Stand Firm

The Battle of Athens

In 1946, the small town of Athens, Tennessee, became a battleground. WWII veterans who decided to take justice into their own hands, because their local politics was plagued by corruption.

These brave men not only stood firm in WW11 but when returning home in their hometown of Athens they stood firm to overthrow corruption in their town over unfair votes

Edward Hull “Boss” Crump, appointed Paul Cantrell as the candidate for Sheriff in 1936. Cantrell won the election in what became known as the “vote grab of 1936”.

From that point on a system of fees was introduced in the Sheriff’s Office, which meant the officers were paid per arrest. The system proved to be very dysfunctional. Shady arrests were made, often without substantial evidence, which included numerous fines for “drunkenness” and “fee grabbing” from tourists and travelers on a similar pretext. These unfair fees amount to over 300,000 dollars.

During the 1946 election Veterans stood firm on ending the corruption, they formed a non-partisan political option, stating their candidates. Knox Henry, a decorated veteran of the North African campaign, was elected by the GI party to run against Cantrell who was once again running for Sheriff, while his former deputy Mansfield was holding the chair. Their slogan was “Your vote will be counted as Cast”

At one of the polling places in Athens, an elderly African-American farmer called Tom Gillespie was refused permission to cast his vote by Sheriff Mansfield’s patrolman, C.M. “Windy” Wise. Wise used racist slurs, despite the presence of a protesting GI poll watcher, and denied Gillespie his right to vote. The deputy then hit Gillespie with a brass knuckle. The farmer dropped his ballot and tried to run away. In response, Wise pulled out his gun and shot him in the back.

The final straw was the arrest and brutal beating of Bob Hairrell, who was one of the poll watchers. Hairrell protested when a girl was brought in by the deputies to cast her ballot, despite the fact that she had no poll tax receipt and was not listed in the voter registration. The girl also seemed to be underage.

In response to Hairrell’s protest, he was arrested, and the voting process was halted in that polling place. The ballot box, together with the handcuffed GI, was taken to the county jail in the town of Athens.

In the aftermath of the riots, the votes were finally counted and the GI party candidate, Knox Henry, was elected Sheriff of McMinn County. This happened mainly because veterans stood firm

Veterans stand firm on

Battle of Athens Tennessee

2Thessoloians 2: 13-17 “ Stand Firm”

1. Paul says to the Thessalonians you are to stand firm on the idea that we are Chosen

• 13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose youB to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

• Paul’s also says to Stand firm on the notion that we are called. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Paul says, Stand Firm on the Teachings of Jesus Christ :

• 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachingsC we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

• Paul continues 16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

3. We may not be concerned so much about the end times like the Thessalonians but we are concerned

about Cancer, Heart disease, our children, marriages, relationships, Job security, retirement, and

dying.

• Like Martin Luther, "Here I Sand, I can do no other" He stood firm on the idea of justification by faith in Jesus

4. We can stand firm on the promise of Comfort in times of Sorrow:

• Isaiah 43:2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

5. We can stand on the promise of Forgiveness

• Isaiah 1:18"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool

6. We can stand Firm that there is a Victory over death:

• 1 Cor 15:51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."G 55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"H 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victorythrough our Lord Jesus Christ.

• When cancer or heart disease has inflicted the body "I can stand firm knowing that the perishable shall put on imperishability

• When Children, marriages