80th anniversary of Charles J. Davis' death

Today marks 80 years since John and Etta Carr's youngest son Charles Davis died. To read an article from a few years ago about the circumstances surrounding his death click here.

Tuesday, December 22, 1931: A day that changed lives

Exactly one month after the death of Charles J. Davis another tragedy occurred for those at Practical Bible Training School.

As the Great Depression edged on the LORD took care of the needs of the school in different ways. One way was that farmers would give food from the previous harvest to help the school, but someone from the school would need to go to the farms to pick up the food. On Tuesday, December 22, 1931 a group of guys from the school went down to Pennsylvania to collect some potatoes from a farmer. After an afternoon of loading the food on the vehicle they headed back as before it got too dark. Without warning one of tires blew out, and the students had to pull over to change it.

The Freshman class of 1934 in the 1932 Theologue (G. Arthur Woolsey is the 2nd from the right top row)

The student in charge of changing the tire was freshman G. Arthur Woolsey of Evergreen, PA. G. Arthur was born on November 30, 1913 and had just turned 18 years old less than a month earlier. Ten years earlier G. Arthur's mother had passed away and only shortly after he had graduated from High School his father passed away. Before his father died he promised him that he would attend Bible College for one year. So in 1931 he headed to Practical Bible Training School though he really did not want to.

On that same trip to and from Pennsylvania was another freshman by the name of Steve Ritz. Steve was a little bit older than G. Arthur as he was born on September 8, 1910. Steve was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and had accepted the LORD at the age of 16 in late 1926 or 1927 and had joined Johnson Avenue Baptist Church in Hazelwood, just outside of Pittsburgh. Over the next 4 years he grew in the word of God and in his faith in Christ. He loved the Word and had a burning desire to study for the ministry which came to pass in the fall of 1931, when he came to the Practical Bible Training School. He was always a young man of prayer and hard work, it was not long before he had touched the lives of most of the students in a spiritually helpful manner.

Both of these men had completely ideas of what their futures held, but God had a different idea as Isaiah 55.8-9 says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

G. Arthur got out of the truck and started to jack it up to change the tire. It was starting to get dark out and started to crawl under the truck, but Steve Ritz pushed G. Arthur aside to change the tire. It was in that moment that everything changed. As Steve was under the car for only a minute or so the lights of an approaching car appeared quickly and there was a crash. The car slammed into the truck and dislodged the jack. The truck came crashing down on Steve sending him face to face with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A memorial page to Steve Ritz in the 1932 Theologue

The grave of Steve Ritz in Oakmont, PA

The death of Steve Ritz sent ripples through PBTS and many individuals. For some faculty members it could be seen as one of the straws that broke the camel's back in the split from PBTS that created Baptist Baptist Seminary.

It is a fact that it was a turning point for G. Arthur Woolsey. He was determined to be a lawyer after finishing his one year at PBTS, but after the death of Steve Ritz (a death that could have been his own) he went into the ministry. The death affected him that he left PBTS and joined BBS when it started in 1932, and graduated from BBS two years later in 1934. G. Arthur Woolsey became Dr. Woolsey served as President of BBS from 1960-1970. It was during his time as president that the College and Seminary moved to Clark Submit, PA from Johnson City. In total Dr. Woolsey served 70 years in ministry before going home to glory on February 8, 2004.

A brief bio of Dr. G. Arthur Woolsey after his home going

Another person that the death of Steve Ritz affected was Steve's younger brother, Samuel Ritz. As a result of his brother's untimely passing Sam wanted to continue where his brother had left off. He wanted to go in the ministry and share Christ with others. Sam Ritz attended a Bible school in the Pittsburgh area, while not finishing the schooling, worked as a Baptist lay minister for 65 years before he entered the gates of Heaven to join his brother in 1997.

In total between these two men, that on Monday, December 21, 1931 had no desire to enter the ministry, over 130 years of serving the LORD was put into action. God has a way of changing plans and lives in an instant and only eternity will tell how many lives were changed, because of this one death of a young man who was devoted to God.

=====How God brought these two stories together=====

It has been amazing to see how God can use technology to bring people together. Since starting this blog in 2006 I have received emails from several people (many of whom are not associated with the school directly). The story of how I learned of the following story came from Aleta Ellington filling out the form on the side of the blog on Monday, July 21, 2008. She is the daughter of G. Arthur Woolsey. We corresponded over the summer months of 2008 as I learned about death of "another student" that had impacted her father's life. I had never heard of this event, but it definitely a major event for the school and so I archived it on my computer.

Several months after getting the message from Aleta on December 7, 2008 I received a form from a Gene Ritz. He mentioned that he had been looking for information about his late uncle for around 40 years. He said his uncle Steve Ritz had died on on December 22, 1931 and that he had been a student at PBTS. At first I couldn't find anything about him as I scan through some Theologues. I sent him back an email and found out some more information of when he was born and in that second email Gene gave me enough information that made my mind go back to the story Aleta had told me several months earlier. Gene mentioned that "he was killed in an accident while allegedly changing a tire along the road (in NY state or PA)." I immediately found the information about Dr. Woolsey and sent it to Gene. He replied back, "I am almost speechless Corey. I am quite taken aback by the actual, accurate explanation of the accident. I never expected to read words like these."

