Always Right to Pray

Peter Cartwright was a circuit riding preacher that spread the Gospel throughout the pioneer Midwest.

In June of 1820, two hundred and four years ago, he was traveling alone to his home in Kentucky and found himself on the edge of the Cumberland Mountains. As it was Saturday evening, he looked for a church, but found that the region was without a Gospel witness.

Stopping by a private inn, the young preacher was welcomed and told that a dance would shortly begin. Peter Cartwright was soon invited to dance by a beautiful, young lady. The minister accepted, and taking her hand, he led her out to the middle of the dance floor. Then he turned to the assembled folks and told them: “that for several years he had not undertaken any matter of importance without first asking the blessing of God upon it.” He also promised to pray for the young lady and those that were assembled.

As the girl tried to release her hand, Peter Cartwright fell down on his knees and invited all to pray. The Saturday night dance was totally interrupted: “some of the company kneeled, some stood, some fled, some stood still, all looked curious.” When the minister got up, he began to preach, sing, and preach again. Before the night was over, fifteen folks were converted, and that many again were saved during preaching the next day.

Soon a church was started with 32 charter members. Several preacher boys came from that dance group, and a revival commenced in southwest Kentucky. (Cartwright, Peter. An Autobiography: The Backwoods Preacher. Ed. W.P. Strickland. 1856. St. John, IN: Christian Book Gallery. 1997 [p. 203-209])

Celebrating 13 Years!

We are so thankful for all the prayers of our college family and friends. On May 17, 2011, Lilliana Joy Dennis was born into the family of President & Mrs. Russell Dennis, Jr. By medical averages, Trisomy 18 babies are not expected to be born, let alone live out their first week.

And now we have a teenager in our home. Lilliana has arrived at 13 years old. We are so thankful to the Lord!

The event was celebrated with a cake after church, and Lilliana seemed to enjoy all the attention.

A five minute music video dealing with our blessing of a Trisomy 18 child was released on her birthday. You can view that video at: https://youtu.be/_9Rm2MxY0ng

What You Can Learn From a Bible

Recently, at the Heritage Graduation Banquet, a preacher showed me a treasured Bible. I looked at the cover, and my eyes lit up as I saw the name inscribed on the leather – Ford Porter.

Ford Porter was my pastor as a young boy, but he was my father’s mentor. My father from teens through college had learned under Dr. Porter, and they had closely worked together in Ministry during the 1960’s.

I browsed through the Bible, and I saw how my Dad had been influenced to write in his Bible – a quality that I inherited as a young person.

I have met a few Christians that hold to the sacredness of a “clean” Bible. But most of the preachers that I have known are Bible “scribblers”. When the wide margin Bibles were introduced in the 1970’s, you could hear a shout of joy echo from preacher’s lips – they now had more room write.

Some preachers had so many nuggets in their Bibles, that whole books were printed just of those notes. I have read such works from D.L Moody, Harry Ironside, and Leon Maurer. I enjoyed going through them in my daily Bible reading.

Besides these, I have read actual Bibles of preachers, and I have gleaned so much.

And now in my hands, I held Ford Porter’s Bible. To be accurate, this was the Bible that Dr. Porter used late in his life. Preachers usually own several Bibles in their lifetime - they usually “wear them out”, or “write them out.”

What I found so striking about Ford Porter’s Bible was found on page 3. At the top of the page, Dr. Porter recorded the beginning dates and ending dates for each time he read through the Bible. The first date is February 6, 1962 and the last date recorded is June 14, 1972. During his final decade that he used this Bible, I counted that Dr. Porter read through his Bible 25 times – an average of 21⁄2 times each year.

Dr. Ford Porter was famous for writing the Gospel tract “God’s Simple Plan of Salvation” in 1933 & he was greatly respected for his devote prayer life.

Seeing this Bible reaffirmed to me a truth that I have come to know: Christians with a sincere prayer life are also Christians that love and read God’s Word.

Ending Notes

June is the month that we remember our fathers.

When my father, Dr. Russell Dennis, Sr., passed away on June 6, 1998, I received his two preaching Bibles. I used each of these Bibles as I read through the Word of God the next two times, copying various sayings that he had written into the margins of his Bible.

His primary preaching Bible along with his large prophecy chart are on permanent display at Heritage Baptist College.

I have shared in past June Updates a few of the many nuggets from my Dad’s Bible. Here are some gleanings from the book of Titus:

Older women tending younger women (2:3,4)

Ministry is People, People, People. (not church, etc.) (Chapter 2)

Pattern of good works – To copy (2:7)

Be disciplined – live a simple life – don’t talk about Hurts. (2:7,8)

Look where you are Going! (2:13)

Revival – Zealous of good works (2:14)

A heretick chooses to reject Bible Doctrine, & chooses to believe what he wishes (3:10)