Descendants of John R. Balch - Howard Stone Baulch Family

19. I have learned that it pays to listen to a boy talk. Often you can use what he says later on to get
under his skin ancl inspire him to greater accomplishments.
20. I have learned that parents are anxious to cooperate when you show them that you are really trying
to help their boy become a better boy.
Not to be numbered but of paramount importance and above all others, I have learned that the molding
of a good character is more important than the instilling of vast knowledge.
Our slogan gleaned from 20 Years - 'Baulch Builds Better Boys' "
Ernest was an instructor at Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, Tennessee. He was the
Superintendent of Caverna Independent School District, Kentucky, and the Director of Summer Head
Start Program.
He was a Methodist minister in Petersburg, Tennessee at the Methodist Episcopal Church South. While
teaching at Morgan Preparatory School, Petersburg, Tennessee and preaching at a rural church, he was
asked to "fill in" at the Petersburg Presbyterian Church that was without a minister. After several months
of doing this, the Presbytery said he could not preach regularly there as a Methodist. [See below.] He
then was accepted and ordained as a Presbyterian minister.Chairman of Inservice Committee.
In a letter postmarked September 9, 1989 from James H. Baulch (age 74) to Howard S. Baulch:
"... an 'abbreviated' statement as to the answer Ernest [F. Baulch] gave the Presbytery pertaining to their
question of his belief in predestination.
When Ernest went before the Presbyterian council in regard to being accepted as a Presbyterian minister
since he, as a Methodist minister, was preaching regularly in a Presbyterian church that did not have a
minister, the matter of his belief in predestination came up.
His statement to them was that in regard to that question, he would give them two answers and they
could then make their decision. He told them that he would give them first the answer that they probably
desired which was the one contained in the Presbyterian doctrine and that his second answer would be
his own personal belief whereby he did not believe in strict predestination as he did not believe that it
was pre-destined as to whether or not he would be accepted by the Presbytery but that he believed that
God had a plan for the world and that ultimately God's plan would succeed. He said that he might have
received the call to be the minister of that church but that he could refuse the call (someone else would
have to accept the call). If he was called to be a Presbyterian minister that his refusal to accept the call at
that time did not mean that God would not make the call to him again.
Ernest never had, or never gave me, a copy of his written answer nor was it ever written out in any of his
sermons that I had. He used it at times in sermons I heard and also in some meetings I attended during
which he elaborated more, however, the main belief is that God's will in an overall viewpoint will be
accomplished - God may have a job for Jim Baulch to do but Jim Baulch may not do it; so God will find
someone else to hear his call.
I know that I got a lot of my beliefs from my brother as I lived with his [family] for a while, worked in a
boarding school with him, and owned and operated a boy's boarding school with him, and it is hard for
me to explain my own belief on predestination. I know that God's plan for the world will succeed, but I
am not that sure that God's plan for Jim Baulch has succeeded. I just pray that one of his alternate plans
will succeed. There is no way that I can believe in strict predestination when I look at the happenings in
the world in this century or in any of the past nor can I explain Christ's statement that he lost only the
one that was so predestined."
In his later years Ernest was the Sgt. of Arms of the Cave City Civitan Club, Kentucky, and served as the
City Judge, Park City, Kentucky.
From a Glasgow, Kentucky newspaper, August 16, 1976:
"Name: Ernest Baulch
Residence: Park City KY
Died: Thursday night, residence, age 70
Former educator and Presbyterian minister. Charter member of the Park City Lions Club and the Cave
City Civitan Club. Had served as officers of both clubs, had a life membership in the Civitan Club.
Survivors:
Wife: Nell Baulch
Sons: George of Park City and Lt. Col Franklin of Virginia Beach VA
Brothers: Nelson of TN and James of LA