbed me of much of the little strength I then possessed.  It so affected my head and prostrated my powers that I was never able afterwards to continue my former happy service in anything like the measure I had done.  Yet, in it all, how blessedly have I proved and experienced the abiding presence of our precious Lord Jesus—His sustaining grace in a very special measure.  His unchanging love has been a 'living, bright reality.'  To each saved one, I would say, Oh, be earnest!  Live for Jesus while you may.  Hold fast the faithful Word and hold forth the Word of Life."
"Paths of Peace" John Gray, Ed.
The Believer's Pathway v42 1921