Solomon Islands Seminary

May I recommend this brother and Church as trust worthy. They are endeavoring to teach Solomon Island preachers the Word of God. Your help would be appreciated.

 

Dear brethren,
Very briefly, I was wondering if we could get about 15 churches or individuals to assist us with transportation fees that would enable 15 students to attend the current short term teaching module. The transportation costs per student will be approximately $75.

If you can help, just email me.

God bless from the Solomon Islands!

Doug Clements, Pastor
Calvary MBC – Idabel, OK
580.212.3163

267 – Sept. 24 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

Few know the sacrifices of our missionaries

 

1942 – The S.S. West Lashaway, a ship on which the Shaw family, missionaries to French Equatorial Africa (now Central African Republic) was sunk by a German U Boat in the early days of WW II. The shipping lanes of the Atlantic were in constant danger of German subs, and later, for a while, the Japanese Navy ruled the Pacific in those awful days. Harvey and Carol Shaw had volunteered for missionary service in Africa in 1937 and now were forced to return with their three children. As the German torpedo ripped through the ship, Mr. Shaw, his daughter Carol (7) and son Richard (13) were thrown into the sea. Mrs. Shaw and daughter Georgia (11) were trapped in their cabin and went down with the ship. The survivors still had to survive fire from the German sub. When it left they found life jackets and rafts. Mr. Shaw didn’t make it, but the rest did after drifting for twenty-one days, and seeing the Lord wondrously provide food and fresh rain water. Finally they were rescued by a British destroyer after they nearly destroyed them with sixteen volleys of cannon, thinking that they were an enemy submarine. The sailors wept when they realized what they had nearly done. Other missionaries raised the Shaw children, and Richard later entered the ministry, and his sister Carol served the Lord as well. Few know of the sacrifices of our missionaries. [Polly Strong, Burning Wicks (Cleveland, Ohio: Baptist Mid-Missions, 1984), pp. 207-8. This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp. 523-25]. Prepared by Dr. Greg J. Dixon

 

 

263 – Sept. 20 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

A courage that honored God

 

1944 – According to Winston Churchill, was the day that the Nijmegen Bridge  over the Waal-Rhine River in Holland, the longest bridge in Europe, fell into American hands in World War II.  Baptist Chaplain Captain Delbert Kuehl tells of the heroism of Henry, a nineteen year old Baptist paratrooper. Because of his Christian witness Henry had been given the nickname of “chaplain” of “H” company, and some less honorable names as well. The Germans were caught by surprise, but as the Americans reached the water, they opened fire. Many of our soldiers were hit by machine gun and mortar fire including Henry. However Henry, ignoring his wounds ministered to the fallen soldiers. Chaplain Kuehl insisted on Henry leaving in one of the boats which he did but then the Chaplain was surprised to see him back again, head bandaged, to assist others to get across even in the midst of heavy fire. He helped load one more man into the boat, and then collapsed, being weakened by loss of blood. At that time Henry, who was semi-conscious, was loaded into the boat and taken back to the friendly side of the river. Chaplain Kuehl said, “I shall never forget the courage of this young Christian Paratrooper—a courage that caused every fighting man to marvel and a courage that honored God.” [Winston S. Churchill, Triumph and Tragedy (Cambridge: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1953), p 198. This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp. 515-17]
Prepared by Dr. Greg J. Dixon

 

260 – Sept. 17 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

Not the Length but Depth that Counts

 

1835 – Henrietta Hall Shuck, raised in a godly home, sailed with her husband Lewis for missionary service in China, along with twenty-two other missionaries. She was but a teen bride, the daughter of Col. Addison Hall of Merry Point, Virginia. Henrietta was saved in a Baptist camp meeting and baptized at thirteen years of age. At sixteen she moved to Richmond Virginia where she met Lewis Shuck who was studying theology and later married. After leaving Boston their ship stopped at Calcutta, India and then on to Amherst in Burma where the Shuck’s were able to visit the grave of Ann Judson whose life had provided great inspiration for Henrietta. Finally they reached Singapore where they would study the Malay language, and then it was on to Canton, China, and to Hong Kong to minister after it was ceded to the British in 1841. Within four months, two chapels had been built and dedicated and before long there was a third. By Sept. of 1844 there were thirty-two boarding students. On Nov. 26, Henrietta became very ill. The doctors could not save her, and in the early hours of the following morning, she fell asleep in Jesus. Only ten years after she had begun her work for her Lord whom she loved, her work on earth was over. It’s not the length but the depth that really counts.
[Majorie Dawes, Great Baptist Women (London: Carey Kingsgate Press Limited, 1955), p, 75. This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp. 509-11.]
Prepared by Dr. Greg J. Dixon

