GARDNER, GEORGE WILLIAM, Greenwood, S. C.--Born,

Transcription

1 ,1.., GARDNER, GEORGE WLLAM, Greenwood, S. C.--Born, Orangeburg Co., S. C.; Stud. Patrick Military nst., S. C.; Fur. U., S. C., B.A., 1876; Judson Co., N. C., D.O., '93; S.B.T.S., Ky.; Lic. July, '73 Bull Swamp, S. C. ; Ord. Aug., '75, Sardis, S. C.; P. Lancaster, '80-84; 1st Ch., Union, S. C., '84-86; Hickory, N.C., '87; 1st Ch., Oxford, Miss., '90-94; S. Kissimee, Fla.' P. Jackson, '94-96; Fort Valley, Ga., '96-97; Ed. Baptist Record, Miss., '92-93; Managing Ed. South Carol ina Baptist, Greenwood, S. C.--. BAPTST MNSTERAL Directory, Geo. Lasher, ed. P. 277

2 ,~ GARDNER, GEORGE WLLAM b. Orangeburg Co., S. C., Aug. 5, '51; Furman University, B.S.~ Sem. (2) '76-78, grad. O. T. Eng., N. T. Eng., Hom., Syst. Eng., Ch. Gov., Past D., B. nt., Gk.; ord. Sardis ch., Lexington Co., S. C., Aug. 15, '75; business manager of Baptist Courier, '78; pres. Alumni Asso. of Furman li., '88--; p. Lancaster C. H., S. C., '80-84; Union C. H., S. C., '84-86; Hickory, N. C., '87; Harmony, S. C., '88-89; Oxford, Miss.-~ SOU. BAPT. THEO. SEMNARY, , p. 98 By: John R. Sampey (B/2077So8s)

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4 ~, ~~ ~ 1 f J [ t r. ~~ f~ ' ~Rf+-~ Baptist preacher. Dr. Richardson taught school and preached in several churches upon graduation. n 1874 he became corresponding secretary of the Baptist State Convention. He is mentioned in the 18n South Fork Annual as being in attendance in that capacity. Shortly thereafter he resigned and accepted the pastorate of several churches in the Hickory area. He was pastor her~ in 1878 and He continued in the ministry until his death in He was a great supporter of Wake Forest, having served thirty-nine years as a trustee there. 9 James Redden Jones was the next pastor. A graduate of Wake Forest, as were his predecessors, he was first employed in 1879 by the South Fork Association to labor at points contiguous to Hickory and Newton for which they {Executive Committee} have paid him $ He was said to have resided in Hickory and to have taken a field at Morganton, Hickory and Newton. The church was evidently not too financially well off as the Association took up a collection of $6.00 for them at the 1880 annual meeting. The Rev. Jones was listed as pastor from 1879 to He must have been well respected as Graham says: Elder J. R. Jones left the Association this year.,he had come to us the first year and had been much interested in advancing the work in our bounds. None had exceeded him. His departure is greatly regretted. 11 Mr. Jones served other churches in North Carolina and Virginia but became very frail in later life and retired early. He died in n October of 1884 Dr. Needham B. Cobb became pastor of the Hickory church. He was bom in Jones County, North Carolina, and graduated from the University of North Carolina. He taught school and read law in the early years of his career. n October of 1869 he left the Episcopal church in which he had been reared and was baptized into the Baptist church and the following year was or dained. At the beginning of the Civil War he became chaplain of the 14th North Carolina Regiment and afterward rendered distinguished service from 1862 to the close of the war as Superintendent of Army Colportage. After the war he became co-editor of the Daily Record of Raleigh for six months and then bec9me corresponding secretary of the Board of Missions of North Carol ina State Convention. A man of some literary talent, Dr. Cobb was editor of the North Carolina Almanac from 1865 to He was author of many poems, including Reply to Gray's Elegy which received much acclaim. His book, POETCAL GEOGRAPHY OF NO RTH CAROLNfA, included 1eographical names of North Carolina written in poetic form to help students memorize them easily. 2 Graham says of him, He has served several years of the best churches in the state. His sermons are of high order. As a statis tician and historian he is not excelled by any member of the North Carolina Baptist Convention. 13 While pastor, Dr. Cobb did mission work in the neighborhood of Penelope. Elder C. M. Murchison, pastor of Mountain Grove and Warlick's Churches, had settled there and named the place for his wife, Penelope. She was a la~y of highest advantages in education and naturally qual ified for teaching and goveming pupils. 14 The Murchisons began a school. Dr. Cobb preached in homes, the school and a brush arbor. '~After Dr. Cobb's departure in 1886, his successor, G. W. Gardner, continued the preaching and assisted in organizing Penelope Baptist Church in 1888.e::: Graham says concerning Mr. Gardner: Elder G. W~ Gardner is pastor at Hickory and Newton. G. W. Gardner is a fine preacher and strong writer. His supposed trip to Europe under the signature of 'Uncle Chris' attracted much attention. He went hence to South Carolina and thence to Mississippi. 15 Mr. Gardner was a man of literary interests, as Mr. Graham points out. He owned interests in several religious newspapers in South Carol ina after leaving Hickory in March of He was also a great denominational worker and served as a trustee of Furman University for many years. 16 H. D. Lequex became pastor in January, 1889 and remained as pastor until August 1,1892. Con ceming him, Graham is a bit confusing about his affil iation with other denominations and what he did when he departed: H. D. Lequex had belonged to some other denomination and to us once before. He united with the Presbyterians next yearat Morganton. He is a man of fine iterary attainments and has publ ished some books. 17 The Hickory church was evidently the center of a mild financial controversy at the South Fork Association's annual meeting in 1888 when the following resolution, offered by J. S. Bridges, was adopted: That the Executive Committee stand instructed to favor no appropr iation to any church, that is abl e to support a pastor to preach monthly, within the bounds of the association. Brother Graham explains this action as follows: There had been complaint that the Executive Committee and the Board of Missions were aiding churches which did not need it. Hickory was having 7

