GREENWAY, ARKANSAS
Last week I preached in another gospel meeting (known as revivals by some who receive these "News & Views") in the littlevillage of Greenway, Arkansas. This was my eleventh meeting with the Lord's church in that community. I first went there in 1973, and they have been kind enough to keep having me back every three or four years since then, though before this latest meeting I had not been there since 2005. In reality, I have been going to ClayCounty, Arkansas since 1967, having conducted four meetings for the PleasantValley Church of Christ between 1967 and 1971.
The people of this section of our country can truly be described as "the salt of the earth." They are "down to earth" farmers, ranchers, and small business owners. Greenway once was a thriving community, with several businesses, two banks, and a K-12 school around which community life revolved. It still has its own Post Office, but it is on the list to have the office closed. As the years passed and the young people moved away, the population of the town gradually dwindled. Today it is composed of several houses and three churches. According to the sign at the edge of town, Greenway has a population of 244. Thechurch of Christ has been a strong presence in the community for many years. Greenway was the home of V. P. Wright, legendary gospel preacher of that area, and the father of several well-known preachers in the churches of Christ and professors in various ones of "our" Christian colleges. Included in this number are Cecil N. Wright, V. Ponder Wright, and Winfred O. Wright.
The community still conducts the annual "Greenway Picnic," at which time many of the former residents and descendants of former residents return for "a family reunion," to renew old acquaintances, and to reconnect with their roots. It is a big event, with an abundance of all kinds of food. The church's annual gospel meeting must not be scheduled during or even near the time of this picnic! The members are too busy either preparing for or cleaning up after the picnic, and need some time between it and the meeting "to rest from their labors."
Greenway is located just four miles from the town of Piggott. I have always stayed in a motel in Piggott during my meetings at Greenway, but during the last two meetings the church has provided accommodations for me in a very nice "Bed and Breakfast" just off the Piggott downtown square. The rooms in this establishment are inviting and comfortable and the breakfasts are bountiful. Of course, the members at Greenway always have me in their homes or take me out for meals during my stay there. The area boasts some of the best catfish to be found anywhere. A meeting in Greenway is never complete without a trip to Paragould or Kennett, Missouri for a good catfish dinner!
Ernest Hemingway's second wife was from Piggott, and the world renowned novelist spent much time there during their thirteen year marriage. It was during his Piggott years that Hemingway wrote A Farewell to Arms and parts of several other works. The movie based on the novel made its world premiere at the Franklin Theater in Piggott in 1932. The home where he lived is now a museum, owned and maintained by Arkansas State University in nearby Jonesboro. It is a most interesting place to visit.
Through the years I have made a lot of friends at Greenway. Many of them have passed on; others are advancing in age. Those who were just little fellows or teenagers when I first started going there are now grown, with children (and grandchildren) of their own. The church is not as large membership-wise as when I first started going there, victim of the changing times in which we live. But it is still strong in the faith and still shines as "a city that is set on a hill." What a privilege to go there once again and tell "the old, old story of Jesus and His love," yet the story that, in reality, never grows old.
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