I sealed my note to my friend, turned
back to my work station and the phone rang. Picking it up up and answering, I heard that familiar voice asking, “Well, how are you, my friend?"
Is this Esp? or
somekind of Providence? Friend Dale is on the line inquiring about me . . .
As a boy, I was exposed to preaching greats like Boyce
Blackwelder, Hershel Rice and celebrities in my circles. When older I encountered
the likes of Ewald Wolfram, Harold Boyer, A. F. Gray and O. F. Linn. I learned to
know them as friends, mentors, models, and significant others.
They were “names” but there were also the nameless. The last
time I spoke with Walter Weaver was 1945, on College Avenue, Anderson, IN en route
home from church, following old Park Place with the new W. Dale Oldham. Walter was
my pastor in my adolescence. Hard years; they prompted Walter to make-and-sell
donuts to survive depression days. He was a quiet presence I remember seven
decades later.
In more recent years I found a new friend via my pursuit of
church history—Dale. Circumstances could have made our paths cross before they
did, but they didn’t, but when we met, we bonded.
Dale is a sharing person, authentically genuine. He compulsively
gives his life away. He is heart and soul of our Church of God Historical
Society. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, his first remembered pastor was M. P.
Rimmer, but he identifies with Emmet Caldwell--a major influence. Caldwell went
back in Church of God history to the Grand Junction-Moundsville era—a preoccupation
for Dale!
There was the mother that took her son to Anderson camp
meeting, a faithful saint who had been a friend of young Dale Oldham. Thus, son
Dale became a namesake of Dale Oldham. Dale
feels blessed by growing up in the golden age of the Church of God, the era of
Oldham and CBH-radio.
Dale went to Anderson College, not to attend, but to drive his
brother Lowell to school. Feeling inadequate with his dyslexia, Dale ended up in
AC, managing Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Arts/Crafts, a miracle he gladly
shares.
What I like best about Dale is his utter humility. Some of
us consider him more gifted than he sees himself, and he just looks at you and stares.
I see the exact opposite of a self-seeker in Dale. I love his utter selflessness!.
Buttressed by a compulsion to give himself and be useful, he spent his career teaching
arts and crafts, and now gives back to the church—so freely.
Dale visualizes concepts, seeing pictures rather than words,
which enabled him to enrich his career by also serving as a photo-journalist
stringer (free lancer) for the national news.
With Dale,“what you see is what you get!” What you see is
who he really is! Moreover, I would rank him top of the ladder of character,
finding him as fine a composite of what our theology and doctrine teaches as can
be found. Dale loves people with a Godly grace. He is generous to a fault … humble
… anything but self-seeking, and scrupulously honest … yet comfortable in his
own skin.
When Dale met Missionary-Educator Douglas Welch; they became
two sides of one nickel. Dale seeing, Doug describing. Their picture-word
combination for Church of God history created three-volumes from their eight
years of research: The Book of Noah; Old Main; and, The Gospel Trumpet Years.
His friendship reminds me that within this blog are
numerous hidden stories. Should you encounter Dale along your path know
that this highly personable guy doesn’t palaver or do academia, but he will swap
stories with you.
Ask to see his picture collection—hundreds, probably
thousands. Ask about sculpting. Ask how he met Warner Clayton and how that became
a book. Ask about finding Barney Warren’s boyhood home or the burial site of
Joseph Smith and WB Grover.
He might just regale you with experiences with Jerald
Frederic, the genius son of F. G. Smith who travelled in Europe as a classical
musician. This stranger rediscovered his Reformation roots through Dale. And
although Dale is not a Minister, Jerald Frederic’s family turned to Dale for final
eulogizing and memorializing. And … who did President Robert Reardon share his precious
final moments with … his history-collecting buddy, Dale. 
I watch Dale spread loving grace among the highest
and lowest, from University Presidents to homeless persons for whom he is
“home”. I am not the person, but I hope someone with more time left than I have,
and with greater skills than I possess, will record Dale’s contribution to
Church of God history, the AU Archives, and our church Historical Society.
My cherished moments with Dale (and Chery) reveal an
authentic treasure--in our midst--but unknown to too many Choggers. Doug
Welch is part of that story! Their contribution is one of a kind. It ought to
be told! Without it, we will be impoverished. From Dale, I’ve learned much history; but more, I’ve learned classic Christian values! From Warner’s World, this is walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com
