This morning the first thing I read at Five Doves was the last letter, by Paul Black, titled "Sad News". I thought perhaps it would be a prayer request for someone with sad news, and as I usually read those first and pray for them, I opened it first. Imagine my shock to read that my dear friend and brother in Christ, Ian Mallet, was dead. I spoke to Ian last a week ago, by phone, and he was rejoicing in the Lord, as always. He was happy, had great plans for the near future, and we talked for 99 minutes, mostly about the Lord, as usual. 99 = Amen.

   Most of you do not know that our friendship began right here at Five Doves two years ago when I wrote him in response to his first article published here, about the Breastplate of the High Priest, something that has interested me since I was a child. We began a correspondence that became a very dear friendship, first by letters, then later by VOIP. We talked nearly every day and spent many hours studying the hidden treasures in the Word. I have saved and will always treasure many of those letters and studies.

   Those of you who read his articles recognized the gift he had with Bible mathematics. I thought of him as a genius, but he was not egotistical or proud at all. He had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh that I will always remember. What most of you do not know is that he was also a talented musician and songwriter, who was a rock star in the 60s and 70s as a founding member and bass player of the British rock band The Renegades. The band enjoyed success in England and Europe, though never came to the US. They are still well known in Finland, of all places, and a new CD just came out by a well-known Finnish band that features all Renegades songs. Ian had a copy of that with him when he suffered a massive heart attack last Friday evening.

    Ian loved to study the Word and he loved to play and write music. He was still writing music when I first met him and he had plans to create a new band with other Christian musicians so that they could play music for the Lord. He had been in the US this past September to meet with his former road manager, who is a prominent producer in the music world today. I spoke to Sherman this morning, as well as Ian's family, to learn the details. The funeral is being planned for about two weeks from now so as to allow family and friends from around the world to be able to purchase airline tickets at a reasonable price rather than the inflated price one pays at the last minute. I would be honored to attend, though that is up to the Lord to provide a way for me to go. Please pray that the Lord's will be done in this manner as it would be a miracle for me to attend. I would love to be there for his family and friends and to testify of his love for the Lord, as many of his former colleagues and friends have no idea.

   I know he would not want us to mourn his death, though that is a natural human reaction to grieve the passing of a loved one. I believe he would want to be remembered as a man who loved the Lord and was really blessed to have discovered some wonderful numeric treasures in the Bible. I am sure that Rev. Dr. Natch (one of Ian's pennames) is now learning some wonderful secrets directly from the Master Mathematician Himself. 

 

                                                                                     

 

   Ian is on the far right, on the cover of one of the Renegades biggest hits. If you look on youtube, you can see a few videos of the Renegades, not to be confused with a few bands of recent years with similar names. If there are musical instruments in heaven, I imagine Natch is playing with some other musicians, and singing praises to the Lord of Life, the Wonderful Numberer, Jesus Christ. His favorite song was Amazing Grace, and I know he is singing it now, in perfect pitch and harmony.

   

                                                                                                       Ian Mallet

                                                                                                     1945-2007

 

                                Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Psalm 37:4

 

                               

                   This was taken at the Cracker Barrel in Atlanta, last year in December, when Ian and I got to meet face to face. It was a lunchtime meeting with Ian and his two sons, Nathan and Ellis, and me and my son Devin. We had a wonderful, though short visit, but I will treasure it always.  I miss you, dear friend, but I have the peace that passes all understanding to know we will see each other again, in the land that is fairer than day.

 

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
than when we've first begun.