Monday, January 27, 2014

January 28 Edition

"I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." --- Psalm 18:1-2 KJV

Birthdays this week: none that I know of.

The most eventful thing of the past week was the memorial service for former Eagle George Noble last Saturday at the First Methodist Church. By the way, that building is older than most people in this town, being built in 1936, and is still in great condition.  This proves most things can stand the passage of time if taken care of.

The memorial: I went thinking it would be just a few family and friends, and was shocked when people continued to pile in, and pile in, and pile in...  I wound up sitting in the far back corner with Clyde and Bobbie Moseley and couldn't see much, but it was a wonderful service filled with life testimonies from family who were greatly influenced by George over the years.  The sermon was delivered by Bro. Robert Cossey of Pine Bluff, who is Sue Noble's pastor.

As the service went on, I noted that, even at 45, I was one of the younger people there... just a few grandchildren of the deceased were younger than me.  Then I started wondering: when I pass on, how many people will attend MY funeral?  Well, that's a sobering moment, and as I pondered it, I decided A LOT of people would be there. Half the crowd at my funeral will be there to mourn my passing, and the other half will come to poke me to make sure I'm finally dead.  But the laugh will be on that latter half; I'll probably follow George's lead and get cremated.

So if you want to poke me, do it now.

Go Eagles.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

January 21st Edition

“A great fear swept the crowd, and they exclaimed with praises to God, “A mighty prophet has arisen among us,” and “we have seen the hand of God at work today!” - Luke 7:16 Living Bible

Birthdays this week include: Jim Reaves and Drew Talley -  Jan. 20, Martha Cook, Andrew Briant and Angie Clements - Jan. 21, Stacy Thompson – Jan. 23, and Carol Ault – Jan. 26.

Hello again, my gentle readers, fans, critics and admirers.  I hope everyone is making it through this reasonably nice winter so far. January is almost over, leaving us February to go before Spring arrives.

We Eagles are saddened to hear that George Noble passed away last week. His memorial service will be this Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1pm at the New Edinburg Methodist Church.  Keep his family in your prayers.

A small history blast, and an example that my once sharp memory is getting fuzzy as time passes: looking through some packed away books, I found a children's story book from my childhood titled "The Little Red Hen." The inscription on the inside cover reads "To James Boney from Mrs. Word, 12-25-75" which means it was a Christmas gift to me when I was 6 years old. I vaguely remember this book, but as to who Mrs. Word might be... it could have been Inez Word, Ione Word, Hazel Word, or perhaps Edra Word... all women who were important in my life then.  I went to church with Miss Ione and Misss Inez, Miss Hazel was my Dad's former teacher and a great friend, and Miss Edra along with her husband Orie were some of the best friends a person could have.  Who was the wonderful lady who gifted me with this treasure? Since they're all long passed, I'll probably never know.

Big deal, you might sarcastically say? Well, a lot of small deals get lost because things don't get written down, and life is comprised of small deals. Don't let yourself be forgotten.


Go Eagles.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

January 16 Edition

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." --- Psalm 100:4

Happy birthday to: Coy Ray Martin - Jan. 13, Debbie Briant - Jan. 14, Dustin Briant - Jan. 15, Kirstin Ann Briant - Jan. 17, Dylan Cathey - Jan. 18, Chrissy Dyer and Sandra Parham Turner- Jan 19.

Happy anniversary to: Francis and Buddy Parker - Jan. 18.
With typical back and forth weather, we've gone from EXTREMELY cold temps last week to Spring weather this week. Gotta love Arkansas.
I resigned from the board of the West Saline Community Center effective Jan. 8.
We Eagles are saddened by the deaths of Mack McCallister, Donnie Norris and Jackie Huddleston this month. Keep their families in your prayers.

From Goodspeed's History of Southern Arkansas, another story about a founding father: "James Edgar Martin is a stock-dealer and merchant of Now Edinburg, Ark., and was born in Bradley County, Ark., on May 27, 1852, being a son of Dr. John W. and Mary E. (Franklin) Martin, who were born in Virginia and Arkansas, respectively. Both are residents of Warren, Bradley County, Ark., and Dr. Martin is now seventy-one years of age.
When a young man, in 1845 he removed from Virginia to Arkansas, and has ever since been a resident of Bradley County. He studied medicine in Virginia, and on coming to Arkansas entered actively upon the practice of this profession, but of late years his practice has been confined to a few of his oldest and most intimate friends.
After the close of the Rebellion he opened a general mercantile establishment at Warren, and has become well and favorably known to many, not only professionally and socially, but as a man of business also. He has since the late war between the States been a Democrat is politics and although often solicited by his numerous friends to run for official position, he has at all times refused.
His wife was born in Bradley County in 1830, and has lived here all her life. Both are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is a deacon, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity. A family of twelve children was born to himself and wife, eight of whom are now living, James Edgar being the second child.
In his youth he attended the Warren High School, and is 1873 left his home to embark in the mercantile business, first as salesman at Collins Station, in his uncle's employ, then for the firm of Martin & Goodwin, of Warren. In 1816 he came to New Edinburg, and became an associate of Martin & Goodwin in the firm of T. M. Goodwin & Co., but in 1883 he became sole proprietor and has since been successfully engaged in business alone.
In connection ,with managing his store he also deals extensively in stock, and is the owner of some very fine registered Holstein and Jersey cattle. He has been grading his stock for four years past, and now has one of the finest herds in the county. He is also the owner of 1,500 acres of land in Bradley and Cleveland Counties, a goodly portion of which is under cultivation, and is accounted not only a successful merchant, but an exceptionally successful farmer and stockman also.
Like his father, he is a Mason and a Democrat, and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Word, and whom he married on March 5, 1884, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a daughter of James Word of New Edinburg. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have two children, Anna May and John Ernest."
Go Eagles.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

