“I Would Not Be Here If It Were Not For You”

If my father had not remained faithful to God after my mother died when I was only three years old, if he had started dating and partying as most young men do, I wonder whom he might have met and what would have happened.

If my Aunt Em had preferred to dedicate herself to pursuing boys and getting married rather than moving in and taking care of me and Dad, I wonder what would have happened.

If my Aunt Mary Styles, my mother’s sister, had not accepted my father’s proposal and the challenge of a nine-year-old boy, things would have been different.

If Mary had not bribed me into going to Wilbraham when I was 13, by agreeing to pay my way and telling me there were other boys like me who were going, I would not have gone.

If the brethren who ran Wilbraham Bible school had thrown me out, which would have been the reasonable thing to do, I would never have made the close friendships there that became an anchor to my life through the teen years… and are still of my fondest memory. It was my spiritual lifeline.

If my parents had not done the Bible readings every night, and drilled into me the difference between Christadelphian beliefs and all the rest of what passes for Christianity, I would never have become a conscientious objector.

If Bro. Curt Rankin hadn’t taken me down to Byberry and introduced me to Mr. Richards, I might not have gotten the job at the mental hospital and the draft board matter might have gone even worse.

If Bro. Alvan Brittle had not recommended me to Bro. Otto Sticht, I never would have gotten that job with Bernzomatic, and I might still be serving hamburgers at Howard Johnson’s on the New Jersey Turnpike.

If the brothers and sisters in the Midwest had not been serious in the Truth, and warm and welcoming, it would have been a lot harder to maintain the ties.

If there had been no brotherhood in California and no clear teaching that we should only marry in the faith, how would I have ever met Bonnie? And had four children and eight grandchildren? And met Bro. Bob Lloyd and gone into business?

If it were not for Dr. Thomas and those who went before, how would I have learned the Truth? I would not have searched it out when I was young.

If men had not learned Greek and Hebrew and Latin… and translated the ancient texts, I would have no Bible, and none of the study helps that Young and Strong and others dedicated their lives to produce.

And if there were no ecclesia of God with whom I could meet, where would I be? I didn’t get here on my own, and I could not maintain on my own.

I would not be here if it were not for you.