Thursday, September 02, 2004
JANUARY THROUGH APRIL....1975
Early in January we had a large revival at our church featuring Freddie Gage and Jerry Wayne Bernard. Freddie had a large reputation for drugs and shady dealings while Jerry Wayne was a Pat Boone type….squeaky clean in every way. John knew they were coming and caught the bus back so he could attend…..they were a very compelling twosome.
Our church had been preparing for weeks and the whole town had been canvassed for the event. One night it was held in the high school gym and the other nights at our church. The crowds were amazing and so was Freddie Gage. He drew young people like I’d never seen in this town before…..all the pews were full as well as the aisles…they were full-up in the balcony and sitting on the floor in front of the pulpit. They weren’t your “regular” kids seen in church….they were the drop-outs and rebellious types who were never seen in a church.
Freddie was relentless as he walked up and down and pointed fingers….he told his own story which was pretty candid…he never lost eye contact with anyone sitting within hearing distance of him. He had written a book, titled, “All My Friends Are Dead,” in which he told of his spiral into a living hell with buddies that O.D.’ed on drugs and other sinful ventures until he was the last one standing.
Somehow he heard about the living Savior when he was in the deepest hole and it was like a light at the end of his long, dark tunnel. As if struck by lightening, he was a changed man on the spot and began dragging people off the street into the church. He literally “made” them take on the faith and turned into a zealot for Christ. Being totally ignorant of the Bible or any formal religious learning from church or Sunday school he knew he had to preach the Word……..but knew he didn’t know enough to do so.
Jerry Wayne was the song leader but a fair speaker as well. He told the story of his days at Baylor College in Texas where he was studying for music and evangelism. Baylor is a Baptist College in Texas and most people who go there are not the Freddie Gage type. Jerry said he’ll never forget the day Freddie came on campus. He was in a big car and arrived like a parade of one. In no time everyone at Baylor knew he had hit campus. His unorthodox ways and his challenge of doctrines was being talked about everywhere. He was not one to go through channels to preach but rather went out to set the world on fire with the flames from his own personal salvation.
He lit this little town up like it had never seen before. People were excited about their faith and were exercising it as in the days of Pentecost. John had just finished high school and had been reading the Living Bible which opened up a new door of faith for him. When it was all over, John caught the bus back to Shawnee.
These months were very busy for the whole family. Mom and aunt Mary flew to Virginia to be with their younger sister and husband and on their return trip, mom stayed in Blair with aunt Mary quite a while. George Jr. came through on his way to see a friend in Alabama and then on his way home again. Becky gave birth to Jonathan on the 11th of March and my brother flew in from Seattle to drive dad’s pickup, camper, boat and motor back to Seattle. Mom went back with him and after they were gone we made an extensive trip West, ourselves.
We stopped in Blair, then on to Casper, Missoula and a beautiful Lolo pass to Lewiston, ID. where we visited with Warren’s step-dad. We stopped in Walla Walla, WA. to visit Warren’s brother and his wife and finally, on to Seattle. After being there some time we brought mom home with us and visited relatives all the way back again. It was a very mobile time and we were all looking forward to coming home to our beautiful Ozarks which would be in full bloom with dogwood and red bud trees.
Springtime is beautiful anywhere but the Ozarks is queen of Spring. She tucks little blooms in the smallest of places…a rock, a creek bank, an old tree trunk…and furls the blue sky above without a cloud to mar her face. The nesting critters and birds are busily going back and forth to make ready for their young and the hills sing out with joy and anticipation. A butterfly lights on a nearby leaf and then soars away….wings to carry the good news…..Spring has come once more.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
Our church had been preparing for weeks and the whole town had been canvassed for the event. One night it was held in the high school gym and the other nights at our church. The crowds were amazing and so was Freddie Gage. He drew young people like I’d never seen in this town before…..all the pews were full as well as the aisles…they were full-up in the balcony and sitting on the floor in front of the pulpit. They weren’t your “regular” kids seen in church….they were the drop-outs and rebellious types who were never seen in a church.
Freddie was relentless as he walked up and down and pointed fingers….he told his own story which was pretty candid…he never lost eye contact with anyone sitting within hearing distance of him. He had written a book, titled, “All My Friends Are Dead,” in which he told of his spiral into a living hell with buddies that O.D.’ed on drugs and other sinful ventures until he was the last one standing.
Somehow he heard about the living Savior when he was in the deepest hole and it was like a light at the end of his long, dark tunnel. As if struck by lightening, he was a changed man on the spot and began dragging people off the street into the church. He literally “made” them take on the faith and turned into a zealot for Christ. Being totally ignorant of the Bible or any formal religious learning from church or Sunday school he knew he had to preach the Word……..but knew he didn’t know enough to do so.
Jerry Wayne was the song leader but a fair speaker as well. He told the story of his days at Baylor College in Texas where he was studying for music and evangelism. Baylor is a Baptist College in Texas and most people who go there are not the Freddie Gage type. Jerry said he’ll never forget the day Freddie came on campus. He was in a big car and arrived like a parade of one. In no time everyone at Baylor knew he had hit campus. His unorthodox ways and his challenge of doctrines was being talked about everywhere. He was not one to go through channels to preach but rather went out to set the world on fire with the flames from his own personal salvation.
He lit this little town up like it had never seen before. People were excited about their faith and were exercising it as in the days of Pentecost. John had just finished high school and had been reading the Living Bible which opened up a new door of faith for him. When it was all over, John caught the bus back to Shawnee.
These months were very busy for the whole family. Mom and aunt Mary flew to Virginia to be with their younger sister and husband and on their return trip, mom stayed in Blair with aunt Mary quite a while. George Jr. came through on his way to see a friend in Alabama and then on his way home again. Becky gave birth to Jonathan on the 11th of March and my brother flew in from Seattle to drive dad’s pickup, camper, boat and motor back to Seattle. Mom went back with him and after they were gone we made an extensive trip West, ourselves.
We stopped in Blair, then on to Casper, Missoula and a beautiful Lolo pass to Lewiston, ID. where we visited with Warren’s step-dad. We stopped in Walla Walla, WA. to visit Warren’s brother and his wife and finally, on to Seattle. After being there some time we brought mom home with us and visited relatives all the way back again. It was a very mobile time and we were all looking forward to coming home to our beautiful Ozarks which would be in full bloom with dogwood and red bud trees.
Springtime is beautiful anywhere but the Ozarks is queen of Spring. She tucks little blooms in the smallest of places…a rock, a creek bank, an old tree trunk…and furls the blue sky above without a cloud to mar her face. The nesting critters and birds are busily going back and forth to make ready for their young and the hills sing out with joy and anticipation. A butterfly lights on a nearby leaf and then soars away….wings to carry the good news…..Spring has come once more.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
