Dr. George W. Truett and a gift that took 62 years to arrive!

Dr. George W. Truett was Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas from 1897- 1944. Dr. Truett was a world renowned preacher, and a dignified statesman.

*He was one of the most significant Southern Baptist preachers of his era. He was invited by President Woodrow Wilson both to address the Allied forces in Europe and gave a particularly memorable speech preaching to 15,000 supporting freedom of religion on the steps of the US Capitol in 1920. *Wikipedia article

He was a three time president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

I have admired his life and ministry for more than 20 years!

Little did I know, that my admiration for Dr. Truett would be enhanced by an event that is beyond coincidence!

In the course of my own pastoral duties. I visited several years ago (2005) in the home of a guest that attended the church (In Colorado) I was pastoring at the time.

In meeting him, I discovered an 85 year old man with a PhD from the University of Colorado, who taught pharmaceutical chemistry there for 48 years!

In our conversation I quickly discovered that he did his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas, and had lived in Dallas for a time.

I asked a question that I couldn't wait to ask . . . did you ever hear the far-famed preacher Dr. George W. Truett?

His reply, yes, he had not only heard him but had met Dr. Truett on several occasions, in fact he lived in the YMCA across the street from First Dallas! Dr. Truett, had been his Pastor!

Stunned by listening to him recall events that took place more than six decades before, I was about to be further astonished.

His precious wife reached into a stack of papers, sitting on the kitchen table where we were seated, and handed me two letters written by Dr. Truett to American service men and women waging war(World War II) at that time!

On the day I visited them they just happened to be cleaning out their filing cabinet!

The letters were written in June and September of 1943! Each letter pledged continued prayers from Dr. Truett and the people of First Dallas for those in the ongoing conflict.

The letters revealed a busy pastor, not to busy to care and personally write the several hundred sons and daughters of the great First Baptist Dallas who were serving at war. The letters were signed, yes signed . . .

“Your Pastor and Friend George W. Truett.”

Before I left this precious couple gifted me those two 62 year old letters!

Only God could place a Pastor in a home in Boulder, Colorado in 2005 to meet an 85 year old professor, who then presented a gift that is framed and will be cherished for the rest of my life, a gift that took 62 years to arrive!

And He is the same God, who cares about you!