The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 14:12-13, “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord from now on!'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may
rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

Dedicated to the Memory of my dear friend,
Dr. Donald Joseph Ralston

The short passage above skillfully intermingles life and death. The 12th verse speaks of the perseverance of life for the saints. At the same time, the 13th verse allows that believers do in fact die. Yet, the death is not the end; it is merely a rest from spiritual labors for the one who belongs to the LORD.

Today’s telephone call rocked my world! It, too, was mingled in message, much like the passage of Scripture. It was brief, warmly conveyed, yet succinct in delivery: Dad passed away in his sleep.

“Dad” was my dear friend, Don. We first met on the evangelistic platform of the Mary Ann Baptist Church, St. Ann, Missouri. I had been asked to preach in a week-long evangelistic outreach, and Don Ralston had been selected to lead the music. Interestingly enough, the meeting that first night was underway before the two of us had had opportunity to actually meet. Yet, when we did meet, our meeting was one of instant, spiritual loving friendship that clearly focused on the LORD Jesus Christ.

Don Ralston, I learned, had come to know the LORD in one of the strangest ways I’ve ever known. A girl he knew, and was dating at the time, expressed a desperate need to know Christ as her Savior. Not being a Christian himself at the time, all Don knew to do was contact the Director of Youth for Christ in the St. Louis area. Don phoned Bill Weston, and was invited to bring the girl to his home.

Don saw her to the door, but said he would wait outside. Bill Weston, however, insisted that they both come inside. Bill presented the plan of salvation to the young woman, praying aloud with her, but ignoring Don, who sat quietly on the other side of the room. Still, as the girl prayed, Don prayed, too. Both of them were saved that night; and from that moment onward, Don Ralston began to grow spiritually.

Don and I were both in college at the time, but in different states. Still, we managed to unite and conduct summer evangelistic meetings. The blessing of the LORD on our meetings led us to continue reaching youth in subsequent summers.

Don possessed a marvelous baritone voice that thrilled our audiences and doubtlessly brought scores of adults out to the meetings, too. Young people were saved; pastors were thrilled; churches were strengthened; and the LORD was honored. We, too, were burdened to pray and give all the glory to the LORD.

As the LORD would have it, Don ultimately stayed in Florida and became the pastor of a church. The accounts of his superb ministries are best told in and through the lives of those whom he, over the years, led to Christ. Churches grew, Christian schools were built, and deep, spiritual men from home and abroad ministered to congregations where Don Ralston pastored. They made an indelible, spiritual imprint on Don’s life; and he made a deep, spiritual imprint on their lives, too.

In recent days, I often found Don at the end of his phone, either at home or in hospital. The stories he shared of witnessing to doctors and nurses and hospital personnel were almost endless. We spoke frequently by phone. Sometimes his voice was strong; sometimes, it was not. Yet, it always rang with joy and a story of someone with whom he had engaged concerning Jesus.

I will miss the phone calls. His family and friends will miss his presence. But now, he is free from the woes of this life. He has graduated into that Blessed Home the LORD has prepared for all who trust Him.

Farewell, my dear and loving friend. One day (who knows how soon?), we will meet again. We will stroll down the Golden Streets together and recall the glories of life we once knew as young men of faith. Yet, on that occasion faith will have succumbed to Life, and we will mingle freely with our loved ones and the saints of the ages, who have preceded us. God speed, my dear brother! You are already deeply missed.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom