Difference between revisions of "Charles Wigg"

Latest revision as of 05:13, 23 September 2018

Brother Wigg was born in Sydney during the great depression to Bible believing and Bible practicing Christian parents. His father, though a poor man, and in Indian usage a coolie, or laborer, was strictly honest in his dealings, and morally clean in his life. He continued to be so right through his long life of 93 1/2 years. His mother was a very kind hearted and practical Christian. They both set an example before their family that they never had reason to be ashamed of and our brother often thanks God for such parents.

He came to know the Lord Jesus as hs Savior at the age of 7. The years went on brightly for some years, but he began to grow careless, and at length grew cold in heart and became a backslider. It pleased the Lord to restore him through the accidental death of his older brother in the year 1946. He was received into the fellowship of an Exclusive Brethren Assembly (where his father attended), later that year. From that time, his principal interest was learning the word of God, and he became active in His service, learning to exercise the gifts that God had given him.

He got married in 1952, and has two sons born to him and his wife. Later as led of the Lord, they prayerfully and legally adopted 2 sons and 2 daughters into their family. They were all from the Australian Aboriginal tribal background. In the years that these things took place they had the great sorrow of having to leave those with whom they had been in fellowship, as they had gone sadly astray form the following and teaching of the word of God.

During the following year, the Lord led our brother into the fellowship of an Open Brethren Assembly, where he was very happy, and used of the Lord in preaching, Bible teaching, Sunday school work and the teaching of scripture in the Govt. schools. (His dear wife never did come into fellowship with any Assembly after leaving the Exclusive Brethren). Also during this time, they began as a family, to prayerfully support underprivileged children, and leprosy sufferers in India. During all this time brother Wigg carried on business as a building contractor, and had farming interests.

They used to write to those whom they supported in India, and it pleased the Lord to save many of them in His own time. After this he began to think that it would be wonderful if one day the Lord would allow him to visit India, and meet some of the children that they were supporting. This took place in 1976, when he was able to visit both Mauritius, Zambia, and then India.When he reached Bombay in August of that year, though much of what he saw of the squalor of that city was obnoxious to him, yet he had a strange feeling that he had "come home". A programme of meetings had been arranged for him, and during that six weeks he was able to visit Assemblies in four States, and it pleased the Lord to save many precious souls, and to bless many through his teaching ministry. At the end of that visit, he estimated that he had led more souls to Christ in that short six weeks, than he had done in the rest of his life. The Assembly believers were much blessed also; they grew to love brother Wigg, and warmly invited him to come again.

Bro. Wigg returned to India again for 8 weeks in 1978 and on that occasion was able to visit Kerala for the first time. He returned to Tasmania, with a strong conviction that it was the will of God for him to return with some of his family, which God made possible in 1980, when they settled in Belgaum. He confesses that due to his lack of experience, he made several mistakes which he regrets, but which the dear Lord over-ruled for His glory. After staying for 7 months, his wife wanted to return to Tasmania, fearing that in India she would not be able to bear the heat of the summer months. They returned in Jan. 1981, and after settling his wife and daughters in temporary accommodation, he returned to India to fulfill commitments that he had entered into for meetings.

Their son John came with them to India straight from University, where he had graduated with an MA. Degree with first class honours. He stayed on in India for 6 years, serving the Lord in many places, and finally married an Indian girl, (Jaya), and they returned to Tasmania for the birth of their first child. He was much used of the Lord, and loved by the brethren in many places.

His local Assembly commended him to the work of the Lord in 1980, and this commendation has been renewed twice over the years. Due to some reasons he never published that letter, though he is reported always to carry it with him. This has led some ignorant and malicious people to accuse him of being a “freelancer”, and other things. He has been in India, usually for 6 months of each year, ever since returning in 1981, until 1999, when the murder of brother graham Staines and his two small sons took place. Since that time persecution has become prevalent in many parts of India, and also his wife’s health has deteriorated, so that he has not felt at liberty to return, but at the writing of this essay, he said he was becoming burdened to do so in 2002, if the Lord wills.

Brother Wigg had the privilege of preaching the Gospel, teaching and ministering the word of God in 14 of India’s States, as well as the enclaves of Pondicherry, Goa and New Delhi. he has also visited and ministered in Nepal, and Sikkim.

In addition to the above, he has ministered in Singapore, Malaysia, Assemblies in U.A.E, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, the U.K. U.S.A., Canada, Fiji, New Zealand etc. as well as 5 different States of Australia. He has ministered much amongst Egyptian, and Arabic-speaking brethren in both Sydney and Egypt. He says he has found them to be warm hearted and loving, with a great respect for the word of God and its teachings. They have a great hunger for sound Bible teaching. He has also ministered amongst groups of Indian brethren there in Australia, both in Sydney and Melbourne. They have taken him to their hearts, and shown him much affection.

As a concluding remark our brother says that he is deeply grateful to the Lord who chose to take and use such a worthless person. He is also deeply grateful to the dear saints in many lands who have opened their hearts and their homes to him. He deeply appreciates being loved by so many dear believers, and feels quite unworthy of such love, and prayers for God's abundant blessings upon them. As this essay is being written (November 2001) he has reached the age of 71+ and gladly gives praise to the Lord for His mercy that has followed him all the days of his life. Say he about the Lord, "He gave His life for me, and I am very happy to lay what remains of my life at His blessed feet that it may please Him to use this unworthy vessel for His glory!"

[Essay prepared by Dr. Johnson C. Philip based upon an electronic interview of Brother Charles Wigg. Brother Wigg used to visit India frequently and was very popular among believers there].