Over the next several weeks/months I was able to learn more about Steve and was able to put Gene in touch with Aleta. It is amazing how God is able to brings things to pass. Through this tragedy God was able to bring at least two men into the ministry that otherwise would not have, and countless souls were reached as a result.

As 2 Corinthians 2.14 says, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." Steve's death was a still a sweet smelling aroma to God. It was through his death that Christ triumphed in the lives of Dr. G. Arthur Woolsey and Pastor Samuel Ritz.

78th anniversary of Charles J. Davis' death

Today marks 78 years since John A. Davis' youngest son Charles, died. Sunday, November 22, 1931 was the date when Charles went down to make a cup of tea in his house and died of Asphyxiation from the gas of the stove. A few years ago on the 75th anniversary of his death I looked into what happened. To read that post click here. Some believe that it was just an accident as he might have been suffering from insomnia and others believe it might have been suicide. Either way it was one of the factors that lead to his father's death a little over 2 years later.

Memories of PBTS by Pastor Dick Riffle (class 1943)

MEMORIES OF PBTS 1931-1944

As told by Pastor Dick Riffle, Clarkston, Washington

A little background of how I heard about Practical

I first heard of the Practical Bible Training School in 1931 when my brother Melbourne Riffle began as a student there. He was married, had four children, and in his 30’s when he became a Christian. He was led to the Lord by Pastor Ralph Chaffee in Caton, NY. Pastor Chaffee’s daughter in later years was married to someone at Practical; I think one of the presidents. In 1932 Melbourne and a classmate, Lawrence Kelly decided to hold Evangelistic services in the Grange Hall in Lindley, NY, my home town. The only church there was the Methodist Church and it had dwindled to eight people in attendance. The Minister was a modernist (liberal) and did not preach the Gospel. I was 14 years old at the time Mel and Lawrence held the meetings. Another boy and I had been bass fishing in the Tioga river close by and were coming by the Grange Hall. We heard some singing and the boy with me asked me what was going on. I told him and said, “Let’s go up and listen in.” He said, “Not in these old clothes and hip boots!” I said, “We can sit in the back.” So up the stairs we went and found a bench in the back corner. We propped our fish poles in the corner and listened to the singing.

Soon my brother Mel gave a message. I had been brought up in the Methodist church and was familiar with doctrinal truth but had never heard the plan of Salvation explained so clearly before. When Mel gave an invitation for any who wanted to accept Christ as their personal Savior, I found myself heading for the front, hip boots and all. He carefully explained the way of Salvation and that night I accepted Christ as my Savior. Sunday morning came I could hardly wait to get to the Methodist church to tell my Minister. I was early but he was there. I said, “Rev. MacArthur, I have something to tell you. My brother Mel and a friend have been holding meetings this week in the Grange Hall.” He said very flatly, “Yes, I heard about that.” I replied, “I went forward and got saved the other night!” He said, “That all right son, every young person has to have some EMOTIONAL experience in their life. You’ll get over it!” I was stunned! But it flashed through my mind immediately, “My Minister does not believe the Gospel!”...I turned and ran out of there and never went back to hear him again. When Mel went back to PBTS that fall, he had Pastor Chaffee come every Sunday night and preach for the next year to hold the congregation together. There had been many saved during the meetings. When Mel graduated in 1934 from Practical the group asked him to organize the Lindley Community Church. He wrote the Constitution and By-laws and became the Pastor for one year. This was the beginning of my exposure to PBTS.

It was under the ministry of Pastor Eisenhart that I came to Practical. In October of 1940, I rededicated my life to the Lord when he was Pastor in Lindley, NY. Helen’s sisters, Clara and Dorothy came to live with them. In 1941 I entered the school at the winter term. For the next two and a half years I had to make up the fall classes of 1940 among with my regular subjects. Clara Ruhlman (Clara was the younger sister of Florence Ruhlman, Pastor Carl Wheeler’s wife) came to Bible school in the fall of 1941. At Christmas time, we became engaged. Early in 1942 I received notice that I had been classified as a 1-A and I was to report for duty in the army in June of 1942. June came I got as far as the Induction Center in Rochester, NY. I passed every physical test until I came to the eye Doctor. He asked me if I knew what kind of eyesight I had and I told him, “Yes! 20/20 with my glasses!” He said, “But without them they test 20/400. You are within 10 percent of being legally blind. And I notice you are studying for the Ministry. What are you doing here? Didn’t you ask for a deferment?” I said, “No sir! I come from a very patriotic family and if God wants me in the Army, that is where I want to be!”

I have always believed this man was a Christian because he said, “Son, this country needs SPIRITUAL help as well as winning a war. For every young man who is planning to do what you are going to do, I can get 1,000 young men for the army that are not interested in spiritual things. I’m sending you home to finish your schooling.” I went home and the next week got a job working for the Army on a construction job building an Ordinance Depot for army supplies. I worked until Fall semester and returned to Bible School. My next topic will tell you something about Dr. Gordon Davis.

The draft board had given me a “temporary” 4-D classification (Ministers Classification was 4-D) with instructions that if I was not in full time ministry shortly after I graduated I would be called up again by the Military. Clara and I prayed much about this so before we went home for Christmas met with Dr. Davis in his office. We told him that we wanted to get married before returning for the winter term. He said, “No. It has been a standing rule that students that got married in between semesters could not return until the next fall.” We then told him that we did not want to do as so many young couples had done. Married a week and then separated by going into the military. And that there was a good possibility I would be called again in June. We stated we had prayed about it and felt it was God’s Will.

