Jimmy Carter's mother: Auburn KA Housemother

[hoosier]

Carter talks AU

By Taylor Hill
Assistant Intrigue Editor
July 28, 2005

PLAINS, Ga.--He was a nuclear physicist and a peanut farmer. He has been a state senator, governor, president of the United States and a carpenter. He is a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, and he's a Bob Dylan fan.

Most weeks, President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school in Plains, Ga., population 637, two hours down Highway 280 from Auburn.

Aside from the bomb-sniffing dog and magnetometer-wielding Secret Service agents, Maranatha Baptist Church is an unassuming one-story building where most people park on the grass. They have an overflow room for when the chapel is unable to accommodate its few dozen members and few hundred visitors. With most churches, those numbers are switched. Carter knows it, and made light of it.

"Do we have any visitors?" he asked, as he walked into the room.

When the laughter died down, he polled the front row, all from parts of Florida. Others shouted out Vermont, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

"I've heard of there," Carter said, drawing more laughter.

Upon hearing Auburn University, Carter paused, rolled his eyes at the chorus of "War Eagle" that followed, and reminisced.

"My mom was a house mom there (for Kappa Alpha Order) for about six years," Carter said. "It's funny how everyone remembers her decades after she's been there."

Brothers of Kappa Alpha Order at the time knew to befriend "Miss Lillian," as she was called. Lillian Carter had a Cadillac at a time when many students did not have cars. When a fraternity man had a date to impress, he went to Mrs. Carter, who usually handed him the keys.

After Carter acknowledged a few more shouted locations, he asked if there were any pastors present, and he picked one to lead the church in prayer. Carter also acknowledged the president of Emory University in Atlanta and his former chief of staff, Hamilton Jordan, who had brought a small group of oncologists from China.

After introductions, Carter did an unusual thing for a Sunday school teacher. He asked the congregation for help deciding the topic for next week's lesson, "the largest Sunday school lesson in history," which he would teach in Birmingham, England at the Baptist World Alliance's annual meeting.

After some discussion, he decided upon forgiveness and reconciliation, and talked about how Jacob had tricked Esau out of his birthright. He read from Matthew 18 the parable of the servant who had large debts forgiven, yet did not forgive the meager debts he was owed. Because of his lack of forgiveness, he was thrown into jail to be tortured. Carter explained Christ's instruction that transgressors need to be forgiven "seventy times seven" times.

"If we have inherent love for all people," Carter said, "then forgiveness is infinite."

He related the lesson to his presidency, recalling the time his briefing book for the Carter-Reagan debates was stolen and given to George F. Will, who gave it to Ronald Reagan.

"Unfortunately, the last time I gave this lesson, a news reporter was here, and quoted me on it ... (Will) read that and wrote me asking for forgiveness. I wrote him back, told him I loved his book on baseball, and that I (forgave him). But I also told him that I got the book for a dollar at a used bookstore."

Carter filled his lesson with humor and anecdotes, remembering that the pastor, Dan Ariall, had said, "the soul can absorb only as long as the seat can endure."

Carter ended his lesson, everyone took a 15-minute break and returned for the church service.

He offered to pose for pictures with every member of the church, but did not pretend that he enjoyed it.

"We would be -- I started to say delighted -- we would be willing to pose for pictures with everyone after church ends," Carter said.

The line for pictures moved with military efficiency, with Carter positioning children in the proper spot and first lady Roslynn Carter maintaining a cheerful smile. Approximately 400 visitors had their pictures taken with the Carters in 20 minutes.

Carter then left for lunch with his former chief of staff, but he also left an indelible impression on many of his visitors.

"It was wonderful. Jimmy Carter was the first president I ever voted for. (I brought) friends to hear him speak," Fredia O'Neil, from Atlanta, said.

Edith Phillips, drove from Orangeburg, S.C., to see Carter preach.

"We enjoyed it," Phillios said. "To hear him preaching -- it's different."