5 1'5 q1aj r- ~ ( ,. -.'.~ :-::J\'~~b - W r1r:7..,,:. f~~h'~-w~ J 3 -- l.~,tf~~ i..... ;f,.. SWa 'A-~Adf-- ~ _-u~:'f. W±~tYri'tr ~~ri'o- ;-;j.\ 298 M[~SSSPP BAPTST PREACHERS. ~;;($ h.s+~ necessary. During his short pastorate in his native State he had many assurances of the blessing of God upon his labors; and is much encouraged in his brief work in hii Georgia pas torate of a few months. :,, ~ George William Gardner. The subject of this sketch was born on a farm in Orangeburg, South Carolina, August 5, He is the descendant, on his father's side, of Baptists, his grandfather, Elijah Gardner, being a Baptist preacher. His great-grandfatherr Jonathan Courtney, who was the father, of his father's mother, was also a Baptist preacher. His great grandfather, William Gardner, was also a Baptist, and must have been a man of great force of character, judging from the part he took in the Revolutionary \Var. James and Stephen. Gardner, brother of his grandfather, settled in Montgomery county, Ala., about 1828, and they, or some of their descend ants, aftenvards came to Mississippi. Mr. Gardner attended the common country schools, uniting work on the farm with study, his father having profound convktions that a boy's ed ucation was not what it should be unless he was taught to know something of the practical. He entered the Greenville High School, Greenville, S. C, October, 1870, which, though a private school, was really the preparatory department of Fur man University. By the most diligent application he was pre pared by July, 1871, to enter the classes of the University. Bv this hme his health was precarious, and, in order to obtain means, he taught school for some months, and was not per mitted to enter the University until September, 1872, from which he was graduated June, 1875, but, upon ' consultation with some of the professors, he decided to remain another session and take a higher degree. So insatiable was his thirst for knowledge that for months before going to Greenville he would stay awake at nights longing for the way and means which would enable him to attend college. He went to Greenville a member of a Baptist church, but in a meeting conducted in the Greenville Baptist church, of which the reo vered James C Furman, D. D., was pastor, and also president of the University, he was savingly converted. This was in the spring of The following vacation he preached his first MSSiS ~ sermon and was lie tinued to preach dll 1875, when he was 0 Sardis church, Lexi tate to say that he f ville to make him a During his last year preaching to them He attended th in Greenville one se Ky., went with it to graduating in most and completed the vacation that his he for him to abandon seminary he accepte Baptist Courier, 0 ing to two churches. and devoted his ene churches in AndeJ; 1880, at the invitati of the little church 'l seat of Lancaster c in the church and t years he had succee and had built up a years the church ha ~f the bestchurche wife caused him tt who were ardently!'erved, for several good work was acc tance was with the where he preached gregation persons service with the 1889, that he WTot corder, of Raleigh which received the men in the State.

