Without Vengeance
The Autobiography of Joseph O. Bass
by
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I think I was about five when it happened. I don't remember what day it was, or who else witnessed it. I don't even remember what happened nest. It's like a bad dream. But it was real, and my first taste of the white man's justice.
How could a loving God let this atrocity take place? Why didn't He intervene? How could men and women who believed that God has all power become so afraid that they would say amen to an evil of this magnitude? Why didn't they fight back and ask their omnipotent God to send angels down to help them fight the battle? I didn't know the answer to any of these questions racing through my young head. Even now, I am not certain whether these were my questions at the time or questions that arose later. But this much I do know, that the Lord was preparing me, through the mystery of His love, the mayhem of racism, and the magnanimous spirit of my mother, for the course my life soon took. Unlike Isaiah of Old Testament times, who received a clear vision of the uncharted future and heard a distinct voice calling him to serve, and unlike the Apostle Paul of New Testament times, who while traveling the Damascus road heard with unquestionable clarity Jesus' voice commanding him to stop persecuting God's people, I was uncertain. Though somehow I knew, even then, that when God did call me I would answer as Isaiah did: "Here I am, Lord send me!" And like the Apostle Paul I would say, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
I was still a young boy when I began to understand that my destiny was to travel the path of God's justice. I did not know at the time, however, that the path of justice is seldom the path of peace, and the path of peace is not always the path of righteousness.
God has set the standards for peace, justice, and righteousness, and those standards are often at variance with our perception of them. Our perception does not change God's standards, but it does impact the way we respond to them. This was true throughout biblical times and was true that fateful night in Mississippi when the white men in that mob administered their form of justice in accordance with their interpretation of Gods standard of righteousness, and the result brought them immediate peace of mind.
But what of my uncle, the helpless victim, and of the millions like him who suffer tragically because of the convoluted thinking and actions of men and women? Where are the voices that are willing to speak for them? Although I was not vet a man, it was clear that my voice was one that would speak out for justice. God used my uncle's tragedy to begin training me. His path led me from the bayous of Mississippi to the Bible Belt of the Midwest. from the richness of the Northeast and the splendor of New England to the strangeness of Southeast Asia, and back to America again.
I am still in training. for after sixty-five years. I am still on the justice path. If I have learned anything at all on this path, I've learned that you can't inherit God's justice. you have to fight for it.
The battle wounds never quite heal
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About the Book
Without Vengeance is a delightful read and a personal account of the author's pilgrimage from the depths of the Mississippi cotton fields, through the Mid-West Bible Belt . It details how wherever there is good being done, there is always evil lurking in the background waiting to launch an attack upon righteousness. With great passion and without malice, the book describes how time and time again, lies were told on the author, enemies plotted harm against him, friends deserted him and seemingly when he should have been ready to toss in the towel and surrender, he stood taller than ever assured that the truth would come out and victory would be his and it did everytime. From the beginning to the end, the books supports and demonstrates the fact that "truth crushed to the earth will always rise again because there is God who is forever keeping watch over his own so they can live to fight another day.
About the Author
An author, clergyman, social scientist, world traveler and lecturer. Born in rural Mississippi during depression of the 1930's as the youngest of 10 children. As a lad of five, he witnessed a relative tarred, feathered and burned alive by a racist mob for allegedy sending a note to a white woman only his uncle could not read or write. Later at age 12 he was driven from his home for allegedly failing to call a white man mister. He arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, afraid, tired, broke, hungry and alone. Over the next few years he survived by all means possible. Later he entered Vashon High School and graduated as the second in rank in a class of 3000. He became the first and youngest ever president of a national labor union at age 16. He went on to earn six degrees including the PHD.
His journey carried him to the Orient as an industrial missionary, Europe as a leader and speaker meeting with kings and queens and leaders on four continents. He fought for justice all over the world and endured both pain and joy but never lost his sense of directions of his faith in his God.