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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE “DRY.” NOW FOR TEXAS.
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VOL U7IE TWO
FO KT Y-S E V E N.
A COLONIAL LANDMARK
The "Old Tirst Baptist Church, ” Charleston, Pioneer Baptist Church in the South—Organized 1684
The Mother of Many Great Men —Reb. B. Lacey Hoge Becomes Pastor.
COLONIAL landmark once militant
among the churches, but long depleted,
promises to live again.
The “Old First Church,” as it is af
fectionately called in South Carolina, is
rejoicing in the prospect of rehabilita
tion under the leadership of a man
whose consecrated genius has always
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brought things to pass since he gave up the law
and entered the ministry.
Constituted in 1684 by
Rev. William Screven and
a party from Maine who left
that section because of per
secution z ami traveled that
long, dreary journey for the
sake of liberty of conscience
and freedom of soul, the
First Baptist Church of
Charleston is looked upon as
the “Mother Church” of
Baptists all over the South.
The Boyces, the Manlys and
the Furmans —great preach
ers and leaders all —were
reared in this old church.
Here Henry Holcombe Tuck
er went to Sunday school in
his youth, and came forth to
teach Theology at Mercer
University, to be Chancellor
of the University of Georgia,
author of that great book,
“The Old Theology Re-stat
ed,” and Editor until his
death of The Christian In
dex. Here Jas. P. Boyce
breathed the atmosphere
which molded him into that
Christian thinker and leader,
which made him author of
‘ 1 Systematic Theology ’ ’ and
President —well-nigh founder
—of the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary. Here
Dr. Basil Manly caught the inspiration that made
him one of the “big four” —Boyce, Broadus, Wil
liams and Manly —who, like suncrowned mountain
peaks, guarded the Seminary in its infancy and
led to coronation the largest seminary of its kind in
the world. Here the great Furman learned so well
and, going out into life’s battle-field, wrought so
mightily that Furman University perpetuates his
deathless name.
Here Dr. Kerr Boyce Tupper, so long pastor of
the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia, and one
of the brightest minds in the American ministry,
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THE “OLD FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH,” CHARLESTON, S. C.
ATLANTA, GA., JANUARY 16, 1908.
was ordained to preach when he was a boy of eigh
teen. Here the mother of Dr. T. P. Bell was bap
tized by Dr. Basil Manly, Sr., and her boy in Sun
day school was taught that meaning of life, which,
under God, made him the mighty advocate of Chris
tian missions that he is, whether with tongue of
flame in the pulpit or pen of power in The Chris
tian Index, of which he has been the stalwart Senior
Editor for more than a dozen years. And time
would fail me, as well as the lack of personal knowl
edge, to call the roll of the leaders of Christian
thought and activity, both men and women, who have
gone out from this “Old First Church” at Charles
ton while it has stood like another “Statue of Lib
erty” holding aloft the Light of Christian Truth —
individual responsibility to God, absolute separation
of Church and State, liberty of conscience and free
dom of soul —through all the lonely formative days
of colonial darkness, through the tense and trying
years of Revolutionary struggle and through the
clouds and the shock of civil strife!
The Light Grew Dim.
And then there came a time when leaders passed
away, when the city’s commerce crowded the doors
of the dear old church, and the light began to
grow dim. For many years the manifold forces that
often make for the disintegration of the downtown
church in a large city depleted the ranks of the
church. Conservatism, maybe, has also been too
conservative, and ancient ways have not met modern
needs.
Now the “faithful few” who have kept the fires
burning on the altar have awakened to the needs
of the hour.
tor at Concord, N. C., and soon a wonderful revival
came in which many strong men —some of them in
fidels —were converted.
In Macon and Jackson, Ga., his work was marked
by piety, sanity, enterprise and progress. In Onan
cock, Va., the same spirit of stirring activity has
characterized his leadership, and we predict that
not only the pioneer church to which he goes, but
the whole of Charleston will feel the impulse of his
presence and his enterprising work. Mr. Hoge has
plenty of “old-time religion,” but he knows what
(Concluded on Page Five.)
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.
FIVE CENTS A COPY.
Rev. B. Lacey Hoge, of
Onancock, Va., who has a
wholesome reputation for
vigorous leadership, has been
called to inaugurate a new
campaign. This historic
church, so long the gathering
place of wealth and culture,
is going to be made a church
for the masses. No Jess of
wealth, no less of culture,
for those already there, but
an earnest, consecrated ef
fort to obey the Master’s
/command to “go out into
the highways and hedges
and compel them to come
in.”
We do not know positive
ly, but we are inclined to
think, that the doors on the
old-fashioned before-the-war
pews—un necessary, forbid
ding, exclusive-looking doors
which, we are sure the Car
penter’s Son would never
have placed there —will be
lifted from their hinges and
put to a better use. And
everything will be done to
make the downtown people
feel at home.
After giving up the prac
tice of law in Roanoke, Vir
ginia, Mr. Hoge became pas-