The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee (original) (raw)

i I Hllillllllllliilw) ftJsv I fly f' (lk He has baptized 40,000 people, Negro and white, from Shelbyville to Singapore. Sometimes he converts whole congregations, building and all. This makes some people angry. He has been hit on the head with brass knuckles. The KKK has interrupted his services.

His philosophy: "You can't get religion. You have got to do religion!" 7 111 II Says Keeble: "Religion has a hard time during prosperity, like now!" tfl nd the rd Evangelist Keeble and his wife, Laura, at the door of Nashville Christian Institute By George Barker Phoos by Cerald Holly and Houston Exell of the current century through wars, peace, poverty and prosperity. He insisted, last week, that both the man and the message have been more polished than worn by the abrasions of time. "It's a mystery to me how I keep going, why my health stays so good," he said. "Of course, I thank God for that.

I guess I'm needed here. "Religion has a hard time during times of prosperity, like now. Teople are fooled into thinking they are self-sufficient, that they don't need help. Some people have to learn the hard way this isn so. fine.

It's their parents who worry me Stay close lo jour enemies; they can't hurt you there The Gospel is an ambulance bringing the sick to the hospital His friendly, "easy" approach to religion has won the Church of Christ thousands of converts over the years. Among his satisfactions is the baptizing of white students at Church of Christ colleges. He once spoke at a Chester County school-house where 40 responded to the invitation. When Brother Keeble speaks of conversion be often refers to persons he has converted from other faiths. It Is Inevitable, therefore, that Keeble Is known as well in many towns for his piracy as his piety.

His powers of persuasion must be tremendous. He has gone Into some towns and converted entire congregations, "building and all," while hardly raising his voice. He avoids emotionalism. "There Is logic in my position," he says. "If we forget all about salvation and the hereafter which I don't intend to do if we forget all about that and just live as Jesus taught for the sake of our time here on earth, just think how much better off we'll lie! If you can't accept it, on faith, accept it for here and now.

1 tell you, you have nothing to lose!" TIIK approach Is good, Keeble says. People don't wake up the next morning to regret. "When I convert somebody, they stay converted." He relies on neither hypnosis nor hysteria. "Went into Bradenton, not too long ago and took a whole group," Keeble says with quiet pride. "Took them all except maybe three or four (Please turn to page 15l THE OLD colored man stepped purposefully across the steel and marble foyer of the Life Casualty Tower, boarded an express elevator to the 27th floor, and left a wake of smiling secretaries as he sailed smoothly into harbor, the carpeted office of A.

M. Burton. There were the warm sounds of friendly greeting. The hum of casual conversation and the laughter of old men. And finally, a prayer-like silence.

Marshall Keeble, president emeritus of Nashville Christian Institute, and A. M. Burton, president emeritus of Life Casualty Insurance, have more in common than their age (83), their frequent meetings or their emerituses. "Together we do the Lord's work," Keeble says with unrestrained enthusiasm, "We're sort of' a double-play combination for the Lord. I don't mind traveling to deliver the Word, and Brother Burton doesn't mind paying the fare.

I often say I would rather have friends than money provided my friends have money!" Both men get a big laugh over that. Burton, on of the founders of says that while many have contributed there is only one Keeble. From whichever side of the thoologlr.il fence lie is viewed, Evangelist Keeble is incredible. If for no other reason, there's the sheer durability of the man: "I was just 18 when I delivered my first sermon at the Jackson Street Church of Christ right here in Nashville," he said. "That would make it lS'JO-something, wouldn't it?" In 181)7, when Brother Keeble started preaching, Marconi and Ford and the Wright brothers arid Madam Curie were unknown as were Billy Sunday Aimee Semple McPherson and Gipsy Smith.

When Carrie Nation started swinging against liquor in 1900, Brother Keeble was preaching 10 sermons a week. He still is. He has personally baptized more than 40,000 persons from Shelbyville to Singapore (he has been around the world twice) and started more tinn churches, most but not all of them Negro congregations in the South. Brother Keeble has few of the obvious sparkling magic qualities often associated with dynamic evangelists, revivalists or reformers. He looks like a 50-year-old welterweight with a comfortable suit, a soft hat, a friendly face and an easy smile His magnetism hides Inside.

On the subject of his health, he reluctantly ume accunted for certain small erosions Half his right index finger was lost in his teens while at work In a Nashville soap factorv. His right eye is artificial a cataract operation went awry. His conversational voice is a little feathery but Keeble insists it returns to full strength when he steps to the lectern. His grammer is excellent but have the feeling he tailors it to his audi-we. ever misunderstands me," he says.

His wife, Laura, says Keeble has to watch his diet now in deference to a diabetic condition. And the evangelist admits he gives the Lord all the heli) he can in keeping himself healthy-for instance, he does much of his Florida missionary work in the late winter months. "I believe there's too many who feel you have to grit your teeth and make hard work out of religion," he said. "That's not right. They ask me, Hi other Keeble, how can I get I tell them, you can't get religion, you have to do religion.

"The more simple religion Is, the more beautiful and meaningful it is in your heart. The Lord said My yoke is easy. All my burdens are UNLESS he is requested to speak on a particular subject, Keeble no longer makes any advance hls Iks. When he stands be-foie the people he knows what to say. 'Treah the live the Gospel, and somebody will obey Hi us says.

Ills major themes call for faith, repentence and baptism and a typical sermon wil evoke as many tears of regret as joy. Some samples: tn'7hierSupvemf Court lake Pi avlnp out, of want the Supreme Court messing it up touch' youU. everybod'J 5'0Ur emmien can't rnn'DTwfbMme the water don't hi ini 1 ''ame your prayers if they don't do fin 6 t0 havo 8omcthing behind i ilUr rb Ur, imAvvs capacity audiences, while and colored, to such places as the audi-torium in Dallas. He preaches with equal fervor to a couple dozen Negroes silting on crossties in a Mississippi swamp. Keeble has been carrying on thus during all Keeble's wages for preaching-some fruit NIGERIA: a goat and about teen-agers.

They're NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN MACAZ MEMAkCri" 29, 1 S64 Keeble's preaching converted these people in Africa, and they were baptized in a running stream THE NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN MACAZTnE," MARCH 29," 1961.