Truth Archive

Mary Elizabeth Coles: born April 5, 1878, Cornwall, England. 

 

It’s not known when the family moved from Cornwall to London. What is known is that her parents, John and Mary Coles moved into a two or three story brown house in a residential part of London very near to the slums in which John preached. You see, he felt it was his calling from God to work among London’s poor slum dwellers to give them a little light in their otherwise bleak lives.

 

 

 

Mary, or Lizzie as they called her, was the eldest daughter in a family of eleven children. Her brother, Charles, was one year older than she, and almost yearly, came nine other boys and girls. Three of them died in infancy of Diphtheria. A stray kitten, befriended by the children, must have been a carrier, at least that is what they thought was the cause. While Lizzie’s parents attended the funeral of two of the little ones, Trilby, the lovely baby of the family died. Lizzie was home with Trilby when she died. She and Charles had the heartbreaking task of meeting the sorrowing parents at the door to break the news as they returned from the funeral of the two other little ones. This terrible tragedy bit deeply into Lizzie and Charles hearts and minds. It was at this time that Charles purposed to become a minister, which he eventually did. Lizzie threw herself into helping her father in his mission work.

 

 

 

The mission hall was located right in the slums. John Coles’ salary was paid to him by the London City Missionary Society. It was not likely a large salary but sufficient for the needs of the growing family. It must also have provided a few luxuries, as Lizzie had a piano. Once a week she escaped from the everlasting household chores and rode across London in a double decker Omnibus tightly clutching her bus fare in one small hand and her lesson money in the other. One day every week the members of the Mission hall supplied a big hot meal free to the poor down-and-outers. She helped the ladies scrub and cut up the vegetables – carrots, onions, leeks, turnips, etc. and also cut up a quarter of beef, which was donated by some wealthy patron. Barley, salt and pepper was added; then it simmered all day in big copper boilers and doled out to the hungry parents and children. “Poor kiddies” she would say; but it was probably the best meal for them for a whole week! When their tummies were warmed and filled, John Coles would preach to them. Lizzie would play the little pump organ in those services and helped with the singing. She was her Father’s right hand ‘man’. 

 

 

 

Since she was needed at home to help her weary mother, she left the London Compulsory School for Girls at the tender age of fourteen, as she had completed all the requirements for girls: reading, writing, arithmetic, some French, some sowing, and of course her music. Boys, in those days fared better. Somehow, two of her brothers, Alf and Tom, became proficient calligraphers, whose work was presented to King George at his coronation. It was a heavily illuminated something or other and who knows, it may still be among that sort of memento in one of the palaces. These two brothers, as well as another named Jim lost their lives in World War One. 

 

Now, we come to the turn of the twentieth century… 

 

One bleak, wet day, four strangers knocked at John Coles rectory door, asking permission to use the mission hall for a few weeks in order to have some Gospel Meetings. These Workers were George Walker, William Irving, Willie Wier, and Eddie Cooney. Most of them were fresh over from Ireland. He explained that he couldn’t pay them any salary and they said Jesus didn’t get a salary and they didn’t expect one either. He told them the congregation was poor and not much in the collection plate, so they told him they didn’t take up a collection. He said they were welcome to use the hall. Lizzie offered to play the organ for their nightly services and they accepted. She had never heard such preaching and she was spellbound! Her father, of course, was becoming more and more irritated as their message was slowly being brought home. The difference between his paid ministry and the New Testament Ministry was made so clear. We don’t know how long it was before he asked them to leave, but they asked to have one more meeting so they could inform those who were coming, and he granted that wish. They tested that meeting and Lizzie was the only one who saw the difference and had the courage to make her choice. 

 

 

 

Naturally, her father was furious. His authority over his daughter was irrevocably challenged and his pride was hurt before his whole congregation. In a moment of anger, he ordered her to leave and not ever come back. This date was May 1, 1899; she had turned 21 years of age on April 5 that same year. 