He got up from his desk and started pacing the floor, pushing his pencil back and forth through his hand (a habit of his). “Well, Mr. Riffle, if I give you permission to let you get married when you go home and let you return, it will break a precedent that has existed since the school began. BUT...If you and Miss Ruhlman believe this is “God’s Will”...Who am I to say it isn’t! You have my permission to get married and return for the winter semester!...In March we went to the Baptist church in Blodgett Mills to preach and the second Sunday they asked us to become their Pastor. I wrote a letter to my Draft Board and shortly after received a permanent 4-D classification.

Memories of Clara and my days at Practical

John R. Clements the writer of the Hymn “No Night There.” Each year on his birthday the student body would gather in front of their home and sing that song for him and also “Happy Birthday.” He was the Postmaster until year of ’43. During the first part of 1943 he was confined to his bed most of the time. Clara and I would drop in once in a while to visit with him. The first time we were in his room we saw something that he never talked about. He was such a humble man. On his bedroom walls hung two large pictures in ornate frames. One was a picture of President Teddy Roosevelt and the other of Williams Jennings Bryan. Each had inscribed a handwritten note, “To My Friend, John R. Clements” signed “Teddy Roosevelt.” On the other picture, “To my Good Friend, John R. Clements,” singed “William Jennings Bryan”...We would always ask him to tell us the story of a hymn, how and who wrote it or some unusual thing about it. The one I remember well was about Ira Sankey, writer of the hymn “The Ninety and Nine.” During the years he traveled with D.L. Moody in speaking engagements, a feature of the service would be when Sankey at the close of the service would play his portable organ and sing “The Ninety and Nine.” Such a service ended in Philadelphia once nigh. Sankey was closing up the organ, the crowd was leaving, and an elderly lady came to the front. She said, “Mr. Sankey, I walked several miles to get here tonight, but I just got here and I came to hear you play the “Ninety and Nine” but I missed it!” Mr. Clements continued, “And then Sankey, the great man of God that he was, who had just played before thousands, opened up the organ and played the “Ninety and Nine” for ONE dear lady!”

Mr. Clements had made a project of researching the history and writing of songs both secular and spiritual.

The Faculty

Dr. Davis and his “Public Speaking” course enabled Pastors to speak clearly when they preached and singers to sing from the diaphragm. John Ruhlman told me this story of when he was a student. One of his class members (William Clancy) was in charge of firing up the boiler to provide hot water for the school. Clancy would get off work about 10:00 at night. Covered with coal dust and sweat, he would get to the Inner Circle Dorm and find guys in the shower and most of the hot water gone. They promised they would save a shower place for him. The next night he came in and someone was in the shower. So he went and got a pail of cold water, crept in the shower room, and dumped the whole pail of water over the wall by the shower on the one who was there. A loud scream came, not from one of the students but from Dr. Davis who had slipped up to the dorm because something was not working in the shower at his house.

It is difficult to be brief about the Faculty. Dr. Lowe with his clear doctrinal and practical teaching of the Word. His humor kept your attention and made a point about some truth he was presenting. His studies and sermons on Ruth and the Song of Solomon have never been matched by any writers that I have read. His devotion to the Lord, God’s Word, his family and his students were outstanding, His book “Christ In All the Scriptures” has never been equaled.

Dr. Harvey Wagner (former FBI Director in Food and Drug Inspection for 15 years before coming to Practical) had a photographic mind. He knew most of the Bible from memory and insisted and encouraged us to memorize as much as we could. When a student gave an answer or made a statement in class, he would always point to that student and say, “Chapter and verse, please!” He gave me a copy of his large Doctrinal and Dispensational chart after his meetings with me when I was a Pastor in Marshall, Michigan in 1945. He was a great man of prayer. His office was connected to his classroom and if you came in early, often his door was partly open and you would see him on his knees in prayer before coming to teach.

Francis Holden was a great in his classes on Biblical Theology and Old Testament History. His godliness also showed in his life and teaching.

Nellie Manley was such a sweet person and made Church History very interesting.

Hilda Copley was a good Teacher and I enjoyed her classes in English and American Literature.

Alice Chatlos was a not only a great teacher of Greek, but a great example of one whose life was lived in the light of Eternity. Her Father being a millionaire, she could have lived a life of luxury and ease but chose to give her life to the Lord at Practical. The only time I can recall her talking about her parents, was when she told us her Dad had sold their home in New Jersey to none other than Glen Miller, the famous orchestra and band director.

Dr. and Mrs. Patterson were great representatives for the school and as leaders of the Students League of Many Nations inspired many young people to come to Practical as students as well as the many who accepted Christ through their ministry. Dr. Patterson also enlisted financial support for the school with the many contacts that he had.

Mrs. John A. Davis (“Mother Davis”) we called was a great inspiration to everyone. She was so thoughtful and concerned for every student. After Clara and I were married, we had a room in the “Brown Cottage” overlooking the river. I was sick one night and she came and made a personal visit on us. One of the chapel features of the year was when she would tell the story of how the “White City” or “Sin City” was purchased as a campus. I will tell it in her words as accurately as I can.

