The Revival

It was the third week in August-always the most important week of the year for the East Fork Southern Missionary Baptist Church. Ever since anyone could remember, the Church's Revival Meeting had been held during that week and this year was no exception. Each service started at 7:00 o'clock and ended when the visiting evangelist decided that the sinners on the mourners' bench had been prayed over enough and that further altar calls were unlikely to produce more respondents.

The latest closing time was 11:10 on a Saturday night in 1927. Old-time members still talked about the shouting, speaking in tongues, and other manifestations of the Spirit on that particular evening. Most avowed that they'd "probably never see anything like that again."

The Meeting always started on Sunday evening and ended the following Saturday. This allowed the visiting preacher to conduct the services and not be absent from his home pulpit. This year's services were being led by Reverend Ossie Tidford who pastored two half-time churches over close to Cedartown. Reverend Sunday James, East Fork's pastor, had come to know Reverend Tidford through the Area Association of Ministers and had been impressed with his animated style. It would be safe to say that no one could sleep during one of Brother Ossie's sermons.

Reverend Tidford liked to conduct these revivals and was in great demand in the several surrounding counties. Brother Ossie's preaching could be classified as animated in his home churches. In a Meeting it was known to reach unimagined heights. Yes, Reverend James had done a good day's work when he persuaded Reverend Ossie Tidford to come for East Fork's August Meeting.

The food was another reason Reverend Tidford enjoyed these engagements. He and his wife were usually lodged with a different family each day, none of which spared on quality or quantity at mealtime.

And the money wasn't bad either. Reverend Tidford had no set fee for his services but he had found that the more he moved the congregation's spirit the wider they opened their purses. On a good week, he would head for home on Saturday evening with as much as one hundred dollars cash money in his pocket.

The East Fork Meeting got off to a good start. Reverend James had taken a week of vacation from the chicken plant in Maynardville to help with the daily visiting. Except for a bountiful midday meal with a designated family, each day was spent visiting church members as well as those who were in need of being saved. Brother Ossie was very persuasive and that combined with the word-of-mouth descriptions of his fiery sermons resulted in capacity crowds. By the close of the service on Wednesday, there were six candidates for baptism with more expected. Reverend James would do the actual baptizing on the next preaching Sunday.

The Thursday night service was even better (and longer) than the previous four. So many wanted to come to the mourners' bench that they had to do so in shifts. When the evening was over, there were two more candidates for baptism, several rededications, and a whole bunch of sins and indiscretions confessed from the mourners' bench. Some of the latter were a surprise and some shocked the congregation. A surprise and shock because no one in the community was aware of them. As old Miz Effie Mae Udell said after the service, "You can tell the Spirit's working when folks confess to sins nobody knows about." And even greater things were predicted for Friday. One or two even dared to mention the breaking of the 11:10 record but in hushed tones as if they were speaking about the breaking of some sacred, God-given law.

And Friday night fulfilled all the predictions and then some. Brother Ossie hit his stride early in the evening and never looked back. The mourners' bench filled early and often with new shocking revelations. Old Deacon Mooneyham began to speak in tongues and did so for at least half an hour inspiring two other deacons to join him. Two or three women began to shout.

All of this was too much for fifteen-year-old Lacy Sue Haycraft whose eyes rolled back in her head as she pitched forward off the mourners' bench and began to roll about the front of the church. Her tumblings caused her to assume about every position her body was capable of. In her state she was unaware of the location of her skirt which migrated quickly to the north exposing most of her lower body to public scrutiny. Since the hot August weather called for a minimum of undergarments, Lacy Sue put on quite a show. Several of the teenage boys were quick to note this and rushed forward to the mourners' bench for a better view.

There was not room for them all so some had to stand behind the bench. Quite unaware of what was taking place on the floor behind him as he prayed over those on the mourners' bench, Brother Ossie turned his pleas up a notch or two when he saw this rush of young people. This caused additional affirmation from the congregation which, in turn, sent the good Reverend to even greater heights.

After what seemed like an eternity, Reverend Tidford realized what was happening as three ladies of the Church rushed forward, held Lacy Sue down, and got her clothing back in order and her back to reality. Somewhat shakened by this turn of events, he pulled back and, within a few minutes, brought the service to a close. Brother Ossie knew that he could have gone on but somehow, he just didn't feel as if it was proper to do so. Anyway, they had had a good night: four new candidates for baptism, over twenty rededications, and many heretofore-unknown sins confessed. The clock read 10:37. The talk about a record-breaking Saturday night increased.

