USA > Georgia > Bibb County > Macon > Georgia Baptists: historical and biographical > Part 40
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Mr. Dennard then proceeded to apply the same course of ar- gument in the case of Mr. Smith's daughter, who, it would seem, had consented to become his wife and accompany him to Africa, provided her parents would give their consent. What it cost them to give that consent, may be imagined but not described. It was given, however, and they were united in marriage on the 19th of June, 1853. Having received an ap- pointment from the Foreign Mission Board at Richmond, they sailed for Africa, from Boston, via England, on the steamer Ni- agara, on the 6th of July following, and arrived at Lagos the 29th of August. The following brief extracts from letters from him and his wife afford some idea of their feelings. The first is from him, and is dated July 7th :
" We are now at sea. We sailed from Boston at twelve
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ub- o'clock on yesterday. We could not but feel a little sorrowful ud as our native land receded from our sight. Tears gathered in ion our eyes and rolled down our cheeks when we thought of those . whom we love so well, that are far away from us, and every and moment now widening the distance between us. This feeling theof sorrow was only momentary. We thought of the high and d's holy mission in which we are engaged. We thought of dark, verbenighted Africa, and her millions who are perishing for want of the bread of life ! And as we thus thought, we could adopt nyhis our own the sentiments of the hymn-
'Yes, we hasten from you gladly, From the scenes we loved so well : Far away ye billows bear us- Lovely, native land, farewell.'" etc.
The following is from Mrs. Dennard, and is dated
"LAGOS, AFRICA, September 7, 1853.
" Dear Sister :- We are now at the house of Mr. Golmer, a missionary of the Church of England. We came to his house mmediately upon landing, which was on the 29th of last month. Your brother and myself were very unwell then, and have been quite sick since, but are now fast improving. In- leed, I think I may safely say my health is better than when left home. Our friends here think we are well prepared for he climate. I am sorry to say we may be detained here for several weeks, owing to the hostility of one of the kings, who s trying to make war with the Lagos people ; so we can't go iny farther until peace is made. We have met with kind riends wherever we have been."
They were detained at Lagos only a short time, however, as he following extracts will show :
"ABBEOKUTA, September 19, 1853.
" My Dear Parents :- Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, we arrived at this place in safety Friday. It is in the nterior of Africa, and about seventy-five miles from the coast. The population is estimated at between fifty and seventy-five Thousand. It seems to be a city of rocks. There are
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in view of the place where we are staying two high hills, which are almost mountains of solid granite. The name Abbeokut: means under a rock. We do not intend to establish a station here, but go further into the interior. * ×
Fannie and have both had an attack of African fever. I was attacked th night before we left the ship, and she the next day, before w reached the shore; but on landing, we were met by kind chris tian friends, Mr. and Mrs. Golmer, Episcopal missionaries a all. Lagos, at whose house we staid until we recovered, which was ie about a week. Our sickness was short but severe. Fannie hat. seems to have entirely recovered from it; I am yet feeble. * * * fiat From Lagos to this place we had quite a romantic trip. Al fth our company, together with our baggage, came up the river ffe Ogin in canoes, rowed by the people. We were three days on ot n the river, camping every night upon its banks. Everything omp was new and strange to us. The large, tall trees, the thick over undergrowth called the bush, so thick in some places that it isco would seem impossible for a rabbit to penetrate it; the rich ander. luxuriant vines, that hang over the banks of the river ; the hats monkeys, parrots and various other beautiful birds, all so dif-fud t ferent from anything we had ever seen before, made it exceed-when ingly interesting to us. * As far as we have seen the jing people, we are much pleased with them, and entertain -greatly hopes of being useful to them. We have many evidences that if, h God has prepared them for the reception of the gospel, and furni that thousands of them are now ready and waiting to hear the lhes glad tidings of salvation. Ethiopia is stretching forth her era hands unto God. Fannie and I are happy, and it is cause of thic exceeding great joy to us that God, in His infinite mercy, has pen chosen us to bear an humble part in the great work of regen- bun erating Africa, and our daily prayer is that he would qualify ot us for it and make us just such missionaries as he will own and tpli bless."
