Holy Ground
by Dr. David Campbell
published Jan. 1999 in the
WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE
For the last six years, my family and I have lived in the community of Inman. It is a rural community in Fayette County. In the Inman Church we have members who represent the eighth generation of their family on the Inman Church rolls. In a world where there is a need for a sense of belonging and community, Inman is a wonderful place to live. While many of our surrounding neighborhoods look like you are a step away from downtown Atlanta, Inman still looks like… well… like Inman.
One of our community's native sons is a man named Jim Minter. Some of you might know the name from his years as a sports writer. Others of you may know him from his tenure as managing editor of The Atlanta Journal - Constitution. Jim, a life-long Methodist, is also a former member of the Board of Directors for The Wesleyan Christian Advocate.
Midtown Publishing has just released Jim's first book. It is entitled "Some Things I Wish We Wouldn't Forget : And Others I Wish We Could". The subtitle is "Adventures in goat keeping, big-city newspapering and semi rural living".
The book covers a wide array of topics. There are interesting stories of Georgia politicians. There are insightful chapters covering the newspaper business. There are touching tributes to the World War II generation that will bring a tear to your eye. And there is a classic story about Jim Minter's adventures in goat-keeping, which will make you laugh out loud.
The star of the book, however, is the Inman community. Its history and its people are woven together in a portrait of classic Americana. Some of it is funny. Some of it is touching. There are tributes to residents of Inman who are no longer with us. These include not only Jim's mother, but his Aunt May, who died recently at the age of 109. There are also stories of the Inman from his childhood. Those were the days when cotton was king and the railroad depot was the center of the community. You also read about many people who still call Inman home today.
In short, you will read of a people who raised its sons and daughters as a community. Every child was raised with love and support and the belief that they could do anything they wanted. This helps explain why so many people raised on these farms have gone to success in all areas of life. It is a celebration of the kind of community we all long for, but few find. This theme winds its way through stories that will touch your heart. In the introduction, Terry Kay begins by saying, "Jim Minter is the best story-teller I have ever known…" The stories that follow live up to the praise.
At the end of the book, there is a story about the first Inman Farm Heritage Days. It is a celebration of the history and heritage of our community that takes place during the third weekend of September each year at a local farm. The first year, we did not know what to expect. Most of us did not expect the 6000 people who came to be a part of the weekend. On Sunday morning we held a church service at the farm. My wife sang, "We are standing on holy ground". When you read the book, you will understand why Jim Minter… and many others believe that Inman truly is holy ground.
If you can not find the book in your local bookstore, you can order one by sending $21.00 plus $3.00 for shipping and handling to Inman Farm Heritage Inman, GA 30232. The proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Inman Heritage Trust. It is the author's way of giving back to the community that helped make him, and many others, the people they are today.
To see Jim Minter's book, go to http://www.thecpaforlawyers.com/jimminter