 

 

246 – Sept. 03 -This Day in Baptist History Past

 

He Served Longer than the Others

 

1884 – W. Holman Bentley sailed from England to the Congo to begin his second tour of missionary service, married for the first time, and with four other men and their families. Holman was the son of Rev. William Bentley, Baptist minister at Sudsbury, Suffolk, England. Holman was born Oct. 30, 1855. At 17 young Holman was reading from the Hebrew Psalter and Greek New Testament and at 19 was baptized into the Downs Chapel (Baptist) at Clapton. He became actively involved in witnessing. He was appointed as a missionary by the Baptist Mission Society on Jan. 15, 1879. The Congo missionaries had many trials including escapes from wild animals, disease and cannibals. Bentley served longer than any of the others who left with him in 1879. Even though he only lived to be fifty he translated the N.T. into Congolese and gave the people a complete dictionary and grammar. He saw over 1200 baptized and according to historians saw a whole district of wild, barbarous people almost completely evangelized and civilized, if not Christianized. [H.M. Bentley, W. Holman Bentley-The Life and labors of a Congo Pioneer (London: religious Tract Society, 1907), p8. This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp. 481-483.]  Prepared by Dr. Greg Dixon

 

 

 

229 – Aug. 17 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

Dedicated to faithful Sunday school teachers

 

1917 – Walter Olaf Olson was born.  He was twelve the day the stock market crashed in Oct. 1929. Growing up in the dark days of the Great Depression he began going to Sunday school at the Bethel Baptist church in Duluth, Minnesota.  It was there that he came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ by His atoning blood through the witness of his faithful SS teacher.  He began serving Christ with great joy and determined to prepare for Christian service.  However World War II broke out and changed his plans.  He enlisted as so many did at that time and was assigned to the air force where he became a radio operator/waist-gunner in the midsection of an aircraft where he participated in fifty successful bombing raids over Europe.  There was one more to be made before he was to return home to his sweetheart, marriage and seminary.  It was to be a cluster bomb attack on German positions over Northern France.  Walter’s crew held their usual prayer meeting before taking off but felt something strange.  They encountered heavy flak, the plane next to them was lost almost immediately.  “Ole” as they called Walter was the only one hit of the entire crew, the shrapnel having hit his heart taking him home instantly.  The Captain of the plane led one of the officers to Christ the next day and many others were led to a deeper walk with the Lord because of “Ole’s” death.  Whether we live or die our desire is that all Glory should be His.  Thank God for all of the Sunday school teachers who have given of themselves to reach boys and girls for Christ. [This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp. 449451]
Prepared by Rev. Dale R. Hart – rom623drh2@msn.com

 

221 – August 09 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

221 – August 09 – This Day in Baptist History Past

Lest we forget

On this date in 1945, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, and for all intents and purposes the Second World War was over.  Baptist families were not exempt from the sacrifices of war.  Many homes proudly exhibited a blue-starred service flag in the front window declaring that someone from that home was serving their country in the war effort.  How sad it was when that family often received a dreaded telegram from someone like General George Marshal, with the words, “Your son died a gallant soldier’s death in our battle for liberty.”  Then the blue flag was exchanged with great honor for a gold one.  We want to pause today to honor all of you, who are still living, who served in World War II.  God bless you all. Psalm 33:12 – “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.”

[This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp.  435, 36].

Prepared by Dr. Greg Dixon

185 – July, 04 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

“Swearin’” Jack got saved”

 

            John Waller represents, on this birthday of our great nation, the men and women who paid a dear price for religious liberty. He carried the scars of his scourging to his grave, which is located in the Waller-Hackett family burial ground in Abbeville County, near Greenwood, S.C. Waller was one of the more able preachers of his time. Before his conversion, his ability in profanity earned him the title of “Swearin’ Jack.” However after his conversion, his ability in the pulpit in preaching the gospel of Christ, and pointing out the errors of the dominant religious and civil authorities of his day attracted the attention of the authorities and he spent a total of 113 days in four different county jails for preaching without a license. He was also subject to severe physical abuse. In Caroline County, Virginia he gave the following account during a worship service in a home: “While preaching, a huge fellow pulled him down and dragged him about by his hair. One who came to his rescue grabbed one arm while the ruffian grabbed the other. Both pulled on him like until they nearly pulled him apart. He suffered for a long time from the ordeal. During the preaching they jerked him violently off of the stage.” He preached for 35 years, baptized more than two thousand persons, assisted in ordaining 27 ministers and in organizing 18 churches. He died July 4, 1802, in his sixty-second year.

