The Heirship Journal

Gurdon Forest Festival full of Serving spirit

2008-10-26T08:23:00.005-05:00

Despite some minor problems, the forest festival grew from last year in attendance and fundraising.The extension homemakers ,or E.H.C., put on the contest which judges eight pies for award of best in show. Stephanie Potter’s pecan pie was the winner this year. Potter’s pecan pie went missing after receiving the blue ribbon though. Denise Ezell said that the Hoo Hoo members usally buy the pie, but didn’t have the chance becouse someone stole it. “I wouldn’t be mad but the money from the pie sales goes to C.D.and E at the end of every year,” said Denise Ezell. Mrs. Potter would be flattered but she really just needs her pie pan back. Gurdon Sargent Chris Russle was excited about the success of the police’s car bash fundraiser this year. At $1 a hit the community raising $410 for tasers for the unit. Another problem was the amount of trash that was produced by the festival food cars. But at six p.m. teams from the street department began to clean up. Jim White hit the street early and in a good mood. “I have a relative that works for the street department. I ‘m married to his niece so I sort of get conned into doing these types of things,” said White laughingly.

Around 30 students made their own game. A patch of grass in front of a building on the main street became “the sphere” for the students. As one student explained the game as a mixture between wrestling and tag. The person would run across he lawn while some one on the other side would try to tackle them. “It was pretty fun,” said C.J. Farris who played with his friend Kyle White at the Festival. A group of 20 students were playing until the Gurdon police made them move because of trucks that needed to get though. At night people started move behind the sonic where the bandstand hosted Elvis Impersonator Cody Slaughter, and the Exit 123 band. The King of Rock and Roll showed up to a crowd of over 200.

Elvis sang "Cold Kenntucky Rain", "Stop ,Look and Listen Baby", (also called rubbernecking) and "My Baby Knows She Loves Me." The audience sat in their thick jackets while Elvis’s thin polyester jumpsuit wasn’t enough against the evening chill. Despite that, he warmed up the crowd with Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” and fans were satisfied.

“You tell em Elvis” said David Merion while he sang along with “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.”After Elvis left the building Exit 123 ,a band from Bryant area, that sang classic country covers like "Pink Cadillac", "God Blessed the Broken Road", and "Johnny B. Good." They provided a mix of classic rock and country everyone could enjoy. John Nelson, editor for the Tailgate news, said he was happy with the turnout.

“It was bigger than last year,” said Nelson who remembers the biggest being when Jody Evans played in 2005.

“I think there is going to be a revival of the small town way of life,” said Nelson of the spirit of volunteerism and nepotism he loves about Gurdon.

Check out more about the winners, events and upcoming news at Gurdon’s festival website

Some Fervent against Fermentation

2008-10-24T23:23:00.003-05:00

Alcohol decision appealed to state supreme court due to Assembly Of God doctrine.

Rick Mays, pastor of Assembly of God church of Arkadelphia with Dr. Bill Visor are going to spend 20,000 to appeal to the State over alcohol petition on ballets. Andi Davis, attorney for plaintiffs for a pro-dry county, is pushing for a speedy appeal before November 4^th, because after “an appeal will not likely be an option.” The alcohol decision appealed to state supreme court may be due to May’s Assembly of God doctrine. Mays is pastor of Trinity Temple on Hwy 8. According to the Assembly of God position papers a little alcohol is too much. “If Christian parents and adults use alcohol even in moderation or just to be socially accepted, the next generation will use it with less care and self control. The best example our generation can set for the next generation is to practice total abstinence.” This message seems to be echoed by the Baptist denomination of Arkadelphia. First Baptist church doesn’t have any position papers on their web site, or on the denomination site of Southern Baptist Convention. An article by Jim Richards, the executive director of the convention of Texas, said

“Article 15 mandates that we seek what is best for our culture. For society’s benefit and the advancement of the Kingdom of God believers should practice total abstinence from alcohol as a beverage.” One of the 13 different denominations in Arkadelphia is the Church of God in Christ. This denomination is closely tied to the Pentecostal movement of the early 20^th century. Baptist preacher Charles Mason was involved in the Azusa street revival and spurred what are mostly today African American churches to be sober, and filled with the Spirit.

Mormons, the Church of the Nazarene, United Methodists, and Pentecostal doctrines claim total abstinence as well. While Methodists are thought to be much more liberal in their stances than Baptist they come from Wesleyan roots that call alcohol “a poison that naturally destroys, not only the strength and life, but also the morals of our countrymen.” The only denomination that officially permits social drinking is the Presbyterians and Catholics. According to pcusa.org,

"The General Assembly encourages and supports personal decision to abstain from alcohol. For those who choose to drink and can do so without becoming dependent, the General Assembly urges a pattern of moderate and responsible drinking behavior.”
Some Arkadelphia residents think that OBU’s holding of liquor licenses leaves them high and dry for economic reasons. “Even if you choose never to drink a drop of alcohol, you will reap the benefits of its taxation,” said William Blake Erickson, HSU senior. Those people who enjoy the benefits may well not drink a drop of it.

Is a wet county a slippery slope?

2008-10-23T08:05:00.003-05:00

Recently Clark County residents have been seeing signs that read “say no to alcohol” in residents windows, and along Arkadelphia Roadways. In a city of 10,912 citizens, 6,100 signed a petition to put alcohol on the Nov. 4^th ballot. The issue of drinking is clearly addressed in the bible. The bible does not prohibit drinking, but getting drunk. Ephesians 5:18 says,

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;.” Supporters of the ban of alcohols sales are rallying together according to parent and OBU professor Bill Visor.

"There are already meetings being organized across the county as we speak," he said.

In the recent decision by Judge John Thomas on Friday Oct.17^th, the issue of alcohol sales in Clark County is to be on Nov. 4^th ballots. The two plaintiffs Dr. William “Bill” Visor, OBU professor and Rick Mays, local minister filed a suit against defendant county clerk Rhonda Cole for questions of voter registration and two suspected forged signatures on petitions. On Friday, Thomas cited section 479-104(b)

“That some that fail to sign….. the correct date shall not invalidate the petition.” Primarily the prosecuting argument was that the signatures were invalid, because they were signed before registration of the persons in Clark County. The petition was post dated for after the persons registered. Addressing the issue of voter registration on the same day of signing the petitions the Judge stated since the voter registration was done at a separate location, and before the signatures petition date that they were valid. Mathew and Claudia Noelle Skaff testified that they had not signed the petitions, but their signatures were forged. Thomas said the “alleged forgeries” should not be counted. Dr. Visor graduated from OBU with a double major in psychology and religion in 1970. He denies claims that the plaintiffs have not received money from Hot springs liquor stores.

"We have received not one dime from liquor stores in Hot Springs," Visor said. "The fact of the matter is we haven't and we wouldn't. ... It would have been an oxymoron." The plaintiffs plan on appealing the case by next Monday. If they do it could either go on a “fast track” to the Supreme Court that would rule before Nov. 4^th. Or the appeal would make votes on this ballot null, and would rule after the fourth. According to Christian history.com the start of organized church resistance was in the mid 1800’s especially against liquor, but not as much beer. Jeremy Carter, an HSU senior, reports that he drank on his 21^st birthday party, but was not “anybody’s role-model”. The bible also encourages us to be self-controlled naming it as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5v22 and to rest in God in 1^st Peter 1:13.

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

The bible makes it clear that our hope isn’t in men, but the grace of Jesus Christ.

From Articles on Hsu Oracle, and The Daily Siftings Herald.

All scriptures quoted is KJV unless otherwise noted.