In preparation for two articles I’m currently working on, I’m uploading a small book about a man named Blum Hiliary Vestal, who will figure prominently in one and to some degree in the other.
B.H. Vestal was a prolific evangelist who began his career in the early 1900’s after a miraculous conversion.
He travelled in the early days on foot or by horse, but in later years when vehicles became available, travelled by truck, bringing a tent with him wherever he went.
Born in Yadkinville in 1874, his life took him all over this part of the state and even out of state on various occasions.
In his heyday he preached for Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Holiness churches, and pretty much anyone who would listen. He preached outside, under fallen trees, under brush arbors, in buildings, in meetings houses, and on the street.
He founded churches, started revival camps, and even though he preached for any denomination who would listen, he worked closely with the Moravian church out of Winston Salem.
His life and worked slowed down in the late 30’s as his physical abilities declined, and he was spending a winter in Florida trying to recover his health when he died in 1942. His body was transported back home and eventually buried in the Moravian “God’s Acre” cemetery in Winston.
The book unfortunately is not a complete picture of the man, but a snapshot of a couple years of his life. I think knowing how passionate he was about preaching, he would probably not want us to know too much about who he was, but only the message he preached.
At any rate, I scanned it this evening and it is now available here and on Archive.org. The physical copy will be given to the Iredell County Library.
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