Living On The Edge
By Peter J Daniels

Text Copyright © 2003 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

Published by:

World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation
International Building
Box 213, Lini Highway, Port Vila,
Vanuatu, South West Pacific
Email: mail@wces.vu
Web: www.wces.vu

Other involvements:

www.havilahbullionbank.ch
www.peterjdaniels.com
www.grahamdaniels.vu
www.gabrielcall.com
www.danel.ch

To contact the author – Peter J Daniels:

peterjdaniels@peterjdaniels.com
www.peterjdaniels.com

Phone: +61 8 8423 3060

EDUCATIONAL BOOKS

authored by

PETER J DANIELS

www.peterjdaniels.com

HOW TO BE HAPPY THOUGH RICH ©1984 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

HOW TO REACH YOUR LIFE GOALS © 1985 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

HOW TO BE MOTIVATED ALL THE TIME © 1985 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

HOW TO HANDLE A MAJOR CRISIS © 1987 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

HOW TO HAVE THE AWESOME POWER OF PUBLIC SPEAKING © 1988 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

MISS PHILLIPS, YOU WERE WRONG…a formula to handle rejection. © 1989 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

GLOBAL SURVEY INTO MULTI LEVEL MARKETING © 1992 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN DYNAMIC MISSION STATEMENT THAT WORKS © 1994 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

LIVING ON THE EDGE (autobiography of Peter J Daniels) © 2003 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

A CHRISTIAN CODE OF CONDUCT – the missing link © 2009 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

WILLPOWER – the integrity of the soul. © 2010 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

authored by

PETER J DANIELS

www.peterjdaniels.com

DESTINY OF THE THIRD MILLENNIUM (major tutorial program with diploma) © 1989 World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Foundation

authored by

GRAHAM K DANIELS

www.grahamdaniels.vu

THE WAY I SEE IT… “a world view on fortune, family and future” © 2006 Graham Daniels

LIVING ON
THE EDGE

INTRODUCTION

PETER J DANIELS

INTRODUCTION

As the jumbo jet banked to the left I could see the lights of London fading in the distance through the passenger window. With my wife Robina, I was on a world tour for a corporation, as Chairman of the Board of Directors. As a special treat I had been planning to spend a few days in Paris with Robina, sightseeing and shopping, but unfortunately I had come down with a very bad viral infection.

We had departed from Australia nearly three weeks earlier and our first stop was Taiwan where I met with attorneys and old friends to discuss the possibility of opening a corporation in that region. Our next stop was Seoul in South Korea, where we met business people, government dignitaries and old friends to have further discussions on our expansion. We then went on to Washington, where I had been invited to speak at a conference that had as its catalyst a Presidential Prayer Breakfast, with President and Mrs Clinton, Vice-President Gore and his wife, and Dr Billy Graham and his wife Ruth. While there, I had a surprise meeting with Adnan Kashoggi reputed, at one time, to be the richest man in the world. At the end of our trip, we went to Jersey in the Channel Islands to meet with an old-time friend, who has one of the most dignified estates in that region and to invite him to Australia for a business conference. Having left the Channel Islands for London and cancelling our visit to Paris, we were now on our way back to Australia. Not knowing where I picked up this terrible virus, which was now causing a fever, I anxiously waited for the seatbelt sign to be switched off so that I could adjust my chair back and ask the hostess to give me some blankets to try and keep warm. Enjoying the comfort of having my wife Robina with me, I started to contemplate, as we often do when we are not well and have time on our hands, about life in general and the journey we had taken over the last 44 years.

I remembered something of my childhood that was full of uncertainty, my erratic behaviour at school and my undiagnosed dyslexia, which left me almost illiterate at 26 years of age. Now at 70 years of age, I had successful business involvements in many areas of the world, had served on international boards covering almost the entire world, and had authored a range of successful books, bringing some fame and wealth. So much more than I had ever contemplated. My mind started to wander to those whom I could say with conviction were giants of the 20th century and had, by their very presence, stature and achievement, influenced my life.

Giants of the 20th Century

I met the first giant just after the Billy Graham Crusade in 1959. This was Dr Harrold Steward, who became my spiritual father and has continued in this role until this day. This great man, now in his late eighties, was a medical orderly in World War II. After the war, he fulfilled his desire to become a medical practitioner. He studied medicine for seven long years and then after practising for three years went to Indonesia as a medical missionary to heal the sick and teach them of the love of Christ. On his return to Australia, he and his wife Gwenda opened their hearts and their home to many people, sharing their faith by example and Bible teaching. This man befriended me when I was a raw and unlearned bricklayer, providing encouragement, prayer and Bible teaching. I owe him a great debt in regard to much of the success I’ve achieved over the last 44 years. To me, this man is one of the greatest men of the 20th century. Today, we still enjoy a deep and respectful friendship.

Another giant I happened to meet by chance in 1973 at a hotel in Adelaide, was Dr John Haggai. His father had escaped from the Middle East and married an American lady. One of the children from that union was John Haggai, who became a Baptist Pastor of some repute. Later he established the Haggai Institute of Advanced Leadership Training in Singapore because of his deep concern for the Third World and the lack of opportunity in the area for the development of outstanding Christian leaders.

Our interaction became extremely close, to the point where I was elected to the Australian National Board of Directors of the Haggai Institute. Some years later I became Chairman, and was elevated to the International Board. This unique man has a profound grasp of what was required for the Third World and an intense focus on the part he would play. Still today, the Haggai Institute is training up to 60 Third-World leaders at a time and sending them back into their own countries, sponsored largely through fundraising in the West.

The alumni includes generals from the armed forces, nuclear scientists, politicians, academics, judges, bishops and people from many of the high echelons of society who had been scrutinised by the Haggai Institute’s panel before being accepted for training. My association with Dr John Haggai activated my mind and spirit to develop a global view and stretched me on many occasions to the point where I thought my brain would burst.

In 1977 I met one of the great giants of all times, Dr Billy Graham, when I spoke at his Crusade in South Bend, Indiana. Although our meeting was brief and we have had little contact other than a telephone conversation or two since, his dynamic life, as possibly the greatest evangelist since Paul the Apostle, stands out in my mind. He is a man who has affected the lives of millions of people throughout the 20th century and is surely one of the giants of the Christian faith.

During that same visit in 1977, I was to meet someone that I had read about in a book called Success through a Positive Mental Attitude. His name was W Clement Stone. This fabulously wealthy and generous man, who founded and owned the Combined Insurance Company of America, was one of my long-time heroes. After I had spoken on radio in the United States, I was invited to meet with him in person. When I asked him about his early days and what gave him the spirit that made him the giant that he became, he shared a fascinating story with me. As a small boy he did not have a father but was blessed with a wonderful mother. He helped with the family income, as he stood on the street corners of Chicago trying to sell newspapers, but unfortunately the bigger boys would push him away. As he knew that he had to sell the few newspapers he had already paid for, he went into a restaurant to try and sell them there. After he had sold four or five newspapers, the owner of the restaurant took him by his ear to the door and told him not to disturb the patrons. As the owner turned around to walk back inside, this young boy, Clem Stone, walked straight in behind him and started selling newspapers again. The owner of the restaurant again took him outside. After this had happened several times, the patrons urged the owner to leave the boy alone. Clem said this was his first lesson in business: “If you have nothing to lose and something to gain by trying, then by all means try and keep on trying until you win.” As he shared the principles of success with me over meals, at board meetings, personally in his home in Chicago and in limousines, I would look at him, wondering at the capacity and greatness of this fine man, who has had such a profound influence on my life even to this day. Surely, one of the greats of the 20th century.

It was some time after this that I came in contact with another giant by the name of Dr Robert Schuller. I had seen him on television in Australia and made a phone call to his Australian office in Sydney, asking if they needed any help. I did not know that at that very moment they were looking at an American magazine with my photograph in it and discussing how they could contact me. After some involvement, I was invited onto the Australian Board of Directors for the Hour of Power and later onto the International Board. Today this ministry has the capacity to reach over one billion people each week with a positive message that is literally changing millions of lives. For nearly 20 years I attended the International Board meetings for the Hour of Power and interacted with some of the finest minds in the world. I marvel at what Dr Schuller has done by building the largest Christian television network in the world and what a privilege it has been for me to be able to assist in raising funds as he built the Crystal Cathedral. With other Directors I have been able to give advice and input regarding the continuation of this ministry. Dr Schuller’s numerous books have been a great inspiration to many people throughout the world and have such themes as: Tough Times Never Last, Tough People Do; Possibility Thinking; and Life Is Not Fair but God Is Good. These epitomise the character and the strength of this great man. I am amazed at his capacity and vision, together with his sensitivity towards others and his encouraging attitude towards me. His capacity to influence almost the entire world must rank him as one of the giants of the 20th century, if not of all time.

It was through the Hour of Power television program that I was to meet another one of my heroes, the late Dr Norman Vincent Peale, who even after his 90th birthday was still holding conferences and writing books and articles that continued to inspire others. Through my involvement with Dr Peale at the first conference on ethics for CEOs in the United States and later as I trained some of his staff at the Peale Centre for Christian Living, I was to understand in a new way, that kindness is one of the great character attributes for which we should all aim. His wife Ruth is a tower of strength. His book The Power of Positive Thinking and many of his other writings have been translated into more than 20 languages and have impacted the whole world. Dr Peale was certainly a giant of the 20th century.

Yet another giant of the 20th century was a great Australian called Sir Bruce Small. He and I served on the Australian National Board of Directors of the Haggai Institute for a number of years and he influenced my life more than any other business person in Australia. Before he passed on, I spent a morning with him at the Park Royal Hotel in Brisbane, Australia where, on a tape recording, he shared his life. He went from being a milk vendor to becoming the largest bicycle manufacturer in the southern hemisphere. Later he became one of the largest real estate developers in Australia, a politician and great humanitarian. The twinkle in his eye and the sharpness of his mind never ceased to amaze me. Even as I spoke to him by telephone just a few days before his death, his weakened body could not dampen his keen intellect and wit.

There are others who were giants of the 20th century whom I knew only by their presence on television or in the news media or through the books written by them or about them.

Dr Martin Luther King, who led the civil rights movement and stirred the world by his oratory greatness. I share his belief that we should all be judged by our character and not by the colour of our skin. He impacted my life as an impressionable young man and even more as I became older.

The greatest human being, I believe, of the 20th century and a giant among all men was Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill. This man mobilised the English-speaking world and sent it into battle when the crushing boot of the Nazis threatened the whole world. As I read the books he wrote and understood many of the exploits and dramas of his life, it became quite obvious to me that his sense of destiny never wavered. His unfailing dependence on and belief in God is seen in many of his words and actions. I am sure that without his undaunting courage, wisdom, perseverance and spirit, the world today would be quite a different place.

Over many years my appetite to study and learn resulted in my reading over 6,000 biographies, plus books on history, economics, theology and politics. I began to understand that the muscle of the mind can stretch and expand, ever ready to make room for much, much more. I also observed that knowledge becomes useless unless it is put into action with a plan and a timetable, and unless it has a value when measured against the only true moral value of permanence.

How They Strengthen Me

I was to learn through these giants that: nothing is impossible; the best is yet to come; people see you as you are now, but cannot visualise how far you can go; and, you can, if you think you can! Nothing is achieved without looking at yourself in the mirror each morning and realising that you and you alone are responsible for your future and that life is not chances but choices. God has never robotised the mind of man. Each one of these giants has confirmed again and again to me that a faith in God and commitment to the biblical principles that Jesus taught will give balance and security for every challenge.

When we arrived back in Australia, I was to spend the next three weeks in bed, with a viral infection that developed into bronchitis, before going back to the office and continuing my life’s journey.

CHAPTER 1

MY UNSTABLE ROOTS

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 1

MY UNSTABLE ROOTS

The best and earliest indication of our family’s existence is found in some research that indicates my paternal ancestors were Jews, who fled from persecution in Spain around the mid 1600s and arrived in a smugglers’ port called St Austell in Cornwall, England. These sketchy details are reasonably well documented and it appears that, with one notable exception, we were servants, modest trades people or workers in the great coalmines of England. An interesting finding is that a young boy called Buzza Daniel was a mine labourer at ten years of age, which was quite common at the time. Our family migrated to Australia from England aboard the vessel Epaminondas, a three-mast ship built in Quebec, Canada in 1850. They arrived at Holdfast Bay, only six miles from Adelaide, South Australia on Christmas Day 1853, and joined other colonists in a small but active colony.

History tells us that the migrants who came to South Australia were of various nationalities and some had fled persecution in Europe because of their Christian beliefs, enduring voluntarily the hazardous voyage to Australia that they might obtain religious freedom. All other states in Australia were settled by some free people and large numbers of convicts, who were transferred from England in chains to assist in the colonising of Australia.

Some research suggests that other members of the Daniels family sought a new life in New Zealand and the United States of America, and some of them, we are told, are still practising their Jewish faith.

The name Daniel was changed to Daniels by our early family members. They may have been affected by the great Wesleyan revival in England, which was widespread at that time, and finally resulted in the Methodist Protestant denomination that is so prevalent throughout the whole world today.

After arriving in Australia, our early family members were employed as servants, labourers or miners, and later as carpenters, bricklayers, factory workers or itinerant fruit pickers. This meant they lived, at times, on the banks of the great River Murray in tents or bag huts, or in humble rented rooms or cottages.

They would travel to obtain work. At times they lived in Broken Hill and Lithgow, which were mining towns in New South Wales, and in Perth in Western Australia. They finally settled in Adelaide, South Australia, only six miles from where their ancestors had landed in 1853. Most have remained in that general location to this day.

Very little information is available concerning my maternal ancestors and what I have found is both sketchy and unreliable.

My father, Joseph Daniels, was one of sixteen children, who all lived a harsh and poor life, often related to excesses of alcohol. Their fiery tempers and lack of responsibility brought them into trouble with the law and at times, unfortunately, they were incarcerated. My father was a dapper, well-liked, short man with wavy hair. He always had an eye for the ladies, which caused him trouble for most of his life. He married my mother Dorothy when he was in his early twenties and she was nearly the same age. The offspring from that union were first, my brother Brian, then two years later on 9th October 1932, myself, and finally, during the second World War, my younger brother David, who was ten years my junior.

Family life was not always smooth. We experienced friction, arguments and fights and, at times, even police intervention. My elder brother Brian was quite good at school and also an accomplished athlete in football, cricket and acrobatic diving at the local public swimming pool, performing two-and-a-half somersaults and other perfect diving formations. If he had been properly trained he could, in today’s terms, have become an Olympic possibility. My own scholastic ability and behaviour were plagued by misunderstanding and a lack of comprehension, which was subsequently attributed to dyslexia.

The depression of the 1930s made an indelible impression on me as a young boy, which remains with me even to this day. Kindergarten for children at that time meant a free meal and a chance to mix with others of similar ages, yet the only thing I recall about it was that if I did not like the meal I would slide under the gate and run home. It is interesting that there was a little blue-eyed fair-haired girl, who used to watch me escape. Many years later, the same girl was to become my wife.

There was a worldwide diphtheria epidemic in the late 1930s and with the disease I was sent to hospital in a serious condition. I still remember quite vividly, people in white gowns treating me with hypodermic needles and medication all through the night, while I felt incredibly hot. I have since learnt that I was not expected to survive.

After being discharged from hospital, I remained somewhat sickly, on and off, for many years. I was also faced with the daunting challenge of going to school. The day I dreaded finally arrived. I remember it well. I was asked questions and my mental capacity was assessed by a woman, whom I will never forget, called Miss Thomas. I clearly overheard her talking with other teachers in an adjacent room about my lack of comprehension and simple understanding, which would necessitate placing me in a special class for under-developed children, called an Opportunity Class. Finally a teacher called Miss Phillips entered the conversation and said, “I will take him in my class.” Although it seems extraordinary, I recall these events to this day, which is an indication of the huge impact they must have made on my young mind.

Miss Phillips was probably everything a teacher should not be. She was short-tempered, with a “superiority” mindset mixed with a mild touch of cruelty. Unable to grasp and understand, I found myself cheating and copying the work of any who would let me look over their shoulders, which revealed a rather unusual ability to copy and even excel in sketching and art. The inevitable happened when Miss Phillips discovered my ability to cheat, paraphrase or just remember, rather than learn or understand. She slapped my face, punched my back, took my chin between her fingers and thumb and rattled my teeth, and said “Peter Daniels you are nothing but trouble. You are a bad boy and you’ll never understand and never amount to anything! “

My time at school proved to be scholastically unfruitful. I continued to cheat, copy or paraphrase from memory, while at the same time creating a prominent respectability in art, playing the flute in the school band and singing, even though I could not read or understand music.

It became quite obvious to me that I was not able to grasp things scholastically and as soon as I reached the age of 14 years I was going to leave school and get a job. In the meanwhile I ran away from home with a friend of mine because we both were fed up with the arguments and quarrelling of our parents and felt we would be better off on our own. The inevitable happened as night approached. We became cold, wet and hungry and returned home to take our punishment. But at school we obtained some measure of hero status from our peers. They often talked about what we had done but lacked the fortitude to make a similar attempt themselves.

My income for amusement and other activities was obtained by cleaning the bar and toilets at the Queen’s Head Hotel before going to school and being an errand boy after school for the local pharmacy. I further increased my income, at different times, by collecting and selling firewood from local parks where I broke fallen dry limbs into pieces or chopped them into a suitable size for sale. I also collected empty bottles, delivered ice and sometimes sold newspapers.

For two years I was captain of the school Drum and Fife Band, leading parades down the street and performing in movie theatres. Once, when the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visited our city, I led an entire multi-school combined Drum and Fife Band in a huge spectacular, even getting myself on the front pages of the daily newspapers!

It was a thrill to lead my band down the main streets and swing the baton, as I blew my loud whistle and shouted directions, to the delight and applause of the crowd. I was to learn much later in life that leadership was far more involved than leading a parade. But then, imbued with the exuberance of youth, I enjoyed the short exhilarating thrill of the moment, without any understanding or care about the future. I must confess, even now, that it felt great.

During World War II, I became deeply involved in the School Patriotic Fund, collecting newspapers, lead and other special items to assist in the war effort. I received special badges and medals for my efforts.

The years during World War II were full of anxiety and uncertainty, with the threat of Adolf Hitler, who was marching triumphantly across Europe. The possibility of defeat in England caused a sombre mood to prevail in our nation, which seemed to penetrate every activity and conversation.

At school, we were given, and required to carry, three rubber corks threaded with a length of string. We were told to keep them in our pockets in readiness, in case the bombs came. If they did, we were to put one of the small corks in each ear and then bite on the large one to first protect our eardrums and prevent some other possible physical damage.

Soldiers were coming and going, and food shortages necessitated rationing of certain items. Government coupons were allocated to families by numbers, according to permitted requirements.

As a small boy, I saw the possibility of an enemy invasion, as the Empire of Japan attacked our northern, western and eastern coastlines. Everywhere we looked there were trenches, sandbags and air-raid shelters, which represented part of our everyday life. We also had war drill at school.

A group of Australian civilian soldiers was formed as a last resort and marched down one of our main streets, carrying all kinds of old weapons. I watched carefully, expecting the enemy to arrive in full force at any moment. Relief came in the form of the United States army, which had impressive equipment and overwhelming numbers. They possessed a strong optimistic attitude that endeared them to me. I became a shoe-shine boy and mixed with them freely.

Many people today do not realise how close Australia was to becoming a Japanese colony and how the United States of America intervened to prevent this. The arrival of General Douglas MacArthur, with his enormous military hardware and troops, and the gallant Australian Infantry, with their defence on the Kokoda Trail, changed the mood in Australia to one of almost gaiety, as victory became more probable.

The Japanese Imperial army had already attacked Darwin, our northern-most city, and caused more casualties than Pearl Harbour. It had created havoc by entering the Sydney Harbour with miniature submarines and shelling the city of Sydney. The war with Japan was so close that, years later, I was able to obtain from a former United States soldier some currency which the Japanese had made for Australia and was taken from a Japanese Prisoner.

World War II left a deep and lasting impression on me. At times I would daydream about joining the Foreign Legion or having a military career, but my lack of scholastic ability dogged me and limited my development.

The years after the war were exciting, as production and products were in abundance, homes were being built and soldiers were getting married. It seemed that everyone had a dream for the future and that there were boundless opportunities.

My father was with the ground crew of the Australian Air Force. Before the war ended, his roving eye and wayward ways were to ensnare him and my mother divorced him. To everyone’s surprise, she married his brother, who had remained unattached and had been a long-time friend.

My life became even more unsettled when my uncle became my stepfather. The whole process of fighting, drunkenness and uncertainty increased. On the last day of my 13th year I left school and went to work the next day, at 14 years of age. I mixed weed-killer with my hands, which made me continually vomit, ran messages, swept floors and began to earn a modest wage of $2.25 a week.

During this period in my life, I enjoyed hunting for rabbits. I would board a train, carrying my .22 calibre rifle dismantled into two pieces in an old hessian bag, and travel out into the country and walk alone for miles hunting rabbits, away from the confines of civilisation. At one time, I decided I would ride my old bicycle and spend a few days hunting. I decided to take a small axe, a blanket, a rifle, a water bag and some food, and set off on the 35-mile journey into the hills, on winding roads, many of which were just dirt and asked a friend by the name of Ray to come with me. Both of us were 15 years of age. Ray was big for his age, with a well-built body covering his six-foot frame. I was a mere 5 foot 7 inches tall and quite thin but somewhat wiry and determined. We decided to ride on separate bikes. The upshot was that we hadn’t covered more than two steep hills when Ray said it was madness. He couldn’t cope with the physical endurance and turned round and went back home. I continued until I reached my predetermined destination. Something unusual happened during my time away alone, out in the Australian bush. I came across an old derelict church with no front door and broken windows. There were birds nestling in the rafters and weeds growing up through the floor. At that church, standing all alone, I felt a radiant presence that held me in bondage for at least an hour. The simple fact was that I could not have left if I had wanted to, and yet I really did not want to. Over many years I have tried to analyse what actually took place there and yet to this day I find it quite beyond explanation.

When I returned to the city several days later, this puzzling experience was quickly put behind me. I was elevated to some sort of hero status, having made the journey and returned, with some rabbits as evidence of my adventure.

As I moved from job to job, unsettled and dissatisfied with every move, I finally settled into outdoor work as a bricklayer’s labourer. Because the war had created a shortage of tradesmen, it wasn’t long before I was accepted as a qualified bricklayer and received the salary of a fully trained tradesman.

In my early teen years I was very interested in fitness and, in particular, boxing. I trained very hard and even had some interesting fights. For a while I quite seriously considered becoming a professional boxer and dreamt of becoming a world lightweight champion. Even to this day, I occasionally work out with a heavy punch bag and an overhead speedball.

But life for me in those early years was full of anxiety, very hard work, debt and bad decisions. To obtain relief, I would spend some weekends with a friend called Johnny who lived on the other side of town. It was at this point that something happened that would change my life forever. There was a condition to be met when I stayed with Johnny. Evidently his mother and mine had had some religious experience and we were obliged to attend a Baptist Church on Sunday nights.

Johnny’s mother was quite strict, which meant that on Saturday nights, when she would go to the movies or visit friends, Johnny and I were locked in a very small enclosure at the front of the house. There was one iron single bed for us to sleep in but no toilet facilities or water. Boys being what they are, we would arrange for our friends to come after dark and unscrew the hinges of the door to allow us freedom to ransack, steal fruit and blow up letter boxes all over town, being careful to be back with the hinges screwed back on the door before Johnny’s mother returned to attribute any blame or punish us. We did this for nearly two years and were never caught, although there was always a suspicion because of the complaints from neighbours. They did not understand because of the supposedly locked doors.

At 5 years of age, handsome and “dressed to kill”

At 4 years of age with “big brother” Brian

1945 - With mother Dorothy, brothers David and Brian, and father Joseph

At 10 years of age with classmates (front row second from right)

Always a “fighter” even at 16 years of age

1944 - Captain of the school band (middle with captain’s hat)

CHAPTER 2

YOUNG LOVE

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 2

YOUNG LOVE

It was at one of those Sunday evening church meetings that I saw what I believed to be the most beautiful sight I had ever seen in my life. I saw a 16-year-old girl called Robina walk by. There was something about her with her long braided hair, curved upward around her head with flower clips each side. She had a complexion like porcelain, lit up by large sparkling eyes. She was neatly dressed and a picture of decorum and reserve. I was at first captivated by her appearance and, as I learned of her refined and gentle manner, I became deeply and hopelessly in love with her.

It was not long before Robina and I became quite serious, meeting wherever we could, without the knowledge or consent of her father but with the cautious approval of her mother. Our lives became completely absorbed with the excitement of being in love and the possibility of a future life together. One particular night stands out above all others. Robina was 16 and I was 17 years of age. Her father was on night shift and we said good night at the front gate over a picket fence. As we looked into each other’s eyes, I spontaneously kissed her and I was so thrilled that I did not wash my face for two weeks. Our courtship was one of incredible joy, every moment we were together.

Whenever we could meet I would run two miles to be with her. She waited at the butcher shop corner, particularly on Saturday nights, and we would either walk or go to the movies together. Eventually I met Robina’s father and we became firm friends. I purchased a 1934 Chevrolet convertible, which was one of the four motor cars I had over that period and it allowed Robina and me to go out more frequently together. It was in rather questionable condition and was bought on time payment. There I was in my middle teens, the first one in my family to own a motor car, and I couldn’t drive.

By this time, I was working hard and earning good money but I was hopelessly ill-equipped to manage my financial affairs, which meant I was always in debt. Unfortunately, I was plagued with aching joints and only discovered after an x-ray that my heart was scarred because of an undetected attack of rheumatic fever some years earlier.

Soon I was to leave home, when my mother left her second husband. When Robina was 20 years of age and I was 21 we married and lived in one room, with a small kitchenette that we had to climb through a window to enter, and bathroom facilities shared with two other people.

Some time after we were married, Robina’s father was about to retire from his employment and did not own his own home. So we purchased a derelict old house where we could live as two separate families, after extensions, additions and improvements had been made. I recall one Sunday, while Robina was cooking a feast of roast lamb, I compulsively decided to pull down the kitchen brick wall, which was leaning dangerously. With one huge hit with a large sledgehammer, the whole wall came down in a cloud of dust. Robina and all the utensils were covered in dust but she quietly cleaned up the mess and we ate our dinner together looking at the space that used to be a wall.

Before I went to bed that night I had rebuilt the wall, with new doors and windows, which was typical of my style at that time of our life. When Robina became pregnant with Peter Junior, I was so concerned that I might not be able to get her to the hospital on time. I would take trial runs in my 1937 Ford V8 Clubman Sedan, which had been rolled over three times and could only travel 14 miles to the gallon of fuel. As that motor car had no glass in the side windows, I managed to find a clear piece of Perspex and screw it onto the window frame to keep the rain out.

Our joy was complete when Peter Junior was born, but in many ways I was not ready for the responsibility. However, that was to change within a few years.

We were certainly “doing it tough” economically, so I started doing “piecework” bricklaying which offered more money, if one was fast, accurate and neat. I heard of some big financial returns for bricklaying in a place called Kalangadoo. I drove there, only to find that it was not as described and no work was available. I continued on to Mt Gambier and found an abundance of work. I stayed there, busy and living in a tent, away from my wife and young son. Robina spontaneously decided to come to me by train, and sent a telegram saying, “Perishable goods arriving, please pick up at the railway station.” Now having my wife and young son with me, I found some suitable accommodation. We lived for a short while in two country towns, where I worked at my trade. Eventually we returned to the house we had previously occupied together with Robina’s parents.

When Robina became pregnant the second time, it was obvious that we needed more room and after a series of events we were able to purchase a block of land. I worked full-time and built a small brick home. We moved in after only eight weeks and three days. With the arrival of our second son Graham, we felt life could not get any better. Unfortunately, the harder I worked, the more in debt we seemed to become. At one time I worked to complete a job that had special financial benefits in a timeframe that meant I had to work almost 72 hours with very little rest. I earned an enormous amount of money, only to lose it by mismanagement.

At 17 years of age with Robina at the beach

With Robina at 16 years of age

United forever and deeply in love

With Robina in 1950, two young lovers on a winter’s day

At 25 years of age painting the outside of our first brick home, which I built and completed in 8 weeks and 3 days

1958 - Working as a bricklayer

CHAPTER 3

THE PROCESS OF CHANGE

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 3

THE PROCESS OF CHANGE

My intense desire was to provide for my family and yet for some reason or other I was not able to think through the ramifications of a simple management plan. I felt very dissatisfied that my efforts, however strenuous and long, did not produce any real practical results. I longed, with all my heart, for my family to be different from the one in which I had been raised. My love for my family was always well demonstrated by my care and concern, but the future looked bleak, unless something changed dramatically. I felt, and knew beyond any doubt, that I was losing my grip. The answer came through a Church of England clergyman, who knocked on our front door and invited us to a meeting where a famous American evangelist, Dr Billy Graham, was to speak. I decided that I did not like the pastor and I certainly had no intention of going to hear a preacher raving and shouting and waving his arms about. However, in a quiet way, Robina suggested we should go and see what was happening.

Many years earlier Robina, as a young girl, had made a commitment to Christ at a Christian Endeavour meeting. She had asked me several times to take her to church, but I neither had the time or the inclination. Those I knew who professed some sort of Christian experience never seemed to be able to present their life as any sort of role model worth following. My personal experience of so-called Christians was that they were lazy, different, lacked ambition and remained aloof. I had experienced this with those who were much better off financially than I was and I was certainly not about to burden myself with their company.

After much discussion, we did go to the Billy Graham Crusade on 25 May 1959. It was held in a large outdoor arena packed with 65,000 people. I was to learn later that it was the biggest first-night crowd Dr Billy Graham had ever had up to that time. As the large choir sang, the wind carried the sound away and the amplification system was rendered almost useless, with the massive crowd acting as a sound blanket. However, when Billy Graham stood to speak, the wind dropped immediately and he could be heard clearly by everybody.

Billy Graham spoke simply but forcibly, saying that man has the ability to choose and he is searching … there is something wrong deep inside ourselves and it is called sin … the Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death and everyone on earth is under a death sentence … you must repent of your sins … you must be willing to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour by faith … when you do this a miracle takes place … you are born again.

After he had finished speaking he invited people to come forward and make a decision for Christ. Robina said she was going forward as a re-dedication and asked me if I would walk down with her. I refused, only to find myself running after her and accepting Christ as my personal Saviour. I knew, at that moment, that this was what I had been searching for and that this was the missing link in my life. Looking back now, I can say with certainty that it was not an emotional experience. I had a quiet assurance that the step I took was the correct one and that my life was going to change dramatically.

The next day was to be decidedly different as I told others what I had done. There was a variety of responses from sarcasm to indifference, and a few indicated some sort of approval. Robina and I went to a number of continuing meetings and were contacted finally by a local Baptist Church in the area where we lived. Over the next few months, I started to understand more fully what had taken place and came to the realisation that I was a son of the King of kings! Yet, the wasted years and the neglect of my education plagued me, until someone read to me from the book of Joel: “I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.”

My piecework bricklaying continued but it was not getting any easier and I was full of inspirational dissatisfaction. It was quite normal at the time for me to get up at 4am and go to the building site and work until 6pm or 7pm. Although I was working extremely hard, financially I was getting nowhere, and yet I wanted to do something great. There were five factors that brought everything to a climax. The first was an incredible desire accompanied by a strong assurance that I could, should and would do something of incredible significance. My prayer life and hunger for knowledge developed towards desperation point. I had certainly changed. The second factor was that I was introduced to a man who was to have a lasting influence on my life. He was in the medical unit in the Australian Armed Forces in World War II and, on his return to civilian life, went to medical school and became a family physician. Dr Harrold Steward is his name. He is certainly the most compassionate Christian I have ever met. He and his wife Gwenda had been in Indonesia as medical missionaries for a number of years and they had recently returned to the area where we lived. He became our family doctor and much, much more than that.

My thirst for biblical knowledge and Christian guidance was nurtured by this man. For 15 years I and others spent almost every Saturday morning from 7am to nearly 9am in a small room with Dr Steward, studying and praying on our knees. We learnt in a deeper and more profound way the meaning of faith and prayer and the principles of Christianity. No words could convey the deep effect this man has had on my life. He encouraged and befriended me and, what’s more, he believed in me and has continually assured me of God’s hand on my life, even to this day.

The third factor that impacted my life at this time was an inner conviction that a plan was coming together for my life’s work. I knew that I must face and overcome all obstacles and never give in to despair, or accept failure and pain as enemies, but rather welcome them as part of a process and learn from my mistakes. This would enable me to face the future with confidence and banish fear and negativity forever from my life. God has quietly but surely given me some major undertakings to accomplish in my lifetime. This inner conviction has consistently kept me motivated, aggressive, hungry to learn and ready to test myself against the circumstances. At the same time, I have sought to build my family as a close-knit loving unit, espousing biblical principles that would both equip them for life and serve as an example to others.

I was very clear about my responsibilities as a husband and father. I sought continually and diligently to develop close, affectionate and life building relationships with each one of our children. I would always love, protect and honour my wife, who has always been a jewel to behold. I have been ever conscious of the biblical mandate conveyed in the words: “He who doesn’t look after his own is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith.”

The commitment of my life to a godly cause, was to result in a two-part goal, the two parts being inseparable and reliant on each other. One part was that I wanted to see how much money one human being could give away in a life time and the other part was to create a Christian impact that would change the world for 300 years. Obviously at that time, being illiterate and financially insecure, I could not express these aspirations to anyone without them believing I had gone completely mad, but they were clear to me and I was prepared to pay the price and, if necessary live on the edge.

The fourth important and very significant factor set me moving in a surprising new direction. When I was working on the building scaffolding laying bricks, I came to know a travelling salesman, who consulted with the primary construction company on different chemicals to aid adhesion and other qualities of construction and protection of the buildings. His name was David Burchell.

David was several years older than me and was a very well educated, articulate sales executive, who had a presence and a style I admired. During a visit to our site, David called out and beckoned me to come down from the scaffolding. I could not understand what he saw in me. He told me of a new event that had taken place in his life. As the story unfolded, he explained to me about the new employment he had obtained and that he was now sales manager for Millers Lime, a very important building supply company in our city. Although there was another salesman, who had been there for some time, it was quite evident that morale was at an all-time low and the company was being challenged by another more aggressive building supply company that was modernising and offering a better service. During our conversation, David revealed that he did not know a great deal about how builders at the grassroots level thought, and because they were the people who were usually ordering on-site material, he had decided he should employ someone young to work in that environment. If I was interested he could teach me how to sell. It would be a wonderful opportunity and also I would be of assistance to him.

