August 1998

 

 

Dear Saints,

 

It is time to commence my 16^th consecutive year of campus evangelism, for the summer break has ended.

 

This past summer I concentrated my church preaching in South Western Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.

 

For several years the area pastors in and around Saltville, Virginia had told me that all of their efforts to evangelize the Town of Saltville, Virginia had been thwarted when the police of Saltville would tell them that they could not exercise their right of free speech due to a Town ordinance.

 

One Friday night, after preaching for a local church, I drove through the Town Square of Saltville and my spirit was stirred inside of me when I beheld around one hundred or so youth who had gathered that night in revelry.

 

I knew that if the youth could exercise their right of free speech on the Town Square then obviously free speech is recognized in Saltville, Virginia and if the police would ask me to leave then they would have to ask the youth to leave.

 

I called the Rutherford Institute (a Christian law firm) and told them what the local pastors had told me and what I had observed on the Town Square.  They told me to meet with Town officials and make sure that there really was a Town ordinance against preaching.  They also corresponded by letter the following week that expressed their eagerness to help if needed.

 

I walked into the Town Hall and told the receptionist that I desired to conduct some religious services on the Town Square. She in turn referred me to the Chief of police.  The Chief told me that there was an ordinance against preaching in the Town of Saltville, but that I could attend a Town Council meeting and make a petition to conduct such a service and then the Town Council would vote on it.  I thought to myself, "Surely this guy is not serious, what he has just told me is blatantly illegal."  I asked him for the cite of the Town ordinance and he said that he did not know it.

 

At this time the Mayor stepped into the hallway and the Chief referred the question to him.  The Mayor said that there was no such ordinance against preaching in Saltville, Virginia.  At this time the Town Manager stepped into the hallway and the Mayor referred the question to the Town Manager who echoed the Mayor by saying that there was no such ordinance in Saltville, Virginia.

 

So, around 10:00pm on Friday the 24^th of July, I met with three local pastors and approximately 40-50 members from those three churches.  We marched on the Town Square and I lifted up my voice and cried aloud against the sins of the crowd.  The crowd was mild for the most part, although a few bikers revved up their Harleys.  Several others defiantly blasted us with rock-n-roll music from out of their vehicles, while a few heckled, but most listened.  After an hour and a half or so of preaching, we saints joined in the chorus of Amazing Grace. 

 

We thank you for your love and prayers.

 

Brother Jim - Sister Bonnie - Aaron - Gabrielle