Read Ebook: The Cyclopedia of the Colored Baptists of Alabama: Their Leaders and Their Work by Boothe Charles Octavius

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Possibly some one may desire at some time and for some reason to know something of the author of this book, and therefore he submits the following short statement:

LINEAGE AND NATIVITY.--His great-grandmother was born on the west coast of Africa and was brought a slave to Virginia, where his grandmother was born. Ere his grandmother had reached her maturity of womanhood, she was sold into Georgia, where his mother was born. While his mother was still a child, she and her mother were carried to Mobile county, Ala., by a Mr. Nathan Howard. In this county, on a lonely looking sand hill amid pine forests, on June 13, 1845, the writer made his advent into this world.

EARLY RECOLLECTIONS.--Stored away in my earliest memories I find: The songs and family prayers of my step-grandfather, a pure African, who had not only learned to read his Bible and hymn book, but had also learned the rudiments of vocal music sufficiently well to teach the art of singing. The tender and constant attention of an old white lady , who took my hand as she went out to look after the nests of the domestic fowls and to gather a dish of ripe fruit. A Baptist church in the forest, where white and colored people sat together to commune and to wash each other's feet. The saintly face and pure life of my grandmother, to whom white and black went for prayer and for comfort in the times of their sorrows. A tin-plate containing the alphabet, from which at the age of 3 years, I learned the English letters. The death of the old white lady, and the severing from dear grandmother and the old home. My introduction at the age of 6 years to the family of Nathan Howard, Jr., where things were not altogether as tender toward me as at the old home, and where I came more into associations with books and with life's sterner facts. The teachers who boarded here at my new home became my instructors, and so I was soon reading and writing fairly well. Here, listening to the reading of the Bible, I was drawn toward it, and began to read it for myself. The gospel story bound me to it with cords which nothing has been able to break. At the close of my eighth year I began to seek the Lord by prayer and supplication, and have, from that time to this, continued my secret devotions and strivings after truth. My association with Col. James S. Terrel, the brother of Judge S. H. Terrel, of Clark county, Miss., at the age of 14, as office boy in his law office, gave me a still broader range of books. I think I can say that the Colonel and I really loved each other.

I am not sure that I know just when I was regenerated, as my childhood prayers were often attended with refreshing seasons of love and joy. But my life was too often very un-christian, breaking out into the wildest rages of bad temper, which was followed by weeping and remorse. In 1865, however, I reached an experience of grace which so strengthened me as to fix me on the side of the people of God. I went at once to reading the scriptures in public and leading prayer meetings; notwithstanding this, I was not baptized until March, 1866, by Rev. O. D. Bowen, of Shubuta, Miss. I was ordained in the St. Louis Street Church, Mobile, December, 1868, by Revs. Charles Leavens and Philip Gambrell.

I taught school for the Freedmen's Bureau in 1867--taught various schools under our public school system. I have been pastor of the First Colored Baptist Church, Meridian, Miss., Dexter Avenue Church, Montgomery, and held various State positions. The only time I have spent at school was spent in Meharry, the medical department of the Central Tennessee College.

C. O. BOOTHE.

PREFACE

This effort to give substantial and favorable testimony in the interest of the men and work of the Colored Baptists of Alabama grows out of certain aims and purposes, such as:

If a brother among us deserving mention should not appear, remember that many failed to report to me as I desired them to do, and that I felt I could not do more than give what would make a full showing of our State. Those names that came after the work was done had to be put into a supplement.

It will be seen, therefore, that the purpose which gives birth to this little book is not a desire to present a "vain show" of names, appealing to pride for the sake of gain; but, that it is an humble aim to accomplish some good. It is an attempt to answer the questions: "From whence have we come? What have we done? What have we attained to? What are the possibilities before us?" The book is intended to be a simple statement of facts; which facts, it is believed, will be a sufficient apology for their appearance in book form. The reader may expect faults in arrangement and errors in composition, but it is to be hoped that the sweetness and beauty of the flower will not be rejected because of the thorns upon the stem which bears them. I have not tried to tell everything. If I speak of individuals, it is with a view to giving some of their best things, best deeds, etc. "Straws show which way the wind is blowing," it is said; hence only enough of each biographical sketch is given to show the status and trend of the person spoken of. We are too young, as a people, to make lengthy biography. Coming times will give us this form of literature. It will be remembered that this short period suffices to give only a nucleal point in the matter of writings. I have churned the milk with an eye to obtaining the butter--the richest and best we have. My selection of material may not be the very best, but something is better than nothing, and I have done the best I could under the circumstances.

