By Faith and By Love
Martin and Mabel’s Journey
Beverly England Williams
By Faith and By Love
Martin and Mabel’s Journey
Copyright © 2014 Beverly England Williams. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.
Resource Publications
An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3
Eugene, OR 97401
www.wipfandstock.com
ISBN 13: 978-1-62564-514-2
EISBN 13: 978-1-63087-763-7
Manufactured in the U.S.A. 08/08/2014
Sources for this book include family letters, reports and letters from Burma to the Foreign Mission Board, the Baylor University Oral History Project, and the American Baptist Historical Society. Used with permission.
Although he was named Jasper in memory of his grandfather, he never liked the name and went by his middle name, Martin, or by J. Martin. To the end of his life, however, he tried to honor Jasper and the man who had saved Jasper’s life. This is Martin’s story, and the tale of a cautious, yet brave, woman for stood by his side for fifty-five years.
By faith and by love may you go. From a note Mabel slipped into Martin’s suitcase as he was leaving to observe the March on Selma, Alabama early in 1965.
For Mabel and Martin’s grown-up grandchildren
Margaret Eileen (Peg)
David Alan
Martha Lynn
Kenneth England (Ken)
Charles Martin (Chas)
Benjamin Louis (Ben)
and for their great grandchildren
Pictures and Letters
1. Martin and Lizzie May – 1905
2. Martin and Liz – 1909
3. Mabel and friends – 1918 (Mabel is Farthest Right in the Middle Row)
4. Photos of Martin – high school to 1932
5. Yancey Collegiate Institute baseball team
6. Excerpt of early letter from Martin to Mabel
7. Mabel – Summer 1930
8. Martin to Mabel’s parents – August 1933 (4 pages)
9. Excerpt Mabel to Martin – planning a wedding by mail, September 1933
10. Mabel to Martin – October 15, 1933
11. Mabel’s wedding portrait – October 21, 1933
12. Martin and Mabel sightseeing – late November 1933
13. From Mabel, a letter home
14. Anniversary note from Martin – October 21, 1939
15. Menu, farewell dinner S.S. President Coolidge, November 1939
16. Reunions, 1939 and 1940
17. Mabel, Birmingham, Alabama, July 1941
18. Excerpt of letter, Martin in New York, July 1945
19. Excerpt of letter, Mabel to her mother, 19 July 1945
20. Foreign Service letter – 5 January 1946 and letter to family (2 pages)
21. Excerpt of letters from Mabel to Martin – 22 January 1946
22. Excerpt of postcard to Mabel’s parents – November 1946
23. Invitation to State Dinner on 19 December 1948
24. “Here and There: Family News” (3 pages)
25. Notes from Martin to Mabel