When I learned that I would have to purchase an acceptable motor car and I would be given an allowance to cover the cost and my salary, it all sounded good. I immediately agreed, thinking I would work out all the complications somehow. Events moved rather swiftly and I soon found myself no longer in bricklaying work boots and work clothes, but in a suit and polished shoes, driving a motor vehicle that was always kept clean and tidy. I still had the considerable handicap of being somewhat illiterate, but the die was cast and I was on my way. I was sure that this was God’s doing.

The fifth factor was an event that occurred one night not long after my conversion, when I was in bed. I have rarely shared about this event because of the horrific effect it had on me. It has affected me even to this day. We had been Christians for about 12 months and I was still struggling to discover how I fitted into God’s plan and how I could develop my life. Robina and I had gone to bed at the usual time and in the middle of the night I was disturbed by the sense that someone else was in the room. As I awoke I could smell a stale, awful stench and as I looked across to the bedroom door, I saw a slight mist and through it, quite clearly, a satanic being that was grotesque and yet transparent. It was disappearing and reappearing, sinister and changing in appearance, moving towards me and then moving backwards. It engendered unimaginable terror. This was not a dream, it was real. I was fully awake and terrified. With a sense of my own vulnerability and with Robina sleeping peacefully and unaware of what was taking place, I jumped out of bed to resist this horrible being. The figure returned to the mist and for a while remained in the doorway. Then Robina woke up, wondering what was going on. As I told her what had happened she could see from my countenance and hear from my voice that something of significance had indeed taken place. After that I slept with the light on for a long time, as I was sure that the devil himself had come to secure my soul.

The day after this happened, I went to work and my younger brother David, who was a bricklayer’s labourer, moved very quietly about the job speaking to no one, obviously troubled by something, but unapproachable. During the lunch break David sat quietly by himself, whereas normally he would have become involved in conversation with everyone. After about half an hour I wandered over to see if everything was all right but David did not want to talk. Knowing something must be wrong, I questioned him persistently until he revealed to me what had happened. During the pervious night, at exactly the same time as my frightening experience, a satanic creature had come into his bedroom, and as he stood up to fight it, it had disappeared. He slept with the light on after that for almost two years.

After he told me his story, I told him that exactly the same thing had happened to me at exactly the same time. Unfortunately, my young brother, for whom I had a deep affection, spent the rest of his life running away from responsibility and stability, and became an alcoholic and died tragically in his mid fifties. The experience that I had that night was to haunt me for some time to come, until my pastor told me that if it came again, I could dismiss it permanently by claiming my salvation through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the months passed, with the light still burning at night, I sat up reading in bed, I saw it a second time coming round the side of the house and its presence was so powerful that it made the walls seem transparent. It was at this time, almost standing toe-to-toe, that I claimed my salvation through the blood of Christ and dismissed this evil being on that authority. I am still loath to talk about this experience and I still feel the impact of it today.

My work at Millers Lime brought about a great transformation, as I worked with people who were extremely different from me and at first I felt delightfully out of place. True to his word, David groomed me for the commercial world and taught me how to sell. My first experience was in a builder’s shed. When the builder appeared to be too busy to talk to us, David gave me my first lesson in selling, which was to attract the prospect’s attention. He began by demonstrating a method to me. (Unfortunately David had lost a leg in an accident during his teenage years. He wore a full length artificial leg and managed to walk with only a slight limp.) At the appropriate moment, when the builder came up to his work bench, David lifted his artificial leg, bent it at the knee on a box and started driving a three-inch nail through his trouser leg into his wooden leg. To say that he caught the builder’s attention would be an understatement! He then proceeded to the next step, which was to provide information about certain products and create the desire for them. Finally he asked for an order. I learnt that lesson well! Afterwards we shared a good laugh at the way he had demonstrated his expertise in selling. I was tremendously impressed by David’s smooth style and ease of manner.

Because I was insufficiently skilled in spelling and writing I would often be forced to remember orders and ask the girls in the office to type them up and submit them to the dispatch department. After a while, I was selling so much that I would just go to the dispatch department and tell them, or I’d get the customers to write out the orders themselves. I reached the point where I was working very hard, eating lunch on the run, and filling the boot of my vehicle with paints, cement and anything that the builders might need in a hurry. I would provide what they needed within only 20 minutes. As a matter of fact, I sold so much paint (and I am colour-blind) that a paint manufacturing company offered me higher paying work. However, I thought I had a great deal to learn and greatly valued the opportunity that David had given me, and felt I owed loyalty to him for that.

While I was working at Millers Lime, I felt the desperate need for more education. The company allowed me some time off, twice a week, to go to Muirden College and study English. There I was at 28 years of age, with a wife and two children, sitting at a school desk with 14- and 15-year-old teenagers, who were far more advanced than me educationally. I was trying to learn the expressions and constructions of my own language and at times I was laughed at for my lack of comprehension. I would stay up late at night trying to come to grips with my inability to understand. I used to say to my wife Robina that I could get nothing to stay in my empty head. These were major challenges for me. Little did I know that it was all preparation for the many larger challenges to come in the future. With prayer, desperation, repetition and sheer willpower, eventually I found that things started to stick. At least on one occasion the teacher read out my work to the whole class as an illustration of good written expression. Not long after this I developed a life-long interest in reading biographies. I began to build up a vocabulary related to overcoming obstacles. I later extended my studies to include war, behavioural science, politics, economics, theology, marketing and international affairs and, in a peripheral way, even some law.

As a family, we attended a small Baptist church where we would take our turn to hand out hymnbooks. After a while, I was asked to teach Sunday school, which meant I had to know more than my young students. My Saturday mornings with Dr Harrold Steward provided inspiration and this, together with study at night, God’s help and much perspiration, helped me to achieve the goal.

Sometime during this period I was struck down with infectious meningitis, which caused my body to become almost completely immobile. I was rushed by ambulance to the same infectious disease hospital I was in as a child with diphtheria. By God’s providence, my prayers and those of many others were answered, and I was preserved for higher things.

My time at the building company was not as interesting after David sought his future elsewhere. Our finances were still difficult, even to the point where we considered selling our home. Through this we met a real estate agent called Mr Ivan Hale, who would later provide an interesting development in my life. But that was in years to come.

At this time my debts were high and I was broke but we decided against selling the house. I applied for a more senior position as a sales executive for a particle-board company called Burnie Board and Timber that produced something similar to the famous Masonite hardboard used for partitions and furniture constructions. With concentrated effort, I was able to expand my abilities and earn the additional income to pay my creditors. This was a new way of life for me, having an expense account and working in beautiful serviced offices in one of the newest high-rise buildings in the centre of the city.

I was working under the direction of Mr Merv Rice, who was formerly an Officer in the Australian Armed Forces in New Guinea and was involved in a great deal of action against the Japanese. Merv had a photographic memory that amazed and inspired me. On my first day at the office, he asked me if I wore a felt hat and I said I didn’t. He looked me straight in the eye and said in a very definite way, “Then get one today.” This was only three years after I had been on the bricklaying scaffolding and now I was a sales executive wearing a smart felt hat and an expensive suit, ready to go. I was to learn later that Neville Rutledge, the National Marketing Manager of this huge company, had warned Merv Rice not to employ me because, and I quote: “This guy is a religious nut and if you employ him it is on your own head.” I’m not sure what Merv Rice saw in me, but looking back I can see the hand of God guiding and grooming me for bigger challenges through pain and disappointment, and creating, hopefully, a strong, determined, skilful and smart commercial executive, with the added benefit of living a Christian life.

At the time all I wanted to do was to honour God, look after my family, be a good husband and father, and teach Sunday school, but the mistakes I made at Burnie Board are too many to list here. However, I rarely made the same mistake twice because the Bible was becoming very real to me and it says “a dog returns to his vomit”. I did not want to imitate a dog and go back and regurgitate an error, but rather to apologise, make restitution and, where possible, learn from it.

During my time as a sales executive the competition was very fierce. I was competing with the other sales executives in our office, as well as with those throughout the nation. Each month the company magazine would publish details of the leading sellers, and for each sales executive, the number of sales made, the new accounts opened, and the square footage sold. This provided an incentive and kept us on a razor edge to see who would win each month.

After my initial training and a luxurious air flight to the factory in Burnie, Tasmania with hotel accommodation and other niceties, I was given a city, metropolitan and country area as a sales territory. This was an opportunity to demonstrate what I had learned, and to show my skill and ability. My writing had improved and I was desperate to prove to the National Marketing Manager that he was wrong, and to justify Merv Rice’s faith in me. I practised my presentation at home and prepared for each day like a military operation. I talked to myself continually to settle my nerves before making a presentation. The results were amazing. In my first month I was top producer in all areas and was featured in the company magazine, which meant that I felt pressured to repeat the process. The company loaded more and more responsibility onto me by giving me larger areas to cover, to the point that I was covering 1,000 miles a week in my motor car and still out-performing everyone else in the nation.

After many months of always being at the top of the chart, I felt that I needed to do more, because I felt I was not being fully stretched. I had already started lecturing in trade schools to prepare the next generation to purchase Burnie Board, which was a first for the company. Others across the nation were using copies of our chart on the manufacturing and use of our product but somehow there seemed to be more to be accomplished. I wanted to test myself and see how far I could push.

The next challenge came in a very unusual way. Over lunch with Mr Merv Rice, as we spread out a map of South Australia, I saw a very large area that was sparsely populated and serviced by bad roads. It was aptly named the “Salesman’s Graveyard”. I immediately pointed to the west coast of South Australia and said to Merv, “Send me there,” only to have him respond with an outburst of laughter and remark, “It is a waste of time. You are too valuable to send on a wild goose chase that will only end in failure.” I persisted with the suggestion that probably because the area was so vast, the roads so bad, the accommodation so limited and the number of phone and postal orders coming from the area so small, the people there might welcome a visit from Head Office. However, Merv was adamant, explaining that it would take me away from other areas for just over two weeks and the cost/benefit ratio would not justify that.

Finally, in a desperate and determined move, I used my last argument and told him I was due for two weeks of accumulated leave and I would take the two weeks of my holidays and go there in my own time. Merv’s response, at first, was anger. He warned me that I would surely fail, all the sales force would laugh at me and our distributors would think we were crazy. At this point neither of us would desist. Then Merv burst out laughing saying, “You are the most determined young man I have ever met in my life and perhaps now is a good time for you to learn a lesson.” With that, he reluctantly agreed that I could go.

My plan to visit the “salesman’s graveyard” was kept secret and Merv covered for me for the first few days, after which large orders, new accounts, increased requests from existing stockists and requests for large signboards started pouring in. I was working in over 110-degree heat in the days before air-conditioning in motor vehicles. The roads were dusty with numerous potholes and there was the added danger of huge road trains, taking sheep and cattle to the stock markets. I had to cope with wild horses wandering across the road at dusk, and kangaroos and wombats challenging all my driving skills, but God’s hand was on me, keeping me safe and giving me great success.

Because of the long distances between towns, I would call on local builders and general stores, often working until dark. Then, with the headlights on high beam, I would go on to the next town and find some sort of accommodation to be ready for an early start the next day. After having a modest meal, I would find a telephone to ring Merv Rice at home and read out to him the sales I had made for the day, hearing his laughter and encouragement. I would then settle down in an old bed with thin blankets and sometimes a rat gnawing at the foot of the bed during the night. I was exhausted, exhilarated and I slept soundly, with the knowledge I had done my best and God’s hand was guiding me.

On the weekend I would book into a bigger town and phone my family. I would go to a local church on Sunday and get some badly needed rest and good food. When I returned to our Head Office in the city after two weeks, I became an instant celebrity. There were dinners, phone calls, letters and congratulations from almost every one. As usual, there were those who had concerns and said I had overloaded them with stock and I would not be welcome if I went back there, but some time later they were proven wrong.

Things were going well with my Sunday school class. It had grown considerably from the original twelve and we joined an organisation called Christian Endeavour, which was a sort of training ground for teenagers at that time.

At home, events were moving in a delightful direction. Robina was pregnant again and gave birth to a lovely girl, whom we called Deborah. She is the most beautiful, kind and good-humoured person I have ever known.

My work at Burnie Board and Timber was becoming somewhat routine. I was top of the sales chart in every product and every department every month nationally. According to Merv Rice, the national office was becoming concerned that this was creating a defeatist attitude among the other sales staff and action had to be taken.

Merv Rice took me out to lunch one day and announced that they were giving me a pay rise and considering me for a more senior position, but they would need some special cooperation from me. He unfolded a plan.

It seemed that I was to be grounded for three weeks of the month, doing office duties and having no contact with clients or customers. This would restrict my sales by allowing me only five days at the end of the month to sell. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I was flabbergasted! Wasn’t I the guy whom they had said was a religious nut? Now there were complaints that I was too successful and, to rub salt into the wound, I had kept my expense account the lowest in the nation. I felt thoroughly confused. My prayer life then sprang into action, as it always does when I am faced with a challenge that I don’t know how to cope with. An answer came that was simple but profound. During the three weeks of office work, I benefited from having much time on my hands, which I spent on research. I discovered that the company had made a huge mistake seven years earlier by manufacturing an oil-tempered hardboard that was so thick, hard and heavy that no one wanted it. On further investigation, I found that it had come by ship from our Tasmanian mill and was still in storage under cover at the wharf. After seeking Merv Rice’s permission to examine this very costly mistake, I had an idea that was to change the future of the company and catapult my success level through the roof. Within the next two-and-a-half weeks I obtained some of this thick board and did various experiments with it, noting possibilities for its use and even producing an up-to-date price list.

When I was released from my office duties, with only five selling days to go before the close of the month, I knew I had to move quickly and work desperately hard. I worked again with almost military precision, with one full day of making appointments by telephone, a road-map plan showing the least distance to travel between each stop, and an allocated time limit for making a sale and getting each contract signed. I was sure that most prospective buyers would want to use this great new product.

My first call was to a trucking company that had a contract to collect milk and cream in stainless steel cans from dairy farms. I reasoned correctly that wooden tray tops on their trucks would wear thin, as the cans rattled about during transportation, necessitating repair expenses. My solution was to cover the wooden tray tops with this heavy oil-tempered board, with the rough side up to prevent the cans from slipping and wearing out the wooden tray, which would remain as good as new. The covering board could be removed when the vehicle had achieved an appropriate mileage and the vehicle could then be sold at a good price.

Next, I went to some plasterers and had two pieces of the thick board glued back-to-back in 48 inch squares, giving a smooth finish on both sides. I suggested that they use this for their final white putty coat, rather than the normal tin mortarboard, which, of course, made rust marks on the wall.

My next step was to speak with concrete workers about their form boards. The new product, if used with correct bracing, would give a magnificent clear smooth finish to any ceiling or wall.

I was moving fast and I had more calls to make. I was desperate to win, as I made my next call to furniture manufacturers. I told them the price of the product and showed them how it could be used with limited support for shelving.

My final challenge was to visit manufacturers of coffins, which is big business. I asked them whether, with the present coffin structure, the body slipped during the funeral ceremony if there were short pallbearers on one side and tall pallbearers on the other. If this happened, they agreed it could be an occasional problem and I knew I had a bonanza. My solution was to use thick oil-tempered Burnie Board, screen side up, so that the body would not slip. There were the added attractions that it was far cheaper than plywood.

In the last 48 hours before the end of the sales month, I started to assess my position, as my orders were stacking up. I was preparing to hand them in from a full brief case, just before the office closed. I predicted that when I did this, pandemonium would break loose. What I had not counted on was that I had sold so much of this old board that the national office had to contact their two manufacturing mills, one in the northern and the other in the southern part of Australia, to tool up and start manufacturing the board that was previously unsaleable. They put both plants on a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week production schedule until they had produced enough to service my sales.

The Head Office management team were now faced with the major problem of how to handle this unusual character, who had a Bible in his vehicle and a Christian message on his back window, and spoke unashamedly about his faith in Christ, and in addition had the lowest expense account in the nation because he did not smoke, drink alcohol or chat up the office girls. It seemed that there were only three options available: one, they could fire me, which would totally remove the problem of having other salesmen complain because the competition was unbeatable; two, they could change the rules of the game to remove the competitive structure; or three, they could cut the umbilical cord and give me a chance to see just how far I could go.

Fortunately for me, they chose the third option and I had an almost free hand. I could go anywhere at any time, as long as I notified my superior of my intentions. This proved to be no problem because if I did well, it made him look better and his standing was considerably enhanced.

An interesting sideline to the whole story was that I was given an award, a trophy cup with the subscription “super genius”. However, I was not deceived because, as always, I felt God’s hand upon my life and there was much more to learn and much, much more to be done. I was convinced that I was living on the edge.

I did however return to the “salesman’s graveyard”, much to the surprise of my colleagues and sales manager, who secretly thought I had oversold and would face a frosty reception. My return to the long dusty roads and the small settlements of the west coast of South Australia was a very happy experience. I met again those fine people who provided much needed supplies in country areas. The two weeks were so profitable, with more new accounts and increased sales volumes, that I was able to exceed the success of my first visit by a considerable margin. Again I was applauded when I returned. Now, however, the work was losing some of its challenge and becoming routine, and I was becoming restless. A sense of boredom and a sense of urgency became my constant companions.

By this time, my church Christian Endeavour group, which consisted mainly of young teenagers was growing steadily, as young people were making a commitment to the Christian faith and declaring openly their love for Christ. We were invited to other churches to take services and inspire others.

Robina and I had come to understand what it takes to handle young teenagers, as they seek to grapple with the meaning of life and how they can fit into the “big picture”. Our house became a revolving door for young people who needed understanding and direction. Meeting their demands required our total commitment. I was still studying and learning everything I possibly could. However, I would not borrow books because I felt there was no commitment in that and also because I marked, underlined, and folded pages for revision, until I learnt to take notes specifically related to my life goals and then dispose of a book.

During all these years I was practising public speaking almost daily and I would listen eagerly to BBC news bulletins and hear perfect pronunciation of the English language and assess that against my own. For some reason or other, I had an incredible compulsion, which I called a “desperation quotient”, to be able to speak publicly. This increased when I read a book called Lincoln the Unknown, describing the great American President Abraham Lincoln, who made the statement: “I will study, I will prepare, and my opportunity will come. “

While I remained unsettled about my employment, another strange twist came into the equation. I was invited by Mr Ivan Hale, who owned a very successful real estate company, to lunch with him and a young man who had a manufacturing business in fluorescent and incandescent lighting fixtures.

Apparently Mr Hale was assisting this young man financially and was anxious to see his investment secure and the young man’s business prosper. The result of the meeting was that I was offered the position of National Sales Executive to enhance his investment. It was difficult to believe what was taking place, when only three-and-a-half years earlier I was bricklaying. Now I was being offered a position with a 50% increase in salary and multiple air flights, and an open contract to increase and control sales for a whole nation. I immediately accepted the offer. Although I only stayed with this company for about six months, during that time I was able to double their annual turnover. Considering I knew almost nothing about the lighting business, this was a reasonable achievement. Unfortunately, our relationship was not ideal and I resigned. Suddenly, I found myself unemployed, with a family to care for and financial commitments to be met.

December 1959 with Robina and our two sons Graham and Peter Jnr (sitting)

Robina, together with Graham and Peter Jnr, while pregnant with Deborah

CHAPTER 4

GROWING PAINS

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 4

GROWING PAINS

My next move proved to be both the best and the worst decision of my business life. It sent me on a merry-go-round of experience and abject failure, which taught me first-hand that pain can be the most strange and permanent teacher, if you are willing to accept it as a friend. I also learnt to live on the edge in a new and, at times, terrifying way.

I decided I would open my own business, which would be similar to the one I had just left. I was to learn a life-long lesson: It is unwise to build on a shaky foundation and recreate a situation that has just hurt you in an effort to prove to yourself that you can do it. The name I chose for my company, I thought, was quite smart because it blended two well-known names in our country. This, I reasoned, would be better than using my own name, which was virtually unknown. Parson’s and Robinson, and Harris Scarfe were two household names in the area of merchandising. I made a combination of these and called my new business Parson’s and Scarfe’s, which had a good familiar sound. I wasn’t trying to suggest that these two great companies had combined, but my naïvity was declaring itself. I was soon to discover the problem of selling, without adequately addressing the responsibilities of handling manufacturing, accounts, component parts, warehousing and dispatch - the totality that represents the full picture. I was about to become fully acquainted with the impact of this problem.

Fortunately, as I had discovered earlier, I had a flair for marketing. My sales material, brochures and letterheads were brilliantly created by Don Gair, a young outstanding art student, who had the ability to make anything or anyone look great. I ran the whole operation from my home, using a detached back room as an office. We assembled the component parts of new-style lighting fixtures in the kitchen, lounge, passage and anywhere else in the house we could find room, When I had made up some suitable samples, equipped with some brochures and pictures, I set out to complete a tour across the nation, appointing distributors by selling to retail stores.

The system was simple. I would sell to retail stores and ask them from which distributors they normally purchased their major goods. When they told me, I would suggest that we work through these distributors. By the time I had called on a number of retail stores, I had a briefcase bulging with orders for different distribution companies, which in turn I would make appointments to see. I would surprise them by giving them all the new business I had obtained for them, with appropriate discounts, which were all factored into the cost structure. Obviously the distribution companies were elated and readily accepted the opportunity to become distributors. They did not even balk at the request to place a substantial minimum stock order, and so success in sales, although hard work, was almost guaranteed.

I had made it, or so I thought. I was flying high but was about to go on a long journey of training and experience. Again that word “pain”, the great unforgettable teacher and antidote to future failure, was to come to the fore.

Employing staff and getting production, dispatch and payment on time started to weigh heavily upon me because my past experience had not equipped me for the complications involved. The routine became frantic. I rushed off to make sales while Robina often took care of production, as well as keeping house and looking after the children. It seemed that the more I sold, the more problems I had, particularly with economic management, which had always been my weakest area.

Within a short time, I was in serious financial trouble. I believed the only way out was to sell my way out of trouble, but I needed new ground because I had exhausted my normal sales area. I decided, as a last ditch stand, to go to Western Australia. Although I had been to Western Australia before, I had never travelled there by motor vehicle and did not know the quality of the roads or the availability of stores in the towns en route. We would have to cross the dreaded Nullarbor Plain, which presented approximately 2,000 miles of unsealed roads and potholes, with little in the way of help either mechanically or accommodation-wise. There were skull and crossbones on signs along the way that gave warnings about the lack of water and fuel, and other difficulties. Still, I was prepared to try.

I went on this long journey with Geoff, an aspiring young English salesman, who, because he was single and had earlier committed his life to Christ, was the ideal person to come with me. We set off in a Ford Falcon station wagon, full of hope, optimism and energy for our four-week “do or die” business venture of a different kind.

How ill prepared we were for the long journey ahead! We carried a few refreshments, but no tools, not even a pump in case we got a flat tyre. After two days of travelling, we started to think that the journey might not be a good idea. We were travelling at very low speed to dodge the enormous potholes in the road, which could be at least three feet deep and eight feet wide, and encountering wild pigs, dingo’s, wild camels, horses and literally thousands of kangaroos.

Geoff was always very concerned about his health and fitness. In a casual way, while we were driving in 110-degree heat with dust, flies and unbelievable road conditions, he said that we should be eating fruit to aid our bowel movements, as it was not good to just sit and drive hour after hour. After a long lecture on this subject from him, I offered him a solution, saying, “Geoff, I have some laxettes in my glove compartment that you might like to avail yourself of.” Geoff took four tablets and tried unsuccessfully to relax, with the bumping of the tyres on the potholed road and the blinding dust and heat almost unbearable in the car. Many hours later, suddenly at the top of his voice, he screamed, “Stop the car!” What then took place would equal any comedy scene from a Hollywood movie. Geoff tried to take his trousers off, as he ran into the outback scrub, chased by flies and dust. He stumbled over rocks and got tangled up with scrub weed as he tried to find a suitable place for his very urgent toilet need. It was some time before I walked carefully over to the spot where I had seen him disappear, taking some paper for him to finish the job. It was nearly an hour before Geoff returned, looking pale and drained from the experience. I never recall him complaining to me about his constipation again.

At last we came to a large tin shed where food, petrol and modest accommodation was available. We drove in, seeking fuel and a good meal. When we went to walk into what looked to be the main entrance, there was a deep, wide hole in the floorboards, which had rotted away, making it necessary for us to take a huge step to avoid disappearing down the crevasse. After filling the petrol tank to the brim we sought further information and direction before sitting down at a table, hoping to receive something substantial to eat. The owner, who had provided the other services, presented himself at the table and asked us what we would like to eat. My very proper English friend Geoff responded, “I will have a steak and two eggs with some toast and a pot of tea, please.” Realising that we had not had one proper meal since we had left home a couple of days before, I decided to follow Geoff’s lead and ordered the same. With a slight turn to the left the proprietor, come petrol pump attendant, come waiter called out in a loud voice, as he wiped his soiled hands on his more soiled apron, “Two tins of bully beef with powdered eggs and toast and a billy of tea.” He then looked back to us again and said, “Is that all you want?” Looking through the grubby window, all we could see was bareness and large columns of dust in the distance, becoming larger and indicating another possible guest for lunch. When we had finished our meal, we washed as well as we could, checked our bags again to make sure they were dust-proof, and set out into the unknown on what might euphemistically be called a road, to face the dust, flies, scorching heat and giant potholes. We were hot and so dusty that our hair stood up straight, and our ears and every crevice in our skin were covered with dust that caked more and more thickly, as sweat poured from our bodies. While we thought the worst was over, we soon discovered that the worst was yet to come. We moved cautiously along the dusty track over the Nullarbor Plain on our way to Perth, Western Australia to try and make our fortune. Our speed was greatly restricted by the dust that seemed, at times, almost to engulf us and the bump, bump, bump of the wheels on the corrugated road with the many deep potholes. After many hours of what I considered to be very careful driving, suddenly the car hit a rock that was concealed by bull dust. This catapulted us in and out of a large sharp trench across the road, tearing the steering wheel out of my hands. With a loud crunch the front suspension of the motor car collapsed. We came to an abrupt stop, amidst an explosion of dust that took some time to settle.

When we had brushed ourselves a little, we inspected the vehicle and found that our suspension and steering were badly damaged. We were stuck in one of the most isolated and barren places on earth, with no help for hundreds of miles and our only supplies were some water and a can of peaches!

As the sun set and night came, we wondered just how long we would have to wait for a passing vehicle to render some help. The temperature swiftly dropped to almost zero and we built a fire to keep ourselves warm. We threw the can of peaches into the fire and had a meager meal of hot peaches with a cup of hot water before we bedded down uncomfortably to await the next day.

Needless to say, at that point, our prayer life took a dramatic and urgent turn as we sought help and solace from our God and Saviour. In the early light of the next morning the sun greeted us with all its burning fury. Without shade and with a dwindling water supply, our situation was looking rather grim.

While we waited, prayed and sweated profusely, I happened to glance back in the direction from which we had come and saw the familiar cloud of dust that announced the arrival of another vehicle. This gave us encouragement and hope that all was not lost.

As the vehicle came closer, the size of the cloud of dust increased. We sat on a couple of petrol cans in the middle of the track, consciously and fervently awaiting an answer to our prayer. As the vehicle came to a halt and the dust dissipated, an unsuspecting rescue team of seven young men appeared in an old Volkswagen Kombie Van. They seemed helpful and jovial as they enquired about our situation. They saw our now quite dormant and sorry-looking motor vehicle covered with dust and sloping precariously to one side in the front, like an ancient dinosaur with a broken leg.

These young men jumped enthusiastically out of their van, only to reveal they were all completely naked, not wearing a stitch of clothing. Every one of them had dust caked in every sweating crease of his skin, and the outlines of the chairs some of them had been sitting on in the van were visible in the dust on their rear ends.

My first response was shock, as I looked at these naked young men who were to arrange our rescue. Then I burst out laughing at the whole scene, which could only happen in Australia on a bush track, with Aussie adventurers in blinding dust and unbelievable temperatures.

Our rescuers were unable to fix the broken suspension but offered to contact the next garage 280 miles away and arrange for us to be towed in for repairs. Leaving us with a cool drink and some more water, they disappeared as quickly as they had come.

True to their word, the next day a tow truck arrived and took us to a workshop where they welded all the necessary bits of our vehicle together and sent us on our way … but the wheel alignment was wrong and I wrecked two tyres getting to the next stop.

When we came to what we thought was civilisation we removed everything from our station wagon. We were able to borrow an electric drill from a garage and make some holes in the floor to allow water to drain out, and we proceeded to wash the vehicle with hose and soap, along with our bags and our own bodies. We sat down to a reasonable meal in preparation for our sales assault in the country towns of Western Australia and finally the capital city, Perth.

Our merchandise was varied and included rain gauges, wheelbarrows, hardware, gifts and a special range of light fittings. We followed a plan that proved very successful in other parts of Australia. We sold large quantities of merchandise to local stores, asking them to place the orders with the distributors of their choice. We would make those distributors into special pivotal selling warehouses that would place large orders for our products.

By way of explanation, let me make everything clear about the products we were offering and how I obtained them. The light fittings were manufactured, or rather assembled, by my own company and therefore I had complete control of costings, profits and design. Other products were either supplied to me by manufacturers, on an exclusive basis, and often made to my suggestions. Still other products were imported from around the world by import agents, which gave me some kind of exclusivity, although I had to purchase from others and handle my own accounts, dispatch and warehousing.

Our sales over the next few weeks, although not spectacular, were quite significant. Armed with a briefcase full of orders from all the re-sellers, we went to present to the nominated distributors what we had done for them, which was our most important strategic move. Each of the distributors received us politely but with some reluctance, as they viewed us as infringing on their territory. Although they willingly accepted the tangible increase to their businesses, they would not increase the orders for warehousing above existing sales and so our gigantic efforts were neither fully appreciated nor, I felt, sufficiently remunerated.

And so back we went across the Nullarbor Plain, with the dust, heat, flies and obstacles. We returned somewhat disappointed but nevertheless retaining our positive attitude and motivation. I returned home late at night and Robina, as always, was waiting for me. After a month apart, we fell into one another’s arms and just held on. When the children woke the next morning there was a mixture of jubilation and pandemonium, as we kissed, hugged and laughed together. As usual, I had brought back gifts for everyone.

Robina, as usual, had kept the home fires burning. In her own way, she tried to keep things smooth for me at home. When I was completely exhausted from overwork, she would keep the children quiet so that I could sleep late, but often one of the children would climb through the bedroom window and sit on my chest while I was sleeping. They would open my eyes with their fingers and talk to me until I woke up thoroughly and gave them my full attention. Our family life was always a priority and full of fun, teaching and adventure. Robina and I were in total agreement about how to build a God-centred home and develop our children into reliable, intelligent, competent Bible-believing adults.

Now I had to face the fact that we were in serious financial difficulties. The faster I sold the deeper the financial hole became. The truth of the matter was really very simple - our overheads were more than the profits we were making. It wasn’t long before I had to juggle funds to keep afloat and try to buy some time. The more time I bought, the deeper into debt I was getting. The next move was to go to the bank and borrow more money, while I tried to remedy the situation. The vicious cycle continued until we could go no further and I had to call a creditors’ meeting to make arrangements to sell what stock we had, to try and pay back the creditors.

Interestingly, our creditors trusted me and agreed to an arrangement whereby we could pay them back over a period of time. You would think by this time I would have become a little smarter and would have consolidated my assets and my position before moving on … WRONG!

I came out of the creditors’ meeting on that bright sunny day only to encounter a lady I had met on several previous occasions. She took one look at me and said, “Peter, you always have a lovely smile on your face and a cheery word for everyone. How fortunate you are, life must be wonderful for you.” Little did she know I was broke and had just come out of a humiliating creditors’ meeting and had no prospects of any kind.

My first responsibility was to care for my family. I took that very seriously. I was not about to complain to others or drop hints at the next church prayer meeting of the dire straits we were in. As far as I was concerned, it was my problem. I had caused it and it was fully my responsibility to rectify it.

My immediate need was money because the bank was about to foreclose on the house, and the finance company was about to repossess the motor car, the electricity supply company was ready to cut electricity and the gas for the stove was about to be cut off. Even our water supply could have been turned off. The options I had were few. Any action had to be swift, accurate and income-producing within days. It is at these moments you realise again and again how precious your family is and how purposeful prayer to our Heavenly Father always produces results at the point of need.

Surprise, surprise! I found someone who wanted me to sell their products. I received commission on a day-to-day basis, so my plan was simple: one, make sure my family had food in the house; and two, make one payment on the house, electricity, gas and water, and park my motor car in the next street in case someone came to repossess it, and make a payment on that as soon as practicable. The plan worked and within a short while I caught up on my immediate financial needs, as well as my Christian giving program. I then started a little business with giftware, hardware and some ladies’ fashions, representing manufacturers and importers.

I had learned a little from the folly of the first fiasco. This time I chose a name for my new company that sounded good and was descriptive. I called it Australian Commercial Merchandisers. If it grew to a substantial size this would suggest distinction. My problem was that I did not solve or even begin to handle my real problem, which was economic instability. To be quite frank, I was blind to the existence of this problem and so I was again selling frantically but unable to grasp the most elementary fundamentals of fiscal management. I was not only living on the edge, I was about to understand what it is like to slip over the edge into a deep precipice below.

I was almost back to square one again. By this time I had been involved in two schemes of arrangement with my creditors and was not much further advanced. I knew things had to change. From time to time, I would walk around stores and look for products that could be adapted, improved or created that would deliver a knock-out blow and make me a millionaire, so that I could invest in evangelism in a serious way and propagate the gospel widely. Yet, I was very conscious of the fact that I was barely able, at that stage, to look after my own growing family. I was indeed living on the edge, knowing full well that the Bible says, “He who does not look after his own is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith. “I was on the edge of becoming just that by virtue of my economic mismanagement and the fact that I had no insurance to protect my family if I had an accident, or worse still, if I were killed in a road crash.

I continued to search for a financial panacea, until one day I thought I had found it. Of all things, it was shoe polish! For about a century shoe polish had been in a tin, and you pushed your brush into it, then brushed it over your shoes and finally proceeded to polish it with a cloth. My idea was that I would get a chemical company to manufacture a liquid shoe polish that could be placed in a plastic bottle with a flip top, which would enable the user to put some directly on the shoe and then spread and polish it easily and quickly.

I called my new shoe polish Shine and a second brand I was preparing I called Som, using the simple advertising slogan “You must have Som”. It was an instant success, with sales exceeding all expectations and in some areas capturing 90% of the total market. However, this did not last and my third major failure was on the horizon. Something went wrong with the chemicals and I had no agreement or enforceable quality-control protection. Water rose to the top and sediment sunk to the bottom, and semi-trailer loads of shoe polish were returned to me. The company that was manufacturing the shoe polish for me went into receivership. I was left alone to accept the responsibility.

