(Picture: Sewell Hall Preaching for the Gooch Lane Church, April, 2024)
Greg Chandler
“A generation goes, a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.” – Ecclesiastes 1:4
The passing of our brother Sewell Hall was not unexpected. At 96 years old, he was a man who had lived a tremendous life; yet, like all humans, his body eventually succumbed to the debilitations of old age.
My first memory of brother Hall was during his years of working with the Eastside church in Athens, Alabama, of which my parents were members. Though I was very young at the time, I still recall his powerful speaking ability, combined with a vigorous presence in the pulpit. While I never again lived in the same general proximity to him, his recorded sermons, numerous bulletin and magazine articles, and gospel meetings held in the area had a profound impact on me throughout my younger, formative years and later in my life as well. This same sentiment could be expressed by many throughout the world.
His passing brought Ecclesiastes 1:4 to mind. Along with many other Christians, I owe a great debt of gratitude to brother Hall for his years of study, faithful preaching, and exemplary life. He, along with men like Paul Earnhart, Ed Harrell, and Dee Bowman, mentored many of us, though they likely were never aware of the great gift they were giving. Now, though, they have passed on to another realm: “a generation goes.”
It would be interesting to know the names of those whom these men considered their mentors. While some of those names might still be known, likely very few would be recognized by the present generation. In this, there is wisdom to be found. While the names of faithful gospel preachers, dedicated Bible teachers, and solid Christian influences may be forgotten, their legacy lives on in those who listened to their wisdom and made the decision to pass it on to others. They knew, “a generation comes.”
All of this leaves us with a sobering thought: We are now the generation called to help our fellow Christians. Gospel preachers should give sober thought to this. The example set by men like brother Hall is powerful. They carried out the instruction of Paul when he commanded Christians to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). While these men would have shunned any type of idolization, their good example can and should be emulated. Preachers who are willing to preach where needed, regardless of whether their message is “in season and out of season,” are always essential. Those who never forget to love those to whom they preach will provide a legacy long after their names are forgotten.
This is not only for preachers. As Paul instructed Titus concerning what he was to teach, he wrote, “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children” (Titus 2:2–4). The opportunity for spiritual legacy extends far beyond the pulpit. The quiet wisdom of a godly older man imparted to a younger man might very well change the trajectory of a life lived for God. The loving words of an older woman to a younger woman may encourage an influence that will be felt in her home and well beyond.
Growing silent in our later years should be anathema to the children of God. As the wise man noted, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life” (Proverbs 16:31), and “The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair” (Proverbs 20:29). Though we live in an age embarrassed by gray hair, may the years spent in our service to God be used to profitably help navigate the coming generation in the ways of wisdom and righteousness.
William James once stated, “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.” Names and lives will be forgotten; tombstones and monuments will be worn away by the wind; photographs will fade away. The most important legacy that can be left is not one’s biography; it is the gift of helping a coming generation grow closer to the Lord. And the amazing thing about this is that the faithful of these generations will one day have an eternal, timeless presence as they live together in the kingdom of their Lord, who never forgets His own.
