This November 11th will mark 100 years since the end of the "War To End All Wars", as President Woodrow Wilson called what we now know as World War I. That title would be laughable if it was not so unrealistically tragic. In the months that followed, the U.S. government disposed of tons of surplus gun powder (properly called "propellant") by dumping it in the ocean. It could have been sold to ammunition companies or to the many citizens who were even then learning to load/reload their own ammunition for hunting and target shooting. But saving taxpayer money was not a consideration. Following World War II the story would be different.
Of the more than sixteen million Americans who served in the armed forces in that terrible conflict, one of them, Brewster "Bruce" E. Hodgdon was not about to let his government dump perfectly good propellants into the ocean. After being discharged from the Navy he wrote letters to government officials up to and including President Truman. His efforts would pay great dividends, not just to him but to countless Americans. In 1947 he purchased 50,000 pounds of surplus IMR 4895 rifle powder and the Hodgdon Powder Company was born. Seventy one years later the many thousands of us who load our own ammunition are indeed grateful. But let's leave this story for a moment to give you a little historical background.
Since before the American Revolution the largest manufacturer of gun powder was the Dupont family and later the Dupont Corporation. This was true when Bruce Hodgdon was just starting out. By the twentieth century Dupont had transitioned from making black gunpowder to making modern smokeless powders. By the end of World War II they had developed some excellent rifle powders with names like IMR 4831 and IMR 4895; The number indicated how rapidly or slowly the propellant burned. Propellants do not explode when they are ignited by the primer in the cartridge, instead they burn rapidly producing gases which propel the bullet. Changing times brought changes to Dupont. Their slogan of the 1950's "Better thing for better living through chemistry" has been changed to "Better things for better living" because in this irrational age "chemistry" is a dirty word. But for purposes of this blog the significant change was when Dupont sold off their historic powder manufacturing business entirely to Hodgdon. Today Hodgdon sells the IMR powders.
So today Hodgdon is THE name in propellants. Many thousand of Americans, including me, find great satisfaction in loading their own ammunition for hunting and target shooting and Hodgdon can supply whatever we need. There are other brands; Hodgdon does not have a monopoly by any means. But nearly every powder I use, except for one or two, is made by Hodgdon.
If you came to this Blog from Facebook you are wondering about the Mission Statement of the Hodgdon Company. Here it is in its entirety: "Hodgdon Powder Company operates following Biblical principles to honor God. Our Mission is to provide quality products and services in a manner which enhances the lives of our employees, families, customers and our communities. In doing so, we will deal with integrity and honesty, reflecting that people are more important than dollars and our purpose is to bring credit to our Lord Jesus Christ."
Even if you do not buy Hodgdon products you might want to send a message to them thanking them for their Mission Statement. If you would like to read a longer history of Hodgdon see the current issue of American Rifleman the official journal of the National Rifle Association. That article tells how Hodgdon propellants are used in non-firearm applications as well. It may be available online. Also, if you have questions about loading/reloading ammunition send me a message on FB. If a member of your family wants to learn how this is done I would love to show them.
One final word to any reader who may have strong feelings against firearms and ammunition: the misuse of any product by a few does not make that product inherently evil. To believe otherwise is to to hold a modern version of the ancient Gnostic heresy. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
THE REST OF THE SURVIVOR STORY
Carol Weigle, Chester's wife, answered the phone at Trail To Life Camp on the afternoon of July 21, 1970. It was Mike Mecurio calling from Canada. Crying as he spoke he broke the tragic news to Carol that Don, Chuck and Tim were missing and presumed to have drowned. It was senior girls week at TTLC and Chet and I were away from camp for awhile that afternoon. We arrived back shortly before the evening meal was to begin. I vividly recall Carol walking with Chet down toward the lake to break the news to him alone. She then came and told me that Chet needed to see me. After he broke the dreaded news to me I got Susan and we went to my parents' home to tell them. They were not there and I had no idea where they were. In the meantime I called their pastor and wife, Ron and Donna Lou Merrill. They were ready to leave on their vacation but instead came immediately to my parents' home. I made other phone calls and soon there were many people gathered and waiting in the living room.
When my parents finally came home from visiting someone in Mansfield they were puzzled by the number of cars in their driveway. I met them at the back door and they sat down on the porch swing. My exact words were: "We know that we will all be together again someday but Donnie is now with Jesus." I have often wished that I would have had someone else tell them because it seemed to me like I had just driven a dagger into their souls. But later Mom told Susan that she was glad that I was the one who told them. Everyone there gathered around them and Ron Merrill led in prayer. One by one more and more people began to arrive; my aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Before the evening was over I had to go to the home of Dr. C.O. Butner at Shiloh and get something for my parents to take to help then through the emotional trauma.
I called a pastor friend in Lexington to break the news to Don's wife Twila. I have since regretted putting that burden upon that pastor but I thought that someone should do it in person rather than just a phone call. Since Twila was spending that week with her sister and brother-in-law Bob and Alice Witzky, I should have probably called the Witzky home and asked Bob or Alice to tell her. Somehow Twila got the impression that Don was missing but that there was a possibility he was alive.
The next morning Harold Laird, a long time friend of my parents, and Paul Enzor, dad's cousin, arrived. They knew nothing about what had happened. They had come to begin the work of taking out my parents' old coal burning furnace and installing a new gas furnace. I met them in the driveway and told them what had happened and as they were about to leave and postpone the work my mom called out to me to have them go ahead and start work. In the sad days that followed, this project was actually a helpful distraction from all the heaviness. I was often busy going to get parts and materials for them -- when I was not going to the funeral home to make arrangements.
Shortly after Harold and Paul arrived Jim and Eva Mae Brundage arrived bringing Twila. We began to get phone calls from news outlets and the Moody Bible Institute station in Cleveland, WCRF, picked it up on the wire services. Their announcer Bob Devine dedicated the song "He Giveth More Grace" to Twila that morning. That afternoon the phone rang again and the news came to us that the bodies had been found. When I got off the phone and told what the call was about Twila fainted. It was later that we found out that she holding onto the possibility that Don was alive. I immediately went to see Atlee Meyers the owner of the funeral home in Greenwich. He looked up the name of the funeral home in Canada that was closest to where the tragedy was unfolding. It was Goulet Funeral Home. I did not tell my family then but I soon learned that Canadian law required that an autopsy be performed on my brother's body. Mr. Goulet brought the three bodies from Canada to the funeral home in Greenwich.
On Friday afternoon I took our family: Twila, Mom, Dad, Susan and myself to the funeral home to view Don's body. Twila decided to have a closed casket and I agreed. I feel this was another mistake on my part. I should have urged her to allow Don's many friends to see his earthly form one more time. I regret that greatly. That evening there was a very large memorial service at the camp. We borrowed many chairs from a local church to seat the great number who came. Robert Collitt, who had been our pastor when Don and I were boys, was there from Maryland. My brother had met and become friends with the Chief of the Mansfield Fire Department Leonard Boebel. That evening Chief Boebel put fire station No. 7 out of service for awhile so that he, fireman Dean Scott, and another fireman could come to the service.
