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My first Gospel meeting was conducted at the Old Bald church of Christ in Bartersville, Kentucky during the summer of 1929. The wife of one of the elders was afflicted with a serious nervous disorder. At times she would speak aloud in church.
During one of my sermons, in which I thought I was speaking eloquently and had reached a high point in my preaching, Mrs. Miller cried out loudly, "No!"
As an 18 year old preacher I was greatly shook up because I thought she was disagreeing with what I said. I finally recovered my composure and proceeded to finish without further interference. Some of the brethren later explained the situation to me.
I was preaching during a Gospel meeting in Kenton, Tennessee. The weather was hot and dry. All of the windows and doors were open without screens. The church building was equipped with kerosene lamps hanging on the walls. The candle flies and bugs were plentiful. They congregated around the lamps but once in a while one would stray afar. One night when I was preaching away with open mouth, one of the oversized bugs flew into my mouth. I sputtered, coughed and carried on in sight to behold.
Howard McMackin, the song leader, was sitting on the front seat. Loudly enough to be heard by all, Howard said, "He was a stranger and you took him in."
I was holding a meeting with the Central church of Christ, St. Louis, MO. A large woman, who had a sordid reputation, responded to the invitation one night and requested that I baptize her. We prepared and both of us went down into the water in the baptistery.
I was anxious because I had never baptized a 300 pound person before. She too was fearful for me to put her under the water, that I would never get her raised.
When I started to lay her backward, she reached up and caught the side of the baptistery with her right hand. I knew I could not bury her with one arm sticking out of the water. I reached up to break her hold and when I did both of us went under the water. But, I got her immersed!
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