The lessons learned in many of my business and other activities have never been lost or ignored. Forty years later, I still hold to the principles that I discovered in those difficult times. They have proved to be correct. I have learned to let go of those errors of judgement and knowledge that ultimately lead to failure.

So there I was again, broke and even worse off than I had ever been before. At the same time, I was becoming more mature mentally and spiritually. Still within my soul I nourished the hope of doing better and learning more, but I wondered how long do I have to wait and what more would I have to endure.

The pain of learning through failure was disheartening and at times I wondered about the future. I studied vigorously and prayed diligently. One day, in desperation I stripped to my underpants and spread-eagled on the damp concrete floor of a factory, which I was about to lose as it was to be repossessed. I wept and cried to God, “Lord, I thought you wanted me to succeed and give to the propagation of the gospel around the world. I have tried hard and worked diligently. I have always endeavoured first to practise the principles in Your Word, but here I am, Your servant, telling You I am so low that I could ‘walk under a snake’s belly with an umbrella up and not even scratch its navel.’ What has happened?” I wept and asked God to bless me. I stayed on the floor for some time, until quite miraculously I felt my prayers were answered and I knew my apprenticeship was over. I had a deep assurance that all would be well.

As I arrived home I could smell the turpentine in the shoe polish that was stacked in the boxes around our house. If anyone had gone past the corner allotment where our house stood surrounded by boxes of shoe polish leaking turpentine with anything more than a warm thought, the whole thing would have exploded!

Some much needed support came through two elderly Christian spinsters, who paid for us as a family to go to a Christian camp for a few days and enjoy Bible teaching and the company of other Christians.

During our time at the camp, I was given some leadership responsibilities, which created an awkward situation. On the last evening of the camp, a celebration was in full swing when they announced that all the leaders should gather at the front of the auditorium for a comedy race.

Professors, doctors of theology, other dignitaries and I were to have a funny race with a saucepan lid on our head and a balloon between our knees, while we held a flat plate with an egg on it. The objective was to see who could get to the finishing line first without losing the egg! While all the leaders were lining up for the race and the crowd was enjoying the proceedings, I took one look at what was about to take place and walked back to my seat.

I was urged to participate, and there were some suggestions that I was a spoil sport, but it was clear to me that God was grooming me for leadership and I was not going to play the fool.

Now things were getting really serious. We had no money, no products, no credit and no prospects. I had a wife and three children. I had just had my third creditors’ meeting and I owed what seemed to me to be an unbelievable fortune. I met with some individuals and groups after the creditors’ meeting and told them I would pay them back. However, I had repossession notices on everything I owned! To get away from the telephone, while the children were at school, Robina and I bought a small meat pie and drove to a hillside lookout called Windy Point to reflect and assess our position. At that location, in the middle of the day, I closed my eyes, prayed and thanked God for our lunch and asked for guidance for the future. When I opened my eyes I saw the rooftops of thousands of houses and said to Robina, “That’s it! I’ll go into the real estate business.” Robina responded with a plea, “No, no, Peter just get a job, because I can’t see spending all this money on study and books doing anything.” Unperturbed, I reminded Robina of Mr Hale, who had a real estate company and who many times over the years had asked me to sell real estate for him. His office was not more than ten minutes away. I said, “I am going down there and if he still wants me I will accept that as from God and restart again from there.” When I walked towards Mr Hale’s office building, he walked out of his office to greet me, with the words, “When are you coming here to sell real estate?” I responded, “How about now?”

The next few weeks were full of anxiety and uncertainty, as I met with accountants and creditors, tried to feed my family and waited on the result of my application to be a real estate salesman. This was finally accepted by the government authorities. There I was, without any income, with repossession notices on everything, realising our own economic survival would be nothing short of a miracle. I sold every one of my meager possessions to put food on the table and fuel in the motor car. It seemed forever before I could start selling real estate. After four weeks, I eagerly presented myself to Mr Hale’s office, only to be told that his sales manager had committed some kind of real estate offence and lost his licence and so was not available to train me. Things went from bad to worse, as I had no one to train me and no idea what to do. Finally, Mr Hale said he would train me himself. From his vast experience of many years, he proceeded to do just that.

My economic situation was becoming very desperate but I would not mention it to anyone. Both Robina and I felt that God knew and with the assurance I had been given when I spread-eagled on the damp concrete floor in the factory, I knew that my trust must be in Him and not in circumstances. After my third week in real estate without a sale, Robina and I really had our backs to the wall. We were becoming very concerned about food for the children. In desperation, I approached Mr Hale and asked him how long I would have to wait for my commission if I made a sale.

I learned, to my dismay, that commissions are usually paid at settlement, which is at least four weeks after the sale is made. However, Mr Hale said that if I made a cash sale and the contract was clean, he would pay me my commission immediately on the signing of the contract. Something had to happen quickly if we were to survive. I couldn’t see how we could survive the next week, with only a quarter of a tank of fuel in the motor car and no funds whatsoever. We were living on potatoes, tomatoes and bread, and even these would run out by end of the week. On the last day of survival, with no possibilities of any sale and about to use the last of my fuel, I heard our children praying for some chicken, as I left to go out to try and sell. I had to walk out of the house quickly so that they would not see me weep.

1966 - Graham, Robina, Deborah, Peter and Peter Jnr

Teaching Sunday school at 32 years of age

1963 - Working as a salesman travelling on a remote dirt road in Outback Australia, station-wagon loaded with merchandise and praying to return with a healthy pay packet

CHAPTER 5

THINGS STARTED TO CHANGE

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 5

THINGS STARTED TO CHANGE

By noon that day nothing had happened. By 4pm the same day I showed some clients some land and they were excited. They purchased it immediately with a cash contract. I drove slowly and carefully back to the office, not wanting to run out of fuel or have an accident. On arrival, I showed Mr Hale the contract signed by both parties and a cheque for the deposit and asked him if it was a solid and trustworthy contract. He examined it carefully and responded in the affirmative, with a twinkle in his eye, anticipating my next comment. I excitedly asked him for my commission, which he paid in cash, and I ran out and wanted to shout from the rooftops. After putting some fuel in my motor car, I went to a takeaway chicken shop and purchased chicken and other items that I was sure would be welcomed when I got home. I sang the doxology in my motor car all the way home. Needless to say, that night we thanked God for his goodness and had a party. I was able to contribute financially at church on Sunday, which made me deliriously happy and I could not stop smiling.

In the weeks and months that followed, nothing seemed to go wrong. I was breaking all the company’s previous sales records. I was making so much money that I found it difficult to understand what was happening. I felt the need to spend a day alone at the beach, trying to comprehend and assess what had taken place. As I started to pay back my bank and other commitments, I received a bleak letter from the liquidators, informing me that they had not been able to sell my factory and because I had signed a guarantee for the mortgage they were handing it back to me. It was now my full responsibility. Weighed down with this big debt, after I had been assured that it had been sold and settled, I had to renew my efforts and earn more to deal with this additional setback. When all the paperwork was finished, I was faced with the responsibility of mortgage payments for the factory. The debt was quite correctly mine. Out of the blue, an unusual sequence of events emerged. Within two weeks, I was approached by someone who wanted to purchase the property for cash. This not only covered the mortgage but left me with a sizeable cheque over and above what I had paid for the property. I wondered if life could get any better than this.

I still would not work on Sundays. My giving program started to move ahead and my Sunday school class had graduated to a large youth group. I still had my old station wagon with four feet of rust across the back. Robina and I were very careful not to waste our new-found modest wealth. A new sense of responsibility and financial management started to become my strength from that moment.

One of the things that I did when the economic situation became better was to take Robina and the family out to dinner as a treat. I aimed, if possible, to upgrade our furniture, appliances and clothing, as needed.

Within just a few short months with Mr Hale, I was asked to become sales manager and move my office closer to his. Over several weeks Mr Hale and I had some very serious discussions. He explained that as he was getting on in years and I was only 36 years of age, he would like to groom me to take charge of the company. By this time I had come to understand this unique and capable man, who was the son of a Unitarian minister. He had felt the desperation of the Great Depression severely, but with skill and hard work had created a small fortune.

Knowing Mr Hale to be very clever and gifted with words, I decided to tackle his proposition head on and told him that I believed he wanted to use my energy, my enthusiasm, my “desperation quotient” and my ability to inspire others for his own benefit. Although I was not against his proposition, I explained that there must be a compensating factor for me, other than the money I would make. My final requirement was for him to teach me business skills for handling money, which he finally agreed to do.

Within a day, I had a new office with a large street map on the wall, with pins and flags in places where we had properties to sell. It had not been touched since the former sales manager had left some time before. When I moved into my new office, Mr Hale asked straight away when I was going to upgrade the map. My response was that it looked all right the way it was and I would be too busy to play with pins. I called a sales meeting immediately and started to get things moving. Mr Hale would present himself on odd occasions, laughing at all the action and progress, as he watched the sales graph rise towards the ceiling.

It wasn’t long before I doubled the sales volume of the company, with only a 10% rise in advertising costs. I still would not work on Sundays because they were reserved for church and family. Mr Hale could be a difficult taskmaster, at times moody, but always brilliant in his economics. He provided for me the missing link that had held me back for so long. I will always be grateful for his wise counsel and the opportunity that he gave me, which in turn provided a financial bonanza for his own company.

The next few years were a time of consolidation, with increasing knowledge, opportunity to give, and upgrading my motor vehicle, housing and some other things. I was on top, economically secure and with the responsibility of directing a whole business. I had learned lessons that only pain, anguish, embarrassment and failure can teach, and these had been my stern taskmasters. During the many adventures of the last ten years my focus had not changed, but I clearly had changed, and my thoughts were more considered, with a vast reservoir of study and experience that had developed from my ever-present, urgent drive to learn. I could not satisfy my appetite for good biographies, as well as books and material on history, theology, economics and politics. I practised pronouncing words and public speaking alone in my room and as I walked on some vacant land not far from where we lived. In a sense, I almost revolutionised the sales team. I employed more staff and created an in-depth training program that had eight elements:

• Get out of the office and call on your vendors.

• Always take a client in your motor vehicle to enable you to build a relationship.

• Never try to sell a property over the phone, go and meet the people.

• Tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

• When you get a contract signed say “Thank you” and leave promptly.

• Always get an offer in writing, signed and witnessed, with the deposit before submitting it.

• Write advertisements that tell only enough for an appointment.

• Remember that a happy client is your best advertisement.

Using many other formulas, setting priorities and engaging in sales meetings, I developed an urgency factor. I made myself available day and night, with the exception of Sundays, which we always kept for worship and family time.

Over the next few years Mr Hale became somewhat restless and uncertain about our original agreement. It seemed that he wanted to stay in control until he died. Although I had no problem with that, his attitude became finicky, and at times unpleasant, and I was reminded many times by others who had worked with him that I had been with him longer than anybody else.

It was now February 1971. It was nearly 12 years since my wife and I had given our lives to Christ and I had been on a journey of toughening and learning. As I searched my spirit, I could say before God that there was no bitterness, only gratitude to God for bringing me through, and protecting and blessing my family.

There was something, however, that was gnawing away at my soul because the Bible says clearly: “He who does not look after his own is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith.” During those difficult years, I could not find the finance to purchase life insurance. With the hundreds of thousands of miles I had driven, often faster than I should have, and with my plane flights from one side of the country to the other, I continually reminded myself that if I were killed or maimed my family would suffer incredible hardship.

Having paid back most of my debts, I was soon able to put aside $1,200. I phoned an insurance company and asked them to send a representative. I spent the whole amount on a whole-of-life insurance policy. This was the maximum deduction allowable for taxation purposes. When I received my policy I held it heavenward and said, “Lord, I am not an infidel, nor worse than an infidel, I am looking after my family.” After that my spirit was at peace.

CHAPTER 6

UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 6

UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE

In February 1971 an event that took place that was to change my life forever. It progressed to a series of events that would see me on television screens, in newspapers and magazines, on radio and even in the academic and political arena. Robina and I had just come home from church. As usual, I had collected the weekend newspaper from our front garden and was reading it in the lounge, while Robina made some tea. She brought it into the lounge room so we could have some quiet time together while the roast was cooking in the oven. To my surprise and horror, there in black and white in our Sunday newspaper was the announcement that our city, the “City of Churches”, was going to be the venue for a pornographic, live stage-play called “Oh Calcutta”. There were to be mixed sexes nude on stage portraying lewd and indecent acts, as well as trivialising moral standards. I immediately said to Robina, “They can”t do that.” She responded, “Do what?” I replied, “Bring pornography into our city - it always degrades womanhood and it is about time someone did something about it.” Robina said, in a matter of fact way, “Well, that is very interesting. What are you going to do about it?” Her response so impacted me that I was somewhat taken aback. Here I was suggesting that someone else should be doing something while I sat back and complained.

Within a few days, I heard that a meeting for concerned citizens was to be held at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, a very prominent evangelical church in the city. The meeting was to be led by the Reverend Lance Shilton, a great man of God.

One of the drawbacks of real estate is that you receive phone calls at any time and sometimes at awkward moments, but communication is vital. In the days before mobile phones my office and home telephones were my lifeline. As I was preparing to go to the meeting, which commenced at 7pm, the phone rang and delayed my departure, causing me to arrive late.

When finally I arrived at the meeting hall, every parking place was filled and street parking was almost non-existent in the evening in that part of the city. As I carefully walked into the meeting, which was filled with people and noisy discussion, I looked around to see if there were any familiar faces. My eyes promptly identified my Bible teacher, Dr Harrold Steward, and a Baptist Pastor, David White, who had been a friend of mine for a long time. At almost the precise moment that I made eye contact with the only two people I knew in that hall of 300 people, who all seemed to be talking at once, the Reverend Lance Shilton interrupted the discussion and said something like, “Tomorrow the media are going to be after us and we need someone who can handle our public relations and deal with them.” Almost instantaneously, Pastor David White stood to his feet and called out, “Peter Daniels has just walked in. I know him. He could handle it and I want to nominate him”. Almost without any other interruptions, Dr Harrold Steward stood up and said, “Praise God! And I would be pleased to second that motion for nomination. “Without any other comments from those present, I was elected and “thrown into the fire” !

It is very interesting that by this time my biblical education and my reading program were extensive. I had been practising public speaking in private for 12 years and my word skills had reached an acceptable level. In a sense, I was ready for a big challenge and in God’s good time, He provided the opportunity.

The next day it all happened. The media described the previous night’s meeting as “Gideon’s 300”. My phone rang continually with callers from newspapers, magazines, radio and television, wanting interviews. Some well-wishers also rang and a few people who rudely and loudly disagreed with our stand.

Our group was soon called the Moral Action Committee. Reverend Lance Shilton gave brilliant leadership and handled clergy enquiries. Because of his position and personality, he commanded great respect. We were fortunate to have the very able Dr John Court, a clinical psychologist and university lecturer, to handle the academics and intellectuals. My role was to debate and handle the media and rougher elements, as a front man. As I look back, with the support of many other capable and committed people, we represented a formidable force.

My first television interview was on the front lawn of our house, with the interviewer trying to confound me with awkward questions and provocative suggestions. He was not expecting to have to contend with someone who earned his living by being able to respond articulately, knowledgeably and persuasively. It became a duel between two combatants, each searching for the other’s weaknesses. Finally the interviewer retreated graciously and as soon as the camera was put down he turned to the camera operator and said, “Wow! That was the best interview I have had in months!!!”

Over the next couple of months I had my hands very full, running a busy real estate company for Mr Hale and also attending meetings of support and opposition. I was involved in debates at universities, appearances on television and radio talkback shows, and handled mountains of correspondence. On top of all this, I met regularly with the Moral Action Committee, which gave good advice and direction, but it was obvious we had to do more than just talk.

Strangely enough, Mr Hale, although the son of a Unitarian minister, never went to church or indicated any profession of a Christian view, yet seemed to revel in my growing visibility. He remarked how well I handled the interviews and debates. In some small way, I am sure he felt, and correctly so, that his influence on my business expertise helped me to handle these difficult situations.

I had gained enormous experience and qualified as a licensed valuer by passing, after only a six-month period, what is now a five-year university course. My duties included auctioneering, as well as running the whole office. As my workload increased, so did the sales.

A turning point came after nearly five years, when Mr Hale continued to complain about advertising costs, which he thought were excessive. When I suggested that he measure these costs against the sales and proved to him that their relative percentage had actually gone down, he would get upset.

Finally one day, after some heated words from him, I left. He wanted me to return, but the die had been cast and neither of us was really the loser. Mr Hale had had a dynamic, energetic, honest and profitable sales team for nearly five years, and I had a very good financial package and had learnt an enormous amount. It seemed to me, and I believe, that we both had won.

When I resigned from Mr Hale’s office, it was not with another position in mind and certainly not with the intention of starting my own business. I was looking forward to a time of rest and relaxation with my family, which I needed before the next change took place.

While enjoying my new-found freedom, I received a phone call from an acquaintance who asked me if I would sell her property. My response was simple. I said that I had left real estate and was looking forward to the possibility of doing something else. After a few weeks, I received another phone call from the same lady, suggesting to me that I market her property while I worked out what new thing I was going to do in the business world. The suggestion seemed to make sense and I was getting itchy feet. It was a simple matter, with my new qualifications and my experience, to obtain a full real estate business licence, and with this, I would have something to do and could make some money in the process.

After I had sold the property for the woman concerned, word soon spread that I had opened my own real estate business and was running it from my home. The phone started to ring and enquiries and opportunities flooded in. Within weeks I was in the real estate business for myself, operating from a back room at home, but with definitely no Sunday business.

My involvement in church continued and even accelerated, with many invitations to speak, which I believe came because of my increased visibility through the activities of the Moral Action Committee. The committee took a very serious view of the situation. We met with a brilliant legal team to consider challenging the performance of the nude stage-show “Oh Calcutta” on the grounds of obscenity, with the aim of having it banned by the Supreme Court.

On 6th of May 1971, a leading article in the newspaper announced that the Moral Action Committee was to challenge, through the courts, the moral acceptability of the production and that the three challengers were to be Dr Harrold Steward, a nurse Miss Margaret Wells and Mr Peter Daniels. This meant that if the opposition won the case and damages were to be claimed for losses incurred by our action, then we three people would be liable.

As the spokesperson, I was under no illusion as to whom they would pursue first for damages, but I was confident that we were doing the right thing. I felt a strange calm and a sense of security that we were on God’s side and all would be well.

While preparations were being made for the legal challenge and even in the midst of it, the situation was becoming more volatile. A rushed presentation of “Oh Calcutta” was to be held at the Checkers, a disused picture theatre, as the promoters were hoping to run ahead of the law and make gains through the support of a vocal libertine audience. I did my best to delay the revue by investigating what I could do to obstruct any performance before a court ruling had been reached.

My efforts were in vain. I even contacted the fire department to enquire if the building where the show was to be staged had been inspected and had a fire clearance. The building had a wooden staircase, which would have been disastrous if a serious fire had occurred and patrons had been trapped inside during a performance.

When I went to bed on Saturday night, only a week before the proposed opening, I was exhausted and disappointed. However, I was awoken early the next morning by a friend who knew of my fire enquiries and asked, tongue in cheek, why he had not been invited to the barbecue. My bewildered response was, “What barbecue?” My friend then told me that the Checkers Theatre was burned to the ground during the night and was surprised that I did not know.

The next thing that happened was a police visit to my home, first to establish my whereabouts at the time of the fire and then to question me politely at some length to establish my guilt or innocence! The police eventually left and I never heard from them again.

Another very interesting event took place not long after the police had left. I received a mysterious phone call from interstate that was to create a whole new scenario. The phone caller would not give his name but asked if I was the Peter Daniels in the newspapers who was fighting “Oh Calcutta”. Having established that I was, he told me to go to the package terminal at the airport where I would find material that may assist in winning the case against the promoters. He then promptly hung up. I must admit that I collected and opened the parcel cautiously. To my surprise, I found it contained many newspaper cuttings and other material relevant to “Oh Calcutta” that we had not seen. I promptly placed it before the Moral Action Committee for review and use. I am not sure how much value the material had, if any, in winning the court action, but that was not the end of the story.

In August 1971 when the court ruled in favour of banning “Oh Calcutta”, I received another phone call from the mysterious man from interstate, who was somewhat elated and congratulated us on our success. He then proceeded to unfold a fascinating story. After identifying himself as the son of one of Australia’s most famous gangsters, he said that the owners of the stage-play “Oh Calcutta” had made a commitment to him that he could have the Australian rights to show the revue but had later broken that commitment in favour of the current failed promoters.

He went on to say, using some expletives, that they would think twice before they tried to double-cross him again. He further suggested that he would like to meet me sometime in Sydney and give me a night on the town. I immediately declined.

In the months that followed, much happened. Dr John Court wrote the book Stand up and Be Counted, which created a platform for him to ably debate on television and dialogue with many intellectual and prominent figures.

I kept building my real estate business. I would work hard at this for two weeks at a time and then spend two weeks on Moral Action Committee activities. This enabled me to make substantial financial contributions towards the costs or needs of the latter. Sometimes I paid the bills out of my own pocket and no one else ever saw them.

During this period, strangely enough, my business continued to grow. I even employed a former insurance salesman, Jeff Mills, a fine Christian, who has remained a friend and Lou Proudlock, a young Christian who was anxious to come and work for me. This meant that I needed to move out of the back room at home and rent an office.

During this period, I received a letter from Sir Arthur Lee, who was the then National President of the Returned Soldiers League. He asked if I would be prepared to debate morality at the Australian National University on the understanding that some of the finest anthropologists and psychologists of our nation would undoubtedly be there to oppose me. I accepted the challenge.

The event was somewhat daunting. A large group of university students stamped their feet in the hall in protest when I was introduced on the podium. (These were the anti-Vietnam “hippy” years). Not knowing what to do, I positioned myself close to the microphone so that my voice would overcome the incredible noise. Turning towards those on the platform who opposed me, I addressed them as loudly as my voice could manage, saying, “You are treating the youth of this nation with a mushroom-type policy by keeping them in the dark and feeding them lots of manure. The next thing you’ll do is cut them off at the ankles and can them, but I want to tell you that I am here today to prevent you from doing that.” Suddenly there was a moment of stunned silence before the students roared with approval! Thankfully I had their attention for the rest of my speech.

Unfortunately, I made some remarks that offended the Government Minister for Censorship and he tried unsuccessfully to sue me.

The next item on the pornography agenda was sex shops. I was back in the battle again and went into these shops and openly challenged their proprietors. Often the television cameras and print media would follow me and I would appear in the news.

By now the Moral Action Committee was a well-known, active group. Because I was the public relations person, I received more than my share of praise and abuse.

Just after we won the court case on Monday, 2nd of August 1971, I received a request by telephone from a very prominent Christian statesman from Melbourne, Mr Leonard Buck. He asked me if I would address a major Christian Convention at Belgrave Heights in the foothills just outside Melbourne city in Victoria. He wanted me to relate to the anticipated large crowd what had taken place in the “Oh Calcutta” court challenge, to speak on other areas of moral concern, and to give some challenges, advice and suggestions on what others could do to help. He said that I would have to restrict my speech to 45 minutes.

Driving 450 miles to make a speech was not my idea of enjoyment, particularly when I was asked to keep to such a restricted time frame, but this was an opportunity to increase awareness and gain some numerical support.

As usual, I paid my own expenses. On arriving, with my family, I was told that because of a very heavy conference schedule, they would have to further restrict my speech to 25 minutes.

After a good night’s rest, I was approached again by the organising committee, apologetically saying that they were having some major difficulties fitting everything into their program and they would unfortunately have to further restrict my time to a maximum of 20 minutes.

Thinking it could not get any tougher than this, I pruned and sharpened my talk for a 20-minute presentation, only to be told an hour before I was to speak that I was now to have exactly 12 minutes.

Knowing that I was making a round trip of just under 1,000 miles in my motor car with my family, to deliver this speech, I decided to use the 12 minutes with every fibre in my body poised and with every word tailored to the capacity crowd. When I spoke, the crowd listened in total silence. As I concluded, the next speaker Professor Blaiklock from a university in New Zealand, who stood directly behind me, said clearly and audibly, “Brilliant! Exactly 12 minutes and not a moment over time and not a word wasted.” With this, the crowd erupted, almost like a volcano. I still have a copy of that speech on tape. I believe God gave me a special unction for that occasion.

I have many stories like this, which could be included, but it would take too long to relate all of them. However, three others may be of special interest.

Once I spoke on moral issues to 1,200 Lutheran women at a conference in a northern suburb of Adelaide. At the conclusion, they stood to their feet and applauded until I had left the hall.

On one occasion, a stage-show called “Flowers”, which was a homosexual fantasy and included taking Christ’s body down from the cross, was being performed. With most of our team somewhat battle fatigued, I went down alone and stood at the entrance of the theatre with a sign: “There’s blasphemy inside. How’s your conscience?” All those who attended had to push past me to get to the door. The television crews came down and said, “Mr Daniels, you are all alone.” They asked me what I would like to say and so I named the leaders of many of the Christian denominations in our State and other church leaders, and said, “Where are you?” I heard that the Anglican Archbishop was upset that I had mentioned his name, so I made an appointment to meet with him.

I was received graciously by the Archbishop and quickly came to the point as he enquired, “What did you expect me to do?” I responded, “Paul the Apostle would have lain prostrate across the doorway and told them that if they were going to trample on the things of Christ they would have to trample over his body to do it.” I continued, “Sir, if you had done that you would have instantly become a great leader, but I believe you missed the greatest opportunity of your lifetime.” The Archbishop was visibly moved and suggested that if a similar situation arose again, I should contact him.

On another occasion, I was contacted by phone and told that during a meeting at the Town Hall someone would run across the stage naked. I said, “It’s very cold on the stage and they would be most uncomfortable. “Of course, this never actually took place.

During this period I had some police protection. I was spat on and abused, and at a university girls started to strip off their clothes in protest. However, I also received enormous encouragement, as did many of the others in our team.

During the moral campaign in our State, there were others throughout our nation and elsewhere, who were as deeply concerned as we were. We heard of an event that had taken place in Trafalgar Square in London, involving such notables as the great literary giant Malcolm Muggeridge, the great moral campaigner Mary Whitehouse, and the pop star Cliff Richard, under the persistent direction of Steve Stevens and his wife. They had gathered to celebrate what they called a “Festival of Light”, focussing on family values and biblical morality. Thousands of people had demonstrated against pornography.

I phoned Malcolm Muggeridge on behalf of the Moral Action Committee and enquired about the possibility having something like that in Australia. He responded cautiously but warmly. In the meantime, after we had won the legal battle over “Oh Calcutta”, our State Premier, who disapproved of our moral standards, was gradually breaking down the barriers of censorship. I recall one interesting television program in Sydney called The Mike Walsh Show. I was asked to appear with the editor of a pornographic magazine in front of a large audience of mainly middle-aged women, who enjoyed this daily program. At that time, it was the most popular program nationally.

As we commenced, my combatant was introduced as an editor of a questionable pornographic magazine, who wanted the total removal of censorship, and I was introduced as the public relations person for the Moral Action Committee that wanted to retain and even increase censorship. In this way the battle lines were clearly drawn.

I immediately interrupted and told the host, Mike Walsh, that there appeared to be some mistake because I was against censorship in its present form and my opponent was in support of censorship. This caused complete turmoil in the debate, with my opponent getting frustrated, until Mike Walsh asked me to explain my position.

I commenced by asking my opponent if he had read the Sydney newspaper that morning and, in particular, the entertainment section. As he responded in the negative, I went on to explain to him that of the 55 films showing in the movie theatres, 50 were for restricted viewing and only five were for family viewing. It was thus clear to me that we, who supported the family and the dignity of womanhood, had been censored out of entertainment and I wanted this situation to change.

The ladies in the audience roared and clapped with approval. Almost without a breath, I continued in a vigorous voice, saying to my opponent that what he wanted to do was to use ladies like those present that day, and their daughters, granddaughters and nieces as sexual objects, and that I was there to prevent him from doing that.

The audience’s response was explosive and I guessed that the debate was won. The response afterwards in the television studio was one of excitement and I was asked if I could return for another interview.

The successful legal battle against “Oh Calcutta” had now become famous. The Moral Action Committee was keen to write a book about it. The Reverend Lance Shilton was to be the managing editor, assisted by Helen Caterer, who was a well-known journalist and a strong supporter of what we were doing, and Dr John Court who was also a strong supporter and deeply involved. I was asked to tell the public relations story. Finishing touches and comments were to be added by Reverend Lance Shilton.

With moral issues still in the news, the book on this highly controversial subject was keenly awaited. Unfortunately, when I submitted my draft, the others felt it was a bit too contentious and replaced my portion with a contribution by one of the other representatives, a very fine lady, Miss Margaret Wells. At the time, I was not particularly concerned that my draft was rejected, considering I was surpassed intellectually, but it is amusing today to see God’s hand on my books and seminars, which have affected millions of people all over the world.

My focus was now on getting the Festival of Light and Mary Whitehouse, its famous, articulate and dogged moral campaigner, to come from the United Kingdom to Adelaide.

The Moral Action Committee wanted to proceed. There were people in other States of Australia who were interested also and needed a lead, so we agreed to form the Festival of Light in Australia, along the lines of that which was so successful in Britain. We invited Mary Whitehouse to come to Australia.

While we were in general agreement about starting the Festival of Light, there was some hesitancy as to when it should commence. I suggested a date and a location and undertook most of the preparation. The first official meeting was held in the Theatrette in the Government Administration Building in Victoria Square, Adelaide on 12th of June 1973. There were some new participants but many of the original committee members were retained. Dr John Court was Chairman. Mrs Roslyn Philips, Reverend Lance Shilton and Pastor Ian Simpson were all Deputy Chairpersons. I was the public relations person. Some time before this, I had come in contact with an advertising consultant from Detroit, Michigan, who had offered to undertake all the artwork for the Festival of Light and who was to be used later by my real estate company for some of its own needs. Our style of presentation took on a major turn for the better. The new committee was invigorated and everyone was excited. Mrs Roslyn Philips was later joined by her very capable husband Dr David Philips. Still to this day they run the Festival of Light in South Australia, giving valuable input and holding up the torch of righteousness in a more reserved but impacting way.

The Festival of Light campaign was scheduled for October 1973, with a women’s meeting on the afternoon of Friday, 12th of October at the Festival Theatre, featuring Mary Whitehouse as speaker.

This occasion created tremendous interest. Seating was completely booked within the first few days. The phone rang continuously for weeks with more people seeking tickets, but in vain. On the day of the meeting, a group of protesters tried to interrupt proceedings before the commencement by marching into the foyer with placards, some in very poor taste! The leaders of this group were overheard making plans to storm the platform. Police and security personnel were quickly alerted and the planned interruption was aborted.

The Festival Theatre was very new and the amplification failed to operate when tested just before the meeting was due to begin. The Chairperson, Mrs Marie Lawrence, in order to keep faith with the audience, decided to start proceedings nonetheless. Interestingly, the sound system began to work just as she stepped forward to the microphone. The meeting proved so successful that the Manager of the Festival Theatre came backstage to offer congratulations for the whole presentation.

On the Saturday night, with 3,500 people in attendance, I was a speaker and received an enthusiastic response, which culminated in a city street march. On Sunday, 14th October 10,000 people marched towards Colonel Light’s Vision, an outdoor focal point in our city, accompanied by the Salvation Army Band. This culminated in Mrs Mary Whitehouse giving a stirring address and receiving a dynamic response.

During her time with us in Adelaide, Mary Whitehouse was a guest on television, and at numerous press conferences and other meetings. She was very well received.

Our next project was having the famous Malcolm Muggeridge come to Adelaide and, as he put it, “to mop up”. He debated on television and spoke at the Festival Theatre, lunches and press interviews, with incredible wit, humour and intellectual insight and ability.

In the midst of all that was happening in the Christian and public arena, my real estate business was buzzing. I had diversified into renovating derelict homes in the city and adjacent metropolitan areas, which were either under a health or substandard order, or ready for demolition. Generally, most renovating of older homes and those in a state of disrepair was done by Greek or Lebanese migrant families, who first saw the opportunity. Coming from a background that produced very little if any manufactured goods, they were top-class negotiators. This was part of their culture and was possibly in their blood, as they were descendants of the ancient Venetian traders.

My approach was simple but effective. As a bricklayer I knew instantly why the walls were damp and deteriorating, and how to fix them. Also, I had by now a full sales team and had purchased a new office building. This meant my sales staff could be continually on the look out for suitable derelict properties and we could resell them quickly after they had been renovated.

In about November 1974 our oldest son Peter Junior approached me about coming to work in our real estate business. Peter had already spoken to me 15 months earlier and said he wanted to leave school and come and work with me. I had counselled him that, as he was only 17 years of age and was anxious to progress, before coming to work for me he must first work for someone else and sit for his real estate exams, then he would appreciate what a good boss I was. Peter Junior followed my advice to the letter.

Before Peter Junior came to work in our office, I was fortunate enough to attend an introductory meeting in Adelaide for the Haggai Institute of Advance Leadership Studies. Already I was devouring books on leadership, politics and economics, which were primarily from the United States of America and included stimulating books by my heroes W Clement Stone and Dr Norman Vincent Peale.

On meeting Dr John Haggai I was challenged by his vision, his spirit and his captivating presentation. During a discussion after the meeting, he sought my involvement. I had to decline because of my deep commitments to moral issues and politics but promised I would contact him at a later date because he had definitely and permanently sparked my interest.

My public profile continued to increase, which made it somewhat difficult to find privacy at restaurants or in elevators. When I was in my motor vehicle, people would honk their horns at me, either as a goodwill gesture, or to get my attention and give insulting hand signals. There seemed to be very little middle ground and it was very clear that people either liked my moral stand or hated me because of it.

It was a natural progression for me to become involved in politics. I joined the conservative political party in Australia, which was one of the two largest forces in politics. Inevitably, it seemed that one or other major party would always win the elections, as independents and minor political parties really only made up the numbers.

In a very short while I was on the State Executive and eventually ran unsuccessfully for public office for the conservatives, in an impossible situation, where they had never won a seat and probably never will. However, the experience was valuable.

My involvement in politics deepened when our national leader, the Honourable Bill Sneddon, who was then leader of the National Opposition, was coming to Adelaide in an effort to boost the State party image and gain more visibility.

As I worked with a group within the State Council, it was suggested that we do something to give our failing image a boost and we met at the party office to discuss what to do. We started in a somewhat dispirited mood, but the content of our conversation eventually changed and we became more animated when we decided to do something spectacular and daring. I suggested the possibility of holding a large public meeting with our national leader as the draw card. This suggestion received a lukewarm response because in the past a very small number of people would go to any political meeting. My suggestion, which was met with the shock of disbelief was, “Why not muster a crowd of 10,000 people and include ethnic groups, the Scottish bagpipe band and pony rides, and get all the State politicians featured on the front page of our daily newspaper and on every television channel.”

