Rev. Ivan Foster (Rtd) delivered a tribute at the homegoing service of Dr. John Douglas, who was his brother-in-law and fellow labourer in the Lord's work. The service was held at Lisburn FPC, where Dr. Douglas had ministered for decades.

I count it a great privilege and honour to be invited to take part in the funeral service of Dr John Douglas.

I sincerely thank Eunice and the family for allowing me to play a small part in today’s proceedings.

I wish to express first of all, the sincere condolences of the whole Foster family, to Eunice and all the family, even as they were our comforters in the time of our sorrow at the recent home-call of Ann, my precious wife and her dear sister.

John Douglas was my dear friend as well as a brother-in-law beloved. He was a companion in the faith, a fellow labourer in the gospel and one with whom I shared an earnest contending for the ‘Crown rights of King Jesus and crown jewels of His gospel’.

I first met John in 1964, 60 years ago. That was a year of ‘introductions' for me.

On April 5th of that year, the Lord in mercy introduced Himself to me, a lost sinner, and graciously pardoned my sins and made me a new creature.

One week later, I met a man who was to become a great influence in my early Christian life, Dr Ian Paisley. He it was who led John to Christ, his first convert at the beginning of his ministry in Ravenhill.

It was shortly after that, that I met John in the old Ravenhill church. In September of that year, I also later met my dear wife to be, Ann, along with her sisters Eunice and Jennifer and brother Charlie.

I had started studying for the gospel ministry in January 1965, under Dr Paisley and dear old Pastor James Kyle paisley. Later, in September 1965, I found myself under the tutelage of John in the newly reorganised seminary which met in one of the prayer rooms of the old Ravenhill church.

I still have the notes that I took during that time of John’s godly instruction.

My son, Andrew, some thirty years later, was to likewise enjoy that privilege!

John Douglas walked in the footprints of the prophets and apostles. Peter said: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” Acts 3:19-21.

John Douglas sought throughout his life to bring home to God’s people the vital importance of Bible Prophecy, a subject sadly neglected by many pulpits today. He rightly considered it was a vital subject along with all the prophets and apostles.

Anything that I know of this glorious subject I was taught by John Douglas, under God.

He led many weeks of Bible instruction in congregations as the invited speaker. He faithfully expounded the truths of Biblical Eschatology and sought to show that the days spoken of since the days of Adam, the troublesome ‘latter-days’, were breaking forth amongst us. He faithfully explained that the ungodly rebelliousness that was erupting world-wide, was in fulfilment of that spoken of by the prophets and apostles.

John desired to let the people know that God was on the throne and that He ‘knew the end from the beginning’ and we were not to be alarmed by such events, grieving and vexatious as they are. The Lord would, at His return in glory, deal with this rebellion and bring in peace and order and righteousness.

I know that the Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony greatly valued his ministry and labours and through its witness John’s ministry was known world-wide. The Secretary, Mr Stephen Toms and his wife Jean, would wish to be associated with my words today. They would have loved to have been able to attend this service but that was just not possible. I am sure that they are presently watching the live broadcast.

The Free Presbyterian Church will be the poorer without his voice and wisdom but the Lord will ensure that a like testimony will be continued amongst its ranks.

May the Lord bless you all — his family, his sister Jane and her family, brother David and the late Robert, his widow, Margaret and her sons; Dr Douglas’s many friends and of course the flock over which he shepherded here — with grace and peace and joy today.