A special "Thank You" to Sue Richardson for e-mailing me this information about this "Unknown Christian" who touched many lives for the glory of God.
Sue had visited the magazine and signed the address book. After reading her comments and finding out that she knew who this person was we had some correspondences and in one of them she sent me the following note:
"An Unknown Christian" is Albert Ernest RICHARDSON (confirmed on the British Library website and other places).
He was born in Oxford in 1868 and died in the latter half of 1951. He was my husband's first cousin twice removed, Ie my husband's grandfather's cousin.
He had had a very interesting life, including being a missionary(CMS) in African and India and details of these travels are in his diaries which are held at the University of Birmingham and which we have had the pleasure in reading. He obtained a degree in Chemistry at Wadham College Oxford and was ordained as priest in 1898.
Following his return from India, he became the Metropolitan Secretary to the Church Army and then
Warden of the Training College of the Church Army.
I read on the internet that there was revival in Oxford around the time AER was a teenager and so I wondered if he became a Christian then. His book "The Kneeling Christian" is one of 16 books he has written, although he may have written more.
When I started researching my husband's family tree, I never expected to find such a wonderful born again Christian in our family. It was a great surprise!
With many blessings in His name
Sue Richardson
