Soaring the Silvery Summits

By Dr. Barry W. Dutton

Let's meet our author, Dr. Barry W. Dutton. Near the ending of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first, Dr. Dutton's volume of work and life experience had caught the attention of Charles Williams, a renowned and celebrated orator of that time. When speaking of our author, Mr. Williams offered the following insight.

A great mind and soul are somewhat like a great sea--deep and filled with marvelous things. Such are the mind and soul of Barry Dutton. He is, in the truest sense, alive, and this book, a product of his mind, lives. He will take you by the hand and lead you through the scenes of the years. His incredible way with words will make sunsets linger on an ever-changing evening sky and sunrises sparkle and scintillate with new fire each glorious day. He will show you the high ranges of life's better moments as well as the deep valleys when shadows lay heavy about, and make us fear to tread.

Barry Dutton will be honest. He will tell it like it is; and when he is through, you will be glad you took this voyage with one of America's premier preachers. You will know that great men and women have been hammered and honed and, in the process, have emerged the shining Better Self. The skills and gifts of Barry and his wife, Tavia, are not the products of easy years, but of persistence in spite of pain, patience in spite of perils, and progress in spite of problems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685706630

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Soaring the Silvery Summits

Dr. Barry W. Dutton

ISBN 978-1-68570-662-3 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88685-628-6 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-68570-663-0 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Barry W. Dutton

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Foreword

Hello there.

Preface

My Earnest Prayer As You Read Summits

The Night I Was Saved

Soaring the Silvery Summits

Tavia

Our Story Begins as Tavia Starts to Re-point My Well of Inspiration

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

A Final Curtain Call or… A parting thought from your author

About the Author

Paul and Annette Pitts

Cherished friends for over 30 years…

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my

distinct honor to introduce you

to the incomparable

Dr. Paul Pitts.

Foreword

Hello, folks, I have known Barry and Tavia for most of my adult life. Dr. Dutton is a dedicated, godly man who, without a doubt, is one of the most prolific men I have ever known. He speaks the Word of God without compromise and with unusual eloquence. He is a man who is totally dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has blessed Barry with a vocabulary and style as to bring color and reality to the stories and principles of the Bible. In short, I would say his specialty is in bringing the Word of God to life. It is my opinion that one would be hard pressed to find anyone surpassing his stature as a speaker for any event. Should their musical gifts be desired, Tavia is a gifted keyboard player. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Together, they comprise a rare duet team, capable of belting out the great hymns of the church as well as gospel songs heard on such shows as The Gaither Hour. Their uplifting music carries that special camp meeting flavor still enjoyed by legions of folk today.

I am honored to recommend Barry and Tavia Dutton and to support them in this very unique undertaking. Don't lose out on hosting their great work, either as a team or with Barry alone. You'll be glad that you did. To capsulate their ministry into one operative word, I think the word dynamic works. Dr. Dutton's first book, Two against the Tide, was a runaway best seller. Annette and I are praying for the same success with this latest project. As I conclude my words of honor about our dear friends and colleagues, I would simply add that should you get to know Barry and Tavia Dutton as Annette and I know them, you would be just as proud of your association with them as we are with ours.

Paul Pitts

Author's Note: Thanks, dear friend. So kind! Remember Canterbury Hall at ENC? From that historic room, you demonstrated the legendary Canterbury war cry. Ooo-ay apparently was the exercise you tenors used to become skilled in, learning to go from full voice to a soft and lilting falsetto. Today, you are a consummate master.

A Special Note to Our Readers: Should you ever get an opportunity to see Dr. Pitts perform in The Scribe, a musical story of how a tough Roman centurion soldier found faith at the cross of Christ, or to experience one of Paul and Annette's unforgettable concerts, don't miss it. Either experience will change your life forever! BWD.

Hello there.

Thanks for stopping by! I just know you're going to love this book. All I can say at the outset is wait till you really get into it! This is one of those I can't put it down types. The publishers may have something to say about content, themes, and story line; but this work is, essentially, a Christian love story that deals with Christian life and living. It features all the good stuff like love, adventure, romance, intrigue, and a whole bunch of epiphanies which, as you will see, has spawned a host of different types of poetry. It's the unfolding of one young man's destiny, offered in poetic text. It is the saga of one being called away from his beloved island home on the rock-bound coast of Maine, virtually, to the ends of the earth.

