About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2013)
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2013 THE GEORGIA POST 5 OBITUARY} Billy Davidson A Mason, farmer and member of St A?idrew’s Episcopal Church Fort Valley- Billy Davidson, 51, died Wednesday, November 13, 2013. A Memorial Service was held Sunday, November 17, 2013, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Chinch, in Fort Valley, with the Revs. Drs. Don and Ruth Tate officiating. Graveside services followed in Oaklawn Cemetery in Fort Valley. Bom in Fort Valley to El eanor “Sis” Hamilton Mann Davidson and the late William Houser Davidson Jr., Mr. Da vidson graduated from Auburn University with a degree in hor ticulture. He farmed most of his life and was a member at St. An drew’s Episcopal Church. He was currently employed by the DLA, RAFB, as a contracting officer. He was Past President of the Georgia Peach Council, member of the Fort Valley Ki- wanis Club, past member of the Peach County Board of Educa tion, and current President of the Middle Georgia Camellia Society. As a mason, he was raised in Houston Lodge #35 and rose to be Master of Fort Valley Lodge #110. A member of Valley of Macon Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and Scot tish Rite Guard, he was Past High Priest of Austin Chapter #18, Past Illustrious Master of H. C. Rigdon Jr. Council # 35, Past Eminent Commander of Ivanhoe Commandry #10, and a KYCH in 2013. In the Grand York Rite Bodies, he became a member of the Holy Order of High Priesthood, Grand Council of Royal and Select Masons Or der of the Silver Trowel, Com mandry Knight Crusader of the Cross in Georgia Knights Tem plar and York Rite College #201 of Middle Georgia. An active member of York Rite College #201, Billy was a proud 32nd Degree Mason and member of the Scottish Rite Guard. In the A1 Sihah Shriners, he raised money for the Shriners Hospital for Children and served as Past President and current Treasurer of Peach County Shrine Club. Survivors include his wife of 12 years, Barbara Hale Da vidson, mother, Sis Davidson of Fort Valley, children, Wil liam Houser “Will” Davidson IV (Christy) of Alabama, and Auburn Annabelle Davidson of Bonaire, stepson, Bill Nelson (Amy) of Fort Valley, grand children, Ava Diane Davidson and Emma Claire Davidson, step grandchildren, Katelyn Nelson and Will Nelson, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, other family members and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 202, Marshallville, GA 31057. Please go to www.rooksfuner- alhome.com to express online condolences. Rooks Funeral Home in Fort Valley was in charge of arrangements. OBITUARIES continued to page 7 Is Hell a real place of everlasting torment? Is hell a place where the unsaved are tortured eternally in flames? Let’s see what the scriptures say. First, we must recognize that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek. The Hebrew term for “the subterranean abode of the dead” is “Sheol.” The corresponding Greek expression is “Hades.” In no case does either term denote a fiery hell or place of punishment. The English equivalent for both is “Hell.” So, when either “Sheol” or “Hades” ap pears in the original manuscript (65 and 11 times respectively), translators convert the terms to “Hell” in our English Bibles. Jesus used another term: “Ge henna.” He did so 11 times: Matt 5: 22, 29, 30; Matt 10:28, Matt 18: 9, Matt 23:15, 33; Mark 9: 43. 45, 48, and Luke 12:5. Gehenna represented a deep ravine south of Jeru salem where ancient Hebrew cults burned children alive as sacrifices to the Canaanite gods. In Jesus’ day, it became a dump for city garbage and dead car casses, including the executed bodies of notorious criminals. Its fires were kept burning night and day by adding brimstone (sulfur) to enhance combustion. It was from the utterances of Jesus that the concept of a fiery hell arose. In Mark 9: 43-48, Jesus said it is better to “cut off your hand or leg or pluck out your eye,” if they cause you to sin, than for your entire body to be cast into ‘Gehenna.” Three times in this passage Jesus is quoted as saying “where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.” This phrase comes from Isaiah 66:24— a metaphorical expression referring to worms eating the charred remains of God’s ene mies. Textual scholars suggest this quotation is a “gloss” added by an early manuscript scribe. Another passage used to support a burning hell is Luke 16: 19-31. It depicts a rich man in Hades who implores the beggar, Lazarus, in Paradise “to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” Because of it allegori cal construction, Bible scholars universally consider this narrative to be a parable of Jesus. It is excluded from the other three gospels. The attributes and sensationalism of a fiery hell are attributed to such literary classics as Dante’s “Inferno” and Milton’s “Paradise Lost.” Writer James Joyce described hell as “a prison whose walls are 4,000 miles thick, its inhabi tants stacked together without freedom of movement, scream ing in pain from flames that give forth no light, their blood boiling in their veins.” In summary, it is inconceiv able that Hitler and Mother Teresa will wind up in the same place in the life beyond, so there must be a system of re wards and punishment. Wheth er you view hell metaphorically or as a real place, the decision is yours. Theologians like Billy Graham believe that hell rep resents banishment or alienation from the love of God. Another view is that God could simply refuse to resurrect unrepen tant sinners, thus annihilating their souls. Some philosophers argue that a burning hell is too severe, that a loving God would not subject a sinner to eternal misery-that eternal punishment for 70-100 