A long silence followed, as the words I had just spoken were digested. The silence was broken by one of our group’s volunteers who said, “I don’t think we can do that. “My prompt response was, “If you think you can, or you can’t, you are right.” A stimulating discussion followed.

The result was that we decided to endeavour to do something spectacular. I was asked to become chairman, but immediately refused, on the grounds that alcohol would inevitably play a part in the proceedings. As a teetotaller and a Bible-believing Christian I would not be chairman but I was willing to accept the role of vice-chairman and undertake a large percentage of the work. After a few comic, good-natured comments, calling me the “chairman of vice”, the rest of the committee and their responsibilities were established. Morale was high and ideas flowed.

The final results were far better than all our expectations. I was able to acquire a huge bicycle with enough seats on it to accommodate most of our elected politicians, through the kind assistance of the leader of the Legislative Council. This became the focal point for our newspaper and television reports.

At the appointed time, I had cowboys and Indians on horseback riding down the main street in a procession. Clowns ran ahead, passing out balloons to children with brochures and stickers of our political team. In front of them, amidst busy shoppers, office workers and crowds of onlookers, came politicians riding the bicycle, to the delight of everyone. We did feature on the front page of the newspaper and on every television channel in the nation.

The meeting was held in a beautiful city location called Rymill Park. Our political leader made his appearance and we released white pigeons before he spoke. There was a carnival atmosphere. People enjoyed food and fun, with the bagpipes playing noisily, children having pony rides and various ethnic cultural displays. I had even arranged for the British and Foreign Bible Society to be represented with a team in a tent handing out material.

Yes, 10,000 people did attend. I had the responsibility of escorting the Honourable Bill Sneddon around the site and introducing him to the various groups. As I look back, I can safely say it had never happened before and it has never happened since. It remains a tribute to the wonderful team of people, who worked together toward a common cause.

After the Rymill Park event, my counsel on matters regarding morality in politics was often sought.

Business was booming and Peter Junior was now working in our office, breaking all sales records, but I seemed to have run out of puff. I met for lunch with a pastor friend of mine, David White, and told him that I thought I was running out of steam and perhaps my spirit needed some rejuvenation.

David related the story of the blind man who was touched by Jesus and when asked what he saw, he responded, “I see men like trees.” Jesus then touched him again and asked, “What do you see now?” The man replied that he saw all things clearly.

David continued and said what I needed was a second touch from the Saviour and so over the next two weeks I was in earnest prayer that God in his mercy would grant me a second touch to energise my spirit.

Relief came within a month and I was soon bouncing around more than before. During my prayers and Bible studies of the previous weeks I experienced another incredible change in my outlook, as I read the story of the wise virgins who made it their business to have reserves of oil for the banquet. From that day onwards I started to build personal and family reserves, which have protected us in all our ups and downs in commercial life ever since.

My involvement with the Moral Action Committee and Festival of Light was coming to an end. It seemed as if everything we were planning to do was becoming an intellectual roundabout. I was more in favour of focussing on one particular problem and addressing it. As I was the only business person in the group, this meant that I was the only major donor and many areas of cost never reached the committee because I absorbed them on the way.

I suppose the crunch really came at an informal meeting of our key players, when I suggested that we formulate a plan of action to reverse the trend and create a political and intellectual “think tank” from a wide variety of personnel, including key business people, who could assist in planning and economics. To my astonishment, this suggestion went down like a lead balloon and was not given even the slightest consideration. To the others, it was beyond the realm of possibility, but I was absolutely convinced that we might never have another opportunity like this. I felt that our culture was at a pivotal point and could be put back into balance with a precise plan and dedicated effort. We were really living on the edge of a precipice and the view was daunting.

I am sorry to say that I went home demoralised and dejected. I don’t think I slept a wink all night. Although I removed myself from the Moral Action Committee and Festival of Light, the media still tended to come to me for comment. If there had been no direct and clear response on an issue from the committee, I would give my point of view, which was usually televised or printed.

Because of the incredible exposure I had through the media, I was concerned about my growing family. However, they seemed to be able to handle any jibes or responses they received at school and elsewhere with ease. To ensure adequate family time, I purchased a farm within an hour’s drive of the city. We would go there privately and enjoy our family life uninterrupted, as we hiked, rode horses and rode motor bikes, and generally had fun.

It was hard to escape from the media attention. In a riding accident with a volatile horse, I broke my leg in two places. As I was resting at home, word got out that the “Longford Report”, put together by Lord Longford in the United Kingdom on pornography, had arrived at my home. I had ordered a box of copies. The media printed almost a full page on my riding accident, with a large photograph of me with my leg in plaster, resting on the box of Longford Reports.

Only a couple of days after the accident, I was to chair a Christian men’s convention. I arrived at the platform on crutches, amidst the rumble of voices from the crowd, obviously wondering what had happened to me. I quoted the Scripture that says: “Vain is he that trust in horses for safety.” The relevance and humour of this satisfied the questioning audience.

1973 - With UK Morals Campaigner Mrs Mary Whitehouse, at large South Australian rally

1973 - Speaking at a morals rally with conviction and purpose

1973 - Described by The Courier Newspaper as the “Action Man around Town”

Adelaide Town Hall large morals campaign (Peter seated left of centre stage)

With Malcom and Kitty Muggeridge after a television debate in 1974

Preaching with passion at Adelaide’s main City square

CHAPTER 7

THE CRUSADE

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 7

THE CRUSADE

Having greatly reduced my outside commitments, I decided to fulfil the promise I had made to Dr John Haggai some time before. I wrote to him, advising him I was available, if he needed help. This was to result in a 14-year commitment that would add a great new dimension to my life.

While I was riding a horse on my farm sometime later, my son Peter called out from the house saying that the United States of America was on the phone and there was man who wanted to talk to me. I responded casually saying, “Pull the other leg.” Then my wife Robina called out, saying that what Peter had said was indeed true. I galloped around the fence and up the road and ran indoors to respond.

The phone call was from Dr John Haggai, who was calling from Atlanta, Georgia in response to my letter. I asked him if he really remembered me and he said, “How could I forget the way you graciously brushed me off by saying you’d contact me later? The amazing thing is that you have kept your word.” My response was one of surprise because I always tend to under commit and over perform, while most people do exactly the opposite.

We made arrangements to meet at the Boulevard Hotel in Sydney when he returned to Australia. Dr John Haggai did not know that I had investigated his organisation and his own personal record as a Baptist pastor, and I had been impressed.

I also discovered that he had conducted many very successful evangelistic crusades, which really excited me. If he wanted me to get involved in the Haggai Institute, then I wanted him to do something in Adelaide, Australia that would further establish his ministry to the wider world. Dr John Haggai’s father was a Syrian Christian, who went to the United States, married an American lady and became a Baptist minister. With part of his heritage from the Middle East, Dr Haggai had olive skin and jet-black hair, and his Syrian profile set him apart in a crowd. His mission was to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western countries. The latter sent missionaries to the Third World areas to proclaim Christianity. However, these missionaries looked different from the local people. They dressed, spoke and ate differently, and had to go home for furloughs to raise funds and to send their children to school. They had no real roots in the countries in which they were serving and to which they were claiming commitment.

Dr John Haggai had the vision of bringing credentialled leaders from the Third World to a neutral location, such as Singapore, and training or retraining them in evangelism, economics, cross-cultural communication, planning and leadership, using a Third World faculty. Dr Haggai knew that there were many theological greats in the Third World who were dynamic Christians, in desperate need of updating their training, so they could then effectively train others and multiply Christian labourers. The strength of this approach was that those trained could go back to their own countries, which often rejected Western missionaries, and they would have no visa, cultural, cuisine or acceptance problems. There would be no need for them to send their children to a Western country for schooling, or for them to have furloughs or external finance. It was a good plan already in operation and I liked it. The disadvantages were the need for care in publicity, as some countries were hostile to the West, and the costs of travel and accommodation, excluding training overheads, were far beyond the financial capacity of most of those who would participate. Thus, a major program had been created to raise finance to bring participants to the Haggai Institute. Although expensive, this was nonetheless cost effective, when compared with the cost effectiveness of traditional missionary programs.

Dr John Haggai had convinced me that I should help and I was prepared to do so, but I also had another agenda. I was concerned that our city had not had an evangelistic crusade for 16 years, where anyone would feel free to come and, in the anonymity of a crowd, hear the gospel without pressure, but with an opportunity to respond, as I had heard it back in 1959. Many who would have been too young to attend the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade were now in their twenties or older and had never had the opportunity to hear a clear presentation of the gospel message. The church leaders and committees who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of our city were oblivious to the problem. However, I could clearly see the need to offer a challenge, with an opportunity to assist those who were unsure about their faith.

As my wife and I flew out of Adelaide to meet with Dr John Haggai in Sydney, I was assured of the prayers and support of those I had met with at Dr Harrold Steward’s early on Saturday mornings for about 15 years. I had previously met with the Adelaide Churches Committee on at least two occasions and tried to persuade them of the need for a crusade. They were courteous but noncommittal and it seemed that the task was too daunting for them. My assessment was that they would wait for some group from the United States to promote, organise and hopefully provide the funds for such an undertaking. I think they were also a little intimidated by my reputation of overcoming obstacles and getting things done.

My resolve was firm, as I had prayed earnestly with others for some years for a Christian revival. It seemed to me that unless I was to put my faith and belief into action, I was only playing church and not serious about it. I had never tackled anything like this before but I had what I believed to be a good plan and I was prepared to put my life and my substance on the line to achieve success.

The meeting with Dr John Haggai at the Boulevard Hotel in Sydney, Australia commenced with the usual pleasantries and we moved to the coffee shop for our full discussion, whereupon I was determined to set the agenda.

I assured Dr John Haggai that whatever happened in the forthcoming discussion, even if his response was negative, I would do whatever I could to support and promote the Haggai Institute. I proceeded to advise him that I had inquired at some depth in respect to his capacity as an evangelist and how God had used him to win thousands to Christ. He thanked me and went on to tell me that his life focus was now on the Haggai Institute and that the evangelistic crusades of the past were behind him. I continued on regardless and explained the desperate need in our city to him. I went on and invited him to conduct one last crusade, in Adelaide, saying that I would be totally responsible. Dr John Haggai smiled and said nothing for a while. He then asked about denominational support and a board of reference. I responded, “I have none, but I am prepared to lose my reputation to save yours and there will be no bills or accounts to pay at the end.”

Dr John Haggai asked me what experience I had in running crusades. I replied, “None, but my good track record as an organiser and in keeping my word can be investigated and validated with confidence.”

Dr John Haggai then turned to his associate Mr Don de Vos, who said nothing. Then he turned back to me with his flashing smile but remained silent. Finally, I said, “Dr Haggai I believe that you are a man who won’t give me the run around and can make decisions, without having to couch your delays or refusals in flowery language.” Again he smiled back at me. I just put out my hand and asked, “Is it a deal?” With that he shook my hand vigorously, and we were ready to proceed.

At the conclusion, Dr John Haggai’s assistant made a half-hearted humorous attempt to wipe his brow. We then set dates for two key promotional meetings with selected guests, individuals and groups, and for a special major meeting to give people a taste of what to expect. On my return to Adelaide, I spoke to the Adelaide Churches Committee and members of the Evangelical Alliance, seeking their support, which would almost guarantee denominational support. However, they could not commit themselves or come to a decision and were almost aghast that I had accomplished so much in so short a time.

Having anticipated the response of these two groups, which had some cross-pollination of leadership, I asked how they would respond if I could get some laymen and pastors to form a group to organise a crusade meeting. Not surprisingly, they responded warmly and with that kind of general support I was on my way. They warned me that I might not understand how difficult it would be to get others to support such an undertaking.

Over the next couple of months, I was able to find twelve outstanding, courageous laymen and pastors who feared nothing but God, and who were prepared to commit themselves totally to the plan I had already prepared. They offered wise council on many aspects of the program. Their general concern was that my plan lacked three major elements. The first was a counsellor training program, which we quickly developed by the good grace of Mr Roy Robertson, who had been in Indonesia as a senior trainer with the Navigators. The Navigators was founded by Dawson Trotman and was at that time, and probably still is, the foremost program in the world in winning people to Christ. The counsellor training program proved to be one of the most dynamic parts of the crusade. Over a two-week period 1,092 counsellors were trained.

The second element suggested by my team was to provide a warm up to the crusade by obtaining three young musicians from Nashville. A young man called Paul Wightman, who was the South Australian Executive Director for Youth for Christ, magnificently organised 42 gospel concerts at high schools and youth rallies. He was a dynamic leader, whom I had been helping to come to grips with a management style.

While the youth programs were taking place my regional rally co-ordinator, Pastor Ian Dunn, with the help of others, arranged some mini crusades and special outreach meetings with Dr Clarence Sands, whom I had flown in from the prestigious First Baptist Church in San Jose, California. Dr Clarence Sands and his lovely wife Lorretta were driven and flown around at an almost reckless pace, to hold pre-crusade meetings in many different locations.

The third element suggested by my team was to have a large choir. This was ably organised by Rev Phil Carr, who was a chaplain at the Flinders University of South Australia. A major anchor for the whole process was the steadying influence of Rev Doug Lawrence, who was always available with sound advice and judgement at every level. An interesting aspect of my continuing relationship with Doug and his able wife Marie was that their daughter Sharon and our son Peter Junior met and fell in love, when Sharon came to our office to help as a volunteer. To our great joy, they married and gave us two wonderful grandchildren. So, on that basis, our two friends Doug and Marie became our relatives and we were truly blessed.

We established a board of reference by invitation, made up of prominent people from different denominations and Christian organisations, who eagerly supported us as best they could, without having the total authority to represent their governing bodies.

The main event before the crusade was an official church and public introduction to gain maximum support and recognition. It was decided to make this a major event. I had been previously warned by some members of the Evangelical Alliance and the Adelaide Churches Committee that I must not get disheartened if only a small number of people came to the pre-crusade meeting. Little did they know what I had in mind.

We flew Dr John Haggai in from Singapore and he brought with him a famous Australian Pastor, Dr Ernest Watson, who was the Dean of the Haggai Institute in Singapore. They came to a special pre-crusade meeting to speak and, in a sense, to be evaluated by those who attended.

I had learnt many years before that crowds were rarely a miracle but what God did with a crowd was always a miracle. To the surprise of my able committee, I hired the Dom Polski Centre, which was a prestigious venue that could comfortably accommodate just over 800 people, and had the advantage of a large stage and ample parking. Some members of our group were very anxious about such a large venue, without denominational support for the pre-crusade meeting, which was really just an introduction. Those with concerns, who were invited, were soon to be surprised at what took place.

As I was busy walking around town, I accidentally bumped into one of the people from the Adelaide Churches Committee who had not been prepared to endorse the crusade earlier and had now become quite negative about what we were doing. He warned me not to anticipate many people at the pre-crusade meeting. When I asked him how many he thought I could expect, he suggested that I would be fortunate if 30 or 40 people came.

About that time, I received a general invitation from the President and the White House in the United States to attend a Payer Breakfast. Although I knew I would not be able to accept, I was fascinated by the quality of the invitation and from that invitation a promotional idea was birthed.

What I finally did was to copy the invitation I had received from the White House, take out the presidential seal and use it as a basis for artwork to create the invitation for the pre-crusade event of the Haggai Crusade.

The whole process then expanded to the point that I had the quality parchment for the invitation and RSVP produced in white, cream and blue to signify the positions of seating and the types of person invited. It worked this way: white was for VIPs from the whole of society; cream was for special Christian groups; and blue was for the remainder. Our program and presentation were impressive, with a 100-voice choir to commence proceedings, followed by a welcome and special recognition of the VIPs, and then information relating to the crusade itself. Dr John Haggai gave a magnificent address. The very special Aboriginal Ernabella Choir, which we motored down from the outback, sang in their native tongue to the glory of God. The finale involved our large choir. It was quite a breath-taking event, even from the time of arrival, with our young ladies, wearing royal blue and gold banners from shoulder to waist, seating people in their proper order and handing out brochures. The whole event was filmed and photographed and ran so smoothly that it seemed to inspire all those who attended.

It was a shock to those who opposed the crusade. They were generally the ones who had previously held the reins of evangelical events in the city. I am sure, they felt somewhat upstaged by my obvious persistence and ability to get things done, particularly as I “came from the other side of the tracks”, so to speak and also had gained the added support of many charismatic and independent churches.

We had exactly 700 people at the pre-crusade meeting, including VIPs, such as parliamentarians, mayors and leaders from commerce, industry and religious organisations. The question that was on everyone’s lips was how we managed to get so many quality people to attend. It is only in recent years that I have told some people how we drew that crowd to support an unknown group that was presenting a Christian crusade, without denominational support and with no track record.

The method was simple but it required a lot of hard work by a group of dedicated typists. Some of them were volunteers and some were paid. They worked 24 hours a day, in three different eight-hour shifts, and typed names on invitations and addressed envelopes to 16,000 people (before the days of computers), in order to attract the 700 who attended that wonderful evening. This is in line with my philosophy of living: under commit and over perform.

We all had to come down to earth after the tremendous success of the pre-crusade meeting and to become very seriously involved in preparation for the crusade proper.

My real estate office building in the city was used as the Haggai Crusade Headquarters and the first floor was the area assigned for all crusade preparation, which meant there was a continuous flow of people walking through our ground floor reception and up the stairs, in and out all the time.

While we were in full flight in readiness for the major event some members of the Evangelical Alliance and Adelaide Church Committee asked to meet with me to discuss what was happening. To my dismay they asked me to abort the process and consider reprogramming the event. Then they said that they would get involved. I responded in the negative and they then became somewhat difficult and wanted to meet a direct representative of the Haggai Institute for discussion.

Trying to appease them, I flew Mr Don de Vos, Dr John Haggai’s right-hand man, to Adelaide to find out what all the fuss was about, particularly as everything was going so well.

I arranged a meeting for the concerned people and some of my committee members with Don de Vos. There were complaints about the glossy brochures and my management style, and some concerns about the timing of the crusade and the people involved in counselling. One of our committee members described the problem as “sour grapes”. We were more resolved than ever to continue with our program and so, with firm resolve and good grace, we agreed to disagree and heard no more from them. In a limited way, we retained their friendship and respect from that moment.

The promotion before and even a couple of days after the arrival of Dr John Haggai for the crusade proper involved newspaper, radio and Christian periodicals. Unfortunately, although certain denominations agreed to allow us to leave Haggai Crusade promotional and other material at their denominational headquarters, to be forwarded to all their pastors, the material did not get through the system and we had to adopt a different approach. Although it seems strange today, back in 1976 television advertising for Christian events in Australia did not occur. We were the first to use the television screen, with punchy television spots relating to the Haggai Crusade. Thus, we went straight to the people bypassing the obstructions and achieving the breakthrough we needed.

There was great expectation as Dr John Haggai arrived in Adelaide for the crusade. Little did I suspect what was to take place in the crusade meeting, and more surprisingly in the streets, with the media and also with our Governor. The usual newspaper and television interviews were established and handled with a great deal of skill by Dr John Haggai. I particularly wanted him to meet our Governor Sir Mark Oliphant, who was a great international scientist and a confirmed atheist. Believing that it would create some interesting dialogue, I wrote to His Excellency, asking him to receive Dr John Haggai. As the events unfolded, we had a Jesus march through the city, culminating in a magnificent address by Dr John Haggai in a city square and a full-house meeting at the Festival Theatre, with nearly 2,000 women listening to Dr John Haggai speak on “How to Win over Worry”. The event at the Festival Theatre included Jim Kearse, an outstanding country-western style gospel singer, whom we had flown in from Kentucky to be our featured soloist. Marie Lawrence, Reverend Doug Lawrence’s wife, was well known for her ability to organise and was chairperson for the women’s convention. She did an outstanding job almost single handedly, creating the program and getting women along to the Festival Theatre meeting.

During the early part of Dr John Haggai’s visit, we held a special luncheon for 500 businessmen, who purchased tickets to hear Dr John Haggai speak on international affairs and the impact the good news of Jesus Christ could bring to their lives. He received a standing ovation. At the conclusion of the luncheon, I was approached by news media reporters, who were very impressed and asked whether or not Dr John Haggai was going to speak to the Government.

In response to that question from the news media, I was reluctant to say very much because I had already received a reply from our Governor stating that he was not interested in meeting with an American Evangelist who travelled the world ostentatiously and lived luxuriously. My written response to the Governor was simply, “Should we look after our spiritual leaders any less well than we look after our governmental leaders?” I was implying that while he was living in a glorious mansion with servants at his beck and call, it was rather audacious for him to criticise others who lived somewhat similarly. I was later told that he found this difficult to rebuff.

My response to the media was that I had made certain contacts but that they had not been interested. Now, sensing a story, they started to interrogate me to try and discover whom I had contacted. As they named some of the State leaders, I kept shaking my head, until they named the Governor. I then made no response but excused myself because we had to drive about 200 miles to Naracoorte for a large crusade meeting.

After we left the media contacted the Governor’s office. The story exploded, unbeknown to me because we were travelling out of communication range (before the days of mobile phones).

Before that, there had been a reduction in media attention. Our prayer group had been diligently in prayer for months. When they asked for any items of concern, I said that we were losing momentum and what was needed was a wholesome interesting controversy. Little did I know that such a controversy was brewing with the Governor. On contact with the Governor’s office and finding out that he and I had exchanged letters, a newspaper reporter had evidently suggested that I had released all the personal correspondence between the Governor and myself, which was not the case. The Governor’s letter to me is probably still packed away in our archives somewhere.

When we arrived at Naracoorte the telephones were running hot. The media were hounding me, trying to persuade me to release the correspondence between the Governor and myself. I refused to do so, even when they told me that they had received an angry response from the Governor’s office. The outcome was that the Governor was misled by the media and, thinking that I had released our private correspondence, he responded with an unpleasant outburst. The media published this, only to find themselves in a quandary when asked to produce my copies of the letters, which, of course, they did not have.

The meeting at Naracoorte was a wonderful event with 1,200 people from many other country towns participating and responding to the claims of Christ. On returning to Adelaide we ran headlong into frontpage news and a controversy of great proportions. This gave us enormous visibility, with very little negativity, since the media could not produce any copies of my personal correspondence. Finally, it seems, the Governor realised his mistake. A senior well-respected newspaper journalist phoned my wife and told her that he had to get the Governor out of this difficult situation. Although he respected me he told my wife that in the next morning’s newspaper he was going to vindicate His Excellency. He did this, with very little apparent damage to me or the Crusade, for which I was very grateful.

The Haggai Crusade continued with capacity crowds at the Apollo Stadium and other meetings as well. However, the media kept away and would neither attend nor report the meetings, following the fiasco with the Governor, which meant that to the man in the street the crusade was a non-event. I had to take some action.

Toward the end of the campaign, at one of our large evening meetings, I decided I would address the crowd. I told them that in an encounter with the media that afternoon I had reported that people’s lives were being dramatically changed as they committed themselves to Jesus Christ and that many families were being brought back together. I suggested that surely, with the size of the crowds attending and the positive responses, the crusade had to be good news and a worthy event for media coverage.

The media had told me they were not interested in Christian gatherings but said that if I were prepared to give my gutsy responses to pornography they would be more than interested. However, they could not see any reason to report an evangelistic crusade. Relating part of my dialogue with the newspapers, which were also affiliated with the television channels and radio stations, I suggested to the crowd that while the news media might not be interested in us we were certainly interested in them. I suggested that we all phone the media the next morning and tell them that we cared for them, loved them and were praying for them. I asked all those who were prepared to phone the media the following morning to stand up. About 2,000 responded.

It wasn’t very late in the next morning that the newspapers contacted me, very upset because the phone lines were being jammed by people who were telling them that they were praying for them and that they loved them. One media caller suggested that they would sue me, to which I responded with laughter. I said, “If you even get to court and the Judge asks you what charges you have to make against these people, you would have to respond by telling the court that they cared for us, were praying for us and loved us, and they wanted us to know.” I continued with, “It would echo around the world and you would become the laughing stock of journalism.” That night at the crusade, the newspaper, the television and the radio journalists were present, reporting what was happening. We were very grateful.

While all this was going on, the former Aide to the Governor of Georgia flew to Australia in case Dr John Haggai needed some extra support, which was a very nice gesture. The crusade continued without a hitch and the whole committee worked with excellence and good humour, knowing that many people were committing their lives to Christ at the crusade and a large number had also done so at the pre-crusade meetings and gospel concerts.

I had made a commitment to Dr John Haggai that we would meet all of his and his team’s accommodation and travel expenses, as well as providing some special gifts of finance to some team members from the United States. On the last night we wanted the Haggai Institute to accept, as a gift, the total offerings, which amounted to $10,000 - a considerable sum in 1976.

Although some individuals gave sacrificially to the crusade, including one man who sold his antique motor bike and side-car and donated the money, another who sold his guitars and gave the money, and many who came and gave every night, we still had a very considerable financial deficit.

Dr John Haggai and I had made an arrangement many months before and we both are people who keep our commitments. No one mentioned the deficit at the conclusion of the crusade. It was generally expected that I would pay it, which I did. This meant more hard work, stimulating my real estate business, which had suffered to some extent from neglect over the previous six months.

I was thrilled to be part of it all and felt privileged that God would allow me the honour of instigating the event, working and solving problems along the way, and finally paying the deficit at the end. This left me feeling blessed.

1973 - With Dr John Haggai at the Boulevard Hotel in Sydney where he agreed to conduct a crusade in Adelaide

1976 - Together with Dr Harrold and Gwenda Steward waiting for the arrival of Dr John Haggai

Haggai Crusade Management Team in front of office building of Peter J Daniels Real Estate

1974 - Peter with the Hon Bill Sneddon, National Parliamentary leader, at Free Enterprise rally

Crowds attending Dr John Haggai Cusade at Memorial Drive Adelaide

Part of the crowd coming forward for counselling during Dr John Haggai Crusade

CHAPTER 8

ABOUT MY FATHER’S BUSINESS

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 8

ABOUT MY FATHER’S BUSINESS

Following the Haggai Crusade, Dr John Haggai asked if I would accept an invitation to join his Australian National Board of Directors that was chaired by Sir Bruce Small. At almost the same time, Paul Wightman, whom I was helping, evidently sent a message to the national office of Youth for Christ and I was asked to become Vice-President of Youth for Christ Australia. I readily accepted both appointments, knowing full well the commitments of time and finance that would be expected.

Raising funds for the Haggai Institute and Youth for Christ Australia brought no conflicts. Sometimes I would go from one board meeting to the other on the same day. Australian air travel became a constant part of my business and Christian experience in the latter part of 1976. It was around this time that the United States of America was experiencing the embarrassment of the Watergate scandal, together with protests against the war in Vietnam. They were receiving bad press and I was particularly concerned that much of it disregarded the good that America had done in the past. This bothered me greatly.

I often thought and prayed for the great nation of the United States of America. I felt deeply that I could and should do something about it. I remembered how the United States had rescued Australia from the Japanese invasion in World War II and how, as a shoe-shine boy for the American GIs, I would see the small inadequately armed Australian Infantry group march past, as I sat on the kerb with three rubber corks in my pocket, ready to put one of the two smaller corks into each ear and the larger one in my mouth to bite on if the bombs came. Thankfully the bombs never reached us. Later I would sit and watch the United States Army march by with an enormous amount of equipment and a large numbers of soldiers. Each GI would call out to me and ask if I had an older sister.

It is an historical fact that, although Australia was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Army in Darwin, Broome and Sydney Harbour, and the Japanese already had currency printed to take over our nation, we were never invaded because of the United States of America’s military intervention, and the marvellous, heroic, sacrificial efforts of the Australian infantry in New Guinea, immediately to the north of Australia.

The American people prayed for and financed Billy Graham’s visit to Australia, which led to the conversion of many Australians, including me. I developed a hunger to learn when I first encountered American self-help books, such as Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, W Clement Stone’s How to Succeed through a Positive Mental Attitude, Dr Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking and many others. These, together with my intense Bible study, blessed me and encouraged me to strive further.

How then could I sit back and accept the benevolence of United States of America and not respond to their national anguish. The situation reminded me vividly of the ten lepers in the Bible who were healed and only one returned to say “Thank you.” So, I made a decision that I would take my children, who were all in their teens, and my wife Robina to the United States of America to say “Thank you” for all the good they had done, on behalf of Australia and the rest of the world. I took our family on its first overseas trip when I was 44 years of age, determined to thank the Americans and somehow make them feel better about themselves. Now as I look back, I wonder who I was kidding. There was the United States with almost a quarter billion people and a land mass equal to that of Australia and there was I, with a few contacts, having been prayerfully commissioned with laying-on-of-hands by Dr Harrold Steward and my fellow prayer warriors in Australia. I was, however, conscious that the beginning of a new era in my life was about to commence, so, with much luggage, a wallet full of money and plane tickets, we set off not knowing what to expect. We were excited and confident that God in His grace was guiding and protecting us, as we continued to live on the edge.

Looking back, it was an exciting time to be alive. We were met in San Francisco by Bud Schaffer, who had helped me in the Haggai Crusade and was now back home in the United States of America.

Almost right from the beginning, the impact was surprising and the Americans could not believe that someone would make the long trip across the Pacific, paying his own way, to say “Thank you.”

Our teenage children were wonderfully received, not only because of their accent, easy manner, and strong Christian personalities but also for their music. Peter Junior played the Blue Grass banjo and Graham the guitar, and Deborah sang with the boys to make up the musical trio. I spoke to the crowds and Robina made sure the tickets and accommodation were in order, kept us to timetables and saw that we ate well.

Although we were incredibly busy with radio and some television, and continual requests to do more, we had special times amidst the work and were still able to focus on the reason for our visit.

Dr Billy Graham invited me to speak at his large crusade in South Bend, Indiana, where we met personally with him and most of his team members, and participated in the excitement and many of the meetings associated with the main event. Meeting with Dr Billy Graham and presenting him with an Australian boomerang was somewhat emotional for me, as I had given my life to Christ at Billy Graham’s South Australian Crusade. I recognised the enormous changes we had all experienced since that significant event.

Our time in the United States was exciting. Dr John Haggai arranged a special opportunity for me to speak at the Atlanta Board of Realtors in the Peach Tree Hotel. I then spoke at the Second Poncede Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia and brought the people to their feet. After the service the owner of a bank presented me with a very expensive, hand-carved, gold and ruby tiepin to mark the occasion.

For many years I had subscribed to a magazine called Success Unlimited, which was produced in Chicago by W Clement Stone, who established the Combined Insurance Company of America. He shared his proven and successful principles and faith with others to help them succeed economically and lead better and more productive lives. W Clement Stone became so famous that he was called Mr PMA, which stood for Positive Mental Attitude. His simple but effective life formula and his generosity in financing many Christian and other good causes inspired me greatly, especially because of his impoverished background. He demonstrated a life philosophy, a faith in God and perseverance, together with a continued re-evaluation of progress and a PMA. He achieved phenomenal success while he stayed in love with his first wife.

Much to my surprise, while travelling we received a phone call from Mr Stone’s office, saying that he would like to meet me at a PMA rally that was to be held in Birmingham, Alabama. This was some considerable distance from where we were at the time. However, I did not hesitate to respond in the affirmative. I spoke to my two sons and asked them whether, if we hired a motor car, they would feel confident to drive on the right-hand side of the road over the long distance we would have to travel. Because all my life in Australia I had driven on the left-hand side of the road, I felt I might make a mistake and cause an accident if I drove that long distance on the right-hand side of the road. Our two boys had no such apprehension and by alternating the driving enabled us to arrive at the destination on time.

When we booked into our hotel, I wondered what I would say to this great man and how would I react to his dynamic but unusual personality. We were directed to a venue not far from the hotel. To our surprise there were over 10,000 people in a great auditorium. We were quickly escorted to the front seats and introduced to Mr Stone. After a few relaxed pleasantries we sat down next to each other, conversed and enjoyed the program.

The speakers that evening were W Clement Stone, Cavett Robert, Mary Kay, Paul Harvey, Dr Robert Schuller and Zig Zigler, who was at that time in the starting phase of his career. What a night it was!

The quality of the speakers, the enthusiasm of the crowd and the depth of the information presented, made it one of the most unforgettable times of my life. I anxiously waited for Mr W Clement Stone to give his address to conclude the evening. As Mr Stone walked to the microphone, to the thunderous applause of the crowd, he stood silent for a moment with a massive United States Stars and Stripes flag behind him. He delivered an outstanding address on PMA and defeating fear and expanding your boundaries. He emphasised that knowledge is only power if you know how to use it and put it into action. At the conclusion the crowd jumped to their feet and applauded enthusiastically.

As Mr Stone resumed his seat I prepared myself for the closing ceremony. He turned to me and said, “Well, Mr Daniels, you’re on next.” I responded in a bewildered fashion with the words, “What do you want me to say?” Immediately Mr Stone responded, “Say something positive!”

Looking at the huge flag and adjusting myself to the stage and the microphone, I explained why we were visiting the United States. I thanked the people for their generosity and help for the entire world and in particular Australia, and finished with the words, “I do not know of any nation that is strong enough, benevolent enough, willing enough or able enough to lead the world into the 21st century, except the United States of America.” With that, I raised my right hand toward my forehead and closed my address with the words, “I salute you.” All the 10,000 people erupted, springing to their feet, hollering, shouting, clapping and throwing their hats in the air. This continued as I walked slowly down to my seat. It almost sent me into shock. Mr Stone was clapping and laughing, and said, “You stole the whole show! You stole the whole show!” I replied quite meekly, “Mr Stone I did not intend to steal anything.” I was completely overawed with the whole event. People came up to me, slapping me on the back and wanting to shake my hand.

When we went back to our hotel room that night it almost seemed like a dream, but there was more to come. We received a message that Mr Stone would like to have us come to his home in Chicago for lunch. He arranged and paid for our accommodation at the O’Hare Hilton Airport Hotel and also arranged for his limousine to escort us to the hotel, to his home and back again. All we had to do was to get to Chicago, which we did. We arrived and met with Mr and Mrs Stone for a meal in their magnificent mansion on the banks of Lake Michigan. We marvelled at the artwork on display and splendour of the whole residence. Before the meal Mr Stone offered a prayer of thanks. We talked through the entire feast.

Mr Stone also arranged for a journalist to attend that afternoon to write a story about me for the Success Unlimited magazine, while he played billiards with our family in the basement. It was an unforgettable experience, being with one of my heroes. It was like a dream come true.

At the end of my interview with the journalist, Mr Stone asked if he could do anything for us. He asked, “What is your pleasure?” I replied that when we left him we were going to Disneyland in California and then go back home to Australia. Almost before I had finished speaking, he insisted that we leave all the arrangements entirely to him. He said he would cover all the costs. This left us all feeling a bit numb.

