Another Special Life in Christ

These testimony lives are not stories of "role models". Jesus is the role model!
These are lives wonderfully touched & changed by Jesus!

Phillip Simmons (1912-2009):

He was born in Charleston, S. C. (Daniel Island) 9 June of 1912. I don't have early information but do know that he learned to be a blacksmith. I don't know when he became a Jesus follower or how.

We met Mr. Simmons as part of a "Gullah Tour" in Charleston on 4/7/05 (tours still as of summer 2017) as a peripheral activity during a week of pathology continuing education through MUSC. I had heard of Mr. Simmons high art & expertise at working with wrought iron. His work is all over the world and includes a piece in the Smithsonian. His gates have fetched upwards of $20,000. The tour guide took us by his home and shop in the former gangland ghetto area of  eastern peninsula Charleston above Calhoun Street. It was a very small old house with an out-back 20 by 20 foot old garage-like work shed made from corrugated metal sheets on a cement slab. His tools were shockingly primitive. Yet he has been declared a national art treasure. Our group went into his small sitting room and met a very warm 92 year old, little old black man who reminded me of my great uncle, Murr Hall, when he was that ancient. It was raining; and we went from his sitting room to the outside work garage where the next generation was taking a break. Then we went back through rain to the tour bus. After everyone was on board, the bus door opened again; and Mr. Simmons appeared. Among a couple of comments, he mentioned that he always started each day with prayers.

As we drove off, our guide noted that Mrs. Simmons died when she was 24 and that Mr. Simmons never remarried. He told of the many people who had asked whether Mr. Simmons was wealthy or rich from his sought-after work. The answer? Mr. Philip Simmons is said to always answer that anyone who has Jesus is rich...plus he has always had food to eat and a roof over his head. The guide said that Mr. Simmons has used money for education of all children and grandchildren and many neighborhood youth who were deserving but had no money. Mr. Simmons is said to have said, "I keep giving all this money away and even more comes back in!"

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(posted 7 April  2005; latest update 15 May 2017)

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You have just read a very brief example of the powerful, supernatural transformation of a person's life which is possible through the acceptance of Jesus as your savior. Are you tired of life as it now is for you? He will accept you just as you are right this second! Consider accepting Jesus now [check it out]!