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Fundamental Baptist Biographies

John of Japan

John of Japan

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James Norton, Winning Japan for Jesus (1989). This is by the senior missionary of our mission board in Japan. The book is not a complete autobiography, but has quite a bit of biography in it. The only problem is that it is very difficult to lay hands on it. The publisher was Dawn Press in Japan, a small specialty outfit.
 
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John of Japan

John of Japan

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Charles Cowman, Missionary Warrior, by his wife, Lettie Cowman. Cowman was a fundamentalist holiness missionary to Japan back at the beginning of the 20th century. He saw some amazing results for the Lord, but after about 20 years collapsed physically and was bedridden. His wife then would read to him from good Christian books, and took from that reading to edit the famous devotional book, Streams in the Desert.

Edgar Feghaly, Forward in the Face of Fear. This is a recent autobiography by an amazing Lebanese independent Baptist missionary. What a blessing to read about the dangers he's been in for the Lord, and the things the Lord has done through him.

Billy Renstrom, Darkness is Light. Billy was a wonderful Gospel singer who traveled with Evangelist Bill Rice. He was blinded by a grenade, I think it was, in the Army in WW2, but eventually surgery made him see.

Fred Barlow, Profiles in Evangelism. This is a book of short biographies. Some of those stories you can find told nowhere else. It is still available from the Sword of the Lord: Sword of the Lord Ministries
 
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TheOldJudge

Member
Added the Billy Renstrom biography to my "wish list." Thank you for that suggestion.

One title that I forgot to mention was Then Sings My Soul: The Memoirs of a Good-for-Nothing, the autobiography of Dr. David W. Winget. Since you are familiar with Tennessee Temple University, JohnofJapan, I thought that you might recognize this name. He was apparently a presence on the University campus for decades.
 
John of Japan

John of Japan

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TheOldJudge said:
Added the Billy Renstrom biography to my "wish list." Thank you for that suggestion.

One title that I forgot to mention was Then Sings My Soul: The Memoirs of a Good-for-Nothing, the autobiography of Dr. David W. Winget. Since you are familiar with Tennessee Temple University, JohnofJapan, I thought that you might recognize this name. He was apparently a presence on the University campus for decades.
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I took Systematic Theology from Bro. Winget at Temple Seminary. (Last I knew he didn't have a doctorate, but evidently someone gave him one, since the cover of his book on Amazon calls him that.) He was a good man with a great memory. I saw him on our last furlough from Japan, and he remembered me and kindly greeted me.
 
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Jerome

Jerome

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The Honor Was All Mine (Robert Sumner)
Mr. Baptist (Clarence Walker)
A Man Among Them: The Les Ollila Story
From Dope Fiend's Cell to the Pulpit: The Life Story of Fred Garland
In Mysterious Ways: Incidents from the Life Story of Harvey Springer
A Champion of the Local Church: A Biography of Dr. Samuel James Bradford, by C. Laverne Gaylord (M.A. thesis, Denver Baptist Theological Seminary, 1968)
 
John of Japan

John of Japan

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Cowboy Boots in Darkest Africa, by Bill Rice, is a really fun biography of just the one trip Rice made, not his whole life.
 
Jerome

Jerome

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Patriarch of the Rockies: The Life Story of Joshua Gravett
Barney: A Biography of Barnabas Edward Antrobus
 
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TheOldJudge

Member
Jerome said:
Weidenaar was with the Inter-Mountain Baptist Fellowship, and on boards of FBFI & SFBTS.
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I am still a novice by many standards in my historical knowledge of Fundamentalism, but "FBFI" would be the acronym for "Foundations Baptist Fellowship, International", and "SFBTS" would mean "San Francisco Baptist Theological Seminary," correct?

Jerome said:
In Mysterious Ways: Incidents from the Life Story of Harvey Springer
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Oh, I hoped this would be a biography published posthumously, but it is a pamphlet from when he was still alive. Thank you, Jerome, for mentioning it to me; perhaps I may yet acquire it someday. A man from the Baptist Bible Tribune told me that even the old BBF crowd respected Harvey Springer (a one-time president of the World Baptist Fellowship) as a revivalistic firebrand who helped to introduce Fundamentalism to Colorado and a pioneer in Christian education.

Men like that are heroes of the faith who deserve to have their legacy preserved in print so that future generations may learn from their successes and mistakes.
 