True to his word, Mr Stone had all our tickets waiting for us at Disneyland, and Mickey Mouse met us at the City Hall with an entourage of photographers. We almost became the stars of Disneyland and had a wonderful time.

When we returned to Australia I found my real estate company in the doldrums. Very little had happened in my absence, which was probably a prelude to an imminent real estate recession. However, I was able to improve our situation to some extent.

Another major change followed some weeks later when the Success Unlimited magazine featured my life and family, and our visit to the United States. On the cover of the magazine was a picture of Dr Robert Schuller, gesturing as he made a point at the PMA rally I had attended in Birmingham, Alabama with Mr Stone. I had seen Dr Schuller’s program called the Hour of Power on television and although it did not impress me much, I could see how it could be of tremendous benefit to a lot of people, particularly in Australia.

With the magazine in my hand, looking at Dr Schuller’s photograph on the cover, I felt compelled to phone the Hour of Power office in Sydney to see if I could be of any assistance. The phone call was a simple enquiry to see if I could help. When I mentioned my name, saying that I was ringing from Adelaide and enquiring if they knew me, the quick reply was, “Oh yes, we do.” Unbeknown to me the Executive Director of Hour of Power Australia, an American called Gil Amelio, together with one of the Australian Directors, Stubb Root, also an American, who grew cotton in the north of Australia, had just been discussing the article in Success Unlimited magazine. It was open on the desk in front of them at the page with my photograph on it and they had remarked, “This is the kind of man we need to help the Robert Schuller ministry here in Australia.”

Following my conversation with Gil Amelio we met in Sydney for lunch. I was asked if I would assist with the ministry and accept an invitation to join the Board of Directors, in an Honorary capacity as they were “bleeding financially”. I think these were the words he used. They were far behind in paying their accounts. Eventually I accepted and became a board member, only to find out that they were not only bleeding but in fact haemorrhaging, and the Garden Grove Community Church in the United States of America, the headquarters of the work, was not in much better shape financially.

During the next few days, as we spent time together, it was clear to me that any donation that I gave them would have to be repeated every month and maybe even every week to keep the program on television. My recommendation was simple. If the program was as good as they thought it was and if it was helping as many people as they believed it was, why didn’t they go direct on television, tell the viewers the truth and ask them to contribute? My suggestion brought a stunned silence, followed by an avalanche of reasons why this could not be done. The most forbidding reason was that Dr Schuller would not allow it.

My response was simple, “If this program is taken off television then the people who need it will be deprived of necessary help if there is nothing to replace it.” In addition, I pointed out that we would go into liquidation and that, while Dr Schuller would not be in Australia to attend the creditors’ meeting, each one of the Directors, including myself, would have to accept the responsibility and the humiliation. After hearing several times that Dr Schuller would not allow it, I finally responded by saying that he was not here and it was up to us to keep the program going. It was finally decided that a fundraising program would be created called “The Growing 5,000”. Gil Amelio, who was an artist, produced a suitable illustration and we created the program. It consisted of providing viewers with copy sermons, a gift each month and a certificate of membership for a donation that could be paid monthly, quarterly or even yearly.

The discussion then focussed on the amount we should request. It was difficult to obtain a consensus. Finally, it was decided that I should be the one to go on television to present the opportunity and so I insisted that I set the amount. This was finally accepted. The 12 minutes I had on television for the Hour of Power produced immediate results, with donations solving our financial needs then and, with an occasional stimulus, right up to the time of writing this book. As a matter of fact, the Hour of Power USA adopted our approach, with some modifications, and it has been assisting them over many years.

Our Directors were very concerned about the response from Dr Robert Schuller but I had no such concern because I knew that when he saw what we did and learned of the response everything would be fine. The response from the Hour of Power in the United States was almost immediate. I received a phone call from Charles Cringle, who was the financial controller of the United States operations at that time, and he told me how pleased Dr Schuller was with the way in which the ministry had been rescued. He said that he was calling on behalf of Dr Schuller to thank me. Looking back now, after so many years, it seems that I was a little rough on the phone when I responded to Charles, “Well, if Dr Schuller really appreciated what we did, then why didn’t he call me direct?” Charles Cringle responded, “You see Dr Schuller is a very busy man.” With that comment I hung up the phone.

Within a few minutes Charles Cringle phoned back and said he thought we had been cut off. I said, “No, I hung up on you. If Dr Schuller really appreciated what was done then he needs to have the good manners to call me himself. “With that we finished our telephone conversation.

While I was working in my office the next day, Dr Robert Schuller did call me and thank me. He invited me to be a member of the International Board of Directors of the Hour of Power and explained that they met several times a year, with each board member being expected to attend.

I explained to Dr Robert Schuller that because all his other directors lived in North America this may not pose a problem to them, but I was living at the other side of the world. I said that despite all my business commitments I would do my best but I would definitely not be able to attend every meeting.

After consultation with his other board members, Dr Robert Schuller called me back and repeated his invitation. I accepted. I attended every meeting I possibly could, which generally meant flying to California for 48 hours and then flying direct back home to Australia. I continued to do that for nearly ten years. In the subsequent ten years I went with my wife and also pursued other interests in the United States.

Over the following years I was to spend co-jointly: 15 years as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Youth for Christ Australia; 11 years as International Director and International Treasurer for Youth for Christ International; and 14 years with the Haggai Institute of Advanced Leadership studies, eventually as Chairman of the Australian Board, and then as a Director on the International Board. My other major commitments were almost 20 years on the National and International Boards of Directors of the Hour of Power television ministry, running my own business, being chairman of other companies, and rescuing some corporations and ministries that were in financial and managerial difficulties, both in Australian and overseas … but I am getting ahead of myself.

About this time I had an unusual setback. My energy level dwindled so seriously that I had to seek medical attention. Leukaemia was suspected from the blood tests. This had to be taken seriously.

The illness caused unbearable fatigue, which caused me to go to sleep involuntarily early in the afternoon. Just before I went to sleep one day, I opened my Bible at Joshua 14 and the story of Caleb leapt off the page at me. As I read with relish the story of this great man of God, who said, “Thou has kept me these forty and five years” (which was my age at the time) and noticed how he referred to his age of 85 years at the time of making the request to God, “Give me this mountain”, I was stirred by our similarities.

There I was at 45 years of age, having been converted at 26 years of age. I wrote on the back of a cereal packet what I wanted to have achieved for God by my 85th birthday, before I moved into second gear. I immediately identified with Caleb of old. I stirred my weak body and hurried to the kitchen to tell my wife that I believed God had spoken to me through the biblical character of Caleb. With the age links and the challenge presented, I knew that all would be well.

As a tribute to the occasion and to celebrate my recovery, which came soon after, I had a medal struck called the “Peter Daniels Caleb Encouragement Award”. It had an illustration of Caleb, bare-chested and with muscles bulging, embossed on metal, with the words “God give me this mountain” and the appropriate biblical chapter and verse reference.

I had some of these medals made in gold, silver and bronze. They have been presented all over the world in recognition of achievement and for encouragement, together with, at times, a financial gift.

By way of explanation, the suspected leukaemia was further investigated by bone marrow tests and I was subject to a large number of special vitamin injections. Later it was discovered that the condition had occurred because a special fluid used to drench cattle had leaked onto my hands and penetrated my skin, while I was working with cattle at our farm.

It was now nearly 1978 and I had spent an enormous amount of time, energy and resources stimulating various Christian ministries, as well as running my own business to try and prime the economic pump. However, now we were in a falling real estate market and business was at an all time low.

Some of my contemporaries had closed their doors and others “hung on by the skin of their teeth” but I could not get rid of my sense of urgency to achieve productive and measurable results. I made it a matter of diligent prayer and God gave me a bright idea.

It seemed to me that the real estate recession would last for about three or four years before a buoyant market returned, and that there were many investors, large and small, who were prepared to persevere. It was toward those that I directed my attention.

Up until now we had avoided handling rental properties but now times were different and I needed to adjust my priorities. My plan was simple, i.e. rather than chasing sellers in a reducing market, I would pursue rentals and leasing by offering a better service than others were offering. I would train staff and employ a rental inspector who would inspect every rental property that we managed on a regular basis and send an inspection report to the owners of each property regularly, giving updated details on conditions, problems and repairs that had been undertaken. This would all be done for the same percentage price that was charged by our competitors.

Achieving results was not easy. It took perseverance and time, as many investors preferred to manage their own property rentals to save the real estate agent’s fee. However, we did succeed. It became apparent to me that an added benefit of handling rental properties was that we were often asked to sell them when the owners wanted them sold.

With this new business we needed more office space. I sold our existing office and purchased a much larger property, which also gave additional rental-free space for the local Youth for Christ team. We restructured and renovated to meet our own needs perfectly.

By now our daughter Deborah was working as a receptionist and typist in our office, alongside the other staff. It was pure joy to see her sparkling eyes and wonderful smile and to enjoy her captivating personality every time I walked out of my office.

Over the next couple of years, we rebuilt our sales team and expanded our rental business, which became quite substantial. Then another blow struck. Petrol shortages caused fuel prices to rise and petrol was often difficult to obtain. It appeared that this could be a long-term situation. If I was to stay in business, I needed to remain mobile and so I had to develop a plan.

My answer to the fuel crisis came in two parts. First, I purchased as many old Italian Fiat 500 motor cars as I could, since these gave up to 50 miles per gallon. I restored them and painted my name on their sides in big letters. Because they were so tiny I had large, metal, wind-up-toy keys made, and one was affixed to the roof of each vehicle. This tended to emphasise the smallness of the Fiat 500 underneath. It made the car look like a wind-up-toy car and became a major “head turner”. We benefited from both the advertising and the transportation.

The second part of the plan was somewhat more daring. We developed a special marketing plan to increase our rental business by creating mock credit cards, marked with our name. These cards were individually and separately numbered and we sent them to every registered real estate salesman in the State, with a covering letter, stating that we would pay a commission equivalent to the first week’s rent for any rental property they directed towards our office.

In almost all the other real estate offices the salesmen rarely received any financial benefit from directing rental properties toward their own company, so they didn’t bother. The results that we gained through our “credit cards” were explosive. First, we received more rental properties. Secondly, other real estate companies phoned and complained that we were interfering with their internal management systems. I don’t know to this day what they were complaining about because my office was the only real estate office that did not open or work on Sundays, which meant I was out of the way on what they considered to be their most prosperous day.

To top it all off, I received a warning from the Consumer Affairs Department that the mock credit cards were too realistic, with the suggestion that they were “on the edge”. Then finally the powerful Government Land Agents Board sent me an official letter, stimulated by the complaints they had received from other real estate agents, requesting me to attend a specially convened meeting. The date and time were set but I ignored the request. As I did not respond or attend the meeting, I received a phone call from the secretary, enquiring why I had not attended the meeting.

I pointed out to the gentleman who phoned that the letter had quite clearly presented a request and therefore I had the option of declining, which was what I had done. I went on to say that if they had a legal charge to make against me then they could spell it out clearly in writing and make it a demand, and I would definitely respond.

It was quite obvious that I had not broken any rules of the Real Estate Institute or the Land Agents Board because I heard no more from them. However, complaints from other agents poured in, as they realised they had missed a great opportunity.

Another matter, at about the same time, that bothered me was the possibility of unionising the real estate industry by way of an industrial award. I met with 700 other agents at a mass meeting and it seemed to me I was the only one who was opposed to the possibility.

The object of the industrial award was twofold. First, to give the sales people less commission but to couch this in other benefits that would cost a great deal less than the reduction made, and secondly to exert more control over their working hours and tenure. I opposed both because I reasoned that sales people are a special breed and need to have as much freedom as possible to exercise their ability and independence, and I also wanted to pay them the maximum amount affordable to increase their incentive to perform.

The result was that when the courts handed down the ruling for a Real Estate Industrial Award they announced it was for the entire South Australian Real Estate Industry, with the exception of Peter J Daniels Real Estate, which had applied for and had obtained that day a separate industrial award. Nothing really changed for us and from then on we had salesmen from other companies wanting to work with us, to earn more and retain their individuality. These were certainly interesting times, and kept me on the edge, where the view was challenging.

I guess I should say here that I am not opposed to organised trade unions because they provide a useful bargaining tool against unscrupulous governments, capitalists and industrialists, but I believe that greed and power can corrupt, and has corrupted, all those mentioned and has caused them to bully and blackmail others, to which I strongly object.

We finally finished our new building. Dr John Haggai dedicated and opened it on 5th of March 1980.

I had some other matters also that required attention. My elderly mother-in-law phoned one evening, very upset because her electricity had cut out and she had to rely on candles and a battery radio, and of course had no television.

The situation was that the unions had a dispute with the Government at a power station, and domestic and industrial electricity supplies, with the exception of those for essential services, were stopped. Many people were walking around their houses in darkness.

It appeared that negotiation between the two parties had reached a deadlock. To put it mildly, I was annoyed to think that people who were employed to do a job and those who employed them to do it, could not, or would not, reach an agreement to supply electricity to our homes and factories. This caused me to believe that something ought to be done and I thought that perhaps I should try my hand at it.

After speaking with the people at the power station and making various other extensive enquiries, I was able to find qualified people whom I could employ to go and work the generators at the power station until a settlement was reached. I thought this would be a reasonable answer to a difficult problem.

The response from the power station and those in charge at Government level was negative, suspicious and extremely cautious, while the response from the unions was arrogant, hostile and defensive. It reached boiling point. A newspaper report said, “Daniels Brings in Toughs to Break Union Deadlock” and indicated that women were prepared to go out to protect me if the unions “got rough”.

Eventually with increasing public pressure and my action, as well as tiredness on both sides, an agreement was reached and the lights went on again.

The next problem in those turbulent times was that bank clerks went on strike, which made it impossible to finalise contracts, transfer securities and obtain the large funds necessary to pay wages. I was completely dismayed. After several attempts to conduct my normal financial transactions without success, I decided on a direct course of action in order to continue my business activities. I went to the bank and demanded my money. When staff apologised and said they were on strike I spoke to the manager. I said that under the contract we had entered into between my business and his bank, he had agreed to hold my funds and to release them to me on request. Now I was not only requesting but demanding my money. I said that if he did not release it to me, I would come with a policeman and charge him with theft. I went on to say that after he was arrested, I would contact the radio, press and television networks and tell them what I had done and suggest that the rest of the community do the same. The bank manager pleaded with me to wait a couple more days but I had had enough. He then assured me that they would sort it out. I responded I would wait two hours only. In fact, I did not need to wait two hours because within 30 minutes the strike was called off.

After all that you would think I would have stopped but it must have been the climate of the times because before long we had the threat of a bread strike and not to be caught flat-footed, I immediately secured a source of bread from distant non-union country bakeries. I was prepared to get trucks to carry the bread and to give it away on street corners. However, thankfully the strikes ended and I was able to concentrate on more productive efforts.

Dr Billy Graham (second from left) together with the Daniels family during their “Thank you” tour to the USA in 1977

One of the eleven restored Fiats

With W Clement Stone after the PMA rally in 1977

Speaking to 10,000 people at the Positive Mental Attitude rally in Birmingham, Alabama

Tony Featherston, Peter Daniels, John Townend and Gil Amelio waiting for the television launch of the Hour of Power “Growing 5000’ campaign

Together with Dr Robert Schuller during our first meeting in 1978

1989 - International Board Robert H Schuller Ministries Front Row (L to R): Victor Andrews, Arvella & Robert Schuller, Bill Bailey Back Row (L to R): Peter Daniels, Ronald Glossser, Fred Southard, Vern Dragt, Henry Block, Rick DeVos, Bert SerVaas, George Shinn

CHAPTER 9

A VIEW OF THE WORLD

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 9

A VIEW OF THE WORLD

My position as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Youth for Christ Australia necessitated that Robina and I had to go to London and then on to Birmingham, England for the Youth for Christ International Convention. There, I was immediately elected onto the International Board of Directors and given the responsibility and title of World Treasurer. We agonised over the choice of an international leader and, after many days and some all-night meetings, we settled on a great man with enormous capacity, Jim Groen from Denver, Colorado as President and Chairman of the Board. Jim Wilson was selected as his right-hand man. They became what I believe was one of the greatest leadership partnerships I have ever seen. Both men were quality people, and progressive, but Jim Groen set the final agenda. He worked tirelessly with skill and good humour over the next 11 years to turn Youth for Christ International into a world-class organisation.

It was at this point that I realised the impressive work that Youth for Christ was doing globally and the sacrifice of such people as Torey Johnson, Billy Graham and others who had gone before us. After the Birmingham convention, I had several hats to wear in this great organisation, as well as my commitments to the Haggai Institute and the Hour of Power, which were also becoming global. Life was indeed interesting and required supreme effort, deep pockets and a co-operative family to maintain the balance and security that God requires.

After the Birmingham convention, Robina and I spent time in Paris and Switzerland. We returned home to a lifting real estate market and an incredible workload. I was flying from State to State raising funds for the Haggai Institute and coping with the new vision that Dr Robert Schuller had to build a glass cathedral, aptly named the “Crystal Cathedral”.

It was at about this time that I met some people in the United States who were to become life long friends: Al and Gloriah Enderle, who attended the Crystal Cathedral; Thomas Tipton, an African American who is probably the greatest classical hymn singer in the world; and Ron Grosser, who was on the International Board of the Crystal Cathedral, and his wife Lily. All these people have since visited Australia and we have always enjoyed their counsel and company.

The ground floor of my office housed the local office of Youth for Christ, which always seemed to need more space and more funds, and I had to cope with the demands of the National and International Boards that also had to be stimulated and funded.

What I didn’t need at that time was an approach from Dr Robert Schuller, asking me to sell windows for the Crystal Cathedral with a donor’s name on each. He hoped that we could raise sufficient funds in Australia to sponsor the East Balcony, with its considerable seating.

So my time was taken up with my family, who always have and always will come first, followed by my church activities, then commitments to Youth for Christ, locally and globally, the Haggai Institute and the Hour of Power, and finally my real estate business that continued to pay the bills. This meant that I needed to get on my knees often because I was indeed living on the edge. The view of life was spectacular from that position and God was ever near.

My renovation and upgrading of substandard housing started to prosper again and I was continually contacted by other agents, as well as my own sales staff, vendors, and institutions that wanted me to take derelict properties from them.

One day I was driving my Jaguar motor car past a large gathering in a small street in our city. Because I had been interstate, I did not know that a substantial auction was being held. It included every house on the left-hand side of the street. Being inquisitive, I stopped. When I saw what was happening and that the bidding had already started, I ran in and out of the houses, calling out bids as I went. As I came out of the last house, I shouted another bid. The whole street was mine in a few minutes! I then realised why I had been able to buy the properties so cheaply. When I stepped forward to sign the contract, one of my salesmen, Lou Proudlock, a big man, who had been driving past and had seen my vehicle, came hurrying in.

To my horror I had walked and bought into a tenants’ dispute. Left-wing radicals, hippies and others were jostling me and shouting obscenities, as I signed the contract, until big Lou pushed his way through the crowd and stood between me and them, with his arms folded and a look that meant business - and not of the gentle kind!

The situation was that there had been some university students and hippies paying little or no rent and the owner had tolerated this long enough. He had decided to off-load the property to the highest bidder, which happened to be me.

The news that night was ablaze with accusations that the moral campaigner and well-known Christian, Mr Peter Daniels, was throwing people out of their homes and onto the streets. The telephone at home rang incessantly. Fearing legal repercussions, having not verified the story, the media phoned and asked for my side of the story. I said that after I had purchased the properties in a hurry, I had been accosted by some people who claimed they were tenants. However, I said that if, as the media had been informed, there were any truly disadvantaged people involved, I would certainly look after them.

The result was that the matter stopped as fast as it started. I did discover an elderly couple, who lived in one of the houses. I made arrangements to relocate them to better circumstances and they expressed gratitude.

When faced with the truth, the other tenants seemed to disappear almost overnight. I was able to put each house on a separate title and after cleaning them out ready for renovation, I received such good offers for each one individually that I could not refuse. My settlement date was within 30 days and I arranged all the other settlements for the same day and paid nothing but the deposit. I walked away with a nice profit and everyone was happy.

Another unusual purchase was a group of old houses in the city that were run down and in desperate need of attention. I had been negotiating for some time with the owner and when he finally gave me a price that I considered reasonable, I signed up on the spot and I went back to my office to make out a cheque for the deposit. At that point, the telephone rang and it was someone from a Government department.

The caller seemed anxious and said he had just heard I had purchased a particular group of old houses. I confirmed this. He then informed me that the Government Housing Trust had also been negotiating to purchase them and would like to strike a deal with me to transfer the substance of my contract over to them.

My response was, as always, that everything I have is for sale, except my family and my faith. He continued in conversation and enquired if I had paid the deposit. I advised him that I was about to do so and then he suggested that, because I had not done very much, I transfer my right to the Government agency for a very small amount. My simple response was, “Wait a minute! I have just beaten the Australian Government, with all its capacity and personnel, to a prime deal. If you say I have not done anything much you are not only putting yourself down, you are also belittling my initiative and ability.”

I did finally transfer the properties to the Government for a fee of $20,000, which wasn’t bad because $20,000 a year was a reasonably good salary for anyone in the early 80s and I was able to obtain the whole lot within 30 minutes.

One of my other dreams was about to come true. As I read the newspaper one morning an advertisement for a gold Rolls Royce for sale caught my eye. My mind went back to the cement floor in my warehouse and the day I stripped down to my underpants and lay on the floor and wept before God. At that time, I do not know why, I had in my mind a vision of having a gold Rolls Royce before my 50th birthday. Now I was nearly 50 years of age, and I thought perhaps I should make a phone call.

Within 48 hours, after some negotiation, I was driving a gold Rolls Royce. Within days, I had a small sign on the back stating, “I am the son of a King.” Rolls Royce motor cars have been my trademark ever since.

When I went home with the Rolls Royce, Robina said, “Well, a dream has come true and God has really blessed you. You must be pleased.” I replied, “Yes, I am thrilled but if God wanted me to give it to someone else I could do it quite easily.” Robina said, “Really?” I replied, “That’s right.” That is the way it is with us, as we have always avoided the possibility of our possessions possessing us.

From time to time I have had to face Christians who have the poverty mentality that pervades the church in many areas of Australia. One Sunday morning in church, my mind was wandering and I took a prayer card from the back of the seat in front of me and in a few minutes wrote down the chapter headings of a book I was soon to write, How to Be Happy Though Rich. The front cover shows me sitting on the front of my gold Rolls Royce and the back cover shows the rear of the vehicle with the sign, “I am the son of a King.” I wrote and published this book in 1984 … but more about that later.

It was during 1981 that I received a phone call from a gentleman in South Africa called Charles Robertson, who had heard a lecture of mine on management and goal setting on cassette tape. Charles was linked with Youth for Christ in South Africa and was also a successful businessman. He was extremely keen for me to go to South Africa and he said that he would set up some meetings.

In November that year, my wife and I had our first visit to South Africa. We experienced the shame of apartheid and enjoyed the fellowship of Christian brethren, both black and white.

Robina and I were smuggled into Soweto to preach at a large African church. This was an exhilarating experience that we will never forget. I spoke to a vast crowd at a university on management and economics, and then went from location to location all over South Africa, speaking at dinners and seminars, until the moment our plane took off. Our hosts, Charles and Rita Robertson, were wonderful people and have remained friends to this day.

On our return to Australia, we had no time to recover. We transferred to a plane going to the famous Gold Coast where, after just one night’s sleep, I was to speak at a high profile gala evening for some other friends, Pastor Jim and Peta Christian. They were anxious for me to give some Christian stimulus to business in that famous area of Australia. The evening was a great success with many dignitaries and other magnificently attired guests to emphasise the importance of the event. The Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper had a half-page write-up with photographs, to mark the occasion.

Little did I dream that, over the next 20 years, South Africa, as well as other countries, would seek my services and that I would be speaking and appearing at business functions, in churches and in other settings, in some of the most unusual situations and venues worldwide. But back to my business that was demanding my attention.

There were some changes taking place in Youth for Christ Australia that would put two unlikely people together in leadership. Some said this would not last for five minutes, but how wrong they were. Youth for Christ Australia needed a new Executive Director, who would also serve as President. This would leave me as Chairman of the Board of Directors, which was more than sufficient. A most unlikely candidate, who was not even asked until almost all other options failed, was a migrant Irish bricklayer called Sam Heyburn, who had worked as a volunteer in Youth for Christ Australia for many years and was now the Queensland Executive Director. He became the President and Executive Director of Youth for Christ Australia.

I am sure that people were waiting for the sparks to fly, with two bricklayers from humble backgrounds, who each had very strong views and immovable principles on almost every subject, working together. What most people did not realise and take into the account was that we both were totally committed to Christ and our views on almost every subject were the same. We went together like peaches and cream. Never once in ten years did we exchange an angry word or have a disagreement and yet in many ways we were as different as chalk and cheese.

Sam Heyburn was to become the best friend I ever had outside my family. His loyalty to me, his understanding and his commitment to Youth for Christ Australia set us on the path to what we now look back on as the Golden Years of Youth for Christ Australia.

At his inauguration, Sam was handed a stack of bills left by the previous President. Between us we formulated a close working partnership, with no barriers between responsibility and authority.

It was Sam who created the Double Winners Fellowship, whereby one person whom God had blessed supported another who was in great need.

It was Sam who befriended Alan and Mae Petterson. Alan was a second-generation manufacturer of special materials for garments. Through their benevolence and faith, they sponsored an enormous gospel concert in the Sydney Entertainment Centre. We were told by the management that more people attended this concert than attended Elton John’s. The Pettersons donated the $50,000 of ticket money to Youth for Christ Australia.

After this highly successful concert, Alan and Mae Petterson went on a long tour through Australia and overseas, with their youth music team called The Travellers. They impacted numerous young people for Christ and created a benchmark for Youth for Christ International that has never been surpassed.

It was Sam who asked me to open doors, speaking throughout Australia in what he called Word Master Seminars. These gave incredible visibility to Youth for Christ Australia. Wherever we went business people and dignitaries came to learn principles of success and later they supported the work. We always left open doors and good relationships, together with all the funds raised for the local Youth for Christ programs.

The Word Master Seminars became so successful that we had a hard job keeping up with the opportunities. I saw these as an interesting tool for Sam to expand his speaking ability, which he took to like a duck to water. It wasn’t long before I was able to encourage him to take a full session, and the audience fell in love with him.

Our relationship was unusual. I was able to deal with misunderstandings, problems and various grievances. I became, as it were, the steady foundational influence that made Sam free to envision and spend enormous amounts of time with people. He was particularly gifted in these areas.

The best illustration of our relationship occurred while we were driving with one of the great J D Rockerfellow’s relatives, who asked us who was the boss of Youth for Christ Australia. Without hesitation, we each pointed to the other simultaneously and said in unison, “He is.” I had the particular privilege of successfully nominating Sam to be on the Youth for Christ International Board of Directors, where he loyally and steadfastly proved his worth.

The work of Youth for Christ International reached 114 nations. An international headquarters was soon to be established in Singapore, which in many ways represented a neutral venue for the work. We sought to win one billion young people to Jesus Christ because we realised that today’s youth would be tomorrow’s politicians, generals and business leaders, and that some may even be terrorists, who would threaten the equilibrium of the world. If we were able to reach them for Christ they would be transformed into peacemakers and pacemakers. We felt stimulated and humbled by the challenge.

Dr Robert Schuller came to Australia to raise funds for the Australian Balcony of the Crystal Cathedral and moved closer to seeing his dream of 1975 become a reality.

On Tuesday, 13th of May 1980 the great opera singer Beverley Sills held a special concert in the finished Crystal Cathedral. On the following day the Cathedral was dedicated, debt free. This must demonstrate one of the greatest acts of financial faith of the twentieth century. A weary but excited Robert Schuller related to the International Board exactly how he felt.

It was quite an experience to be at the evening with Beverley Sills and to have a very small part in the whole achievement. However, our eyes were ever fixed towards heaven, from whence all good things come.

In the early 80s I was pro-active in real estate, which provided the finance that allowed me to participate in so many activities around the world. Another invitation from South Africa saw me conducting seminars and raising funds for Youth for Christ South Africa. I moved from hotels to churches and corporations and visited townships across the country. At times I felt like a package being pushed from one location to another, but South Africa was hurting, and the international sanctions in place because of apartheid were limiting not only business but also visitors.

One of the ways in which the South African Government assisted visitors was to provide them with a slip-in visa, which could be removed when they were travelling elsewhere in the world. This enabled them to avoid the unnecessary delays and obstructions that may be imposed on those who visited and showed friendship towards a country under international sanctions.

My travels were continuous. I had numerous invitations. The Speech and Hearing Committee of Perth, Western Australia invited me to address a fundraiser in September 1981. The newspaper described me as a “lecturer who could motivate an Egyptian mummy to walk”, which amused me.

By now I was flying regularly around Australia, raising funds for the Haggai Institute and Youth for Christ Australia. I had the added pressure of being available to the Robert Schuller ministry in Australia and also from time to time flying out on a Friday to join the Hour of Power International Board in Garden Grove in the United States. We would meet for socialising on the Friday evening. Gaining an extra day by crossing the international dateline, I would arrive in time for Friday evening, spend all day Saturday participating in the board meeting, and go to the Crystal Cathedral on Sunday morning. I would then fly out on Sunday evening to be back in my own office in Australia on Tuesday, ready to do business and spend precious time with my family.

My international travels now included Singapore, where the new Youth for Christ International headquarters were located. I also travelled to Hong Kong to assess its suitability for the Sixth Triennial World Convocation of Youth for Christ International. It seemed reasonable to me that I should seek to create real estate opportunities in both of these locations, which meant I developed two additional investment outlets for our Australian operations.

My friend Sam Heyburn from Youth for Christ Australia suggested that I should use my business experience and speaking skills to widen the support base for Youth for Christ Australia under the banner of the Word Masters Seminars that he had created.

Sam would create opportunities through Youth for Christ groups all over Australia. He and I would go and conduct high-profile business seminars free of charge. These would generally be held in a lecture theatre or a boardroom. They brought crowds to experience something different from a usual Christian meeting. We would provide the whole program and usually follow up with a dinner or supper, and leave the funds we raised. This gave the local Youth for Christ branch higher visibility in the local community, with which they could then work to obtain some amazing results.

To say that these meetings were a success would be an understatement. We offered a very popular program, with Sam Heyburn acting as Master of Ceremonies and later taking half of the speaking time. We blended remarkably well. Even 20 years later, whenever I move around Australia, people come up to me and tell me that they attended one of those functions.

Dinner with Robina in Paris during one of our trips together after the children were married

Together with Dr Norman Vincent Peale (left) and W Clement Stone (right)

CHAPTER 10

I BEGIN TO WRITE BOOKS

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 10

I BEGIN TO WRITE BOOKS

Early in 1984, one Sunday morning at my home church I was somewhat bored and reached for a prayer card that was in the pouch behind the pew in front of me, as I briefly mentioned earlier. I guess I was frustrated by the lack of measurable action by Christians in the area of business.

My general observation was that as Christians we tended to talk about faith, sing about faith, pray about faith and read about faith. Then, however, we searched earnestly for the job or profession that would provide the most security for us, only to wonder why people would not listen to us.

So many Christians say they want to win the world to Christ but they don’t seek to earn the money necessary to do it, and neither do they understand or examine the logistics necessary to get the job done. The Bible clearly tells us that Christians are the light of the world, which means that we should lead the way. It also says we are salt, which means we should preserve and penetrate. To even suggest that we are doing this in the world of economics and business is laughable. I happen to believe that we as Christians should own the corporations, rather than spend 40 or 50 years jumping to the dictates of a boss. We ourselves are supposed to lead.

Some of my acquaintances have told me that everyone cannot be an economic engine for God. My response has always been, “Nobody is doing it.” The easiest way to prove this is to enquire in your church or even in the wider community. See if you can find a Bible-believing Christian, who is still with his original wife and whose family is committed to Christ, who actually owns a major international corporation that has set and successfully continued for many years in the objective of giving finance to propagate the Word of God throughout the world. (If you have a long-term record of doing this successfully, I invite you to contact me and provide me with the information.)

I considered what was going through my mind, as I sat in church that Sunday morning, oblivious to all those around me. I wrote some chapter headings on the back of a prayer card, which formed the outline of a book. I continued until the service was finished and my outline was complete.

One of the reasons that Christians give for not striving for wealth is that they have heard of people who are wealthy, who have lost their families and whose lives are in a mess. My response has always been that there are many more poor people whose families and lives are in a mess.

The next objection is, “It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” To this I reply, “Read the next part of the story, with God all things are possible.” One of the reasons, I believe, that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven is because with wealth and power comes incredible temptation. It is therefore essential to keep one’s life prayerfully and scripturally disciplined.

By the time I arrived home I had the title for the book. It was How to Be Happy though Rich. Within the next couple of weeks I completed a draft and soon it was ready for printing. The cover of the book showed me sitting on the front of my gold Rolls Royce, an arresting portrait, and the back cover of the book showed the rear part of the motor car with the sign: “I’m the son of a King.” To say the book was a sensation would be to underplay the impact of what took place over the following days, weeks and years. Every newspaper in the country had it on the third page, with photographs. The Women’s Day magazine featured it over several pages, with photographs and a full interview, and even the Reader’s Digest made some comments about it.

Many Christian magazines and newspapers featured it on their front covers and, with the possible exception of one, represented it quite positively. The biggest surprise came from television, with most television channels reporting it. A special prime-time documentary “A Day in the Life of Peter Daniels” was shown nation-wide by the Government television channel and caused enormous interest and reaction.

Because of my past involvement in moral and political issues and the fact that I was on television almost every day with my real estate company, I was well known and it appeared that I was the subject of public interest. In the television documentary they even filmed my morning ritual of running, then me making coffee and toast for my wife and taking it into our bedroom and waking her up, followed by me reading the Scriptures to her. There were also business shots and shots of other personal activities. It concluded with a tour through my office complex and a detailed interview.

We sold some of my books through bookstores but discontinued that as we were sure we could handle the sales better ourselves. For the last 18 years we have proved that our decision to do this was correct.

The year 1984 was significant for a number of reasons, including my launching into the literary arena. At the time I did not realise that I had a rather special gift for writing, which seems to be something of a contradiction, given my dyslexia. I was yet to learn that it was because of this, and unusual accompanying intellectual abilities and other talents, for which I am very grateful to God.

There were two building projects that required my attention, the first being the Hour of Power Australian headquarters. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to make the first financial gift and assist in raising some other funds that enabled the ministry to finally cover all the financial costs.

The second building project was a new office complex for my growing business, with a spectacular penthouse and swimming pool on the top floor serviced by our own personal elevator.

