Billy Bray

Billy Bray was born on June 1, 1794, in Twelveheads, a small village near Truro in Cornwall, England. His family was poor, and he went to work in the tin mines at a young age. He had almost no education and learned to read only later in life. He grew up to be a strong and rough man. He drank heavily and swore, and he had a reputation for wild living. His own accounts of those years show that he was caught in a cycle of drunkenness and despair.

In 1823, at the age of twenty-nine, he went through a spiritual crisis. He had been shaken by the death of a friend and by the thought of what lay beyond. He began to read the Bible and to attend Methodist meetings. After days of anguish, he gave himself to Christ. He later described the moment as a flood of joy that filled his whole being. He said that everything looked new and that he felt he was in a different world. From that day, he never touched drink again.

He was changed in a way that everyone noticed. He had been a rowdy drunk, and now he was a man of prayer and praise. He was known for shouting and dancing for joy, and he often cried out Glory in the middle of his work. When he met a person on the road, he would say a word about the Lord. In the mine, he sang hymns as he worked and prayed with his fellow miners. Some thought him mad, and others were moved.

He began to preach, going from village to village in Cornwall, often on foot. He had no polish, and his sermons were short and simple. He told the story of his own life, and he spoke about the love of God. People came from far and wide to hear the converted drunkard. Revivals broke out in several places where he preached. Over the years he led many people to faith, including some of his old friends from the pubs.

He was also a builder. Believing that the people of Cornwall needed more places to worship, he built three small chapels with his own hands, working in his free time and with whatever materials he could find. He trusted God for the money, and he gave away much of what he had. His wife Joanna stood by him, though they lived in poverty. He and his family often went without, and he was not a good manager of money. His trust sometimes strained their circumstances.

He held to a simple faith. He often said that he could not read his Bible well but that the Lord taught him what he needed. He was also known for his plain humor and his gift for turning a phrase. There are many stories of his quick replies. He was not a man of great learning, and he made no pretense of it. He was accused of excess in his displays of joy, and some leaders in the church were uneasy with his noise.

He died on May 25, 1868, at the age of seventy-four, singing and praising to the end. His last words, it is said, were a cry of glory. His story was published as a short biography and has been read ever since. It shows how a rough man, who had been the slave of drink, can be changed by Christ and made a witness to many.