I remember Sis Ruby Harper teaching me in Junior Girls Bible Class. One thing she shared was when our "church building, land at Parkview was first being completed and how Pastor Keene met with a few and prayed Matthew 18:19-20 KJV Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
I grew up in church. Mama, Margaret K. Harris Williams, pulled me in my red wagon to Parkview Missionary Baptist Church every Saturday. She taught me to wipe down, dust all the benches in the Sanctuary, all the little chairs in the kids departments; then, Bro Keene would come into the kitchen with glads, fern, flowers, from his garden. Mama would arrange them just the way he wanted.
My first teachers I remember were Mama and Dot Keene, and their flannelgraph Bible stories.
Sis June Tison taught the 1-3 grade, and Juniors was Sis Ruby Harper. Junior High was Sis Remelle Bessent. Senior High was F.G. Ganey. BTS (Baptist Training Service) Teachers I remember are Frankie Scurry, Mary Francis Tison (then) Rex, and Bro Neil Johnson.
When I was around 9 years of age, Parkview Missionary Baptist Church started a Girl's Missionary Auxiliary class and Junior Choir on Wednesday nights. In GMAs I memorized part of 2 Corinthians 5:20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ. This Chapter 5, I now consider my Church Moto.
In the Summer of 1959, Mattie's Family and I went on vacation. We went to the Baptist Publishing House, the office of Dr E Harold Henderson in Arkansas. He talked to us (11, 10, and 8 year olds) like we were adults. We all got down on our knees, and he prayed for us. After this vacation, one Sunday night in Baptist Training Service, my teacher, Frankie Scurry, said we are not promised tomorrow. She said I could die any moment, or Christ could return at any moment, even that very night. James 4:14 KJV Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. If Christ was calling me to come to Him, she said I needed to acknowledge it in front of the church coming forward for baptism and membership. That night, I felt the Holy Spirit calling me, and I went forward and gave my life to Christ. (I was going into the 7th grade.) After church, Bro Robertson and his wife (both were school teachers), asked me to memorize Galatians 2:20 as a life verse. He said I would not regret it, that it was a great verse for testimony. I did memorize it. Galatians 2:20 KJV I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Other Scriptures that have come to mean a lot to me: Mark 13:34-37 KJV For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. [35] Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: [36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. [37] And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Luke 1:79 KJV To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Acts 3:19 KJV Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
I am so grateful for the times of refreshing!
Ephesians 2:1 KJV And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Psalm 91:1 KJV — He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
The following are links I have found on E. Harold Henderson on prayer:
https://lifeword.org/inside/?id=25&title=Covenant-Praying-and-Answered-Prayer
Key to Spiritual Power: https://lifeword.org/inside/?id=2534
Nuggets of Gold:
https://www.bmahistory.org/files/Book-NuggetsofGoldSermonOutlines-Harmon.pdf