Your author has always enjoyed such things as singing, playing the guitar, oration, poetry, painting word pictures, and being able to describe things in a way where people can see it. I've been called everything from a wordsmith to a chatterbox. Those examples have been rather kind and gentle. However, there have been a few who have contributed such characterizations as vociferous and verbose. I'll let you be the judge.

I recall during our days of protracted crusades where Tavia and I would be booked as speakers and singers for revivals and camp meeting services. (Camp meeting: A gathering of religious people from various regions, spending a week or more in an old brush arbor or tabernacle setting, where they sing, testify, listen to good preaching, eat, and fellowship. Objective: To be renewed and revived in their walk with God.)

For promotional purposes, our denomination often labeled this writer as reminiscent of a camp meeting Southern orator. I'd like to tell you that I was humbled by that accolade, but in truth, I was reasonably flattered. This preaching style has changed with the times; but my affinity for it, whether spoken as prose or rhyme, still resonates with me. My personal flighty spells (flights of oratory) would usually occur when I would get happy while trying to picture or explain a scene or an event. Example: One of these glorious mornings, Old Zion will swing around the last sheltered cove and lift her golden figurehead against the bright docks of that fair land… She'll be anchored with a silver anchor, and the redeemed of all ages will file down an exquisite drawbridge to place their feet onto hallowed ground. We'll take a deep breath of celestial air and have our first conscious moment in Glory. I can picture the saints of God marching down Hallelujah Boulevard, stacking their crosses on the parade grounds of eternity, as the Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ Himself, pins the purple heart of heaven to every robe washed white in the blood of the Lamb.

Obviously, one would be ill served listening to an entire sermon with that kind of language dominating. I've been thrilled, however, to see folks get excited and ultimately surrender their lives to Christ, by certain picturesque language when it has been used to make a point. This is especially true when the speaker is anointed and preaching with the unction of the Holy Spirit. This, obviously, has to be based upon the irrefutable, unadulterated, irrevocable, and immutable Word of God. Please bear in mind that the essence of this book is not page after page of boring oration; quite the contrary. Most of this work contains a picturesque and gentle forward-moving narrative of the life and times of a young fisherman who was called, by the Heavenly Father, from a way of life on the Maine coast to global evangelism. This meant that I would be leaving my home state of Maine; and under the gospel evangelism flag, I would be saying yes to an itinerary that would take us across America, Canada, and ultimately twenty-six countries worldwide. One frightening issue was the prospect of never returning to my beloved home state of Maine, let alone the island of my childhood days. This reality came home to roost in the sweltering jungles of Vietnam. The events of that experience hovered over me like a pall. Frankly, that particular aspect of the unknown hung over my head like the foreboding sword of Damocles. Yet by His divine intervention, God brought me through Nam, with the same sustaining grace that was mine in virtually every situation I've ever faced. I think you'll quickly see how the narrative of my story unfolds as each poem in this collection is preceded by an attending epiphany.

Several years ago, I walked along the breakers of the Sea of Galilee and was reminded a friend of mine, Mr. Forrest Whitney. I used to love to hear ole Forest sing When We Get to the End of the Way. Let me share a few verses.

The sands have been washed in the footprints,

Of the stranger on Galilee's shore,

And the voice that subdued the rough billows,

Will be heard in Judea no more.

But the path of that lone Galilean,

With joy I will follow today,

And the toils of the road will seem nothing,

When we get to the end of the way.

When all that now seems so mysterious,

Will be clear and as bright as the day,

Then the toils of the road will seem nothing,

When we get to the end of the way

The following are a few of my favorite lines, beloved. I confess that they leave a sizeable lump in my throat. See what you think.

There are so many hills to climb upward,

I often am longing for rest.

But He, who appoints me my pathway

Knows just what is needful and best.

I know in His word, He hath promised

That my strength, it shall be as my day,

And the toils of the road will seem nothing,

When I get to the end of the way. (Charles D. Tillman)

Here's my note of personal thanks:

Thank you, Mr. Tillman, for writing such a classic! You have blessed many souls with your deep insight. I can't wait to meet you in heaven. At such time, I will thank you personally. I also thank you, Mr. Forest Whitney, for singing so beautifully, but particularly, this song. You have blessed me and scores of others with your music in song. I will never forget you, old friend! I wonder if you and Mr. Tillman have met as yet. Perhaps so! Great singers and writers tend to find each other.

I have a dear friend by the name of Paul Pitts, whom you would dearly love. He too sings the glory down on any song. I'm sure that with his interpretation of this piece, you would find it as thrilling as what yours was when you walked among us and sang with such pathos. When we get to heaven, I'll introduce you to Paul. With Annette (his wife) playing for you, my guess is you two would make an unbeatable duet. See you when we get home.

