The Crystal Springs Time Machine

By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Well, Albert Einstein and H.G. Wells couldn’t do it but Pastor Dr. Stan Weatherford of the First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs, Mississippi could. Weatherford informed Charles and Te’Andrea Wilson that members of his congregation wouldn’t allow them to be married in the church and thus catapulted them back in time to Mississippi circa 1962. Seems the Wilsons violated a cardinal sin of this church — they are African-Americans. On the day before the wedding, the Wilsons were told that “The church congregation had decided no black could be married at that church, and that if he went on to marry her, then they would vote [Weatherford] out the church.”

The Wilsons regularly attend the church but are not registered as members. They had scheduled the service weeks before and no objection had been raised at that time. Weatherford heard from what he termed a ” small minority” who complained that, “This had never been done before here, so it was setting a new precedent.” Weatherford picked up what was left of his manhood and proceeded to perform the service at a nearby church. “I didn’t want to have a controversy within the church, and I didn’t want a controversy to affect the wedding of Charles and Te’ Andrea. I wanted to make sure their wedding day was a special day,” he said.

The day was special, but the controversy in the church has just begun.

For his part Charles Wilson is forgiving but disappointed. “I blame those members who knew and call themselves Christians and didn’t stand up,” Wilson said.

Amen, Brother Wilson. Amen.

Source: NBC News

~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger