It gives me a great deal of personal pleasure and delight to inform you that Greg, my son, and I are planning to be present for Founder's Week, i. e., Wednesday night, and Thursday during the day.
This will be my first outing since Melvine died on January 17, and was buried January 21.
I must admit I am somewhat apprehensive about venturing out after Melvine's departure from this earth without her being present with me. She and I always attended these kinds of events together, and there will be a void or a vacuum inside of me without my darling wife being at my side. However, Greg has offered to be my driver and personal valet for this significant event in the life of Holmes Bible College, our alma mater. I need to go and see what God is doing at Holmes Bible College. I am confident He is there and will have blessings for all who attend that are beyond all expectations. God knows our need, and He will meet with us at Holmes Bible College.
My parents, Hugh Henry Morgan and Julia Payne (Morgan) graduated from Holmes Bible and Missionary Institute 100 years ago in 1900. My parents knew and loved Brother N. J. Holmes, the founder and first president of Holmes Bible College. They thought so much of Brother Holmes that they named me for him, Hugh Holmes Morgan. To keep the tradition going, Melvine and I gave Greg the middle name of Holmes, or Gregory Holmes Morgan. So, for me, traveling back to Holmes Bible College holds a lot of sentiment and gratitude for this the oldest Pentecostal Bible School in the world.
I was blessed to be a student at Holmes Bible College from 1957-1960. I was able to complete the Bible study that had been taught by Dr. Paul F. Beacham and Mr. Jesse Daniels. After my first full year at Holmes, Dr. Beacham granted me approval to transfer to Furman University, and complete the resident course work for a major degree in psychology and a double minor in English Literature (The Victorian Period) and Public Speaking (Communications).
It was in 1960 that I graduated from college, was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in the Alabama Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church, married to Melvine Stewart, and began a three-year residency in theological studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and graduated in May 1963 with the Master of Divinity degree. I would not have made it without Melvine. She was my rock and major encourager.
This will be Greg's first time to be on campus for such a formal meeting of alumni and friends. Melvine was a graduate of Holmes Bible College and earned a Bachelor of Sacred Literature, BSL, from Holmes Bible College. It was when Dr. Paul F. Beacham learned that I had been elected the 3rd president of Southwestern College, that he felt led of the Holy Spirit to award me the Doctor of Divinity honorary degree in 1975. God gave me a close relationship to Dr. Paul F. Beacham. I was able to attend his funeral and graveside service.
At that time, I was president of Southwestern College, and I drove Pastor Carl Campbell, and Retired Army Chaplain (Colonel) Freeman Mashburn to Greenville for the funeral and graveside service. As I recall we were at Emmanuel College for the King Memorial Lectures when we learned about Dr. Beacham's death.
What wonderful fellowship I had with Carl Campbell and Freeman Mashburn as we traveled together in my new Oldsmobile Cutlass. It was a beautiful blue color vehicle. These men were my heroes.
This will be my first outing since Melvine died on January 17, and was buried January 21.
I must admit I am somewhat apprehensive about venturing out after Melvine's departure from this earth without her being present with me. She and I always attended these kinds of events together, and there will be a void or a vacuum inside of me without my darling wife being at my side. However, Greg has offered to be my driver and personal valet for this significant event in the life of Holmes Bible College, our alma mater. I need to go and see what God is doing at Holmes Bible College. I am confident He is there and will have blessings for all who attend that are beyond all expectations. God knows our need, and He will meet with us at Holmes Bible College.
My parents, Hugh Henry Morgan and Julia Payne (Morgan) graduated from Holmes Bible and Missionary Institute 100 years ago in 1900. My parents knew and loved Brother N. J. Holmes, the founder and first president of Holmes Bible College. They thought so much of Brother Holmes that they named me for him, Hugh Holmes Morgan. To keep the tradition going, Melvine and I gave Greg the middle name of Holmes, or Gregory Holmes Morgan. So, for me, traveling back to Holmes Bible College holds a lot of sentiment and gratitude for this the oldest Pentecostal Bible School in the world.
I was blessed to be a student at Holmes Bible College from 1957-1960. I was able to complete the Bible study that had been taught by Dr. Paul F. Beacham and Mr. Jesse Daniels. After my first full year at Holmes, Dr. Beacham granted me approval to transfer to Furman University, and complete the resident course work for a major degree in psychology and a double minor in English Literature (The Victorian Period) and Public Speaking (Communications).
It was in 1960 that I graduated from college, was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in the Alabama Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church, married to Melvine Stewart, and began a three-year residency in theological studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and graduated in May 1963 with the Master of Divinity degree. I would not have made it without Melvine. She was my rock and major encourager.
This will be Greg's first time to be on campus for such a formal meeting of alumni and friends. Melvine was a graduate of Holmes Bible College and earned a Bachelor of Sacred Literature, BSL, from Holmes Bible College. It was when Dr. Paul F. Beacham learned that I had been elected the 3rd president of Southwestern College, that he felt led of the Holy Spirit to award me the Doctor of Divinity honorary degree in 1975. God gave me a close relationship to Dr. Paul F. Beacham. I was able to attend his funeral and graveside service.
At that time, I was president of Southwestern College, and I drove Pastor Carl Campbell, and Retired Army Chaplain (Colonel) Freeman Mashburn to Greenville for the funeral and graveside service. As I recall we were at Emmanuel College for the King Memorial Lectures when we learned about Dr. Beacham's death.
What wonderful fellowship I had with Carl Campbell and Freeman Mashburn as we traveled together in my new Oldsmobile Cutlass. It was a beautiful blue color vehicle. These men were my heroes.