ON THE VERY DAY I MOVED, HENRY WAS ORDAINED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL

THE VERY DAY I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA

HENRY WAS ORDAINED TO PREACH

WALKING BY FAITH

In 1954, I made a trip with my family that took us to California from North Adams, Massachusetts in 10 days. We arrived in Sacramento, California on July 9. That very same William Henry Cash, Jr. was ordained at the Community Baptist Church, in Newell, CA. The Klamath Falls Baptist Church had taken Henry under their wing, and he had begun helping them and also continuing with Student Missionary Council (Multnomah School of the Bible). I am not sure about any other dates, but I do know that he was ordained there.

As a young woman of 21, I had attended one year of Bible College, and had worked for a while, trying to save up money to go to Bible School. Then my grandmother and grandfather came back from the West - having settled in Sacramento, CA with stories of all the building and the construction jobs available there. My father and mother, my two sisters, and my brother made the decision to go. I was SURE that God was in this decision. As a young Believer, I was not grounded in the Bible as much as I should have been (I thought I knew a LOT, but I did not) and now, as I look back at the events of that year, I believe God had mercy on me, a sinner saved by grace, who simply did not seem to have much direction or much patience. How I needed my faith, though, and what little I had, God used it to bring me into the center of His will in my life.

In 1951 this is what I looked like. I graduated from Drury High School, in North Adams, MA. Born in Adams, MA. my life was characterized by moves between Adams and North Adams MA to Boston, MA and little towns in and out of Boston and back because of the need for my Dad to work. He was in construction and also machinery.

Henry was born in Rison, Arkansas. At the age of two, his parents Henry and Anna Cash decided to move to California. It was hard times for them, and in their decision to go, the grandparents Grandpa and Grandma Cash (Garrett G. Cash)

decided to go with them. Henry grew up on his father's farm, helping and working.

So here now, is the statement that he makes in his Ordination Report to the council that met to ordain him that day so long ago.

He was at the Crescent Baptist Church for seven years when we got married, so that means he must have started at Crescent before he got ordained. We started writing each other a year and a half and in 1960 on May 7, we got married. That, however is another story.

William Henry Cash, Jr. 1952

In 1954 Henry had already been active in Christian work since his graduation from Linda Vista Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Vista, CA. In 1950 he went with the authority of Multnomah School of the Bible and some co-workers into Nevada, Washington and Idaho, setting up Vacation Bible Schools, and working with local people in rural N W towns. Klamath Falls, OR began to be a hub for support for Henry. It was these folk that began to rally around him, as well as his supporting church in Vista, CA, the Vista Baptist Church, of Vista, CA. Then the Lord led him to Crescent, with the people of the First Baptist Church there calling him as a young man to preach.

This was his testimony in his own words:

My Conversion "My parents have been professing Christians, but have been very inactive in church attendence and church work for most of my life. I had very little Bible teaching or true Christian influence during my early life. However, we did listen to Radio Gospel programs quite frequently. Through the influence of radio programs, I became convicted by the Holy Spirit of my sinful condition. About a year prior to my conversion, I became concerned about my eternal well-fare. In December, 1941, at the age of fourteen, I realized my need of accepting Christ by simple faith and yielded my life to Him. Perhaps the main medium of my conversion was the preaching of Charles E. Fuller of the Old Fashioned Revival Hour. I followed the Lord in baptism and joined the First Baptist Church of El Cajon, California in June 1942.

His call to the ministry, he describes in the following:

Shortly after my conversion, I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to enter full time service. Many of my friends thought that this was no more than a child-hood ambition, but throughout the years the impression grew stronger and more vivid. I had no thought of serving on the foreign mission field until I was a sophomore in college. Through the influence of missionary messages and the influence and prayers of other students, I became burdened for the needs of the foreign mission field. By the influence and fellowship with Fred Fuller, CBFMS missionary to Brazil; who was attending our school at the time, the needs of that country was placed upon my heart. The testimonies of missionaries and the fact that the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society upholds the fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures, I felt led to apply under this board.