The funeral the next day filled Bethel Baptist Church at Savannah (their old building) to capacity. Chet Weigle and others from the camp went the next two days to the funerals of Tim and Chuck in western Ohio and Chicago. About two weeks after the funeral Twila told Susan she was not feeling well. Susan said, "I already have an appointment with Dr. Butner. Why don't you come with me and have him check you out also." That was the day we all learned that that Twila was expecting a baby. Susan and I had been invited to move onto a farm that a Christian couple had purchased. We asked Twila to come and live with us there. So it was on the cold, snowy evening of February 23, 1971 that Susan and I took Twila to Mansfield Hospital where she gave birth to Aaron Eugene Enzor.
Doctors had told Susan and I that it did not look like we would ever have children. But on June 21, 1971, after being in labor for thirty-one hours (!) Susan gave birth to Miles Daniel Enzor. During the previous winter, before Aaron was born, a carpet sales rep. came to the door one day. We were getting a small room ready as a nursery for Twila and she had called to have it measured for some carpet. When the carpet rep. rang the door bell both Susan and Twila went to the door and both were obviously pregnant. The sales rep asked, "who's the lady of the house?" They answered together, "I am". He said, "where is the superman?" My brother Don would have loved that.
When my parents finally came home from visiting someone in Mansfield they were puzzled by the number of cars in their driveway. I met them at the back door and they sat down on the porch swing. My exact words were: "We know that we will all be together again someday but Donnie is now with Jesus." I have often wished that I would have had someone else tell them because it seemed to me like I had just driven a dagger into their souls. But later Mom told Susan that she was glad that I was the one who told them. Everyone there gathered around them and Ron Merrill led in prayer. One by one more and more people began to arrive; my aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Before the evening was over I had to go to the home of Dr. C.O. Butner at Shiloh and get something for my parents to take to help then through the emotional trauma.
I called a pastor friend in Lexington to break the news to Don's wife Twila. I have since regretted putting that burden upon that pastor but I thought that someone should do it in person rather than just a phone call. Since Twila was spending that week with her sister and brother-in-law Bob and Alice Witzky, I should have probably called the Witzky home and asked Bob or Alice to tell her. Somehow Twila got the impression that Don was missing but that there was a possibility he was alive.
The next morning Harold Laird, a long time friend of my parents, and Paul Enzor, dad's cousin, arrived. They knew nothing about what had happened. They had come to begin the work of taking out my parents' old coal burning furnace and installing a new gas furnace. I met them in the driveway and told them what had happened and as they were about to leave and postpone the work my mom called out to me to have them go ahead and start work. In the sad days that followed, this project was actually a helpful distraction from all the heaviness. I was often busy going to get parts and materials for them -- when I was not going to the funeral home to make arrangements.
Shortly after Harold and Paul arrived Jim and Eva Mae Brundage arrived bringing Twila. We began to get phone calls from news outlets and the Moody Bible Institute station in Cleveland, WCRF, picked it up on the wire services. Their announcer Bob Devine dedicated the song "He Giveth More Grace" to Twila that morning. That afternoon the phone rang again and the news came to us that the bodies had been found. When I got off the phone and told what the call was about Twila fainted. It was later that we found out that she holding onto the possibility that Don was alive. I immediately went to see Atlee Meyers the owner of the funeral home in Greenwich. He looked up the name of the funeral home in Canada that was closest to where the tragedy was unfolding. It was Goulet Funeral Home. I did not tell my family then but I soon learned that Canadian law required that an autopsy be performed on my brother's body. Mr. Goulet brought the three bodies from Canada to the funeral home in Greenwich.
On Friday afternoon I took our family: Twila, Mom, Dad, Susan and myself to the funeral home to view Don's body. Twila decided to have a closed casket and I agreed. I feel this was another mistake on my part. I should have urged her to allow Don's many friends to see his earthly form one more time. I regret that greatly. That evening there was a very large memorial service at the camp. We borrowed many chairs from a local church to seat the great number who came. Robert Collitt, who had been our pastor when Don and I were boys, was there from Maryland. My brother had met and become friends with the Chief of the Mansfield Fire Department Leonard Boebel. That evening Chief Boebel put fire station No. 7 out of service for awhile so that he, fireman Dean Scott, and another fireman could come to the service.
The funeral the next day filled Bethel Baptist Church at Savannah (their old building) to capacity. Chet Weigle and others from the camp went the next two days to the funerals of Tim and Chuck in western Ohio and Chicago. About two weeks after the funeral Twila told Susan she was not feeling well. Susan said, "I already have an appointment with Dr. Butner. Why don't you come with me and have him check you out also." That was the day we all learned that that Twila was expecting a baby. Susan and I had been invited to move onto a farm that a Christian couple had purchased. We asked Twila to come and live with us there. So it was on the cold, snowy evening of February 23, 1971 that Susan and I took Twila to Mansfield Hospital where she gave birth to Aaron Eugene Enzor.
Doctors had told Susan and I that it did not look like we would ever have children. But on June 21, 1971, after being in labor for thirty-one hours (!) Susan gave birth to Miles Daniel Enzor. During the previous winter, before Aaron was born, a carpet sales rep. came to the door one day. We were getting a small room ready as a nursery for Twila and she had called to have it measured for some carpet. When the carpet rep. rang the door bell both Susan and Twila went to the door and both were obviously pregnant. The sales rep asked, "who's the lady of the house?" They answered together, "I am". He said, "where is the superman?" My brother Don would have loved that.
Sunday, July 1, 2018
YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL
This title is borrowed from a 1950's book by J.B. Phillips. He was a friend of C.S. Lewis and the translator of the first of the popular paraphrases of the New Testament, "The New Testament In Modern English" (1958). It is largely forgotten now but its literary qualities and forceful rendering of many passages have made it a favorite of mine ever since I bought my first copy as a senior in high school. I used this title because it sounded much better that the dry, technical heading of "Some Thoughts On The Meaning Of Predestination And Election". I'm sure these thoughts are not entirely original with me but I did not get them from any book, sermon, etc. They have come from years of reflection on the Scriptures.
This little essay should not be construed as a critique of 'Reformed' theology or any other system of interpreting Scripture, even though some may take it that way. It is not that I believe certain doctrines about predestination and election are completely wrong, it is just that their advocates have not always been careful to clarify some things. To 'cut to the chase' as they say, I will say right up front that it seems to me that the terms "chose", "elect", etc, are used in Scripture as anthropomorphic words. 'Anthropomorphic' is a word formed from two Greek words: 'anthropos' (man/human) and morphos (the form, essence or nature of someone or something). Most people are familiar with the anthropomorphic images in many cartoons when animals are portrayed as humans. Anthropomorphic terms in Scripture compare God to people so that we can better grasp things. Scripture speaks of the 'hand' of God, the 'eyes' of the Lord, etc. Just before the flood of Noah's time the Scripture says that God was "grieved" that he had made man. The King James Version renders it "repented" that He had made man. Now, of course, nothing takes God surprise. He knows eternally all things. (We need to let that sink in for a moment.) When anthropomorphic terms are used of God they are intended to help us at lest partially grasp things that are ultimately beyond total comprehension.
