God revealed His plans to send Bro.Lawrie on a tour abroad in two dreams to Sis.Lawrie. In the first dream she saw her husband attending Brother Oral Roberts' meeting and giving a testimony. The next night, in what appeared to be the continuation of the first dream, she saw him visiting other places. Waking up she said, "Surely you are going out". "How can a man without a penny go all over world?" queried Bro.Lawrie surprised.
An International Conference on Healing was scheduled to be held at Scotland. It was a Conference of the Order of St.Luke and of all the Anglican and Protestant denominations. Someone in their Committee, who was aware how God is using Bro.Lawrie mightily with powers of healing, had included his name, and the invitation was sent out for him to attend. He received the invitation, but had no money nor the passport.
It so happened that the son of the General Superintendent at the Christian Medical Hospital, Vellore, Bro.Lawrie's one time Boss, was seriously ill, suffering from a disease that caused profuse bleeding from different parts of the body; and Bro.Lawrie was called in to pray for the child. The Superintendent said: "I'll get you the Passport and help book the ticket for you". So he had the ticket to fly to London and the papers but no money to cover the expenses. His wife comforted him saying, "You just go. We can see that God is taking you along".
From London on to Glasgow everything was laid on, but when he got himself introduced at the Conference hall, the organizers demanded of him money for the expenses of board and lodging. When he confessed that he had no money on him, they insisted that he should somehow pay enough money to cover expenses for one week. Two preachers jumped in volunteering to pay for Bro.Lawrie. Ultimately it was Rev.David Du Plessis who paid for him.
When at Glasgow, Bro.Lawrie had the gratification of being allowed to preach in the Presbyterian Scottish Church there. By the time the meetings were over, he made acquaintance with many important people from all over the world. Bro.Lawrie could not go visiting places as he had no money on him, and stuck to the hotel where he had checked in. He was the only black man on the streets of Glasgow so that everyone would stand and stare at him, and it was very embarrassing. So he seldom stirred outside the hotel either. As the weather was severely cold, he used to cover himself up with the mattress head to foot and curl himself up on the couch all day.
Midnight one day, there was a knock and Bro.Lawrie opened the door. The caller asked, "Is Mr.Lawrie in?" Not able to understand the purpose of this untimely call, Bro.Lawrie replied, "Yes, What is the matter?" The man, a complete stranger said, "I came to see you", and in faltering voice continued, "I was sleeping when the Lord, in a dream, told me that one Mr.Lawrie is here in this room and directed me to give him just two pounds. I could have given more, but two pounds was the amount I am instructed to give you!" He handed two pounds to Bro.Lawrie and went back. In the morning when Bro.Lawrie went to the station to book a ticket, he found that the fare to London was two pounds! He got into the train and sat wondering how the Lord was going to provide him his nourishments, when in walked a Welsh Pastor and ordered food for both.
As if someone had laid on the itinerary with meticulous care, a casual acquaintance back in India, met him as he alighted at London and took Bro.Lawrie to his house. At his place, this gentleman dug out an overcoat for Bro.Lawrie and gave him a pair of shoes also. Bro.Lawrie lost no time in getting out on the streets of London and preach till he was stopped by a policeman. He reported this matter to God that night who told him to go to Sharps Toffee Company and be taken in on a job there. For 21 days he worked in that firm doing a laborer's job of loading heavy crates on trucks. It was an all-night, back-breaking work in which Bro.Lawrie saw what God was teaching him. He realized that he was to work like a laborer and not question the Lord.
On receiving his pay packet for his labour at the Toffee Company, Bro.Lawrie hopped over to Holland. He had no introduction, nor did he know any person there. On reaching Holland he made enquiries of the various Churches there. As he was stepping into a Pentecostal Church, a band of Gospel workers were coming out for street preaching. It was so precisely times that he could join this Gospel team. A chemist volunteered to interpret for him. Bro.Lawrie was invited by the chemist to stay in his house, where he was very hospitably received, and was with them for nearly a month.