 

 

 

Where could she flee to; what could she do? She had not been prepared, under his roof, for any suitable career. She wasn’t interested in marriage; she had seen enough struggle in her parents home with the care of one baby after another and she didn’t want that. Heartsick, but knowing her choice was the right one, she fled across London to where Bill and Maggie Carroll were having Gospel meetings in an old used store building. They had heard the Gospel in Ireland and were enthusiastically carrying it to England in spite of the fact that they were already married and had a baby, May, when they heard and accepted the Gospel. They received Lizzie, comforted her, and suggested that she stay and help them with the meetings. She did that, helping also with the baby and inviting people in the district to the Gospel meetings. They all lived in the upstairs of the building and had meetings downstairs. It was during this time that the baby became very ill. The drafty store room and not enough nourishing food aggravated the situation. She watched Bill and Maggie arrive at the terrible decision to part with their little May in order to continue with the Work. They took her home to Ireland to be raised by Mrs. Carroll. (this is the same May Carroll Shultz who has written several of the hymns in our hymnbook). One can imagine the impression this made on Lizzie Coles! If these sensitive people could put the Work of the Gospel even before their own little one, how could she withhold her life from this Work? It was arranged for her to join Bill’s sister, May Carroll to be her companion. May Carroll had begun in the Work when she was eighteen and couldn’t have been much older at this time. The two girls preached in the villages of Ireland. They visited the village folk on bicycles. Sometimes they were received but at other times they were pelted by potatoes or clumps of dirt thrown at them! 

 

 

 

They attended a convention at CROCK-NA-KRIEVE. This was one of the very earliest conventions and lasted longer than ours. At this convention, an appeal was made for Workers to go to America and Lizzie volunteered. According to an old letter from George Walker, she and two other girls plus five brothers sailed for New York in December 1904. In a visit with Jack Jackson, years later, Jack told us a little of that voyage, as he was one of the brothers on that ship. They traveled those sea-sick days in third class compartments and Jack was the only one of the eight who did not get sea-sick. He would go to the cracker barrel down in the hold and being tall with long arms, could reach over the others, getting handfuls of crackers which he distributed to the others. Lizzie had been given a bag of oranges at their departure, which she shared with them all. 

 

 

 

In the course of time they arrived at New York and were met by Jack Carroll and George Walker and taken to a humble home of an Irish couple who had come to America to have a home for the Workers. The one bedroom was given to the Sisters; some of the Brothers slept in the front room while the couple slept on the kitchen floor. The other Brothers went to a local lodging house for the next few nights. They divided their belongings among them all and set off with brave hearts to preach the Gospel. Each pair of Workers had equal share of what monies and hymn books they had. In this way the Gospel began to be published on the eastern states and Canada. Lizzie and her two companions preached the Gospel in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, but her companions eventually left the Work because of the hardships. 

 

 

 

She loved it; the thrill of the Work never left her. Sometimes they slept in schoolhouses they preached in but they had people to preach to. They didn’t have much money but had a whole lot of zeal! She was never very strong and her health was taxed beyond its limits. One night, after a meeting, she collapsed and the town doctor was called. He had been expecting a call at any time, as he had been listening and watching nightly outside the building. He hadn’t wanted to come in to listen. After he examined her, he prescribed complete rest and a change of lifestyle. (A later test proved she had tuberculosis). Perhaps a farm where she could have nourishing milk and eggs and vegetables and not to preach till she was in better health. Well, there were no professing farmers yet! Upon the advice of George Walker, she was sent to a Mennonite collective farm. That didn’t work out well, though, as there were about 20 marriageable young men, and although she was ill, she was still young and pretty. She asked George Walker for a change and several other places were tried but none of them proved successful. Then the Hawkins family of Baltimore heard the Gospel and embraced it. They opened their hearts and home to the Workers. Immediately, they took in Lizzie, where, at last, she could find peace and rest. However long she stayed there, we do not know; we only know she did not recover so the workers felt she should return to England. Her father met her at the dock with this unkind remark “I knew you’d come crawling back to me.” Although she stayed with him for awhile, she was not welcome there. Now, the Truth was new in those parts and no one seemed to know what to do with a returning sick warrior, so they did nothing. None of the friends reached out to contact her – they didn’t seem to understand that she was too sick to go to meetings and she crawled into herself and tried to recoup her strength as best she could.