So it is with the words 'elect', and 'choose'. If we are not very careful how we define and explain these terms we make God out to be finite/limited. God is the Creator of space and time. That is what happened at Genesis 1:1. He is not bound by time or space. There is no time at which those who are called God's 'chosen ones' or 'elect' were not chosen. To give the impression that there was a point of time in the past when God said "I now choose _____ to be saved and I do not choose _____ to be saved is to put God into time and thus make Him finite/limited. Hence, the title "Your God Is Too Small". We can only grasp words like 'choose' and 'elect' in the way that we as humans use them. At a certain point in time we decide and act. We are finite/limited. Before that time we had not made the choice or elected.
But now comes the most important part of all. The words 'chose' and 'elect' must be defined in a way that fits how they are used of Jesus, He is "the living Stone -- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him" and he is the "chosen and precious cornerstone". (I Peter 2:4-6 NIV) If the words 'chosen' or 'elect' are used of Christ the way that some people have defined them (as applied to believers) then Christ was chosen from among a larger group of beings to be the Savior of the world. This is, of course, exactly what some cults say about Christ. He is the highest of the angelic beings chosen by God to be the Savior. Now do you see why we cannot define 'chosen' and 'elect', when used of believers, as "God chose certain ones to be save and did not choose others". If you apply this definition to Christ you have denied his absolute uniqueness. Not to mention that you have also denied several explicit Scripture that declare God to be unwilling that any perish and that he would have all men to be saved. (I Tim. 2:4 and II Peter 3:9)
Now, we need a definition of 'chosen' and 'elect' that: 1) does not make God finite/limited; and 2) fits the words when they are used of Christ. We have that definition in Jesus' great High Priestly Prayer in John 17. Jesus said, "Father . . . you loved me before the Creation of the world" (vs. 24) That, my friends, is the biblical definition of what it means to be 'elect' and 'chosen' of God. It means: that the believer, like Jesus the unique Son of God, is eternally loved by God the Father. To go beyond this definition and portray God as 'choosing' in the way that humans choose, is to portray God as crudely arbitrary and to portray Christ as just one of a larger group of similar beings.
So now when you read these words in Scripture, or hear them used in a sermon, just think to yourself: "John 17:24"; I am eternally loved by the Father, just as Jesus, the unique Son, is eternally loved. It is supremely good to give God all the credit for our salvation but to do it in the way that some people have defined 'chosen' and 'elect' is, as we have seen, to portray God the Father and Christ the Son very poorly, even ugly. Stick with John 17:24 and ignore the theologians.
This little essay should not be construed as a critique of 'Reformed' theology or any other system of interpreting Scripture, even though some may take it that way. It is not that I believe certain doctrines about predestination and election are completely wrong, it is just that their advocates have not always been careful to clarify some things. To 'cut to the chase' as they say, I will say right up front that it seems to me that the terms "chose", "elect", etc, are used in Scripture as anthropomorphic words. 'Anthropomorphic' is a word formed from two Greek words: 'anthropos' (man/human) and morphos (the form, essence or nature of someone or something). Most people are familiar with the anthropomorphic images in many cartoons when animals are portrayed as humans. Anthropomorphic terms in Scripture compare God to people so that we can better grasp things. Scripture speaks of the 'hand' of God, the 'eyes' of the Lord, etc. Just before the flood of Noah's time the Scripture says that God was "grieved" that he had made man. The King James Version renders it "repented" that He had made man. Now, of course, nothing takes God surprise. He knows eternally all things. (We need to let that sink in for a moment.) When anthropomorphic terms are used of God they are intended to help us at lest partially grasp things that are ultimately beyond total comprehension.
So it is with the words 'elect', and 'choose'. If we are not very careful how we define and explain these terms we make God out to be finite/limited. God is the Creator of space and time. That is what happened at Genesis 1:1. He is not bound by time or space. There is no time at which those who are called God's 'chosen ones' or 'elect' were not chosen. To give the impression that there was a point of time in the past when God said "I now choose _____ to be saved and I do not choose _____ to be saved is to put God into time and thus make Him finite/limited. Hence, the title "Your God Is Too Small". We can only grasp words like 'choose' and 'elect' in the way that we as humans use them. At a certain point in time we decide and act. We are finite/limited. Before that time we had not made the choice or elected.
But now comes the most important part of all. The words 'chose' and 'elect' must be defined in a way that fits how they are used of Jesus, He is "the living Stone -- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him" and he is the "chosen and precious cornerstone". (I Peter 2:4-6 NIV) If the words 'chosen' or 'elect' are used of Christ the way that some people have defined them (as applied to believers) then Christ was chosen from among a larger group of beings to be the Savior of the world. This is, of course, exactly what some cults say about Christ. He is the highest of the angelic beings chosen by God to be the Savior. Now do you see why we cannot define 'chosen' and 'elect', when used of believers, as "God chose certain ones to be save and did not choose others". If you apply this definition to Christ you have denied his absolute uniqueness. Not to mention that you have also denied several explicit Scripture that declare God to be unwilling that any perish and that he would have all men to be saved. (I Tim. 2:4 and II Peter 3:9)
Now, we need a definition of 'chosen' and 'elect' that: 1) does not make God finite/limited; and 2) fits the words when they are used of Christ. We have that definition in Jesus' great High Priestly Prayer in John 17. Jesus said, "Father . . . you loved me before the Creation of the world" (vs. 24) That, my friends, is the biblical definition of what it means to be 'elect' and 'chosen' of God. It means: that the believer, like Jesus the unique Son of God, is eternally loved by God the Father. To go beyond this definition and portray God as 'choosing' in the way that humans choose, is to portray God as crudely arbitrary and to portray Christ as just one of a larger group of similar beings.
So now when you read these words in Scripture, or hear them used in a sermon, just think to yourself: "John 17:24"; I am eternally loved by the Father, just as Jesus, the unique Son, is eternally loved. It is supremely good to give God all the credit for our salvation but to do it in the way that some people have defined 'chosen' and 'elect' is, as we have seen, to portray God the Father and Christ the Son very poorly, even ugly. Stick with John 17:24 and ignore the theologians.
Thursday, June 8, 2017
A SECOND VOCATION
It was the first week of June 1957 and school was out. My dad had a cousin who had acquired a fair amount of skill in both interior and exterior painting. I do not recall if my dad's cousin Keith asked me directly or if my dad said something like, "Keith wants you to work with him painting a house on the west end of Greenwich". I also do not recall if I started at $1.75 an hour or if I got $2 right away. Dad bought a brush at Sears for me; half nylon and half China bristle, 3 1/2 inches wide.