While there, someone invited him to preach at a place called De Hezenburg. Just as they reached the place, the engine of the car they were driving stalled. The owner of the car suddenly leaned back aghast and repeated, "This can't be", "This can't be!" When Bro.Lawrie asked him, "What can't be?" he explained that the car had no fuel to come that distance. He forgot to fill the tank on the way, and the gas they started with could not have taken them more than 10 kilometers, but they have covered nearly 50 kilometers!
An unforgettable episode was his encounter with Mrs.Plug. She was the wife of a Dutch Reformed Church Minister. When Bro.Lawrie called on her and said, "Sister, I come from India..." she snapped, "Yes. Lot of people come from India and they cheat us and leave. If you want to stay, you should wash all the dishes". Unquestioningly he obeyed the Lord's dictates and undertook the job. He used to clean hundreds of dishes a day. Duty done, he retired to his apartment and knelt down and prayed, at times all night long. He was spied upon by someone and this habit of praying was reported to Mrs.Plug. This opened him a vast field of work. He was billed to preach at a number of Dutch Reformed Churches.
He was invited to a party at a Missionary Training Centre, Zendings Bureau, and was wrongly designated as Reverend Lawrie in the fixtures. When he arrived there, someone asked him casually, "Where were you ordained?"
Bro.Lawrie could only reply: "Ordained by Jesus Christ".
The questioner persisted, "What? Which Church?"
So he had to tell him plainly that he was Bro.Lawrie, ordained by God. The atmosphere suddenly changed, and everyone turned against him. The Principal came to him and said, "You are a fool. You should have kept quiet. They would have given you a reception". He could not tell a lie. No one even wished him good-bye, as he walked out talking to his Lord, "Thank you, Jesus. I learned something".
America was the next country of call for Bro.Lawrie. As usual he had not a cent on him when the move came. He told his friends in Holland to book a ticket for him and promised to give the money the next day. They knew his financial position and said, "Bro.Lawrie, this is not India! We must see the money first: then the ticket comes". To this Bro.Lawrie confidently replied that he would give it the next day, exhibiting the kind of faith he always has. The next day he received a letter from a gentleman in Persian Gulf. Enclosed was the money for the ticket!
Directed by God, Bro.Lawrie crossed over to America in a ship. The sinful life of the white-men and white-women in the name of civilization was appalling. With the aid of the film on John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, he could preach to the passengers and crew of the ship.
Unless one is sponsored by a Church or a denomination, it is a heart-breaking task for a preacher to go places in America. They day he landed at New York, Bro.Lawrie learnt this lesson the hard way. He had in his possession the address of the New York representative of Assemblies of God and he went straight to him, but was shunted out of this man's office unceremoniously. So he roamed about the streets and bought some peanuts for his dinner. Hearing some singing in a Pentecostal Church, he went in and sat through the meeting. As he had no place to go, he sought permission to spend that night in the Church premises, but was rudely sent out on the streets. That evening Bro.Lawrie encountered Lord Jesus Himself. The incidence finds a place in another Chapter. He spent that night on a park bench.
He went to Springfield Assemblies of God which was well spoken off. There he was taken around the vast buildings and network of this mammoth organization. At their missionary meetings that were in session, the burden of their speeches was "How to collect money?" and "How to spend money?" Bro.Lawrie expressed a desire to the Chief of that institution to join the organization, but was turned down as he wanted their missionary in India to testify the bona fide of Bro.Lawrie. It was God's will that he should not join any group or denomination.
From New York, Bro.Lawrie went to Chicago and was put up at a place called El-Bethel by Sis.Wright. But later he was thrown out from this place also, as he differed with Pastor Mead on the question of "Rapture before or after Tribulation". At a Full Gospel Businessmen Association Meeting which Bro.Lawrie attended, God, in answer to his earnest prayer broke the barrier and gave him an opportunity to give a testimony to them. All people who believed Bro.Branham's message were there at that meeting. The next day, the Editor of 'Christian Life Magazine', Bob Walker invited him over to his place and took lots of photographs to splash them across the pages of his magazines. But on hearing adverse reports from Bro.Bhakta Singh's people in Madras, (Bro.Bhakta Singh is their missionary in India), these pictures were withheld from being published.