6 'P EACHERS. ';e tc in his native State he : o i God upon his labors; \\'ork in his Georgia pas ~t1 bject of this sketch was 'm il Carolina, August 5, i:lther's side, of Baptists, :::- a Baptist preacher. His 'Y. \\'ho \\'as the father, of,:st preacher. His great al so a Baptist, d.1d must :! ractcr, judging from the,\'ar, James and Stephen '. settled in l\fontgomery or so me of their descend i, :'lr, Gardner attended f:,,'ork on the farm with 'J1yictions that a boy's ed un less he was taught to -e entered the Greenville ):l cr, 1870, which, though r.lto ry derartment of Fur th application he was pre c S of the U niversity. Bv and, in order to obtain 1 )J1 th s, and was not perseptember, 1872, from, hut, upon consultation : :,Jed to remain another, insatiable was his thirst l' going to Greenville he in r the \Vav and means cnl1cge, He went to ~ llrch, but in a meeting :: lu rch, of which the re' :1-tor, and also president l\' erted, This was in the inn he preached his first MSSSSPP BAPTST PREACHERS. 299 sermon and was licensed by his church to preach, He cqn tinued to preach during vacations until the 15th of August. 1875, when he was ordained to the full work of the ministry at Sardis church,lexington county, S. C He does not hesi tate to say that he feels assured that God sent him to Green vile to make him a Christian, and to put him in the ministry. During his last yearin colege he served a church as pastor, preaching to them once a month. He attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary _ in Greenvile one session, and upon its removal to Louisville; Ky., went with it to that city, and remained another session, graduating in most of its schools. He would have r~tumed and completed the course had he not discovered, during the vacation that his health was so injured as to make it necessary for him to abandon the idea of continued study. Leaving the seminary he accepted the position of business manager of the Baptist Courier, of S.. C, and united that work with preach ing to two churches. He gave up th. position of his own accord and devoted his energies for one year to the service of country churches in Anderson and Abbeeville counties~ S. C n 1880, at the invitation of the State Mission Board and the call of the little church, he went to Lancaster, S. C, the county seat of Lancaster county. There were only eight members in the church and they had never had a pastor. Within four y.ears he had succeeded in completing a nice house of worship a nd had built up a good congregation. At the end of four years the church had become self-supporting, and is to-day one of the best churches in South Carolina. The death of a noble wife caused him to give up the church, and leave a people who were ardently attached to the young pastor. He then,erved, for several years, the church at Union, S. C where good work was accomplished. His next pastorate of impor tance was with the Harmony church, Chester county, S. C., where he preached every Sunday. Here he had in his con gregation persons of whom he had been pastor during his service with the Lancaster church. t was at this time, in 1889, that be wrote a series of articles for the Bibical Re corder, of Raleigh, N. C, which attracted wide attention and which received the most favorable commendation of the best ':.\,; men in the State. These letters Dr. C. T. Bailey, the editor, ::; ~';}. ~._

7 \ t \' MSSSSPP0 BAPTS 300,.1 i il 1\;,' : if \1. declared to be the best which were ever written for his paper and that they were widely and eagerly read. They at once gave him reputation as a writer. These letters were burles ques upon parties who went abroad for a few months and re turned to lecture and make it known by divers means that they had crossed th~ ocean. The occasion was propitious as a goodly number had just returned from such a trip and were pursuing the usual methods. The writer assumed himself to be an old man who was writing from abroad and who had. taken his pastor with him with a view of adding to his reputa tion. They were signed Uncle Cris, name which was famous in North Carolina. n September, 1889, he received and accepted the call of the Oxford Baptist church, Missis sippi, where he labored until his removal to Florida and thence to Georgia, in the latter part of Oxford is the habitat of the University of Mississippi, and the pastorate there is one of great importance. n January, 1892, he became fssociate editor of the Baptist Record with' Dr. J. A. Hackett, after the retirement of Dr. J. B. Gambrell from editorial connection with the paper, rendering this service in addition to his work as pastor at Oxford. Previous to his connection with the Record he was a regular contributor to the Western Re corder, the Biblical Recorder and other papers. Judson College, North Carolina, conferred the degree of. Doctor of Divinity '1Jpon him June 10th, f any meas ure of success has attended his labors he feels that it is all due to the blessings of a gracious Master upon his most unworthy servant. Among these blessings he acknowledges with pro found gratitude the gift of Miss Laura Kendrick,of Charlotte, N. c., who became his second wife December' 22, 1885, and who is a woman of deep piety and great worth, being a keeper at home, and a strong supporter in a womanly way of all that is good. n the summer of 1893, Dr. Gardner received an in vitation to the pastorate of the church at. Kissimmee, Fla., which he decided to accept, and resigned his pastorate at Ox ford. Remaining there only a few months, he decided, with the full consent of his church, to resign his pastorate there, for sufficient reasons, and accept the pastorate of the church at Jackson, Ga. n this pastorate he is now (Oct., 1894) located. a t )r! MSSSSPP BAPTST PREACHERS.,!.\ ',! fi ' l 1.!! ' '. J. J.~ Gibson was born D county, S. C. His childhood w home, and he had exceedingly The first sermon he ever listened W. Moorehead, who in after ye series of meetings. This first sen waters gathered up many days 'vvh.en he was a boy of eleven su l\lississippi, arriving at Oxford in few weeks in this State the lad h SSSlppi. t was preached by Re dom church, where in after year commencement sermons. n th were spent on a farm in La Fa school privileges. He made a September1 1879, under the preac at Yellow Leaf church, the text b tober of the following y.ear he uni was baptized by Rev. W. W. Finl sad trial of the young soldier carr devoted father, but with the Lor say, shall not want for a col on, remaining two years at his fat attained his majority, he left the il hood and became an hireling. serve Christ, and get an educa! school a man in age, a child in kn being somewhat adverse he was during short intervals, and, so through.. He was licensed to preach b) and was called on for his first s( His text \-vas Psa. 37:25. He <: for a short time at Oxford, and, College. At both places he wo and Saturdays to defray expel contest at Toccopola, 1889, an( He made a few efforts to preacl the summer of the same year, ( Brethren G. W. Halowell,\V.1