By Staff
EMBARRASSMENT: This minister was asked to attend and offer the prayer at a businessman's luncheon. This preacher was met at the door by the club's official greeter. Reaching out and flashing a big smile the greeter asked the preacher in one breath who he was, where he lived, what was his line of work. The preacher said, "I am the Rev. John Jones. I live just around the corner and I am the pastor of the church in which you hold membership, but which you have not attended in the three years of my ministry here." The prayer went off fine. The greeter just went off.
OPINION: A few days ago, old ABF was asked a difficult question. Saying that some of my recent writings indicated that I was against the war with Iraq, he asked, "Are you against such a war?" Frankly, I'm against killing. Having seen war from the front lines in combat, having seen young boys torn apart by shells, having seen the blood streaming out of the wound, having heard the screams for a medic and then the faint effort of a dying boy to say something, old ABF has seen enough war. Those foxholes on a sleeting night or a night with the ground frozen so hard one could not dig, war is what Gen. Sherman said it was. War is h— and I've had enough. Now it was suggested that I might be against war because our president and commander in chief is a Republican while I'm a Democrat is a vicious and unwarranted observation. Yes, again I'm against killing. I believe in negotiations. I had a most unusual experience on the battle front. This 18-year-old boy, first name was Dan, was with me. The night was about as bad as it could be. Several boys had fallen out with frozen feet. This night it was sleeting unmercifully, the ground was frozen hard, we had no tents and no blankets. We just stood out in the opening all night. Morning came and Danny asked me, "Do you ever pray?" "Yes, I do and a hundred times I've said, yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because You are with me." Then I said, "But I was still scared." He said, "I prayed all night that a shell would come and take me away. I've had all I can take. I can't stand this anymore. Please God come and take me out of this pain." He had hardly gotten the last word out of his mouth when a German shell took him out. He was dead instantly. At 18, a recent senior class graduate, captain of his football team, a very handsome boy, he had everything to live for. He surely would have been a college football star. He truly was a likable young man. Again, I'm against killing but if war is declared, old ABF will support our troops and our commander fully and strongly.
GAMES: The telephone rang and the lady asked, "Are you the game warden." He said, "Yes, I'm the game warden and may I help you?" She replied, "I'm so glad – will you please suggest some games for our upcoming church party."
ENIGMA: We are being asked, "Who is next on the forced resignation list in Beaufort County?" We hear rumors just as others are doing, and we too wonder what is happening. We are losing a good man with the departure of Don Davenport. He has served this county well and faithfully. Good managers are hard to find, and we are losing one of the real good ones.
While there might very well be strong disagreement to what is taking place, the fact is that the Republican majority on the county commissioner board has the right to do what has been done. Each was elected, and we respect the voice of the people.
GOOD MAN: Frank Randolph was a well-known and highly respected citizen of Washington and Beaufort County. In his daily living he touched the lives of many people and he was so often a source of comfort and understanding. He believed in this community and he dedicated his life to serving it to the fullest of his ability. He truly was a good man.
THAT'S ENOUGH FOR TODAY. We close with this thought. Mark Twain said, "Most people are bothered by Scripture passages they do not understand. But for me, I have always noted that I'm bothered by the passages I do understand."