Draft

This blog is being posted from the viewpoint of my having had a very blessed life and being privileged to have lived through an awesome period of history. A quick overview of youth you see that I lived at some 74 addresses before entering high school, hence my early education was much like a dog's breakfast, or to say it another way, it was somewhat either mixed up or lacking.

My next to last school was Encino Grammar School, and as you might guess, in Encino Calif. At this two room school there were 5 of us in the seventh grade, and the next year we moved over a row of seats and there were five of us in the eighth grade. I tended Canoga Park High School while living on a dirt street, Orion Ave in Sherman Oaks. this made for a long bus ride. I graduated the summer of 1946 with out missing a day of school (except when rains flooded the valley and there was no school) and it was the largest class in the school's long history, There were 72 of us as I recall.

Instead of taking over my father's contracting business in the valley, as was expected of the only son, I chose to go to college. I attended LACC, with an engineering major. This I truly enjoyed. But a good friend, Dr. William N. Cooper had opted for a Bible School in Seattle, named Simpson, and his letters were go glowing about the school, and his growth in faith, I chose to follow him.

I graduated from Simpson in 1950. My first job there was washing pots and pans. I did move up to washing dishes by the end of my first year. Second year, I was the night watchman. My senior year I was made the assistant dean of men.

My vocational aim was to go to the Mission field. This goal was to use the construction skills I had under the operating engineers. This was to be under the C&MA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) the largest of the mission boards at that time. My major was Bible, including 2 years of Greek and Missions. I was accepted by the board but chose to go on and finish my college education.

The college I chose was Taylor University in Upland Indiana. Having sold my three cars I had at that time, one for work in heavy construction, one for competition (speed) and one for dating, I hitch hiked to Indiana. Arriving in the evening and a little bit intimidated, I slept in a car and faced the University the next day in daylight.

In the first weeks there I met the answer to my prayers. Having given up most dating in Bible School, I within a month met Ruth Dixon, who sang like an angel, and I was had. I told someone that I was a celibate, and Ruth hearing this, bless her, didn't believe that.


With a Psychology major, trying to play football, and working my way through, washing dishes and then working nights for RCA, graduated in two years. At this time I informed the C&MA that I was ready to be sent by the mission board, and told them about my engagement to Ruth, who was a Methodist Minister's daughter. Ruth was willing to go with me to the mission field, but wanted to remain a Methodist. I received a reply that stated I was no long an accepted candidate. We were married by her father in Detroit, two days after graduating in Indiana together.


Because I received a full scholarship to Emory, Candler School of theology. I had a great year under some truly gifted and dedicated professors. I worked 40 hours a week at night in the Atlanta Fulton Tower jail. There I saw the hard and ugly underside of the South.

Once in a while I would fill in for other student pastors who were appointed to a circuit but could not cover them all on any given Sunday. I think the problem was that I was an outlander Yankee and no student parishes were opened to me. We lived in a trailer in a turnip field. Our first son, Mark Leroy was born during this time. Eight days into his life Mark had lost weight and he looked like a frail old man. This was caused by a valve at the base of his stomach that was closed and no food was getting through. In short, he was starving to death.


A class mate, Jim Wall, now of Christan Century fame, working as a youth minister had his youth group raise the money for the operation that saved Mark's life. The operation cost $75.00 which I did not have. This was truly a hard,painful time.


Ruth visited her sister up in New Jersey and while there she heard about a church being open.

She called me and we derided to move to New Jersey. Blessed and blessed again, I got a full scholarship to Drew University. The down side was they would give me no credit for the years work at Emory. The Church was Atco Methodist dating from 1858. Our first Sunday morning we went to the obvious Church in Atco, and announced to the usher at the front door that we were the newly appointed pastor and wife.

He looked a bit shocked, and the priest came to the door and informed us that this was a Roman Catholic Church, and the Methodist church was around the corner.

It was a three appointment circuit. Atco, (city church) Sicklerville (country church) and Tansburo (very country church whose membership was down to five, and was a neighborhood that was mostly black and they said no blacks would be allowed to enter into their church. I never held a service in three years in Tansburo. We had a great time with the other two. NO, make that a wonderful time.

I did try to transfer to Princeton, as I drove by it each week on my way to Drew, and I was accepted, but no scholarship was offered and our salary was $1500 from Atco and $500 a year from Scicklerville, so I denied them my attendance.

Question I have about the Book of Mormon

My grandfather on my mother's side was a dedicated Mormon. This is part of heritage and roots.

In my own search of faith I had to consider how valid this American originated religion might be. In reading his Book of Mormon, I was taken back by how many exact quotes from the King James translation of the scriptures there were. I counted some 1700 and then I gave up counting.

The question raised by this for me is that language, as in a culture, is a living,constantly changing and evolving living thing. The King James Bible was translated in 1611 AD. It had as its source the Bishops and several other earlier translations. But the scholars who did the translation did not have the manuscripts we do now, nor did they know the correct meaning of the everyday street Greek words used in the writing of the New Testament.

The New Testament was written in the language of the people, language commonly in daily use. It is not classical Greek, which is well known and documented. The King James translators knew only classical Greek. The breakthrough came in a discovery in Egypt of letters, bills of sale, business documents, written in the language of the day. These discovered documents had been used to stuff mummified animals as a way to save costs. This was the open door to understanding what words used commonly and gives us today a much better and truer translation of the New Testament.

