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This video begins with a cow being milked. In October 1940 Dr. Forrest listed several needs of the college, including the need for a new barn because the old one was not adequate. The college had a large herd of Guernsey cattle but the Health Department said it would have to be replaced. At the time, the students were drinking over eighty gallons of milk a day!

In January 1902, I accepted a call to become the pastor of a Gospel Mission in Orlando, Florida. Thus began the wonderful privilege of preaching the gospel around the world. January 1, 1911, I first saw Toccoa Falls and gave a ten dollar bill as a down payment for Haddock Inn, a beautiful piece of property at the base of Toccoa Falls. And it was here that Toccoa Falls Institute and Bible College was born. I am now on what they call “the return list.” But you can see from the happy memories I have how anxious I am to do all I can to overcome the ravages of time.

They have made me President Emeritus of Toccoa Falls Bible College, and I am eager that my friends should be reminded of the school and acquainted with the problems which must be faced and conquered. We have the plans and specifications for a new library, which will cost about $150, 000.00. So far, we have about $30 thousand held in reserve for the Library, but we cannot begin the construction until we have at least one hundred thousand. We thank God for what we have, and we are trusting Him and our friends to make it possible to begin the library at the earliest possible date.

You have made possible by your prayers and your gifts the development of the school. Letters from former students come in almost daily telling of their gratitude for the training and guidance received at Toccoa Falls Institute for their life work. This constitutes a dividend from the help you and God have given. It is a good investment, and the best part is this: the results will continue through all eternity.

With all my heart I want to urge you to help us get enough money on hand to build a library. I believe God will be pleased to have us make Him a love gift for this much needed department or current needs of the school. Won’t you do something about it as a Christmas gift? All such gifts maybe deducted from your Income Tax.

It is a great joy to us to give gifts to loved ones at this season. This custom started when God gave “His only begotten Son” as our Saviour. I know you will want to help us to continue to send this message around the world.

May God bless and refresh you with His eternal hope.

Merry Christmas,

In the early 1900′s, Mrs. Forrest could not envision how the horse and buggy would be replaced by the automobile. However, she soon became “accustomed” to the idea once she began accepting speaking engagements in cities such as Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina; and Asheville, North Carolina. See the devotional that was posted on this site on April 2, 2007.

“God provided the answer. ‘What about tents?’

“Apparently everyone was happy. It was a novel experience, of course. . . . Of these days Dr. Forrest says: ‘The students kept coming-why, I do not know. Why they stayed, I couldn’t tell anybody. We had the sweetest kind of time; nobody complained, everybody was happy. Then we began slowly to climb.’ (copy from Achieving the Impossible with God by Lorene Moothart)
In photo below: Toccoa Falls faculty and staff after the Haddock Inn fire.

Classes continued as usual.

Ora Frost, the first new student at the Toccoa Falls location, is shown here on the right.

The area where the boy’s tents were located was called “Joy Avenue.”

The car title (notice it is in Mrs. R.A. Forrest’s name)

Dr. R.A. Forrest, age 72, driving his 1953 Buick

Immediately following the fire that destroyed Haddock Inn on March 7, 1913, Mrs. Forrest wrote the following to the children who wrote to her faithfully and also read her column in Southern Greetings, a newspaper published by the Forrests at Toccoa Falls College.

Toccoa, Ga., March 15, 1913

My Dear Children,

Since our last letter we have passed through the flames. Our beautiful Toccoa Falls Institute building was completely destroyed by fire on Friday morning, March 7, and with it all our furniture, dishes, silver, books, and papers, including my collection of children’s books and letters, and the February issue of Southern Greetings.

Therefore, we will have an enlarged edition this month, and your Bible lesson, a litter longer than usual.  I know those of you who have been at Toccoa, and those who were looking forward to coming this summer, will feel very sad about our building burning. But let us look up and remember God’s promise to His people many years ago to give “beauty for ashes,” and trust Him for the new building He will give.

You will read on the editorial page how we are hoping to build in the near future. And I am sure the children are anxious to do all they can to help us with the new buildings. Write me about it and I will tell you how you can help.

Lovingly, the Children’s Friend,

Mrs. R. A. Forrest

After she wrote this column, children from across the country wrote to her wanting to help rebuild the school that she and her husband, Richard, had established. They also sent money—a few coins and a few dollar bills—but over time it was enough to build Sunshine Cottage, the first of three cottages that were constructed to house students. More importantly, these donations were just one more indication that the work should continue and it did. With child-like faith to sustain it, Toccoa Falls emerged from the ashes of disappointment and defeat.

I always want to laugh a little and say, “A job will never bring happiness. It can bring many rewards, but it is not the basis for contentment.” The same is true with people: a person cannot make you happy. People will disappoint us. They fail us and rightfully so because our trust needs to be in one Person and that is Jesus Christ. We can work hard to change our circumstances; but, if we are not fully dependent on God, we will face one disappointment after another.

Do All Things without Murmuring

Recently I returned home to Toccoa Falls full of expectation. Christmas was almost here; and I also was looking forward to celebrating my wedding anniversary on December 24. While I was away, I was sent updates on the day-to-day operations of the college, but no one had mentioned one particular problem.

