Elien Isom

The Impact of Clarence

I wish we could claim to have known Clarence Jordan intimately, but my husband knew him slightly at the Southern Baptist Theological seminary where they were both students. He admired him and all that he stood for. After World War II their paths crossed again when he spoke at Saxon Baptist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina (my husband was minister there). Clarence spent the night with us and, of course, talked at length about what he was trying to accomplish at Americus. My husband worked very hard trying to establish better race relations and conditions for poor people. Of course was called a communist by the owners of the cotton mills, and they managed to persuade the workers that they were right, except a few in the Saxon Church who had taken other jobs. We probably would have joined Mr. Jordan in his efforts except that my husband at that time had decided he was a Unitarian and would be freer to speak out in that denomination, which has proven to be true. I was cowardly as we had two small children.

We remember Mr. Jordan as a dedicated Christian who tried to live the teachings of Christ: there are so few. He is right up there in our minds with Martin Luther King, Myles Horton, Will Campbell and a few others. Men who have dedicated their entire lives to trying to bring justice to our society could probably be counted on our fingers.

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