The Farmer, the Preacher, & the Shotgun (A True Story)

Yesterday's news that Charles Kyle Adcock, currently under indictment for rape in Colbert County, had been hired to work with youth at a Texas church reminded us of a nearby event from many years ago:

A farmer in Winston County, or thereabouts, retired for the night. Safely tucked inside an adjacent bedroom was his beautiful teenage daughter, tucked in his own bed was his wife, and tucked under his bed? You guessed it—his faithful shotgun. The farmer had barely closed his eyes when he heard a muffled scream come from his daughter's room.

He immediately secured the shotgun and ran next door where he found a man, silhouetted in shadow, standing with his hand over his daughter's mouth. The farmer called for his wife to notify the sheriff's deputies as he pointed the gun at the now retreating intruder. Before the would be rapist could exit via the window through which he had entered, the farmer took aim and shot. He added paramedics to the list his wife needed to call.

Upon the arrival of medical personnel, the farmer encountered a young man whom he knew from church. They conversed over and around the intruder who lay on his stomach, still in relative darkness. Finally the deviant was secured to the gurney and taken to a local hospital followed by the law...and the father, mother, and daughter, this being Winston County where citizens were very involved.

As the young paramedic assisted in transferring the wounded intruder to an exam table, he saw the man's face for the first time, as did the father. Almost in unison, they exclaimed, “It's Bro. John!”

Yes, the would-be attacker was their pulpit minister. Sad, isn't it? We recently spoke with a gentleman, oddly enough from the same area as the errant minister. This very learned individual stated the highest percentage of sex crimes are committed under the guise of religion/ministry. We have not attempted to verify this, but if true, it's a horrible reality.

While a sad commentary, if churches today do not check the background of new hires, they are leaving themselves open to all sorts of lawsuits.

Charles Kyle Adcock

We understand Adcock's trial is still months away.



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