Since the last post we were able to report our work at Franklin Road Baptist in Murfreesboro, TN, my home church. It was great to see the pastor and other old friends.
During the day on that Thursday we went to two places. First of all, the Bill Rice Ranch (BRR) was founded by my great uncle Bill Rice, the younger brother of my grandfather John R. Rice. It was the first ever ministry devoted to reaching the deaf for Christ and has had a great impact around the world in that area.
At the BRR is Memorial Gardens, a graveyard for family members and a a few select workers. There we visited the graves of the three Rice evangelist brothers and their wives, Joe, John and Bill. My parents' graves are there also, and we visited them as well as the graves of some old friends. Mom went to Heaven in October shortly after we came home on furlough this year, and so now she rests with Dad, who preached the Gospel for 60 years. I truly thank God for my parents.
We also visited my grandparents' house, where I lived with them for a couple of years when I worked at the Sword of the Lord (SOTL) and then began deputation as a missionary to Japan before meeting and marrying Patty. The John R. Rice home was moved to the BRR after he died in late 1980, and has been made into a museum there. Where the house used to stand is now a Sam's Club right off I-24 on John Rice Boulevard. It was fun to sit in the chair where I used to eat dinner and play "42 Dominoes" with Grandad, Grandma and long time SOTL workers Miss V. and Miss Fairy.
That day we also stopped by the SOTL where it was good to see old friends. We had a short time of fellowship with Dr. Shelton Smith, the current editor, who was very gracious to us. One old friend who is a receptionist took us on a tour of the facilities. The huge Goss color web press was impressive as were other areas, but the SOTL is people first of all. The workers we did not know seemed all delighted to be working there, and others have been there for decades and are still happy there. One such as Dwight the chief printer who has been there for over 35 years. (I never could beat him at ping pong!)
John R. Rice's office has been made into a little museum with displays of some of his items and photos from his younger days: him in a WW1 uniform, revival posters, him and J. Frank Norris out golfing, etc. It was all good to see. I thank God I was privileged to have an intimate family relationship with this great man of God.