Grady Lemmons was born on this day in 1909. He was born again at the age of 29. The highlights of his life sound strange in today’s circumstances, but the Lord uses many means to get His work done. The Holy Spirit spoke to Grady’s heart through a radio message one morning at this home in Spartanburg, S.C. He broke down in repentance and faith while walking toward work that morning. Soon the Lord called him into His service and Grady could not say, “No.” He studied for the ministry through his Bible and a correspondence course, eventually becoming a powerful preacher. In 1941 he was invited to be the revivalist at a tent meeting in Shelby, N.C. At the close of the four-week meeting, the Davidson Memorial Baptist Church was organized with 34 charter members. Lemmons pastored that congregation for more than 33 years, during which time it grew to a membership of more than 750. There was a huge men’s Bible class every Sunday; the morning service was blessed with a hundred voice choir, and souls were regularly saved as the gospel was preached. One of the highlights of the year for Davidson Memorial was the annual preacher’s fellowship. Regularly there were more than a hundred ministers and their wives in attendance. Obviously not everyone was privileged to preach, but the meeting was for the hearing of God’s Word more than the thrill of preaching to the large crowds. After a long and serviceable life, Grady Lemmons was laid to rest on July 15, 1988.
– Adapted from This Day in Baptist History III, David Cummins