With these prefatory remarks, I present you the rose with its thorns, trusting that God will give sweetness and beauty to the former and allow the latter to do no harm. I cheerfully record my debt of gratitude to my faithful wife, Mattie Alice, who has been in this labor, as in all others, my abiding, sure support.

HISTORY OF THE COLORED BAPTISTS OF ALABAMA.

ORIGIN.

In 1620, nineteen years before the organization of the church in Providence, the African was brought into Virginia as a slave. The North and the South joined heartily in the work of binding their black brother with the chains of cruel bondage. Thus the naked savage was taken from his freedom and from his gods and chained to the chariot wheels of Christian civilization to be coerced, dragged into new observations, new experiences, and a new life.

CHANGES.

In order to give a glancing look at the progress and decline of slavery in the North, and at the sort of fruit the gospel was bearing in the soul and conduct of the slave, I copy the following from the "Baptist Home Missions in America" :

"The native African, fresh from his fetich worship, and incapable of comprehending even common religious statements, seemed an unpromising subject even for the Christian philanthropist. But, though degraded, he is recognized as human, sinful, accountable, in need and capable of redemption through Christ. The obligation to bring him to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Christ, is practically recognized by many Christian ministers as well as by many pious masters and mistresses. At family devotions in many Christian households the domestics are called in to hear the Scriptures read and bow reverently as prayer is offered to God. On Sunday in the same meeting house master and slave listen to the same sermon. Those who give evidence of conversion are received into the church on relation of their experience after baptism, and sit with their masters at the Lord's table.

"The First Colored Baptist Church of Savannah, Ga., dates its organization from 1788. Other colored Baptist churches appear in various parts of the country; in Portsmouth, Va., in 1798; the Second African of Savannah, in 1803; the Abysinian Church of New York City, in 1803; the African or Independent Church, Boston, Mass., in 1805; First African of Philadelphia, Pa., in 1809; the First African of St. Louis, in 1827; the Ebenezer of New York City, in 1825; the Union Church of Philadelphia, and a church in the District of Columbia, in 1832." One in Mobile in 1839, of which in 1848, it is said: "They have a fine house of worship built by themselves, and some excellent leaders or licensed preachers among them."

We have it on good authority, that in 1850, there were in America about 150,000 negro Baptists. Thus we see that in 230 years the gospel of Christ, though hampered by the institution of slavery, had done much to redeem the fetich worshiper from his midnight darkness and consequent spiritual ruin--had done much to induce the black man to obtain and retain God in his knowledge.

Often we come upon plants which refuse to give out their sweetness so long as their parts are unbroken and unbleeding, but which will quickly yield up their odors when bruised. So it is with men. It is worthy of notice that these dark days of slavery gave birth to some strong colored preachers. Among others, the following are mentioned by their white brethren: Rev. George Leile, of South Carolina, who visiting Savannah, Ga., about 1782 or 1783, baptized the famous Rev. Andrew Bryan, of whom the Savannah Association, in 1812, made the following mention: "The association is sensibly affected by the death of the Rev. Andrew Bryan, a man of color, and pastor of the First Colored Church in Savannah. This son of Africa, after suffering inexpressible persecutions in the cause of his Divine Master, was at length permitted to discharge the duties of the ministry among his colored friends in peace and quiet, hundreds of whom through his instrumentality were brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus."

In 1820, the Board of the Baptist General Convention of America adopted as their missionaries Revs. Collin Teague and Lot Cary, brethren of color, from the Baptist church of Richmond, Va. These men sailed from Norfolk, Va., to Liberia, Africa, in January, 1821. Rev. Thomas Paul, who was pastor of the church in Boston from 1805 to 1830, is spoken of after a very praiseworthy manner. Touching our own State, we begin at Mobile.

MOBILE.