“John heard about the property being for sale. He had been looking for a place that was larger than where we were. I will never forgot the day when we drove up and parked out front on Riverside Drive. We began to walk up the sidewalk leading to the main building. As I looked at the scene before us, it was the worse place I had ever seen. Garbage, trash, whiskey bottles, broken glass, broken windows, buildings falling apart, a terrible sight to me. All of a sudden John who was ahead of me, spun around, his face was shining, his eyes full of excitement and shouted, “ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL! JUST WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!” I saw only the trash, the work, the rundown buildings. John saw STUDENTS! And a place where they could be taught the Word of God and prepare themselves for Christian service! What a vision he had for God!...”

The Brown Cottage

We were to live in what was called the “Brown Cottage” at school. It sat overlooking the Susquehanna River. We had a single room with a bath. There were three other married couple in the building with similar accommodation. We were on the lower floor near the furnace room which had a small “pony” stove that heated the water tank. It had a single cast iron plate at the top. It was my responsibility to keep the stove burning around the clock. We bought a “cold handle” frying pan, (which I still have) and once in a while would buy some hamburgers and buns and fry them on the little stove.

Each student at the school had to give one hour of work every day. It could be cleaning a hallway, washing dishes, cleaning a bathroom and various other duties. In my Senior year, I was given the responsibility of opening the dining room for the student body. Breakfast at 6:00 am, lunch and the evening meal. I wore a white jacket and stood at the bottom of the stairway as the students came down for meals. As soon as everyone was seated, I hit a small set of chimes with a little mallet and asked a student to say the blessing.

Food at Bible School during those early years was nourishing but not fancy. Lots of macaroni and cheese dishes, and other types of pasta. The girls gained weight, much to their dismay. Meat during the week was mainly cold cuts, no butter, and skim milk. I hated the milk at first but it was always cold and I developed a liking for it. The best meal of the week was on Sunday. It was always the same but very good. Ground beef meat loaf with onions cooked in it. Wow! Did that ever smell good as we came into the dining room!

The school had special music groups that would minister on Sundays to various churches in the area. There were two men’s quartets. One good one and the one in which I sang lead. Carlo Pietropaulo bass, Art Meadows, baritone, Cecil Whitney, tenor. One Sunday we were at a small Baptist Church and before the service the Pastor met with us to instruct is as to when were to sing our first number,

He said, “Right after the S.O.S. group come in, you will sing your first number. Oh, you may wonder who the S.O.S. are: That’s our women’s choir. They know I refer to them as the S.O.S., but they don’t know what that stands for. I secretly refer them as “Sisters of Satan.” They are the WAR department of this church!”

The official Ladies Trio from the School were Clara, Betty Denkleman, Margaret Weckle. Boy! Could they sing! Besides going to churches, they sang at school.

The One Dollar Miracle

The following post is from the 1931 Theologue. It was an article written by Charles Baker entitled "What a Dollar Bill Did." I have added some images to enhanced the story of the one dollar that created PBTS. I am guessing that the dollar would have been given to John A. Davis in Late March or in April of 1900 as the first classes started in June of 1900. I am doing research trying to find when his Campaign would have been in Elmira during these months to pinpoint the exact day. Enjoy the article.
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In the year of nineteen hundred there lived in Elmira a poor washer-woman who knew what it was to trust God for her daily sustenance and support, not only materially, but spiritually as well. She believed Philippians 4:19, and was trusting God to supply all her needs. Everything she possessed was on the altar of God, and she was depending upon Him for guidance to use all she had to tell of the love and compassion that she had found impersonated in the lowly Nazarene, Who, to her, was as real as any visible person.

L.A. Crossan (the wash woman)

One day she was given a dollar bill for which she thanked the Lord and promised to use it to His glory. In the brief history of this dollar bill and what it accomplished, we shall see an illustration of the truth, “Little is much if God is in it,” for truly God was in that gift from the beginning. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and his ways past finding out!” God has a plan for each and every one of our lives and He wants us to give ourselves over to Him that He may show what He can do. If we have unreservedly yielded our all, whether talents, money, or possessions; if we have consecrated our whole being to Him, intellect, emotions and will, He will make much out of what we have given Him, though it seems so little to us. It was so with this dollar bill. It was in the hands of a faithful steward who was waiting for the message from heaven in answer to her prayer that the Lord would present an opportunity to use it in His service.

An 1899 Silver Certificate (what I guess would have been given to her)