The moment I stepped back on campus I realized something was wrong, and my heart dropped. Though I never told anyone, the temptation to grumble and feel sorry for myself was very strong. As I listened to those around me talk, the Holy Spirit reminded me of Paul’s words to the Philippians: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13).

I couldn’t argue with God. I knew He was right, and He was telling me that He would provide exactly what I needed to withstand this disappointment. Later, I looked up Philippians 4 and reread this verse along with verse 12. I could be content, but contentment required something of me. It meant making a choice to trust God and let go of my expectations. So with disappointing thoughts swirling through my head, I decided to do just that—trust the One who had allowed my circumstances to turn so dark.

Grumbling against God Has Consequences

It is wrong to grumble about the things we cannot control. In fact, there are consequences to murmuring: The Israelites grumbled and the results were disastrous. They murmured about Moses, fussed about not having the food they wanted, and complained about a lack of water. God almost allowed them die in the wilderness. (Numbers 14) One discontented member can spoil a whole family. And discontentment is never a good testimony for Jesus Christ and His faithfulness.

How could Paul say that he could do “all things”? He learned through experience. When trouble came his way, he trusted God to guide him through it. He wrote, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13).

Is there a time when discontentment is acceptable? Yes. When God is getting ready to move us to another position, we may feel discontent. Many of our students have said that before they came to Toccoa Falls they felt discontent and sought the Lord in prayer. But the key to victory in this area is this: “Do all things without murmuring or disputing.”

Once while at sea, the ship with John Wesley on board encountered a great storm. Wesley wrote, “All the passengers were frightened except a small group of Moravians. I finally asked one of the men, ‘Are you afraid?’ “He replied, ‘No, why should I be when I know Jesus Christ?’”

This encounter led to John Wesley’s conversion. My question to you is this: Do you know the One who holds your life in His hand? If so, you have discovered the way to eternal contentment.

Taken from a sermon preached by Dr. Richard Forrest on December 12, 1947.

On Friday afternoon, June 1, 1923, seven of the former graduates of the Toccoa Falls Institute, met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest, to organize an Alumni Association.

Mr. Forrest acted as chairman, Pro Tem, and called the meeting to order, stating the purpose for which we were gathered.

Those present were Rev. and Mrs. R. A. Forrest, Mr. John Brock, Mr. Kelly Barnes, Miss Alice Larson, Mr. William Warren, Miss Sue Ralls, Miss Bonnie Patton, and Miss Mary N. Spooner.

There was some discussion of the proposed Association, and then it was unanimously decided to organize it, with the following members:

1915

Miss Lillian Eustace

Mrs. Charles Hill (Esther Key)

Miss Mary N. Spooner

Miss Annie E. Thomas

1917
Mr. John Brock
Mrs. John Brock (Emma Kimmel)
Mr. John Turner
Miss Grace Weston

1918
Mr. John Tosh

1919
Miss Ora Frost
Mr. Frank Morey

1920
Miss Ollie M. Givens
Miss Alice Larson
Miss Sue Ralls
Miss Carrie Warner

1921
Mr. Cecil Hall
Mr. Arnold Thompson
Mr. J. Ivy Tucker
Mr. William Warren
Mr. William Watson

1922
Mr. Kelly Barnes
Miss Bonnie Patton
Mr. Hoyt Tucker
Mr. Stanley Webster

It was decided that the Officers of this Association should be a President, a first and second Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

The following were elected for these offices:

For President: Mr. Cecil Hall

For 1st Vice-Pres.:Mr. John Brock

For 2nd Vice-Pres.: Mr. William Warren

For Secretary: Miss Mary N. Spooner

For Treasurer: Miss Sue Ralls

An Executive Committee composed of the Officers of the Association and Miss Bonnie Patton and Miss Ora Frost was then elected for the purpose of attending to any business that might come up during the intervals between the yearly meetings.

It was decided to officially receive the members of the Class of 1923, on Wednesday night, June 6, after Class Day exercises, the Alumni Association to serve them a light supper at that time.

Baldermo Rodriguez

September 3, 1944

Dear Mr. [Kelly] Barnes,
Please forgive me for not writing any sooner, but I have been on the move for nearly four months now. I have made another combat jump and came out alright—“Thank God.” It is the third combat mission in which I have taken part. Everyone has been very tough and in everyone, we have had a little fun with the [Japanese]. [I‘ll] be glad when this is all over because I have done some walking in my three years in the Parachute Infantry, and I have seen all the bullets flying over my head that I wanted to see. I am ready to take a rest out of the tropics and far away from the [Japanese].

I am sending a few pieces of Japanese money which they were going to use in their conquer of the world. Well, piece-by-piece, we are taking it all back. Some of the money is real [Japanese] money. [The] other pieces are nothing but invasion money.

Well, I have to close for today, but I will write again soon.

Sincerely,
Rodriguez

P.S. Give my regards to everybody at T. F. I.

10 Yen

Other side of 10 Yen

Japanese Money

Japanese Money

Letter to TFI

Letter to TFI