"About 120 years ago a few Frenchmen came here and made the first little opening in the pine forest. Previously to 1817 it was occupied principally as a place of deposit and trade with the Indians. Now its population is not far from 10,000. Eighteen years ago a single steamboat found her way to this port, now forty-five are employed in the Mobile trade. The Baptist church was constituted March, 1835, by J. G. Collins, R. L. Barnes and P. Stout with ten members. Rev. G. F. Heard was called to begin the pastorate February 14, 1836.

"At that time they had no house of worship, but met in the court house, and for a time they met in the house belonging to the African Baptist Church. The African Church is in a prosperous condition; their number is about 90."

In this city and county the colored people had more liberty and better treatment than in any other section of the State. The free people and those who hired their time often supported schools for the education of their children. Revs. Wm. Dossey, P. Stout, A. Travis, J. H. Schroebel, Mr. Hawthorne and Mr. Spence are mentioned as pioneers and fathers of the work at this point. Near this old French town, June 13, 1845, the writer was born, and in this county and city he spent the first fourteen years of his life, and many years since. For some years prior to the late civil war, the Stone Street and St. Louis Street churches were both noted for their numbers and their financial strength.

STONE STREET CHURCH.

This is the "mother church." The father of the Rev. J. B. Hawthorne, in the early part of their history, served them as pastor, receiving a regular salary of them. At the close of the war, Mr. Spence was their pastor, since which time they have been under the leadership of the Rev. B. J. Burke, a man who in many regards is as strong as he is peculiar. This church, however, has not done much in the way of missions, and not a great deal for education. One of the peculiar customs of the pastor is to "bless children." Standing in the pulpit, he holds the child up in his arms while he prays God's blessings upon it.

A case of discipline which came up in this church many years ago, led to the formation of the St. Louis Street Church, and I am sorry to say gave birth to a very bitter sectional feeling between the two bodies, which feeling has long been a blight to the Baptist cause in South Alabama.

This church is stubbornly set against all secret societies, so that no secret society people are allowed in its membership. The pastor is elected for life. For the support of its poor it has a fund which is called the "Church Treasury."

ST. LOUIS STREET CHURCH.

ST. ANTHONY STREET CHURCH--NOW FRANKLYN STREET.

This church deserves honorable mention. Rev. A. F. Owens led to the purchase of the property on St. Anthony street, and served as pastor for several years--1878 to 1889. Rev. A. N. McEwen, the present pastor, advised the church to sell and purchase at a more desirable point. They are now buying a building on Franklyn street. This church has had an earnest class of workers, who have made great and painful sacrifices for the cause.

UNION CHURCH.

This church is another secession from Stone Street. It, too, has some strong people in it. Rev. A. F. Owens is pastor.

There are other churches around worthy of mention. So much is said only to show the rise and progress of the Baptist cause in this section of Alabama. The great need here is more brotherly love, instead of the bitter prejudice which withers every hope of united effort. Of course, many of the good people are already free from its fearful influence, but far too many are still slaves to it.

Among the founders, or ante-bellum members of the colored Baptist work in Mobile, we find the names of Rev. Charles Leavens and wife, James Somerville, Judge Europe, Thomas Sawyer, Rev. B. J. Burke, and Crawley Johnson.

HUNTSVILLE, MADISON COUNTY.

Here is where our Statehood was born, the Constitution being formed here in 1819. Huntsville is our State's first capital. Taking Mr. Hosea Holcombe as authority, the first Baptist church organized in Alabama was constituted within a few miles of Huntsville, in 1808. Their constitutional membership was eleven, and Rev. John Nicholson was their first pastor. The first negro Baptist church constituted in this section of the State was the African Baptist Church of Huntsville, organized about the year 1820. I say 1820, for the reason that in 1821 they are recorded as entering into the Flint River Association, with seventy-six members. Rev. William Harris, "a free colored man," is mentioned as their first pastor. It seems that Brother Harris soon fell under the influence of a white preacher, William Crutcher, and became established in the faith of the Primitive Baptists. Over seventy years have passed away, and still Rev. Bartlett Harris, a grandson of Rev. William Harris, is preaching the "election of grace." Instead of seventy-six Missionary members, there are now about two thousand Primitives. The Rev. W. H. Gaston is the leading educator among them. He is a man of quiet and humble spirit, and is now trying to establish a school at Huntsville. How we Missionaries need a school in Madison county! Our little Missionary church seems bound hand and foot. At this writing, Rev. Oscar Gray is pastor, and he seems to do as well as circumstances allow.

