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 BACK HOME AGAIN IN INDIANA ON MY BIRTHDAY January 4th, 2014, my 71st birthday, has me back where I was raised, my hometown, Terre Haute, Indiana, and where I James Whitcomb Rileymade the decision to follow Jesus and where God put me into the ministry. For over a
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Indiana poet,
James Whitcomb Riley
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quarter of century I have been a "Hoosier in Exile." As Indiana poet, James Whitcomb Riley wrote:
The Hoosier in Exile, forsooth!
For though his steps may roam
The earth's remotest bounds, in truth
His heart is ever home!
When it comes to my Indiana connection, I am a sentimentalist like Riley. I was raised on the poems of Riley and often read them to my children. I had reasons for returning to Terre Haute in that it is a better hub to reach out to numerous campuses. Also, I believed that I had a word from the Lord, "You have unfinished business in Terre Haute." But the bottom line for returning to Indiana is that I am returning to my roots. I am no longer a self-imposed exile; I am back home again. Still, wherever a Christian is, he knows that he is but a stranger and pilgrim. As much as I love Terre Haute, I am seeking a greater city, whose builder is God, the New Jerusalem. Thus, since Cindy and I moved back home, we have been on the road as much as we have been home. And so it is likely to continue as long as we are able to travel.
As I grow older I have a greater longing for the familiar. Having been on the road for forty years, Terre Haute is the place which seems most familiar to me. In 1897, Terre Haute native, Paul Dresser, wrote, "On the Banks of the Wabash." His lyrics express for me the one thing that is missing from the Terre Haute picture:
Round my Indiana homestead wave the cornfields,
In the distance loom the woodlands clear and cool.
Oftentimes my thoughts revert to scenes of childhood,
Where I first received my lessons, nature's school.
But one thing there is missing from the picture,
Without her face it seems so incomplete.
I long to see my mother in the doorway,
As she stood there years ago, her boy to greet.
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Jeddy and Mother, Charlotte
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Shamefully, I sowed a lot of sin at my alma maters, Indiana University and Indiana State. When I am preaching on these campuses, I am making amends for the destructive behavior of my youth, when I lived a life of self-indulgence and encouraged others to do the same and brought consider dishonor to my dear parents. Just a few weeks ago one of the old guard in Centenary UMC said to me, "Your parents were regarded as saints in this church."
Alas, there are there are those who do not think of me so highly. They see me as a destructive force, as troublesome. In a sense I suppose that l am. "For it is written, I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND WILL BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT."-1 Corinthians 1:19. I am thrusting forth sharp TRUTH, which can set free blind students and their blind guides from the false doctrines which prevail on the campuses and have captivated the minds of generations of students.
Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home."--Mark 6:4. Returning home has brought this verse once again into the forefront of my reality. There are those who have made it clear that they are embarrassed by my preaching. I understand; I am sometimes embarrassed about it myself. It is shameful that I have to be so confrontational and at times rude, vulgar and outrageous in order to awaken this Wabash River perverse generation, which calls good evil and evil good.
Jesus despised the shame of the cross but for the joy which was set before him he endured.-Hebrews 12:2. Jesus was forsaken on the cross by all, except for the two Mary's and his beloved disciple, John.
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Wabash River, Terre Haute, Indiana
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Despite the opposition, I still have my old familiar friends in Terre Haute and Cindy and I are making new friends. As Christ's ambassador, I know of no other way to reach the multitudes then to go forth on enemy territory and confront God's foes and demand their unconditional surrender. I am going to continue doing what I have been doing for the past four decades or until someone shows me a better way of reaching the lost and conquering evil.
In the end I hope I can say with Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."-2 Tim 4:7. Pray for us: This morning we left snowy Indiana for Winter/Spring Mission 2014. Sis. Cindy, Sis. Pat and I will be on the Gospel road for 3 1/2 months! |
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RELIGIOUS TRAINING
November 11, 3013, SEMO
We were scheduled for Southern Illinois University but when we arrived on Carbondale campus, there were no
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SIU was closed for Veterans Day so we made a quick detour to SEMO.
