Updated 11/23/02
September
In three months “The Banner of Love” will be 54 years old. It is one of the oldest continuing religious publications in the state. We feel strongly about The Banner of Love and hope our readers do also. With the Lord’s blessing, we’ll keep it going at least another 54 years.
We’re writing this because we are making some changes in the Banner. Oh, we have no intention of changing its purpose, or of the fine articles written and submitted by the brothers and sisters. The main purpose will be to continue to serve the interests of Primitive Baptists with scriptural articles and letters of communication about church services and church members. But we are making some changes. However, those changes simply will be to return the Banner to much of the format as it was when it was created years ago.
A bit of history might prove interesting at this point. My great-grandfather got our family started in the newspaper publishing business. Elder W. H. Richards started a Primitive Baptist newspaper called “The Glad Tidings.” He had a great desire to provide communication among church members. He published it for a few years before it ended as an economic victim of the Depression in the late 20’s. What he did do, however, was spark an interest in his son, the Elder H. G. “Hard” Richards, my grandfather, for a publication intended to provide scriptural articles without getting involved in personal battles and church troubles. His opportunity came in December 1932 when a local banker in Anton, Texas, offered him a small newspaper plant, which had been foreclosed. My grandfather assumed the mortgage with no down payment and began hand setting the type (one letter at a time) for a church newspaper. It was my grandmother, Sister Dora Richards, who a selected two verses from the Bible to name the publication: Psalms 60:4 and Songs of Solomon 2:4.
My grandfather was publisher and editor of the Banner from 1932 until 1934 when my father, the late Elder Afton E. Richards, took over as editor and publisher, although my grandfather continued to write many of the doctrinal articles that appeared in the Banner for almost 20 years.
My father labored and prayed many years over his tenure as publisher of the Banner. The actual physical act of getting the newspaper out regularly was a heavy burden at times. I well remember the many late nights and weekends he worked setting the type and feeding the hand letterpresses.
However, in all those years he tried never to let the Banner stray from its original purpose— that of providing scriptural articles and good news of the Primitive Baptist while trying to avoid personal problems and church troubles.
As most of our readers know, my father published the newspaper until his death in June of 1984. He published an issue of the Banner only a few days before he entered the hospital during his final illness. Since his death the Banner has been published by my father’s nephew (and my cousin), Leon Watson. Brother Leon has been of tremendous assistance in the last two years in providing his time and attention with this assistance in publishing the Banner. Our family could not have kept the Banner going without him.
As I now take over the duties as Publisher of the Banner of Love, I must note that I cannot fill the shoes of my father and grandfather. Both were great thinkers, writers and soldiers for the cause of Christ. Although my educational and professional training is in journalism and the law, I feel incompetent and inept to provide what that each of them did through editorial direction with the Banner. I pray the Lord will guide me in continuing the tradition of the Banner to provide His people with the type of publication grounded in His spirit to give good news and solid doctrinal articles.
The Lord has blessed me with a good companion who has had much patience for my many shortcomings. Melba and I ask for your prayers that the Lord will use us for the benefit of His people.
As you will note from the listings in this issue, I have asked a number of others to assist me with the Banner of Love. While I will be publisher and editor, my father’s loyal companion, Sister Opal Richards, who labored at his side the last 15 years, will handle the business, bookkeeping, as managing editor of the Banner. Elders George Johnson, J. A. Rowell, Jr., Billy Walden, G. H. Crain, and Brother Harvey Bass will be Associate Editors and Advisors. We have also asked a number of ministers who provided my father with articles over the years, to continue, their services as Corresponding editors. Other changes you may notice include the Banner heading at the top of the front page. The change in typestyle returns the original heading, which the Banner used for almost 40 years. Additionally, we plan to run many articles from a number of our precious ministers who have provided the Banner with writings from its inception. These we will be excerpting from the past issues of the Banner.
As we continue the Banner, we would greatly appreciate your comments and your written contributions. We ask for your prayers that the Lord will give us His grace and grant us the ability to continue the Banner in His work.