About this time the evangelist, John A. Davis, who later founded the Practical Bible Training School, while in a meeting in Hazelton, PA., had a vision in which the conception of the school came to him. He was wonderfully moved in which the message from God, which seemed to set forth the Lord’s plan for his life. But he was just “the Boy evangelist” and he could not understand how God could use him to establish a school. He prayed much about it but little did he know how the answer was to come. He was still undecided as to what to do, when he went for a campaign to Elmira, where lived this faithful servant of the Lord. During the campaign the answer to her petition had come, so one night after the service she handed him an envelope. Being busy shaking hands, Dr. Davis put it into his pocket without opening it. Thus he forgot it until along in the night when he remembered it and opened it. To his surprise out fell a dollar bill and a little note which read something like this, “I am a poor washer-woman but God has laid it on my heart to give you this dollar to help you carry out the plan He has revealed to you.” Gratefully Dr. Davis accepted the money, and realizing that God had thus set His seal upon his mission, he set out with great zeal and enthusiasm to accomplish the task of organizing a Bible School.
The first sessions of the school were help in rented rooms over a store in Lestershire, NY, now Johnson City, and continued during the season nineteen-hundred, from June to August, with Dr. Davis as instructor. In the summer of nineteen-hundred-one the school entered its own three-story building at 47 Harrison Street, made possible through the generosity of the citizens of Johnson City and many other friends.
For ten years the school grew rapidly and soon that location was no longer convenient. The Lord again intervened, and honoring the prayers of the president and faithful workers, He opened up new prospects. A notorious amusement park located on Riverside Drive which was offered for sale was providentially secured. Here a great reformation began. The various vices of Satan were put to rout and a place of vile repute was transformed into the most beautiful spot on the banks of the Susquehanna. Those who have spent a year or more at P.B.T.S. can testify to the wonderful devotional atmosphere of the school and the sincerity of the instructor. Not only has this place been reconstructed and remolded, thus benefiting the community, but it is the place where yearly the lives of approximately one hundred and fifty young men and women are being remolded and trained for the Master’s service.
This is what a dollar bill, having been dedicated to God, has done, and is still doing. Only eternity will disclose the recompense of a dollar given back to Him.

Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of Charles J. Davis' death

Tomorrow (Wednesday, November 22, 2006) marks the 75th anniversary of Charles J. Davis death. He died on Sunday, November 22, 1931 sometime in the early morning. To read the article about his death and the controversy behind it, click here. This coming summer will be the 75th anniversary of the splitting of PBTS and the creation of Baptist Bible Seminary. I will do a post on that when the time comes. Remember to check out: Memories from PBTS in the 1930s series on this blog. Part 1: Dr. Allan R. Knight (Class of 1932). Part 2: Pastor Carl Wheeler (Class of 1934). Part 3: Mrs. Ruth Kummerer (Class of 1934)...coming soon.

How did Charles Davis really die?

Here is the TEXT from this article if it is hard to read above in the photo:

Charles J. Davis Dies from Gas; Wife, Son Live

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Accidental Death Verdict Given in Johnson City Asphyxiation

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OTHERS SAVED BY BOY

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Son of Bible School Head Insomnia Victim, Had Lighted Stove

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After a narrow escape from death by gas, which took the life of her husband, Mrs. Charles J. Davis, 36, and her seven-year-old son, Jack, were recovering today in Charles S. Wilson Memorial Hospital, Johnson City.

The husband, 34, son of the Rev. John A. Davis, president and founder of the Practical Bible Training School, was found dead in the kitchen of his home, 103 Union Street, Johnson City, late Sunday morning. Jets on the gas stove were found open and Mr. Davis was slumped in a rocking chair.

Coroner Edgard J. Doig said death was due to accidental asphyxiation.

The mother and son were saved from probable death when Howard Morley, 11, of 82 Union Street, called at the Davis home Sunday morning to go to Sunday School with the son. His knocking arouse Mrs. Davis from a stupor and she was able to make her way to a front window and tell the boy to summon help.

He ran to the home of neighbors, who carried the mother and son from the gas-filled house. Johnson City police were notified and the Endicott Johnson ambulance was sent to the scene, accompanied by Dr. George Collella. He found the father had been dead for some time and the mother and son were taken to the hospital. The boy was in a serious condition and it was necessary to administer oxygen on the way.

After arousing neighbors, the Morley boy ran to the Bible School and told the victim brother, the Rev. Gordon Davis.

Mr. Davis, according to the police investigation, had been suffering from insomnia for some time and often got up in the night and sat in the kitchen after lighting the gas burners.

He was an undertaker, but for the last year had been employed by a Binghamton plumbing concern. Coroner Doig order the body removed to the funeral rooms of Ivan A. Barber.

The victim’s father left Johnson City for Newark, Saturday, on a preaching engagement. Using the teletype Binghamton police asked Newark authorities to locate him and were informed late Sunday night he was on his way home.

Mr. Davis was athletic director at the Bible Training School, and known as an expert marksman.

In addition to the relatives mentioned Mr. Davis is survived by his mother and a sister. (NOTE: sister is most like sister-in-law; meaning Hazel Davis, Gordon’s wife since Charles and Gordon had no sister).

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How did Charles Justus Davis, the youngest son of John Adelbert Davis and Etta Carr Davis, truly die? The image above is from the Binghamton Press dated, November 23. Now he died on Sunday, November 22, 1931. He went down to make a cup of tea and fell asleep with the stove on. His wife and son were upstairs. He died from asphyxiation from the gas. Now I will give him the benefit of the doubt as the coroner did. Dr. Barackman (Class of 1944) in the latest issue he did on the history of PBTS writes,

An out-of-doors person and given to its related sports, Charles was not the scholarly type like his older brother, Gordon. Married to Mae Phillips, Charles had one son, John. Charles had charge of the basketball team for many years and the physical education program for five years. He seemed to be highly thought of by those who were associated with him. Tragically, for some unknown reason Charles committed suicide by asphyxiation.

I thought about this option too and almost believed it, but I am told that stoves in 1930s had no pilot light so this could have happened. And Charles had not been sleeping well. Share you thoughts in the comments and read the article. I will move this up in the posts if I get more information in the future.