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classes in remembrance of Veterans Day. Since we were only an hour from Cape Girardeau, I decided we would preach at SEMO. We arrived in time for the 1 PM break. Within 10 minutes Sister Pat had a girl in tears asking, "Why can't two people of the same 'race' love each other? She was speaking in respect to same sex sexual relations. I do not know whether she misspoke or if she regarded homosexuals as another race. Some do speak of homosexuals as a race of people. However, homosexuality is a perverted behavior. The girl said that she was not lesbian. I suppose she had someone in her family who is involved in a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex, who has convinced the crying girl that it is actually a loving relationship.
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A crying girl made homosexuality the first issue of the day.
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When I preached, I briefly commended the Veterans who have served or are serving in the armed forces. The military is perhaps the last of our institutions which regularly teaches discipline. Therefore, the devil is attempting to destroy our armed forces through homosexuality. On Veterans Day let us remember the words of General Douglas MacArthur in his farewell address to the cadets at West Point: "The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training - sacrifice. In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when he created man in his own image. No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of the Divine help which alone can sustain him. However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country, is the noblest development of mankind."
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SEMO students confess their sins in a bragging way.
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I am honored to be a soldier in the Army of God. I have survived 40 years of spiritual warfare on the battlefields of American universities. The battle is for the minds of Americans and our weapon is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We three warriors successfully fought off all the false notions, which dominate the minds of these college youth. I don't believe the cliché that "Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship." In truth Christianity is both; it is a relationship founded upon religion. And true religion requires excellent training.
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Our weapon is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
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Students were happy (in a way) to see us since we missed SEMO last spring. The crowd was lively but not overly boisterous. While Pat and Cindy were speaking, I had to constantly defend our approach. One Catholic boy strongly objected to our signs; he wanted to make me a "God loves you" sign. He finally decided he was going to address the crowd. He interrupted Sister Pat and after giving a weak and quick exhortation told everyone to leave. Most did leave. However, several remained until an old friend, Bob Nations, took us to dinner about 4:45.
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"I am honored to be a soldier in the army of God," Bro. Jed.
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HOT PREACHING ON A COLD DAY
Arkansas State University November 12, 2013,
"I have a public service announcement," Sister Cindy stated, "Leggings are not slacks; they are intended to be worn under slacks or jeans or preferably a dress or skirt. Girls, decent people do not want to see your buttocks jiggling around like jello. You are tempting these boys to lust." Alas, the girls demonstrated no sense of shame but some were speaking of their sexual exploits.
It seems like about half the coeds are walking around in their underwear these days. Has no one any sense of modesty anymore? Lest our readers will wonder what kind of preaching is this? Read Isaiah 3:16-17, who pronounced judgment against the women of Israel: "Moreover the Lord says:
16)Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
And walk with outstretched necks
And wanton eyes,
Walking and mincing as they go,
Making a jingling with their feet,
17)Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab
The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
And the Lord will uncover their secret parts."
Pat engaged a group of Church of Christ boys on the gifts of the Holy Spirit being relevant to church today. She also talked for a long time with two polite "Christian" boys, who to Sister Pat's shock admitted that they were having sex with their girlfriends.
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Sis. Pat talked about the Holy Spirit to a group of Church of Christ boys.
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There was a strange middle aged man who danced and sang opera style jumping from bench to bench while Cindy preached. I would say he was in the top one hundred of weirdoes, which I have encountered over the decades. The Lord used him to help draw a crowd. We needed all the help we could get since it was a bitterly cold and windy day.
The students were generally in a frivolous mood throughout the day. However, I had a session in which I was able to engage their minds, especially as I explained the design argument for the existence of God. One intellectually minded Christian liked my arguments and challenged a fornicating female atheist to listen to him rationally defend the faith. They walked off together. I warned the Christian not to let the fornicating female seduce him.
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We dismissed our small crowd at 3 PM, which at times reached about 30 this afternoon. As we were walking through the Student Union I saw the fornicating female and Christian apologist. Both of them said how much they respected me for my Christian witness. Evidently, the fornicator had taken admonition to not try to seduce the apologist in a good natured way. All in all it was a productive day considering the cold weather and the fact that there was never a large flow of students passing the Old Arch, which is the area the administration gave us to preach. We had requested prayer over facebook. I am sure the prayers of the saints made a difference.
