What are your earliest memories of church?

We moved to Hackleburg in 1921 so I went to church there all my life.

Once when Virginia Nell was a baby, Mother had carried her outside -- they were sitting on a quilt spread on the grass. The preacher got after me for talking so I went outside -- or else, he sent me out -- and I got a spanking!

We had a "card" class -- each pupil was given a card with a picture on the front that illustrated the story on the back. The cards were printed by The Gospel Advocate Co. of Nashville.

Bro. Gus Nichols held several meetings in Hackleburg. He conducted a children's class prior to the services. He had us memorize the Books of the Bible and he conducted Bible drills.

Other preachers who I heard in my growing up years were V. P. Black, Lindsey Allen, Chester Estes. We attended a tent meeting in Hamilton in which Bro. Marshall Keeble preached. He was a pioneer black preacher.