As best as I can recall I started immediately after school was out. Recently Susan and I stopped to look as that house where my very important second vocation began. Like many older homes it is now covered with vinyl siding. On that June morning it was bare, weathered wood siding that had probably not been painted since early in the 20th century. Even though lead base paint was already on the way out, the paint already on houses was mostly white lead base and it would "chalk", that is, slowly erode off the siding. The paint on this house was totally gone. Modern acrylic base paints do not chalk; they either stay on indefinitely or peal off if there is a moisture problem on the inside.
The paint we were using that day may not have been lead base since I recall reading labels later that summer which said the pigment in the paint was titanium dioxide. The move away from lead base paints had begun even before it was understood how dangerous lead was to human health. In the years before World War II painters would often buy a barrel of white lead powder, a barrel of linseed oil, and some turpentine. They would then mix their own paints. Red barn paint was made by adding iron oxide to the mix. The use of white lead base paints established a tradition of white houses. I can recall no house in those days that was any color other than white. Linseed oil and turpentine were used to thin paint. By the 1950's the paints used on the interior walls of houses was mostly water and latex base.
Keith showed me how to thin the paint just a little so it would spread more easily but not be too thin; it had to "track in the bucket". I was acquiring a painter's vocabulary. He poured some into a bucket for me and I went to work. In a couple moments he walked up behind me and said, "Russell, you can't paint with a dry brush". In less than three minutes he showed me how to "load and unload a brush" and to apply the paint evenly with a final stroke to take out all brush marks. I was on my way. In more than 60 years since then there is no other basic, practical skill that I ever learned so quickly and used so often. Since the siding on that house was bare we applied both a primer and a finish coat.
By July my dad had a week's vacation coming from his job at Westinghouse in Mansfield. He would spend that vacation working. A friend, who also worked at Westinghouse, owned a large, three story house on Center Street in Ashland and wanted it painted. That house is now part of the Center Street Historic District. Dad and I began work there on a Saturday and at the end of the day he said, "this job is too much for just the two of us". He called his friend Kenneth "Doug" Ross in New London. Doug had become a believer in Christ just a few years earlier and had started a Youth For Christ work in New London. His wife was a teacher and Doug was working as a painter to support his ministry in Youth For Christ. On Monday morning dad and I were back at the Center Street house ready to begin work when Doug Ross and his two sons pulled in with their trailer load of ladders to work with us.
My freshman year in high school may have been a year that, in the words of the Prophet Joel, "the locusts had eaten" but when the Rosses pulled in that July morning in 1957 God was beginning to (again, in the words of the Prophet Joel) restore to me the year that the locusts had eaten. My friendship with the Rosses would prove decisive for this life and for eternity. After the Center Street house was finished I spent the rest of the summer painting with them in the New London area, even staying at their home and being made to feel like part of the family. The oldest son Don had been out of the Marine Corps for a year and had spent that year at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. The other son Neil was ready to begin his senior year at Moody. They were fun to work with. They joked a lot. They were not like some hyper-serious, legalistic Christians I had been around. By the end of August here I was, a 15 year old boy, earning $2 an hour. When adjusted for inflation there are few 15 year olds today earning that much. More importantly, I had now been impacted by the friendship of three godly men.
The summer of 1958 saw the country in a recession and there were not too many people asking to have their house painted. I did a little painting with my dad's cousin again, but spent a lot of the summer working on farms for 75 cents an hour. At the beginning of that summer the pastor of our church resigned to take a full time position with Youth For Christ International. Who was called to be the new pastor? My new friend, six years older than I, Neil Ross. In August he asked me to be in his wedding at Newport News, Virginia. I gladly accepted. When Neil and his wife Jane began their ministry at our church in September I often spent Sunday afternoons at their home playing LP records on their new stereo. That fall I began dating a girl I had known since the first grade. God was now putting everything together to bring my life to where He was calling me.
What would I do next? I talked with Neil about how he had spent his junior and senior years of high school at what was then called Toccoa Falls Institute. Now called Toccoa Falls College it was then a Bible College, an academy (high school), and an elementary school all on one campus. I knew that Toccoa was were I should go to finish high school. When I told my mom she said, "Russell, we do not have the money to send you there". I explained that I still had some money in the bank from painting and that in the summer ahead it looked like I would be painting again. Neil's parents, who were now on the staff of TFI, came back to Ohio for the summer. Neil's father had lined up several houses to paint. I had all the work I needed and was now earning $2.25 per hour. After my senior year at Toccoa was over I painted with the Rosses again before going to Moody Bible Institute.
In the spring of 1963 Susan and I, not yet married, were both attending Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. I was sharing an upstairs apartment with two other guys and the family who owned the house mentioned that they wanted some painting done. I worked for my rent the last couple months of the school year. While I was painting one day a man across the street came over and was watching me. "I have a friend who would probably want to talk to you" he said. A day or so later a van pulled up and a man in white painter's clothes walked over to me and said, "I'm Bud Vandermark". He looked at my work and said that he would like to hire me full time. I explained that I would be returning to Ohio for the summer, that Susan and I would be married in August, and that we would be returning to Winona Lake by the middle of August. He said, "when you get back here contact me". Just as God had used painting to bring the Rosses into my life He was now bringing into my life a man whose painting skills were equaled by few if any in the entire United States. I do not believe that Lester "Bud" Vandermark of Warsaw, Indiana ever had an equal in his skills in both interior and exterior work. What I learned working with him the first year of our marriage was more valuable than any trade school education. By observing Bud work I saw the extensive preparation work that was done before you even wet a brush; preparation work like you would do before painting a classic car. I saw how to "cut in" straight lines. No masking tape used - ever! Neat! Neat! Neat!
In the years since, as a Christian School teacher, I do not see how our family could have survived economically without this second vocation that God gave to me. When I worked with Bud we worked in some of the finest homes in the Warsaw/Winona Lake area. Since then I have had the joy of also working in some of the finest homes of doctors and other professionals. Most recently we did a suite of offices for one of Mansfield's premier dentists.
Paints are no longer called "paints". PPG, the giant of the paint industry, now calls them "architectural finishes"! Susan goes with me to most jobs today. She moves drop cloths and spots "holidays". I may not have been born with either a Bible or paint brush in my hand but the chances are good that I will die with one or the other in my hand! While doing interior painting with Bud one day the owner of the house was talking with me and I explained to him that as a Christian heading for some type of ministry I wanted to be like the Apostle Paul who said, "You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions." (Acts 20:34) ". . . we worked might and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this . . . in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow". (II Thess. 3:8&9) That's what my second vocation is all about.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRAIL TO LIFE CAMP
In July 1957 Chester Weigle married Carol Morrow. Their love and marriage is the beginning of Trail To Life Camp. Chester ("Chet") grew up on a farm south of Greenwich, Ohio and Carol had grown up just north of Greenwich. Her parents had leased their land to a local businessman who put in a sand and gravel operation. Carol's dad, Herb Morrow, got to work for this business on his own property. The sand and gravel business ceased operation not long after Chet and Carol were married and left behind a beautiful 12 acre lake where the sand and gravel had been extracted. Chet had just completed 3 years at Ohio State majoring in vocational agriculture. By the spring of 1957 he had come to a crisis of decision and was persuaded by his pastor's wife (Flo Collit) to train for ministry at Grace College and Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. Flo and her husband Robert had been ministering at an independent church in Greenwich for 8 years and had discipled several young people. By the fall of 1957 several of those young people, including Chet and Carol, were heading off to various Christian colleges.
