In our midst is Robert Adams. Robert has been involved in Beatrice Baptist Church since his birth on September 25, 1909. His father was T.H. (Tom) Adams, the local barber. his mother was Vela Ivey Adams. Mrs. Vela taught Sunday School and was the church treasurer for years. She started teaching Robert at a young age to tend to the important things around the church. Robert would come early on Sunday morning to turn the heaters on to be sure that the church was warm. He counted the offering for his mother and he would deposit it into the bank.Robert lived in Beatrice all of his life in his childhood home. He worked for Pap Harper at his store, and later for T.T. Ivey at the Commissary.
Robert was ordained as a deacon in 1957. John Barrow was the pastor at that time. He served as Secretary of Sunday School for over 60 years. Mr. Joe Mason was Sunday School Superindent during much of that time. Many of us can still visualize the two of them standing in the doorway of the little Sunday school office, as we made our way to our classrooms on Sunday mornings. Until shorty before he moved to Camden to live, Robert continued to count the offering, and deposited it into the bank. Robert is single handed responsible for establishing the Cemetery Fund. He gave his own money and encouraged others to give to the fund. He worked to establish a fund that now perpetuates itself. The funds are used for upkeep of the church's cemetery, Pineville Cemetery. Robert went to the cemetery almost daily in order to keep it clean and tidy.
Bro. Terry related the following story about Robert. Shortly after Bro. Terry was called to our church, Robert pulled up in his front yard. Bro. Terry went out to see what he wanted. When he approached the truck, Robert stuck his bible out the window and asked him to sign it. Bro. Terry didn't understand at first, but when he looked at the bible he saw that there was a long list of names in the back of the bible--all names of former pastors. Robert had kept a list of every pastor that has seved Beatrice Baptist Church since his youth.
Another story of Robert and his attention to matters of the church is related by Jerry Steele. An unnamed pastor was being very long winded on Sunday mornings, and there was some discussion among the deacons about how to tactfully let him know that he was keeping the congregation too long on Sundays. The next week there appeared a clock hanging over the doors of the church directly in front of the pulpit and the pastor. Rumor has it that Robert was responsible for hanging the clock there.
Robert is an example for all of us. He gave his all for his church and his Lord, even down to the little details and with a sense of humor , too! He treated the church with more care than his home and he lovingly attended to the needs of the congregation in order that they could worship in comfort.
Robert, we thank you for the years that you have loved this church and the church family. Thank you for your service as Sunday School Secretary, for the fund that you established to maintain the church cemetery, and the many other things that you did , that only you and the Lord know about. You will always be remembered for your faithfulness to the Lord, and to the matters of his Church.
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