On January 10, 1904, Brother R. H. Boll began his work with Portland Avenue Church of Christ. He has been the minister of the congregation continuously (*) since that time. January 10, 1954, significantly fell on Sunday again, and as he has done thousands of times through the years, Brother Boll had the pleasure of speaking the life-giving Word to the congregation at Portland Avenue—some of whom were present fifty years ago when he first began his ministry.
The elders and deacons at Portland Avenue along with the whole congregation and may other brethren wanted to make this anniversary an occasion for special thanksgiving to God and to his humble servant for the rich blessings they had received from his ministry during the years. January 15, 7:30 P.M., the date set for this occasion, found the auditorium filled to overflowing, with a number accommodated in classrooms which were served by loudspeakers. Many from distant points were present for this unusual occasion. Some of the preachers present and others, have known Brother Boll for the entire fifty years. This large crowd came in spite of very unfavorable weather.
Brother Carl Vogt Wilson, an elder of the church, was the able Master of Ceremonies. The meeting was informal and those who wished were given the privilege of making three-minute talks reminiscing and telling what the life and teaching of this man of God had meant to them.
Seats were reserved at the front for those who were at Portland when Brother Boll first came to the congregation during the early years of his ministry. The Christian A Capella Chorus and the Kentucky Bible college quartet sang a number of his favorite hymns.
Brother George Albus, and elder of the church, read and presented him a letterform the congregation artistically hand lettered in English script on parchment by Brother David Clancy. Brother Victor McKinley presented to him a liberal love offering of about eighteen hundred dollars from the Portland church and many other friends in honor of this occasion. At the close of the service Brother Boll was given the privilege of saying a few words in his own “defense” and recounted his experience in his first protracted meeting.
Following the service in the auditorium he and Sister Boll were taken to the dining hall of the new school building, which had been beautifully decorated in gold and white for the occasion, where they received congratulations from their many friends. A large, beautifully decorated cake had been prepared for the anniversary celebration. Each of the guests received a souvenir booklet of Brother Boll’s early life reprinted from Truth and Grace. A point of special interest was the display of pictures of Brother Boll, his early schoolmates and friends, and the Bible classes through the years. There were also many old meeting announcements and other mementoes from his service for the Lord through the years which Sister Boll had carefully saved along with a complete display of his books, pamphlets, and tracts.
It was a blessed time of fellowship and many lingered until close to midnight. We all left feeling “The Lord has been very good to us,” as Brother Boll expressed it.
We rejoice that after so many years of faithful service he is still strong and vigorous “full of sap and green” and able to continue his preaching, teaching, and writing ministry. We pray that if the Lord tarries, He will graciously give him many more years of service.
- There was a period of about 1 year in 1910-11 that Bro. Boll was teaching in a Christian School in Lawrenceburg, TN. While there, their oldest child died, only being about 1 ½ years old. He and Sister Boll returned to Louisville, and he reassumed the vacant pulpit at Portland Avenue.
