THE MOUNTAIN, THE MAN AND THE DREAM
THE STORY OF THE RIDGECREST CONFERENCE CENTER
by
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The summer of 1915 brought more
financial problems. The difficulties
were compounded by the illness of Spilman, who spent
most of the summer under the care of his physician. By the time the board of directors met in
August, the Assembly’s debts exceeded $32,000 dollars. No outside financing seemed to be
available. Some of the Executive
Committee members signed personal notes, allowing a few of the smaller bills to
be paid.
Left unpaid was a bill for $2,000
owed the Parker-Gardner Company of Charlotte, North Carolina, for hotel
furnishings. In August C. W. Tillett, Jr., a young lawyer for Parker-Gardner, appeared
at Spilman's office with a demand for immediate
payment. Spilman
called an emergency meeting of the directors.
He was offered a note personally guaranteed by the directors for the
note to be paid in full by November. Tillett flatly refused and said that he intended to file
suit immediately.
The directors averted this
disaster by swift, formidable action.
They agreed to sell all property not already mortgaged to Spilman in settlement of a $1,400 loan that was also
due. J. D. Moore called the clerk of
courts in Asheville and asked him to remain open until Spilman
could get there to record the transfer.
Automobiles were rare in those days but there was one on campus. Spilman paid George
Emmett of New Bern $4.50 to take him the 18 miles to Asheville while Mr. Tillett waited for a train to Asheville.
In the meantime, N. B. Josey, one of the directors, had left on the afternoon
train for Charlotte. He delivered a
signed note to Parker-Gardner company guaranteeing to
cover the total debt. The note was later
paid in full.
On Tillett's
arrival in Asheville the next morning, the Clerk of Court explained that the
Assembly did not own enough to make a suit worthwhile. The property was owned by Spilman
rather than the Assembly and he had no obligation to Parker-Gardner. Spilman held the
title for four years until all debts had been paid; he then re-deeded the
property back to the Assembly.
Another major project of 1953, was the enlargement of Spilman
Auditorium. Built in 1938-1939, the
attendance had grown to exceed its capacity.
The front of the auditorium was extended and a new porch was added with
colonial columns.
T. L. Holcomb retired from the Sunday
School Board in 1953. Dr. James L.
Sullivan was elected the new executive secretary of the Sunday School
Board. Like all of his predecessors, he
felt that Ridgecrest was a vital part of Southern Baptist life. He was willing to continue to allocate
resources as much as possible to meet the needs of Ridgecrest.
The year 1957 marked the 50th
anniversary of Ridgecrest. The jubilee
year was marked by several special events including the dedication of the
Children’s Building. A special service
of historical review, dedication and future planning was conducted in Spilman Auditorium on July 24.
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About the Book
"The Mountain, The Man and
the Dream" is the story of a very special place in the mountains of North
Carolina. It was envisioned as a meeting
place for the Southern Baptists. Over
the years, it became a meeting place for all Christians.
The Ridgecrest Conference Center
is located 18 miles East of Asheville, North Carolina. It is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains on
the continental divide, but Ridgecrest is not just a place. It is more of an experience, a fellowship
with God. It is God’s mountain. Those who visit Ridgecrest with an open heart
will experience God’s presence, commune with other Christians and feel His hand
in their lives.
History is a visible account of
people and buildings. Church history
however, shows how God works with people to accomplish His will. This book show's God’s active role in the
development and growth in the place called “Ridgecrest."
The year 2007 marks the one
hundredth anniversary of the Ridgecrest Conference Center.
This is a fascinating story with
many different people working to overcome innumerable obstacles to make a dream
come true. This book is for everyone who
loves an interesting story about a real place and real people overcoming obstacles
to make something happen.
About the Author
Kent Barnes who is originally
from Kewanee, Illinois, has made his home in Black Mountain, North Carolina
since the mid 80's. Born and raised in
farm country, the mountains have been a special place for him.
He served some time in the Peace
Corps and then four years in the US Coast Guard. His travels took him from Oklahoma to Alabama
and finally to Falmouth, Massachusetts, where he settled for 20 years. He served as a full time firefighter and started
his own alarm business.
After 12 years he sold his business
and entered the corporate world as a corporate executive. After three years of flying to various cities
and many flights to Miami, he decided it was time for a change and moved to
Hickory, North Carolina. After three
years in Hickory, he moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina. He worked various management jobs while
living there and became a volunteer firefighter with the Black Mountain Fire
Department.
Eventually, he became acquainted
with the Ridgecrest Conference Center and went to work there in charge of
Safety and Security. Always a history
buff he soon became intrigued with the rich history of Ridgecrest. As he learned more and delved more into the
history, he began to collect pictures and stories.
There had been several histories
written about Ridgecrest usually marking an anniversary. Since no one had stepped forward and the
100th anniversary of Ridgecrest was approaching, he decided to put his
materials together into a photo rich, up to date history of Ridgecrest. After more than three years of work "The
Mountain, The Man and the Dream", "The story of the Ridgecrest Conference
Center" is the result.