His preparation for ministry:

I entered the Linda Vista Baptist Bible College and Seminary of San Diego, CA, in January 1948. By attending several summer sessions, I was able to receive the B. A., and Th. B. degrees in May, 1952. The B.D. and Th.M. degrees, in May 1953, equal to seven years of work. After graduation I began serving the Lord under the Student Missionary Council to receive a year of practical experience recommended by CBFMS.

Here is Henry in 1953 with VBS staff and children

at Newell, CA.

Here is a little boy standing by Henry's trailer. He paid rent

to park it near a spot, so that he could "organize" a Vacation Bible School for Shady Pine, Nevada.

The car on the right is LAZARUS, which Henry owned, and drove to and from Klamath Falls, First Baptist Church, with children to bring for Sunday School and church, as well as for V B S.

A young man standing by Henry's trailer, parked while hosting a Vacation Bible School somewhere in Idaho or Nevada.

I am not sure, but I believe this was a co-worker on the Student Missionary Council.

This was taken in Brookings Nevada.

Four of these children asked the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior.

In 1943 I had turned 10 on June 9th. Now it was winter, and I

was living in North Adams MA. I do not believe at this time I was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. I was, however, becoming aware of my state as a sinner, for I had started going weekly to a Girl Scout Brownie's class. I also knew that Saturday night was the night everyone drank and partied and had hangovers on Sunday morning. It was at the Brownie class I learned the 10 commandments to "get my wings" for Girl Scouts.

It must have about that time next year, when I started school in 1944 that I got my first NEW TESTAMENT given to each person in my class that wanted one by a Gideon who I later learned was not the Bank President, but also the Sunday School Superintendent at the First Baptist Church of North Adams, MA.

From this picture you can see me, my boots are on, but I remember when my brother took the picture, I had no socks on. Daddy used to go to the bars and play cards and lose his paycheck constantly, so often we had little to wear, no way to supplement. The tenements in the picture were filled with people from many countries all over the world, and were trying to make the best however they could. Often, I remember people talking in other languages, and my love for learning languages and understanding people.

This was my first photo - Daddy was just not there when I was born, because

Aunt Sally - (my Grandmother) his foster mother and sister of his mother raised him and insisted that

HE WAS TO GRADUATE from high school - So he did. Mother stayed with her Mother and Father while waiting for me to be born, and here I am at 3 days on June 12, 1933.

Mother was Vida May Carpenter. Father was Harry Hunter Donato, born in Ipswich New York.

In those days, hard as they were, life was to faced as it was. Just kids, barely 17, they had me.

Meanwhile Henry was 6 years old, living in California on the farm in Imperial Valley

HERE IS HENRY WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER

JOHN. Three years difference, Henry here is 10 and John 7.

Frail, blond because of Swedish descent on their mother's line, their hair turned

dark as they grew older. Henry's hair was black as could be even when he died.

Henry's father was a Share-cropper farmer at first. Then as he did well,

came to own his own property. Henry was the oldest of eventually nine children.

When he was 10, living in Imperial Valley, I was 4.

So that puts a perspective on my part.

You see, I kept having PICTURES IN MY MIND

AND

IDEAS IN MY HEAD

SOMEONE

OUT THERE

SOMEWHERE

and

I JUST KNEW HE WAS FOR ME.

But guess what ?

I thought I could decide for myself

who I would someday marry

who would be my F R I E N D

I just never thought at first God would choose for me.

YOU JUST CANNOT GUESS HOW BIG I THOUGHT I WAS.

AFTER ALL, LOOK AT HOW SMALL MY BROTHER WAS AS

CUTE AS HE WAS.

MOTHER TOLD ME, JUNE, WHEN YOU GROW UP, AND

YOU FIND GOD, AND BELIEVE IN HIM, THEN YOU TELL ME, AND I

WILL BELIEVE TOO.