To read a brief blog post I did on Jackie Davis, Charles' son read here.
Corey Adams

Memories of PBTS from the 1930s- Part 2: Pastor Carl Wheeler (class of 1934)

Memories of PBTS from the 1930s

PART 2

Pastor Carl Wheeler (class of 1934)

Part two in a three part series: Memories of PBTS from the 1930s. Today I am posting about Pastor Carl Wheeler who graduated in from PBTS in 1934.

I first heard about Pastor Wheeler from reading a Touchstone interview his nephew Don Hall did with him and his wife Florence, who went to be with Lord October 2005. I was excited reading about John A. Davis from someone who knew him. I had been emailing back and forth with Don Hall asking what he knew about John A. Davis from his research and he mentioned that he would give me his Uncle Carl’s address. Naturally I thought he would be emailing me his postal address, but no it was his email address! Wow! I was excited. An Alumnus from 1934 had an email address. I was thrilled. We began a great correspondence over email during the later part of the summer of 2006. By the beginning of the school year we had exchanged many emails and I had set up an interview with him over the phone for September. He related many stories over email before our phone interview. One was about him and Billy Sunday:

A PBTS student and I had privilege of a Youth Ministry in what may have been the last campaign of Billy Sunday. A converted well known baseball player, got saved and became an Evangelist which dominated and influenced in the early part of last century. In our ministry in the campaign in the Bronx, N.Y. 1934 we transported "Billy and Ma." Sunday as they were called, from his hotel to the Church. A great honor and here is some thing from my "collection' which is a glowing tribute to the Savior, Billy loved. I have and autographed picture which I treasure and his signature in my well worn Scofield Bible.

In another email over the summer I had asked about the school split of 1932. He recalled this:

The School split during my summer vacation from being a freshman. So much going on in every way and a big problem what to do the next fall. A crucial decision I had to make while sitting alone in a borrowed car and I can't remember the name of that Main Street or avenue. So thankful my steps turned toward Practical and a new Semester amidst questionable circumstances with many of my former teachers not there... My mind says "Floral Ave." Right?

So on Floral Ave Pastor Wheeler prayed and continued to go to PBTS. One other email I received gave me a chuckle. Pastor Wheeler wrote:

Am such a novice. At School learned much about Israelites, Canaanites, Jebusites but know little about Megabytes...Am pre school age in that realm.

Yet, he is the first person I know that is 94 years old that knows how to email and instant message people. I do not know of anyone else. Some of his emails sound like they are from someone that is my age in the fashion they are written. Pastor Wheeler and I became great friends over the internet by the beginning of the school year.

It would be the first Alumni phone interview I would do. It was on Thursday, September 7, 2006

Great energy I heard over the line. Pastor Wheeler told me he was born January 20, 1912 and I could not believe it. I would have thought he was only in his 60s by the energy in his voice. He was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania and grew up there before coming to New York to PBTS. His brother Clyde had come to PBTS in the 1920s and had graduated in 1926. Pastor Wheeler also mentioned that one of his oldest brothers was named Earl, and he was killed in WWI. The name Earl was passed on to his nephew Earl Wheeler who is on the Board here at Davis College. It was through the death of his brother that he was able to come to PBTS. God works in interesting ways and usually the ways we will not or do not want Him working in.

Pastor Wheeler remembers going to school for the Summer Conferences. His brother Clyde did much with the Student’s League of Many Nations, while he attended PBTS. He would go around and put up posters to get areas ready for the League’s arrival months ahead of time. Yet, it would be the calling of the Lord to serve Him that drew Pastor Wheeler to attend the alma mater of his brother.

He also mentioned how the League came to Susquehanna, Pennsylvania on several occasions. It was a fasted paced program with flags and patriotism for the countries they represented. It was a three fold service according to Pastor Wheeler that had songs and testimonies of what God had done in their lives. It never dragged, because Dr. John A. Davis was a fast moving kind of person. There would be an appeal for others to accept Christ during the time and also an appeal for others to join in the work of the ministry of Christ. After 80 years these events still are very vivid.

The energy of Dr. John A. Davis also continues to be clear in his mind. He wrote in one of his emails that Dr. Davis had “no grass growing under his feet.” He was very energetic to say the least. Even though he had lost his voice in 1912 and only gained some of it back the energy he had made up for it. He had a Billy Sunday kind of mentality. He could put his foot and kick it up over the chairs when preaching and put emphasis on certain words by inflecting them upwards. Even with the energy he had only some voice. He had a squeaky voice when Pastor Wheeler knew him. From what I know from my own research Dr. John A. Davis lost his voice in 1912 and was only able to regain some of it with some therapy. He had a powerful voice in his days, but with the lack of amplification in the late 1800s Dr. Davis lost his voice preaching to crowds of thousands of people. Pastor Wheeler was thankful for having a great person like Dr. Davis around when he was at PBTS.

During his time at PBTS Ira Weyhe was Pastor Wheeler’s best friend and roommate. Ira was the president of the class of 1934 and also the chief writer for the Theologue of 1934. Another good friend was George H. Kyrk. Pastor Wheeler and two other friends had a trio that would travel to different churches and minister to the congregation. They all lived in the Inner Circle, the converted Merry-Go-Round. The Inner Circle was right behind the Old Main Building and he remembers looking up and knowing exactly where his sweetheart, Florence, was. Sometimes he would write a note to Florence and have the night watchman slip it underneath her door.

