Potts Camp News - Dale Hollingsworth


Thursday, February 22, 2007
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Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Potts Camp First Baptist delivers Valentine’s baskets

The Potts Camp First Baptist Church delivered Valentine baskets to many of their members and friends, some who are ill and elderly. Former pastor Fowler and Mrs. Fowler, who moved back to Potts Camp and built a lovely new home, delivered some of the baskets. We welcome them back to Potts Camp; we love them. I remember how wonderful he was when I lost my husband.

Mary and Henry Jarrett drove to Tupelo on Valentine’s Day and ate dinner at Red Lobster.

Thanks to Diane Clayton for the nice gift and for her visit. Diane and her family are special friends of mine.

Thoughts

I. The Bible tells us “you shall love your neighbor as yourself; love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:9-10. The antidote to the poison of gossip is love! When we are tempted to pass along a negative word about someone, even if it is true, we should seek God’s help in putting a stop to gossip, and speak a word of love and kindness. God is love and He wants us to love one another.

II. Jesus still calls “come home.” You are never too far away or too far gone to come back to the Father’s love. He stands waiting, just as the father of the prodigal son did, “when he was a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion.” Luke 15:20. “He rejoiced that his son was no longer lost.” Luke 15:32.

III. Don’t put off until tomorrow the loving words you can say today! You may give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

IV. In Matthew 25:34-46, Jesus was teaching about His return. He said that we will be rewarded for giving of ourselves to others in His name. (I’ve found this to be true.)

Prayer of St. Francis (one of my favorites)
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Pastor Don Newton of the Potts Camp Methodist charge called recently; because of sickness in his family he hasn’t visited me recently. I appreciate him, and always enjoy his special prayer for me when he stops by to see me. Get well wishes to those who are ill in his family.

My sister, Ann Potts Hill and husband, Herman of Aberdeen, enjoy The South Reporter, and also our cousin, Sank Owen, who lives there. She called Sunday afternoon; I was glad to hear from her (all our three brothers are deceased).

Happy birthday to David Alderson on Feb. 22; to Korrie Stanton, a former neighbor and Blue Mountain College student on Feb. 23; to Megan Watkins, a sweet girl on Feb. 25; to Jacob Gadd on Feb. 25; to Denise Wilson on Feb. 28; and Karlie Pipkin, a cute little girl, on Feb. 29.

Pray for the sick and lonely, also pray for the service men and women, and for peace.

History and Memories

Many people remember Mr. Kent Marett and his famous country store in Cornersville; he died at age 96 in 1972. Cornersville, where Marshall, Benton and Lafayette counties meet, was once a horse station for stage coaches, and older than Holly Springs. It was incorporated at one time, but later surrendered its charter.

Mr. Kent was the son of Capt. E.J. Marett, who served in the State Legislature before 1900, and helped write the Constitution of the State of Mississippi. He was a civil engineer and surveyed all the land in that area. Capt. Marett fought in the Civil War and was captured and sent to a federal prison camp on Johnson Island in the Mississippi River. He was home after the war.

Supplies for Mr. Kent’s store were shipped by rail to Potts Camp’s depot in the early days. The roads were so bad, a wagon drawn by mules had to be used to pick up the barrels of flour, sugar and large boxes of supplies. He sold everything: hats, shoes, dress material by the yards and all types of medicine. Mr. Kent’s sister, Miss Dott Marett, taught in the county school there until they were consolidated.

I remember the pot bellied stoves sitting in a large box of dirt, with chairs nearby so people could visit. Men sat around it and chewed tobacco. Ben Kirk was Mr. Kent’s helper and later Mr. Nelms.

Later he bought a T Model truck to pick up supplies. I was amused by the old fashioned cheese slicer, coffee grinder and platform scales.

The walls of the store were covered with old fashioned calendars and pictures of bygone days like Phillip Morris Bull Boy, Coca-Colas and other drinks and Garrett Snuff and Gulf Oil products.

I remember when all the people in Cornersville worshiped in one church. Mr. Kent built a Methodist church near his store in 1930; later the Baptists built a nice church and parsonage. The old store still stands and is used for storage. The Marett boys were E.J., Miller and Frank, all deceased. E.J. attended Potts Camp School; the other boys drove to Holly Springs every day. E.J. was our football hero!

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