Sniff sniff...wink wink
"Now, here’s some bad news that I wanted to announce, but in a way, it can be good news (Well , I mean it is GREAT NEWS! really )when we understand such things from God’s perspective. You’ve heard the name, Mr. Meredith, Roderick Meredith, many times. He performed my marriage and baptized my first wife, and of course, was a dear friend for a full 30 years. I was Uncle Dave to his children and he was Uncle Rod to my children. (Actually I was Uncle Dave to every Evanglists family in my mind)
Mr. Meredith has, apparently, terminal cancer, and it was announced on Thursday in a way that was inconclusive. And then yesterday, an additional announcement came out stating that it definitely is cancer and he is…And I salute him for this, (Now die please and soon I have people to snag) and he’s 86 years and well, almost 87. In June, he’ll be 87, and so he’s lived a rich life. (No pun intended) He’s not going to do anything about it. (As if he could) He said, “No heroic efforts. They may or may not be able to extend my life, but would they even extend the quality of my life?” So he’s basically home now and I will maybe at some later time talk a little bit more about this.
I think the fact that he is leaving the scene is much more significant than meets the eye—maybe much, much more than meets the eye. I would love to think, of course, (Uh huh) that he is a saint and I will see him again.(But I can't do that or I'd have to acknowledge there can be other sincere Christians outside of ME) It’s interesting, about a week ago I thought about writing him a letter, (I doubt it, but maybe share what you would have said?) maybe it was last weekend, and then of all things, on Thursday, we got these announcements.
...But, I will say, he is the last of those seven original evangelists. He represents the end of an era. I certainly am not in any sense…I would think I don’t need to say this…I’m not, in any sense, happy about this, (Of course you are),except (told ya!) in the sense that I can explain later on, something that you will appreciate understanding. It means he’s not part of the events to come, ( Neither will you be Dave) and I hope you can readily add two and two there and get four. (Doubt that too. RCG members are too brain dead already to add anything correctly anymore). He does not need to go through the fire. There’s no…I mean, he’s had multiple strokes, and so how you see these men who are taken away is very important."(They are taken away by old age if lucky)
But in the splinters…Only God knows how individuals are seen in His eyes… (Oh lots more people than just God do too) But in the splinters, he is a titan and when he is gone, a church of 10,000-plus, many thousands of whom I know…are going to be thrown into turmoil. (Yay!!!!) Because virtually all the other senior ministers who were there have already died. And so I don’t know how that will go, I hear a lot of rumors, but we’ll talk more about it, maybe down the road. I just wanted you to know that. (Thanks! Somehow we knew you would!)
As a brother in Christ, (umm...brother in Christ? Really? Then LCG types can stay put and be fine) then we can be praying for him (that's nice Dave)—but be praying for all the other brethren who are going to be thrown into terrible uncertainty when a man who was ordained an evangelist in 1953, I think, February’ 53 in Britain, is gone. (Come unto me, I mean us...pulllleaaaaase!) And since…And he even said in his comments he knows God could heal him, but he reportedly said, “I’m realistic. At my age, I doubt that’s going to happen.” So if he’s not doing anything to try to reverse it and makes that comment, then you can imagine how it will end. So, I’ll leave you with those thoughts. (Thanks but I got it figured out already)
David C Pack
Screed* 64
* "A long speech or piece of writing, typically one regarded as tedious"