Youth for Christ Australia was moving ahead rapidly with a dynamic enthusiasm, inspired, I believe, by the joint and complementary efforts of Sam Heyburn and myself. I had the honour of financing a special recording that Sam put together by contacting some of the great Christian music artists around the world and asking them to donate one of their songs.

The Word Master Seminars were surging forward. Our biggest problem was keeping pace with all that was happening. Is it any wonder that these are now remembered as the Golden Years? The Youth for Christ International World Convocation was held in Hong Kong the same year. In the past, the contingent that had attended from Australia was barely more than four or five people, but Sam thought it was important for the local director, his wife and the staff of every branch of Youth for Christ Australia to attend. For Sam and me this meant helping to raise additional funds. In my case, it also meant reaching further into my pockets to ensure that as many as possible had the experience of attending and appreciating just how large and impacting this great work of God was for the teenagers of the world.

Not only did we have about 100 delegates at the Youth for Christ International World Convocation in Hong Kong but we were also able to supply each one of them with some spending money.

The leadership given by the Youth for Christ International Board of Directors, under the brilliant guidance of Jim Groen, provided a benchmark for the organisation, which extended into 114 countries, to launch major campaigns to reach over one billion teenagers with the claims of Jesus Christ.

For me, as the Australian Chairman and an International Director for Youth for Christ on the Executive Board with the added responsibility of being World Treasurer, there was a special privilege when the presence of each Director was announced. We took our seats at the front tables to be recognised and formally welcomed. The Australian flag went before me and it was a moment of special spiritual and national significance.

My business kept expanding and yet I was still able to travel to many parts of the world for Youth for Christ International, and to fulfil my obligations for Youth for Christ Australia, the Haggai Institute and, of course, the Hour of Power in Australia and in the United States on the International Board.

When the year 1985 came I had almost more than I could handle, but with the added benefit that the love of my life, Robina, was able to travel with me, as the children had grown up. This certainly made all the effort seem much easier.

Requests for my seminars were now crossing international borders and I had many requests from Asia, Africa and North America. Some local Christian activities also required my involvement. One was a new Bible College that was formed primarily between two conservative Baptist Churches that were concerned about the infiltration of unbiblical directions being foreshadowed by the denominational office. I agreed in principle with their more biblical and conservative views.

As one of the Founding Directors for the new College, I felt quite at ease with their biblical approach to training and did all I could financially and in other ways to give assistance and direction. While the aims and the objectives of this new Bible College were sound, the Board of Directors included only one person who understood business and goal setting and was able to contribute substantially and regularly. This meant that when they had a financial problem, whether they expected it or not, I usually provided what was needed.

It all came to a head when some funds were required and I wrote out a cheque for $3,000. I told them that they had to have some fundraising strategies instead of using me as a bank. They said they had tried but without results.

I have always felt that if I can get people to be independent it is always better in the long term, so I made the suggestion that they could take the $3,000 cheque and spend it, or they could give it back to me and I would use it to show them how to raise much more. In a flash they accepted the latter option.

I organised an evening to raise funds for the College. We raised a significant amount because of the methods I used and the program presented. Nevertheless, later they copied what I did, but modified the way I had done it so much that it produced almost nothing. The principle of investing time, talent and treasure with clarity and style, I have found, is always effective.

Some months after the event I was asked to resign from the College Board, unless I stopped speaking at charismatic churches and resigned from the Board of the Robert Schuller ministry. Needless to say, I resigned from the College Board, but I had to ask why these other involvements of mine were not seen as a problem while I was paying the College’s bills. I never received an answer.

Putting negatives like this behind me has always been easy because I am continually inspired by the bigger picture of what God can do in the lives of those who are open to him.

Early in the year I was again invited to South Africa. I went on a whirlwind tour of townships, conducting seminars with definite Christian content for the business community. This had such an impact that the news media, in all its forms, reported many of the meetings or sought interviews with me.

One of the most interesting situations was facilitated by my friend Charles Robertson and his wife Rita, who lived in Cape Town. They were very friendly with those Africans who were opposed to the apartheid regime and it was through them that I was to receive an invitation to meet President Sebe, who presided over the nation of Ciskei, under the South African Government scheme to form homeland states. The invitation from the President of Ciskei meant that Robina and I would have to travel by air to East London Airport and then change into some more respectable attire to meet with His Excellency to show respect for his person and his office.

When we arrived in the East London Airport, we were met by a very tall dignified man with security guards, holding a sign with my name on it. I casually approached him, saying that I was Mr Peter Daniels. What followed could only be equalled in a Hollywood film. The dignified gentleman holding the sign with my name on it competently and deliberately informed me that he was the Consular General and that he was ready with limousines and bodyguards to escort us some distance away to meet the President.

Although we respected the dignity of the occasion we were unsuitably dressed for it. I remarked to the Consular General that we would have to find a hotel room to change into appropriate dress to meet the President. The Consular General several times resisted my request to go to a hotel to change, saying, “My President is waiting.”

Having reached a deadlock with neither side prepared to give in, the Consular General went to the VIP room at the airport, and with the help of his security men, had it vacated. He then offered it to us as an urgent but acceptable alternative to a hotel room. We refreshed ourselves and dressed appropriately for the occasion that awaited us. Now being suitably dressed, Robina and I presented ourselves to the Consular General and with his entourage and bodyguards we made a hasty departure.

After a long drive, we reached the Government buildings where we encountered considerable protocol. We were immediately searched and cleared ready for our presentation to, and short discussion with, the Vice-President before being presented very officially to His Excellency President Lenox Sebe, who presided over the Ciskei nation.

What took place in the presidential office was rich with symbolism and formality. After a pleasant introduction we were invited to sit down and the President took his position behind his large desk, appearing to be a large formidable man. He contrasted his younger brother, who was always with us when we spoke to the President, dressed in his Major General’s uniform, resplendent in appearance, and taller and much slimmer than his elder brother. The General then questioned us on behalf of the President, first addressing me and then, with a click of his shiny boots, my wife, whom he referred to as “Mrs Daniels, your better half”.

The conversation proceeded with very little input from the President. It appears that they had already decided on an agenda before we arrived. They wanted us to stay with them for a few days so they could present us with some business opportunities that might interest us.

Because I had to return that evening to Johannesburg, I was unable to accept their kind offer. Immediately, they extended their offer to my wife, which if accepted would mean that I would have to return to collect her in a couple of days. Robina looked at me anxiously when the offer was made. With that, I thanked them and much to her surprise, I said, “Mrs Daniels would be delighted to stay with you.” Although Robina was somewhat concerned at my acceptance, I assured her privately that she would not only be safe but she would have the experience of a lifetime.

I went back to Johannesburg for the evening. After two days I returned to collect my wife. Returning to Ciskei, we were met by our friends who had flown in from Cape Town for the occasion. I was reunited with my wife at the beautiful hotel where she had stayed, with armed guards with submachine guns giving her protection. I was to hear first-hand of her wonderful adventure with the President and the Vice-President’s wives, as she was escorted with an entourage to visit and inspect various parts of the fledging new country.

At our meeting again with President Sebe that day, in the presence of his brother the General of the armed forces, we were offered the use of the President’s beach home in Hamburg, with servants, bodyguards and of course the accompanying limousines. We felt bound to accept. The way in which we were received was extravagantly generous. There were military officers and servants at our beck and call, and sumptuous varieties at mealtimes. This caused us to feel deeply concerned about all the work the house-help and other personnel had to do in responding to our every want or need. We had to do something about it.

The opportunity came when we went for a walk surrounded by bodyguards and curious onlookers. We came across a general store and purchased some items and we almost had to force the staff to take the money. With the goods purchased, Robina went back to the presidential residence and went out into the kitchen with the servants and baked a cake for all of them. This helped to break the ice. While she was doing this, I spent time getting to know my bodyguards and some of their awe of our presence was lessened.

Before we left South Africa I was asked to become Special Ambassador of State on Economic Affairs. To the best of my ability and as I had opportunity, I would represent their country to the rest of the world.

I travelled back to South Africa several times as Special Ambassador and was presented and greeted during the first sittings of Parliament and literally received red-carpet treatment with bands and armed guards. Our visits to the presidential palace and other occasions of importance were especially recognised, honoured and mentioned in Parliament and given coverage in the media. I did what I could for these wonderful people and I trust that I represented them with dignity, ability and with some results for a number of years.

Robina and I (right) in the Presidential office of Ciskei Southern Africa with President Lenox Sebe (middle) and Charles and Rita Robertson (left)

With General Charles Sebe, brother of President Lenox Sebe

Peter (right) representing the International and Australian Board of Directors at the Youth for Christ International Convocation

CHAPTER 11

BOOKS, REVELATION AND SURGERY

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 11

BOOKS, REVELATION AND SURGERY

Much was happening elsewhere in the world and Youth for Christ in the Philippines were keen for me to come and speak to their staff and to address business groups at breakfasts, luncheons and special seminars.

My introduction to the Philippines occurred during the May Day celebrations. While being driven down a narrow street we were confronted with an anti-American protest and, because of my white Caucasian appearance and the fact that I was well dressed, my host became concerned that I may be mistaken for an American. Because of the possibility of violence, I was made to lie on the back floor with a blanket thrown over me until we could escape over the footpath and into a safer thoroughfare. All in all, it was a harrowing experience. The next day I found myself close to a man who had been brutally stabbed. This was my introduction to the Philippines! I was glad that I had not taken my wife with me on that occasion. However, I loved the people of the Philippines and they were wonderful to me.

As we moved closer to the third quarter of the year I released another book called How to Reach Your Life Goals. I wrote it longhand, as I did the previous one, in about 19 hours. All I really did was present the formulas I had used in my own life from a biblical perspective. I was to discover through that book and the many others I have written that I have an unusual ability to create formulas, not unlike recipes for baking cakes, but formulas especially for business that tend to work on every occasion.

When this new book came back from the printers, I took some copies with me to Brisbane, Queensland in the north-eastern part of Australia for seminars and a meeting with the Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, a colourful figure who had been knighted by the Queen. This was a quick trip. I went alone and woke up the next morning to find my book featured on the front page of the Brisbane Courier Mail, which was one of the largest newspapers in the country. Evidently this front-page news was provoked by three events. The first was my visit to the Premier, whom I had presented with a copy of my book. The second was that I had left extra copies with the Government and they had immediately put them into a library at a prison, where I heard there was almost a stampede from the prisoners to get the book. The third was that some doctors had obtained copies of the book from my friend Sam Heyburn and wanted it recorded on cassette tape to use in “reprogramming” people who had suffered brain damage through accidents. Another interesting event took place while I was in Brisbane. Some high security prisoners invited me to go and speak to them and I agreed to do so. Much to the concern of the guards, I insisted on going in alone, knowing full well that within two metres were the guards with rifles, handguns and riot-guns. The men were the worst of the worst but they respected the fact that I was not frightened of them and I spoke to them with conviction, sincerity and dignity. Wow, what an experience!

In December the same year I went to hospital for elective surgery. This should have been simple and routine but everything went wrong. I regained consciousness with a doctor and two nurses fussing around me and my arm secured to a drip. I asked the doctor, “What’s up doc?” He responded, “There were some problems.” I immediately said, “It will be all right because God cares for me.” With that, I went straight back to sleep. Two days later the doctor came in to see me again. When I discovered what day it was, I became agitated because I was supposed to be speaking that evening at a fundraising meeting for the Robert Schuller ministry to be held about three miles away from the hospital. I asked the doctor to come back at 6pm because I needed to have the drip removed and to get dressed to speak at the function.

The doctor became very concerned and said that he would not permit me to do this. I promptly made an arrangement that released him from the responsibility and then again asked him to come back at 6pm. After a great deal of discussion, he agreed. All went well and my son helped dress me, despite the protests of my wife. I arrived at the function just in time to speak and raise funds. My son Graham told me that if I fainted I should fall to the left instead of the right, to avoid the orchestra pit. Having completed the task I walked off the stage and fell into my son’s arms. I then went back to the hospital, where nurses and doctors were waiting to reconnect me to the drip and re-settle me. I immediately fell asleep with a confident smile on my face and a job well done.

Just before Christmas the new offices for the Hour of Power ministry were completed in Sydney, and my wife and I moved into our new international headquarters and penthouse, with grateful thanks to God’s provision and protection.

I felt that 1986 would be a breeze. My business was thriving and we were now living in our new penthouse, which must have been one of the best in Australia. All in all, life seemed to be going along smoothly.

Bishop George Castro from Manila had been in contact with me several times about revisiting the Philippines. He had planned an extraordinary tour. My greatest concern was the safety of my wife Robina, whom I wanted to go with me on that occasion. After many assurances from Bishop George Castro, we decided to go. There was the added attraction of being able to fulfil an obligation to the insurance industry in Malaysia on the way back, through attending their annual convention at the Genting Highland Resort in the mountains outside Kuala Lumpur. It appeared that we could arrive in Malaysia a little early after our visit to the Philippines and have a few days rest before going into the mountains, which would unquestionably be a major working appointment.

With Bishop George Castro’s assurances of a quiet week in the Philippines, Robina and I flew out, buoyed up with the words from our friend in the Philippines, “It is as quiet as a church graveyard.” We arrived with the airport security meeting us at the plane entrance and had a quick VIP passport check. We were ready for the large meeting on Saturday, 22nd of February, which was to last all day and to include a luncheon. It was to be sponsored by the Management Association of the Philippines, the Real Estate and Builders Association and the Christian businessmen of metro Manila.

During the day there had been some rather ugly incidents and some large groups were talking about storming the palace of the President. Our host assured us that there would be no problem and things would soon quieten down. That evening we were at the home of one of President Marcos’ Opposition members and, as we enjoyed our meal together, he turned on the radio for a special announcement in which the President said that there had been some problems but everything was under control. He spoke of the possibility of rounding up all the Opposition members for detention.

I had mental images of special forces bursting into the house and putting us all under arrest and I was eagerly scanning the garden area through the window, looking for somewhere I could hide my wife. Nothing more happened that night and we returned to the Hilton Hotel to a carnival atmosphere, with comments and speculations of a possible coup d’état. With the uncertainty of the situation, we spent a restless night.

The following day was Sunday. I preached at the Union Church Cathedral, after walking up the aisle with the choir singing and birds flying high above in the giant arched roof structure. It was indeed impressive.

By now some of the other meetings had been cancelled and tensions were mounting. We could see that a revolution was in the making, as we watched President Marcos on the television appealing for calm with the assurance that he was in total control.

By morning things had changed further and updated printed material was slipped under the door of our hotel room almost hourly. It seemed to us that the whole country must be in revolt. The atmosphere although tense and noisy had something of a festive mood about it, but we were brought down to earth by sporadic machine-gun fire, obviously at this stage over the heads of the gathering crowds.

However, we attended a business luncheon and as we went into the evening we wondered if the powder keg that had obviously been lit would explode. Needless to say the special appointment I had with President Marcos at the palace scheduled for 10am the next day was cancelled. A million people were protesting in the streets, three helicopters were blown up at the international airport, local air traffic was shut down and military gunships hovered around the city, firing into the air in an effort to stabilise the situation.

Our flight out of the Philippines at 2pm was cancelled and we called our family and assured them that we were safe. I started to plan a safe escape. Robina had been busy on the telephone trying to book a flight out of the Philippines and secured a booking for the next day, hoping that air flights would be back to normal by then.

Fortunately the next day our flights were confirmed and we set off for Malaysia, little the worse for our ordeal and grateful to be safe. All the newspapers had headlines “Marcos Is Out” and it became apparent that the people of the Philippines had won and had taken control of the palace.

Twelve people were killed and many others injured. Lieutenant General Ramos quickly appeared on television to appeal for calm. Mrs Corazon Aquino, whose husband had been assassinated earlier, was now seeking and receiving recognition as President of the Philippines. An inauguration ceremony was to be promptly enacted.

Now safely in Malaysia, we were driven to the mountains and received thunderous applause at the function, which became a major business event.

Arriving back in Australia a few days later, we were embraced by our family and happy to be home. Having had very little time for rest and recreation, I met with my staff and clarified direction for my business. Within four weeks Robina and I would be off again, this time to the United States to speaking appointments in Dallas, Minneapolis and, for the Hour of Power, in Orange County. Jim Groen, the President of Youth for Christ International, had asked me if I would visit some long-term donors to the ministry in South Dakota and we had agreed to do so, not knowing what to expect.

We left the Minneapolis airport in a tiny plane that we were informed later would be scrapped after that very flight. The seats were bound with wire and the other accessories were in a bad state of repair.

On our arrival at Mitchell Airport, we were greeted by two young ladies, who were assigned to take us to our accommodation. As we loaded our luggage in the boot of the motor vehicle large amounts of a thick, dark, powdery dust emerged.

We drove over the snow-covered roads to an old farmhouse, met the people there and saw where we were supposed to sleep. I knew I would freeze to death in that place and be incapable of anything, so with apologies and good grace we booked into a very humble motel. I muttered, “Wait till I see Jim Groen.” I felt we had been dumped in the middle of the earth.

The reality of the situation was quite different. We were ushered into an old hall to meet the people and to thank them on behalf of Youth for Christ International for their financial support. My heart was incredibly warmed by these dear people who worked very hard and gave of their substance to bless others. I was greatly impacted by their godliness and, as I spoke to them, I felt a strange sense of God’s presence in that hall. Obviously they appreciated our presence and what I said. They even blocked the doors, in a humorous way, to show that they did not want us to leave.

Over the next few days we travelled by motor van and met many people, some of them weeping and saying, “Nobody ever comes to speak to us and you have come all the way from Australia.” We felt privileged and humbled in their presence.

We then went to Canada to a major business rally where I was the featured guest speaker. Our other conferences for the year were conducted in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. I was back in Austin, Texas in September where I was to speak at a major function. I was supplied with bodyguards, fêted at an orchestral concert, and recognised at the Mayor’s Office by being granted Honorary Citizenship and a key to the city. Great feasts were prepared for me by a world famous chef and I enjoyed sightseeing tours and many other official pleasantries.

My return to Australia meant time with my family. The time set aside to continue our family relationships will always be my top priority.

My friend Bishop George Castro contacted me again, anxious that I should return to the Philippines now that a new administration was in place. Private meetings had been arranged with the Chief Justice and a major seminar with the Manila Bankers Life Assurance Corporation. We went and took Pastor Jim Christian and his wife Peta.

From the moment we stepped off the plane at Manila we received VIP treatment and met with the Governors of the provinces at a welcome banquet held in our honour. To say the least, we were impressed. I was able to provide an opportunity for Pastor Jim to teach at a Bible school and minister at a church and everyone was blessed. From there we went to Singapore for a session with Haggai Institute personnel and then back home.

Over the next few months at home I was able to write two more books: How to be Motivated all the Time and How to Handle a Major Crisis. These would help fulfil requests for more of my material to be put into print. During that time, when I was able to speak at a Haggai Institute meeting in Melbourne, Australia I met a young man called Tom Avelesguard, a former American schoolteacher who now lived in Australia. He asked me to speak at an Amway rally in Melbourne to a crowd of several thousand people. As I agreed to do it, I felt unsure that I had heard the number correctly and so asked for confirmation. In actual fact, it turned out to be an under estimation.

Over the next few years I spoke at many Amway functions throughout the world. I was happy to do that free of charge because of my relationship with the co-owner of Amway, Richard de Vos, with whom I had built a friendly relationship as a co-director on the Hour of Power International Board in Orange County for the Crystal Cathedral. From what I have been given to understand, some of my lectures have sold in excess of several million cassette tapes. The people I dealt with in the Amway business were very pleasant and appreciative and the crowds became highly excited.

I was kept busy and productive with my major work for Youth for Christ Australia and being on the International Board, together with serving on the Haggai Institute Australian Board as Chairman and being on the International Board, and visiting California for the Hour of Power International Board meetings. In addition, I was keeping up with a growing real estate business that was advertised almost daily on television and had extensions into Singapore and Hong Kong.

A visit to New Zealand caused quite a stir, as I conducted debates on television regarding Christians in business, conducted major business seminars and spoke in churches throughout the country.

The World Convocation for Youth for Christ was held in the Philippines early in August and I invited some guests, including my Pastor, to attend. This proved to be a high-water mark in international youth evangelism.

Of course, being in the Philippines once again, I was expected to speak at the Manila Bankers Life Assurance Corporation. My whole entourage, with my wife and I, were special guests at a grand dinner at the Manila Grand Hotel, which was the headquarters of General MacArthur at the end of World War II. Our host was the Executive Vice-President Alfonso G Puyat. As we walked in, the orchestra began to play the Australian ballad “Waltzing Matilda” for us. An unforgettable evening followed.

Later at the Youth for Christ Convocation, I was surprised by being made an Honorary Ambassador for Life for Youth for Christ International. Only a few have been so distinguished.

On my return to Australia, I was to tour Northern Queensland for Youth for Christ Australia’s Word Master Seminars and to continue with some additional private seminars of my own. To my surprise, I was made Honorary Ambassador for World Expo ‘88 by the Chairman, the Honourable Sir Llewellyn Edwards. The Expo was to be held in Brisbane, Australia the following year and, of course, television and newspapers reported the appointment and conducted interviews.

It was about this time that I was challenged with the idea of renting a crowd. I wondered how many people I could convene to hear me speak, for an expenditure to me of only $1,000.

So many Christians and other groups think there is something spiritual or miraculous in getting a large number of people together and yet I have always thought that to assemble a crowd was a lot of hard work. When the gospel of Jesus Christ is faithfully preached, God works a miracle of His grace on the crowd.

My strategy was simple. I would go to the police and the fire brigade and suggest that they hold a tug-of-war in a public place. The community would then see them publicly as normal fun-loving people with families and at the same time would appreciate them for the dangerous but necessary tasks they perform. The added attraction was that I would give $1,000 and a gold Peter J Daniels Caleb Medal to the side that won for their social club and trophy cabinet, respectively.

Fortunately, with some simple public relations efforts, it became an enormous drawcard and was finally accomplished at Football Park, at the intermission of a major league football match. I had the distinct privilege of telling 40,000 people about the God of Caleb and presenting the cheque and the medal to the winners, the fire brigade. This preaching in the middle of a football oval on a grand final day had never happened before in Australia’s history and unfortunately may never happen again.

In 1988 I released another book, How to Have the Awesome Power of Public Speaking, which came about because of a lecture I gave in Ohio. When I left the platform several people were saying, “It was awesome! Awesome!” It stimulated me to the extent that when I boarded the plane to leave I took the airsickness bag out of the pouch from the back of the seat in front of me and wrote down everything I’d learnt over many years in conducting seminars and preaching in churches. By the time the plane landed the formula was written down and when I arrived back in Australia I wrote the book. It has been used throughout the world as a textbook ever since.

This year was full of family and business, as well as helping with, and speaking for, many ministries. Also, I began writing articles for management and other magazines. During this period I received a request for financial assistance from a Christian School at Huron, South Dakota. I responded with a phone call, reminding them that they were living in the richest country in the world and should be able to find the finance in their own community. They replied that they had tried but had not been successful. After much haggling, I said that I would come to South Dakota and prove that it could be done. The result was that they held an Australia night with food and fun. I attended and challenged them to support their school and community. Of course, the finance was raised and all the teachers received their back pay. After a number of private meetings and press conferences I was on my way again.

When I returned home, a letter was waiting for me related to an interruption that had caused a delay in my flight out of New York. I had completely forgotten about it. What had happened was most unusual. Evidently, the first copy of Napoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow Rich had been discovered and because of its fame it was to be placed in the Smithsonian Institute. Somehow the people concerned had found out I was in town and had boarded the plane, wanting to obtain my signature on the book, alongside the signatures of people like President Ronald Reagan. Although I do not totally agree with some aspects of the book, it nonetheless contains a great deal of helpful information. I was happy to oblige. I still have the letter among my archives.

My continued and sustained effort towards all of my Christian responsibilities kept me busy with board meetings, fundraising and Word Master Seminars. A special invitation came from George Choriatopoulos, who had the Southern African franchise for the Success Motivation Institute that was founded by my friend Paul J Meyers in Waco, Texas. He kept calling me, asking me to visit, until I finally agreed and off we went again to South Africa.

The meetings for Success Motivation Institute in South Africa were overwhelming, partly, I believe, because of the sanctions adopted by the United Nations in respect to apartheid and also because of the way in which they were promoted. Everywhere we went we had capacity crowds and, at one point, George started to turn people away. I then suggested that he ask the hotel management to slide back a wall and bring in more chairs. Later we discovered that the radio talkback program I had done only one hour before the meeting had motivated people to hurry to the conference, even after it had started. It was all a thrilling experience.

One part of this exhausting tour that stands out in my mind was my meeting in Kimberley, the home of the richest diamond mine in the world. I expected that with such wealth coming out of the ground, Kimberley would be a Garden of Eden, with the finest of buildings, public recreation areas and world class medical facilities, but I was shocked at the disarray and the poor condition of everything I saw there. This prompted me to comment, at our largest meeting, that those who had taken great riches out of the community needed to put something back, as a matter of decency and conscience. I understand that the message was reported to those who had benefited so greatly from the mine’s riches but they refused to comment. I was to hear from George some weeks later that because of my visit he had sold so many of the Success Motivation Institute’s programs that he had won a special award.

The year 1989 brought some challenges in economics and travel, and a complete change of direction for my life. It was as if God in His wisdom said, “I am now preparing you for the main event.” Early in the year I received a compelling invitation from James Cagney from the Institute of Leadership of South Africa, in conjunction with George Choriatopoulos and the Success Motivation Institute, to conduct another major lecture tour across the whole country. It was to include Johannesburg, East London, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Bloemfontien, Kimberley, Pretoria and also the International Fellowship of Christian Churches. I took the opportunity to go and all my books sold in large numbers and we had more than capacity crowds.

Our time in South Africa also provided the opportunity for us to visit the presidential palace for a formal function and meet again with His Excellency President Lenox Sebe, as well as to attend, by special invitation, the third session of the Second Ciskeian National Assembly, which was a grand affair.

Robina and I arrived in our limousine and, as we were special Ambassadors to the President, a red-carpet entrance with a military parade was afforded to us. We were then escorted into Parliament and put behind bullet-proof glass, as all the other dignitaries entered and presented themselves before the President. The President was most generous. When he commenced his opening address, he spoke about our efforts to assist Ciskei and the close relationship that we had.

Little did I know that some time after this, President Lenox Sebe was to be shot by an assassin’s bullet, with the end of apartheid and the release from prison of the great Nelson Mandela, to the relief and joy of all the South African people.

Rather than return directly to Australia, we sent tickets to our whole family so they could fly to Singapore to meet us for a fun holiday in one of the nicest hotels available there. We laughed, dined, shopped and swam together, happy and united. It seemed like a touch of heaven.

Peter receives the World Ambassador for Life Award from Jim Groen, President of Youth for Christ International

Together with Sam Heyburn at a radio station during the “golden years” of Youth for Christ

Joined by Mr Doug Rea (centre), Chairman of the Pavilion of Promise, Peter (left) receives the Honorary Ambassador Certificate from World Expo ‘88 Chairman Sir Llewellyn Edwards (right)

CHAPTER 12

A CHANGE OF DIRECTION

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 12

A CHANGE OF DIRECTION

When we returned to Australia and to business, some dark clouds were gathering on the economic horizon. Robina and I had our morning swim. I had heated the water because it was cold and raining. After a couple of laps I leaned back looking up into the sky as the rain came down over me. I was in deep thought. Robina, ever aware of my moods, sensed something was bothering me and asked what the trouble was. I was noncommittal. Then she said, “I want to know because I am your wife and I should know.” After several minutes of to-ing and fro-ing I told her that the national economy was in very bad shape and that my investigative assessment was two-fold: one, we would have a major recession with about one million people unemployed; and two, real estate would “crash and go through the floor.” Robina enquired about our own financial position and how we would be affected. My response was that it would affect everyone in the country. As a nation with only 19 million people, to have one million unemployed would mean that no one would escape, including us, unless I made some dramatic fast moves.

I told Robina we should sell all our companies and all our real estate holdings, create some reserves and sit tight. She responded, “Do whatever you think is right to do and I will stand with you.” Within three months I had sold all our businesses, all our real estate, including our penthouse. The only thing I kept was a farm property for rest and recreation. We were some of the few people in Australia to change direction in time, because finally there were one million people out of work and some of my contemporaries went broke and even went to jail, as they had used trust funds to try and drag themselves out of trouble, thinking the recession would be over quickly, but got caught in the process. There were others I had to rescue. Talk about living on the edge. After all my giving program, if I had not understood the story of the wise virgins, who had kept reserves of oil, and followed that principle of creating and maintaining reserves, I would have been worse than living on the edge, I may have been falling down a deep precipice.

During this period, we had a nationwide passenger air transport strike. The Government intervened, using military aircraft to transport passengers. This meant that Robina and I flew, in full harness like paratroopers, in a Hawker Sidley 748 from the 34th Squadron, and other navigational training planes, as we continued to move around the country. It was rather amusing to see men in their business suits and well-dressed ladies get into a huge military plane that had only a canvas partition and a bucket for the toilet, and be given a bottle of water and a piece of fruit or a biscuit to sustain them for the journey, and some earplugs to keep out the noise.

Moving into the 1990s, I had to make some adjustments. Peter Junior, who had primarily managed our sales team for 14 years, was married with two children and was seeking to do something on his own. With my blessing he wanted to start his own corporation. Deborah was now married, with two children. Graham, who was also married with two children and who handled our commercial properties, was at a loose end. After some discussion, we decided to combine our efforts and look for new opportunities. We had to start turning the speaking appointments, which Robina referred to as “Peter’s hobby” into a fully-fledged corporation. We named it the Australian Collegiate School of Entrepreneurs. We planned to continue to service our other business interests, as well.

I guess I wanted to prove that in my late fifties I still had the fire to pioneer again. Graham and I spared no effort. We moved forward again into new ventures, without any delay or hesitation. We located ourselves in new premises and moved into action, bearing in mind that I had many Christian commitments that had to be handled and time and finance had to be re-arranged to deal with the obligations. As I moved into the 1990s I resigned from the Haggai Institute, where until that time I was Chairman of the Australian Board of Directors and a member of the International Board. Now I had to rise to other challenges.

At San Antonio a little later that year, Youth for Christ International held its major annual board meeting for the election and appointment of an international leader and other officers. My friend Sam Heyburn, who was now on the International Board of Directors, went with me and we joined many others from all around the world for the event. Everything went smoothly until it was time to reconfirm the position of the President. Jim Groen had been doing a magnificent job. He is surely one of the world’s great Christian leaders. Evidently there had been a group within the membership of the world ministry who felt that a non-American should occupy the senior position. They were prepared, at the eleventh hour, to overwhelm us with a vote which in essence removed Jim Groen and put in his place a fine Christian man from the ranks, who had absolutely no idea of how to run, finance and control a world-class organisation.

I led the opposition to the move and pointed out the pitfalls and the probable imminent collapse of the international office that might result, but the instigators, with the support of the masses, somehow felt that to manage, control and finance a huge international organisation was well within their scope. Contrary to all reason and practical considerations, the man who had given his all, over an 11-year period, and taken the organisation from an ad hoc scattered organisation to a significant global presence was dismissed. The well-intentioned masses replaced him with their man, and although he was a nice person and obviously talented in communication, the flame started to flicker. Within a couple of years, all those who had led the charge for the change, having seen their mistake, had quietly resigned and left nothing behind but an empty shell. Unfortunately, I have seen this pattern of events recur many times over the last 43 years, when well-meaning honest people have behaved like fools and destroyed what should have been protected.

On the Murray River in South Australia during pig hunting

Laying bricks again at 59 years of age, because no bricklayer was available

CHAPTER 13

CRANKING UP THE ECONOMIC ENGINE

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 13

CRANKING UP THE ECONOMIC ENGINE

In 1989 I wrote the book Miss Phillips You Were Wrong, subtitled How to Handle Rejection. It sold very well.

During the season of disappointment that followed the changes in Youth for Christ International, a number of people suggested that I produce a program to help people to become financially successful. I received a number of insistent requests and I decided to use some of the formulas that God had allowed me to develop to produce a three-part tutorial series called Destiny. It would have videos and workbooks and an assessment paper at the conclusion for evaluation and response. By the end of 1990 I had completed the program and huge numbers of copies were sold throughout the world. This, along with my other books and material, finally forced a name change for our organisation. It became the World Centre For Entrepreneurial Studies. This has been accepted and embraced by those who associate with us and have undertaken our programs.

Another program I finished, by request, shortly after was How to Get More Done and Have Time Left Over. This was a group of time-management formulas that had proved highly successful.

My involvement with multi-level marketing companies as a speaker and adviser took some interesting turns. I started to see some of the excesses in their claims, while at the same time I appreciated their work ethic and enthusiasm.

Two multi-level marketing companies, one very well established and the other a breakaway group, were experiencing some difficulties, which eventually led to major legal disputes. As an outsider, I was able to bridge the gap and unbeknown to both sides was influential in helping them reach an effective settlement.

Because I had spoken at large multi-level marketing rallies throughout the world and given what seemed to be reasonably sound advice to those in the higher echelons of business, including the directors of some companies, I was able to identify obvious misconceptions and questionable practices with some accuracy.

In 1991 my son Graham and I considered publishing a manual on multi-level marketing from a global perspective, setting out its strengths and its weaknesses, and some cautions in respect to legal and relationship issues.

Because Jim Groen had been removed from Youth for Christ International and a lightweight, honest but naïve person had replaced him, I felt that my continuing there was of little value. With a great deal of sadness, observing the demise of one of God’s great instruments, I resigned from my international involvement and reluctantly, at the same time, also from my position in Australia.

Now I had more time. I put my mind to some attractive business opportunities, not the least being the multi-level marketing industry, which although one of the largest marketing forces in the world, was in danger of destroying itself. To gather more information and to experience in more detail the international workings of multi-level marketing, I decided on a course of action. I made myself available free of charge to multi-level marketers and at their request I spent the whole year, other than my commitments to the Hour of Power and other significant business responsibilities, conducting speaking and information tours. These extended to sixteen major centres in Australia, as well as to major towns in New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Singapore and Malaysia. By the end of the year, Graham and I had ample information to write a significant manual, which we did. It subsequently affected direct selling throughout the entire world.

In 1992 I received an invitation to become Chairman of the Board of Directors of a young but aggressive fledging company, involving a three-year contract. This gave me the opportunity to guide and direct the company through the difficult early stages, but placed no limitations on my time or my other considerable activities.

