There is a new book by Kerry Medway that is tentatively scheduled to be released in November 2012 called "Is Ned Kelly in Heaven?"
Below is the blurb from his website located at http://kerrymedway.org/ -
"...One book has the working title.. IS NED KELLY IN HEAVEN? During my research on the book TEENAGE BUSHRANGER, I stumbled across this story of an Irish Doctor who treated Ned Kelly in Melbourne Gaol just before Kelly was hung. Dr John Singleton was an amazing man with a passion to see lost souls won for Christ. 1000's of men & women came to Christ under his influence. Did he bring Kelly to Christ? This will be my research & hopefully a book that will persuade many in our nation to turn to Christ."
Ok, me [Sharon] again....By the way, in case you were wondering, Teenage Bushranger is about Johnny Dunn who joined up with bushrangers Ben Hall and Johnny Gilbert and who was subsequently captured and hanged.
Regarding Dr John Singleton, I looked under google books and found the text of his book "A Narrative of Incidents in the Eventful Life of a Physician." In it he tells of visiting Ned Kelly at the Old Melbourne Gaol after Ned was captured at Glenrowan and how he had seen him and talked to him about salvation, said he would be praying for him and gave him a copy of the New Testament. Ned told him that when he was in Pentridge that he (Singleton) was known as the "prisoner's friend." Singleton wanted to see Ned again and Ned wanted to be seen by him but the Roman Catholic chaplain of the Gaol, Dean Donaghy, would not allow it as Singleton was of the Protestant faith and Ned Kelly was Catholic. Castieau took the Dean's part in it. Seems they tried to play politics with a man's salvation! Singleton still managed to send in gospel tracts to Ned. Singleton said in his book: "Kelly, I understand, sent his love to me on the morning of his execution, and from various things I have known since, he looked to Christ alone for forgiveness and salvation."
Something else I recall along these lines was when Ned was laying wounded at Glenrowan and Rev Gibney came into to minister to him. Gibney later said "I asked him to say 'Lord Jesus have mercy on me,' and he said it, and added 'it's not to-day I began to say that'."
Here is a link to a photo of Dr. John Singleton taken in 1864, sixteen years before he ministered to Ned at the Old Melbourne Gaol.
http://emhs.org.au/catalogue/emdf0095
WELCOME TO ELEVEN MILE CREEK. Thanks for visiting us. We hope to use this blog to bring news, views, nuggets and musings, some serious, some lighthearted, but all to do with all things associated with Ned Kelly.
In my new book:
ReplyDelete“Australian Bushrangers, the Police, and God”.
The issue of Ned and Heaven is explained as accurately as is possible using historical facts of the day.
The book is factual story is about “Australian Bushrangers”, including Ned Kelly, who had the opportunity to trust in God, either before, during or after capture. The Australian bushranger may have committed what appear to be dreadful crimes, and as such they became outside of the law of the land. This story is about just a few of these bushrangers, who have had the opportunity to trust in God, either before, during or after capture. Most of these men committed the crime known as ‘Robbery Under Arms’ and as we have seen from the movie industry, the likes of the story ‘Robbery Under Arms’ is glamorised to the extent that we cannot but admire their exploits.
This very real and dangerous drama cannot be what it is, or what it was, without acknowledging the valiant and possibly more dangerous part played by the God consciousness, police and troopers, of the day. During a trial of a bushranger a magistrate stated: “Take the case of these constables, were they not brave men also? It is a strange thing that we hear little of the undoubted police bravery, yet, if there is the slightest courage shown by a bushranger, he is lauded as if he were a hero of romance”.
The book includes real faith facts of numerous Aussie Bushrangers including Bushranger Power.
Al Heffron, Benalla. Vic.3672
Thank you for your input, Al. Where can people purchase your book?
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon,
ReplyDeleteThe following link will give information on purchasing the book:
http://www.euxton.com/australian-bushrangers.htm
However:
Copies of the book (70 pages in A5 size) can be obtained for AU$20.00 (post paid) from the author:-
Al Heffron
9 Hiscock Court
Benalla, VIC, Australia. 3672
Phone: +613 5762 6889