While at Grace College Chet and Carol and 2 other couples got the vision for a camp on Carol's parents' property at the north end of the 12 acre lake. I first heard of this plan in the summer of 1958 when I was at Chet's parents' house in Greenwich. They had just sold their farm and moved into town. Chet and Carol were home for a few days from Indiana and Chet was sitting at a drawing board sketching the plans and the layout for the camp he envisioned. The heart of that vision was to reach for Christ kids who could not afford to go to camp in the summer. That was my introduction to what would become Trail To Life Camp. The next summer (1959) Chet and Carol came home from college long enough to install two swimming pools near New London to raise money to begin the camp the following summer. When camp first opened for two weeks in August 1960 there was a kitchen/dining hall that was adequate but not impressive. The six cabins were made of slab wood with black plastic roofs. The camp had been advertised by Chet taking a stagecoach pulled by horses to the local schools in the spring. There was a week of junior camp followed by a week of senior camp. The first three years of camp had a western/cowboy and Indian theme. The camp operated entirely by donations and campers were only charged one dollar for insurance. A Christian man from Elyria "just happened" to come by the camp in those early days. This resulted in a large number of young people coming from that area in the years ahead.
I began helping in the summer of 1961 when the number of campers required us to add 6 Indian style teepees to the six cabins. That year was also the beginning of the Canadian canoe trip for the 10 or so top campers of senior week. In the fall of 1961 Mansfield Christian School opened. Chet had by then graduated from Grace College and studied 2 years at Grace Seminary. He agreed to become the first principal of the new Christian school in Mansfield. This would involve many people, younger and older, from the Mansfield area in the camp in the years ahead. There was no camp in the summer of 1963. When camp reopened in 1964 the western theme had been replaced by the military theme which continued until the camp closed in the mid 1980's. Beginning in '64 the camp was "boys only" for a few years until there were 4 weeks of camp - junior and senior boys; and junior and senior girls. In 1966 we built better cabins and in 1967 we built the lodge/auditorium. In the 70's a new and much better kitchen/dining hall and more modern restrooms were built.
In the spring of 1970 I had a growing concern about the safety of the campers as they canoed and swam on the lake at camp. It turned out that my concern was probably the Holy Spirit trying to tell me that danger was definitely ahead. But it did not happen at camp, it happened on the Canadian trip that year. The entire story is told in Duane Miller's book "Survivor". This was the greatest tragedy in the 25 year history of the camp.
Many of you who read this know that my wife Susan is Chet's sister. We were heavily involved in the camp ministry until our first child was born in 1971. After that our involvement was very limited. After the tragedy of 1970 the Canadian trip was replaced with a Pennsylvania mountain trip for a few years. The top girl campers had been given the Pennsylvania trip all along and that continued until the camp closed. Eventually, the Canadian trip was resumed for the boys. Now, everyone on that trip wore life jackets when in a canoe! Since I had little involvement with the camp from '71 until it closed in the mid 80's I will pass over that era with few details. Why did the camp close? By the 80's Christian young people in college had to work all summer to afford college so many of them no longer had time to volunteer to help at the camp as many of us had done in the early days. Also, even though a small charge was by then made for each camper, finances and inflation were a growing problem.
Chet was hoping that Mansfield Christian School would take over the camp and operate it as an extension of the school's ministry. When this did not happen, and no other group or individuals stepped forward to take over the camp as a ministry, the end had come. In the middle of the school year of '86-'87 Chet resigned from Mansfield Christian School to care for his aging parents. His mother died in May and in July he and Carol moved to South Carolina to be near Chet's 2 brothers and their families. Chet's dad, my father-in-law, spent winters in South Carolina with Chet and Carol and lived with Susan and I each summer for six years, until he was unable to travel. The camp property was sold to a lady who has since allowed it to grow up to weeds and trees.
Many lives were changed for eternity at that place (and on the outbound trips) and the sacrifices made by Chet and Carol and many others are still bearing fruit for the glory of God.
While at Grace College Chet and Carol and 2 other couples got the vision for a camp on Carol's parents' property at the north end of the 12 acre lake. I first heard of this plan in the summer of 1958 when I was at Chet's parents' house in Greenwich. They had just sold their farm and moved into town. Chet and Carol were home for a few days from Indiana and Chet was sitting at a drawing board sketching the plans and the layout for the camp he envisioned. The heart of that vision was to reach for Christ kids who could not afford to go to camp in the summer. That was my introduction to what would become Trail To Life Camp. The next summer (1959) Chet and Carol came home from college long enough to install two swimming pools near New London to raise money to begin the camp the following summer. When camp first opened for two weeks in August 1960 there was a kitchen/dining hall that was adequate but not impressive. The six cabins were made of slab wood with black plastic roofs. The camp had been advertised by Chet taking a stagecoach pulled by horses to the local schools in the spring. There was a week of junior camp followed by a week of senior camp. The first three years of camp had a western/cowboy and Indian theme. The camp operated entirely by donations and campers were only charged one dollar for insurance. A Christian man from Elyria "just happened" to come by the camp in those early days. This resulted in a large number of young people coming from that area in the years ahead.
I began helping in the summer of 1961 when the number of campers required us to add 6 Indian style teepees to the six cabins. That year was also the beginning of the Canadian canoe trip for the 10 or so top campers of senior week. In the fall of 1961 Mansfield Christian School opened. Chet had by then graduated from Grace College and studied 2 years at Grace Seminary. He agreed to become the first principal of the new Christian school in Mansfield. This would involve many people, younger and older, from the Mansfield area in the camp in the years ahead. There was no camp in the summer of 1963. When camp reopened in 1964 the western theme had been replaced by the military theme which continued until the camp closed in the mid 1980's. Beginning in '64 the camp was "boys only" for a few years until there were 4 weeks of camp - junior and senior boys; and junior and senior girls. In 1966 we built better cabins and in 1967 we built the lodge/auditorium. In the 70's a new and much better kitchen/dining hall and more modern restrooms were built.
In the spring of 1970 I had a growing concern about the safety of the campers as they canoed and swam on the lake at camp. It turned out that my concern was probably the Holy Spirit trying to tell me that danger was definitely ahead. But it did not happen at camp, it happened on the Canadian trip that year. The entire story is told in Duane Miller's book "Survivor". This was the greatest tragedy in the 25 year history of the camp.
