George Washington Carver, December 14, 2012, #2

There are many things I would like to say about George Washington Carver so it is possible rather more quite likely I will repeat something I reported earlier if so it just says to me that they are important. Dr. Carver was a serious student of the Bible and lived his life in constant prayer. He was a man of vision. Typically his day started at 4 A. M. in prayer in his small room. His religion was his life. You recall as a child he loved to explore the field and woods of his home to study all aspects of nature. He talked about exploring God's handiwork in nature. He did not worship nature but did worship God and he saw God's handiwork in nature. His religious founding was based on his early childhood in the home of Moses and Susan Carver and especially the things Mrs. Carver taught him. You recall he had a burning desire for learning and education and this was a constant uphill battle for him simply because he was a negro. Time after time he applied for admission to a school and when they learned he was a negro they rejected him. One school in particular apparently changed his out look on life in a significant way. He applied for admission to Highland College which was run by the Presbyterian Church the denomination he grew up in. He applied for admission and was accepted. When he arrived he was rejected because he was a negro. This hurt him deeply and he never returned to his childhood denomination again. He could not accept the fact that the college was church operated yet harbored such racial policies. This rejection though pointed him to colleges that accepted him and really set him on his life mission to help mankind. Many people have so many varied views of prayer and a life of prayer. Great importance is placed on the place of prayer, the time of prayer, the position for praying, kneeling, lying prostrate and all may have meaning for a particular person. But, for Carver he indicated he was constantly in prayer and more often than not he referred to God as Creator rather than God. I know people don't understand being in constantly in prayer but I do. It is a matter of seeing something beautiful and saying thank you God, saying your creation is wonderful, asking for help on a problem no matter how minor it may be. The best example of this is when he said in effect he never set out to develop or invent anything. He simply ask God what do you want me to do today. He said the idea would come to him and exactly how to do the particular thing. He spoke and wrote about his methods and was soundly criticized by the media especially some in New York. They said in effect that no scientist would talk about prayer and God the way he did and objected to him spending so much time talking about God. After he went to Tuskegee University in Alabama he conducted Bible study. At first 50 or so people came and that number grew to 150 or more with more standing outside because there was not room enough inside. He talked about helping your neighbor and was asked " who is your neighbor? " He replied " anyone who need help is your neighbor." He worked through the YMCA to ease racial tension an was speaking to a mainly white audience. There was considerable concern about how he would be accepted. In his presentation he talked about nature, science and how people should get along with each other without ever mentioning race at all. Reportedly he received a standing ovation. To me this speaks of the great knowledge George Carver had.

Most people when they think of George Washington Carver if they know him at all they think of his work with the peanut. That is where he gained the most fame but it really started because of the Bole Weevil which came into the United States 1862 from Mexico crossing the Rio Grande River at Brownsville, Texas and over the next several years was destroying thousands of acres of cotton with devastating impact on the economy of the south. He wanted to find a way to stop the bole weevil. I find it interesting that not much is said about his efforts to stop the bole weevil. The other driving force was the farming method used and the repeated planting of the same crop on the same land resulting in depletion of the nutrients in the soil and great erosion of the top soil. His studies led him to encourage the planting of peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes and black eyed peas. All which returned nutrients to the soil and helped control erosion. In an earlier posting I discussed his work to educate farmers on new methods of tiling the soil, crop rotation and many other ideas. He worked with clay to develop different colors harking back to his love of painting. I think it is said he developed 500 different colors. The most notable was a rare kind of blue that was believed to be like the blue used by the ancient Egyptians

He was a friend of Henry Ford and Edison. Edison reportedly offered him $100,000 to  $175,000 to work in his labs. Ford reportedly offered him unlimited funding for him to come and work for him. The Russian Premier reportedly offered him unlimited resources to come to Russia and improve the Russian agriculture. Of course he turned down all such offers. He had hundreds of people writing and asking him questions. His standard reply was in effect if I know the answer you can have it for the price of a postage stamp. He refused to sell for a profit. He encourage the planting of community gardens to help feed the poor and help in the war effort.

At the George Washington Carver National Monument there is a mile long walking trail that loops into woods, along streams and the tall grass prairie
that Carver as a boy enjoyed so much. Throughout the property and along he walking trail are plaques which tell us so much about the man.

Wonderful Thought For The Right Road

Great Advise On Wisdom

A Very Accomplished Man

Needle Work Done By Carver

 

Artist Rendering Of Moses And Susan Carver's Slave Home

Statue Of Boy Carver

Attitude Of Prayer

 

His First Prayer

Home Of Moses And Susan Carver Built In 1881. 

George Never Lived Here But Visited Often

Daily Devotional Walk

Moses And Susan Carver Are Buried Here

Cemetery On The Farm

Tall Grass Prairie

George Washington Carver slipped on ice when trying to open a door and he never fully recovered. He went to sleep and died January 5, 1943. I find him to be an extra ordinary man and when I get to heaven he is a person that is fairly high on my list of people I want to talk to. Of course that wont be a problem since I will have all of eternity to do it. If you get a chance it is worth your while to visit the George Washington Carver National Memorial

This National Monument was the first in many respects:

    First birthplace monument dedicated to anyone other than a U. S.        President.

    First national monument dedicated to an American for services in agriculture.

    First national monument established for an African-American.

    First national monument for an American educator.

    First national monument established for an American scientist.

    First national monument in the four-state area of Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas.

George Washington Carver was a deeply religious man who always seemed to express his faith in God and in an attempt offer encouragement to students and everyone he came in contact with. In a letter of thanks for a Christmas gift he listed the following eight cardinal virtues which constitutes a lady or a gentlemen:

   1st. Be clean inside and outside.

   2nd. Who neither looks up to the rich or down on the poor.

   3rd. Who loses, if need be, without squealing.

   4th. Who wins without bragging.

   5th. Who is always considerate of  women children and old people.

   6th. Who is too brave to lie.

   7th. Who is too generous to cheat.

   8th. Who takes his share of the world and lets other people have theirs.

   

He closed this letter with the following, " May God help you carry out these eight cardinal virtues and peace and prosperity be yours through life. "

I  must finish this posting now. Again, I say I truly enjoyed reading about George Washington Carver and going through his memorial. So in closing remember that God loves you so much that He gave His son, Jesus for us and I love you.

Grandpa Bill