FAMOUS PASTORS & EVANGELISTS. Pts. 2&3 of 14

Pt. 2

Harland Sanders. C.M. Ward. Jimmy Swaggart. Kathryn Kuhlman. Ernest Angley. Cornelia Wallace. Dale Evans Rogers. Ruth Graham. Dr. James Dobson. Richard Dortch. Katherine MacGregor. Taylor Lautner. George Beverly Shea.

And since I save all of my written reminiscences for my children’s children, (and their children) I believe it behooves me to give an account of my proximity to, (and in some cases) my interaction with the foregoing list of spiritual, (some more so than others) dignitaries.

HARLAND SANDERS

The year was 1968, and as a Sophomore, I had transferred from my local community college to Southeastern Bible College in central Florida. Even as a student living off campus, I was required to attend a certain number of chapel services each semester. I will never forget one chapel service in particular.

The guest speaker was none other than “Colonel” Harland Sanders; founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Since he was born in 1890, my math skills make it abundantly clear that the dear old man was approaching 80 at that time. He wore his characteristic white suit and black string tie, and he looked remarkably like the guy on the KFC sign! Black spectacles. Check. White hair. Check. White goatee. Check. Yep. The old gent behind the podium was a dead ringer for the Kentucky Colonel of fried chicken fame.

I think the thing I remember most and best about Colonel Sanders was the kindness he virtually exuded through his very pores, and how very sedate his tone of voice. Even with a microphone, I had to strain to understand his words.

And while I might add this final comment to the majority of the stories herein, (as I have become an avid collector) I regret that I did not exert the necessary time and effort to procure the good man’s autograph. So much like the first line of my favorite Victorian novel, “Jane Eyre,” which speaks to the impossibility of taking a walk that day, this possibility has long since escaped my grasp.

Pt. 3

C.M. Ward

The Christian evangelist, C.M. Ward, was very well known among Pentecostal believers in the mid-20^th century, especially for his popular radio program, and found himself near the top of the list of persons devoted to that spiritual calling.

In relation to my rather short story, I recall walking past this evangelist in the stairwell which led to one of my classrooms of my beloved alma mater. He, subsequently, shared something of some spiritual import with the members of my New Testament class.

I’m sorry to say that if his message resonated with me at the time, it has long since been securely tucked away in the recesses of my wrinkled gray matter.

*To be continued


by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary, Vol. 71. Copyright Pending.

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