George W. Reid
"The Cleburne News", Heflin, Cleburne Co., AlabamaNEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, AUGUST 10, 1939
GEORGE W. REID, AN OLD CLEBURNE BOY, RETURNS FOR A SHORT VISIT (written by W.C. McMahan)
George W. Reid was born in Cleburne county at what is now New Hopewell on the 7th day of November 1857. He got his education at Old Hopewell, attached himself to the church in early life and while quite a young man, was called to the ministry. He married Masuria, a daughter of the Rev. Fred Vaughan on the 16th of May 1878, to which union a son and two daughters were born. In 1891 he moved west and finally settled in 1895 where he now lives in Naples, Texas.
The support of his family and the service of his God has been his chief object in life, in which he seems to have succeeded well. He has been preaching over 50 years; has married approximately 600 couples; has conducted near 300 funerals, many of them by special request from the deceased before their deaths. He has never been arrested or sued; never owed a dollar that he did not pay; never had a personal difficulty with his fellow man.
While he has thus served the Lord, God has blessed him wonderfully, both spiritually and physically, as he is 82 years old and has no need for doctor's medicine for nearly 30 years. He is strong in the flesh, as erect as an Indian and were you to spend an hour with him, you would find him strong spiritually, as he would jump up and quote a passage of scripture, and in a two minute sermon, hold you absolutely spellbound.
Therefore he is happy as he can be. His heart as light as seafoam on ocean waves; needs no airplane as he says he feels that he could always fly without them.
He is back here now to visit relatives and old friends and to make new one, and he is meeting many, but for the most of his old friends he must look to memories gallery and with his mind's eye, see their faces on its walls and in doing so, it brings to mind many incidents and faces that he could not get otherwise. With his mind's eye, he visited his old home and that of his sainted wife and walks with her along lover's lane and lives over again with her a few of those precious moments that brought the greatest thrills of young manhood.
Cousin George, we have enjoyed your visit to our home and invite you to call again. May you continue strong and may you make more visits to old Cleburne and may you continue leading precious souls to the Lamb of God.
W.C. McMahan