Language use changes with time. My problem is that use of these exact quotes out of the King James Bible means the book of Mormon was written at or later than the King James, but it speaks of being written in a period some 1500 years earlier. Conclusion: The King James Bible was used as a source in the writing of the book of Mormon giving it a much later date of origin.

As I grew in my faith I then had a massive conflict with the mantra they use: "As we are, God once was, as God is, we shall become". A concept no where in the Christian faith. This would lead to there being many gods. Christian faith has as its premise that there is only one God. "Hear O Israel, the Lord Thy God is One"

Wanting to be as "a god" was Satan's downfall.

I am sure I never was, will be or want to be a "god". Growing into being a God is not a tenet of the Christian faith. I can seek to be like Jesus, but I do not become Jesus.

I believe I am a child of God, but will not ever be God. I believe that the teaching of the Bible is that there is no marriage or giving in marriage in heaven,(as there is no male or female) and the Mormons not only believe in marriage in heaven, but are committed to marriage for eternity.

Baptism for the dead is a pagan practice not found in any part of the Bible.

The revelation that is most meaningful to me is that Christianity is the only faith that says in order to receive it, all you have to do is to accept it.

It is free, and there is nothing we can do to earn it, buy it, or do to deserve it, except to receive it freely, and all of it is ours. This is Grace, unmerited favor, and not a product of my good works.

In it we know that we are loved, forgiven, and blessed with the riches of our heavenly Father. Because I have been forgiven, I can forgive, love, and rejoice.

I do not have to keep kosher, built merit by attending mass, tap into the treasure of merits of the saints, or do I tithe to be worthy to enter the temple, pray facing a stone in Mecca, or be baptized in the name of someone who has died.

I took my first steps of being a devotee of Jesus, and He it is I choose to follow, not Joseph Smith.

At this point I had to keep looking for a faith that was in keeping with the Jesus I have met shown to me in the Gospels.

The steps of how I got to where I am.

This is being posted from the viewpoint of a very blessed life and having lived through an awesome period of history. Quick overview, lived at some 74 addresses before highschool, hence my early education was much like a dog's breakfast.


My next to last school was Encino Grammer School, Encino Calif. where there were 5 of us in the eighth grade. Attended Canoga Park High School while living on Orion Ave in Sherman Oaks (long bus ride) and graduated with the largest class in its history, 72 as I recall. Class of 46


Instead of taking over my father's business in the valley, being the only son, and this being expected, I chose to go onto college. I attended LACC, with an engineering major. This I truly enjoyed. But a good friend, Dr. William Cooper had opted for a Bible School in Seattle, named Simpson, and his letters were go glowing about the school, I chose to follow him.


I graduated from Simpson having chosen to go to the Mission field under the C&MA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) the largest of the mission boards at that time. My major was Bible, including 2 years of Greek and Missions. I was accepted for their service, but chose to go on and finish my college education.


The college I chose was Taylor University in Upland Indiana. Having sold my three cars I had at that time, one for work in heavy construction, one for competion (speed) and one for dating, I hitch hiked to Indiana. Arriving in the evening and a little bit intimidated, I slept in a car and faced the University in daylight.


There I met the answer to my prayers, as I was best descrived as a less than being wise about women, having given up mostly dating in Bible School, I within a month met Ruth Dixon, who sang like an angel, and I was had. I told someone that I was a celebat, and Ruth, bless her, didn't believe that.


With a Psychology major, trying to play football, and working my way through, washing dishes and then working for RCA, graduated in two years. At this time I informed the C&MA that I was ready to be sent by the mission board, and told them about my engagement to Ruth, who was a Methodist Minister's daughter, who was willing to go with me to the mission field, but wanted to remain a Methodist. I received a reply that stated I was no long an accepted candidate. We were married by her father in Detroit, two days after graduating together.


Because I received a full schlorship to Emory, Candler School of theology. A great year under some truly gifted and dedicated professors. I worked at night in the Fulton Tower jail, and saw the hard and ugly underside of the South. Once in a while I would fill in for pastors who had a circut and could not cover them all. But I was a yankee and no student parishes were opened to me. We lived in a trailer in a turnup field. Our first son was born during this time. Eight days into his life he looked like a frail old man because a valve at the base of his stomach was closed and no food was getting through.


A class mate, Jim Wall, now of Chrisitan Century fame, had his youth group raise the money for the operation that saved Mark's life. The operation cost $75.00 which I did not have. This was truly a hard time.


Ruth visited her sister up in New Jersey and while there she heard about a church being open.

She called me and we desided to move to New Jersey. Blessed and blessed again, I got a full schlorship to Drew University. The Church was Atco. Our first Sunday morning we went to the obvious Church, and announced to the usher that we were the newly appointed pastor and wife.

He looked a bit shocked, and the priest came to the door and infomed us that this was a Roman Catholic Church, and the Methoidst was around the corner.


It was a three appointement circit. Atco, (city church) Sicklerville (country church) and Tansburo (very country church whose membership was down to five, and was a neighborhood that was mostly black and they said no blacks in their church. I never held a service in three years in Tansburo Methodist) We had a great time with the other two.


Tried to transfur to Prinston, as I drove by it each week on my way to Drew, was accepted, but no schlorship was offered and our salery was $1500 from Atco and $500 a year from Scicklerville, so I denied them my attendance.