When I was in prison for smuggling Bibles into the USSR I was sentenced to what could have been ten years. I was not allowed a Bible, but I reminded the Lord that in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they began to praise the Lord, He sent an earthquake and freed them. By faith I asked the Lord to do the same for me – He answered – and opened my prison doors by a miracle!
That year in prison however was to be the major turning point in my life. I still declare that this was in fact, the BEST year of my life. I learned how to pray with a new desperation, understanding what the early disciples had suffered. One day, when I had reached the depths of despair because none of my many prayers had been answered and Heaven was like brass, God was to come down, and the Holy Spirit filled that cell with such Glory, it was as if I could hear all the music of Heaven. I have never been closer to Heaven than I was that day in that stinking cell.
It was after this experience, when I had been in prison for nine months, that the British Consul paid me one of his infrequent visits – each time he had to wait months to get permission – but he came when he could. It was winter, and I was freezing. Only one hour’s heating in the cell out of every twenty-four. I had no warm clothes, just torn rags which were changed and washed once every two weeks – the fresh ones were so badly torn, they were literally rags. I asked the Consul to plead for permission for me to get something warmer from my confiscated luggage, even if just some socks, because they didn’t give us any. The prison guard, who sat in on every meeting I had with the Consul, and who obviously un- derstood English, was adamant: No! Three times he refused to allow me anything, I was a prisoner and must suffer. But finally, God intervened: the prison guard said OK, just one visit, and only socks.
I was taken down to the basement under the prison and my suitcase was put on a table. No possibility of escape, I was even further from freedom in the basement… But I was so thankful that the two guards were talking and exchanging cigarettes – I have never been so glad that they liked to smoke. They didn’t see the moment that, as I opened my case, there was my very own precious Bible right on the top. I quickly grabbed it, covered it up with some socks and I didn’t care what else – I only wanted my Bible.
They asked no questions, made no checks, just returned me to my cell. Now, by a miracle, I was the only man in the whole prison with a Bible. Once in my cell, despite the regular searches, they never found it until the day of my release. Well, what did you expect of me? Although a Christian, I was a convicted criminal and a highly professional smuggler. And having spent so many years bringing Bibles ‘illegally’ behind the Iron Curtain – tens of thousands, two tonnes at a time – now I needed this miracle of a Bible for myself every bit as much as the believers for whom I had risked my life all those years to bring Bibles to them.
Having my Bible changed my life. After nine months without it, where would I start to read? After a few moments I decided to start with David in the Psalms, not normally my favourite book, I prefer the action movie bits. Soon I came to Psalm 35.18 where David says, ‘I will give God thanks in the great congregation.’ Instantly I knew, this was God’s written confirmation of my night vision, that I would be out of the prison and speaking in the Easter Convention in the Royal Albert Hall in London – it had to be, that was the only really big convention I knew. My heart was full of joy at the thought. Then, just a few days later, cheekily I realised that my birthday came four days before Easter that next year. So I began to pray, if You Lord can work such a big miracle that I can go home after only one year, why not send me home on my birthday?
Was this a bit extreme, not being satisfied with the one miracle, but wanting another before the first had happened? Boldy I prayed, Lord if You will give me my request to be home for my birthday, then show me another verse from the Psalms where You speak of a prisoner being released from chains. I read on anxiously – until I came to Psalm 68.6, God sets the solitary in families; He brings out the prisoner in chains. I could hardly contain my joy! Home for my birthday! God had confirmed it in writing.
And God did release me as promised on my birthday! As I entered the plane, I was met by a newspaper reporter who held out his hand and said, “Hathaway, I believe.” Then Harold Wilson came and made me sit in First Class with him, so that I wouldn’t tell my story to the press first. He explained he had flown from London specially to release me. He said his wife was a Methodist but that he wasn’t a Christian. He said he’d helped some Jews before, but he didn’t know why he’d rescued me. I knew why of course: God used a man who twice served as British Prime Minister to answer prayer.