Not the activist Jack Minnis of SNCC, but the Jack Minnis of Powelton Village, Philadelphia, "a loving, funny, wonderful man who is deeply missed' as his obit says. Phd in American Civilization from the U of Pennsylvania, who taught at Drexel along the way as advisor and friend of many, and of the lit mag, the Gargoyle from its inception in 1961 until about 1966 when he became chairman of the English department of the newly founded Philadelphia Community College, he finished his doctorate in 1963 with a dissertation on Joseph Stevens Buckminster: A Critical Study. 1784-1812, the minister as a man of letters, bluest of the blue bloods in every way and a paradigm of its later type:
"He learned Latin and the Greek New Testament at age four, entered Harvard College at 13, and graduated in 1800 at age 16 with both bachelor's and master's degrees. Upon his graduation, he spent two years as an instructor at Phillips Exeter Academy.[3] In 1805 he became minister of the Brattle Street Church in Boston, and quickly launched an almost legendary career of eloquent preaching, biblical scholarship, and literary production which set the tone for the pattern of the minister as a man of letters...His mastery of the emerging "New Criticism" from German Biblical scholars led to his rational investigation of the Bible, subjecting its text to the same scrupulous scholarly investigation given other texts from antiquity"
Jack's work on Buckminster is referenced in dissertations completed of American Literature, Vol. 36, No. 2 (May, 1964), pp. 257-259 (3 pages)
Jack had advised the Gargoyle from 1961 but it was three years later that I became involved in that effort. I met Jack in the 6th term, the moderns, of the mandatory humanities program at Drexel that he taught, then elected a class in the modern novel with him in the fall of 1962, when at that time I declared that I wanted to write. I was not precocious in any way, just a middle class kid who had worked in Pittsburgh factories who knew nothing of what he later found out, like his family had been Mennonites in Philadelphia from 1700, but was nonetheless about to embark to Central America to work for Editorial Caribe of the Latin American Mission, for two co-op terms, so six months. The lesson of my life is only believe and all these things will be added, as appears in Humanyte, to appear, where "all human beings are geniuses." Before this at Drexel I had studied for two years, two nights a week, in the evening program of the Philadelphia College of Bible, chaired by Charles Ryrie then, who spoke in chapel often (1958-62) and later was professor and dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, and in depth study of the book of Matthew with Clarence E. Mason and Romans with Andrew Telford, once pastor of the Factoryville Church, where Ladoit Stevens also served later, who I worked with in Editorial Caribe, so not without influence. From that study and a radical experience known among renaissance believers, a catastrophic conversion right out
of the 16th century, where “the man who has passed through feels like one who has
walked from nightmare into ecstasy…all the initiative has been on God’s side;
all has been free, unbounded grace...Bliss is not for sale, cannot be earned.
It is faith alone that has saved him; faith bestowed by sheer gift. From this
buoyant humility, this farewell to the self with all its good resolutions,
anxiety, scruples, and motive-scratchings, all the Protestant doctrines
originally sprang." (C.S. Lewis. English Literature in the Sixteenth
Century, 32f). I was drawn further and further where "if any one
be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all
things are become new." These are the people I belong among.
That explains my evening studies, that set up living in Central America, prefaced by this expressed desire to write mentioned to him just before departure, and probably my love of the Elizabethans. This was his last letter 19 May 1963 with some Buckminster in the wings. I initially took it humorously and still do, but it seems to be more socially relevant to me at 84 than it did whenever it was reread, as does Ecclesiastes 3: 15 and the whole of chapter 3 remembered in his relation, for I knew him well after two classes: "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and Elohim requires that which is past" (Traina)
If you figure that out you go toward the salvation of "an impression, like a wave of electricity going through
and through me. It seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love for I
could not express it any other way. It seemed like the very breath of
God. It seemed to fan me like immerse wings" (Charles Finny) that together with what Abraham Godshalk says, that "regeneration, at
least in its commencement, is a work of the mind, and when it first takes
place, it has the lusts of the flesh, yea, all the evil inclinations to war
against; and even ignorance itself, together with the temptations and
allurements from without," will see you through.
The Letter
Dear Andy,
1. School begins 24 June for enrollment of students; classes start 25 June.
2. I don't know what I'll be teaching-or even if I'll be teaching. We'll probably know on the 24th.
I turned Night and Creation into the contest. If you will--good; if you don't, nothing lost. I'll be able to get them back after the contest. I will not be much help to you as a critic of your poetry. I'll ask Mr. Hollis to look at them; he is a good critic. As far as I can see, you had the inspiration, but lack the discipline of a practicing poet (rhyme, rhythm, alliteration etc).
don't worry about Russian novels until you get back to Phila. Arrange to keep your face clean, instead. You might also arrange for a fast get away if necessary.
