In First Timothy 1:5, after instructing his young apprentice Timothy to remain faithful to the Gospel, the Apostle Paul writes these words:
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
Those of us who gather today to celebrate the life of Frank Wise Bell can readily testify that when he went to be with the Lord this past Saturday morning he went with a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
When Paul references a “pure heart,” he is speaking about the aim or focus of one’s life. So many people in our world seem like they are adrift without either an anchor to hold fast through life’s storms, or a ruder to guide them toward a worthwhile destination. Frank Bell was different. His life had a focus. His heart was pure.
Born on February 16, 1923 in the home in which he resided at the time of his death, Frank was the product of a Christian family. From his earliest days he was involved in Red Bank Baptist Church along with several members of his immediate family. In was no surprise, then, that at the age of twelve, Frank responded to the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and in 1934 presented himself for Baptism and membership at the Red Bank Baptist Church.
Frank was not prone to high degrees of emotionalism, which is a good thing. Too often those who come to Christ in moments of emotional fervor will depart when the passion seems to wane. Frank’s decision to become a Christian was not one of emotion, but of rock-solid commitment and devotion. Seventy-one years later, Frank’s commitment to Christ and His church had never wavered. In fact, it steadily grew stronger.
Frank was not just a member of Red Bank Baptist Church – he was an active member. I imagine he held every office and title with the exception of two. He never served as pastor (though he probably could have). He also never directed the choir (and I don’t would have wanted to try).
At the time of his death Frank was a faithful deacon, a gifted Sunday School teacher, the chair of the Finance Committee, a member of the Audit Committee, and a member of the Worship Committee. Shortly after Frank’s passing somebody asked me where the Bell family burial plot was located. My first thought was to call Frank, since he was also the chairperson of the Cemetery Committee.
In addition to these official responsibilities, Frank also fulfilled many unofficial duties. He unlocked the doors and made sure that the heat or air conditioning was turned on for all church functions. He set up the tables and chairs for fellowship meals. He filled the Baptismal pool when we had a baptism planned and cleaned up after Holy Communion was served. Each Sunday after worship he gathered, counted, and deposited the morning offering. He was always that last person to leave after any church event, making sure the lights were turned off and the doors were all locked.
After his heart-attack early in the week, Frank seemed headed toward recovery. On Friday afternoon I found him watching television and eating chicken-noodle-soup. He was in good spirits and wanted to talk about the Mother’s Day breakfast. He wanted to make sure that we had enough Orange Juice and that somebody would set up the tables. He said that didn’t think he be able to get to it. In that moment he was the old Frank we all knew and loved. He wanted to make sure that all the "little details" were not forgotten.
Frank never called attention to himself. He never asked for recognition, respect, honor or accolades. In fact, if you tried offered such things he would downplay his efforts and divert attention to something else. That’s one sign of a pure heart. His life was focused on honoring God, not calling attention to himself.
Frank Bell had a pure heart. He also had a good conscious.
In biblical terms the word conscious has to do with the willfulness or the intention of the individual. Frank’s intention was always to seek and do the good. That could be seen best not by the things Frank said, but rather the things that he DIDN’T say.
I had lots of opportunities to hear what Frank didn’t say. I sat next to him at nearly every meeting of the Red Bank Men’s Club. I spoke to him almost every week by phone or when he would visit the church office. At no time during the nearly five years that I was Frank’s pastor did I ever hear him say anything negative about anyone.
Shortly after I arrived at Red Bank Baptist, Frank made arrangements to take me out visiting in the community. We visited several homes and talked to many people. Before entering a new home Frank would tell me that person’s story. He would tell me where they were born, who they were related to, and what pain or sorrow they might be feeling. The one thing that was missing from any of Frank’s comments was unnecessary commentary. Frank never gossiped. He never said anything that would cause me to think poorly of anyone.
As Paul instructed, Frank obeyed the simple command to love, and because of that he left this world with a pure heart and a good conscious. But that’s not all. Frank also left this world with a sincere faith. He had an abiding confidence and trust in God.
One of the things that Frank didn’t talk about much was the time he spent as a Prisoner Of War in Germany. But there was one notable exception. A few years ago our Youth Group at Red Bank prepared a “video documentary” about the church. They interviewed several church members to learn something about the history of the church. One of those they interviewed was Frank Bell.
The young people asked Frank how his faith had helped him during a difficult time in his life. This turned into one of those rare moments when Frank would open up and begin to share about his own life.
Frank was a young man, enamored by the charm and personality of an attractive young math teacher named Helen Gardner. She returned his affection and the two were heading toward marriage, but Frank stopped short when he was called to join the army. He told me once that he didn’t want to get married before going to war and run the risk of leaving Helen as a young widow.
Soon after being enlisted, Frank was assigned to serve with a regiment in Germany. Poor intelligence put Frank and his entire regiment in a hopeless situation where they were greatly outnumbered and taken as prisoners.
Frank told the youth and when he entered the POW Camp he read these words over the entrance: “Abandon All Hope, You Who Enter Here.”
These words were quoted from “Dante’s Inferno” where they were placed on the doorpost leading into hell.
"Abandon ALL hope, you who enter here"
Frank told the young people that He was a Christian. Because he was a Christian he did not believe that God would desert him, no matter what happen. He vowed to continue to trust God and to never abandon hope. He had a sincere faith.
Frank Wise Bell had a pure heart, a good conscious, and a sincere faith. According to the Apostle Paul these are all byproducts of a life that is filled and overflowing with God’s love. That describes Frank, too, doesn’t it?
I have preached in churches from Capes Charles to the Maryland state line, and in every church where I have preached and been introduced at the Pastor of Red Bank Baptist, somebody has greeted me by saying with fondness that they knew Frank Bell. He was a well known and well loved individual.
We will all have different remembrances of Frank Wise Bell.
Some of you might remember Frank from his days as the Eastern Shore’s Marketing Director for the Agriculture Department – when he brought Joe DiMaggio to the Shore to help sell potatoes. Others of you might remember his longer career with the Bank of Virginia. Some of you will remember Frank for his many years as recording secretary for the Red Bank Men’s Club. Others of you will remember him for his involvement in local politics. Some of you remember Frank for his active involvement in the religious community as a member of Red Bank Baptist Church. Some of you simply might know him as a good neighbor and good friend.
Those of you who are his grandchildren will remember him as a wise and loving grandfather whose home and heart were always open.
Frank Jr. and Bill will remember their father for firm and yet loving discipline, the kind of affection that turns young boys into good men.
Helen will remember Frank for his loyalty and abiding love. Frank told me one that he always felt it a great honor to have you as his wife.
I am told that shortly after Frank suffered his heart attack that Helen was with him in the hospital room. Frank felt very sick and extremely uncomfortable. Helen was getting ready to leave, but she wanted to give him a kiss before leaving. But she couldn’t get to him because there was some object in the way that prevented her from moving to his side. Despite his discomfort, Frank found a way to move that object so that he and Helen could kiss
We will all remember Frank Bell for different reasons, but a few things will be true in all of our remembrances. We will remember that Frank had received God’s love through faith in Jesus Christ – and we will remember that Frank obeyed God’s command to show love and respect toward others. As a result, when Frank left this world and entered into God’s presence, he did so with a pure heart, a good conscious, and a sincere faith. And so, as Jesus said in the Gospel of John: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” Amen.