Our time in the United States during the Rodney King riots was scary. As we flew from Florida and approached Los Angeles, in readiness for our flight back to Australia, the plane we were in began to behave strangely, causing us some concern. As we looked out the window towards Los Angeles everything was blacked out and it seemed as if we were coming in from the sea, which turned out to be the case, because we were being fired at from the ground by rioters. When we landed we were taken through dark tunnels under the airport to our plane to fly back to Australia. The fires, riots and rampages were not only taking place in Los Angeles but other major cities were also affected. The newspapers declared it was madness. In all, 25 people were dead, 572 injured and 300 arrested. Thousands of fires were reported. The cost of the damage to buildings and looting exceeded 100 million dollars. Finally the Government brought out the National Guard and declared a curfew in some areas. Needless to say, Robina and I were relieved when our plane was over the Pacific, heading back to Australia.

Our launch of the manual A Global Survey into Multi-level Marketing, subtitled The Rescue of an Industry became an immediate hit, selling almost the entire print run in the first two weeks. Business magazines spoke very positively about it. The manual does not condemn multi-level marketing, which we agree is a great marketing tool, but assesses certain exaggerations and other practices, offering alternatives that are more obviously market friendly. It was evidently of some help to its target audience.

My 60th birthday was the highlight of my year. My second son Graham gave me a totally surprise birthday party at the Hilton Hotel in our city. People flew in from all over Australia, Dr Robert Schuller sent a special greeting by video from the Crystal Cathedral, and Dr Norman Vincent Peale and other high-profile distinguished friends from around the world sent greetings. The evening was a triumph of surprise. Events included an outstanding video presentation of my life. All my family participated. There was an added attraction of a 240 sky-rocket salute in the gardens outside the Hilton Hotel, which was the city’s centre point. A surprise visit from my long-time friend Thomas Tipton, the greatest classical hymn singer in the world, was included. His six-foot-four African-American frame entered singing, towards the end of the evening and his sparkling personality and voice entertained us for the rest of the evening.

The birthday party was so notable because of the firework display in the city centre that I had the unusual surprise of having it reported on the front page of the daily newspaper.

There were also some other notable events that year. We made friends with Pastor Robb Thompson and his wife Linda and son Anthony. We fell in love with them and finally invited them to become part of our family. So, in every sense of the word, we adopted them. They graciously accepted, which has been a great blessing to us ever since.

One of the other events that was both a surprise and delight was to be presented with a Doctorate of Humanities from the African American organisation called the March of Faith Bible Institute in Houston, Texas.

My long-time friend Ron Glosser with his wife Lily from the United States, on behalf of Dr Norman Vincent Peale, invited me to speak on ethics and business. While in the United States, I went to Nashville to participate in other major business events with other high-profile speakers.

As we slipped into 1993 business was buzzing on all fronts. Jim Groen launched a new organisation called the Worldwide Leadership Council and I happily accepted an offer to be a member of the international board. I was to conduct an inquiry in respect to business opportunities in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, United States and London. It provided an opportunity to meet with a long-time friend on the Isle of Jersey, just off the coast of France.

Robina’s 60th birthday was in June. Despite her protests, I decided to give her a birthday party. She insisted that I only invite family and, respecting her need for privacy, I agreed. I had an additional agenda in mind, however, because she had overlooked any restraint on entertainment or gifts.

The night of her birthday party was a wonderful family affair, with grandchildren opening her packages and their antics adding to the delight of the evening. At the conclusion of the evening, Robina turned to thank me for making it so memorable. She had absolutely no knowledge of what was to come. At an appropriate moment, while we were all sitting a the banquet table, I raised my hands and clicked my fingers. At that signal a huge wall was pushed back, revealing a grand piano being played beautifully and Robina’s favourite concert singer, Kamal, walked towards her singing “Happy Birthday”. To say that Robina was shocked would be an understatement! For the next hour he gave her a one-to-one concert. The concluding song was “All the Things You Are”, written by Jerome Kern. When the final note was completed, I raised my hand and clicked my fingers again, and a curtain was raised. Behind it was a master seven-foot-four inch oil painting of Robina at 20 years of age in her wedding dress. It took everyone’s breath away.

After gathering her thoughts, Robina said, “Where in the world are we going to put the picture?” The penthouse we were occupying at that time was smaller than the magnificent one we had sold earlier. Now we had to focus on searching for a new family residence with a suitable entrance hall to display such a beautiful painting.

I spent a great deal of money on Robina’s special 60th birthday party, with the magnificent soloist, the painting and the banquet. In a sense it was a tribute to her constant caring and faithfulness, under sometimes difficult circumstances, and it was another assurance of my love and devotion to her.

I was insistent that any new residence we moved into would have to have the painting of Robina featured in the front entrance foyer. I wanted this because she has always been there in the background for me. I was the one on the front pages of magazines, on television and on stage, receiving all the compliments and the adulation of the crowd, while Robina stayed, by preference, in the background, ever ready to give me the affection and strength to continue.

For the next few of years we searched diligently for a suitable home but were not able to obtain anything with a large entrance foyer. We finally moved to a nearby country area and built a spacious new home with extensive views and a large entrance foyer where the painting of Robina is featured.

An interesting invitation was received from the World Congress of Direct Selling that was having a major global conference in Malaysia in August. They asked me to be the featured speaker because of the publication of A Global Survey into Multi-level Marketing and its profound effect upon the world scene at that time. Because my son Graham was the co-author, we were both invited. We attended what turned out to be a very major event and were hosted and interviewed at length. Many invitations to address other groups followed. However, because of time constraints and other circumstances, we were unable to accept them.

Relaxing at our country property in South Australia

Our family at Robina’s 60th birthday

The painting of Robina in the foyer of our house

Robina’s surprised look at her 60th birthday party where Kamal gave a private concert

“Getting away from it all” for a few days and sleeping on the ground in the 10,000 star hotel of Outback Australia

Surprise! Surprise! my 60th birthday party

CHAPTER 14

KEEPING COMMITMENTS

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 14

KEEPING COMMITMENTS

An interesting event that would test my keeping of commitments occurred later in the year. I promised a young man that I would help him launch his business in Sacramento, California. There was no fee involved and I would pay all my own expenses, as I have done many times to assist those in need. I had made the commitment and it had to be kept. However, a comedy of errors followed. As we waited for our flight to leave the airport at Phoenix, Arizona we were informed of a mechanical malfunction and told that we would have to collect our luggage and go on another flight. We did this, only to find, as the second aeroplane started to move, that it had a malfunction as well. We then had to board another flight and that also failed! There I was in an airport with three failed aeroplanes. The clock was making me anxious about the commitment I had made to the young man in Sacramento, who was depending on me. Robina tried to calm me down but to no avail. As always, I was seeking to practise the biblical principle: “Having done all, then stand.” I believed that I had not done all at that point and therefore I could not stand.

On enquiry, I was assured that there were no commercial or private planes available, but I decided to take matters into my own hands and search for a plane and pilot to get me to the appointment on time. Although Robina was far from happy with my antics, she knew only too well that I would not stand until I had explored all the possible options to allow me to keep my commitment.

After much searching and many enquiries, I found a young man with a twin engine Beech Craft, who for $3,000, was prepared to fly us to Sacramento, supposedly on time. So there we were with the luggage on the back seat and Robina and I facing it, with our backs to the front of the plane, flying between the mountains. I was urging the pilot to see if he could make the plane go faster. I was oblivious to the drama being played out between Sacramento and my son Graham back in Australia.

Evidently the pilot made a mistake in his calculations and we were about one hour late. Our hosts in Sacramento made contact with our son in Australia, who assured them that I always keep appointments on time whatever happens. They were thinking that the plane must have crashed and were checking with each control tower along the route to get some answers. We were certainly living on the edge. When we arrived late for the appointment, I met the people I was supposed to meet. As I had arrived late, I decided to stay three extra days to help the young man with his business. He was very grateful.

The year 1994 started with a Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington, where I was asked to speak at some of the associated meetings. I made an interesting connection with Adnan Kashoggi and some other notable dignitaries. I then went on to fulfil many other business commitments that I had at that time.

From Washington we went to New York, where, through Jim Groen’s introduction, we had lunch with the Ambassador to the United Nations from North Korea. As we woke the next morning, snow started to fall lightly. Sensing that it was going to set in, we left immediately for the airport, only to find that, by the time we arrived, there was a white-out and everything was shut down. As usual I would not accept the situation as hopeless. Knowing that I had been invited in good faith to speak in a church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, my commitment principle came into operation and I said to Robina, “Having done all, then we can stand.” Robina assured me that this was the time to stand, but I had heard about Penn Station in New York and I believed that if we could get there, we could board a train to reach Lancaster, Pennsylvania in time.

Whilst I was contemplating what to do, I saw a lone taxi moving slowly towards the passenger terminal at the airport. Without a jacket or proper boots, I ran out, with the snow reaching my shins, and flagged down the taxi. I received a mouthful of abuse from the taxi driver in return. After settling the driver down, I asked him to take us to Penn Station. He replied, “In this snow nobody can get you to Penn Station.” I quickly convinced him that for the kind of money I was prepared to pay, anyone with four wheels would get me to Penn Station. After some negotiation, he said, “Get in.” Now with Robina, myself and the luggage on board, we set off for Penn Station, only to get bogged outside Madison Square Garden, until a number of kind people pushed us out. We arrived at Penn Station and I paid the taxi driver a sum of money that he happily accepted. We purchased tickets and waited for the train.

On the train the heating and lighting failed and we were diverted to another town to change engines. We set off again but after fifteen minutes the heating and lighting failed again. Ice was creeping up the aisle between the seats. We arrived at Lancaster to find everything shut down, an open platform with snow a foot deep on it, and no one to meet us.

Before we departed from New York, my son Graham told me not to lift our heavy suitcases, because I had a hernia, but instead pay someone $20 or $50 to carry the cases for me.

Now we were standing in a foot of snow with three suitcases and two flights of stairs to climb. I called out loudly, “Fifty dollars for anyone who will carry my cases.” Unfortunately the station was empty.

After getting a taxi to a motel, we were informed that there was nowhere to get anything to eat. However, the lady in charge of the motel that night took two TV chicken dinners out of the refrigerator and these, plus a hot coffee, rescued our broken spirits.

Unfortunately, because of the snow, all the churches in the area were closed, with the exception of the church where I was to speak. The word got around that we had arrived and on the following night we had a capacity crowd and the pastor was ecstatic.

Our next commitment was to be in Boston. It was Friday and I had to be ready to speak there on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, but all planes were out of action and we were in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The only possible way of getting to Boston was by somehow getting back to Penn Station and catching a train to Boston. Going by air was completely out of the question, because all planes were still grounded.

All we could hope for was someone who had a four-wheel drive and the time to take us back through the snow to Penn Station. We found a volunteer in the church. We arrived at the station safely, after a long hazardous drive.

Now we were faced with an entirely different situation. The airports had been out of action for four days and Penn Station was overcrowded. Nevertheless, I did manage to get some seats to Boston. The next challenge was to get onto the train.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an ideal rescuer in the form of the biggest African American I had ever seen in my life and I was sure he even had muscles in his gums. My approach to him was simple. I went up to this magnificent uniformed attendant and told him that this was his lucky day. Without any response from him, I pointed to my wife sitting on one of the suitcases and I told him I was going to give him the biggest tip he had ever had in his life if he could get my wife and me to our seats on the train to Boston.

Without batting an eyelid this gentle giant walked over to my wife, picked up all the bags in his huge arms and started to walk down the stairs of the platform, through a huge oncoming crowd. He even went onto the train itself and promptly put the suitcases into the luggage racks and pointed to our seats. I blessed him with a giant tip and his eyes sparkled. Who said money was bad? What had taken place was of benefit to us all.

Having left the previous ordeal on the Amtrak with delays, blackouts and freezing temperatures, we were assured that this would be quite different. The train was so crowded that people sat in the toilet cubicle and on the floor. By the time we reached the halfway mark, this train stopped. We were informed that everything would be fixed in 20 minutes but it was four-and-a-half hours before another train arrived and we were on the move again. We arrived in Boston at lam on Saturday, and my commitment was kept. Keeping my commitments was, and always will be, a matter of integrity for me.

One of the more interesting events in that early part of the year was to be invited to address the students and faculty at the Oral Roberts University in their chapel meetings, which several thousand students attend. It happened to be African American appreciation week.

While preparing myself for the meeting in the hotel on the other side of the street, looking out at the giant praying hands at the entrance, I kept asking myself the question, “What am I doing here? I am not a charismatic.” The Oral Roberts University was a charismatic Christian institution. While I am not by conviction a charismatic, I am not anti-charismatic either. However, I did feel a little uneasy and wondered how I would be received.

My concerns turned out to be totally unjustified and after my address, I received what I considered to be the loudest, longest standing ovation I had ever received in my life. Even while the students were still clapping and hollering, the Dean at the University asked me to take a lecture in economics for both undergraduates and graduates, and to speak to some special guests at a specially prepared dinner that evening.

The next day we were to spend some time with Richard Roberts, the President of the University, who was keen for us to meet his father Oral Roberts and his mother Evelyn. I tried to avoid this by informing him that I would not be able to spend more time in Tulsa because I had to attend to some business in Orange County, California.

Unbeknown to me, Oral and Evelyn Roberts lived at Newport Beach, only a few miles away from where we were going to stay, so our meeting was unavoidable. When we met them, we fell in love with them immediately and they soon became firm friends.

On 8th of July Graham and I were at the United Nations Plaza Hotel preparing to go to North Korea, following an invitation to visit from the then Ambassador to the United Nations. We had asked Jim Groen what gifts we could take that would help the people and also keep the door open for Jim and his Christian activities there.

Because of the severe food shortages in North Korea and the lack of women’s cosmetics and toiletries, we had organised a gift shipment, which was at the air cargo terminal in Sydney, Australia, ready for shipping. It contained one ton of fruitcake, sealed for freshness, a large number of nourishment bars and a considerable assortment of soaps, cosmetics and lotions, all packed in huge crates.

When we were about to leave, we received news that the President of North Korea, Kim Il-Son, had passed away and that the nation was in a state of mourning. This meant that our visit was cancelled. Amid tears and sorrow, we were told they would have to request that we did not go.

Out of sympathy for North Korea’s situation, we had to change our plans. Because North Korea was not in a position to receive the gifts, we had to find someone else to give them to. Graham promptly started making telephone calls.

Looking back now it seems quite amusing. There was my son calling around the world, trying to give away a mountain of good products and it seemed that we were either treated as a joke, or nobody wanted them. Finally he was able to contact an Australian Outback Mission Station for Aborigines. Graham started his conversation by saying that he was calling from the United Nations Plaza Hotel in New York in the United States of America. It took some time before he convinced them this was not a hoax and that we would indeed cover the cost of shipping the goods to them. Finally they agreed to accept them, and that was that.

Graham and I also had a special meeting at the Embassy with the Ambassador to the United Nations from Ghana, regarding the possibility of their workmen in the future contributing to the giant European market. We discussed the need for some sort of protection for the workers to prevent them from being exploited as cheap labour.

The final stop to conclude our journey was at the World Bank, where we were to have some discussions regarding the global economic situation and forecasting future trends.

The best part of 1994 was late in the year when we took our whole family for a holiday in the United States, with Robina and me paying all the expenses. They were all able to visit the Crystal Cathedral and meet Dr Schuller, and spend time at Disneyland and Universal Studios, with the appropriate shopping sprees, as well. What a time it was! Our family is the most important asset we have. Our closeness has never been breached. Spending time with any or all of them is, for me, a little touch of heaven. I went on rides with our grandchildren and enjoyed their wonder and amazement at many things. I had made this commitment some years before and it was the best holiday I have ever had in my life.

With our grandchildren in Disneyland, California Back from left to right Peter, Isaac, Robina, Nathan Front from left to right Aaron, Sarah, Taliah, Jacob and Caleb

CHAPTER 15

BUILDINS A LEGACY

PETER J DANIELS

CHAPTER 15

BUILDINS A LEGACY

I was looking forward to a quieter year in 1995 but that was not to be, with business continuing to grow and invitations to speak and lead intensive business training in conferences around the world. My desire was to leave a legacy, as a tribute, to those men who had inspired my life by commissioning a painting called “Inspiration” to be created by the masterful brush of Ruth Ellis-Davey. She was the artist who had done such a marvellous work in the painting of my wife and had also painted a rather gruesome work for a book I will write sometime called Devil’s Domain.

The painting “Inspiration” had to show, above the clouds, the faces of those who had inspired me, with me sitting pensively looking towards them, and through a mist, the grandeur of the Garden of Eden. It turned out to be another artistic masterpiece and covers a wall in my home study today.

A rather unusual event stimulated another book. We received a phone call from Robina’s cousin, who had mentioned during a conversation with some friends that his cousin Robina was married to Peter Daniels. The friends said that if that were true they would all like to meet him. The meeting was arranged after hours one night at my office and my wife’s cousin Max brought quite a crowd.

During a barrage of questions, I was asked how to write a mission statement. I went to the whiteboard in my office and promptly wrote up the formula. Follow-up questions continued and my time with these folk extended late into the evening.

When I told Robina what had happened and remarked that they did not know how to write a mission statement in two parts, both sloganised and detailed, she promptly responded that I presumed too much and should write it in a book.

My next task was to examine the business literature to find out what had already been written and what formulas were available. I could not find any. Within the next two weeks I wrote the book How to Create Your Own Dynamic Mission Statement that Works. It sold quickly and was in great demand.

The Christian Life Centre church in Sydney, which is probably the largest church in Australia, wanted to do something for Christian business people and approached me to contribute to a special meeting.

I was impressed with the quality of the other speakers and the standard of the organisation, which hopefully would set a benchmark for others in Australia to follow. The meeting was advertised in Time magazine. A good crowd attended and there was much excitement. The range of information provided was very helpful for those who were taking the challenge of business seriously.

Later in the year, at a special Baccalaureate commencement at the Oral Roberts University, I was presented with a Doctorate of Letters. A short time later I was to travel again to South Africa at the invitation of Pastor Ray McCauley, who leads a very large racially mixed church there.

Ray is a very unusual man with great capabilities. When he was younger he qualified as runner-up in the Mr Universe contest and he is still in marvellous physical shape and works out regularly.

This visit to South Africa was significant for many reasons, not the least being that the dreadful apartheid had gone, but also because of the excellent program that was organised.

My son Graham went with me. Our first stop was a hurried ride to the Government headquarters for a lunch meeting with different politicians and Heads of State. Our conferences were very well attended and I received a wonderful welcome at a high-profile evening dinner that was magnificently presented, with a string orchestra and many of South Africa’s VIPs. This led to an invitation to a television debate called “The Felicia Program”, in which I would be questioned in respect to my wealth, my Christian value system, and local and international politics. It sounded exciting to me.

When we arrived at the television station, a large group of mixed races and intellectual business, Jewish, Islamic and Christian groups were there ready to test me. The studio crew were completing the assembly set-up and I was asked to take my seat under the hot lights for about ten minutes while they completed their arrangements. I immediately refused, telling them that an extra ten minutes under those heated lights would make me perspire by the end of the program and it would seem to the television viewers that I was under stress, which I assured them, of course, I would not be. The program was evidently a fantastic success, with faxes and phone calls coming in from everywhere. I finally heard from the Reserve Bank and the Stock Exchange that the program was so successful that it had to be repeated to satisfy viewers.

I later met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and presented him with a Peter Daniels Caleb gold medal. I was to have met with President Nelson Mandela but he was ill, so I met with his deputy instead and left a medal with him.

The South African Government asked me to assist them, as they were considering the possibility of starting a school of entrepreneurship in that country. Although I agreed to help, I made it quite clear that I would not work in an atmosphere of indecision. After many attempts to get something started and even after I received a facsimile from President Mandela himself, nothing really happened and I had to abandon the effort.

While Graham and I were busy overseas Robina and our daughter Deborah went searching for some land. They came across 123 acres just outside a little village of 380 people in the hills near Adelaide. The land had rubbish on it and fences that were in a state of disrepair. Although it appeared to be in the area we wanted, they thought it would be totally unsuitable.

On my return, Robina and I were determined to find some land because by now we had decided to build, since we had been unable to find a home with a suitable entrance foyer. We had been looking in earnest now for several years but without success.

On a wintry afternoon, whilst looking at properties, Robina mentioned the one at Macclesfield and I decided to go and see it for myself. From the road it looked unimpressive. However, because we were getting desperate, even though I was wearing a suit, I climbed through the damaged fence and walked through the high wet pasture grass until I came to a bog and then I continued through some bushland until I reached a peak. Before me was the most glorious sight I’d ever seen. Two large wedge-tailed eagles were hovering over a site that would be suitable for a house. We purchased the property the next day and sold our other farm.

I received a medical wake up call early in 1996. As I was walking down the street with my son, I started to stagger and I knew something was not right. When I went to the doctor he said it was probably a once-only episode and suggested that I just let it pass, but I was sure something was wrong and I asked him for a referral to a specialist.

The specialist told me it was probably a minor problem in the inner ear but he could see nothing that would require attention. Despite his unwillingness, I demanded a brain scan. Several days later, I received a call from the specialist, asking me to go and see him. Sensing something was wrong, I told him to tell me about it over the phone. He responded by telling me that I had a large aneurysm the size of a golf ball in my brain and it needed investigation. After investigative surgical procedures, including one in which I woke up under the anaesthetic and many others that were uncomfortable but evidently necessary, the final analysis was that the aneurysm had probably been there for some time and had calcified. However, another one they had found in my carotid artery had mysteriously vanished. I believe that I was the recipient of God’s goodness. I have some painful headaches at times but I am basically out of danger.

Having sorted out my medical problem, which took some time and anguish, I settled down to consider building a country estate, with a substantial residence and an entrance foyer that would present the portrait of Robina that I had commissioned a few years before.

My first task was to have roads built and a small lake, which could be suitable for jet skiing for my grandchildren, and to stock it with fish. The next task was to clear a site for the house and build a large shed for implements, with a nice-sized air-conditioned bed-sitter, so we could go and stay from time to time while the construction was being undertaken and enjoy the process.

The year was full of activities. One was a major contract with a gold company. Another was a serious involvement with Hawaiian Airlines. I was approached by the Pilots Union to act as their representative on the Board of Directors, with the possibility of injecting some support for them and, at the same time, providing some additional management skills. My response, after several meetings with individuals and a group, was that I would be prepared to act for them provided that I had a specific percentage of votes to assure me of the support I needed to get things done. Unfortunately the numbers, although significant and enough to vote me in, were not what I had requested to confirm total support, so I dropped the idea.

Behind the scenes I had done quite a bit of work and even had interested parties prepared to invest heavily and to consider the possibility of cooperation with another airline, which would provide extensions to their existing limited routes.

Another big shock came when my son Graham developed abdominal pains, prior to Robina and me visiting London to open a new company for a United States group that thought my presence there would assist in the process. Whilst I was in Birmingham, England I received a disturbing phone call regarding my son’s physical condition and we cancelled all further plans and rushed to his bedside in the hospital back in Australia. By the time we arrived the doctors had performed some exploratory surgery, found the problem and corrected it, and he was now recovering, for which we were grateful to God.

Quite a bit of time in 1997 was occupied with the new residence and a new company we named “Australia Fair” because these are the closing words of the Australian National Anthem. The new company was dedicated to international intelligence on economics, politics and religion, areas in which we had some considerable experience. The initial substance of the new company was a range of gold medallions that we were fortunate enough to have the Australian Perth Mint produce as a hedge against major financial reversals. These were reminiscent of biblical shekels and had the illustration of biblical heroes emblazoned on the front.

The additional substance came through two films created largely by a dedicated young man called Philip Judge, who was my son’s best friend, and my son Graham who assisted him. In the final analysis these two films were submitted to the famous Video and Film Festival in Chicago and won the Gold Award for directorship and then the Silver Award for content. Armed with a considerable amount of material and, as usual, our own capital we launched Australia Fair with considerable success.

At about the same time I was working on a series called Destiny of the Third Millennium, which was launched with fantastic results. It wasn’t long after that we decided to move out of our nice city offices and go to whatever we could find in the country, close to our new property.

Another incident occurred when the penthouse we were leasing was sold and we had to move out. My immediate response was to suggest to Robina that we should see if we could find a nice property to lease, close to the one we were having built. She said, “I am not moving again.” She persuaded me to move into the bed-sitter on our new property and store our furniture until our new house was completed.

During that year we had to fly to Melbourne to collect the new white Rolls Royce that I had purchased earlier and left there until certain modifications were made. On collecting the vehicle I was somewhat stirred by the fact that this former illiterate bricklayer was paying cash for a Rolls Royce and driving it 500 miles back home, in perfect comfort, enjoying a stereophonic sound system. The goodness of God touched me so deeply I started to weep and had to pull over to the side of the road to pull myself together, with Robina’s help.

The interesting thing is that all our businesses are freehold and we have no loans, overdrafts or mortgages anywhere in the world, and yet we have always had a consistent giving program.

The year was now 1998. It was explosive, with Australia Fair growing, and travelling for business seminars in Shawnee, Oklahoma City, St Peters, Santa Rosa, Fresno, Sacramento, Newcastle, North Haven, Greensboro, Houston, Dedham Springs, Claremore, Seekonk, Forest Park, Carmel, Guyman, Altus, Buffalo, Glendale, Colorado Springs, Abilene, Westminster, Stamford, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Amarillo, Somerset, Castle Rock and Fort Worth, to name just a few. I also participated in a men’s conference at the Crystal Cathedral.

We concluded the year with another major visit to South Africa for two full weeks of business meetings. Arriving at the end of the year, we were tired but happy.

To the surprise of the hundreds of churches where I have conducted meetings, we have never let any of them pay our hotel or travel expenses, or give us an honorarium of any kind. This was my way of tithing my time and ability, which I believe must both be done, in addition to monetary tithing.

As we moved into 1999, Robina started to remind me about the responsibility I had to my own country. Although we had helped people in India, Asia, Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Maylasia and the United States, since I had resigned from Youth for Christ Australia we had done very little for our own country. I said, “They have probably forgotten me.”

I was buoyed up by a conversation with Dennis Slape, a special long-time friend in Adelaide, who is the Executive Director of Tabor College, a Christian education centre. Some contacts were made and my availability was made known. Once the word was out, many invitations came.

In the meantime I had 28 conferences to attend to in the United States. On my return, I was able to attend 16 conferences throughout Australia and four additional ones in my home State. I experienced continued growth in other business enterprises.

What was to make life difficult was the abundance of letters seeking advice and guidance. We had always had a large number of letters, faxes and emails from people whom, in most cases, we did not know, asking for large sums of money and, in some cases, sending their bank account numbers and addresses for it to be sent immediately. We were also contacted by frauds and unscrupulous operators, who thought I might be gullible.

Interestingly, I am never asked about my health or my family by those making these requests, and in most cases they have never read any of my books, but they have heard or read about me. They think that people like me are just waiting to hear from them. The truth, of course, is quite different because if God has blessed you financially then you should already be committed to your capacity to fund the work of the church, and more, so that you can practise your faith by living on the edge.

As we moved into the year 2000 and a new millennium I had before me 28 conferences in Australia and 15 in the United States, and needed time out to prepare for my life’s final work. The latter would consume the next 22 years of my life, and if in the mercy, providence and will of God, I complete it, I will then be 92 years of age and the world will then change for 300 years.

This work resulted from a dream I was given at 26 years of age. For all the past 43 years I had been in deliberate and calculated preparation for what I refer to as “The Gabriel Call”.

As we study the Bible, we find that when Gabriel, the angel of God, came it was for one purpose and that was to announce good news. Hence, I have named this work “The Gabriel Call”, as it announces good news. Over the past 43 years I have been deeply concerned at the lack of funding for evangelism and for sustaining the outreach and maintenance of the local church, and I have continually wondered when the time would be right to make a daring, measurable and impacting move. All events in the political, economic and Christian world indicate to me that now is the most appropriate time in history.

As I walked up and down my office, with 6,000 years of history represented on the wall, I considered my relentless study for over 40 years, seeking for and expecting the right time. On occasions, I had wondered, for just a moment, whether the time might not come. However now the time has come. The dream that I had as a young man must now come into reality.

The plan is simple in its expression, thorough in its detail and massive in its effect. In fact, it will be the largest single economic thrust in the history of the Christian church.

Starting in 2004, the program will be completed and ready for implementation over the next 20 years. It is to put at least one million Christians into businesses of their choice, as kingdom builders under the authority and recommendation of their local churches. Tithing, plus gifts and offerings to the local church, will bring in 200 billion dollars for evangelism, over the 20-year period. We will only work through the local church and we will accept no offerings or gifts.

Pastor Robb Thompson, my adopted American son, is Chairman for the program. In 2003 we will finalise all details and the plan will be ready for implementation.

By the end of the year 2000 we had moved into our new country estate and all the family had Christmas together. We now have our own polo club, which presents winners with Christian endorsement trophies that are probably some of the most prestigious in the nation.

Our business and other interests were moving well, as we entered 2001. Because of the number of events and the amount of work involved in “The Gabriel Call”, I had already resigned from the Hour of Power in the United States and in Australia, as well as from the Worldwide Leadership Council, with good memories and relationships.

On a Saturday evening in Washington in the United States, I had an interesting speaking appointment at the Embassy of the Prince of Peace, which was formerly the Embassy for Iran. I was to address a special meeting of the Sons of Abraham, with other dignitaries in the Great Hall.

By now I wanted to slow down my travel and spend more time at home in preparation for the massive amount of work involved in preparing for “The Gabriel Call”. However, invitations to speak at conferences continued to come and I completed another 24 conferences in the United States, with special meetings to announce “The Gabriel Call” in Chicago.

Pastor Robb Thompson and I agreed on a time in mid-September for the announcement. Robb did a magnificent job in promotion and we were expecting a capacity crowd. The reality, of course, was different, as following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001 the whole world was in shock. Air travel almost ceased to exist and even those who did travel experienced delays because of increased security measures, and tension and fear prevailed. Only the strongest of heart dared to venture long distances from home.

While we had some reservations, we still went to the United States and let them know that they had firm friends in their hour of need. The numbers for the meeting of “The Gabriel Call” were not what we would have expected under normal circumstances, but some people drove 400, 500, 600, 700 and even 1,500 miles to attend the conference. I was greatly surprised by contingents from Australia and the Netherlands, and small numbers from other countries. It was a beginning and the atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm, although possibly one or two had expectations that were different from what had been advertised and promised. We had a magnificent launch, considering the adverse effects of the major catastrophe a very short time before.

The video and other material gathered from the event and the feedback from the people have put us in a good position to commence the program in churches as soon as the material is ready.

The major newspaper in our city was anxious to present and update the story of my life. Because I had deliberately avoided publicity over recent years in order to maintain my privacy, I was reluctant to agree. Finally we received a reporter whom I knew and respected, along with a photographer. A very nice article was produced with a colour photograph of me in my private study, showing the paintings, statues and honours received from around the world, with the interesting but exaggerated comment, “His home would put Dynasty in the shade.”

Now at the finale, having had my 70th birthday on 9th of October in 2002, I am being faithful to the commitment I made when I was asked by many people to write my autobiography. For years I refused, saying that there was so much more to be done and I was still too young. My son Graham suggested, “Dad, do it in two volumes, first from your birth up to 70 years of age, and later let them see the results of the next 20 years when you are 90.”

The year 2002 started full of promise and it looks as if this will continue, as God goes before us into the unknown, Himself knowing all. The year started with a major tour of the United States with seven conferences followed by an exceptional week in the Philippines. Robb Thompson had asked me in the previous year if Robina and I would be willing to go back to the Philippines to conduct a business seminar for a friend of his, a Pastor David Sumrall. David, as a young American with a Canadian wife, went to the Philippines many years ago to help a little fledging church. With perseverance and deep faith in God he built the largest Christian evangelistic church in that country. Robina and I left Australia with some apprehension, after fully notifying the Australian Embassy because of a recent kidnapping. Our host and Robb met us at the airport and we had five armed guards surrounding us 24 hours a day. We stayed close to the church and each time we walked about we took a different route and we felt safe.

With all the security measures in place, there was still a deliberate attempt to persuade us to go down to the foyer of our hotel through a phone call at 2am from someone who used the name of an old friend of mine in the Philippines, impersonating him and trying to convince me that he needed immediate help and wanted to see me urgently. Our bodyguards dealt with the matter. Apart from one other minor incident, we had no further problems.

We had 10,047 people at the seminars and the hosts and all the people were wonderful. Although I worked extremely hard, we had an exciting and fulfilling time, and we agreed to help them commence another ministry later in the year in Hong Kong.

On returning home, we were somewhat tired but delighted that we could be of help and encouragement to so many people around the world. After a short rest, it was back to Canada and the United States for another 14 conferences and then home to Australia for three more conferences.

The writing of this autobiography will hopefully answer some of the questions that have been asked of me over the last 43 years, with the possible exception of two.

One question that I rarely deal with is: “Why don’t you let us invest in your business activities or even tell us about them?” The answer is simple. We made up our minds many years ago that we would not own or be involved in public companies, or have partnerships, but that we would keep our business affairs private for our own security and peace of mind. When I have ever spoken about our business activities, the requests for participation or for more information, and the resulting proposals and submissions, have been too extensive for us to handle. Also, they took the focus away from my Christian activities.

In addition, we do not finance other businesses and we do not borrow from banks for our own business because we finance everything we do internally. We suggest that others do the same. While it is difficult in the early stages, once you create a habit of doing it, you find that you are able to do much more and also have a great deal more freedom.

The other question is: “As an obviously patriotic Australian who loves his own country, why do you spend so much time in the United States?” The answer to that question has deep roots in my memories and my study of history. When the Japanese were ready to invade Australia, it was the Americans, along with our own countrymen, who shed their blood for our soil. When you cast your mind back over the last 100 years, whether it be in famine, flood, earthquake, conflict or economic instability, the Americans have always been the first to provide food, shelter, finance and, when necessary, protection.

I’m not suggesting that everything that the United States of America has done or has been involved in has always been right or even good, but in my mind they have usually tried to do the right thing. With all their flaws and faults they have proved to be the most benevolent nation in the history of the world. It is high time that countries that have benefited from the generosity of this great nation should show some gratitude and at least say a simple “Thank you.”

I also believe the Unites States of America needs me today more than I need the United States. Following the biblical analogy of the one leper who returned and said “Thank you,” I want to be that one. If need be, I will even say “Thank you” for the rest of the world.

Now if you have read this far, the question in your mind must be, “What is this guy going to do next?” The complete answer, of course, is in God’s hands, but my desire and plan is to keep on giving, supporting and growing the local church, wherever the opportunity and time permits … And dedicating the next 20 years of my life to “The Gabriel Call” to create through Christians in local churches in the English-speaking world over one million new businesses to bring 200 billion dollars into the local church for evangelism … And equipping churches in other countries that have the desire, the will and the ability to handle this program to do the same … And under the hand of God changing the world for the next 300 years.

