My Daddy - William Henry Wood

My Daddy - William Henry Wood

by Estelle Nazary

(Aunt Nell, I hope you don't mind. I got this devotional from your book "The Ups and Downs of Our Lives" by Ora Rachel Gregg Wood and William Henry Wood. I thought it was so good!)

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" Hebrews 11:1. Thus states the writer of Hebrews.

This brief record gives the story of a man filled with this faith, exemplified by his life in his efforts for the risen Savior of the world.

Near Sullivan's Hollow in Smith County lived a poor, conscientious farmer, tilling the soil of the Maker. Nothing unusual appeared to be in the life of this young man. Neighbors thought of him as an honest, hardworking boy, but no great character was he in their eyes. God, however, had other plans and saw greater potentialities in this young man than did his neighbors.

Leaving Bay Springs, Mississippi, as the poorest man in the entire county, hardly owning more than the clothes on his back, and returning 25 years later as the Associational Missionary is a miracle few people can boast of.

William Henry Wood, adorned with talents endowed by his Heavenly Maker, has accomplished manifold achievements for his Lord.

This poor, roughly clad young man, the husband of Ora Rachel Gregg, and the father of six children at the time, saw a vision as did Isaiah of old, and answered, "Here am I, Lord, send me."

After replying to God in this manner, he auctioned off all his farm equipment and paid his debts, leaving him the gracious amount of $29.00, and entered school at Clarke College.

People on every hand discouraged this determined young man. Even his own family turned against him. He had entered politics, running for Supervisor in that section of Smith County and was assured a victory. But with a promising future before him, he listened to the still small voice of God and turned his back on these things and set his face toward the sun. It was far from a bed of ease he had chosen, but he was happy, knowing he was following God's will.

God sent a period of testing to this young man, even as he did to Kagawa, the great Japanese missionary, when he denounced wealth and went to the slums to serve God. Soon after arriving there, a son of poverty, suffering from a serious case of contagious itch, came and asked to spend the night. The only place for him was to share Kagawa's bed and bedding.

Kagawa looked at the itch blotches from head to toe on the man's body, and he thought, "This is God testing me," and he gladly made him his bedfellow.

Thus did W.H. Wood go through a decided period of testing, but it proved that he had faith enough to stand the test and some to spare.



My Great Grandfather...Wow... Every time I read this devotional, I long to tell more of his story. I think he and Ora (my "Granny") made incredible sacrifices for our Lord. Even with so many obstacles, you would think he would have doubted his calling, but he pressed forward. He had only finished the 6th grade and felt a calling. He packed up his family with hardly anything and moved to attend Clarke College 6 weeks into the 1st semester. I would have quit at that point. 6th grade education, a wife, 6 kids, no money, etc... but not Henry. It took him 5 years to finish high school and two years of college. 5 hard years! He then went on to finish his education at Mississippi College. From 1931 to May 1939, Henry had attended school and finally finished 8 years later. The family had suffered so much from sickness to hunger. There is so much more to tell about the struggles they endured during this time. Lots of testing...But Henry knew he was in God's will and went on to serve and greatly influence not only his own family, but countless others. I hope to learn more to share about the incredible testimony of W.H. and Ora Wood!