Hugh's News & Commentary

As I was working in my office on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2011, I was thinking of my sister's birthday. Her name is Mary Evelyn Morgan McDuff. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama where we both were born and grew up as children and youth. She is the daughter of our parents, the Rev. Mr. Hugh Henry Morgan and the Rev. Mrs. Julia Payne Morgan. We were blessed to have godly parents who taught us to love Jesus and to know the most important truth in all the world, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

Our father, Hugh Henry Morgan was a real cowboy in the wild west. He was born in Denison, TX, on December 12, 1884. His father, John Thomas Morgan, was from Wales.  He was a rancher, but later moved the Morgan family to Oklahoma. My Dad was saved at a brush arbor meeting. That was the first time he ever heard the Gospel in his life. He was so deeply moved by the Gospel message, he got off his horse, took off his Stetson hat and walked to a wooden altar rail, repented of his sins, invited Jesus into his heart and life, and committed his life and future to the Savior. Later, God would call him to preach, and preach he did.

Meanwhile, my father heard about Holmes Bible and Missionary Institute in Greenville, SC, and he left home and the ranch to go to school to prepare himself for ministry.

It was at Holmes that he met my mother, Julia Payne, from Birmingham, AL. She grew up as a Baptist, but became acquainted with people from the Pentecostal Holiness Church and learned about a deeper experience with the Lord. Subsequently, she was sanctified and baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  She heard about Holmes, too, and left home and family to go there. Somewhere along the journey God called her to be a missionary to China, and she spent nine (9) years in Hong Kong and Pakkoi as a missionary. She learned to speak the Cantonese language and endeavored to teach us to speak Chinese, too. She was there from 1920-1929.

My parents fell in love at a school where boys were not permitted to speak with the girls unless they got permission. Even with such strict social rules students fell in love and got married. At the General Conference in Oklahoma City in 1929, Bishop Dan T. Muse, a long time friend of my dad's performed the wedding ceremony. An interesting side story is that I hired two Muse sons to work for me at Southwestern College, Dan T. Muse, Jr. and Scott Muse, Jr.

Our mother died when she was almost 83 years of age, and our father died at the age of 94. I was with my father when he died, not actually in the room, but after he breathed his last breath, I insisted that I see his still body. That act helped me to deal with my deep grief over the loss of my father.

And now back to my story . . .

Mary Evelyn is 81 years old today. She is nine months older than I. When she married R. H. McDuff, she married into a very prominent family in Birmingham. His father was Fred McDuff and he was a member of the First Pentecostal Holiness Church in Birmingham. He became Sheriff and Chief of Police in Birmingham and Jefferson County. He was known for his honesty and integrity. He never took a bribe. He was a strait arrow.

God gave R. H. and Mary Evelyn 5 children, three boys and two girls. In addition, they have grandchildren and great grand children. R. H. died last year. He was a man of impeccable honesty and integrity like his father, and was one of the best friends of my life.  He was a strict tither and gave generously. He was a brother I never had.

Now for my reason for writing today:

Hugh's News was birthed in my heart by the Holy Spirit. I felt a need to communicate with my IPHC military chaplains in 1998 when I became the director/endorser. I had only 13 active duty military chaplains and one VA chaplain at that time. As I recall the first name for the newsletter was called The Sentinel. Over time the name changed a couple of times and today it is Hugh's News and Commentary. I never dreamed that this newsletter will have over 5,000 readers. God did that.

Whenever you change e-mail addresses, go to my website, and change it there. I cannot do that for you. The reason: Spam Laws. If for any reason, you stop getting Hugh's News in your mailbox, go to the website, www.hughsnews.com and re-subscribe. It is realtively easy. We only ask two questions: Your name and e-mail address.

Joel McGraw of Huntsville, Alabama suggested Hugh's News. Wesley Russ of Beltsville, Maryland suggested that I add the word "Commentary."

While in Houston, TX, in the early part of the 21st Century at a Church Growth Seminar sponsored by Evangelism USA when Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter, Sr. was the director, that Mark Green, the top senior executive salesman for Channel 55 approached me with an idea. He asked, "Have you ever considered getting a web domain?" Very frankly, I had no idea what that was, and I am not sure I know now, but I own one.

Mark Green asked me what I would call it if I had one. I thought and thought, and told him, I guess www. They all start with that. Then, the name Hugh's News came out. Mark bought it first, and then turned it over ot me. Now, the web domain is under my name.

Then, it occured to me that I needed to get Hugh's News incorporated. That took money that I did not have. I hired an attorney without any money, but trusted the Lord knowing that if this was of Him, the money would be provided. The attorney I selected specializes in non-profit organizations. My philosophy is "When God gives a vision, He always gives the provision."  So, we incorporated with the Georgia Secretary of State, and obtained a 501 (C) 3 IRS Tax Exemption.  We were able to pay the attorney for his professional work. In the process I had to name a board of directors to whom I am accountable on a fiscal, moral and spiritual basis.

Hugh's News is not really my creation. It is God's. It belongs to Him. I truly believe that Hugh's News was commissioned by God to serve IPHC ministries and the body of Christ worldwide. It is my prayer that those who read this newsletter will feel and understand that the news and commentaries that are produced are a message of servanthood, humility, and love.

More importantly Hugh's News is one of many methods or venues to communicate Christ's love and saving grace through the Internet and e-mail. I constantly seek the Holy Spirit to guide me in what I write and produce.  There are today many means of communications. We are not in competition with any other media. John the Baptist said it eloquently when he said, "The God of heaven appoints every man his mission and work in life." I am amazed continually how God is using Hugh's News to minister to His people around the world. Only today, I received an e-mail from a brother in Kenya.

One of the amazing things that is now happening is that we are getting new subscribers more frequently than in any time in the past without any promotion on my part for my readers. I sense that this is a God-thing. Although we constantly need money to pay our bills, somehow God is speaking to hearts of His people to give and I am grateful for every gift that is sent. The best way for any enterprise to grow is by telling others of the benefits of a given product. If you like and enjoy Hugh's News, and would really like to see others enjoy it too, why not tell a friend or relative about it?

God is teaching me about my priorities in life and that I need humility in everything I do. I only want to boast in Christ Jesus my Lord. When I think about the price Jesus paid for my redemption and reconciliation to God the Father, and how He conquered death, hell, the grave, and the devil, and then rose triumphantly, and ascended back to heaven at the right hand of God, the Father, I am moved to believe down deep in my heart that He can help me conquer every foe or any problem I currently have or will ever have in the future.  He holds me and Melvine, and our adult children in His powerful nail scarred hands. I want to cast my vote for Jesus and stand beside Him in whatever ministry He asks me to do.

I can say with the Apostle Paul, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, first for the Jew, and then to the Gentile" (Romans 1:16).

Will you receive the two benedictions I would like to give you today?

May God grant you wisdom and glowing health (Daniel 2:23, The Living Bible).

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word" (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17, NIV).