Many of you who read this know that my wife Susan is Chet's sister. We were heavily involved in the camp ministry until our first child was born in 1971. After that our involvement was very limited. After the tragedy of 1970 the Canadian trip was replaced with a Pennsylvania mountain trip for a few years. The top girl campers had been given the Pennsylvania trip all along and that continued until the camp closed. Eventually, the Canadian trip was resumed for the boys. Now, everyone on that trip wore life jackets when in a canoe! Since I had little involvement with the camp from '71 until it closed in the mid 80's I will pass over that era with few details. Why did the camp close? By the 80's Christian young people in college had to work all summer to afford college so many of them no longer had time to volunteer to help at the camp as many of us had done in the early days. Also, even though a small charge was by then made for each camper, finances and inflation were a growing problem.
Chet was hoping that Mansfield Christian School would take over the camp and operate it as an extension of the school's ministry. When this did not happen, and no other group or individuals stepped forward to take over the camp as a ministry, the end had come. In the middle of the school year of '86-'87 Chet resigned from Mansfield Christian School to care for his aging parents. His mother died in May and in July he and Carol moved to South Carolina to be near Chet's 2 brothers and their families. Chet's dad, my father-in-law, spent winters in South Carolina with Chet and Carol and lived with Susan and I each summer for six years, until he was unable to travel. The camp property was sold to a lady who has since allowed it to grow up to weeds and trees.
Many lives were changed for eternity at that place (and on the outbound trips) and the sacrifices made by Chet and Carol and many others are still bearing fruit for the glory of God.
Friday, February 3, 2017
HEALING; FROM A TO Z
He seemed nervous and slightly agitated. Then I realized this young Amish father was probably afraid that his church leaders would find out that I, an "English" person, had prayed for his child who was facing surgery. The "A" in our title stands for Amish. Many of them believe it is wrong to pray for healing. The word fatalistic comes close to describing them. They believe it is a sin to presume upon God. When Susan and I gave God the credit for a successful morning deer hunting an Amish bishop pointed his finger in my face and said: "don't you be presumptuous!" When I saw him again seven years later his attitude toward me had softened considerably. Seven years after that he asked me to pray for safe travel for him and his wife!" But, nevertheless, the Amish aversion to praying for healing represents one extreme.
Standing on the opposite extreme is the teaching that quotes "by His wounds I have been healed" and maintains that failure to receive healing is none other that failure to believe and claim this truth. The "Z" in our title would then stand for zealous. In some instances these folks may be correct. There are probably more times than we can count that God stands willing to do for the believer much more than the believer is willing to believe! It is the attempt to make a universal application of this that is impossible to square with the whole testimony of Scripture.
It is at this point that you, the reader, probably think that that I am going to say that the truth lies in the middle of these two extremes. But I am very reluctant to come across that way. That could easily sound very arrogant on my part. The total Scriptural witness on the matter of healing is difficult to place in rigid categories. There might conceivably be times when it would be wrong to ask for healing. So the Amish attitude might not always be wrong even if it normally is. And there are certainly some times when failure to believe God prevents a miracle of healing from taking place. So the zealous are not always wrong. We could stop right here and say that we have just seem how utterly dependent we are upon the Holy Spirit to know which Scripture applies to our situation.
Many thousands of Christians pray for healing with the words "If it be Your Will". But certainly sometimes that could easily be a pious cover for unbelief or not actually seeking the will of God on how to pray. Just about any position on healing that a Christian may take can be supported by quoting some passage of Scripture isolated from other passages that bear on the issue. I started out on this journey by witnessing a group of elders anoint and pray for a young woman who was going blind. Within a short time she was reading without glasses. I was only 17 years of age at that time and had never witnessed anything like this. I had grown up among those who sometime prayed for the sick but with little expectation of anything happening. Some would build their entire beliefs about healing on one experience like I witnessed. Others would simply dismiss it as rare and remain unconvinced. Eventually I drifted into what is known in theology as a cessationist position which is all too common. This is the belief that miracles and miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit were only for the Apostles and have ceased to exist. I came to repent of that attitude, but only very, very slowly.
When our three children were still very small Susan developed a condition for which she was referred to an orthopedic surgeon who happened to be a Christian. While we were in his office he called in another surgeon who was also a Christian. After thoroughly examining Susan they said, "We have done this surgery successfully on a number of persons but we believe that God wants to heal you." They joined hands with Susan and I and prayed for us. Within weeks Susan was completely healed of that problem. In retrospect I cannot understand why my attitude toward healing did not soften and change right then. But in some inexplicable hardness of the human heart I continued in a generally cessationist mentality for several years.
Where do I stand now? I take seriously the passage in James 5 about anointing and prayer for the sick. I do not explain it away as many cessationists do. But I have come to see that the most important factor in that passage is "confess your sins one to another that you may be healed". I believe that there is an ebb and flow to miracles in history and in locations. I believe that the most persecuted and impoverished believers are the ones most likely to see miracles, but certainly not the only ones. I do not believe that the absence of a healing miracle is necessarily a sign of unbelief. The great Apostle Paul, in his last letter, said "Trophimus have I left at Miletus sick". He did not agonize over why Trophimus was still sick, he just mentioned it as a fact of life without assigning some great doctrinal significance to it. I believe that you should be very suspicious of people who urge you to quit receiving a certain medical treatment and "trust God for your healing". Unless you clearly discern the Holy Spirit telling you to break off a certain medical treatment then you should follow the words of Jesus, "Those who are sick need a physician". (I have intentionally avoided giving Scripture references in the belief that those who want to seriously pursue this matter will look them up.)
I believe in praying about sickness in myself and others with thanksgiving. I thank God that this illness or injury did not take Him by surprise; that He knew it before the world was created; that he permitted it for purposes that will ultimately work for my or your good. I thank Him that He will give wisdom on what to do about this condition; that I and you do not have to walk in darkness but can have the light of life each step of the way. I thank Him when I live through a day without any illness or injury. I pray for people He brings to my mind with a prayer that may go something like this: "Father, if there is one cancer cell beginning in that person's body please destroy it. If there is a congenital condition unknown to them, please heal it. If they are about to be injured, please prevent it." These are a few examples of how I talk to our Father.
Some of you reading this know that Susan was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma in December 1988. Was she miraculously delivered? Or, was she treated successfully with appropriate therapy? The answers are "yes" and "yes". Many, many people have not survived what she had. She had four reoccurrences of this condition. It has been five years the last occurrence. God has taught us much over the last 28 years. We see clearly how fragile life is. We are well aware that what James called the "powerful and effective prayers of righteous persons" ascended to heaven on our behalf. We are more aware than ever that there is no hard and fast doctrine about healing that can replace our total dependence upon the Holy Spirit to show us each step to take and which Scripture most applies to our situation. (Please feel free to send me a message through social media about this topic or of a need to pray for you.)
