Arkansas Blog

A grand old lady who forever in my mind will be a grand young heroine.

"We were building a future for what we considered New Testament thinking." -- Margaret Kolb

I was acquainted with Ms. Kolb in her later years, but had not realized that she was such a leader in the Women's Emergency Committee. Her theology was sound, IMO, and comports with St. Paul's, who quoted, beginning at Philippians 2:5, an ancient Christian hymn (obviously even more ancient than St. Paul) to encapsulate "New Testament thinking":

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count [even] equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant...."

I would that her kind of real leadership were more in evidence among the structured leadership of churches today.

Her Little Rock School legacy is more than enough legacy for one human, but up until her final days, she fully involved herself each day and with every person she encountered. People who knew nothing about her in the 50s were always in awe of her tireless work on behalf of political causes, on providing real aid and service to people in need everywhere, and her reputation for love and great humor. When you put it in context with her whole life, her brave work at the time of the WEC...and it was brave, there was physical danger for all those women...was just an outgrowth of who she was.

I have known Margaret for many decades as the tenacious, compassionate and visioning citizen that she truely was. There is no one in the slick and glitter set we currently have in positions of power or persuasion who can match her humanity and dignity.

"It was challenging of young people to be disciples that followed Jesus' example."

Lordy, what a variance from the teachings of Robertson, Huckabee, Falwell, Reid, Criswell, Swaggart, Dobson, Bakker, and the rest of the you-know-what.

I think it is interesting that the obituaries of some of the ladies who were only marginally involved never fail to mention their WEC credentials, while I don't think I've ever seen one credited as a leader of the Mother's League. Maybe griffin smith can help to rectify that. I mean, credit where credit's due and all.

I have known Momma Kolb for 35 years. I met her in 1971 at Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly. We both were working there for the summer. She is indeed a giant among women. Human beings for that matter. She was the kindest person I have ever known.

ARK. BLOG: Max here, just returned from a long trip. I can't believe Margaret has gone. She seemed eternal. I thought I saw her in the Hillcrest Kroger just a few weeks ago. She was a wonderful human being. If the world was populated only by her likes, it would be a wonderful world indeed.