DR. WILLIAM BENJAMIN OLIVER

Transcription

1 DR. WILLIAM BENJAMIN OLIVER William Benjamin Oliver was born August 2, 1861, in Newfields, North Carolina. He was educated at Wake Forest College and Southern Baptist Training School. He preached at churches in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky. He was the second pastor of the Blackwell Baptist Church in Durham. His active pastoral life was from 1884 to The last five years of his life were spent with his wife in the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. McKee Adams, in Louisville, where her husband taught in the Seminary. He died in Funderal services were conducted at the home by Dr. T. D. Brown, his pastor. He was buried in Florence, South Carolina, in the cemetery of Lebanon Church, his last pastorate. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Sarah Moseley Oliver; two brothers in North Carolina; one sister in Florida; a son, Charles M. Oliver, in Mississippi; and two daughters, Mrs. J. McKee Adams, of Louisville, Kentucky, and Mrs. A. J. Beall, of Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Oliver was pastor at Blackwell only one year. FROM GLORY TO GLORY - A History of Temple Baptist Church, Durham, NC By: Ruby West ( /W52f) Page:

2 WILLIAM BENJAMIN OLIVER The membership rejoiced when a hometown boy,. WILLIAM BENJAMIN OLIVER, of Florence, S. C., now well-educated and experienced by service in five churches, accepted the call as pastor of the church in Mr. Oliver, the son of J. F. Oliver, was ordained in this church in He and his wife, Sara Mosely, of Raleigh, and their four children came in February. Immediately after beginning his work he changed prayer meeting from Thursday night to Wednesday night. On Thursday night he held a Bible study class which he taught. Dr. Oliver's love for young children was boundless. A gifted musician, he organized a 30-piece orchestra with the young people and worked with them in every possible way. CENTENNIAL HISTORY FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH MOUNT OLIVE, N. C. p. 10 NCCF: Eastern BfA

3 \ \ I ---. ;-- - ( William Benjamin Oliver 1912':'