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KICKING AGAINST THE PRICKS
November 13, 2013, University of Central Arkansas
We are in the buckle of the Bible belt so 80-90 percent of our 200 student crowd professed faith in Christ. Most took issue with our preaching against sin and the call to holy living. On the sidelines a crowd of 15 encircled Sister Pat
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"Everyone sins, so stop judging us!"
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pleading for sin. With Bible open she read passages from I John and Romans arguing that the Christian walk is one of victory over sin.
"We are all sinners! No one is perfect! Stop judging us!" they cried. Finally, a young man to her left stood up and said, "I agree with her. If God is powerful enough to create the world, he is powerful enough to keep me from sinning. I believe that through faith and the power of the Holy Spirit I can be free from sin. I do sin, but it is because I want to, not because I can't stop...and I hate it. Sister Pat asked Chris, "Are you willing to repent?" And he answered, "Yes." He knelt and prayed for deliverance in front of the crowd. The sad thing is that
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"No one is perfect!"
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Chris's humble prayer did not soften the hearts of the others who were arguing for sin..."You are a hypocrite; we are born sinners and we will die sinners. What about love and grace?" They yelled these excuses, accusation and questions at Sister Pat, who continued to patiently teach them from the scriptures.
Cindy took Chris aside and counseled him further? He was raised in a Four-Square Church but has been in fornication. Sister Cindy and I prayed with him again.
One girl who stood on the outskirts of the crowd told several people, "I don't agree with their approach but they have made everybody think and everybody is talking about God. That I am thankful for."
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Chris, in the black cap, prayed for deliverance from sin in front of the whole crowd.
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A young missionary Baptist pastor, who had heard that we were delivering hate speech, came up with some of his students to listen. They were very supportive of the preaching and said, "I don't hear anything hateful, this man is preaching the truth of God." He told Sis Cindy that her agree with all that he heard. Then she heard the young pastor exhorting those around him, "It is the crowd that is being hateful. They hate the truth. Their reaction is indicative of all that is wrong with this young generation. They only want to hear about love and forgiveness but reject the message of repentance, the wrath of God and the challenge to live a godly lifestyle."
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Some of the Christians, including a Baptist pastor, were very supportive of our mission.
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I don't remember that last time I noticed so much conviction of sin. Yet they stubbornly resisted the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said to Paul on the road to Damascus, "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."
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Sister Cindy reads I Corinthians 6: "Be NOT Deceived..."
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Chloe, a lesbian, who father is a Pentecostal Pastor, arrive
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Chloe, a lesbian who had listened last year seems to have hardened her heart.
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d early in the afternoon. She asked, "Do you remember me from last year?" I remembered that I along with others in the team had some good conversations with her on the sidelines. However, she has hardened her heart since those talks. She has to no avail done everything she can to get us banned from campus.
We preached until 5 PM; it was another cold day with hot preaching to keep everyone warm enough to stay outside hour after hour.
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HOLDING COURT
November 14, 2013, University of Central Arkansas,
It seems that I won a significant number of Christians over to my doctrines or at least to the point of contemplating them. The last two hours I was holding court with 10-12, which I think were mostly Christians. No one was challenging or arguing but apparently drinking deeply from my well. The court started with John who listened all day yesterday and again today. He stated that I had really got him thinking and had challenged his previous doctrines. He even asked me to recommend writers to him which supported my teachings. I listed Charles Finney, Gordon Olson and Jesse Morrell. I also gave him three of my books. At one point another Christian was doing a decent job of discounting evolution and John interrupted saying, "Let's listen to Brother Jed; we only have him to hear for two day and he is leaving at 5 PM." I appreciated the respect which he was giving to me.
A believer from the Philippians was so complimentary of my ministry and teaching (awesome) that I was a little embarrassed. He said that he was determined to stop sinning. He was agreeing and affirming the need for holiness even though he admitted he was not there yet. I taught on discipleship, open theism, holiness, the gifts of the Spirit, the power of God, boldness for the Lord, joy in the Lord, cross bearing and war stories. Various unbelievers were in the outer court, silently taking in everything. One girl admitted that last year she had strongly opposed me. But today the Lord had directed her to listen and not argue. I commented her for following the Biblical admonition to be "swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath." With arrogant college students it is usually the opposite, "dull of hearing, running at the mouth and emotionally out of control." While I held court, Sister Pat held the mockers and scoffers at bay. Several remarked how productive it would be if I always spoke like this. I remarked at the beginning of the day I am appealing to the students' consciences which bring forth all manner of resistance; now I am appealing to men's intellect. I said, "Usually the reproving and rebuking is necessary to set the stage for the exhortations to holiness and discipleship." They indicated that they understood.
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"Let's listen to Brother Jed; we only have him to hear for two days and he is leaving at 5 PM," said John.
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Earlier in the day, Chloe, the lesbian tried to steal the stage. However, a Calvinist fellow told her to get off the stage, no one wanted to hear her. Chloe cursed him. This man was a hard core Calvinist and I was enjoying our debate on the Sovereignty of God. Most of the Christians are soft semi-Calvinists, who claim to believe in free will, but at the same time say no one has the ability to obey God. This Calvinist was saying that David's sin with Bathsheba was God's will in that it was God's way of humbling David. The Calvinist admitted when he sinned that it was God's will. Few campus Christians, who defend sin, would go so far as to claim sin to be God's will.
Righteousness contains the seed of humility since it requires self-denial. All sin is rooted in self-indulgence which contains the seed of pride and arrogance. David's sin with Bathsheba led to another sin of sending her husband Uriah on a death mission. God can use men's moral failures to teach them lessons in humility. However, much better to learn humility by the things that we suffer for righteousness' sake, whether than for sin's sake. "Jesus learned obedience by the things that he suffered."-Hebrews 5:8. Better to follow Jesus pathway to humility than the hard road of sin from which a believer never fully recovers at least in this life.
I would that I had more time to spend on this campus. I hope that other holiness preachers would come to Central where there is potential to reap a harvest. Better yet, I pray that a few of the students in my court will rise up against the evildoers after they have overcome sin in their own lives.
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THE LITTLE ROCK THREE
November 15, 2013, University of Ark., Little Rock
Students at Central warned me that students at UA Little Rock were bad. On this campus one needs to secure a permit. Sister Pat started the meeting at 10:50; we began earlier than usual since it is Friday and this is a commuter campus. A few students were waiting with protest signs keeping their distance. Evidently, people knew we were coming from our website.
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Students were waiting with protest signs when we arrived.
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Sister Pat preached for about 30 minutes with only a few students stopping and several policemen standing by. Soon her audience began to pick up but still no real hostility. Finally she called upon me; I no sooner lifted up my voice then all Hell broke loose. I do not recall in recent years an audience getting so quickly hostile. The police moved into action as more students showed up reaching up to 150 with more protest signs. The sneers and curses increased in number and volume.
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When Sis. Pat called on Bro. Jed, the crowd roared in hostility before he ever got a word out. Maybe they were still mad from two years ago.
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I was speaking from steps; the police would not allow students to get on the steps or on the platform from which I was preaching. Initially, I refrained from using my attention getting and provocative one-liners. I mostly just quoted Scriptures dealing with sin, repentance, wrath, judgment, law and even love; however, when I spoke of love I did so in the context of God's law and the example of Jesus Christ. It reached the point where all I could do was to basically stand my ground, which is and of itself a strong affirmation of the faith. I stood having my loins girt about with the Truth wearing full armor. One atheist repeatedly screamed, "Get off our campus" and the other one bawled, "Where is your evidence?"
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"The horde was crazed, practically foaming at the mouth."
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I answered, "My faith is the best evidence that you may have ever encountered. The extremely hostile reaction of the mob is evidence that I am proclaiming the Truth. Your own consciences are being pricked. However, you are resisting the convincing presence of the Holy Ghost." I don't even think the atheists heard my answer. Suddenly, a student stole our YOU DESERVE HELL sign from Sister Pat and took off running. Many students were still inside the Student Union. A voice shouted inside the Union, "Someone stole their sign." Students in mass ran outside of the Union.
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There were at least 10 police officers present. Two men stood behind Bro. Jed and another in front refusing to let any students on the steps. The policeman on the right was praying out loud the whole time!
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The police recovered the sign. The horde was now crazed practically forming at the mouth wanting my blood. Still I stood steadfast and unmovable. Sister Pat heard one of the policemen praying, "Help us Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Praise you, Jesus." After forty minutes of preaching, I called on Sister Cindy since sometimes a change of speakers can have a calming effect. Cindy succeeded in relaxing the mob somewhat with putting a student on the judgment seat and interrogating him. As much as they howl against us for judging, they like the attention of having the opportunity for us to give them the personal care. I decided I would get a hot tea from Starbucks. One of the police followed me inside and would not let me out of his sight.
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Police make it clear to students that they can not touch the steps.
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As I was preaching, I flashbacked to 1957, when the segregationist shouted slurs and spat against "the Little Rock Nine," the Negro students who entered Central High under the protection of the National Guard. During my preaching a white homo kissed a black homo to the delight of the mob; that never would have happened in Little Rock in the fifties. Yet the hatred that was demonstrated to the nation when the black youth enrolled has not evidently changed. Only this time, 56 years later, the large UA Little Rock black student
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The crowd delighted in this perversion and it seemed that they would have killed us if they could have.
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population was united with the whites in their hatred and their intolerance of Truth and Righteousness. Much like traditional enemies like Herod and Pilate became united in their enmity against Jesus. Like the National Guard a half century ago, the police were professional and protected our right to speak our mind.
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Police retrieved the stolen sign! The officers would not let us out of their sight and one even followed Bro. Jed to the restroom and waited outside for his protection.
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As the afternoon progressed we won over several people to our side. One was a student, who had recently been converted who gave his testimony of God's saving grace in his life. Another middle aged black man, Joseph, wearing a marine cap publically commended me for my stand. The rancor of the atheists turned against him. The marine spoke of how he had been four times employed in combat and had defended my right to speak and the students right to protest. One of the Satanists showed a considerable amount of disrespect for the marine.
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This retired Marine (cap) gave a bold testimony of his recent conversion to Christ. Some in the crowd mocked, others listened.
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The Lieutenant on the Campus Police team was amazed because he had known Joseph when they served together on another police force, when Joseph was drinking heavily and on drugs. The Lieutenant said that back then Joseph would have being up the Satanists for his disrespect. Cindy had the opportunity to overhear the conversation with Joseph and the Lieutenant. Joseph was converted to Christ this summer. Nothing like new converts before the church attempts and too often succeeds in throwing wet blankets on them.
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Some students calmed down and listened to the message.
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By 3 PM on Friday UA Little Rock begins to become deserted. I decided to call it a day. My last hour had been quite profitable with quiet dialogue with about 25 attentive students. A few times the peace was interrupted once by the kissing black homo and the other time by a boisterous foul mouthed lesbian. I mentioned to the Chief that I needed to use the restroom. He had one of his officers stand guard outside the door not letting anyone in until I was finished. I do like my privacy. We were escorted by six policemen back to our car. It was an exciting and memorable day. Several at the end asked if we would be returning next year.
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Bro. Jed is Coming To Town!
SCHEDULE
Winter 2014
This our tentative schedule for the spring semester 2014. Please take note when we will be in your area. Should you want me to speak in your church or home fellowship, I am available. Also, if anyone wants to offer hospitality for Sister Pat, Cindy and me, please contact us. We always encourage local folks to join us on campus. We need your help!!
Jan. 6-7, University of Florida
Jan. 8-9, University of South Florida
Jan. 10, University of Central Florida
Jan. 13-14, University of Central Florida
Jan. 15, University of South Florida
Jan. 16 University of Florida
Jan. 17 University of Florida
Jan. 21-24, Louisiana State University
Jan. 27-28, Stephan A. Austin University
Jan 29-31, Sam Houston State University
Feb. 3-7, Texas A & M
Feb. 10-University of Texas
Feb. 11-13, Texas State University
Feb. 14, University of Texas
Feb. 17-21, University of Arizona
Feb. 24-Feb 28, Arizona State University
March 3-7, San Diego area campuses
March 10-14, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Riverside
March 17-21, Long Beach State and Fullerton State
March 24-28, Fresno State
March 31-April 4, Texas Tech
April 7-9 University of Oklahoma
April 10-11, Missouri State University
April 14-May 2, IU, ISU, IUPUP, Purdue, UI,
May 5-June 6, Oregon and Washington 
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Contact Us
New Website!!!!
brojed@aol.com
573-999-0347
Home Office:
CMUSA
PO Box 3845
Terre Haute, IN
47803
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