From Generation to Generation God is Faithful

John Thomas and Belle Dempsey with Nannie, my Maternal Grandmother. JT was a well known Pastor and Church Planter in southern Illinois.

The photo on the far left shows JT on the far right holding his hat with his flock in a newly planted congregation. He and Belle were Touched by the Holy Spirit in a Wesleyian Camp Meeting in 1894 and left their Missionary Baptist church to found New Hope Free Will Baptist Church in 1896. New Hope still stands today.

Our roots with God are deep and I am very thankful for His grace and mercy to me from generation to generation. I want to Honor my Great Grand Father and Great Grand Mother as well as their daughter, my "Mom Taylor" who was able to show me the Love of God and lead me to the Lord. She took me to many Cottage Prayer Meetings that were really small groups from Wesley's training as well as many Holiness Camp Meetings that sprang from the Revivals and Awakenings of that era.

When I was an arrogant young man thought I alone knew the love and power of the Spirit. Now, looking back to my heritage I see how wrong I was. I am thankful for those who went before and who carved a path out of the rough wilderness of southern Illinois.