One Sunday he was invited to preach in a Church. When he arrived there, he found just one man, apart from the Pastor and his wife, in the Church. He preached for the three people for two hours. At the end they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and danced in ecstasy. At Los Angeles he wrote to Sister Moore of the "Herald of His Coming" expressing his desire to meet her. Back in India he used to receive very nice letters from this lady. But this time he received this curt reply, "Please don't come and see me. I don't want to see anyone. And who are you?"
It was in the middle of a service that he went to 'Herald of Hope'. So he quietly sat on the last bench. The person was giving out his sermon, when a man got up and prophesied, "I have sent my servant from far-away India. He has just come in. Listen to him". The preacher Mr.Smith stopped his sermon and asked, "Is there an Indian here?" Bro.Lawrie had to come out behind the desk where he was trying to duck his head. He spoke there at the meeting and was invited to stay as long as he liked.
From there he went over to Florida where inadvertently he was taken to Clear Water Church, where the colour prejudice was at its worst. He was thrown out from there. Bro.Oral Roberts was addressing meetings at a place close-by. So, Bro.Lawrie went over there and tried to meet him. Except that he could shake hands with Bro.Oral Roberts and exchange courtesies, he could not get an interview. That evening he was offered an opportunity to give his testimony and to answer questions thrown at him.
After attending meetings at Ardmore, Oklahoma, Bro.Lawrie was taken by a family. He preached in the Methodist Church there. The lady of the house said, "Bro.Lawrie, we love you so much. We are poor. But we want to present you with a scooter. We will pay for it in monthly installments. Please accept it for God's work". The scooter was sent to India and it was of immense use in the ministry in India. From Ardmore, Oklahoma, he went to Tulsa again and was shown the grand buildings of Bro.Oral Roberts. During the Board meetings they tried to recruit Bro.Lawrie into their group to be a representative of theirs in India with promise of men and material. This was turned down as Bro.Lawrie was nobody's man but Christ's. However he promised to help arrange a meeting in India for them.
It was after much persuasion that he could get an interview with Mr.Osborn. Bro.Lawie had to come away disappointed from him because no help was forthcoming from him too. Also he would not join hands with any group. Though there was resistance wherever he went, there were others who loved and respected him. At the Redlands Camp, Farthest Out, Los Angeles, he was given an enthusiastic welcome by some members there. When he noticed the preacher, Mr.Norman Clark sitting uncomfortably with a sprain in the neck, Bro.Lawrie went over to him and touched him prayerfully. This brought Mr.Clark immediate relief. When those who saw this happen started crowding Bro.Lawrie, the Secretary ordered Bro.Lawrie out of the meeting. Many apologised for this rude ruling but were helpless.
At the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship Annual Dinner which he attended, Bro.Lawrie could watch how they raised funds. They made an announcement and asked those willing to give 1000 dollars raise their hands. They went even up to 65,000 dollars. An acquaintance of Bro.Lawrie raised his hands for 5,000. Knowing the financial position of that man to be poor, Bro.Lawrie sidled upto him and asked how he proposed to pay that large sum. The man truthfully told him that he was not to pay any amount. He had been asked by the Committee to raise the hands just to encourage others to greater contribution!
While sitting at these meetings, Bro.Lawrie felt the dictates of God that he must go to Chicago. At Homasassa Springs, Florida the voice of God said, "God and see my Prophet, William Branham before leaving for India". He was asked to meet a family there that was getting ready to visit Bro.Branham, and to join them. Three cars were there ready to move off to Jeffersonville when Bro.Lawrie arrived. But they had no room for him in any one of them. Mr.Henry Avacola, who was to drive one of the cars, got a cramp in his shoulders and they were about to drop the plan of going to Jeffersonville. Bro.Lawrie stepped in and prayed the pain away and thus could get a widening of hearts and squeezed himself into a car. Accommodating him for an hour in each car, the party could manage to take Bro.Lawrie along.