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
APPRECIATION . . . . . . . . AND A FEW REGRETS
Cheerleaders once yelled to crowds: "two, four, six, eight; who do we appreciate?" Comments on social media postings have raised the issue of what my theological beliefs are and with whom, past or present, I would identify myself. I am extremely reluctant to take one person or movement and filter the Scriptures through them, no matter how brilliant and godly they may have been. I replied to one of those comments by saying that I am "eclectic", meaning I draw from several sources. How far back in Christian history should I go? Let's start with the Reformation and Martin Luther to express some appreciation.
If Luther did nothing more than bring Romans 1:16 & 17 to the world of his day he would have earned his place in history. He made great use of the Latin word "sola" (alone). When the church had put itself over the Scriptures he led the way back to being under the Scriptures. This is what he and the other reformers meant by sola scriptura. They replaced the so called meritorious works of the church with sola gratia (grace) and sola fide (faith) as the source and means of salvation. Good works were placed back into the framework of the Scriptures as the fruit and evidence of salvation, not the procuring cause. Luther's use of liturgy and formality is appreciated by some but may be a hindrance to others. He put the Scriptures into the language of the people and that great effort has never stopped. The emphasis of the reformers on literacy, so everyone can read the Scriptures, led to the great emphasis on education in the British colonies in America. We owe Luther and his fellow reformers a great debt, even if we do not embrace all their theology.
If Luther had not been so unbalanced in his position on the peasant wars and had not lived long enough to say the terrible things about the Jews that he did . . . well, you see what I mean.
The next word of appreciation goes to John Calvin. Typically, people think of the theological system called Calvinism but my appreciation for him has more to do with fact that you can draw a straight line from him to America's constitutional republic. It was Calvin's emphasis on the concept of the covenant that the Puritans brought to America. It produced the Mayflower Compact and every written constitution of the 13 states and eventually the U.S. Constitution itself. Along with his emphasis on the Scriptures this was, I believe, his great legacy. That America and England did not have a bloody revolution like France is because they followed more in the way of John Calvin than the "other John of Geneva" - Jean Jacques Rousseau.
The system known as Calvinism, developed by Dutch theologians after Calvin's death, is embraced wholly by a few, in part by many Evangelicals, and shunned by many who consider it a caricature of God.
The alternative to Calvinism in theology is often said to be Arminianism, from Jacob Arminius, another Dutch theologian. But in practical terms the principal theological alternative is Wesleyanism, from the brothers John and Charles Wesley. If we follow Jesus' pattern of judging by fruits it is doubtful that any Christian leader in the last 500 years has any more practical fruits than John Wesley. He pioneered in the use of the monthly Christian magazine, open air preaching, the use of small pamphlets or tracts, and home discipleship groups. Churches that stand in the Wesleyan tradition are almost too numerous to mention. This would include all groups that have Methodist in their name (leaving out that part of Methodism that has sold its soul to liberal theology), Wesley(an) in their name; Holiness, Salvation Army, Nazarene, Church of God (Anderson Indiana), and on and on. Pentecostal churches are sometimes called the 'grandchildren' of Wesley. Emphasis on evangelism, revival, and practical service in Jesus' Name for the last 250 years is as much indebted to Wesley as anyone. Charles Wesley ranks as one of the greatest hymn writers in all of Christian history.
I should be quick to add that John Wesley's dear friend and fellow preacher of the Gospel was George Whitefield, a Calvinist in theology! Out of friendships like this grew such expressions as "agree to disagree" and "in essentials, unity; and in non essentials, charity". (Eventually, liberal theology wanted to put everything, including the Deity of Christ, under "non essentials".) As regards the life of Wesley and the more recent struggles in Methodism, I cannot recommend too highly the book Nothing To Do But To Save Souls by Robert E. Coleman. Definitely a five star book, and not too lengthy either.
Moving into the nineteenth century I have an appreciation for Charles G. Finney. An emphasis on revival, preaching that calls for a decision, calling people forward to indicate a commitment to Christ, and mid week prayer services are all results of Finney's ministry. I am keenly aware of how much Calvinists despise him but their criticisms tend to be unbalanced and excessive. Finney is accused of making revivals a 'work of man' instead of a 'work of God'. But Finney was trying to correct the practices of what one writer has called "Calvinism gone to seed", with its beliefs that revivals were like thunder storms; there was nothing Christians could or should do to promote them. Another expression of that kind of Calvinism was "God will save the heathen in His own time without your help or mine".
Finney is rightly challenged on his Governmental (instead of Substitutionary) view of the Atonement. But what is omitted in this attack on him is that he was at least trying to refute the Universalists of his day who argued that if Christ died in the place of all then somehow God would have to eventually save all. There are of course much better answers to this than Finney's view of the Atonement but to omit the context makes the attacks grossly unfair. The transformation of entire towns and districts resulted from his preaching. He was a pioneer in defending the equality under God of people of African ancestry. Oberlin College in Ohio, under Finney's leadership, welcomed both Black students and all women when other colleges were closed to both. Before he died, Howard Jones, the first African-American on Billy Graham's team, was going to show me where Finney's grave was in the Oberlin cemetery. But Howard passed away before we could do that together.
I have much appreciation for the nineteenth century British scholar Henry Alford. I often use his monumental Greek Testament, a commentary on the New Testament in its original language. In vol. 1 and vol. 4 his defense of the Premillenial view of Scripture is brief but probably the most powerful ever written. I love the hymns he wrote such as "Come Ye Thankful People, Come" and "Ten Thousand Time Ten Thousand".
In the twentieth century I appreciate, among others, Torrey Johnson and those who helped him found Youth For Christ; the faithfulness and integrity of Billy Graham and his team; and women like Ruth Graham and Elisabeth Elliot. Without Francis and Edith Schaeffer we would be immeasurably poorer in our development of a Christian world view and in an example of practical Christian love. Currently I appreciate William Lane Craig, and John Lennox for their work in apologetics. I appreciate Dr. Hugh Ross and his associates at Reasons To Believe for their scientifically credible defense of Genesis, the "old earth" view of Creation, and the entire Christian world view. There are many others past and present that I could name.
But what about regrets? There are several that cast a shadow over my reflections. Having memorized more than seven books of the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament during my senior year at Toccoa Falls Academy I regret profoundly that I did not use and quote them at length much more than I did in the months and years that followed. I also regret allowing myself to be too heavily influenced by the book The Genesis Flood when it came out in 1961. I regret that for two reasons: I bought into its several claims supported by neither careful Biblical exegesis not honest scientific inquiry. Second, I was diverted from teaching much more practical and necessary matters, especially for young couples as the divorce rate was soaring. I also regret ever adopting a mean spirited, critical approach toward groups and movements that I disagreed with. I was "rescued" when I discovered the writings of Francis Schaeffer. He probably did more than anyone in the twentieth century to help many of us escape the poor attitudes and cultural isolation of Fundamentalism while still remaining true to the Scriptures.
