My Heritage as a Preacher

I have been doing some research, started by my father's research into family history.
On the Post side we have a family tree completely intact back to the 16th century Holland.
Along that way one of my great grandfathers was Lazarus Lawson. He was a country preacher in Tennessee who would move to an area, start working somewhere and at the same time would start a church. Then when enough people were in that church and he felt God's calling he would move and start over again.
One of the person's converted at Lawson's meetings was a Dr. Ashley S. Johnson who later founded Johnson College a Christian School in Tenn. Here is that story:

Ashley Sidney Johnson was a student in the Law College of the University of Tennessee. A minister by the name of Lawson was holding a meeting in the school house at Gap Creek not far from where the College is now located. One night during this meeting it was raining and the roads were muddy as only the roads in Tennessee could be in those days. There were only 3 men at the service. Dr. Johnson's father who was a Christian and Ashley Sidney and another man, neither of whom were Christians. Brother Lawson preached and gave the invitation and both the men who were not Christians, accepted Christ. The date was October 13, 1877 and the invitation hymn was "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" Dr. Johnson forgot law school and gave himself unconditionally and without reserve to the cause of Christ. On the following day, October 14, 1877, he was baptized by John Adcock in the French Broad River. The following Saturday he was asked by Dr. Lawson to preach. On this occasion he proclaimed the truth for the first time. He had never publicly prayed but his efforts were well received. There in that little country church at Thorn Grove, Tennessee, Ashley S. Johnson launched out upon his campaign of winning persons and renewing minds for Christ.

This story was told by a man in the area and I copied it from a book we have. So, in doing this background we found that Lazarus Lawson was part of God's plan to save Dr. Johnson and bring about one of the great revivals of the 19th century. Lawson preached all over Tennessee in thos days and many were saved.

The picture above is of his family. I have one portrait of him but don't have a scanner so will have to include that another time.

My family has a rich Christian heritage, yet down through the years, the Posts pretty much walked away from that heritage. The picture above is of William T. Post my great grandfather and his wife Cora.

This is my grandpa William B. Post at his graduation in 1927. Grandpa was one of my heros in life. He passed away in 1998. He did have a problem though. For most of his life his treasure was money. He taught that to his sons and they taught that to their sons. Money was the most important thing a man could have.

This is my favorite picture of Grandpa. He is driving a horse drawn grader. He worked very very hard for his money. He made it through the Depression, and more. The good news is, at the end of his life he accepted Christ and he is in Heaven now.

Out of his 5 sons, only 1 lives for Christ now and that is my Dad. The others have had times when they have looked to God for help, but none really accepted Him fully. At least as far as I know.

There is William R. Post and William R.K. Post. Both of these William Post's are living for Christ and I believe this is in part due to the rich Christian heritage we have. Yet, I want to point out that my grandpa thought he was a Christian, just because of that heritage. This is how easily we can be deceived. Heritage is great, but we are ALL responsible to God on our own! I am sort of rambling and not really trying to make a point but next time you see this ol' boy Bill trying to preach, just know that it is in my blood!

I miss my Grandpa and Grandma, but will see them soon, praise be to God!!