Emphasis Preaching Journal

John Ambrose Wood, father of author Catherine Marshall, was a pastor who served mostly rural churches throughout his lifetime. One day he made a pastoral call on a new member in Keyser, West Virginia. The man of the house worked on the B & O Railroad and when Pastor Wood extended his right hand upon greeting him, the worker apologized: "Can't shake hands with you, Reverend. They're too grimy." The pastor then bent down to rub his hands in coal dust and offered his blackened hand to the worker. "How about it now?"