A Bit of "Useless" History with An Important Reminder

We love history. Tonight finds us in Birmingham, where our dad preached most of his preaching life. I think the conversation started with trying to find out the address of the old Putt-Putt Golf Course near the Woodlawn church building. That led to a note about how Woodlawn was the second congregation in Birmingham of the churches of Christ and led to looking up information about JM Barnes and JT Lewis (with side jaunts on the history of Milo’s Hamburgers and Kelly’s, formerly Wagon Ho at Eastwood Mall). Along the way, we found an excerpt from Word and Work magazine about JM Barnes, and in reading the oldest issue of it, June 1908, we ran across a brief report about a college starting in Calhoun City, Mississippi, written by JP Lowery. Here is part of the short article: “…A few months ago the matter of establishing a college was presented to the people of our town; they took hold of the proposition so generously and vigorously, that at this writing, a large, elegant two-story college building is nearing completion. The trustees have made a contract for a number of years with W. H. Owen and L. L. Brigance, wide-awake, progressive schoolmen, who will be at the head of the Institution. These men completed the highest courses in the Georgie Roberson Christian College under Prof. A. G. Freed. I would like to say to those who are looking for a location where land is cheap, where opportunities are great, and where they can have the advantage of a school second to none in the land, you could not do better than to come to Calhoun City, Miss.” Neither of us had ever heard of Calhoun Christian College so we spent the next two to three hours searching every person we could find with any connection that might lead us to more information (a good bit of it at Scott Harp’s most excellent site https://www.therestorationmovement.com/index.htm) .

L.L. Brigance, of course, taught at Freed-Hardeman, and we both lived in the dorm that bore his name. We found that in 1907-08, he ran a school in Venus, TX, and that in 1909, he began his work with National Teachers Normal and Business College (Freed-Hardeman’s claimed predecessor). The June 1908 article speaks of his contract for a number of years starting in 1908 (or 09) with the soon-to-be-started Calhoun City college. We found no mention of the school other than that lone few paragraphs in a rather unknown magazine in its first year of operation. 

Now, where does all this go? I suppose into the wee hours of Monday morning, I’m thinking of all the plans we make, all the things we begin, and the work we do. Our papers, schools, even congregations will often be left to history. Our names will all soon be forgotten by most this side of eternity. But the Work of the Lord will advance, it will spread, it will go forward, it will never end. And that fact makes the Work YOU do of extreme importance. As you exalted Christ in your lessons this week and as you will in the week ahead, it is His name we proclaim, promote, and publicize. And someday He will call our name, and if that is the only recognition we therein receive, it will have been worth it not to quit! Praise God that the work we do for Him matters into eternity. 

I don’t know what kind of week you had or will have, but I do know it will be worth whatever the burden to hear Him say someday, “Well done…enter in,” as He calls your name.

PS: If you can shed any more light on Calhoun City and the college started there, please let us know.