Greetings in His Matchless Name!
This is not a newsletter I was planning to write to you. However, one of my dearest and best friends went to Heaven today. His name is Dr. Herbert Brail and he and his sweet and precious wife Marge, and Shirley and I, met the first day at Bible Baptist Seminary in Johnson City, NY as we stood in line to enroll. He was just a couple of years younger than me. He recently had a massive stroke and several related and unrelated health issues over the last several months.
Annually in the last several years, we would meet at the Jersey Shore (Cape May & Wildwood) and he would bring his bunny (“Miss Velvet”, or his bird, a white dove named “Snow White”) and we would walk the Boardwalk and walking Mall and allow hundreds of people to pet or hold either of them. Then we would give them a Chick Tract (“A Love Story” or “This Was Your Life”), supplied by Pastor Jeff McLeod of the Rio Grande Bible Baptist Church to them (one per family or one to a group). One year we passed out close to 800 of them and in all those years I only saw one thrown down on the boardwalk in Wildwood which I immediately retrieved. We would usually have between 3-15 people at a time, attracted to the rabbit or the dove, and when possible, we would also give them a verbal witness along with a tract. My wife Shirley and his dear wife, Marge, would sit on a bench on the boardwalk (or Shirley in her wheelchair) and fellowship, and/or share a treat while we did this.
In fact, I had always, as a child, been fascinated with “magic tricks” because my uncle would often show one to me. So many years ago, brother Brail and I were walking on the “boards” in Wildwood and I saw a Magic Store. We went in and the salesperson demonstrated a couple of effects. We both bought a trick or two. But brother Brail became fascinated with the idea of using it in his pastoral ministry. From that point on his interest grew and expanded and he and his lovely assistant and wife Marge, became very proficient in illustrating the Gospel with illusions. At one point he even became the owner of a magic shop of his own, while pastoring a church in Iowa. Every year he did Daily Vacation Bible Schools in several states both in the Midwest and on the east coast. (I followed suit and started doing presentations in churches illustrating God’s Word using illusions too.)
With his several rabbits and birds over the years, he and Marge would travel and be a blessing in churches, parks, etc. wherever possible, with many converts to Christ resulting. It was always a special time of friendship and fellowship when they would come east and stay in my home with Shirley and me for 2 weeks or so each year.
I will miss Herb and Marge greatly (due to distance, she lives in Des Moines, IA), but I know we will all be together in Heaven one day soon. (My heart aches as I write this, but I am glad that brother Brail’s suffering is over.)
Sincerely in the Savior,
Pastor (e) Paul C. Fedena