Why? Because the flame that was ignited on 25th of May 1959 still burns brightly.

The painting “Inspiration” of those who have inspired me. On the left I am looking at Dr Billy Graham, Dr Norman Vincent Peale, Dr Robert Schuller, Sir Winston Churchill (back row left to right) Dr Harrold Steward, Dr John Haggai, Dr Martin Luther King (centre row left to right) and W Clement Stone (front right)

Enjoying a joke after a serious meeting with Dr Norman Vincent Peale and his wife Ruth

With Dr Oral Roberts after I received a Doctorate of Letters from the Oral Roberts University

Peter (standing) Chairman of the Board of Directors

LETTERS

PETER J DANIELS

THOSE WHO KNOW PETER J DANIELS

LETTERS

Robb “Daniels” Thompson

The phone rang one pleasant Saturday afternoon, as I was preparing to speak to my congregation about our wonderful God. It was a man I had known for a number of years. He began to tell me of someone who had ministered to his church, a man from Australia whose name was Peter Daniels. I inquired, “How did you ever hear of him?” He responded, “I read one of his books and I decided to call his office and when I did, he answered the phone. “He went on to tell me of Peter’s character, his love for America and his love for his family. He then asked me if I would be interested in inviting him to my church. “Of course!” I replied. He then said, “I must warn you of something though, he will not accept any offering, you cannot pay for his flight and you cannot pay for his hotel. You must agree not to pay for anything. “With reluctance, I agreed. Of course, this broke all the rules of honour and protocol that I have ever even heard of.

When Peter and Robina came, Linda and I immediately became deeply committed to them. Their commitment to God, to character, and to the family was all that we needed in order to see that God had placed a certain responsibility upon us for them when they were in America.

We began to follow them and serve them when occasionally they were speaking at a church. Then one day, when they were in our area speaking at a local congregation (of course without cost) we were out to lunch and Peter said to me, “Robb I have a question to ask you … Robina, have I ever asked anyone this question before?” “No Peter,” she chirped. He continued, “Now I know that you may want to think about this.” You must understand that being with Peter continually made me so uncomfortable that I would have to excuse myself to the restroom because my stomach would become so nervous and with this suspense building I was feeling very nervous. I wished he would just ask the question. He finally asked, “Would you consider being a real part of my family?” I said, “Are you sure you want me to be a part of your family?” “Yes,” he responded. I could almost not believe what I was hearing. What was now occurring was what you would only read about in the Bible. This was everything that I could ever want for my family … an identity. What my parents could not give me because of how they were brought up, or in this case were not brought up, God gave to me. In the Book of Psalms we read: “God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But for rebels, there is only famine and distress.” (Psalm 68:6)

All of my life since I have been a Christian I have desired a family of God’s construction for our life. This was all of God’s doing a family that I no longer had to make excuses for, a family that I could be proud of, a family that I could contribute to, a family that I could sow the rest of my life into. Peter has been everything that I could ever want in a father. He has been interested in me when others have not been interested in my future, my character and my family. My future and the future of my family will be changed forever because of Peter. Thank you Dad, for working along with the Lord to give me dignity and to turn my mourning into dancing. I promise you that your life will live on through me.

Robb “Daniels” Thompson
Senior Pastor, Family Harvest Church
President, Family Harvest International
Chairman, “The Gabriel Call”
Adopted son of Peter J Daniels

Paul Wightman

Early in my career with Youth for Christ in South Australia, I met Peter Daniels and asked him to be the Chairman of the Youth for Christ Board. I was the Director and, of course, we had no money, so Peter Daniels started us off by putting $1,000 into the Youth for Christ bank account. Still being a young Christian at this time, I thought that gifts, especially from Christians, should always be that magic figure.

Subsequently, Peter took me to a small meeting with Dr John Haggai, who trained nationals to be evangelists in their own country. I was blown away by Dr Haggai, as I had never heard anything like what he shared, so naturally when he called for gifts for his ministry, I put my hand up and promised $1,000. Of course I didn’t have $1,000 in 1975, so I immediately went to the bank and borrowed $1,000, which in turn I gave to Dr Haggai. I can remember some of my counter-culture Christian friends being absolutely shocked and even a little angry at what I had done. They assured me God would never want me to borrow money to give to Him. However, since that small beginning, my wife Sylvia and I have given at least $800,000 to needs, as God has prompted us.

Dr John Haggai was coming to South Australia and Peter, as Chairman of his crusade, asked me because of my involvement in Youth for Christ to run the “youth side of things”. John Haggai had arranged for a group called “Homecoming”, comprising three young 25-year-old American singers Brown Bannister, Bob Farnsworth and Mike Hudson.

Because I was involved in a number of high schools through Campus Life, a program I began through Youth for Christ, I began to approach headmasters, asking whether “Homecoming” could put a concert on in their schools in the lunch hour or in class time. In all, we gave 42 gospel concerts in Adelaide, and out of this ministry came one of the major Christian events to occur in South Australia.

When Peter was Chairman of Youth for Christ and I was a Director, we needed to have a place to call the office. At the time I was working as an orderly in the Royal Adelaide Hospital as well as working for Youth for Christ, Peter and I found a place in Hutt Street, Adelaide. Peter and I painted it, laid sea grass matting on the floor and got the owners to put some partitioning in for us. Then we received a grant from the Morialta Trust in South Australia to buy desks, chairs and office equipment. As I didn’t have a full-time secretary, Peter bought me a dictaphone and taught me how to use it. I am still using this system today for notes and letters. I remember when Peter came to the office on the first night it was open, we sat down and he said, “Now the difference between the man who makes it and the man who doesn’t is that one writes it down. “That night I sat with Peter and wrote down all the problems that I had and we wrote down all the solutions that we could think of to those problems. From that night on, my days in Youth for Christ had truly begun. One thing I didn’t have was a decent suit and I remember Peter took me up to a place in Hutt Street and we bought my first safari suit, so I looked the part when visiting headmasters and other key people.

I can say that Peter taught me the secret of running a good meeting. I still use these skills to this day, as a franchiser in business, as well as in running church meetings. Another secret Peter taught me was to always pay the bill myself if I took people out for coffee or met them for lunch.

The most important thing that Peter taught me was to no longer be afraid of money but to use it as a mighty tool to get things done and bless other people’s lives.

For the first time I realised that wealth was all about being a channel, and that it is the giver who is blessed, not the receiver. I realised that I had more to offer by using money for God’s Kingdom than taking a pledge to a life of poverty, which would have been false humility for me because God definitely had other plans for my life. This is not meant to be condemnatory of those whom God calls to a life of poverty, it was just not the way for me.

It is true to say the principles Peter taught me have blessed my life and made it exciting.

Paul Wightman
Business Entrepreneur,
Western Australia

Alan Bailey

When I first met Peter he was “raw”. I mean, he was a new Christian and while he had the enthusiasm of someone who had made a great discovery, he was battling with life. I saw, over a period, his intense desire and clambering to make up for lost time. Having a great God and a great wife were no doubt working in his favour.

The thing that stands out for me was his discipline. Peter left most of his contemporaries for dead in this respect. He had a great willingness to do the hard yards, to learn and to knuckle down to work. I remember when Peter had a business in a skinny little triangular showroom on a busy intersection. It was full of nick-nacks, which he was importing from odd countries overseas. In those days he drove a sporty looking car and wore a hat at a rakish angle. He looked like a businessman for whom things were tough, tough, tough!

I wondered where it was all going. But Peter was not daunted. Ventures that failed only meant getting up and going again.

While Peter was a busy man in demand both at home and overseas, I admired his ability to stay simple in his approach to life and willingness to spend time with people. So many of my colleagues and peers would be so hard to get. “A cup of coffee?” “Yes, I think I will be free next Friday week. Snowed under until then. “But if the suggestion was made to Peter, or he made it, a time was found either that day or the next. If he said 3 o’clock, then 3 o’clock it was - not a minute later. I appreciated those things.

Alan Bailey
Open Air Campaigners
South Australia

Doug Tuffin

The uneducated bricklayer from the West End of Adelaide became an evangelist, except by sheer determination and hard work. Now he has become an Ambassador for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ throughout the world.

I first met Peter Daniels at a prayer meeting and Bible study at the home of Dr Harrold Steward. I never heard Peter plead in prayer, it was a definite asking with expectation.

He intrigued me with his ability to learn the meaning of words.

He has never become involved with any one denomination, thus leaving the door open for an invitation from anywhere.

Peter is not a man of words but of action. He kept pornography and porn shows out of South Australia. He risked his all, which opened him up to much verbal abuse and to threats on his life.

He shows little fear and calls pedlars of porn, television presenters, journalists, bank manager and leaders of some world organisations “whimps”!

He keeps appointments. Once my wife and I saw a figure wearing cap and dark glasses, with the collar of his coat up. My wife said, “That’s Peter Daniels.” When approached, he said, “You didn’t see me, I’m supposed to be in hospital. I’m here because I promised to meet someone.” Typical!

In sickness and health, fatigue or tiredness he has one drive: DO IT NOW.

Peter was never too busy to notice one in need. When my first wife died, leaving me with three small children, he got me back on my feet with encouragement and sound advice. I remember him telling my three children, “Your Dad needs your help,” and telling them what to do. Today they are all thankful that he taught them to be self-starters.

Peter talks so fast at lectures it’s impossible to take notes. He believes in guardian angels and goes to extremely dangerous places in the world.

He taught Ruth and me about real estate and then got us involved, something we never would have done without his encouragement. This was to our financial benefit. Many of God’s servants, organisations and church developments have benefited from his generosity. Only Peter knows what his left hand and his right hand are doing. And God Himself knows.

Peter loves Australia and the place of his birth. He had little education, is dyslexic and colour blind, yet today he is in demand as an educator of the world’s top echelon.

He is proud of the heroic feats of the Australian Army and is an admirer of the early Bushmen’s Brigade and the Light Horse Regiment (“Noble Eight Hundred”). He is always thankful for what our allies did for Australia in our time of need.

Doug Tuffin
Former Sergeant Major,
Australian Infantry Forces,
and Missionary
South Australia

Sam Heyburn

When I think of the years that we enjoyed together serving the Lord through Youth for Christ Australia, my mind is filled with gratitude for all I have enjoyed while working with you. Here are ten things I remember about you, my great friend, Peter Daniels.

I remember the first gift I received from you was a rubber stamp that simply said: “Do it now.” I still have it.

I remember when you were encouraging me to dream about the future of Youth for Christ Australia. I said, “Peter, it gets slippery at the top.” You said, “Sam, there is plenty of room at the top it’s at the bottom where it’s crowded. “

I remember when you had arranged for me to be invited onto the International Board of Youth for Christ. I was concerned about all the travel costs. You said, “Wherever you are invited to go for Youth for Christ, just phone my travel agent and she will send you your ticket.” We had some great times in Singapore, Manila, Korea, Hong Kong, Chicago and Nairobi. On top of that you arranged for me to go to the New Beginnings Church and to your friends in Chicago.

I remember travelling to every State in Australia with the Word Masters Seminars at your expense, and leaving all the funds we raised with the local program.

I remember how I started off just compering the programs and you encouraged me to share a short talk on self-esteem. Each time you would ask me to speak for a little longer, until I gave a one-hour talk and you arranged for me to be paid $1,000, plus $1,000 royalty.

I have now been a public speaker for many years. You taught me to become a commentator and I now host the largest network gospel radio program in Queensland.

I remember sitting in a restaurant in the Philippines, enjoying the hospitality of Manila Bankers Life Assurance Corporation because of your friendship. My wife Margo still talks about that dinner!

I remember you and me walking through the Hilton singing the Doxology and the other guests wondering why we were so happy! I recall seeing you fly off into the dark to Nowra because the local pastor thought some of the mine executives would come to his church if you were the speaker. The Bundaberg airport was closed down after you left because of the bad weather. The pastor was so excited he forgot to feed you!

I remember the look on your face when Tory Johnson presented you with that portrait of you, which my nephew painted. The Entertainment Centre was filled to capacity when you presented the Caleb Award to Mr Alan Petterson. They were the golden years.

I remember the many doors you opened for me and for my ministry … the books that you gave me to give away … the airfares you paid to help me enjoy the time we had on the International Board. So much of what I am, I am because of your encouragement.

Then, there were all the books, all the personal development programs.

Without a doubt, your life and ministry have had such a lasting influence on me there is never any way I could ever pay you back. I hope these few remembrances of all we have enjoyed together will encourage you to complete your story. Thank you for everything.

Sam Heyburn
Executive Director
Youth for Christ Australia, Queensland

Dr John Napier

I first met Peter Daniels in 1984 at the Anatol Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Prior to that meeting, I had accepted an invitation to come to Australia to join the faculty of a new Bible college. Already serving on many international boards, Peter had agreed to be on the board of the Adelaide College of Ministries, an evangelical school committed to the training of Bible-believing pastors, missionaries and teachers. We met at the Anatol to discuss my new role at the college. I well remember that first meeting for a number of reasons: the candor; the commitment of Peter to excellence; and his sense of “stewardship” as he related God’s goodness in his life and his own desire to be available to God.

Upon our arrival at our new home in Adelaide, Peter was the first person to greet us. Through the causeway glass, I saw his smiling face accompanied by a “thumbs up” gesture. In the weeks and months that followed, I came to know this Peter Daniels in many different settings. He opened his home to host us and the college board on a number of occasions. He personally covered the expenses for planning sessions for the board and faculty. Those all-day planning meetings and breakfasts at the Hilton Hotel were a great encouragement to a small struggling Bible college. Peter’s expertise in goal setting assisted us in defining certain programs and challenged all of us to dream. He helped underwrite the expenses for bringing some of the premier Christian speakers to the college. Serving on the board of Australia’s largest Christian news magazine, Peter was also able to assist the Adelaide College of Ministries with publicity. Such would later lead to a growing awareness of the college through-out Australia. The Adelaide College of Ministries owes much to Peter’s assistance during those formative years. Thus, my first impression of Peter must be of an individual who unselfishly gave of his time, his expertise and his finances to assist in the birth of a Bible College, a college that would impact Australia and the world for decades to come. This lifestyle of sacrificial giving became his trademark. God has blessed Peter because he has allowed himself to be a conduit through whom the Lord has touched many lives.

Peter displayed a consistency of character a man’s man, but a gentleman and man of his word. My wife and children still remember the personal traits of kindness, laughter, thoughtfulness and care that Peter extended to them.

A missionary to the business world. That’s my own conception of Peter. He would never take a speaking engagement without the clear understanding that he would give his testimony concerning faith in Jesus Christ. At many of his conferences, church services, business seminars, Peter would personally extend an invitation for men to give their lives to the Lord. And invariably, many would respond. His books on goal setting, public speaking, crisis management and formulating a purpose statement became “bridges” into the lives of his readers and public audiences. The “bridges” became an avenue for him to share his faith. I’ve watched this man’s life unfold for almost 17 years. Again, consistency of character marks his life.

A man dedicated to family and biblical values. Many a businessman has sacrificed his family in the quest for success. Yet, for Peter, his marriage and his family claim his devotion and focus. His wife Robina, the children and grandchildren know they are top priority in Peter’s life. And the values that form Peter’s own integrity are reproduced in the lives of his family. I know his children personally. I have been present at weddings, shared in private counsel, and spent time with them at barbecues, fishing and on outings. All have the highest respect and love for their Dad. And all seek to glorify the Lord with their lives. What greater reward, what greater joy can a man have on this earth, than to see his family loving the Lord and committed to the values that outlast time.

Dr John Napier
Pastor and Lecturer
Graduate, Dallas Theological College
Australia/USA

Rev Doug Lawrence

Peter Daniels has always had an entrepreneurial flair and is never quite comfortable with the status quo, with things as they are. For Peter there is another way, a better plan, a fresh idea and he gives himself unreservedly to its fulfilment. Peter was chairman of an Adelaide-wide series of meetings with Dr John Haggai as speaker-evangelist. The venue for the final gathering was the Memorial Drive Tennis Stadium. The concept of this evangelistic effort was a courageous departure from those that had been previously planned and endorsed. Thousands attended the series of meetings, with many commitments being recorded throughout the campaign. On a personal note, our daughter Sharon and Peter Junior our son-in-law first met at these gatherings.

My wife and I were invited to the Opera House, Sydney, to the final session of a motivational seminar for insurance sales personnel and several hundred attended. Peter Daniels was the keynote speaker and occupied the rostrum at the final session. I recall how forthrightly he spoke of the vital impact that personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has on his life as husband, father and business man. We will never forget the very moving, standing ovation, which was generously afforded him that afternoon.

One of the highlights of our friendship with Peter and his wife Robina came with an invitation to attend the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington in February 1994. This magnificent gathering of Christians from around the world was held in the Washington Hilton. Through Peter’s introductions, we met numerous influential leaders in church and business affairs within the USA and from abroad. This experience has been a “defining moment” in our interest in, and concern for, Christian witness worldwide. Finally, preaching to a black congregation in Maryland will live long in our memory and rounded off a week like no other!

Rev Doug Lawrence
Baptist Minister
Adelaide, South Australia

Robert Nixon

My first encounter with Peter Daniels was in Brisbane at a Board Meeting of the Haggai Institute. I had heard of Peter. His reputation and ability were impressive and I looked forward to this meeting for some time. My first impression was of a well-presented businessman, who spoke only when he had a valuable contribution to make on the subject in hand. Here was a man who did not consider money and wealth to be the enemy of mankind, but rather that it was to be enjoyed and used for the extension of the Kingdom of God and of His Christ.

The more I became acquainted with Peter, the more I came to appreciate his generous spirit and his commitment to the Christian ethic. I will always appreciate the opportunity to work in close association with him, when he was Chairman and I was Vice-Chairman of the Haggai Institute Board in Australia.

Peter is a fun loving person, I recall an afternoon spent on the roof of his penthouse in Adelaide city, with Peter demonstrating his prowess cracking a stock whip, which seemed so long it could have stretched a city block, much to the delight of his audience. Again, I recall him blasting his audience by blowing the bugle in the confined space of the lounge room. Yes, Peter still had the spirit of a little boy enveloped in his manly body.

I recall being driven through Adelaide city in his Rolls Royce motor vehicle, and coming to a slowing in the traffic due to road works. As we moved on slowly, one of the road workers said to Peter, “Good on ya Guv, “to which Peter replied, “Set your goal, work hard and you could own one of these one day.” One will never know the number of people that Peter has motivated in his lifetime to endeavours that they may have considered impossible.

Those who know Peter I’m sure would agree that it’s almost impossible to upstage him. However, I recall an incident when his son Graham attained the impossible. Friends had met at the Adelaide Hilton to celebrate Peter’s sixtieth birthday. Graham Daniels invited his father and guests to step onto the balcony and there followed the most spectacular fireworks display I have ever seen, dominating the area of Victoria Square. Returning to our accommodation I remarked to my wife, “Have we just returned from Peter’s birthday party or was it a dream?” Next morning the front page of the daily papers confirmed it was not a dream.

When Peter is at work he expects excellence of his associates and always gives 100% himself. When it’s fun time he loves a joke and is never slow to share his latest jokes, either when we meet or speak on the phone.

Like most exceptional personalities, Peter has been misunderstood - in the main by Christians, who have not taken time to consider the unique character of this man. This brings to me a tinge of sadness for those fellow travellers, for they have bypassed the opportunity to know a man who loves Jesus and loves his family, who has a great heart for people of independence and people who have needs, and who has a vision for the church of the 21st century to communicate the love of God in Christ to men and women, boys and girls. It is my great yet humble privilege to know Peter Daniels as my friend.

Robert Nixon
Chartered Accountant
Victoria, Australia

John Townend

In 1977 Hour of Power was telecast each week in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Gil Amelio had taken up his position as the Director of Robert Schuller Ministries Australia. Gil was an American who was determined to make Hour of Power the number one religious program in Australia and he wanted to add Perth to the cities in which Hour of Power was aired.

He met Peter Daniels from Adelaide, who had business contacts in Perth, Western Australia. Peter invited Gil to Perth to address a meeting of Christian businessmen. In that one meeting they raised enough money to pay for the on air time for one year for Hour of Power on a Perth television channel.

Peter’s enthusiasm for the ministry continued. He was always ready to give advice and support. By March 1979 the ministry had to become self-supporting and not rely on a United States subsidy. A special promotion was developed. It was called “The Growing 5000”. It needed someone to sell it on TV. Peter was invited and his “sell” launched a new era for Hour of Power. The ministry became self-supporting and remains so a quarter of a century later. As well as launching The Growing 5,000 on TV, Peter gave two great pieces of advice:

• present donors with their “Growing 5,000” certificate of recognition on completion of their first-year donation;

• re-run the promotion.

In 1980 Dr Schuller came to Australia to work with Peter and two other Australian businessmen to give Australians the opportunity to contribute to the Crystal Cathedral building fund. It was during this visit that seats in the East Balcony were sold to Australians. The balcony became known as the Australian Balcony. Funds were contributed at rallies held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

In 1984 the ministry was planning to build it’s own headquarters in North Sydney. Peter launched a special appeal for funds and also gave a leadership gift.

Peter continued to support the ministry, with both advice and funds. When the ministry needed a new computer system in the office, he volunteered half the total funds. In 1994 Peter organised a visit to Australia for Dr Schuller. There was no cost for the ministry and after speaking at the corporate launch, Peter presented Dr Schuller with $25,000 for the Australian ministry. This visit included Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

Hour of Power was on air at 5am on Sundays. In 1997 Peter volunteered to help raise funds for the ministry by being our special guest speaker at our “Hope” dinners in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. As with all Peter’s activities with the ministry, he paid all his own expenses as he travelled from city to city.

Peter resigned as a Director of Crystal Cathedral Ministries Australia and the United States in December 1998.

John Townend
Hour of Power Television Ministries
Sydney, Australia

Ted Dewing

We first met Peter and his wife Robina in 1959 when we all lived at St Marys, South Australia.

Peter was converted to Christ our Lord and Saviour on 25th of May 1959 at the first crusade conducted by Dr Billy Graham in Adelaide. After his conversion both he and his wife started worshipping at the St Marys Baptist Church and there our years of friendship began and continued to grow.

Peter and I were about the same age, married and both starting our families. We lived fairly close to each other and were both involved in the building trade. We had much in common, but whereas Peter had no Christian background or standing and was quite raw in his newfound faith I had been a Christian for about 14 years by then and came from a family that had practised the Christian faith for the previous two generations. I share this purely to illustrate the difference in our backgrounds and understanding, as we came to know and appreciate each other.

Because of my own building trade background, I was better able to understand Peter and his total about-face in his new life in Christ, and at least some of the problems facing him and the raw edges needing to be honed. Christ is still the Master Potter; He does the moulding, not us. It is He who remakes our lives.

Very soon after he became a Christian, Peter spent time improving his English grammar. He had left school very early and realised his limitations without further study and so he started to improve himself. Unlike me, Peter has always been original in all his plans and visions. Whereas I would be cautious and careful, especially when I went into business myself, Peter went out and risked everything, putting all but his own home on the line. He gave up bricklaying and building, and went into business in importing and salesmanship. After three business failures in this area, in which he fully repaid his creditors, he gained my deepest respect. (In my own direct experience of five bankruptcy situations, where either money has been owing to me or where I have known those involved, Peter is the only man I know who has cleared himself.)

Following this, he moved into real estate and property development, at first employed, then with his own firm. I would think it was at about this time, probably in the 1970s that we had a discussion together about wealth, business and money. I clearly remember saying to him that I would probably never be as he was, but I would never risk what money God had chosen for us to have and lose it through unwise decisions on my part.

Three other things rate a mention now. The first goes back to the 1960s. I was part of a group that had met at Dr Harrold Steward’s from the beginning of 1959 for prayer (which we continued for 37 years until my wife and I moved to Victor Harbor in April 1995). After Peter’s conversion he also joined us and later again one of his salesmen also joined us. The second involvement we shared was the commencement of a Christian men’s convention. About six of us were on the committee and our aim was to bring men together from all evangelical denominations to hear good biblically-based messages on a Saturday beginning at 9:30am and finishing about 4pm, with lunch provided. We started at St Marys Baptist Church and later moved to Edwardstown Baptist Church, which was then our home church. This ministry continued for about six to eight years until the Uniting Church was formed in the late 1970s. We then found that the men from the Uniting Church no longer chose to associate with us and a large number of the men had been from there. The third involvement was the Haggai Crusade Committee, which was formed to hold an Adelaide-wide crusade. Our meetings preparing for this outreach were held in Peter’s offices. Denominational response was poor, but from memory about 16 churches from about eight different groups were behind us. On Peter’s suggestion, each of the committee members was asked to contribute $1,000, as a basis for us to promote these meetings. (I was doing work for Peter at that time so had that money transferred directly through him.) We held this series of meetings because the Evangelical Alliance, which had a stranglehold on evangelical meetings in Adelaide, had held no evangelistic meetings since the 1960s and our own children had grown up and never been involved in, or seen God at work in, such meetings. We met once with that group, which confirmed for us their lack of vision.

Over all these years there has been constant contact between us or our families, mainly through church or Christian opportunities.

Probably in the 1970s, when Don Dunstan was Premier of South Australia and Peter was involved in the prevention of the moral degradation that was entering our State, Peter asked me if I would help him one night by being at his home, while he was out, to answer the door or the phone, as he had received a run of intrusive calls and callers. Thankfully it turned out to be a quiet evening.

Ted Dewing
Retired Builder
South Australia

Pastor James Hogg

It is now well over a quarter of a century since a bond of friendship was forged between Peter Daniels and myself. The foundations of this bond were laid two thousand years ago at Calvary where Christ died for our sins. It was our faith in Christ, which was the original source of our acquaintance.

Just over 26 years ago I sat on the hillside of Peter’s small country property to the east of Adelaide in South Australia. At that time my wife and I were passing through a very critical period in our Christian life.

On that sunny day, over a quarter of a century ago, Peter’s friendship, patience, example and advice proved to be a definitive source of encouragement and refreshment to my soul. It was also a stabilising influence that was invaluable in preparation for the years that followed. A review of his counsel and actions at that time are not hard to analyse even after a quarter of a century! They represent foundational principles of character that are worthy of imitation and they reveal the qualities of the man who expressed them!

Peter had no immediate or short-range solutions to offer me on that day! I was not in the company of a man who, so filled with a sense of his own usefulness was bristling with “quick fix” solutions for his friend’s seemingly insurmountable problems. How often have we shared our deepest secrets and heaviest burdens with a supposed friend and then been pained by their insensitive questions and unnecessary interruptions. Not so with this confidant! In these early days of his career Peter Daniels had already learned to listen patiently, assess carefully, and advise judiciously. He has never been the purveyor of temporary solutions!

With hindsight, let me outline the quality and wisdom demonstrated in Peter’s counsel at that time because it amply illustrates the character of the man God was preparing for his life’s work. The disciplined restraint demonstrated in the context of the advice he proffered me in such difficult circumstances projected a view of his maturing wisdom in these earlier years. “Immediate” solutions tend to exacerbate problems rather than resolve them. Peter, as a wise counsellor, was well aware of the emotional highs and lows that this kind of “help” produces.

Peter had watched my painful and protracted struggles with a great deal of compassion and supportive prayer over an extended period of time and on that particular day, when the pressures had multiplied, he neither allowed compassion to drown reason nor maladjusted loyalty to paralyse logic. This is a rare discipline and I was enriched at that time by its faithful application.

To those who knew him a quarter of a century ago it was transparently obvious that faith in God had established a sanctified and irrepressible optimism in Peter Daniels’ heart.

In summary three key elements in Peter Daniels’ life were already formulated as foundational to his life’s work. They were all demonstrated in the fellowship and encouragement that he shared so generously on that day. He was a man who sought wisdom, guidance and principles for life from the Bible; he had an unshakeable faith in God, which tenaciously laid hold upon His promises; and he expressed a deep-rooted dependence on God by his convictions and practice in relation to prayer.

On this particular day as, among other things, he shared something of the goals God had set for his life, I found myself reviewing my call to the Christian ministry and the goals God had set for my life. I was learning afresh that although the outward man was surrounded by seemingly insurmountable problems and subject to decay that we have internal and immeasurable hope in Christ abiding in our hearts! “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

I travelled from just over the border in Victoria to visit my friend in South Australia as a “prisoner of circumstance” and I returned home as a “prisoner of hope”. In the 30 years I have known Peter, he has been a real Barnabas. The name means “son of consolation”. Peter Daniels has been a consistent source of encouragement to me in the course of a friendship that spans over a quarter of a century. I cannot recount one occasion when we have met from which I have emerged in a negative frame of mind! It has always been quite the opposite.

Pastor James Hogg
Stanmore Baptist Church
Sydney, Australia

Dr Harrold Steward

Peter Daniels is a brother beloved. He came to a living faith in Jesus Christ when Billy Graham preached in Adelaide, South Australia in 1959. Peter came to our home with others for the next decade or more for Bible study and prayer for revival early each Saturday morning. He grasped the truths of God’s Word marvellously.

When he applied for missionary work in the subcontinent, he was informed to go back to school. He admitted he was an illiterate bricklayer. He had come from a family of third-generation social service recipients. He has read some thousands of biographies, searching for the secrets of great men and women.

God had His hand on this dear man. He failed in business, until he entered real estate, where he achieved an eminent position. He began preaching and lecturing as an entrepreneur, and wrote numerous books. He has established the World Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies.

He has preached in hundreds of American churches. His constant reminder to me is “God has a great sense of humour.” His travelling is at his own expense. He has visited and lectured in South East Asia, South Africa and the United Kingdom, and met with leaders of many nations.

I have regular calls from pastors from the United States, greeting me and saying, “No one has left such a blessing on the pastoral team and the entire church as Peter Daniels. We will never be the same.” Peter gives all glory to the Lamb who was slain.

I commend him warmly as a brother, and suggest you encourage some of your keen brethren in positions of authority to meet Peter. It could challenge them in their walk with God. Yours in the dear Saviour’s Name

Dr Harrold Steward
Retired Missionary Medical Doctor
Active Bible Teacher
South Australia

Barry Evans

In 1959 when representing Spartan Paints Ltd of Hardie Trading in Australia, I was discussing our poor sales performance with David Burchell, General Manager of Millers Lime Ltd, a distributor for our company. He indicated he was going to appoint a new representative for Millers Lime Pty Ltd and asked if I would give my opinion.

My first meeting with Peter Daniels was most unusual. There he was, this skinny frame of a young man, smiling from ear to ear. There was something engaging about him. We were looking for an experienced trade and commercial paint salesman.

What we had was a bricklayer who could not read nor write and also was colour-blind. Great for the paint industry! But he was enormously enthusiastic and wanted to be the best. Hard work never daunted him and he became the best salesman for domestic paint sales, not only in Millers Lime, but in Adelaide and Australia for Spartan Paints.

We tried to entice him away from Millers Lime, but to no avail. Peter eventually joined Burnie Board and became the top Australian sales producer. His desire to help people was unique and he was a great supporter of his church. On the weekends he would build jigsaw puzzles and sell them to raise money for Christian outreach.

I can recall “one” of his greatest moments was at the Wayville Showground in Adelaide, at a Billy Graham Crusade, where his life changed. Since that day he has been committed to always put God first in all he sets out to do.

Peter has become one of my most trusted and respected friends and never ceases to be an inspiration.

Barry Evans
Business Entrepreneur
Dallas, Texas

Dr Robert A Duckmanton

I first met Peter in 1960. I was studying to become a Baptist Minister, in my third year at the South Australian Baptist Theological College.

It would then have been a truly astonishing thought that he might one day be a rich, famous, and powerful person. At that time, Peter had taken up employment with a building materials wholesaler. Prior to that he had run a bricklayer gang contracting in the construction of housing developments. Later, during a holiday job working in a building maintenance gang, I discovered that my supervisor had known Peter in those early days. His comment was that Peter had been “incapable of adding two and two” and it was a miracle that he had not become bankrupt. However, at the time I first met Peter, he seemed smarter than that and had at least built and owned his own home in St Marys.

In fact, Peter did very well as a sales representative and it was not long before a building materials manufacturer recruited him.

After some other outstanding successes, he built his own corporation and failed miserably. Virtually overnight, Peter found himself facing bankruptcy; he now owed over 30,000 Australian pounds ($60,000). He called a meeting of his creditors, promising to pay them back all the money he owed, if they would just give him time. They agreed, and Peter and Robina then worked night and day for three years to pay their debts.

Having paid all his debts, Peter decided that it was time he turned his hand to some other business. An old friend had repeatedly offered Peter a place in his real estate business. Peter had not been much attracted to this and had declined many times. Peter decided to seek guidance through prayer and went up to a scenic lookout overlooking the city of Adelaide. After prayer, he thought he heard an instruction to look up and out. He opened his eyes and looked; below him lay the city and suburbs. He decided to visit his friend. As he entered the office, his friend came out and greeted him. “Peter, “he said, “You have come in at the right moment … I have just let my sales manager go. Do you want a job?”

So Peter entered real estate selling. Before long, he had his own company and worked to grow it into one of the foremost real estate enterprises in Australia, with offices in Singapore and Hong Kong. This became the foundation of his fortune. Since then, he has diversified into other business ventures and has been successful in all of them.

As an early acquaintance of Peter and one who has met with him over the years, is there anything I can say about Peter and his success? Here are some aspects of Peter that have impressed me and might assist in understanding his course to success.

Peter has excelled in honesty, courage, persistence and hard work. It would have been easy to give up and subside into bankruptcy when his first three entrepreneurial ventures failed. Peter took his setbacks on the chin and treated his creditors honestly and fairly. He was not afraid to follow up with years of hard, unremitting work to make good on his promises.

Peter has had a persistent, humble and sincere desire to serve God. When he sensed that ordination was not a course open to him, he set that behind him and remained open to whatever might be revealed to him. Aware that wealth may be the means to fulfil his desire to serve, Peter set himself to capitalize on all opportunities to acquire wealth.

Over the years, when I have met Peter from time to time, I have seen him progressing through several phases. These include the hard times, when he had neither money nor ideas of ultimate wealth; through the period when he had some money and was beginning to understand how wealth might be used; to the present, when he seems to have a great deal of money and many well-constructed ideas on how wealth may be used in the service of God.

Dr Robert A Duckmanton
Portland, Oregon, USA

4 Questions to Greatness

1. Could you tell me at what age have you set yourself to reach your full potential that God might maximize your life?

2. Could you tell me in fifty pages or more, what your potential is in every area of your life?

3. Could you tell me, if you accepted your full potential as 100%, what percentage rating would you give yourself right now?

4. Could you tell me, accepting that there is a deficiency between the two scores… what plans are you going to make to take up the shortfall, and when?

Peter J Daniels
Adelaide, Australia
Copyright 1981

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