Squire Robertsson

Squire Robertsson

Administrator
Administrator
TheOldJudge said:
I am still a novice by many standards in my historical knowledge of Fundamentalism, but "FBFI" would be the acronym for "Foundations Baptist Fellowship, International", and "SFBTS" would mean "San Francisco Baptist Theological Seminary," correct?
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Yes, though during the period in question, FBFI stood for Fundamental Baptist Fellowship.
 
Jerome

Jerome

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John of Japan said:
That name change is pretty recent, right?
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The name hasn't officially changed, the 'Foundations' thing is just what they're publicly "doing business as" now. Didn't happen at the annual fellowship, but at a board meeting in February 2017:

Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International board announces alternate name: "Foundations Baptist Fellowship"

"We have come to believe that in deference to fundamentalists who must avoid their own identifying term lest they add an unnecessary offense to the Gospel, that the FBFI should provide an alternative."

"In its recent board meeting, those present were unanimous in their support of the name “Foundations Baptist Fellowship.” The FBFI may now be referenced by any of the following terms: “Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International,” “the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International, dba Foundations Baptist Fellowship International,” or simply, “Foundations Baptist Fellowship.” Generally, as is most common, the acronym “FBFI” will be used."

"The FBFI will continue to function under its corporate name, Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International, Inc."
 
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TheOldJudge

Member
Update on Tom Wallace's biography:

Brother Wallace told me that his memoirs were sent to a printing press last month so that the printer could read over the manuscript and determine an appropriate timetable for publication. The book is tentatively titled The Man from Odd, due to Brother Wallace being born in Odd, West Virginia. He has twenty-two chapters in the manuscript that promise to cover his extensive ministries in Tennessee, Maryland, Kentucky, and his evangelistic campaigns around the nation. A meeting has been scheduled with the printer this week to talk about the details regarding publication.

I am so looking forward to this book! It will be a blessing to many!
 
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OnlyaSinner

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My son-in-law's older sister has drafted a biography of Dr. John Dreisbach, medical missionary to Africa (and many other places) but has been unable to find a willing publisher and likely lacks the resources to self-publish. Dr. D and his wife were the subject of the BJU film "Beyond the Night".
 
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TheOldJudge

Member
OnlyaSinner said:
My son-in-law's older sister has drafted a biography of Dr. John Dreisbach, medical missionary to Africa (and many other places) but has been unable to find a willing publisher and likely lacks the resources to self-publish.
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Has she tried Challenge Press? (Book Heaven - Challenge Press (baptist-books.com))

There is also Local Church Bible Publishers (Local Church Bible Publishers | A ministry of Parker Memorial Baptist Church) in Lansing, Michigan, and Faith Baptist Church Publications (Faith Baptist Church (myfocusonfaith.com)) in Fort Pierce, Florida. Both of these ministries have published biographies and re-printed old volumes that had been out of print for years.

If she needs any help in getting them published, let me know! Dr. Dreisbach's story needs to be told in print!
 
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rlvaughn

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OnlyaSinner said:
My son-in-law's older sister has drafted a biography of Dr. John Dreisbach, medical missionary to Africa (and many other places) but has been unable to find a willing publisher and likely lacks the resources to self-publish. Dr. D and his wife were the subject of the BJU film "Beyond the Night".
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As a last resort, she might try Lulu.com. I know some preachers who have used it to their satisfaction. It cuts out the financial issues by being a print on demand service.
 
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TheOldJudge

Member
Jerome said:
Patriarch of the Rockies: The Life Story of Joshua Gravett
Barney: A Biography of Barnabas Edward Antrobus
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Who are these men? Was Antrobus affiliated with Ben Bogard and the American Baptist Association that was so prominent in Arkansas during the 1920s through the 1950s?

Jerome said:
A Champion of the Local Church: A Biography of Dr. Samuel James Bradford, by C. Laverne Gaylord (M.A. thesis, Denver Baptist Theological Seminary, 1968)
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Sam Bradford!!! I recognized the name immediately! Nothing is appearing in my Internet searches when I attempt to find copies of this text. Where might I access a surviving volume?
 
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rlvaughn

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TheOldJudge said:
Who are these men? Was Antrobus affiliated with Ben Bogard and the American Baptist Association that was so prominent in Arkansas during the 1920s through the 1950s?
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Not that I am aware of. He was, I think, mainly (if not solely) connected with the General Association of Regular Baptists.
 
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