 

 

 

Recovery was slow and years passed. Little by little she found means to support herself. She worked as a typist. She also worked for a time in a home for retarded girls but that was hardly a cheerful occupation. Eventually she did what many ‘gentry reared’ Englishwomen did – become a ‘nanny’ to wealthy gentry needing a traveling companion for their children. In their employ, she traveled to France, Switzerland, etc. It was a safe, pleasant life. She found that she was much in demand for she could teach the children French, music, and most importantly, manners.   

 

 

 

1914. The storm clouds were gathering over Europe and World War One began. Lizzie, in the company of Dr. and Mrs Ainsworth and their little daughter sailed though the editerranean Sea to India arriving in Bombay. She was entranced with the color, the people, the poverty, the riches, animals roaming the streets, India’s vastness. She wondered if ever the Gospel could ever find inroads into this caste-shackled land? It wasn’t very long till she was introduced to Lt. Charles Waddingham, band Master with the 8th Gurka Rifles Regiment. He seemed very debonair to her in his crisp uniform accompanied by his dog, an Airedale named Roger. 

 

 

 

Within three months they were married. Both were 30 years of age. Their interest were compatible and they shared a mutual love of music. She would accompany him as he played his woodwind instruments: clarinet, saxophone, etc. They seemed to be very happy those first years in India. In 1916 Lizzie returned to London to give birth to her first born, John. On July 9, 1916, an air Raid forced the family down to the cellar for safety. An incendiary bomb dropped on the house going all the way down to the cellar, but didn’t explode. John was born that night! Two years later, on June 1, 1918, Helen was born in Mussouri, India. She was delivered by a midwife called ‘Lovey Mary’ who was happier and more skillful when she was slightly intoxicated! In that bungalow, the crest of Mt Everest could be seen against the sky. Charles sent Lizzie up to the beautiful cool station of Shillong in Assam, India, and that was where Jean was born. This place was over 7000′ elevation and there was a Hill Station Hospital there.

 

 

 

In 1921 or 1922, Charles and Lizzie decided to leave India and return to England. Charles had spent 19 long years living in various parts of India and was fluent in the language. Lizzie had been there 8 years and they had taught the children a little bit of Hindi, mostly nursery rhymes, such as Little Jack Horner and Humpty Dumpty, which we could rattle off easily in Hindustani. Upon returning to London, the War was finished but so was the economy and the people were bitter and depressed. It didn’t take them long to strike out for a more congenial environment: Canada. Already Lizzie’s brother, Jack, and sister Lou and their families were living in British Columbia. Charles and Lizzie and the children arrived in Canada at the port of Halifax in the Province of Ontario, and soon Charles got a job as the Leader of the City band. Those days any city of any size had a band. He also was a teacher of woodwind instruments in the college music department. They had arrived in the dead of winter, which meant in eastern Canada, ice, snow and heavy winter clothing and a complete lifestyle change for all the family. In India, though they were not wealthy, Lizzie managed a household of a minimum of 5 servants – one to cook, one to wash up after the cook; one to care for the horses, one to do the laundry, another to cut the grass, another to clean the house, etc, etc. Each Servant had to have his own ‘servant’ to do the menial jobs! This was the caste system, and was routine. In Canada Lizzie was plunged into doing the whole herself under great odds, with 3 small children and her own poor health. Charles was in impeccable Englishman and expected 3 meals a day punctually served, complete with linen dinner napkins. Lizzie was often in tears. After a couple years of that, they journeyed across Canada, 5 days and 4 nights by train to Vancouver, BC. There they lived in a nice little house within walking distance to Stanley School. John and Helen had already taught Jean to read so she began in second grade. More disciplined than schools are now, they marched in single file into the classrooms, with one hand behind the back while at their desks, unless required for handling the books or writing!

