Brother Clifford's mission

From the Bolton Evening News, first published Friday 2nd Jul 1999.

IT is 14 feet tall, six feet wide and as heavy as a baby elephant - but for Brother Clifford, it is a cross he is happy to bear.

Brother Clifford Edwards is set to carry the giant wooden cross more than 12 miles from Manchester to Farnworth on Sunday.

He expects the journey to take up to six hours and the aim is to increase awareness of God.

The message written on the cross is 'Who Carries Your Burden?'.

Clifford, aged 53, opened The True Word Christian shop on Higher Market Street, Farnworth, shortly after experiencing a "vision of God".

A one-time self-confessed alcoholic, he used to drift between rented accommodation, hostels, hospitals and the street.

He said: "The last time I slept out was the night my mum died.

"I was underneath Charing Cross arches and, in the morning, I found out that while I was asleep she had passed away."

However, the turning point in his life came shortly afterwards, when a doctor told him he had only six months to live whether he drank or not.

It was then that he claims to have had a vision of Jesus.

Now, he says, he has made a "miraculous" recovery, and has turned his life to religion.

On the door of The True Word is a letter from Dr Robert Halliwood testifying to Clifford's "remarkable" medical recovery.

The giant cross he will be carrying on his trek was specially made for him by a friend, and even has a compartment for his sandwiches, which Clifford chooses to use for leaflets instead.

He said: "I expect to stop after every half mile or so. Each time I stop, I will preach my message."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

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