Betty Pugh Mills, his pastor at Grace Baptist Church of Richmond and his chief softball catcher, called him “the king of narrative preaching.” Claude Dollins, a former colleague on the Virginia Baptist Mission Board staff and a long-time friend, called…
HERITAGE: Smiling faces
I needed to be at Antioch Baptist Church in Orange County at 9:30 on a Sunday morning in August of last year. Shortcut directions routed me through the backdoor. From I-95 I took the Thornburg exit and headed west through rural…
HERITAGE: Death in the family
Dear Zachary, Cassidy and Emily: Across the years I have written several letters addressed to you, my grandchildren, which have appeared in this column. They have covered several different topics. When Zachary was born, I wrote about what it means…
HERITAGE: The day after Christmas
It is a let down. The Christmas tree which carried a hefty price tag on Christmas Eve is worthless and at my house I have to pay to have it hauled away. The presents which were chosen and wrapped with…
HERITAGE: Lost lessons
They are old and yellowed mimeographed lessons probably intended for use in an adult Sunday school class or maybe a new members’ class. They cover four topics: Salvation, Christian Life, Members’ Responsibilities in the Program of the Church and “the…
HERITAGE: While in Fredericksburg
The Baptist General Association of Virginia has met three times in Fredericksburg but there is no one living who attended any of the meetings. The last one was held in 1874 and the thoughts on many minds were the hardships…
HERITAGE: In the swamps of Southampton
Lights — flickering candles inside Mason jars — shone in the darkness in the backcountry of Southampton County. The luminaries let visitors know they had arrived at Hebron Baptist Church and helped guide footsteps to the front doors of the…
HERITAGE: Thanksgiving at Farmington
There have been many Thanksgiving days and other times of solemn and joyful gatherings at the old plantation known as Farmington in rural King and Queen County about 50 miles north of Richmond. The family will return for Thanksgiving 2009….
HERITAGE: Miss Alma’s cententary
This week in our history Alma Hunt reached her centenary. Miss Alma died in June 2008 at age 98. If she had lived another 16 months she would have observed her 100th birthday on Oct. 5. Surely there would have…