Brother DC

Most of the recollections from my childhood, center around three areas; Play, Work, and Church. I do have many memories about holidays, school, and the occasional vacation, but mostly...it is these areas.

The church I grew up in (and still attend) is the Junction Hill Pentecostal Church. Our church being what many would term "Old Time Pentecostal Holiness", makes for some interesting church services and the opportunity to meet many quaint and unconventional characters.

Sometimes of a warm Sunday evening or Wednesday night, we would pull up into church parking lot (always early...none of this late business for the Riggs') and someone had beat us there! Not a regular member, now mind you, but a car that was unlike any other. It could have been a Nash Rambler car or station wagon, maybe an old Studebaker, I really can't remember the brand. But I do recall the general appearance... There was a huge sign, strapped to the top of the car with the words "REPENT!" or "JESUS IS COMING" lettered on it. The old car would be plastered with sticker signs of scripture verses and sundry other slogans of warning or assurance.

Inside the car, kicked back, with his head resting against the seat, asleep, was Brother D.C. Williamson. Now...we never called him Brother Williamson, in the time honored tradition...Certainly not Reverend Williamson (although he was a preacher.)

It was simply "Brother DC" (although we didn't know what the "DC" stood for).

Note the tract "Jesus (is) Coming Soon" in his pocket!

Brother DC was a street preacher. He went from town to town, community to community, state to state, passing out tracts and preaching the Gospel message on the sidewalks, in city parks, at street intersections, on the roadside...anywhere there were people to hear his message! I remember a conversation relayed to me by a former pastor, that he had had with Brother DC. They were talking about the "good" places to street preach and Brother DC gave this tidbit of information; "Now Brother Leon (Farley), you know that stop light at (streets in Tulsa or Oklahoma City)? That light stays red for almost a minute! You have a whole minute to preach to them while they're just sitting there waiting for the light to change!!" That, my friends, is dedication and a burning desire to reach for the sinner!

I always loved to see Brother DC stop by the church but it wasn't because of his preaching ability. What he lacked in eloquence he more than made up for by having a sweet and humble spirit. He would preach with tear-filled eyes and you couldn't help but respond to his gentle invitation.

I don't remember a lot about his physical appearance, except that he appeared to be part Indian and was always kind of bedraggled and wrinkled looking. The reason for this could have been that his *wife did not travel with him. Oh...the one thing I'll ALWAYS remember about his appearance...He had a big "growth" on his left ear!

Not only was he a "Soldier of the Cross" but he also served in the United States Army during World War II. He is buried in Hartville Cemetery, near the town of Hardesty, in the Oklahoma panhandle.

My heroes are not sports figures, actors, duck call makers and certainly not the present crop of political windbags... My heroes are men like David Clovis Williamson - "Brother DC"... Men that go about their business without fanfare or applause, knowing their payment is not on this earth... But realizing that they will be paid abundantly in Heaven's currency.

*I have visited with several people about Brother DC's martial status. Most believe that he was married but his wife left/divorced him when he started preaching. If someone has more information please comment.