Among those not so well known to whom my great appreciation extends are the late Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth ('Doug') Ross of New London and their sons Don and Neil. Without their friendship in my teen years I don't know where I would be today. My parents Dean and Madge Enzor were always supportive. Then, most importantly, my best friend for life -- Susan.
If Luther did nothing more than bring Romans 1:16 & 17 to the world of his day he would have earned his place in history. He made great use of the Latin word "sola" (alone). When the church had put itself over the Scriptures he led the way back to being under the Scriptures. This is what he and the other reformers meant by sola scriptura. They replaced the so called meritorious works of the church with sola gratia (grace) and sola fide (faith) as the source and means of salvation. Good works were placed back into the framework of the Scriptures as the fruit and evidence of salvation, not the procuring cause. Luther's use of liturgy and formality is appreciated by some but may be a hindrance to others. He put the Scriptures into the language of the people and that great effort has never stopped. The emphasis of the reformers on literacy, so everyone can read the Scriptures, led to the great emphasis on education in the British colonies in America. We owe Luther and his fellow reformers a great debt, even if we do not embrace all their theology.
If Luther had not been so unbalanced in his position on the peasant wars and had not lived long enough to say the terrible things about the Jews that he did . . . well, you see what I mean.
The next word of appreciation goes to John Calvin. Typically, people think of the theological system called Calvinism but my appreciation for him has more to do with fact that you can draw a straight line from him to America's constitutional republic. It was Calvin's emphasis on the concept of the covenant that the Puritans brought to America. It produced the Mayflower Compact and every written constitution of the 13 states and eventually the U.S. Constitution itself. Along with his emphasis on the Scriptures this was, I believe, his great legacy. That America and England did not have a bloody revolution like France is because they followed more in the way of John Calvin than the "other John of Geneva" - Jean Jacques Rousseau.
The system known as Calvinism, developed by Dutch theologians after Calvin's death, is embraced wholly by a few, in part by many Evangelicals, and shunned by many who consider it a caricature of God.
The alternative to Calvinism in theology is often said to be Arminianism, from Jacob Arminius, another Dutch theologian. But in practical terms the principal theological alternative is Wesleyanism, from the brothers John and Charles Wesley. If we follow Jesus' pattern of judging by fruits it is doubtful that any Christian leader in the last 500 years has any more practical fruits than John Wesley. He pioneered in the use of the monthly Christian magazine, open air preaching, the use of small pamphlets or tracts, and home discipleship groups. Churches that stand in the Wesleyan tradition are almost too numerous to mention. This would include all groups that have Methodist in their name (leaving out that part of Methodism that has sold its soul to liberal theology), Wesley(an) in their name; Holiness, Salvation Army, Nazarene, Church of God (Anderson Indiana), and on and on. Pentecostal churches are sometimes called the 'grandchildren' of Wesley. Emphasis on evangelism, revival, and practical service in Jesus' Name for the last 250 years is as much indebted to Wesley as anyone. Charles Wesley ranks as one of the greatest hymn writers in all of Christian history.
I should be quick to add that John Wesley's dear friend and fellow preacher of the Gospel was George Whitefield, a Calvinist in theology! Out of friendships like this grew such expressions as "agree to disagree" and "in essentials, unity; and in non essentials, charity". (Eventually, liberal theology wanted to put everything, including the Deity of Christ, under "non essentials".) As regards the life of Wesley and the more recent struggles in Methodism, I cannot recommend too highly the book Nothing To Do But To Save Souls by Robert E. Coleman. Definitely a five star book, and not too lengthy either.
Moving into the nineteenth century I have an appreciation for Charles G. Finney. An emphasis on revival, preaching that calls for a decision, calling people forward to indicate a commitment to Christ, and mid week prayer services are all results of Finney's ministry. I am keenly aware of how much Calvinists despise him but their criticisms tend to be unbalanced and excessive. Finney is accused of making revivals a 'work of man' instead of a 'work of God'. But Finney was trying to correct the practices of what one writer has called "Calvinism gone to seed", with its beliefs that revivals were like thunder storms; there was nothing Christians could or should do to promote them. Another expression of that kind of Calvinism was "God will save the heathen in His own time without your help or mine".
Finney is rightly challenged on his Governmental (instead of Substitutionary) view of the Atonement. But what is omitted in this attack on him is that he was at least trying to refute the Universalists of his day who argued that if Christ died in the place of all then somehow God would have to eventually save all. There are of course much better answers to this than Finney's view of the Atonement but to omit the context makes the attacks grossly unfair. The transformation of entire towns and districts resulted from his preaching. He was a pioneer in defending the equality under God of people of African ancestry. Oberlin College in Ohio, under Finney's leadership, welcomed both Black students and all women when other colleges were closed to both. Before he died, Howard Jones, the first African-American on Billy Graham's team, was going to show me where Finney's grave was in the Oberlin cemetery. But Howard passed away before we could do that together.
I have much appreciation for the nineteenth century British scholar Henry Alford. I often use his monumental Greek Testament, a commentary on the New Testament in its original language. In vol. 1 and vol. 4 his defense of the Premillenial view of Scripture is brief but probably the most powerful ever written. I love the hymns he wrote such as "Come Ye Thankful People, Come" and "Ten Thousand Time Ten Thousand".
In the twentieth century I appreciate, among others, Torrey Johnson and those who helped him found Youth For Christ; the faithfulness and integrity of Billy Graham and his team; and women like Ruth Graham and Elisabeth Elliot. Without Francis and Edith Schaeffer we would be immeasurably poorer in our development of a Christian world view and in an example of practical Christian love. Currently I appreciate William Lane Craig, and John Lennox for their work in apologetics. I appreciate Dr. Hugh Ross and his associates at Reasons To Believe for their scientifically credible defense of Genesis, the "old earth" view of Creation, and the entire Christian world view. There are many others past and present that I could name.
But what about regrets? There are several that cast a shadow over my reflections. Having memorized more than seven books of the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament during my senior year at Toccoa Falls Academy I regret profoundly that I did not use and quote them at length much more than I did in the months and years that followed. I also regret allowing myself to be too heavily influenced by the book The Genesis Flood when it came out in 1961. I regret that for two reasons: I bought into its several claims supported by neither careful Biblical exegesis not honest scientific inquiry. Second, I was diverted from teaching much more practical and necessary matters, especially for young couples as the divorce rate was soaring. I also regret ever adopting a mean spirited, critical approach toward groups and movements that I disagreed with. I was "rescued" when I discovered the writings of Francis Schaeffer. He probably did more than anyone in the twentieth century to help many of us escape the poor attitudes and cultural isolation of Fundamentalism while still remaining true to the Scriptures.
Among those not so well known to whom my great appreciation extends are the late Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth ('Doug') Ross of New London and their sons Don and Neil. Without their friendship in my teen years I don't know where I would be today. My parents Dean and Madge Enzor were always supportive. Then, most importantly, my best friend for life -- Susan.
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