Ol' Time Religion

My folks had very strict rules, both moral and religious. We were not allowed to "sass" or talk back to parents or anyone older than we were. We were not allowed to swear, cuss or use bad language of any type. Church was our main place to go.

If we did not have church at our home church, Scott's Chapel, a Freewill Baptist Church, we were allowed to go to the Methodist Church or Church of God of Prophecy, a new movement in our neighborhood.

We thought the latter very odd. The members spoke in an "unknown tongue," danced in the spirit, handled fire, and even handled copperhead snakes. So to be honest, we went not to worship, but to see what they would do next.

Once they decided the Lord wanted them to "rebuke the devil" out of people. One night it happened to be my good little Baptist grandma's turn. Two or three ladies were in a state of what they called "under the power." They sort of danced up to my grandma and started beating her with their fists, tearing her dress open to the waist.

By this time my grandma was up on the pew with her feet. She forgot she was a good Baptist, I think, for she started hitting back. She did a good job of fighting off about three women.