There were about 500 people gathered at Bro.Branham's place. It was doubted whether Bro.Lawrie may have the opportunity of meeting Bro.Branham who was returning from Florida. As they were waiting, Bro.Branham came there and called out, "Lawrie, come here". Bro.Lawrie was taken by surprise as there was no chance of anyone giving his name to the Prophet. As Bro.Lawrie was proceeding towards the dais, Bro.Branham declared publicly, "Here is a man who will not be satisfied with anything but God". Frightened that this man of God could reveal even the sins lurking in the deep recesses of his heart, Bro.Lawrie mumbled a silent prayer: "Lord, I am a sinner. What would these people think of me if my sins are made manifest". But as he went over to him, Bro.Branham said, "I want to talk to you". His secretary who was there prompted, "Five minutes, Sir". To this Bro.Branham said, "I want to talk to him for an hour", and closed the door.
Closetted together, they discussed about the doctrines and theories. In one hour they could cover wide range of subjects. As Bro.Lawrie was coming out, Bro.Branham asked, "Tomorrow are you going to take baptism?" Bro.Lawrie said, "No Sir, I am not convinced yet". Then a photograph was taken of Bro.Branham as he put his arm around Bro.Lawrie.
At the service the next day, Bro.Lawrie was watching the people getting baptised. Suddenly a voice flashed across his mind which said, "My Son, I have brought you all the way to fulfill my righteousness". The service was almost over by then. So Bro.Lawrie requested Bro.Branham to hold on, and said he was ready for the baptism. Bro.Branham prayed specially for Bro.Lawrie in the Communion Service that followed, when he broke out in prophecy, "My Son, I send you as a different man. Many people will come to the feet of Jesus through you. Go back. Don't stay here. Great signs and wonders will follow you. Thus saith the Lord".
He went back to Chicago and attended the big meeting that was in session under the banner of Bro.Oral Roberts. He was watching the many famous preachers go in one by one. There was Tommy Hicks. Gordon Lindsay just walked past. Morris Cerullo, Dawood, Tommy Osborn and many more went in. None seemed to notice Bro.Lawrie as he stood in a corner trying not to catch the eyes of Bro.Branham, when the Prophet suddenly called Bro.Lawrie over to him. Embracing Bro.Lawrie right on the platform, Bro.Branham mildly chastised him saying, "Lawrie, I told you to go. Why are you lingering about here?" When Bro.Lawrie replied that he could not go anywhere as he had no money, he said, "All will be met. You go. The Lord is with you. He has raised you for some great purpose".
On his way to the West Coast to embark for Japan en route to India, he was sitting in a hotel lobby when two girls walked in smoking. With painted faces and dressed to kill, they sat in front of Bro.Lawrie and blew smoke on his face. They asked him who he was, when he objected to their smoking, and were told that he was an evangelist from India. They softened and asked if he was hungry, which he certainly was, having no money at all. They then got some food for him, and in parting gave him an envelope enclosed in which he found later 200 dollars. No doubt when these two frivolous girls stand before the judgement seat, they will be richly rewarded for this, since he will be the judge. Bro.Lawrie came to the counter knowing that he did not have the needed money as the air fare to India, is enormous, but knew God would somehow provide it, as has always been the case throughout his consecrated life. Sometime later an old man walked up to him and thrust into his hand a gift, also of 200 dollars. As he stood at the ticket counter in California still short of money for his plane passage, a man standing close by at the counter said, "I will pay for the ticket". Before leaving for India, Jesus spoke to him, "You will see my coming in this generation".
So he returned to India with no denomination and no money, but with the firm assurance that God was with him.