 

Dr. Greg J. Dixon: adapted From: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins/Thompson, pp.273-75.

 

 

149 — May 28 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

A Ferocious Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, a Fearless Woman, and a Fainting Wife

 

Baptists from the Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina arrived at Cole’s Creek near Natchez in the Mississippi territory beginning in 1780, almost forty years before Mississippi became the twentieth state in the United States of America on December 10, 1817.  These Baptists had served the American colonies in their opposition to the British in the Revolutionary War.  Simultaneous with the Baptists’ arrival to Mississippi in 1780, the English were losing their control of the area to the Spanish.

 

Among the Baptists who left South Carolina were Richard Curtis, Sr., his step-son John Jones and his wife Anna, his sons Benjamin Curtis and family, Richard Curtis, Jr. (born in Virginia on May 28, 1756), and family.

 

Enforcing Roman Catholicism on the newly acquired area, the Spanish did not recognize non-Catholic forms of religion.  Problems started for the Baptists when Richard Curtis, Jr., a licensed Baptist minister, began to attract attention with his preaching ability.  By 1790, various people in the area had asked Richard Curtis, Jr., to preach for them.  Later, Curtis officiated at the baptisms of a prominent man William Hamberlin and Stephen De Alvo, a Catholic-born Spaniard, who had married an American woman, and Curtis led worship in private homes.  In 1791, the Baptists established a small church at Cole’s Creek approximately eighteen miles north of Natchez near the corner of contemporary Stampley Road and 4 Forks Road.

 

The Spanish governor, Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, wrote a letter to Curtis in 1795 ordering him to stop preaching contrary to the laws of the Spanish province, and went so far as to have Curtis arrested April 6, 1795.  Gayoso threatened Curtis, Hamberlin, and De Alvo with the penalty of working the silver mines of Mexico, especially if Curtis failed to stop preaching contrary to the provincial law.

 

Richard Curtis Jr., Bill Hamberlin, and Steve De Alvo fled the Natchez Country. Cloe Holt, Volunteered to fearlessly take supplies to the men in concealment. When the territory passed under the control of Georgia and was recognized as United States property, Curtis and his companions returned with joyful hearts. Curtis’s wife, not knowing of his return, fainted when she saw him standing in the pulpit to Preach.

 

Dr. Dale R. Hart: Adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I. Thompson/Cummins pp. 218 -219

 

 

THE KIND OF CHRISTIAN I AM!

 

By William Andrew Dillard

 

The enormity of the gross error of finite beings believing they may fashion codes of conduct, worship, and practice that will please the infinite, even though contradictory to His stated Word, continues to be literally astounding. But it never stops.
Some time ago a question was posed to a small group of seminary students: “which church do you think is correct?” One answered immediately, “What do you mean which church? God established only one!”
Is it possible to identify that one, if it still exists? If so, how?
Dr. L. D. Foreman used the illustration of a train being watched by a father and son in a beautiful meadow by a railroad track. Soon a train came by. It was a blue engine with a fuel car, eight box cars, three passenger cars, a dinning car, and a caboose. The number on the engine was 712. It was then that the train entered a tunnel and disappeared. The little boy cried that it had been swallowed. To appease him, the father took him to the train yard so he could see that it was there. However in the train yard there were many trains: engines of red, yellow, black. Some were connected to coal bearing cars; others carried logs, still others were all box cars. Finally, they found a train with a blue engine, with numbers 712. It had a fuel car, eight box cars, three passenger cars, a dinning car and a caboose. Certainly, they had found the very train which had disappeared into the tunnel earlier.
When Jesus started His church, he promised it perpetuity. So, if the Bible is true, and it is, then the church Jesus started is still on the earth. It is still being governed by His Word, adhering to His doctrines and practices. It is still free from the encroachments of designing men, and unions with governmental powers.
His church still teaches the total hereditary depravity of man, salvation by grace through faith, plus nothing else, deep water immersion of a professed believer by a New Testament church; believes that Jesus’ church is local only, and the highest echelon of spiritual organization on earth. It was started by Jesus! it was started in 30 A.D. in the land of Palestine, and has monuments of its existence in every century since. I want to meet Jesus as a member of that church, because that is the kind of Christian I am.