So long as man has the ability to use his reason, he will continue to question any religion. It is a part of existence to continue questioning. Your personal faith is a precious thing which like most things of any value needs polishing periodically. Polish it with some serious questioning. Chances are that the result will be a deeper sheen instead of a smashed crystal.
What we have most to dread is that we use our religion as an excuse when refusing to use our reason. There are so many students at Drexel- and elsewhere too-whose religious belief is such an excuse. This sort of laziness leads only to stagnation. If a religious belief is not strong enough to withstand serious criticism, then it is probably not a very valuable asset.
[ I smile at this as I type, for from the first moment I have been caught up in the electric every moment, every day since, throughout some 60 years, and through it all never question or doubted.]
One thing I think you will observe as you go along is that more people are devoted to the frills than to what you term "pure Xnty." For those who stress the necessity of being a good Christian and participating in church activities are often more interested in participating than being. Each of us must find some area in which we can be unique, superior. Hopefully, this area is one demanded by society so we can make a living doing what we want. The church is an excellent place for weak people to find fulfillment. {It is so easy to be righteous} So you are going to find a strange bunch of bedfellows. Do not allow this to dissuade you, though. There are such people in many fields--and as far as this being a Christ-less century-- I think it is more irreligious than any other, but certainly not void of Christian emphasis. You must note that the hold on morality which the church once had is gone. This makes it seem much more irreligious than it probably is. However, a decrease in the importance of the churches in moral matters doesn't necessarily mean an accompanying drop in belief in Christ.
For example, Mr. Bauland, a Jew, probably does more to arouse Christian feeling than any other teacher at Drexel. By blasting without mercy (and often without validity) at the smugness of the church he strips off layers of frill and makes people question their religion--many for the first time. Let them become atheists for a few years; they'll change as soon as the uniqueness wears off. Then they base their belief on something solid. Besides, his life (when people aren't looking) is probably more Christian than 90% of church members!
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Jack Minnis
To comment, he means well to have written so much and I still appreciate it, but, shades of the German critics that Buckminster introduced, I sat in seminary classes at the Seminario Biblico while there, in New Testament and in Greek, with Ricardo and Irene Foulkes and there heard the complete Schweitzer, Renan and Bultmann lineup about historicity. Ricardo, a Julliard pianist before Professor, befriended me. We went weight lifting together and to the Opera, where he had performed. He finished his doctorate in Strasbourg just when I finished the M.A. at Iowa and we corresponded thereafter. Such folk were interested in what the Black Life was about. Since I was, as it were, in it, that made for some respect in their eyes. Of course later I translated both Ricardo's work on the Revelation and Juan Stam's too. Stam was a brilliant mind and heart, but his work on the Revelation, a book only for martyrs, that will never be in English, which you can find out why if you live in the Empire succeeding Rome, but the moralists, will not know this, as I read with ever more understanding, Ecclestices 3.16, and 15 and all of chapter three with Jack's letter.
When I landed back in Philadelphia for my last year of college, I did have to make a 'fast get away" since at the news of my brother's demise I has gone in one day, but shell shocked as much as any from the extremity I had lived and witnessed, which has appeared in all my writing since, in which without thinking about it, I have left all these moral worlds Jack speaks of behind.
I did not intend so many works would appear in the 1964 Gargoyle, they were chosen by the editors, I just submitted them. One, Frankie, was submitted under a pseudonym. At that meeting I attended they broke up laughing so much they could hardly hear it read. After they were done I confessed. I suppose that comic tone fits the later fiction to a T. The poems are what Jack must be referring to with questioning, highly biblical and moral, but not intentionally, they just were. The realized fruit is at The True Light that Lights, first published by Parousia in Nigeria.
* In
the fall of 1928, Andy Telford returned to the area, after pastoring a
large church in Ottawa, Canada. Andy Telford returned to pastor the
Three Rivers Bible Church from which he served Factoryville for the next
four years. Pastor Telford finally departed to assume responsibilities
in Philadelphia. Andy would pastor the Berachah Church in Philadelphia
for over twenty-five years. He also taught for over twenty years at
Philadelphia College of the Bible, Washington Bible College and Berean
College. Andy Telford would conduct Bible Conferences and Evangelistic
services all over the country well into his eighties.