 

 

 

The Depression was slowly creeping across Canada, indeed the whole world and in order to augment their income, Charles and Lizzie played in the orchestra pit in the old silent movie house. Lizzie played theatre organ, while Charles doubled on clarinet, sax, etc. They had a standard repertoire of sheet music for cowboy movies and other thrillers: well known, dog-eared pieces of music to accompany Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Mary Pickford. Their kids got in free every Saturday afternoon. Inevitably they turned their thoughts toward the United States and November 11, 1927 they moved to Longview, Washington, just as the great depression hit in full force! Charles was lucky to get a job at Longbell Lumber Co. at four dollars a day and this job lasted till the end of the depression. As the country’s economy slowly improved, so did theirs. About 1931 they moved to Ontario, Oregon, in the Idaho border which is about 2100′ above sea level, and Lizzie’s heart reacted badly to the elevation change. From that time on she became weaker and weaker, but they stayed there for four years. By the summer of 1934, John had graduated from High School, and Helen completed her sophomore year and Jean her freshman year. The family doctor told them that Lizzie should be moved to sea level if she were to regain any health at all. Charles was not happy with this diagnosis but Lizzie and the three children arranged to spend the summer in Portland, hoping the change would do her good. 

 

 

 

She had a little money left to her when her father died. The four of them rented an apartment near the Park across the street from the Portland Arts Museum. She enrolled the three children in summer art classes. Slowly Lizzie regained a little strength and health. One day, while shopping in downtown Portland, she engaged a conversation which would change the direction of our lives. She and a lady shopper were talking and as Lizzie often did, began talking about God having a perfect Way in the world. The lady said “You know, I think you’d be interested in my sister’s faith. I don’t go in for it myself, but it sounds like you might be!” She also said that she would send her sister to visit her. Early the next morning, a Friday at about 7:30 AM, one of the Friends named Katy White came to see them on the way to work. She said she would arrange transportation for them to get to Gospel meeting that evening, if she would like to go. Lizzie said she would like to but wanted to know who were the names of the Workers. Hugh Mathews and Allen Stephens didn’t sound familiar, so she asked if there were any Carroll’s or George Walker. “Oh yes”, Katy said. All that day Lizzie was very moved, sometimes happy, sometimes apprehensive. She took the time to tell the children once again of her years in the Work and asked them to listen very, very carefully when they went to the meeting. John elected to remain at home, and she didn’t force the issue but she, Helen and Jean went to the meeting. They were taken to a tent meeting in Milwaukie, a suburb of Portland. It was nearing the close of the mission and Hugh Mathews spoke that night on the crucifixion of Christ. 

 

The Girls had never before heard any preaching like it. In closing the meeting, he tested it, and both girls stood to their feet, while Lizzie quietly rededicated her life to Jesus. Hugh asked the girls to put their decision into words and Jean stumblingly said “I want Jesus to become my King as well as my Savior.” At last Lizzie became reunited with the Great Family from which she had become separated, in those early days in London. Well she was never to be separated again! She lived twelve years to the day, with full and sweet fellowship with the friends in Portland. The next day Hugh came to see them and he told Lizzie that he had recognized her the minute she came into the tent! He had never forgotten her from those early days in Ireland at the turn of the century. They had a very happy summer – wonderful in every way, but at the end Charles sent for them to return to Ontario to go to school. Some very hard times followed and Charles was very angry with Lizzie, and furious with the girls for accepting “Their Mother’s Religion”. Those were very hard years, but years in which they learned to trust in the Everlasting strong arms of a Heavenly Father, who was always there to sustain. The Bible became real and living and vital, and the meetings were sweet and nourishing. Lizzie was never strong after that but was just able to care for the house and get to meetings till the day she died.