By Don Themer Staff Writer
Years (many) ago, I saw a man in the type of clothing I wear when working in the yard or going to town on an “off day,” and I had to look twice closely, because he was half carrying/half dragging a large wooden cross—like in the pictures I had seen when I was a little boy and looking at the Sunday School leaflets booklet when we were studying about the death of Jesus on the cross and the suffering He went through when being forced to carry His own cross along the path and then up the small mountain called Golgotha.
I seem to remember I saw “the dragger” in person in the Dallas area, but it was long ago and more than likely I actually viewed the incident on a television newscast or a “shorts” before a movie.
And I remember that I had found out later that the “cross person” was actually a man, who, in the late ‘60s, set off on a mission/hike to drag/carry a 12 feet tall wooden cross on a pilgrimage to “make a point” as a Christian, to display his faith in Christ, and to share/ spread the Gospel.
This former “street preacher” and Wanderer for Christianity had studied at various colleges, observed and learned from travelling preachers in Louisiana and other states, and was helped by people along his routes who admired, or at least marvelled at, his JOURNEY and cheered him on and even gave him donations.
I, a few times through the years, saw something about this mysterious man and his “exploits,” travels, and brushes with dangers, local law enforcement officers, and soldiers/officials in foreign nations, but for the last many years, I had, as I mentioned earlier, forgotten about the “man in sandals,” who sort of reminded me of Jesus!
Not long ago, I saw something about this guy on the internet and had my mind jogged and wondered how he was doing and how old he was.
Today’s paper answered some of my questions. The man’s name is ARTHUR BLESSITT, and he is no longer “doing,” for he recently passed on at the age of 84 (after starting his “mission” in 1969 in Hollywood) after he had supposedly walked more than 43,000 miles through 324 regions, countries, island groups, and territories (even Soviet Republics and “war-ravaged” countries), with a cross that started out at more than100 pounds but shrank to about 45 to satisfy airline weight restrictions when he later travelled that way.
Arthur Owen Blessitt was born October 27, 1940, in Greenville, Mississippi, and said he was inspired to do what he did as a result of a “vision to display his faith.”
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.