He and Florence met while they were doing their different duties on campus. She would work in the dinning hall and he would take her dishes out. Florence would not have been able to stay if it were not for the care that the Davis’ had for the students. They would put some of their own money on the student’s bill or find them other jobs to do around campus to pay for their time at PBTS. It was like one big family at PBTS during the 1930s.

Yet, even with the family unit there were hard days for the school. Being the Depression the food was limited. Sometimes a farm in New York or Pennsylvania would have some extra potatoes and have the students come down and dig them up and take them back to PBTS. Looking back they did not think of themselves as being poor, but being college students even in the 1930s funny things were bound to happen.

He remembers a prank that Florence and some of the girls did on one occasion. They rounded up some cats and released them in the guys’ dorm and caused some excitement. They most likely got in more trouble for getting to close to guys’ dorm than for releasing the cats. Yet, other trials arouse while Pastor Wheeler was there, one being the splitting of the school.

In the summer of 1932 the school split and some professors and students went and formed Baptist Bible Seminary at the First Baptist of Johnson City. As was mentioned earlier in this article Pastor Wheeler remembers praying for God’s guidance on Floral Ave. After much prayer he decided to stay at PBTS. His best friend Ira was still there and Baptist Bible had already started a few weeks earlier. Pastor Wheeler was very thankful he stayed at PBTS, because it would be in 1932 that he and Florence would meet for the first time. To help out Dr. Davis people like Dr. Lowe, a graduate of PBTS came to teach where he would be the rest of his life teaching the Word of God. He believes that the stress both from the death of Charles Davis in 1931 and the school split in 1932 was kept from the student body, but Dr. and Mrs. Davis had to be under immense stress because of both events.

Pastor Wheeler remembers Doctor Wagner very well. Not only him being the class teacher, but he preached the Gospel and loved the Lord. He lived and preached to the students to live as if Jesus were coming back that day. He was also a matchmaker trying to get Pastor Wheeler and Florence together. Many of the professors left churches to take up the burden of PBTS. It was a labor of love; their love for the Lord and their love for the school and its mission.

Another person that he had great respect for was John R. Clements the first president of PBTS. He remembers him writing music and poems all over campus. He would play on his Bilhorn organ also. On one occasion he remembers him writing a poem outside the Inner Circle and he had Mr. Clements write it down for him later on. It was called “On the Jesus Way.” Pastor Wheeler still remembers most of it and treasures its words. It talks about the storms that happened during life and being protected by Jesus Christ. A great man of God who loved his Lord served Him through music and poetry.

In January of 1934, John A. Davis had a series of strokes. The school continued to operate as normally as possible. The classes plugged away. They would have days of prayer and fasting for Dr. Davis’ health. Florence was in a trio that sang at Dr. Davis’ bedside at the cottage. When John A. Davis passed away he remembers the bell on the top of the Main Building ringing 62 times. Yet, even though he was in glory the memory of Dr. John A. Davis would live on.

Pastor Wheeler remembers the Practical Helps that Dr. Davis would give to help people going into the ministry. How to conduct oneself when preaching or visiting a house and the appearance you bring. They were great tips that he has passed down to his children and grandchildren. Dr. Davis gave good practical help for ministers of the Word. He would preach his sermons and be “full of life” and be jumping around. “He was an innovator” for his time doing things that most would not dare to do. He would put things together in a clever way and originate new and different ways to present the gospel (read Education that Educates). A great man of God was Dr. Davis the founder of PBTS

My interview with Pastor Wheeler concluded after one hour and ten minutes on the phone. It was a great phone interview and it was well worth my time to learn more about the rich history of the school. We continued to communicate via email and finally met last month in October here at Davis College. View the picture here. Pastor Wheeler I believe is a living example of era of Dr. John A. Davis, because he has a great bundle of energy and I believe he could jump over a chair.

Coming up next week on Davis College History...Part 3 of 3 Mrs. Ruth Kummerer (Class of 1934)

Education that Educates

The founder of our school John A. Davis knew how to speak plaining. Even reading this little booklet I found about education his words still speak. I typed it up because people need to hear what he said. I am guess it was written between 1931 and 1933. The booklet was written earlier and but what I got was an updated version. Not sure, but enjoy:

Education That Educates

By Dr. John A. Davis

President, Practical Bible Training School,

Binghamton, NY

The right kind of an education may be likened to a new automobile. It may cost the owner much, but he knows that it is clean, up-to-date, tested, and tried; one in which he may travel with ease, safety and success. A poor education may be compared with a second-handed car that costs less; one which has been neglected, has poor tires, and is liable to break down when you need it most. Of course, the owner of either car may have a wreck if not careful.

It is one thing to possess an education and it is another thing to be truly educated. It is one thing to be educated and another thing to obtain the right kind of education. There is such a thing as an educated fool; I have seen the species! There is a kind of education that makes a life glow and sparkle with joy, success and service. There is another kind of education that produces a narrow, morbid, selfish, miserable, conceited standard of living. One may have a head full of facts and yet not know how to live.

