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I have a couple of interesting stories to corroborate the Rex Dyson/Elvis legend and one about the TN Camp/Elvis/Paslay connection.
When we moved to Memphis Bro Kenneth and Sis Mary Dyson were attending our church (Bethel) when they were not out of town evangelizing. Brother Rex was still alive. They used our church building to celebrate his 101st birthday. I got to meet the man and asked him about the Elvis story. He told the same story as was recorded in the article that was linked earlier. I heard it straight from the man who performed the baptism.
One Sunday after church we were eating at a Mexican restaurant and ran into Don and Charlie Johnson. I was recounting Rex Dyson's story to them and Charlie said, "We had a woman from our church who was a hospice nurse and she was assigned to help take care of Vern Presley as he was dying. One day she felt a burden to witness to him about JN baptism and as she was sharing the Word with Vern, he reached up and took her by the hand and said, 'Honey, Rex Dyson already took care of this with me a long time ago.'"
Norm Paslay, a personal friend and mentor, came to Memphis and preached for me several years ago. I shared these stories with him one day as we were taking a tour of Graceland and he said, "You know, my parents preached TN Campmeetings for many years. I had always heard the stories about Elvis sneaking into the Campmeeting and being blessed in the services. I had always doubted them as exaggerations. Then one night a few years ago I got a long distance call from Chicago from a man who claimed to have been one of Elvis' former band members. The man was obviously drunk as he spoke with me but I recognized in the background the sound of music playing. As the man spoke to me I realized that the music that was playing was one of my parents old LP albums they had recorded many years ago. The man said, 'Is this Rev. Paslay?' To which I answered, 'Yes'. The man said, 'I am ____________ and I used to play in Elvis Presley's band. We were traveling once near the UPC Campground in TN and decided to pay it a visit. We were so blessed by your ministry I purchased your album and I was listening to it tonight and decided to try to get a hold of you and talk to you about God.'"
Bro Paslay said he explained he was the son of the man and woman on the album and proceeded to witness to the man. The event convinced Bro Norm that the rumors of Elvis' attendance to the TN Cmapmeeting were true.
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When a newspaper posed the question, "What's Wrong with the World?" G. K. Chesterton reputedly wrote a brief letter in response: "Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G. K. Chesterton." That is the attitude of someone who has grasped the message of Jesus.
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