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VOLUHT. FIVE
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TOOTP-RINTS OP T{UPUS C. BUKLLSON
A Libing, Wreathing, Groteing Monument to the Great Man Who Fell On His Knees by the Seashore and Cried: "O God,
S
OMETHING like seven decades ago a
tall, slender, consecrated young man from
Kentucky, hearing the trumpet call that
came from the boundless opportunities
in the lands of the Alamo, landed on the
Texas coast at Galveston —determined
by God’s grace to help
carve out a kingdom for his
Redeemer in the new em-
pire of Davy Crockett and Sam Hous
ton.
In the desperation of his helpless
ness and the glory of his opportunity
—an opportunity that seemed as bound
less amid the teeming forests and the
undulating plains before him as the
billowing ocean at his back, this brave
Kentucky youth fell on the seashore
like another John Knox in Scotland
and cried: “O GOD, GIVE ME TEXAS
OR I DIE!”
That young man was Rufus C. Bur
leson, the President of Baylor Univer
sity for nearly half a century and the
greatest builder of the foundation life
of conquering Christianity in Texas
which that Lone Star Empire has ever
known.
Burleson College His “Namesake.”
It was natural, then, that when that
other genial builder, Dr. Sam J. An
derson (who prided himself on being
just the reverse of the best looking
man in Texas) should feel like naming
the college he founded at the beautiful
city of Greenville in honor of Rufus
C. Burleson.
When the cornerstone was laid in
1895, the grand old man, then bending
beneath the weight of time and whiten
ing with the snows of nearly eighty win
ters, was present to see his namesake
launched as an intellectual and spir
itual lighthouse for Northeast Texas.
The Editor of The Golden Age hav
ing been a fortunate guest of Burleson
College, in 1897, when the beloved
“Sam” Anderson was its President, and
rejoicing to learn of the institutions
brightening future, under the princely
leadership of the stalwart new Presi
dent, Edward L. Compere, asked a Texas
friend to send a sketch of the school, its trials and tri
umphs, and that story is given here as an illustration of
how our Christian schools and colleges must fight for
their lives in their days of travail, but how after all, the
investments of love and money live on to bless the
kingdom of men and the kingdom of God long after
THAT “GOLDEN” WEDDING—Page Four.
ATLANTA. GA.? DECEMBER 1, l>lo.
the heroic builders are in the dust:
“Sam” Anderson Yet Lives.
Burleson Qollege was founded in 1895 by Dr. S. J.
Anderson, who finished his labors and went on to his
reward a few years ago, but this school which is
only a part of his labors, will abide forever. A few
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faithful laymen in Greenville were associated with
him in this, viz.: Judge R. D. Thompson, B. F. Loo
ney, R. J. Jones and others.
The school was named for the man to whose mem
ory Texas Baptists owe more than to any other man
living or dead, Dr. Rufus C. Burleson. He was pres-
Gibe Me Texas, or 1 Die.”
REV. EDWARD L. COMPERE.
ent at the laying of the cornerstone and took a lively
interest in the birth of the new school.
For some years there was much doubt and debt
over the school. It was first given to the Hunt Coun
ty Baptist Association and then only a few years
ago it was accepted by the Texas Baptist Education
Commission. Recently this Education
Commission has changed its name to
the Texas Baptist Education Board.
Burleson now belongs to the Baptist
General Convention of Texas and her
Trustees are appointed by the Conven
tion.
When the school was received into
the Education Board it was greatly
hampered by a debt. That debt was
paid at once. This gave new hope to
her friends and new life to the school.
About this time Prof. W. I. Gibson was
elected President of the school and un
der his faithful, wise and self sacrific
ing management the school had a steady
growth under many difficulties for some
years. The people believed in Prof.
Gibson and the school but they did not
support him and the school with their
money as they should have done. IT
TAKES MONEY TO BUILD, EQUIP,
AND RUN SCHOOLS, AND YET OUR
CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS ARE WORTH
VERY MUCH MORE THAN THEY
COST.
A Great New President.
Finally, Rev. Edward L. Compere was
called to the pastorate of the First
Baptist Church of Greenville. The
church at that time felt that it was
time for them to get behind their school
and they said as much to their new
pastor. The trustees took the matter
up and got behind the school as they
had not been before. They took the
finances into their hands and became
responsible for things. Money was
raised to pay some indebtedness and
put the property in better condition.
Since that time Greenville has taken a
new interest in the school and “things
have been getting better” all the time.
In the spring of 1909 the trustees
were confronted with the duty of get
ting a new President. After much
investigation and prayer they asked one of
their number, who was the pastor of the First Church
of Greenville, to accept the place. He understood
the situation and the trustees knew him, for he had
been President of the Board of Trustees for two
(Continued on Page 5.)
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