You may have what some call the best equipment—degrees, diplomas, honors and head-knowledge. It may take years of efforts to obtain these qualifications and yet your life may be on the wrong road; your energies may be invested wrong. I know of some people who have spent years in schools, colleges, and universities, who are called educated but they are not practical or in any way useful. They possess no originality of thought, know nothing of the spiritual realities of life, are obsessed with a selfish mental outlook. And when their pilgrimage on this earth will have ended and the balance sheet is struck, it will be found that they made no contribution to the world in which they lived; they did not properly use the brain, heart and mind which the Maker had loaned them. Can it be said that they were truly educated?

For more than thirty years I have tried to impress the students attending my school that there is a difference between mere theoretical training and true, PRACTICAL education.

First: The best education starts where the Bible begins: “In the beginning God.” The first great fact to grip is the reality of God. There is no other safe foundation upon which to build a philosophy of life. We hear a great about “higher education.” Define your term! If by higher education you mean a system of thought that takes the student away from God and starts him out upon the sea of life without a chart, I repeat Paul’s words, “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” The higher a nation goes that kind of education, the lower it will sink. Before the War Germany gave us an example of that sort of thing; it blossomed in Nietzche and its ripened fruit was the World War...

It is not enough to know about God or study about Him, but to believe that He is the Personal Father of everyone who believes on His Son as the Saviour. This loving Father makes know His will, enlightens our understanding, and moulds the life that is given over to Him...This is the first step toward a real education.

Second: The student must know “the Wonder Book of the Ages.” The greatest Book in the world! When “The Student League of Many Nations” of the Practical Bible Training School was in Washington, the group visited the Congressional Library and learned that it contained three million books. One of our students calculated that if he was to read continually for a thousand years he could not finish the reading of all these books. Yet, there is but one Book that can truthfully called “THE BOOK.” This Book contains the only true explanation of origins, the purpose of life, and the final goal. It reveals the plan of salvation and the hope of eternal glory through Jesus Christ...God has given us two Words: “the Incarnate Word” and the “the Written Word.” John says that “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” In true education, the Written Word also becomes flesh in our lives. We should not only be able to quote the Bible from memory, but get it into our hearts through Christian experience as God’s eternal truth built into mind, soul, brain life and character. II Timothy 2.15 is then the next step in building a victorious personality.

Third: We should know ourselves. “Know thyself.” While we study books, we should also study ourselves—our faults and weaknesses, as well as, our virtues and good qualities. You can count yourself richer the day you find a new fault in yourself. To be at our best, we should study our parents, back two or three generations, to know what we have inherited, and resolve by the Grace of God to overcome our inherited weaknesses, natural limitations and faults, by using every obstacle as a stepping stone to something better. God has a perfect plan for every life and by knowing one’s self, one can better cooperate with the Holy Spirit in finding adjustment to that plan.

Fourth: We should study to know others and by seeing weak and strong traits of character in them, it will aid us to overcome our own weaknesses. The man at your side is an open book which you will do well to try to read. We should not study others from the standpoint of being critical; let us always strive to be constructive in all that we say and do. It is well to seek the presence and fellowship of those who are able to bring things to pass, in order that we may profit from their successes. Seek your neighbor’s good, not his goods. How many times a clean, noble, unselfish life has inspired others, particularly young men and women to higher and better achievement!

Fifth: No man’s education is complete, whether he is training for the pulpit, the farm or the professions, unless he acquires at least a general knowledge of the scientific principles of modern business methods. The fundamental of modern business is Salesmanship. We are all in the selling business. This does not mean that our wares are always sold in terms of so many dollars and cents. Paul was a master salesman. He sold the Gospel to the Gentiles. This is to say, he knew the underlying principles of exchange; he knew the underlying principles of exchange; he knew how to invest his efforts in a manner to awaken desire for what he had to offer. Since the true measure of success in life can be computed only in terms of service rendered, then it behooves us to be qualified to invest of our talents in the widest sphere possible and to do this we must know how to sell our goods. Russell H. Conwell’s famous lecture “Acres of Diamonds” was nothing more than a statement that there are great opportunities at your finger-tips if you are trained in the business of knowing how to cash in on them.

These are a few of the practical things which are essential to true education and I have sought to outline them in a simple conversational way with the hope that they will be helpful to some young life in getting a solid foundation upon which to stand in this day of opportunity, a time which is also cursed by ever increasing temptations.

On our beautiful campus here at Bible School Park, New York, we have a building called “King Hall.” It is named after my friend, the late Byron W. King, the noted Lecturer and Teacher. I have heard him stand before audiences and vision a creek, river or lake and with eloquent, descriptive powers, picture its possibilities for power, pleasure, and profit. I have listened as he has told about some filthy old swamp in the center of an island. He would visualize it drained, the island made over and changed into a place of beauty with trees, shrubbery, flowers, beautiful homes, gardens and boats for fishing and pleasure. The swamp was converted into a little lake with a shore line and lovely drive. The creek was dammed up to produce electric power to operate factories, mills, light cities, and furnish clothing, furniture, etc. He saw the land cultivated to bring forth food and wealth. Trees were made into chairs, furniture and carvings. In fact, Byron W. King saw possibilities in everything.

Some of us see only hard, cold, everyday facts; we live in a rut, lose hope and have no vision of better things. Others see the world as a work-shop in which wonderful things can be produced. Someone has truthfully said:

Two men looked out

From behind the bars,

One saw mud,

And the other saw stars