Years ago…There was a man saved later in his life….Shouting Benny Nance…My Great Grandpa…I never knew him…He passed in 1945 and is buried at Mt. Tabor in Jackson Creek…
He was an honest man…Hard working and by today’s standards very poor…He grew his family’s food on his own land…His children called him Poppa. All 13 of them…My Grandma Lyde Nance Delk was number 12 and my Great Aunt Ruth Nance Clodfelter came along some 13 + months latter as a great surprise to my Grandma Nancy so the story goes…
Tonight shouting Benny Nance’s grandson and name sake (Rev Benny Clodfelter) preached a fine first night revival message.
He spoke about 4 of the disciples …Jesus called. Bartholomew, Matthew, James and John…How Jesus called them where they were…
The opening of the service was done by The Oak Tree Boys our very own Bluegrass band! What wonderful music they played and sang!
Interesting to note… the great grandson of Benny Nance played the Banjo tonight! I remember my Great Aunt Grace telling about her Poppa Benny Nance being a good fiddle player. Seems when he got saved he destroyed his fiddle…He thought it not proper to be played for church…(I get it…Not that I agree I DO NOT!!!) But when one is first saved we can get some ideas about what we need or should do…I could not help but think about the talent that Great Grandson had and where it likely came from! And Ole Benny had to be tapping his foot and doing some shouting tonight! 😉
Then Scott Arnold the son of Pat and Johnny Arnold…He was playing his 5th handmade (by him) mandolin…So beautifully! What a talent! An artist! He comes from a long line of musicians and singers! His Great Grandpa, His Grandma, Daddy, and uncle…among so many that sang and played musical instruments…His Grandma had to be so pleased from her vantage up in heaven…
The rest of the Oak Tree Boys did a wonderful job…too! They are such a talented group! Made me want to shout!
This was such a good evening…
My heart, my mind is so full of the past …Sigh…It is indescribable…The memories, the stories I have been told came flooding in… Like how my Great Grandpa Benny Nance prayed, and taught his children from the Bible… had devotions daily. Well …Looks like that soil he plowed and sowed is still bearing fruit! Some 90 plus years latter…
Truly the Spirit of the Lord was in this place tonight…I could feel it, and see glory on each face!
The drawing of Piney Grove is by Betty Hunt Chandler (Juanita Loflin Hunt Winslow’s daughter) and my best friend growing up! This is a photo of the drawing…
