THE DAY I STREET PREACHED AT FALWELL'S COLLEGE
My songwriting buddy, Cecil Null of "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever
Know" fame, lived in Lynchburg and we were visiting him and his
dear wife, Annette.
I don't know what came over me but I got to wanting to street preach at
his college. So one morning I told my wife to grab her camera and go
with me. She could tell I was into my goofy self and insisted on knowing
where we were going but I refused to tell her, knowing her sanity would
kill the idea.
In front of Liberty College, they have a huge sign. Actually it's
Liberty University. The sign has an eagle on it and a large flat rock in
front of the eagle. It all sits on a triangular knoll with students
coming and going all the time.
I ascended the large flat rock and ranted for about a half hour with my
wife shooting pictures and watching for the cops to appear. I raved
about TV preachers with silly little grins, about Paul being struck down
on the road to Nebraska, about the Good Cemetarian, and quoted
extensively from the prophet Hezekiah about these being the
next-to-the-last days.
It was a big letdown. Those students are so accustomed to street
preachers, not one of them stopped to listen. I screamed myself hoarse
for nothing.
But I did make a tape of my rants and Cecil gave it to one of the
students who worked the desk at the motel where I was staying. He
fell in love with it and brought a large group of his friends and family
to the motel to meet me. He said I was one of his heroes. He was
studying for the ministry. It's a comfort to know at least one
Falwellian out there somewhere in the world has a good sense of humor.
Maybe it's a reflection on the limitations of my life and enculturation,
but it was one of the most fun things I have ever done. It ranks up
there with hiding Grandma's false teeth for a week...but that's another
story. And it ended with my little hiney getting striped.