The Tidfords were scheduled to spend that evening with the Stoddards. Brother Tidford and Brother James had visited the family earlier in the week giving special attention to Nellie Jean, the Stoddards seventeen-year-old daughter. Other church members were concerned with her spiritual condition, as were the Stoddards. She was known to run with a fast crowd and had even been seen frequenting some of the local dances. However, Nellie Jean did not seem to have the same concern as her family and neighbors. In response to Brother Ossie's pleas for her to "join up with the Lord," Nellie Jean replied, "Brother Tidford, I'm having too good of a time. Anyway, I just don't hear the Lord calling me." Somewhat taken aback by her frankness, Brother Ossie replied, "You'd best be careful, Nellie Jean. Sometimes the Devil comes for those who don't listen for the Lord's call." Brother Ossie did not realize at the time just how prophetic his words would prove to be.

The Stoddards lived in a big old, rambling farmhouse. It had several dormers in both the main roof and the roof of the rear ell which provided light and ventilation to the upstairs bedrooms. The Tidfords were shown to a bedroom upstairs in the ell.

As they were preparing for bed, Brother Ossie poured some water from the pitcher into the large bowl on the washstand and began sponging himself off with a washcloth. "You know, Alene, what I'd like right now mor'in anything? A bath. We haven't stayed in a place with an indoor bathroom all week. I feel like I'm all scabbed over with dirt. These spit baths help a little but you know how hard I've been preaching and visiting. Yes, if the Lord wanted to send me something, He could start with a full tub of water and a bar of Lifebouy soap."

You're right," Alene replied, "I could use one myself. But we've just got one more day. We can both have a good washing tomorrow night."

"Yes," mused Ossie, "a good bath. I'd like to smell good when I break that 1927 time record tomorrow night."
"What do you mean when you break the record?" There was an edge in Alene's voice.
"That's what I mean. I've been close the last two nights and coulda done it either one. But that woulda left nothing to look forward to. No, the last night's the night to do it."

"Don't you think the Lord might have something to say about it?" Alene seemed a little more disturbed.
"Well, I'm sure the Lord won't mind for His hard-working servant to get some benefits. Just think of the responses I've already gotten this week. And when word gets around about this record, there's just no telling how many more invitations will come in. Why, I might go statewide and get to doing nothing but revival meetings."
"But, how can you be so sure you can do it?" Alene was skeptical as well as apprehensive.

"Aw, Alene, you've been in all the services. I've got these folks eating out of my hand and I'm gonna take ‘em to the limit tomorrow night. Just you wait and see."
Well, maybe you will, Ossie. But I don't feel good about it. Dry yourself off and come on to bed."

The thunder and the sound of rain on the tin roof awakened Alene sometime in the middle of the night. She sat upright when she realized that Ossie was not in bed with her. The flashes of lightning revealed him standing at one of the open, screenless windows. "What‘s wrong, Ossie?" she asked, her mind still clouded with sleep.

"Nothing's wrong, dear," answered Ossie without turning around, "hand me that towel and soap. The Lord has done sent a bath shower."
Alene was suddenly wide-awake. "What in the world are you gonna do?"

"Why, I'm gonna sit right out on this little ledge and get myself cleaned up. It'd be a shame to waste the Lord's water after He's done sent it," Ossie replied as he shucked off his nightshirt and climbed out the window.
Alene jumped out of bed, grabbed the soap and towel from the washstand, and handed the soap to her husband. "I wish you wouldn't do this. What if somebody sees you?"

"Who in the world you think is gonna be out in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night in a thunderstorm?"
Brother Ossie worked up a good lather over most of his body holding each arm aloft in turn as he gave special attention to its armpit. It felt especially good when he held both arms up and threw his head back and let the warm August rain run the length of his body. He even laughed with the joy of it all.

"Please be quiet, Ossie," cautioned Alene as she stood holding the towel and biting her trembling lower lip. "Somebody's gonna hear you."