New Year's Edition

" Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." --- Lamentations 3:22-23

Birthdays since we let met: Chris Rawls - Dec. 25, Tommy Broughton - Dec. 25, Renee Smith and George Abshere - Dec. 28, Norma McCoy, Betty Grace, Michelle Weaver, James Gill and Alexis Whitlock - Dec. 30, Mateo Martindale - Jan. 1, Aletha Broughton - Jan. 2, Martha Welker - Jan. 3, Charlotte Abshere & Xavier Henderson - Jan. 4, Delbert Moring - Jan. 5, Billy Wilson - Jan. 6, Deborah Huddleston and Doris Kee - Jan. 8, Ricky Sanders - Jan. 9
Christmas has come and gone. Happy 2014.
Changes at the West Saline Community Center: with the advent of a new regime, all building locks have been changed after the alleged theft of some $45 in new locks from the office... a room for which only two officers had the padlock key.  Currently, until the outside locks have been changed, all outside doors are chained.  Room renters who need access to their storage rooms should contact President Nikki Warner at 870-884-0664 or Secretary/Treasurer LaVetrice Gill at 352-8527 between 7am and 6pm. A meeting last Sunday afternoon left it undetermined if storage renters will be issued new passkeys. Sorry folks.

Some other changes probably coming down the pipe: people reserving the WSCC for events will probably have to pay a cleaning deposit up front to be refunded after the event should the meeting space be deemed properly cleaned. More on that after the next board meeting, which is Jan. 12 at 2pm.

Written by Belinda Brown, a well-known Cleveland County historian and posted online at: http://argenweb.net/cleveland/index.html  concerning Hebron Methodist Church:
"The Methodist of this community began meeting in the 1860's in the Gravestown School building, which was located about one mile east of the present location of Hebron Methodist Church.
In 1884, Amanda Urquhart and Mrs. Kate Fraser gave land for the church and cemetery. Mrs. Urquart died in 1887, Mrs. Fraser in 1908. 
No one knows where the name "Hebron" originated.  It is imagined that the founding fathers of the church selected the name from the Bible.  There is no record of the community being called "Hebron" before the organization of the church.
The first Hebron methodist Church was built in 1884. The original church building bruned in May 1917. While the church building was being rebuilt, the congregation met in a brush arbor constructed in front of where the church now stands.
After crops were layed by that summer of 1917, 3 men of the church got up at 3 a.m. and made a trip by wagon to Warren. Southern Lumber Co. gave them 3 big loads of lumber to rebuild the church. The men were Fred Childress, Robert Merrill and Evan Marks.  During the summer months, the men of the community met and built the new church, with the ladies bringing food to serve. The new building was near enough completed by cold weather that fall to begin having services in it.
The first church had two front doors, with three rows of seats, two isles. The new building has double front doors with one isle in the center of the church. The present church has had additions of 3 Sunday School rooms, then a fellowship room with a kitchen and 2 bathrooms. later a metal building was purchased and put behind the fellowship room for more class rooms.  A concrete porch, with cover has also been added. Siding has been put on the outside of the church. Inside, paneling has been added over the beaded ceiling on the walls. 
A very inspirational tent meeting was remembers as being held around 1920. A large tent was set up on the grounds of the church, with a large crowd of people coming on horseback and by wagon.
Hebron was originally part of the New Edinburg Circuit. Later was taken into the Kingsland Circuit. L.C. Gatlin was pastor of the church when it burned. Some of the other pastors that were remembered were: Hugh Revely, H.A. F. Ault, John Simpson, W.T. Bone, W.D. Golden, C.R. Andrews, Harold Scott, Richard Poss, W.C. Almstead, James Beck, Edgar Outlaw, L.C. Wax, Robert Johnson, Elam Turner, William Paul Woolley. The last two each served 10 years.
Some of the first members of Hebron Methodist Church remembered were: Mrs. Kate Fraser, Mrs. Amanda Marks Urquhart, Sampson Rogers, John Jones Mitchell, J.L. Mitchell, Frank Owens, Ellen Jane Mitchell, Will Owens, Helen Rogers, Sarah Graves, J.E. Davis, Anna Lee Marks, Amelia Marks, Melissa Marrill, Kathryn Tolfree Marks, William Wolf, John W. Lavillian, Susan Carson Morgan, Jackson Hamaker, Fannie Marks, H.S. Harris, Arkansas Rogers, S.M. Owens, Maggie Graves and L.A. Childress."
And so the wheel of time turns. Go Eagles.