Cotten, C.J.T.
8/22/1987
| Jesus said, “Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the earth”. This was Brother Cotten. Not weak, but meek. While he was a gentle soul, and small, he was a man of strong convictions and views. He was born near Summerville, Louisiana, June 27, 1898. He was married to Adella Strozier December 2, 1923, and they enjoyed more than sixty years of married life. This was one of the highlights of his long life. Those who knew them recall the wonderful relationship they had during their long life of service in the Church. Feeling the Call to the Ministry, he offered himself to the Methodist Protestant Church. In 1930, he received his license to preach and became a member of the Conference of that denomination. He was ordained three years later and accepted an appointment. When the three main branches of Methodism united in 1939, he became a member of the Louisiana Conference. For nearly thirty years he served Methodist churches across Louisiana, where he and Mrs. Cotten have a host of friends. He was particularly beloved by the ministers of the Conference. He retired in 1965, but this did not end his ministry. He continued to assist the Church in places of need: Liberty Chapel, Pleasant Grove, and a three year period in the Free Methodist Church in Summerville near the place of his birth. Brother Cotten was a minister, called of God to the ministry. He felt it a great honor to be a preacher, therefore he did not have any problem with his appointments. He felt that if he was God’s man, God would see to it that he was in the right place. His loyalty to the Methodist Church was such that he trusted the leaders of that body to be fair with him always. Therefore, he could simply do his best and trust the Church to seek God ‘s will for his ministry. On August 22, 1987, while talking to his dear wife and his friend Paul Carrol, the Angels came for him. His wife had him laid to rest among friends and loved ones. Hear his master say again, “Well done thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. . .” |
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| Source: Journal Louisiana Conference, 1988, p.186-187……..By Jolly B. Harper | |