years disobedience on earth is disproportionate to the crime committed. If Hitler, who incinerated 6 million Jews, could be heard screaming in hell, after listening to his screams for about 60 seconds, would you say “Enough, stop the punishment”? BILLY POWELL is a contrib uting columnist and has authored many books, www. billypowellbooks.com CHURCH EVENTS Prayer Line, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Christ Abundant Life Ministries, S. Dugger Ave., Roberta. Call 478- 836- 3912. Word of God Tabernacle invites you to join them for the following weekly services: Sunday Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Sunday School at 10:00 a.m., Sunday Service at 11:00 a.m.; Monday Prayer at 9:00 a.m.; Wednesday Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study at 7:00 p.m.; Friday Prayer at 9:00 a.m. Everyone is invited. Pastor Frank Martin, Sr. Lizella Baptist Church Special Needs Ministry will have a monthly event the 2 nd Friday of every month, 7-9 p.m. They also have a Parent/Family/ Caregiver Support Group for those who love someone with special needs. It is always the 1 st Tuesday of the month, 6-8 p.m. They have guest speakers and then a time of sharing. The Zion Hill Baptist Church invites everyone to their regular services on 2nd Sundays at 11 a.m., 4th Sundays at 10 a.m. and 5th Sundays at 8 a.m. They have Bible Study every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Come and visit Community Fellowship Church, Reynolds, GA Ever felt like God was taking a chisel to your life? Come find out the beautiful truth of why God chinks away at us...Good folks, good music, and incredible Savior! CF- 10:30 a.m. every Sunday and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. New East Star Baptist Church Outreach Center, at the corner of Hwy. 42 and 80, Courthouse Lane, Knoxville, GA adjacent to old Knoxville Courthouse will have their services beginning every Wednesday, 7-8 p.m.; weekly prayer meeting is held 6:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Sunday service 10 a.m. -11 a.m.; Praise and Worship service every Sunday at 11 a.m. Joy Tabernacle will he having their Women conference on Thursday, November 21, 2013 @ 7:30 Sunday, November 24, 2013 @ 3:30; Monday, November 25, 2013 @ 7:30 Our focus is to strengthen Women but men and chil dren are welcome. Contact person, Melinda Traylor 478-973-4211 New East Star Baptist Church Ourtreach Center will have a Thanksgiving Worship Service November 27, 2013, 7-8 p.m. on Hwy. 42/80 Courthouse Lane, Knoxville, GA. Please come and give thanks to God for all He has done and is doing in our lives. Pastor is James A Manning. For more infor mation call 478-391-4195. The Pleasant Grove Church family will he celebrating its annual Family & Friends Day service on Sunday, November 24, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. during regular service. All area churches and orga nizations are invited to come out and help celebrate this joyous occasion. Rev. Rickey Wright is the pastor. Live Nativity Live Nativity at 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at 4770 Sardis Church Road, Macon, GA. Every evening of December 6th-/th & 11th - 15th. Have your senses thrilled as you drive through this amazing LIVE action experience tell ing of the Birth, Life, Death and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then warm up inside with home made Christmas treats and Hot Cocoa! Admission is always FREE! Load up the family for an experience you’ll never forget. Come join the festivities. REAL PEOPLE... REAL REASON. CHRISTMAS CONCERT — The adult choir of the Dixon UMC, along with spe cial guests, will present a Christmas Concert - a col lection of new and tradition al Christmas music, cele brating the birth of Christ - Sunday, December 8, 2013 - 3 P-m. 157 Years and Counting! Sunday, November 24, 2013 marks the 157th Church Anniversary of Allen Temple AME Church, Byron, GA. Having its rppts rimmomg dee[ om Byron’s Toomerville Community, the congrega tion relocated to their Peach Parkway at Jones Road loca tion in 2010 prompted by a devastating 2007 fire. A stir ring 2:30 p.m. anniversary celebration worship is planned for Sunday. Pastor Gregory Moore and Fort Valley’s Tinity Baptist Church will be special guests. Everyone invited. Allen Temple will not worship Sunday at their usual 11 a.m. service due a 6 p.m. preach ing engagement of their pas tor, Charlie A. Hicks, II at Byron Baptist Church, this year’s host of Byron’s annual City-Wide Thanksgiving Worship. Everyone invited. Deadline for Church Happenings: Friday 5 p.m. Let the holiday season begin This is the time of the year holidays get into full steam. It begins with Halloween when people put on a scary face and ends with New Year’s day when people put on a new face. I could never figure out if the Halloween face was the New Year’s Day face just that much older. I do not have much time for Halloween. Since the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has put me on a strict diet that does not include candy, what is the purpose of going out on Hal loween night begging for can dy? It seems rather interesting that our holiday season starts out with people going around door-to-door begging for candy and ends New Year’s Day mak ing resolutions not to eat any more candy this year. I love all of the ingredients making up our holiday season Have you ever listened to the song, “Change your Situation?” Listening to it the other day, I quickly arose and began to speak over my life and other areas. It really ministered to me. It was talking about the valley of the dry bones in the book of Ezekiel the 37th chapter. I was very blessed by reading it. Let me first start by asking you, “Did you know that you have the power and the