Perhaps I cannot close this notice of Madison county more profitably than by directing the attention of the reader to the vast consequences, in the form of false views and false practices, which came of one man's decisions. Rev. William Harris decided to follow Mr. Crutcher, and now thousands of people walk in his track as anti-Missionaries.

PERRY AND HALE COUNTIES.

At Salem Church, near Greensboro, the Alabama State Convention was organized October, 1823, not quite forty-five years before the organization of the Colored Baptist Convention in 1868, and its first anniversary was held at Marion, in Perry county.

Reference is made to these facts in order to introduce other facts bearing a closer relation to ourselves. Within a circle of twenty-five miles of Marion--and Greensboro, is near this point--some of the mightiest influences in support of Baptist views have risen up and gone forth upon the colored Baptists of Alabama. The colored people of Marion, and throughout the country around, are hardly less noted for their refinement than they are for their Baptistic opinions. In this section arose those colored men of power and of pioneer fame--Revs. James Childs, the first pastor of the Marion Church ; Henry Stevens, first pastor of the Greensboro Church, and John Dosier, so long pastor of the church in Uniontown. This point, till right recently, has been the educational center of our white brethren, and here in Marion, the first colored State Normal school began, as the result of the influence of the late Hon. A. H. Curtis, of Baptist fame.

MONTGOMERY CITY AND COUNTY.

Baptist principles manifested themselves in this part of Alabama about 1818-19 in the constitution of the Elim Church, near the city of Montgomery, and Messrs. J. McLemore, S. Ray, and W. J. Larkin, are mentioned as pioneers.

A STRAW WHICH SHOWS WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS.

To the credit of the Alabama Association, it is written that they bought this man and gave him his liberty that he might preach among them the gospel of Christ; and it is said, that though he was as black as a crow, he traveled alone and unharmed on the mission of life. Thus the negro appears in the foundation of gospel operations in Central Alabama. Here also appear the victories of the gospel leaven, the triumphs of the love of God over those hearts wherein Christ was king.

The price paid for Brother Caesar Blackwell is given as 5. Catching inspiration from the encouragement before them in the form of their brother Caesar Blackwell's success, and the good will of the Christian white people to whose fellowship they belonged, Nathan Ashby and Jacob Belser soon became active workers.

TUSCALOOSA AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Perhaps the first church organized in Jefferson county was organized about the year 1818. Dr. Holcombe's history tells us that in 1823 the "Rock Creek Church," in Tuscaloosa county, received into its membership from South Carolina an African preacher, Job Davis. Mr. Holcombe says of him: "He was an acceptable preacher, a man of deep thought, sound judgment, and was well skilled in the Scriptures of Divine Truth."

The venerable Mr. A. J. Waldrop, of Birmingham, informed the writer that when a little boy he heard Job preach in a camp meeting. He said: "The meeting had been in progress a week or so, and mother and father went to the camp on Sunday morning. The meeting was very cold. Brother Holcombe was wondering who would be the fit preacher to open the day's services, as Job, now free from his daily toil, walked into camp. As Brother Holcombe saw him, he remarked: 'There is our man.' Job was led up to the stand and invited to go up and take a seat. Job replied: 'No, I'll stand down here in front of it.' Job then reached back to the top of the stand and took off the Bible and opened it. I can never forget the deep thrill of devotion which Job's person and manner turned in upon the audience that day; something of the feeling is with me yet. He had hardly parted his lips before men and women began to sob. When he was through with his sermon, it was plain to all that the meeting was no longer a dead meeting. This was the beginning of a revival which affected much of Tuscaloosa county."

Mr. Holcombe says of Job, in another place in his book: "Job was brought from Africa to Charleston, S. C., in 1806; professed religion in 1812; soon learned to read and write; taught Sunday school for two summers in Abbeville district, S. C.; licensed to preach in 1818; came to Alabama in 1822; died November 17, 1835, in Pickens county. He lived the Christian, he died a saint."

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