WHAT'S IN A NAME: The Beesley Memorial Trust (in short, 'The Trust') was set up through the direct wishes of Mr Cyril Beesley and Miss Rita Beesley from Leyland in Lancashire. It was established for Christian, Reformed & Evangelical Ministries of Church Planting & Extension, Ministry Training, Christian Publishing & Evangelism.
THE INTENTION: They had a desire tosee the Work of God advanced after their decease, with special reference to preparing young men for the Christian Ministry and production and publishing of Christian Literature and evangelism.
MAIN BENEFICIARIES: While the main target organisations would be the Banner of Truth Trust (with its young people's conference and Ministers' Book Fund) and the European Missionary Fellowship (with its School of Biblical Studies and Christian Publications into various European languages), anyone considered to be in clear support and sympathy with the main tenets of The Trust, will be given consideration.
APPLICATIONS: Assent must be given to either the Westminster Standards (Confession of Faith and Shorter Catechism) or to The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (or the 1971 Revised Version of the Confession). Applications from young people should be first in writing to Rev David White or to Mr David Grey. You will then be sent a copy of the Application Form which should be returned with a supporting letter from a Church Youth Worker or Church Officer.
PROVISO: In the event that you fail tosecure sufficient funding for the intended course/ outreach/ project, we would need to know what you proposed to do with the money. We may request that you return any gift to The Trust.
SIZE OF THE TRUST: The Trustees are unlikely to be attracted to a scheme or cause (however worthwhile) under which any contribution which The Trustees could realistically make would be insignificant to the whole. In other words, they are more likely to be attracted to small - to - medium sized schemes, rather than to large projects.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
This Statement of Faith is based upon the 1689 Baptist Confession and the Westminster Standards 1938 (commonly called the Westminster Confession).
1. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. The Bible in its origin and nature is the Word of God. In the very words of the originals it was given by inspiration of God. It is our only, sufficient, certain and infallible rule of saving knowledge, faith and practise.
2. THE GODHEAD. There is only one true and living God, a pure spirit, without body, parts or passion, whose very essence is Love. He is self-sufficient, unchangeable, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, holy, almighty, incomprehensible, sovereign, righteous, just, gracious, long-suffering, merciful, gracious, compassionate and faithful. United in the One essence of God there are three separate Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each Person possesses, undivided, the entire divine essence and, therefore, the perfections which belong to God belong to each of the three Persons.
3. CREATION. In the beginning God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the display of His glory, power, wisdom and goodness created ‘out of nothing’ the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them. God also made Man, male and female, with immortal souls, according to His image, giving them dominion over all creation. God saw everything that He had made and it was very good.
4. SIN AND THE FALL. Sin is disobedience to the Law of God and rebellion against His will. The biblical history of the entry of sin into the world and of the Fall of Adam, is factual and is the foundation of this basic doctrine in Scripture. Through their original disobedience Adam and Eve fell from their original state of righteousness and communion with God, and we in them. Therefore, death came on all for all sinned in Adam and since. Every part of Man, his body, mind and soul, are corrupted (total depravity). All men were represented in Adam and the sentence of death passed on him was passed on all mankind. All mankind is, without exception, dead in sin, guilty before God and deserving of eternal judgment unless the Lord Jesus Christ sets them free.
5. CHRIST OUR MEDIATOR. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity. He reflects the Father’s glory and is of identical nature and equal with Him. All things were made through Christ who upholds and governs all things. It pleased God the Father, in His eternal purpose, to appoint His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in accordance with the covenant made between them, to be the mediator between God and man, and heir of all things. To Him God gave, from all eternity, a people to be called, redeemed, justified, sanctified and glorified by Christ. At the right time Jesus Christ, although truly God, also became truly man, being born to the virgin Mary by the agency of the Holy Spirit, by which means two whole and perfect natures, Divine and Human, are mystically joined in one glorious Person. The Lord Jesus Christ willingly took the office of being Mediator; He underwent the punishment due to us; He became a curse for us and was made sin for us; he suffered grievous sorrows in His soul and body; he was crucified and actually died. His sacrificial death is the substitutionary atonement for the sins of His people. On the third day He rose from the tomb; he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, and intercedes for His redeemed people. He shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the age. Through His death and resurrection Christ has fully satisfied the justice of God, accomplished reconciliation and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all whom the Father has given to Him.
6. THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. As the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is equal in nature, majesty and glory to the Father and the Son. Divine names are given to Him. Divine perfections are ascribed to Him. Divine works are performed by Him. In addition to His power and force, the Holy Spirit is a Person. Descriptions of personality are given to Him: He teaches, He prays, He reveals, and He guides. The Holy Spirit is seen at work in Creation and control of the material universe, in the inspiration, preservation and interpretation of Scripture; and as the divine agent in all aspects of the new Birth and a Christian’s life through saving faith, repentance, communion with God and power in prayer and sanctification.
7. REGENERATION. God, in His own way, and in His own time, calls, by His Word and through His Spirit, those whom He has chosen from before the foundation of the world to save them out of their natural state of sin and death into the state of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. He enlightens their minds so that they understand the things of God. He takes away their rebellious hearts, giving them responsive hearts. By His almighty power He renews their wills so that they seek to do good. By thei same power he draws them to Jesus Christ and they come freely, made willing by His grace.
8. CONVERSION is that act by which the regenerate person consciously turns to God in repentance and saving faith. Conversion must always include the essential elements of a). Repentance, which is essential to salvation. God works in a person’s soul through the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin, righteousness and judgment, so that they turn from sin and desire pardon and cleansing in Christ.; and b). Saving Faith. Salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ alone and not through anything we can do. This Saving Faith means complete dependence upon Christ, who died and rose again to save His people from their sins. It is a gift from God, through the Holy Spirit, and is commonly brought about through the ministry of the Word of God.
9. JUSTIFICATION. By His unmerited favour God justifies those whom He has chosen, pardoning their sins, accounting and accepting them as righteous through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Justification is a legal act of God, in which He declares that on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ all the requirements of God’s law are satisfied with respect to the sinner. Justification removes the guilt of sin, admits the justified sinner into the special grace of God and gives eternal life. While Justification deals with a person’s legal standing before God, it does not, however, change our natures. Sanctification is the continuing process whereby our nature is progressively changed into the image of Christ. God continues to forgive the sins of those who are justified and although they can never fall back from the state of justification yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s Fatherly displeasure until they humble themselves and in repentance and faith confess their sins. God undertakes in, and for the sake of His son, Jesus Christ, to confer the grace of adoption on all those who are justified. In this way they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God.
10. SANCTIFICATION is separation from sin, and obedience to the will of God. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Sanctification involves each member of the Trinity, and the Word of God, co-operating with the believer in his life. It is the responsibility of the believer, through the Holy Spirit’s power, to put to death the corruption of the sinful human nature. Sanctification operates through the whole of our natures, yet is imperfect in this life. There still remains corruption in every part, from which arises a continual warfare between the flesh and the spirit. Nevertheless, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of God, the new nature does overcome, and so believers grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing towards a heavenly life, in obedience to all the commands of God.
11. AFTER DEATH the bodies of men return to their natural elements but their souls, being immortal, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of believers go immediately upon the death of the body to be with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven where they wait for the redemption of their bodies. The souls of the unsaved are reserved in hell until the day of the Last Judgment.
12. THE RETURN OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST will be at a time known only to God, and He will return to this earth in glory, bringing with Him the souls of believers who have died. The bodies of these believers shall be raised to a condition of glorious incorruptibility, like Christ’s own glorious body, and be reunited with their souls. At that time the bodies of those believers who are still alive on earth shall be transformed instantaneously and without death into the same glorified condition and both shall then be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so be with Him for ever. The bodies of the unsaved shall also be raised by the power of Christ to appear before Him for the Final Judgment.
13. THE LAST JUDGMENT will be on the day which God has appointed, when the world will be judged in righteousness by Jesus Christ. All mankind shall stand before Him and He shall separate His redeemed people from the unsaved. The Creation in its present state of corruption shall no longer exist and the redeemed shall take their place in the new heavens and the new earth, and God Himself shall be with them as their God for all eternity. The unsaved, who do not know God, and do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will be punished with everlasting destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord. In this way the glory of God’s mercy will be seen in the everlasting salvation of all believers, and the glory of God’s righteous judgment in the condemnation of the unbelievers.
14. THE CHURCH is the body of God’s elect people. They are an innumerable company in every age. They have been called from the power of Satan to God, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and redeemed from sin by the blood of Christ. Christ is building His church so it will be complete and perfect and endure to the second coming of Christ. To the church has been committed the Gospel of the Grace of God, and it is its solemn responsibility to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. To the local church is committed the stewardship of the Gospel, the defence of the truth, the discipline of its members, the appointment of officers, and the administration of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord‘s Table.