Ossie replied by throwing his head back to laugh again while lifting one leg to give it a good soaping. However, he had miscalculated the narrowness of the ledge and just how slick a wet, soapy tin roof could be. In a flash of lightning, Alene saw him throw both arms up as if grasping for some nonexistent support and disappear into the night.
She stood stunned for a few seconds before springing into action. Guided by lightning flashes, Alene bolted out the door, through the hall, and down the back stairs. She slowly pushed open the door to the side porch and peeked out into the stormy night. She saw nothing at first but in the flashes she thought she could see a leg sticking out of one of the large boxwoods that bordered the porch. "Is that you, Ossie?" she asked timidly.

"Good Lord, woman, who else do you think would be out here!" exclaimed Ossie as he struggled to extricate himself from the clutches of the boxwood.
"Are you hurt?" Alene came out on the porch.
"No. I'm OK. This bush is a little prickly, but it broke my fall," replied Ossie as he scrambled to his feet and climbed up on the porch.

Alene wrapped the towel around him. "Come on. Let's get you back upstairs before someone sees us," she urged.
Just as they got to the door Ossie realized that he had mud all over his feet. "Just a minute. Let me wash my feet off so I don't track up the house." He went back and sat down on the edge of the porch and stuck his feet out under the drip. With the amount of water that was running off the house, it didn't take long to get them clean.

They got back to their room without being seen. Ossie got dried off and some lotion on the scratches on his buttocks and upper torso. As they climbed back into bed, he declared that he felt cleaner than he had in a long time. "Yes, the Lord's rain is a cleansing rain," declared Ossie. The remainder of the night was uneventful.

Brother Ossie took Saturday afternoon off from visiting to rest up for what he anticipated would be a tiring service. The events of the evening proved him correct.
The church house was packed with a few even standing around the back wall. Brother Ossie started slowly. No sense in peaking too early; he had a long way to go.

It was a warm evening and as Brother Ossie became increasingly more animated, he began to sweat profusely. He took off his coat and laid it aside. Sometime later his tie followed the coat. The intensity increased; the mourners' bench filled again and again; there were several shocking confessions; people were jumping up and down and shouting all over the room; Deacon Mooneyham's speech went into tongues again. The service seemed to take on a life of its own.

Along about 10:30 Brother Ossie loosened his cuffs and pushed his sleeves up as far as they would go. As he prayed and preached in front of the mourners' bench, he began to wave his arms above his head and throw his head back. Perspiration streamed down his face. He was as wet as he had been on the Stoddard's roof in the storm.

Nellie Jean Stoddard was sitting on the back row with several of her friends. Brother Ossie's wet face, thrown back head, and flailing arms brought a flashback that she could not ignore. She rushed forward weeping and shouting, "I've got to testify, Brother Ossie, I've got to testify!"
"Speak on sister," encouraged Ossie as he turned her around to face the congregation.

"You was right, Brother Ossie. The Devil does come for folks. He come for me last night and I seen him!"
"Tell it, Nellie Jean, tell it!" said Ossie.
"Yes sir, I seen him! He was a' sittin out on my roof in the storm! He was naked and waving his bony arms around and throwing his head back and laughing and then he was gone! But I know he was there ‘cause this morning we saw his muddy footprints on our side porch and where he'd tore up one of our boxwoods!"

Nellie Jean's testimony brought Ossie back to reality. "That's good, Nellie Jean, that's good. Thank you, thank you for those words."
"But I ain't through, Brother Ossie, I want to tell everybody what he looked like. He was fearsome looking with froth and foam running all off him...."
Ossie cut her off. "There's no use describing him, Nellie Jean. He can take on so many forms and anyway, this is the Lord's service and there's just no reason to be concentrating on the Devil." With that he got her quiet and seated.

The congregation could see that Ossie was visibly shaken but they would never have guessed the reason. He closed the service out in short order before Nellie Jean could get started again. The clock read 10:58.

After the service everybody had to come by and shake Brother Ossie's hand and tell him what a wonderful week it had been. Miz Effie Mae Udell said, "The '27 service might have been longer but it wasn't no better. And second place ain't nothing to be ashamed of."

As the Tidfords headed for home, Ossie drove for several miles over the gravel road before Alene broke the silence. "Well?"

"Eighteen saved, forty-three rededications, and a whole bunch of confessions," responded Ossie.

"That's not what I'm asking."

"One hundred and twenty-seven dollars," Ossie replied.

"That's not it either. What I really want to know is did you learn a lesson tonight?"

"I shore did, dear, I shore did."

"Well?"

After a long pause, Ossie responded, "Both the Lord and the Devil work in mysterious ways."

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