The REAL PEOPLE  who may have been the inspiration for  the book                  “GONE WITH THE WIND”

 The book, Scarlett, tells the story of what the author thought might have happened after the novel “Gone With The Wind” ended.  Rummaging around in history this may be the truth.

  What is not commonly known was that the Civil War novel  may not have been just imagination set in a moment of history.  It was or might have been based on real people whose lives did go on after the late great dispute between the states.

   The real person given the name in the book, Rhett Butler, could have been named Rhett Turnipseed. Yes there is also the other half,  a Scarlett O’Hara, but her real name was Emelyn Louise Hannon.  Rhett did leave her after confessing his love for her to join the Confederate army.  He had been running  the blockade before that and amassed considerable wealth.

   The events of what happened to these two has been a somewhat secret of the Turnipseed family, but all of this was recently made known in a column by Wesley Pruden in the Washington Times. It seems that following the Civil War, Rhett became a drifter, a gambler, and an alcoholic. It happened that he was in Nashville on a Easter morning, 1871 and stumbled into a Methodist revival meeting. He was moved by what he heard, enough so it changed his life. As he put it later, he had been converted to the Christian faith.

   Rhett soon after felt called to the ministry, and attended divinity classes at Vanderbuilt University. He was ordained a pastor and was appointed to ride a circuit in rural Kentucky.

   Rhett and Scarlett’s memory paths crossed again at this time. As the family tells the story, Reverend Rhett was worried about a young woman he had only heard about from a member of her family.  She had run away, and gossip had it that she was working in a house of prostitution in St. Louis. The Circuit Rider preacher went looking for her.

   He found that the rumors were true when he located her in a house of ill repute. The problem that stopped him was the Madame of the house was not about to let her go. Rhett speaking with the young lady discovered that she was none other than his former love, Scarlett – or Emelyn Louise Hannon. 

   Rhett having been a gambler, challenged the madam to a game of cards. If he won, Emelyn would be free to leave, and win he did, which according the family records he did so with a royal straight flush, an ace, king, queen, jack and ten of spades which he dubbed: “God’s own hand”.

  Emelyn (Scarlett) now freed, left employment in the field of prostitution, and later married well. She was later converted and joined the Methodist Church. She in her later years opened an orphanage for Cherokee children, and died in 1903. Her mission is noted on her grave stone.

   As is often the case, truth is very much stranger than fiction. The truth here is that God moves in the lives and hearts of we who are His creation and this is our hope for ourselves and our world today because He still does change lives when we in our free well choose to follow God’s invitation to choose life.       

Forgiveness for a Christian

Forgiveness for a Christian

There are incidents that have happened in all of our lives but for dumb luck or Divine intervention, our existence would be very or vastly different. My mother wanted me to be proficient on the violin, of which there was no chance. But I did give me an awareness of my hands and use of my fingers. Because of my violin lessons for seven years, I truly appreciate the instrument in the hands of a master.

Working construction as a teenager on the Lytel Flood control I came close to losing both of my hands but for the intervention of a black co-worker. I am ashamed to say I do not remember his name. Another man working up top either on purpose, or by unawareness, set in motion a situation that would have cost me my hands if it were not for this unnamed co-worker. This man working above was both mean and vulgar, and in my thinking at that time, very capable of doing the deed.

It is easy without any thought to be thankful to someone who has saved you from harm, or in my case, the loss of my hands. But to forgive a person who either didn’t care, or would get some perverted pleasure out of such an act, is hard to understand or to consider forgiveness.

The Christian faith has stated in its all of its creeds, as they should as Jesus did teach us, to forgive as we are forgiven. What if we do not? He clearly taught us that if we do not forgive, then our sins would not be forgiven. Sin separates us from the only hope for eternity we have, and it separates us from the only One who has the words, authority, and gift of life to give. No part of the teaching of Jesus is clearer, and I can find no exception to what He has taught us concerning this subject.

He does not tell us we are to forgive other people’s evil done toward us provided such acts are not too frightful or there are extenuating circumstances, stupid or perverted. We are instructed to forgive them all, however spiteful, however mean, and however often they it is repeated. Maybe the best reason in the world I can think to do this is if we do not, we retain our own sins.

My only hope is that God’s grace is greater than my sin. The Bible tells me that it is. But I know that sin separates me from God, and in so doing, sin separates me from life in eternity. So, believe me, I have forgiven this man who may have wanted to do me harm. Who knows, maybe he took a dislike to me when I bowed my head and said grace before I ate my lunch that noon.

Forgotten bits of our history

Abigail Adams, concerned about the private behavior of a few of Colonies' Patriots, wrote to her friend, Mercy Warren:

"A patriot without religion, in my estimation, is as great a paradox as an honest man without the fear of God. Is it possible that he whom no moral obligations bind, can have any real Good Will towards Men? Can he be a patriot who, by an openly vicious, conduct, is undermining the very bonds of Society?....The Scriptures tell us righteousness exalteth a Nation."

Warren- Adams Letters 1 Page 72