How You Can Tell I’m Baptist
Miles of Memories
First of all, you can tell by my writing. Many of my columns are wrapped around personal featuring church attendance, church camp, revival meetings, “Watch Night“ Services, taking the Lord’s Supper, being baptized (fully immersed) in Jenkins’ Ferry, “feeding the preachers” during revival, Dinner On The Ground, and Vacation Bible School. To prove years of experience in this last event, I assure you I still have Vacation Bible School red Kool-Aid coursing through my veins.
But there are other ways we fellow-Baptists can spot each other. I guarantee we who have grown up in this denomination since we were de-wombed by our mothers can recite the first, second and last stanza of almost every song in the old Baptist Hymnal by memory. In fact, I did not know most of these songs had a third verse until I was nearly grown and our church got a new song leader who’d just graduated from Ouachita. Also, we know that “Just As I Am” is by far the leading choice for the invitational hymn and that “Rock of Ages” and “Amazing Grace” are favorite funeral hymns. And if you should need any help with the words, there are hymnals located in the back of the pew in front of you along with funeral home fans available for really hot weather or ladies going through the change.
As a side-bar, we children also learned that the hard cover hymnal served as an excellent lap desk for drawing on the back of tithing envelopes – Tic Tac Toe and other improvised art work – while we were still too young to understand the grown-up sermons directed to our parents. Whenever I pray aloud you can easily see I was brought up Baptist and taught from no other Bible but the King James version. Bro. Earl did not recognize newer versions as being real. Thus, before any meal I can ask the blessing using “Thee,” “Thou,” “Thine,” and “Thy” without hesitation. Also, all the verses I have committed to memory contain the words of the King James version. Different words substituted in newer editions throw me off.
There are many other Baptist traits and practices that are known throughout America. Whether the church is Southern Baptist or an Independent, they are all pure Baptist in origination. For instance, you were always excited about the prospects of a trip to the Fellowship Hall because it usually involved red Kool-Aid and/or 9x13 casserole dishes. Another thing…whenever the Lord’s Supper was served at the end of a short sermon, it was a pretty good sign that the Dallas Cowboys or another favorite team was being played on television at noon. And speaking of food, you knew that “Dinner on the grounds” was a sacred form of a congregational picnic that featured, you guessed it, red Kool-Aid punch and many 9x13 casserole dishes.
And speaking of even more food, you considered stale Certs, varied-flavored life savers, and Clorets gum from your mother’s purse to be appetizers to get you through all the verses of “Just As I Am” before you headed for the Fellowship Hall or to your home for lunch that was probably also baked in a 9x13 casserole dish.
You also knew that “God,” “Jesus,” “Pray,” “Read your Bible,” and “Go to church” were the correct answers to approximately 90% of all Sunday School teacher questions.
Seriously, I am so thankful that I grew up in a Christian family and was brought up in my small Gospel preaching Baptist church. It’s been said that church doesn’t make you a believer any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. But for the sake of protection, repair and general maintenance, a garage seems like a pretty good place for a car. And I believe the church serves as an excellent place for a growing Christian.
Now, I don’t intend to get “Preachy” here, BUT…in conclusion, I AM a Baptist by membership but, first and foremost I am a Christian. I believe the Bible with its salvation message is true. Because I have witnessed God’s bounty for 79 years, I agree with David when he says in the 23rd Psalm, “My cup runneth over”…And, in continuing the vein of this column, I can say, “My blessings are so great my “9x13 Pyrex casserole dish runneth over.”
Contact former La Grange resident Brenda Miles at: brenstar@att.net