Julian Howell Pentecost felt called to the ministry as a young boy. He once confided his feelings to his mother who prayed for God’s guidance. He was affirmed by his home church, Lawrenceville Baptist Church. In 1942 he entered the University of Richmond as a ministerial student. Through funds from Virginia Baptists and by waiting tables in the dining hall, he paid for his education.
“The first few months at UR were the most miserable of my life,” Pentecost once reminisced. “At UR I was surrounded by those who had gone to some of the best schools. I was working hard yet not passing. I wrote my parents that I was going to drop out of the University. A letter came back from mother. She said, ‘Son, we understand how you feel and we are very sorry. We have a request. We want you to complete one semester; and at the end of that time, if you feel as you now feel, you can leave the University with our consent. But we would like for you to complete the semester.’
Fred Anderson
|
“I heard about Solon B. Cousins, [the Bible professor], and he became my patron saint. I made many trips to the tower room where he had his office. He saved me. I had to drop French. I just didn’t have the background that the others did and I was always behind. I developed a group of friends among my fellow ministerial students and we would walk to Westhampton Baptist Church where the gifted Vernon Richardson was pastor. I began making better grades and became very active in extra-curricular activities; and by the time of graduation, I was mostly a “B” student.” Pentecost had persevered and won.
The student who almost quit set his sights on lofty goals. After graduation, he enrolled at Southern Seminary. “In 1947 after my first year in the seminary, Dr. Cousins suggested that I go to Buena Vista as summer associate under David Hammack, who had been my home church pastor during my college years. When I arrived to my surprise and dismay, I learned for the first time that the pastor had decided to accept a call to another church and planned to submit his resignation.”
“Their desire was for me to assume full pastoral responsibilities. Such expectations were rather overwhelming to a ‘green’ ministerial student who up to that time had only attempted to preach a few times, had no sermonic file or ‘barrel of sermons’ and no experience to afford any basis for confidence in being able to do what was needed.”
But the young man accepted the challenge and was ordained. “The Buena Vista congregation supported me with earnest prayers, warm affection and much thoughtfulness. I have often referred to this chapter in my life as a clinical experience of baptism by fire.”
He explained to the church that he wanted to complete his seminary education. In the meantime, he also married Mary Elizabeth Holbrook, whom he had met while at Southern. In August 1948 they were married and returned to Southern in September as husband and wife. The couple also moved to Winston-Salem where he pursued studies in the School of Pastoral Care. During the graduate studies, two children were born to the couple.
In 1953 Pentecost earned a doctoral degree and was called to West End Baptist Church in Suffolk. While there, a third child entered the family circle.
From Suffolk, the Pentecosts moved to Waynesboro where he served as pastor during the time that the church built its new sanctuary. Grace Church in Richmond was the next pastorate. Pentecost was a rising star among the Virginia Baptist ministers. He served on the Virginia Baptist Board and, in 1968, as president of the General Association. It was in his presidency that the first strategic planning committee was formed. Dubbed “the Committee of 24,” it examined every phase of Virginia Baptist life and recommended changes.
Denominational leadership poised the minister for the next great step. For 22 years, Pentecost served the Herald during some of the most tumultuous times in the history of Southern Baptists. He forthrightly informed the readers about the power struggle in the SBC and courageously interpreted the nature of the conflict in his editorials. He became fond of a quote: “Not to truth to be a timid friend.” He was bold and no one except Mary Pentecost will ever know the extent of stress and strain which “the controversy” took upon the editor. In addition, there were the constant concerns over the finances of the paper.
Julian Pentecost published letters to the editor including those from his opposition. He invited over 150 ministers and laypersons to share their gifts with the readership by contributing Sunday school lessons. Many of these individuals were relatively new to Virginia Baptist life and the exposure in the Herald introduced them to Virginia Baptists.
When retirement came in 1992, there were many tributes. They all had the same theme of an editor who practiced fairness and firmness with an abiding respect for freedom and a quest for truth.
Jack M.D. Price commented: “Julian has been acclaimed for his clarion call to be vigilant, courageous and uncompromising in the struggle for these truths on which we stand. In times like these, how does one endure the pain and the conflict and not compromise his faith and conviction that in the end truth will triumph? Dr. Solon B. Cousins, beloved teacher of the Word, said to his preacher boys, ‘Never be afraid of truth; ultimately it will bring you into the presence of Him who said, ‘I am the truth,’ even Jesus our Lord.” Abiding in His presence, Julian Pentecost has “spoken the truth in love.”
The Lawrenceville Church had a Sunday devoted to appreciation for their son. Horace Ford, his boyhood pastor, spoke about the early influences of ‘a saintly Christian mother and an honorable father.’ Elizabeth Pentecost, wife of Julian’s only sibling, Ray, spoke of the family’s pride. “I feel that floating around in the spirit world there is a dear lady almost totally blind. She is followed by a big strong man who made fairness and hard work his motto. She is pointing [at their son] and I hear her saying, “That’s my boy.”
Fred Anderson ([email protected]) is executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies.