Dec. 1985

I would like to tell you about my early years and beliefs and even doubts as the case might be. I don' think that Mom and Dad were church people when I was born. The church at Tasco was built in 1922. I think that it was a few years later when the folks joined the church. It did make a difference around our house. Dad read from the Bible after supper while we were still seated at the table. From that time on we were church goers. I must admit that I was not very interested. They used to hold revivals quite often. We went. I think that it was during one of these that I made my decision but did not join until later. The Holy Rollers also held meetings at various places. I think that they held a few meetings at the old Houseworth dance hall just a short distance from where Jim and Reba White live. This was an open air structure. Its sides were solid up to about four feet and above that it was open except for a covering of some sort of screen or chicken wire. As you can see, anyone standing outside had an excellent view and of course, could not be seen from the inside at night. Some of the boys would watch the show and they thought it was hilarious. I don't know what the church people thought. Believe me, when I tell you that I never watched. I am not sure why because I was surely capable of such a prank. Some locals used to sell home brew on the side at the dances held there. We boys often looked for the place where they hid their supply, but I can't remember of ever finding any. I really didn't care for the stuff anyway. But enough of that. I remember one time I went to Sunday School and instead of putting the pennies in the collection plate, I went down to the store that was always open on Sundays and bought candy. Never did that but once. Mrs. Lacey was my teacher. I learned a lot from her. I did join that church and attended there for a few years. Of course Dad died in '37 and we moved away. This evening I was thinking back a few years. It was thirty eight years ago tonight when I attended the last service that I remember at the Tasco church. It was a Christmas program. Dad had died the previous winter. We sold out the following spring and I had been on my own since that summer. My memory is a bit hazy, but I think that Wallace, Rosa and I were back here for Christmas, and we all went to church on Christmas Eve. It would be almost twenty years before I ever became involved in church again. At that time Mom, Lucille and Arthur were living in Studley. I believe that they were living with Vera. She was teaching school at Studley. To be real honest, my feelings as I sat through that program are hard to describe. Perhaps it was cynicism. It certainly was not unbelief. Perhaps I needed to get things sorted out. A lot of things had changed in my life in such a short time. It certainly took a long time for me to realize that I could no longer ignore God. Such is life. I have lived most of mine. I trust that you have most of yours left. Live it to the fullest.
Dad One thing I have learned. Be sure you leave a past that is such that you will have no misgivings if you chance to retrace your steps.