A few Sundays ago, C.B. Love Jr. preached at the morning worship service at Bethany Baptist Church in McCormick, where he retired as pastor and where he and his wife, Virginia, attend regularly.
C.B. LoveLloyd Prince, also a retired minister now serving the 25-resident-member church in Edgefield Association, was away for the day and had asked Love to fill in for him.
This is a common practice among churches in the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Nothing unusual at all. There is this, however: Love celebrated his 92nd birthday on Nov. 11 and is still as active as his health will permit.
“C.B Love Jr. is a humble, dedicated servant of the Lord,” said Prince, “and such an inspiration to the members of Bethany Baptist Church.”
Love’s lengthy ministerial career began even before he graduated from Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville in 1942. He has been pastor of churches in Kentucky, Georgia and South Carolina.
In 1964, he was called to dual pastorates at Bethany and Plum Branch, both in the Edgefield Association. He served those churches for three years.
In 2005, Love retired after 41 years as Bethany’s pastor – at the age of 89. He is pastor emeritus there.
“He and his wife have many health problems,” Prince said of Bethany’s former pastor, “but on most Sundays, they are present for the worship service. Love preaches occasionally at Bethany and sometimes assists with funeral services.
“C.B. Love Jr. is certainly a model for faithfulness to our Lord’s work,” Prince said.