EULOGY A DISTINGUISHED PASTOR/BIBLE TEACHER. DR VERNON ELMORE

Like Enoch, Dr Elmore walked with God - and was not- for God took him.

Vernon Elmore was a gracious, gentlemanly father among his people.

We honour him for his distinguished bible teaching and passionate preaching over a lifetime of fruitful ministry.

Thank God for his faithful teaching for our dear daughter, Ruth, and husband Mac, who grew in the Lord under such ministry.

Dr Elmore greatly influenced their son and our grandson, Ian, and led him to a personal faith in our Lord, baptized him, and introduced him into the life of the 1^st Baptist Corpus Christi. He encouraged Ian in his organ playing, opening doors for him to substitute for the appointed organist. He nourished Ian's ambitions to devote himself to a ministry of godly music.

Vernon Elmore pioneered live and cable television from the 1st Baptist church Corpus Christi. This gave ministry to our son-in-law Mac Aipperspach, who supervised the recording of each Sunday morning programme, facilitating the Word of God as it moved into many homes. Our daughter Ruth typed the hymns so that the home listeners could sing together with the congregation.

On his retirement from active ministry, Vernon Elmore’s Bible class showed his deep love for his Lord- and his intimate knowledge of Scripture. He generously illustrated his studies with many personal accounts of his learning the ups and downs of his intimate walk with his Lord. He lovingly welcomed Gwenda and me to his class, requesting that we tell them of the Lord's goodness from 'down under.' He was highly regarded and deeply loved by those to whom he had been pastor and friend for a generation.

His writing for the Southern Baptist Sunday school movement gave regular entrance into millions of young and older lives. Only eternity will reveal how many were touched with the hand of the Lord from Vernon Elmore's writing. His scholarship was apparent in his preaching and writing.

The visits to Vernon's home to meet him and Peggy, his beloved, will be fragrant memories: we talked over the ways of our Lord, past finding out.

He spoke of his deep love for Lord Jesus and the great truths of the salvation he had preached; the hope of our Lord Jesus' near return; and the bodily resurrection. These were precious moments.

Vernon Elmore is 'absent from the body; present with the Lord.' He joined that great throng around the throne, singing 'WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN.'