Born to Preach

I believe that in each of us, from an early age, there is something we want to do with our lives and something we truly believe in. Most of the time these dreams change for various reasons. From the time I was very young I wanted to be a Police Officer and wouldn't even play cops and robbers as a child unless I could be the cop. I was scared that one day the police would find out I was a robber and I couldn't be a real officer. I was one of the lucky ones able to follow through on that passion and live it. My Grandfather had wanted me to follow him and preach. I knew this wasn't what I was called to do and a few years before he passed away I was finally able to tell him this. He only told me to, "Go where the Lord leads you."

I believe, and he knew, that he was born to preach and would not let anything stand in the way. His stories told of this passion and knowing what he was called to do from as early as he could remember. The following couple of stories are from his early memories.

Each story is as told by Happy Tom Brooks in his own words.

I Cried All Day

In the year 1904, I was four years old and I was crying. My oldest brother told me if I would go all day without crying, he would give me a half a days work, that's what he made in a half a day. I didn't get the money because I had rather have a congregation to preach to than to have the offering. I was crying for my brothers and sisters to sit down and listen to me preach.

My First Revival-I Got Saved

My Mother and Mag was off washing. They washed clothes for a living. I was eleven years old and I was setting down on the chopping block at the wood pile. I was thinking if there was anything I could do about getting a job to help Mother to feed and clothe us kids. I couldn't think of anything I could do to make any money to help and I began to cry. Then I cried and said, "Lord is there any good thing I can do?" and something told me to go down behind the fodder stack and preach. I got down behind the fodder stack and went to preaching and I got saved. I went back to the house and told Nannie and the other children there at the house that I was going to have church down behind the fodder stack. They said, "Who is going to preach?" I said, "I am." They began to get ready and I went down and fixed some seats and a altar. My subject was, "If you want to see your good old mother in heaven, you've got to get right with God." Nannie got to crying so loud I couldn't preach for her. I said, "Come on to the alter and pray." Nannie came on and knelt down at the altar and we began to pray. Nannie lifted her little bony hands and said, "I love everybody." Nannie said, "This is too good to keep a secret, let's tell Mother and Mag about it." That evening we done up all the night work. When Mother and Mag come in from washing they set down and rested. Mother said, "Nannie, have you got supper ready?" Nannie said, "Yes." "Have you fed the hogs? Have you got in the fire wood and the kindling?" We said, "Yes, all the night work is done." Then I said, "Mother, let's pray." We all knelt down on our knees to pray. While we were praying Mother got saved. While we were praying she got to shouting and running over the chairs in the house. That was my first successful revival.

My Friend, My Hero, My Grandfather

Rev. Thomas "Happy Tom" and Entha Brooks

When I was growing up I had very few people I could look up to as a role model. My Dad was never home and by the time he did show up he was at least drinking, if not drunk. He would get mean when he was drinking, not so much to us children, but to my mom, going so far as putting a pistol in her mouth and threatening her. More than one time I had to sneak out of the house and have a neighbor call police. He never was arrested over these incidents because he was friends with most of the officers. They would either just calm him down and threaten to take him to jail if they came back or take him somewhere for the night. There was constant arguing and fighting in our house and that seemed to be the norm around our entire  neighborhood. I knew I couldn't live like that. I didn't want to follow in those footsteps. I never knew my father as a "Dad." My mother and father finally divorced when I was ten and after that I very seldom saw him. After being discharged from the Navy I went to work as a Police Officer in Greenwood, SC where he was living. He still drank heavily but his attitude had mellowed. We never had a "Father/Son" relationship but did, in later years, become friends.

I did have two people in my life I really looked up to and they inspired me in different ways. First there was my older, half-brother, Eddie who pushed me in everything I did. He taught me to always push myself and never give up. To go after what I wanted and not let anyone tell me I couldn't do whatever I wanted in life. The second was my Grandfather. He is the subject of this blog.

He was my real hero and role model. He was the point of stability I needed in my life. As a child I would go to see my mother's family frequently. Occasionally I would stay with my Grandmother and Grandfather for a couple of days to a week at a time on their farm in Hodges, just north of Greenwood, SC. It was a totally different world there. I would see the way they treated each other, the respect and real love. My Grandfather would reach over and pat my Grandmother on the back as we were riding down the road and tell her, "You know I love you Mommy." She would look back at him and just smile. He would then laugh out loud. They were deeply in love and didn't mind the world seeing it. I never heard a cross word between them. If they did ever argue they kept it from us kids. He worked hard on the farm and preached hard at church and revivals around the country. He believed in the Lord with all his heart and I know with all my heart the Lord believed in him.

I know he was only a man and made mistakes in his life as we all do but, in my eyes he walked on water.

About this time of year, seventeen years ago, I met my future in-laws for the first time. I was nervous and hoping to fit in. They were good, God fearing people and as we talked before dinner they mentioned their Church and it was a Church of God in Saluda. I casually mentioned that my Grandfather was a Church of God Minister and they asked who he was. They knew him and loved him. They had been to revivals he had preached. I learned that Diane's Uncle, who was also a Church of God Minister, knew him and had gone to hear him preach. I knew that he was well known, liked and respected in and around Greenwood but I didn't know just how far his legacy went. I was really surprised that a backwoods farmer and preacher had touched so many people and made such a positive influence in their lives.

Only us "older folks" remember him now as he died in 1975. I don't want his memory to fade or disappear completely, if nothing more than in the hearts and minds of his descendants. At the very least I want my children and their children to know who he was and the miracles he lived through his total commitment to our Lord. If others find this blog and it helps them to know him that will be wonderful.

The "Experiences" of Happy Tom Brooks

"These Experiences were written as told to us by Happy Tom Brooks. They are written in the same words as he himself would have related them to you. We have neither changed nor added to his life story. We felt that it needed to be written so that others could share the wonderful things God did for him. We hope that as you read it, you will feel the need to draw closer to God and that you will be truly blessed as we have been thru writing it. Happy Tom Brooks was truly one of the greatest men in the Church of God and we, his children, feel he is one of the greatest men we have ever known. We hope that our children and the generations to come will be able to tell the experiences of their Grandfather and Great Grandfather through this book. We love him, and deeply respected and appreciated the life that he lived."

Darleen Brooks Davis

I don't know how often I will get to update as I do have very little time to write but I will keep it coming as often as possible. I do hope that everyone who finds and enjoys this will sign on as a follower of this blog. Please feel free to make comments and I would appreciate anyone with any information on Reverend Thomas "Happy Tom" Brooks to contact me, either through this blog or email me direct at: tdtaylor83@aol.com. Please put Happy Tom Brooks in the subject line so I know that it is not spam.

Thank You for reading.