Preface

Is poetry a lost art in the twenty-first century? Are the art forms of poetry, oration, and eloquence being swept away in today's rising tide of mediocrity? Mr. Dutton's passion for this theme is very evident as he broaches the subject of respecting tradition in a current culture at odds with the past. While other trends, mores, and lifestyles are lightly touched upon, best-selling author Dr. Barry W. Dutton retraces his experiences using a few of the art forms expressed above. Meanwhile, a few negatives still dominating the twenty-first century landscape need an overhaul. To those not wishing to be intellectually lazy, we must surely understands that a huge divide exists between the twenty-first century of today and the so-called greatest generation (NBC Anchor Tom Brokaw). I agree. The fact is that had it not been for the successes of former generations, the exploits of today would be set back at least 150 years or more. The early years, technologically, showed amazing growth with gadgetry. A plethora of devices delivered instant gratification. Sadly, and concurrently, a culture best described as reckless, devil may care, and free spirited hijacked the process. As a result, today, we are bombarded by high tech advances (which, for the most part, can be good). Societal evolution (which, at times, can be bad) has caused a sad decline in the way we treat each other. Crimes of moral obloquy are advancing exponentially as we face our tomorrows. Not to be undone by fatalism, Mr. Dutton believes we can still dial things back, renew a love and respect for our countrymen, and experience a resurgence of the lost arts.

Like you, I'm merely thinking out loud. Bear with me for a moment. In the genesis of the twenty-first century, it seems that we are witnessing a more-than-usual moral decline. Should renewal escape us, not only spiritual, but moral, I fear we will lose whatever moral high ground we thought we held as this one-time nation under God.

I often wonder if we're not living in that time that most of us dreamed would never come. It's true that while our country, for the most part, seems to abide by our traditions, I wonder what is facing us on the horizon. Again, it's easy to be negative, yet I wonder if conservative thought will eventually bow to the screaming voices of liberalism.

I often find myself musing, could it be that, in the distance, amidst the cacophony of the modern age, the militant tread of some of our liberal-minded brethren striving to take down our historic heroes? Oh yes, my friend, I'm referring to great luminaries such as Washington, Lincoln, Grant, Jackson, and others, who are being disparaged by many (not all, thank God) twenty-first century educators who are challenging the veracity of these ancient luminaries. We are told that these great men of renown did not actually accomplish that for which they are celebrated and that their closets are full of skeletons. Therefore, they are rendered unworthy of a place in our American history. I personally take great umbrage at this historical smearing travesty.

Frankly, the embattled nature of today's ruling authorities drives me to frequent prayer for the vulnerable such as my grandson Keagan and his contemporaries. My supplication is simple yet persistent: praying that they will be providentially spared from what appears to be an impending storm of cultural and moral demise.

I pray that reason will ultimately prevail and that a resurgence of core values will be imminent. Is it possible for society to experience a revival of culture such as the ancient Greeks did during 1400 and 1600? Figuratively speaking, I wonder how many of our dear millenniums can still hear the clarion ring of the Liberty Bell. Will our value system be measured by the standards of Hollywood and the hip generation? God forbid! I am, at times, reasonably anxious over the possibility of our historic culture, dating back to the ancient Greeks, which, incidentally, captivated the world for centuries, should this be abandoned in lieu of shallow trendiness and nullification of such sacred traditions as Christmas, Easter, etc. Should that eventuality ever be realized, I think it would be tantamount to the beginning of the end. Are we leaning in that direction? Dear God, I pray not!

With today's current preoccupation with God hating, and what appears to be society's continuing efforts to expunge our Creator from all aspects of life, I wonder if all this is leading this nation down an irreversible slippery slope that will exit onto a lonesome road to nowhere. So here's the ultimate question. When you and I eventually slip the surly bonds of this mortal coil, will we be proud of the world we've bequeathed to our kids? I'm far from an alarmist, but I believe there's legitimate cause to wonder.

It strikes at my soul each time I gaze into the innocent eyes of our children and our grandchildren. These and many more questions that I will not belabor are troubling to me. Hence, I feel led to make the following inquiry:

Is it Sunrise or perhaps, Sunset;

Doth any mortal know it?

Is it Renaissance of Ruin,

Mulls the Pensive, Pondering, Poet…

Thanks for taking the time to tune in to this announcement regarding our first major project. It's the autobiography of this author's life and times titled Two against the Tide.

