Baptist love this story!
It was inspired by the true story of my Great-Grandmother Julia Ann Graham Willis. After the death of her eight-year-old son Eugene from appendicitis, she almost lost her mind. She would lay on his grave, in the Graham Cemetery, weeping for hours at a time. One day she was overwhelmed with peace. Later she learned that a church that she did not belong to had been praying and fasting for her for days.
✯ ✯ ✯
Excerpted from Louisiana Wind
“I should tell ya, Julia Ann was a Methodist, up to then. After hearing of Amiable Baptist praying and fasting for her, she insisted on joining their church.”
Elwa added, “She reads the Bible daily on the front porch while eating an orange. We joke sometimes that she thinks there will be no one in Heaven, except Baptists.
“When I asked her what religion Jesus would be in Heaven, she smiled with a twinkle in her eye. ’I reckon, son, it will be like the time a Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist were fishing together down on Barber Creek. They got into an argument on what denomination Jesus would be in Heaven. The Catholic declared, “No doubt He would be part of our church, we have the Pope.” The Presbyterian said, “No, oh, no. When you consider all that John Calvin did for the Christian faith, He will be one of us.” The Methodist then spoke, “Nope, no way, look at all the Wesleys did for Christianity.” The Baptist looked perplexed for a few minutes and spoke, “Gentlemen, I don’t think He’s going to change.”’”
✯ ✯ ✯
Located between Longleaf and Forest Hill, Louisiana, on Barber Creek.
Robert Kenneth Willis Sr. (1877–1951) has the reins in his hands, Robert’s first wife Eulah Hilburn Willis (1884–1919 died in the influenza pandemic of 1918/19) is in the back seat. Julia Ann Graham Willis (1845–1936) is holding a fish and standing. Robert and Eulah’s baby girl Flossie Litton Willis (b August 5, 1905) is held by an unknown lady. Flossie told me, in 1981, that this photo was taken on her first birthday.
Footnote: One of Robert‘s sons, Robert Kenneth Willis Jr. was killed on December 7, 1941. His body lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Arizona.
Amazon author’s page:
http://amazon.com/author/randywillis
Randy Willis 