Garvin County Oklahoma Pioneers

Rev. J. H. Dickerson of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, under date of February 2, 1938 writes:—"When I came a missionary to the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians in Oct., 1882, under commission from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, without salary, the first donation I received for my support was a bale of cotton from Ben C. Burney. I hauled the cotton to Denison, Texas and sold it. There was a small congregation on his farm in which he was a ruling elder. When I came and some time after, he was out of Christian duty and service. He came back to the work of the church with full penitence and consecration. From then to his death he lived a most careful and devoted Christian life. To illustrate his conscientiousness I give the following. When I came to the work he had just built a large two story residence, his former home having burned. After I had stopped with the family many times and was given a bed up stairs, he said to me one day, 'Brother Dickerson, have you noticed that one room up there has not been finished? 'Yes, I have seen it,' I said. 'When I started to build this house,' he said, 'I promised the Lord that when it was finished I would begin to hold family worship and pray in my home. I could not get up the courage to pray out loud so the house was never finished.' He afterwards took up the habit of family worship, also leading in public prayer. How he came to begin leading in public prayer was on this wise. I was holding a revival meeting on his farm at the little school house. Just before the preaching hour one evening, I asked the Christians to go separately into the woods, get upon their knees and promise the Lord that they would do just what the Holy Spirit seemed to point out. When they came back and I had preached and called for penitents, Bro. Burney arose and said, 'When you sent us out I knew what I would have to promise the Lord, that I would lead in prayer—let us pray.' Down on our knees we went and Bro. Burney would pray awhile and cry awhile. There was great rejoicing in that little congregation for everybody loved Burney. Ever after he graciously led in prayer. He would take his Bible and visit the tenants on his farm, read, talk and pray with them. I think he said less about those who injured him than any man I ever associated with. He did get riled up once. His cattle began breaking into the farm. Some of the tenants began shooting his cattle. He had told his tenants to watch the fences and keep them in repair and he would meet the expense. Instead of fixing fences they shot the cattle. Burney took up his gun and started for the farm to settle with the tenants. Afterward he and I were walking along this path. He pointed out a certain fence corner where he got on his knees and turned the cattle matter over to the Lord and went back to the house. He worked much for the welfare of the Chickasaws. I have often said that Ben Burney was my best friend among the Indians in my missionary efforts. I am too old and nervous, will be 85, April 12, if allowed to continue."