Somehow, because my mother knew my Daddy was Jewish on his mother's side

and Italian on his father's side, that just MAYBE I might get to know who God is.

She had a faint child like belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, but He seemed so far away to her.

She always said her Grandfather [Luther Wilbur Brewer and wife Vida May (Ingalls) Brewer]

were kind, and good to her because of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But strange to say, no one ever explained to her how to be born again, or how to believe in Jesus Christ in a personal way.

So, she struggled in her life, but she was to me my best friend.

She talked with me. We did not own books, but she would

always encourage my ability to think and I remember how

she taught me as a little NEVER TO LEAVE paper on the floor.

She taught me math, from a piece of paper and

a box into which the paper would go

IT WENT LIKE THIS.

Take a piece of paper

and

FOLD IT IN HALF.

Rip it carefully down the crease.

HOW MANY PIECES DO I NOW HAVE ?

TWO.

ok.

NOW, JUNE,

TAKE THE HALF, AND FOLD IT CAREFULLY.

FOLD IT BACK AGAIN,

SO YOU CAN RIP IT WITHOUT TEARING IT.

NOW, HOW MANY PIECES DO YOU HAVE.

TWO SMALL ONES

AND

ONE BIG ONE.

She said Those two are one fourth

and the big one is one half.

Now

SHE SAID

RIP THE ONE HALF IN THE SAME WAY.

SO I DID.

AS I DID, SHE TOLD ME,

PUT THE PAPER YOU RIP BACK IN THE BOX.

THAT WAY IT DOES NOT GET AWAY FROM YOU.

SO AT THE SAME TIME SHE WAS TEACHING ME MATH

SHE WAS TEACHING ME TO BE TIDY

AND NOT CLUTTER THE FLOOR.

HOW MANY PIECES DO YOU HAVE NOW?

SHE ASKED?

I SAID

FOUR PIECES.

SHE SAID THEY ARE FOUR PARTS CALLED FOUR QUARTERS.

COUNT THEM SHE SAID.

SO I DID.

ONE AT A TIME PUTTING INTO THE BOX EACH PIECE.

I REMEMBER MOTHER

MOPPING THE FLOORS

KEEPING THE HOUSE CLEAN

MAKING SURE I WASHED MY HANDS

AND

SHE WOULD TALK TO ME.

DADDY DID NOT TALK TO US CHILDREN MUCH.

HE TALKED TO MOTHER.

HE DID NOT HUG, BUT I HUGGED HIM.

HE DID NOT KISS, BUT I KISSED HIM.

HE SOMEHOW KNEW HE LOVED, JUST DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SAY IT.

WHEN I WAS THREE IN 1937 DAD AND MOTHER WERE

YOUNG TEENAGERS -

THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT

TEENAGER WAS NOT A WORD THEN.

THEY SEEMED VERY GROWN UP TO ME,

BECAUSE I WAS ONLY THREE.

BUT AT THREE I KNEW WHAT WAS RIGHT

AND WHAT WAS WRONG

I DID NOT LIKE ARGUMENTS BETWEEN MOTHER AND FATHER.

I DID NOT LIKE SHOUTING AND ANGER THAT I HEARD ON THE STREETS

IN THE HOUSES NEXT TO US

AROUND US

AND AS WE MOVED FROM PLACE TO PLACE

14 TIMES BEFORE I GOT OUT OF 8TH GRADE

I ASKED MOTHER

PLEASE

TRY NOT TO MOVE WHEN I AM IN HIGH SCHOOL

SO I CAN GRADUATE ?

SHE GAVE ME A SAD SMILE. I KNEW SHE WOULD TRY.

AT THREE

MOTHER WOULD TELL ME,

"JUNE, DO NOT SHOW YOUR BOTTOM TO ANYONE.

