The Written Legacy

Photo by Mishaal Zahed on Unsplash

I appreciate physical media, and have been blessed with an understanding wife who doesn’t recoil in horror when I add yet another shelf to our home. I am prepared for the inevitable—that the books, records, CDs, and DVDs I own will all eventually be given away to someone who appreciates them far less. For the time being, however, I plan on storing them and using them.

Last week I was reminded of the value of keeping old books. It’s hard for me to part with brotherhood books even if I own a digital copy. Coming from a vinyl buying background, I know how few (or how many) of these items are in circulation. Although preachers may know other preachers who own these books, the chances are that there just aren’t that many around. Thus, I feel the need to keep these books.

One such book is Sermons, Chapel Talks, and Debates by Arvy Glenn Freed. Most readers will be familiar with Mr. Freed as a founder and president of what is now Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. The book was first published in 1930, but was reprinted by B.C. Goodpasture in 1959. In helping my 15-year-old son Luke come up with ideas for speaking at devotionals, I remembered this book. Upon opening it, I realized the particular copy that I own has a special message inside the front cover: “a gift from B.C. Goodpasture.” It is dated April 6, 1964. This means my dad received this book from brother Goodpasture as a 26-year-old student at Freed-Hardeman.

Upon noticing this inscription, the relevance of Revelation 14:13 occurred to me: “‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’” (NKJV). A soon to be 69-year-old Mr. Goodpasture gave this book to my dad who was studying to become a preacher. Upon my father’s passing, I obtained the book. The book is still a valuable resource 100 years after it was first published, despite the fact that I never knew brothers Goodpasture or Freed.

I point this out because sometimes we get frustrated by our lack of reach. We can quote that Elijah was unaware that seven thousand men had not bowed to Baal (1 Kgs. 19:18; Rom. 11:2-4), but we don’t believe it. We get bogged down in our severely limited worldview and get discouraged. “Does anyone actually read my bulletin articles?” “What is the point of writing an article that barely gets any likes?” I don’t know the numbers of sales Mr. Goodpasture saw in his lifetime, but I’m still thankful for his work today. Sometimes we have to be reminded that our works are not fruitless—all good works benefit God’s kingdom (Isa. 55:11). I am thankful for the resources and sacrifices of brethren whom I’ve never known. I feel a kinship with them not only through the faith, but through their writings, which speak to each new generation. One day, I hope to thank these men personally for helping me to see that someone in the future may also refer to my work, not for my own notoriety, but for the Lord’s glory.