Saints Who Touched My Life - "Sweet Virgil" Peterson

I don’t know why Elmer became out of vogue as a man’s name, but I suspect it was because of Elmer Fudd.

It certainly wasn’t because of Elmer Peterson, EXCEPT in the minds of a group of young men at First Baptist Church of North Tonawanda, New York. He was such a godly man, but teenagers can be cruel and Elmer certainly had his idiosyncrasies. He loved to sing and was included as a church soloist to keep from hurting his feelings, I suppose. His voice wasn’t that bad, but he had a strange way of quickly moving his head up and down to create his vibrato, and this was secretly mocked by the boys in Christian Service Brigade. He loved working with us and drove miles from his home to be one of our leaders.

Elmer had a Volkswagen. Sometimes some of us would ride with him and he usually forgot to put it in first gear when we stopped. Starting in second or third would make the car shake like he did when he sang.

He got his nickname from singing. At our Boys Brigade meeting one December, we were singing Christmas carols led by Mr. Peterson. A little used verse of Silent Night speaks of the angels watching over Baby Jesus. It says something like – “their sweet vigils keep.” He mistakenly sang “sweet virgils” and a new name was born. From that time on, Elmer Peterson was “Sweet Virgil.”

Honestly, I was a pretty good kid, respected my elders, and would not defy them in any way, but there is a streak of that old nature in me, and nicknames were so important to a teenage boy.

There was so much to laugh at “Sweet Virgil” about, but as I look back, I know his passion for the things of God left a positive impact on my Christian life. I have learned that God uses anyone who is surrendered to Him, but He has produced a lot of unusual people and “Sweet Virgil” was definitely one of those. But he has a dear place in my heart. I thank God for the influence of this godly man, even though I still smile at the thought of “Sweet Virgil” Peterson.

Saints Who Touched My Life - "Slow Norm" Carpenter

Norm Carpenter had a Bible College background and worked as our youth leader at First Baptist Church, North Tonawanda, New York, but he was not a preacher. I don’t remember any of his Bible studies, although I’m sure he delivered many to my youth group. I do remember his love for the Lord and his desire that we love Him, too. He made us learn the books of the Bible and almost every youth meeting included a trip around the room with each of us being required to recite the next Bible book in order. I believe that is where my knowledge of the Bible books began.


Norm owned the local bus company - not travel buses, or school buses - but city buses. My Dad drove part time for him for a while and my brother Bob worked as a bus mechanic before he was able to get into the printing trade. What I remember most about the buses, though, is when we would bounce along on one of his rattling buses to other churches in Western New York for youth rallies, and he was not “slow Norm Carpenter” when he drove the bus.

After 40 years of pastoring, as I consider the input of this man on my life, I realize that as a teenager, the consistency of his faith and the love shown to me and the others in the group, indeed made an imprint that fashioned my walk with God.

As with most teens, (and adults are guilty, too), we forget that the impressions of men and women of faith mold us so slowly that we can’t really go back to one moment or one message that made an immediate change.

The one incident I do remember clearly was not a spiritual one, at least on my part. It was in response to something Norm said to us about dating. He said, “I didn’t kiss my wife until we were married.” My response was, “You really were slow, weren’t you.” We all laughed, and a new name was born, “slow Norm”.

To this day, I’m not sure if he was telling an old joke and didn’t get to finish it. You see, I kissed my sweetheart many times before our wedding day, but I, too, didn’t kiss my wife until we were married. Obviously, she wasn’t my wife until we were married.

You were a great man of God, but were you really “slow” Norm Carpenter?