IT IS YOURS, NOT THEIRS. IT DOES NOT BELONG

TO THEM, SO KEEP IT FOR YOURSELF.

ONE DAY I WAS OUT IN THE YARD WITH MOTHER

WHO WATCHED ME MAKE MUD PIES. THEN I DECIDED

TO GO PLAY WITH A FRIEND. SOON I CAME BACK

SHE ASKED ME "YOU'RE BACK SO SOON ! JUNE"

I SAID "THEY WANTED ME TO PLAY DIRTY, I SAID "NO"

SHE WAS SO PROUD OF ME.

FROM THAT POINT, AT ONLY THREE, SHE TRUSTED

ME TO MAKE GOOD FRIENDS, AND DID NOT

TELL ME WHO SHOULD BE MY FRIEND.

AMAZING.

SHE WOULD SAY WHEN I WAS 11 WARNING ME OF

PEEPERS, AND PROWLERS, WHO WOULD TRY TO TRICK

MY BROTHER SKIPPER AND I INTO FALLING INTO THEIR CLUTCHES - SO

SHE WARNED ME - PEOPLE HIDE BEHIND TREES AND WILL CATCH YOU IF YOU DON'T BE CAREFUL ! AND THEY WILL TRY TO TRIP YOU UP, SO WATCH WHERE YOU

ARE, AND KNOW WHERE A PLACE TO GO TO GET AWAY.

SO I WAS ON AN ADVENTURE.

IN A WORLD I KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT

I WANDERED DOWN THE STREETS WITH MY BROTHER

AND BACK

TO MOTHER.

WE WOULD MAKE FRIENDS DEPENDING ON WHERE WE

LIVED, IT WAS EASIER IN SOME PLACES,

HARDER IN OTHERS.

OFTEN WE WERE OUR OWN BEST FRIENDS.

ONE DAY IN THE PLACE WE LIVED IN BOSTON,

WE TOOK OFF TO GO TO THE PARK.

I WAS WATCHING MY BROTHER SWING ON THE SWING SETS,

AND SAT ON THE GROUND OR PUSHED HIM.

MOTHER HAD TAUGHT ME TO BE AWARE

AND I SAW SOMETHING

SOMEONE

FAR OFF

WAS GETTING CLOSER

HIDING

BEHIND

ALL THE BUSHES

SO, I SAID, SKIP LET'S GO HOME

OH JUNE PLEASE I WANT TO SWING SOME MORE.

NO SKIP. LET'S GO HOME.

HE THOUGHT I WAS JUST WANTING TO GET HOME

HE DID NOT SEE THE MAN COMING.

BUT I DID.

WHEN I GOT HOME,

SKIP FOUND SOMETHING TO DO,

AND I SAT THERE THINKING, IT IS SO LONELY

THERE MUST BE SOMEONE WHO

MADE ME LIKE I AM

WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT I AM THINKING

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HIM.

SO WHEN I SAW THAT NEW TESTAMENT

I UNDERSTOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME

THAT GOD EXPECTED ME TO LEARN ABOUT HIMSELF

THIS BOOK WAS TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING ME.

STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD,

A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING

THE WORD OF TRUTH.

2 TIMOTHY 2.15

was written in the fly leaf of this new testament.

THAT MEANT I COULD READ IT FOR MYSELF.

DID NOT NEED TO HAVE ANYONE TELL ME.

SO I READ ALL THE VERSES IT GAVE ME TO LOOK UP.

I READ THAT

ROMANS 3.23 ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

I KNEW THAT. I KNEW I WAS A SINNER.

NOW IT WAS TELLING ME I SINNED BECAUSE I WAS A SINNER ALREADY.

SO WHAT DO I DO NOW?

THE NEXT VERSE

WAS

ROMANS 6.23

FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH,

BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE

THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.

THEN IT SAID

JESUS SAID JOHN 3.3

YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

THAT HE SAID

JOHN 3.16

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON

THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM

SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

I knew that Jesus had died. But I did not know Him.