If you enjoy stories about real-life experiences, life by the sea, marriage, Vietnam, danger, and intrigue, you will like this autobiography of our author. If you have ever wondered what an inside look at twentieth and twenty-first-century itinerant evangelism looks like, it is all right here in Two against the Tide. It includes the good, the bad, the ugly, and the best. You will see it from the perspective of one of America's most heartwarming husband-and-wife evangelistic teams. (The above characterization is borrowed from Denominational Promotions.)

See how God took a young fisherman from his native home by the sea, gave him an amazing bride, and led him on a forty-six-year jaunt around the world. Only because God was in it did they become a global singing and preaching duo of notable achievement. Check it out! You won't be disappointed.

However, before we get on with our story, I want to introduce you to a young man by the name of Paul Young. He attended a revival meeting that Tavia and I were holding in Franklin, Pennsylvania. Paul felt the Lord speaking to him, and before the week was over, he gave his heart to Jesus. What happened next is thrilling and can only be attributed to God's amazing grace. Paul's work as a missionary continues to flourish. You won't want to miss his testimony, coming up next…

My Earnest Prayer As You Read Summits

Just prior to this particular project, and just before we weigh anchor and set sail, I was asked by one of my friends at church, Hey, Doc, what's your new book going to be about? I told him that it was going to be very different from the autobiography that I had written earlier. That book, a best seller, is available through several outlets. Should you be interested, just contact me with a request. Contact information will be found in several locations throughout this book. The title of that book is Two against the Tide.

The purpose for which it was written was to not only share my life's story, but to report my findings on an in-depth investigative probe regarding a few unfortunate issues of charlatanism circling the wagons of the church several years ago. In some ways, it was a buyer's beware for unsuspecting newborn lambs (innocent new Christians). It was an unofficial, unrequested, unsolicited dossier that I had hoped would help steer folks back to faith, church, and old-fashioned godly values instead of getting sucked in by a few false name it and claim it, blab it and grab it wolves in sheep's clothing preying upon those recently trusting Christ as Savior and Lord. It was a close-up window into the challenging work of evangelism and included an ongoing report to our supporters.

However, even that was not the main objective. It proved to be a best seller for a number of reasons. One of those reasons was due to the huge assortment of uplifting stories from my growing-up years along the Maine coast. We have been told that another aspect of success

regarding The Tide was due to the storybook marriage my wife and I have been blessed with. People from all walks of life seemed to resonate with that. While this book covers a wide range of subjects from early youth, my call, Uncle Sam's call, Vietnam, preaching in Okinawa Prison systems (in their own language), living as an itinerant evangelist, stories of our island home, and the beautiful treasure trove of experiences from that life, all proved to catch the curiosity of people from all walks of life. From dealing with people at an altar to dealing with IICs (a term I had concocted meaning individuals in charge [purpose: so no one would or could recognize themselves]), thus sparing anyone from potential embarrassment. The Tide also gave our supporters an accounting of everything we faced. They desired to pray for specific needs and that God would keep us out of harm's way. In the field of evangelism, harm's way can wear many faces. Our support teams were aware of such encumbrances and faithfully interceded on our behalf. They also believed, wholeheartedly, in our mission; and because they could not go themselves, they essentially sent us instead.

Perhaps we will revisit The Tide later, but in the meantime, let me say that the touchstone of Summits has to do with the poetic side of this author. Poetry with a unique twist respecting the fundamentals of the art form. In short, each poem is preceded by the actual epiphany that I experienced before giving birth to the actual poem itself. Said another way, I introduce the story behind the poem. It features a wide spectrum of categories including information, inspiration, ministry thoughts, fun, sad and happy poems and prose, oration, background and personal thoughts, along with teaching, devotionals, and a glimpse

into that strange metamorphosis that took place at my calling. God took an average clam-digging, lobster-fishing furniture builder from Maine and transformed him into a global evangelist. Basically, I was nothing more than an average guy who followed what he believed to be his God calling and then did it to the very best of his ability.

Soaring the Silvery Summits is the story of how God got the attention of this young coastal fellow from the rocky shores of the North Atlantic, in a sleepy little seacoast town known as Harpswell, Maine. I had strong ties to what I refer to as Old Ocean and, as you will see in the early section of this book, had a great affinity for the sea, as I still do. The term Old Ocean is borrowed from a masterful poem written by the renowned Rev. Elijah Kellogg of Harpswell.