February 28 Today in OPC History

Mary Cummings was born in ChaiRyung, Korea as the youngest child of Missionary William F. Hunt and his second wife, Anna Maria Potts Lloyd. On this day in 2002, she went to be with the Lord in glory.

Raised in Korea until graduation from high school at 16, she matriculated at Wilson College and after graduation to two additional years at Moody Bible Institute, fully intending to follow in her parents’ footsteps to the foreign mission field. That was, until she met Calvin K. Cummings at a League of Evangelical Students meeting in Pittsburgh. Cal’s friend, Robert Graham, bragged on “Mary Hunt—you ought to meet her!” Cal took his advice, met her, and helped her prepare a talk on the League for college students at the church pastored by Clarence Macartney. They corresponded for four years and married in 1935, believing that future ministry in the United States was where their lives together would “most count for Him,” their Savior. Mom had a warm, open heart that made for a warm open home as she served alongside her husband in Pittsburgh (37 years), Tallahassee, Melbourne, and Chicago to plant and nourish new churches. After Dad’s death, she spent her last fourteen years alongside the ministry of Emmanuel Chapel in South Philadelphia, where her son and my brother, Wilson, served as pastor.

Her ministry through hospitality was a beautiful complement to husband’s energetic, diligent and faithful ministry. She could always rattle a few dishes and somehow come up with enough to feed all five children, foster daughter, and any number of other guests that were invited; the family itself filled the table, yet there was always room for 1–10 more, on the corners, two on the piano bench, and another four in the hallway around a card table! You would never know that she had never cooked a meal before she was married and had cried on their honeymoon because she didn’t know how to cook oatmeal. Her laughter was infectious and she loved playing games with family and guests. She could often be heard praying with and for her children and the many young mothers and women who sought her counsel. Her encouragement of fellowship within the church family and Presbytery, and her reaching out to unsaved women, was perpetual. While her gift for teaching the gospel to women and children was unassuming, it was exceptional—she could be observed holding a class of 75 kindergarteners at rapt attention during Vacation Bible School with her engaging Bible stories, utilizing visual aids and motion songs. She learned to drive a car at age 45 to help redeem the time of other family members in an ever-increasing busy schedule of a growing congregation and newly formed Trinity Christian School.

But before her multiple involvement in ministry to others came her loving ministry to her own husband, five children, and 31 grandchildren. As her children left the home, we were never left without our mother’s interest and care. Her prayers and letters always went with us. Mom was a prodigious letter writer before the days of e-mail; Mom and Dad both took turns writing each child every week, but Mom’s letters were 8–10 page tomes.

Editor’s note: Today’s entry was written by the Rev. David Cummings, son of Cal and Mary Cummings. Read more about Mary in Choosing the Good Portion: Women of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, which is available on OPC.ORG here.

Picture: Mary Cummings in 1974