WHEN I WAS FIVE MY AUNTIE TOOK ME TO CHURCH

IT WAS EASTER. MY MOTHER HAD ALREADY TOLD ME THAT IF I WOULD

BELIEVE, SHE WOULD, SO I WAS LOOKING FOR WHAT TO BELIEVE IN.

WHEN I WENT TO CHURCH THAT EASTER

IN 1936, SOMEONE PUT TIME INTO PUTTING 8 PICTURES

OF JESUS' LIFE UP ON THE WALLS OF THE CHILDREN'S

NURSERY AT THE CHURCH I ATTENDED.

I WAS USHERED INTO A CLASSROOM AND

LOOKED ! AND SAW TWO OR THREE CHILDREN PLAYING

WITH BLOCKS, ANOTHER WITH A DOLL, AND ANOTHER

WITH A CAR. I THOUGHT I CAN DO THAT AT HOME.

WHERE'S THE LESSON?

NO TEACHER. SOMEONE WAS SITTING ON THE

FLOOR PLAYING BLOCKS WITH THE CHILDREN.

THEN MY EYE SAW THE PICTURES ON THE WALL.

FIXING MY EYES ON THE FIRST ONE I SAW A LADY LISTENING TO AN ANGEL

THE NEXT ONE SHOWED THE LADY ON A DONKEY TRAVELING WITH A MAN WALKING.

I KNEW FROM THE CHRISTMAS SONGS IT WAS JOSEPH AND MARY.

THEN THE NEXT PICTURE - I REMEMBER IT CLEARLY

SHOWED MARY AND JOSEPH WITH THE BABY JESUS IN THE MANGER

AND THE SHEPHERDS WORSHIPPING.

THEN THE NEXT PICTURE I STOOD AT THAT PICTURE QUITE A WHILE NOT

AWARE OF ANYONE OR ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE PICTURES, IT WAS LIKE

GOD WAS TALKING TO ME THROUGH THEM.

THIS PICTURE SHOWED THE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST OFFERING THEIR GIFTS TO

THE YOUNG CHILD JESUS AT A HOUSE. HE WAS ABOUT THREE.

THAT WAS MY AGE.

SO I KNEW HE KNEW WHO HE WAS.

I KNEW WHO I WAS.

SO HE WOULD KNOW WHO HE WAS.

THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER PICTURE

THAT ONE SHOWED JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE RABBIS.

IT WAS OF HIM AT HIS MITZVAH. I KNEW ABOUT MITZVAH

MY JEWISH FRIENDS ALL DID IT AT AGE 12.

THE FOURTH PICTURE WAS OF JESUS TEACHING

THE FIFTH PICTURE OF JESUS FEEDING THE CROWD

AND THE SIXTH PICTURE SHOWED HIM HEALING THE BLIND MAN

THE NEXT PICTURE HE WAS ON THE CROSS DYING

WITH MARY WATCHING

AND THE LAST WAS OF HIM GOING UP TO HEAVEN

IN THE CLOUDS

rrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRIIINNNGGGGGGG.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BELL RANG AND SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS

OVER. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HOLY GLOW OF GOD'S PRESENCE DISAPPEARED

AND I WAS SURROUNDED WITH NOISE OF BLOCKS BEING PUT AWAY AND

PEOPLE TALKING AND CHILDREN EVEN CRYING AS THEY LEFT.

I STOOD THERE, AND THEN, MY AUNTIE CAME FOR ME.

WHEN I GOT HOME, MOTHER ASKED ME,

WHAT DID YOU LEARN, JUNE?

I SAID, MOTHER? I AM NOT SURE, BUT I THINK GOD WAS TELLING ME THROUGH

THE PICTURES I SAW THAT HE SENT HIS SON TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE, AND SOMEDAY I WILL GET TO KNOW HIM.

MOTHER WAS CONTENT.

