During this time they were influenced by Scottish revival meetings and the ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne, Horatius Bonar, and William Burns.

The two brothers became members of Het Réveil, a religious revival movement opposed to the rationalism which was in vogue in the Netherlands at that time.

Murray pastored churches in Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town and Wellington, all in South Africa.

After Martha Osborn married George Howe, they formed the South East Africa General Mission (SEAGM) in 1891.

He was so influenced by Johann Christoph Blumhardt's Möttlingen revival that he included a portion of Friedrich Zündel's biography at the end of With Christ in the School of Prayer.

As only four were published during his lifetime, his family ultimately decided to release an additional eight pocket books based on various sermons and writings remaining at the time of his death.