World Renewal International

Part 2
Granddad’s lack of mobility due to his injury had to be difficult for him because he had been a powerful man physically. He played football on a small town team, Wilkinson, in high school that was the state champion his junior and senior years. He was a fullback and linebacker and the punter and kicker. He was 5’10” and weighed about 200 lbs. Yet he ran the 100 in 11 seconds flat in gym shoes, on grass without a starting block. He was fast and good. Butler University offered him a full scholarship but he had to turn it down to support his parents, brothers and sister.
He entertained all of us with great stories about the primitive days of football. He was physically tough. This was a time when they played football with leather helmets, no face guards and shoulder pads that were held together with shoestrings. His only major injury was when one of those shoestrings broke and he took a knee to the collar bone which broke. In the spring of his high school senior year they were invited to play Butler University’s varsity during the latter’s spring practice. Granddad’s team was not in shape and had not been practicing. Nevertheless, they played Butler to a tie. Grandpa said he was so sore he was unable to get out of bed the next day.

He dated my grandmother in a horse and buggy, yet would watch people walk on the moon. No generation had ever seen such change in human mobility. He was a detail man, precise and so organized. Everything had a place. I am sure that he asked God to give him strength to endure and not bring harm to my dad and myself as we were always moving his stuff and losing it. In that way, he and my dad were opposites. Dad was a good improviser and did a lot of adjusting on the go. In spite of their differences they were close in friendship and what the Bible calls fellowship. Dad came from a large family; Grandpa Milner had two daughters and no sons. I saw him treat my dad like a son. I know my dad needed that kind of love. He really embraced it.

I was told that my dad was working on the motor of his car. He got frustrated and angry and threw a wrench at the car. It bounced back and hit dad in the face. Grandpa had been watching this. Soon he walked out and said, “Gene, I’m going to the Hatfield Camp tonight. Would you like to go with me? Surprisingly, dad said yes.

The service was at the John T. Hatfield camp, Cleveland, Indiana. Hatfield was the “Hoosier Evangelist” during the early twentieth century. The camp meeting was held in a summer auditorium, the floor was fresh saw dust and shavings. The camp meeting would invite several evangelists and speakers and musicians. They would hold these services for several weeks of summer. Those services were a favorite of dad’s own maternal grandfather, Frank “Happy” Harris.

Granddad Harris had been a barroom musician and alcoholic. My dad told me many stories of granddad Harris’ drinking. I will not put them on paper. I am told that at the age of 55 he gave his heart to the Lord Jesus. The stories go that bets were made in the before attended bars that three weeks and “Happy will be back!” Those who placed those bets lost, our family won. His influence on my dad was eternal.

I guess granddad Harris [pictured along with my great grandmother Mary Harris] was emotional and passionate. Dad often said to me, “You are very much like Granddad Harris.” After his conversion he attended the Friends Church in Shirley, Indiana. On occasion when blessed while playing his many stringed instruments he would flip the instrument over his shoulder and up through his legs back into playing position saying, “I used to do this for the devil now I do it for the Lord. He also taught dad’s sisters to play and sing harmony.

He would loan his car to dad while dad was dating mom. He would say, “Drop me off at the Hatfield Camp and you can have the car and then pick me up on your way home.” He invited mom and dad to the services but they would go to the movies instead. My dad deeply loved him and I am sure it was mutual. Dad was in Germany at the end of World War II when he heard that his granddad passed away. The sadness of never seeing his granddad again, never left my dad.

I can’t help but believe that all the above influenced my dad to accompany my grandfather to that camp meeting that night. I believe the evangelist was Earl Starnes. Dad said he felt like the guy was just talking to him that night. Dad said he named all the sins that dad had ever done. When the evangelist invited people to come and kneel at the altar and ask forgiveness of their sins my dad did not go. The preacher walked around in the crowd and came right to my dad. He asked my dad if he was a Christian. Dad told him, “No.” “Would you like to be? “the preacher asked. Dad said, “Yes.”
He went and knelt at the altar and began to pray. After a while someone asked him a question inquiring if he had a peace about his sins being forgiven. Grandpa Milner was close by and said to those praying, “I don’t think he’s got it yet, let’s pray some more!” They did. Dad said he heard grandpa praying, “Lord, show him the light!” He thought to himself, “If Dad Milner said I should see a light, I better be looking for one.” So he said he looked up and when he did he saw a light shining through the roof of that building and right into his heart. He immediately felt clean inside and shouted the victory of that moment. Later, as he studied the Bible he read about the light that the Apostle Paul saw on the road to Damascus. He got all excited explaining to my mother that this must have been similar to the light he saw as well.

Leaving the auditorium that night he said he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his Lucky Strike cigarettes and threw them across U.S. 40. He was a three pack-a-day smoker with a pipe in-between. He never smoked again as he felt this was something the Lord did not want him to do.

I have told you the above the best that I can remember. I heard dad share this testimony often. It seemed like he would work it into every time he spoke or preached. It was as if he just had to tell it. It seemed he never got over it. None of us should get over our coming to Christ, Amen?

My grandpa Milner mentored my dad to walk with Jesus. I remember my dad going through a difficult time when someone had cheated my dad in business. It caused my parents severe financial difficulty. Dad did not want to sue them since he was a minister and they were claiming to be Christians. I heard dad discussing it with grandpa, then I saw my grandfather put his arm around my dad and say, “Gene, we are in this together, we will get through it.” We did.

We have had great men in our family. I wish you could have met them all, be sure that you do someday.