SO HERE IT IS AND I HAVE COME TO KNOW JESUS. IT IS 1944.

FALL.

MY YEAR WAS GOING TO BE A HARD ONE THAT YEAR

BUT I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

GOD WOULD SHOW ME HIMSELF IN THAT YEAR.

DADDY WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY.

HE WAS AT BOOT CAMP UNTIL JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN 1944.

HE CAME HOME ON LEAVE, AND WAS SO PROUD HE WOULD BE

STATIONED SOMEWHERE. HE LEFT AFTER FOUR DAYS, TO GO

BACK TO CAMP.

MOTHER TOLD ME LATER, "I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY:

SO I WAS EXPECTING ANOTHER BROTHER OR SISTER.

I HAD ONE BROTHER HARRY, ALREADY,

AND ONE SISTER, DIANE, ALREADY, who was 4.

WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE LANDLORD AFTER DADDY LEFT.

SKIP AND I HAD MADE FRIENDS WITH PETE , A MAN WHO LIVED IN A SHACK ON THE HILL, BY HIMSELF, WHO WAS ITALIAN. HE WAS A FAMOUS BOXER IN THE PAST.

HE LOVED IT WHEN SKIP AND I WOULD GO VISIT HIM. MOTHER CAME TO INSPECT HIM AS TO WHO HE WAS, AND SURE ENOUGH ! GAVE HER APPROVAL. SHE SAID

HE WILL PROTECT YOU. HE WON'T HURT YOU.

THEN THE LANDLORD THREATENED MOTHER.

IF SHE DID NOT LET HIM BE WITH HER - HE WOULD DO SOMETHING TO MAKE HER MOVE.

SHE REFUSED.

SHE SAID - I BELONG TO SOMEONE ELSE. I AM MARRIED.

DON'T TOUCH. ME.

THEN HE CAME AND RIPPED OUT THE FLOOR BOARDS IN PART OF

THE KITCHEN IN PRETENSE OF "REPAIRING THE PIPES"

AND LEFT IT OPEN -

HE KNEW THERE WERE RATS.

MAYBE THEY WOULD SCARE HER INTO DOING WHAT HE WANTED.

PETE FOUND OUT FROM US WHAT WAS HAPPENING,

AND HE CAME AND SAT IN THE OPENING WHERE THE RATS

CAME TO PROTECT US ALL - HE SAID NO ONE IS GOING TO

TOUCH VIDA- OR THE CHILDREN - OR I WILL SEE TO IT.

SO IT WORKED OUT THAT MOTHER, AND ALL OF US WENT TO ADAMS TO STAY IN THE HOUSE NEXT TO GRAMMA'S AND GRAMPA'S PLACE IN ZYLONITE.

AUNT ESTHER WAS MARRIED SO SHE WAS NOT IN HER HOUSE ANYMORE, SHE HAD MOVED.

THAT IS ANOTHER STORY NOW BUT I BLOGGED THIS FAR

AND I WILL WALK WITH YOU THROUGH THAT NEXT YEAR

IN MY NEXT POST.

THEN YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

REMEBER NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE

WHERE YOU ARE

HOW BAD THINGS HAVE GOTTEN

HOW HORRIBLE IT SEEMS

GOD IS STILL ALIVE

AND ABLE

AND WILLING

AND LOVES US ALL VERY MUCH

HE NEVER CHANGES

HE NEVER LIES

HE CAN BE TRUSTED

FAITH COMES BY HEARING

AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.

ROMANS 10.17

SEE YOU NEXT POST

1944

IN MY NEXT POST I WILL TELL ABOUT

HOW I VISITED MARTHA'S VINEYARD

AND NUBBLE LIGHT HOUSE,

AND MR. NYE, AUNT SALLY'S FRIEND AT CAPE COD.

HE WAS LIVING IN THE LIGHT HOUSE.

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WALKING BY FAITH I KEEP CLIMBING