authority to change your situa tion?” God told Ezekiel to speak over the dry bones. Now, the dry bones could be a number of things, your dry bones could be sickness, your finances, children, spouses or even a dead church. God told Ezekiel to speak to it, just as he tells us, so that he can bring restoration to any circumstance we’re facing. Right then he gave Ezekiel the whether it is Halloween candy or Thanksgiving turkey or New Year’s Day pork and sauerkraut. These tradi tions that center on eating is right up my alley. If the alley is dark enough, my wife will not catch me in the act. One ingredient I really do not appreciate during the holiday season are all the grouches and complainers and sourpuss people that insist on trying to take the fun out of my holiday time. On the one hand, you have those who pretend they do not believe in God and yet during this time of the year they get all bent out of shape by the mere mention of God. They nervous ly say they do not believe in God and yet my belief in God threat ens them somehow. If they really did not believe in God they would not care one way or the other if somebody power and authority to change his situation. We have that same power by speaking life. We don’t have to be afraid just believe, it’s not over. You see, if the devil can keep us quiet, he can keep us in the same place or situation. This is where he wants us. But it’s very simple if we would just open out mouths and speak life over our situation, then God will restore anything we ask. Sometimes we have to encourage ourselves and one another. One thing for sure, it’s not over until God says it’s over. He gets the last word. Let us keep our heads to the sky and know that whatever God promises us, it shall come to pass! Be blessed! ANGIE CARR is a contributing columnist, motivational spaker and writer. Contact her acarr@windstream.net. was stupid enough to believe in God. They would just sit back in their rocking chair smiling at the poor fools who go through the holi day season thanking God and celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas day. For instance, I do not believe in the tooth fairy. I think it is the fig ment of someone’s imagination and nothing exists that in any way resembles the tooth fairy. Yet, that is not the center of my life going around trying to prove there is no such thing as a tooth fairy. How do you explain to a child the money under his pillow after placing his extract ed tooth? Perhaps another illustration would be Halloween. I do not believe in ghosts, goblins and all of the stupidity invested in this kind of a holiday. Yet, my whole life is not focused around trying to disprove ghosts and goblins. If somebody wants to believe in ghosts and goblins, what is that to me? I do not believe there was ever such a creature as Rudolph the red nose reindeer. Somebody made that up to go along with the Christmas story. I do not think Santa Claus ever existed. Not all the stories I have read about Santa Claus has ever con vinced me such a person exist ed. Yet, I do not spend the whole holiday season ranting and rav ing trying to disprove Rudolph the red nose reindeer and his master St. Nicholas. If some body wants to believe in Santa Claus and his reindeer and that Rudolph the red nose reindeer saved Christmas one year, what is that to me? I say let people indulge in these marvelous lit tle fantasies. I cannot tell you how many years I sat on Santa Claus’ lap and to this day, nothing I asked for has ever come my way via Christmas. Yet, this Christmas I will take my grandchildren to the mall and have them sit on Santa Claus’ lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. Believing in the mall Santa Claus is pure fantasy. Yet, I am not going to pick et the mall around Christmas time demanding they do away with the mall Santa Claus. Af ter all, Santa Claus in the mall brings customers to the mall. Many fantasies I do not put any tmst in, but I do not build my life around destroying these fantasies other people enjoy. I do not recall how old I was when I found out that Santa Claus was just a fictional char acter that made Christmas something of a fantasy. Even though I discovered that Santa Claus was not real I found my self as a father telling the Santa Claus story to my children and then later to my grandchildren. Some of these people attack ing the holiday season, includ ing the Christmas tree, are just indicating that somewhere along the line they have not grown up. If they do not believe in the holiday season, particu larly Christmas, then let us who love the holiday season, espe cially Christmas, enjoy it. I advise those who do not en joy the holiday season to go up to Western Pennsylvania, find Punxsutawney Phil and spend the winter with him. We will be sure to look for you come spring. I like how the apostle Paul put it. “When I was a child, I spa ke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corin thians 13:10). Some people, I am not men tioning who, need to just grow up and stop acting so childish. I will celebrate the holiday season for the simple reason that God’s amazing grace has brought me through another year. REV. JAMES L. SNYDER is a pastor of Family of God Fellowship in Ocala, Florida. E-mail him at jamessnyder2@ att.net. Change your situation W I If # 1 Ik Weekly Devotion Angie Carr Out to Pastor Rev. James L. Snyder McLeighton Funeral Service vkwobituarksatWww.mcleightonfuneralseryice.com 375 S. Dugger Avenue Roberta, Georgia 478-836-3336 David & Donna McLeighton - owners ’Our Family Serving Your Family’ Granite • Marble • Bronze • Coping • Monument Cleaning • Sandblasting 33 Serving all Middle Georgia cemeteries 33 Kade E. Rooks P. O. Box 1711, Fort Valley, GA 31030 *478-825-2424 or 478-951-1571 *Fax: 478-825-3794