APPLICATION FORM THE BEESLEY MEMORIAL TRUST
A. CONTACT DETAILS - For individual, church or organisation (Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS using black ink)
Organisation / Church: __________________________________________________________________________________
Contact Name: ___________________________________________________ Mr/Mrs/Miss/Rev/Pastor ________________
Date of Birth: __________//_________//___________ Male/Female __________________________
Home Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________ Post Code _______________________
Email: ________________________________________________ @ __________________________________________________
Telephone Number (with area code): __________________ _________________________________
B. ACTIVITY - (Your reply to this section allows us to determine your eligibility to receive help from this charitable fund)
1. Please indicate which of the following describes your activity. Complete more than one if necessary:
a. Training / Preparation for Christian Ministry ________________________________________________________
b. Publishing Christian Literature ___________________________________________________________________
c. Church Planting / Evangelistic Work ______________________________________________________________
2. In which country do you work/study and for how long? ______________________________________________________
3. How will you use any gift The Trust may grant to you? ________________________________________________________
4. What is the total sum you wish to raise? _____________________________________________________________________
5. How much have you already raised or been promised? _______________________________________________________
C. STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. To which Church / Denomination / Group do you/your church belong? (Please explain & give the name of your church)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith or to the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (or Revised 1971)?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Please give a brief outline of your theological position and/or attach a statement of your personal Faith (individuals only).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. In the case of an individual, this application should be accompanied by a letter from your church. What is their position in your Church?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
D. CONFIRMATION: Return this completed form to: Rev David White 851 Garstang Road, Barton, Preston, Lancs PR3 5AA
I confirm that all of the details I have given above are correct (Signature): _________________________________________
Position in Church / Organisation: _________________________________________________ Date: ______________________
EXTRACT FROM MISS RITA BEESLEY'S WILL:
IN PARTICULAR I SHOULD LIKE THE TRUST TO BE USED TO HELP CHRISTIAN (REFORMED / CALVINISTIC) RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS IN :-
II) PUBLICATION OF CHRISTIAN LITERATURE, AND
III) CHURCH PLANTING / EVANGELISTIC WORK.
THE TESTIMONY OF MR CYRIL BEESLEY:
“I was born in Farrington, Leyland, in 1926 into a home where the influence of the Bible was clear. My mother was a Christian (she went to be with the Lord at the age of 97, in 1990) and she had a godly grandmother. My father was converted to Jesus Christ in 1922.
On leaving school at fourteen, I went to work at Leyland motors. After serving my time (until I was twenty-one), I went to work in the Tool Room. With my first wage packet, I thought I was now a real man! So, I left off going to church for about two years, until a friend asked me to attend the Boys’ Club on a Friday night. I also began to attend church again on Sunday mornings where I heard many ‘Gospel Men’, including Rev’s L.C. Peto and T.C. Hammond. At that time the Leyland Parish Church of St Andrew’s had a conservative evangelical ministry which was faithful to God’s Word. The vicar, the Rev George Herbert Ensor, was a great influence in Leyland and had something at the church every night. On Saturday evenings about 150 attended the Prayer Meeting.
Over this period, Sunday after Sunday, I began to take in more and more and to ask questions. I began to see that I needed a Saviour - someone to cover my sins. I saw that, by reason of my depravity, I was under the wrath of God. I needed the covering of the blood of Christ to cleanse and to save me. One night (having begun to attend evening prayer) on reaching home, the Holy Spirit helping me to take in the Gospel and giving me enlightenment to see my sin, I committed myself to Jesus Christ.
Looking back, I thank God for the wonderful association I have had with the Banner of Truth Trust for over twenty years. I first sent off for a free copy of the magazine (advertised in the English Churchman), and have subscribed to it ever since. I now have between 75 to 100 Banner Books. I have never read anything like them! They opened up a new dimension of understanding of biblical truth. The various authors had their differences, but their one aim was to glorify Christ.
In spite of ill-health, I was thrilled to see our new building (the North Preston Evangelical Church, Fulwood, Preston) for the first time on Tuesday, 30th April 1996. It is a wonderful and glorious thing which God has allowed to happen. From a nucleus of people who believe in the Reformed Doctrines of Grace, the Gospel is now to be brought to the awareness of people in the district where there wasn’t a witness before. I thank almighty God for it. It has all come about through the prayers and sacrifice of God’s People, and the regular faithful preaching of the Word of God, through the ministry of the Rev David White. Without the Gospel, there is nothing! It is the Living Written Word”.
(First printed in the Monthly Newsletter of North Preston Evangelical Church and subsequently published in the Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 394, July 1996, pages 21-22).