4 .tlu ana Church), has had one hundred and six ous history. The spacious, modern building nc id quartcrs for the convention. Asheville is mired and eighty miles west of the geographical th Carolina, yet the attendance from all parts was most gratifying.," J(, Redwine, Pastor of the First Baptist J dc!i"'cred the convention sermon, bring-,~~._.. d,allenge to consecrated, intelligent, '. -,:1 Iiving. North Carolinians are justly proud." c-.>!ltribution to the high ranks of Baptist the convention was delighted to hear that rolinian, Dr. Charles E. Maddry, now Execuof the Foreign Mission Board, speak on For- It was a high hour for the convention when > poke of the open doors all around the world g of the missionaries of the Cross of Christ. 'f the most challenging and optimistic missionever heard in North Carolina. work in North Carolina is an object of bento the hearts of thousands of Baptists, and Dr..intendent of the orphanage work submitted presentation of some of the products of the orphanage authorities presented a "live" ptist Hospital, located in Winston-Salem, was its able Superintendent, Smith Hagaman, on the care of the sick was well received. cares for 626 children; the hospital ministers of eighty-seven patients daily. Both are in condition. western Seminary was ably represented by Dr. 5 of the faculty, the Southern Seminary being y Dr. F. M. Powell. Dr. Powell also spoke on ive Program, urging his hearers to think of it and to think beyond it to the human beserve in Christ's Name. A. Jenkins, of Abilene, Texas, brought the irational messages, delighting this audiences humor while he powerfully drove home the truth. Dr. Jenkins was at home in Asheville, old friends gave him a warm welcome. esday afternoon session was held in the audi- I"S Hill College which is some eighteen miles ille. A large company of convention messenthe Mars Hill session where the educational ard, after which Dr. Luther Little, Pastor of rch, Charlotte delivered a thrilling and effecon Christian Education. The convention was ccept the fine hospitality of Dr. W. L. Moore, vlars Hills College, and his able colleagues. U. Session brought to the convention a note of irth Carolina reports 2,913 W'. M. U. organizahem active and effectual. rd was taken this year against the liquor trafwar. A lengthy discussion, very thought-proad on the rehabilitation of discharged former.;, and something very helpful will be done to o have paid their debt to society for some inrules and regulations. The convention was ret upon its entrance into a state federation of -h a proposal was tabled in a special committee. \1. A. Huggins announced that the State Mis- ; out of debt. The debt on Baptist Educational being rapidly reduced. Secretary Huggins set! financial objective for 1936, which was heartthe convention. Seventy missionary pastors iploy of the Board and 150 churches are re- State Mission funds. Sunday School and have prospered. Dr. Holcomb journeyed to represent the work of the Sunday School '.v~ 1liN,.,:l (0._c_.a--r &.uv "IIQ3..5 Fuller of Atlanta. President of the Home Mission Board, and an Atlanta pastor. He paid a fine tribute to the splendid work of Secretary Lawrence, and called attention to steady reductions being made in the Board's financial indebtedness. Dr. Zeno 'Wall, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Shelby, was elected President of the Convention for the fourth consecutive year. Dr. Wall is a great Christian, strong preacher, capable administrator, and most gracious master of assemblies. The 1935 North Carolina State Baptist Convention will rank as one of the finest; good reports, optimism, fine speeches, great sermons, harmonious deliberations, fine fellowship, and deep spiritual fervor characterized the sesions throughout the convention. Lexington, N. C. LOUIS S. GAINES, Pastor Death of Dr. W. B. Oliver D URING the last five years Dr. William Benjamin Oliver, father.of Mrs. J. McKee Adams, whose husband is professor in the Southern Theological Seminary, with Mrs, Oliver, has resided with Mrs. Adams in Louisville, following his retirement from active pastoral work after long distinguished and blessed service as a minister and pastor. Dr. Oliver died on Monday afternoon, November 18, of heart failure. He had been somewhat an invalid during most of the five years of his residence in Louisville. He was native of North Carolina and seventy-four years of age. His active pastoral life was from 1884 to It began in North Carolina, but in 1898, following brilliant and blessed service in the First Church of Wilmington, the First Church of Fayetteville and elsewhere, he came to the pastorate of the First Church at Florence, S. C., and labored as a master workmen in the things of Christ in 'hat State Until five years ago, he gave up his last pastorate at Lebanon Church, which serves a great rural community in Anderson County, S. C. Our friend had a keen and versatile mind, a warm spirit, and marked spiritual understanding of the Gospel which he preached. Sheep of his flock never went away unfed. The passion.of his life was the ministry of Christ. During the last few years, physically unable to stand the strain of public address, he not infrequently uttered in informal conversation with one or two friends, what would have been made sermons of the kind every true preacher is anxious to preach, and with marked power. Funeral services were conducted at the home in Louisville by Dr. T. D. Brown, his pastor, with Prof. Frank M. Powell and this writer taking brief parts in informal expressions that sought to voice the sad and yet triumphant meaning of the translation of this high and true life from earth to heaven. On Monday night Professor Adams accompanied the body to its final resting place in the cemetery of the Lebanon Church in South Carolina, his last pastorate. And how they loved him and Mrs. Oliver! They had been begging him to let them build a home in which he and Mrs. Oliver could live until God should call them. What more appropriate resting place for the body of a minister than the cemetery of a, church like that, which for itself had learned fulness of spiritual life under his guidance. The funeral services in South Carolina, attended by a large concourse of his flock and friends were under the direction of Dr. Harry A. Bagby, of Pendleton, S. C., a devoted friend who resides near the Lebanon Church community. Dr. Oliver leaves to mourn his loss his wife Mrs. Sarah Moseley Oliver; two brothers in North Carolina; one sister in Florida; a son, Charles M. Oliver, in Mississippi; and two daughters, Mrs. J. McKee Adams, of Louisville, Ky.; and Mrs. A. J. Beall, of Charlotte, N. C.

5 OLIVER, William Benjamin, DRAKE'S BRANCH, VA.--Born, Newfields, N. C.; Stud. W. F. C.; S.B.T.S.; Lie. Jan., Ord. June 12, 1884, Mt. Olive Ch., N. C.; P. Hallsville and Wells' Chapel, '84; S. Mt. Washington, Ky., '85-86; Plum Creek, '85-87; Marion, S. C., '87-88; 2nd church Durham, N. C., '88-89; 1st Ch., Fayetteville, '89-93; 1st Ch., Wilmington, '93-98; Florence, S. C.--. Baptist Ministerial Directory, p. 542 Geo. w. Lasher, Ed.

6 OLIVER, WILLIAM BENJAMIN b. Bladen Co., N. C., Aug. 2, '61; Wake Forest Colle Sem. (3) '84-87, grad. Gk., Heb. Jr., Hom., Ch. Gov., Past. D., Syst. Eng., N. T. Eng., O. T. Eng., B. Int.; ord. Mt. Olive, Wayne Co., N. C., 2d Sunday in June, '84; p. Mt. Washington, Ky., '85-86, Plum Creek, Ky., '85-87; Marion, S. C., July, '87-Ju1y, '88; Blackwell ch., Durham Co., N. C., '88-89; 1st ch. Fayetteville, N. C.--. SOU. BAPT. THEO. SEMINARY, , p. 155 By: John R. Sampey (B!207/So8s)

7 Oliver, William B. NCCF Mount Olive First Baptist Church EASTERN Centennial history. Photograph of William B. Oliver, p. 10