He seems not to have remained long at Abbeokuta. It was deemed necessary that one of the missionaries should locate at he Lagos, in order that regular communication might be kept up al with the missionaries in the interior, and that supplies might be forwarded to them. For this purpose he returned to the ud h
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etfatter place. How long he had been there before the death of tais wife, is unknown to the author, but it could not have been onong. Intelligence of this mournful event was communicated do her parents in the following sentences :
" LAGOS, January 21st, 1854.
rist " My Dear Parents :- Your dear daughter is dead. She died ath this place on the 4th day of this month, after an illness of raine days. Her disease was nearer the yellow fever than any ninat I know of. I suppose it was a very malignant case of hat is termed African fever. She was not very sick until the Al fth day. In the morning of that day she seemed to be clear verf fever, and was so well that, about ten or eleven o'clock, she orot up and dressed. She sat down on the side of the bed and incomplained of being chilly. She lay down and drew a little icovering over herself. She soon 'commenced shivering, and I ti scovered she had a severe ague. I threw some blankets over ander. She told me her hands and feet were very cold-so cold that she could not move her fingers and toes. I felt of them, difd they were as cold and stiff as death. I was afraid she was ed-men dying. I applied stimulants to them, and while I was rub- theing her feet, she exclaimed, ' Oh ! I shall die! If I die now, eaty race will be a short one.' In a few minutes the ague passed half, her hands and feet became warm, and was followed by a an arning fever-such a fever as is known only in this climate. the ne soon became delirious, and remained so, except at short in- her rvals, until her death. Soon in the morning of the day on co hich she died, as I was sitting on the bed beside her, she has bened her eyes and looked at me with a natural smile on her en- and untenance, and said, 'How pleasant I feel; I believe I shall ifyot die.' I asked her if she had thought she would die. She plied, she had thought so all the time. I asked her why she d not told me. She answered, 'I knew it would distress you much.' Immediately after speaking these words, she again ll into that sleepy, delirious state in which she had been for e last four days. About ten o'clock I had her placed in a arm bath. This revived her very much. She seemed, for a hile, to come entirely to her senses. I sat down beside her d took hold of her hand. She squeezed mine, and said, ' Oh !
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my dear, sweet, precious husband !' I soon discovered she wa again sinking. Her mind again wandered, and she remained i that condition until she died, which mournful event occurre that evening, about five o'clock. Her body now rests in Mi Golmer's graveyard ; her spirit is with Christ."
After giving expression to the most pathetic and heart-rend ing lamentations over his great loss, he proceeds : " I do not rc gret coming here ; I have never regretted it. At one time ther arose in my mind something like a thought of regret. I think it was the third day after we arrived here. The night befor. we left the steamer I was attacked with the fever, and nex day, before we reached the shore, (we had above five miles to go in a boat from the steamer to the shore,) she was also at tacked. And while we were sick at Mr. Golmer's, both. in the same room, she on one side and I on the other-neither of u: able to assist the other-once, when I was looking at her, I, foi a moment, regretted our coming here ; but it was for a moment only. My mind was immediately directed to Calvary, and there I beheld our blessed Saviour nailed to the cross-hanging, groan ing, bleeding and dying. My heart was melted with love, my soul was made glad, and I rejoiced that he had called us to the high privilege of suffering for his sake. While I live, I desire to live for Christ."
The reader will please bear in mind that the foregoing senti- ments were expressed by Dennard only two weeks after he had closed the eyes of his youthful and lovely wife with his own igre hands in " the dark land of Ham," and consigned her precious Sar de remains to the earth. And yet he does not regret having un- dertaken the mission, and still retains the desire to live for Christ .. What an instance of moral heroism! What an illustrati tration of the power of christian faith ! He " endured as see- ing Him who is invisible." sle
Mr. Dennard seems to have remained at Lagos, after the death of his wife, until late in the following spring, when we hear of him again at Abbeokuta. Only two or three letters of were received from him at the latter place, when his death is re-the ported by Rev. T. J. Bowen, under date of June 24th. He says : " Brother Dennard is dead. He was attacked with severe fever on the 7th instant. After being considered entirely out of dan-
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ger, he was seized again on the 17th, and expired next day. During his illness, he was carefully attended to, not only by the missionaries, but also by an excellent physician, Dr. Levine, of the Royal Navy. He died in the faith. I may add, also, that he died at his post, like a good soldier of the cross. I darrived here to-day, having come to look after brother Den- nard's affairs, and to employ an agent to forward supplies to Ijaye." Thus did his sun go down at noon-day. Though he was not permitted to accomplish all for Africa which he had repurposed and desired, yet he had obeyed what he conceived to rtbe the call of God, "and it was accounted unto him for right- to eousness." As Bowen says, " he died at his post." He fell with pis armor on, and with his face to the foe. The Master said to be im, "It is enough-come up higher." " Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of thy Lord !"
In person, Mr. Dennard was rather under the medium size ; is countenance was exceedingly pleasant and benign, but indi- ated stability of character and fixedness of purpose ; in man- hers, he was affable, calm and dignified. Altogether, he was a nost interesting character, and when his death was announced, he saints " made great lamentation over him."
Mrs. Frances Dennard was born in Upson county, Georgia, he 24th of August, 1833, and was baptized by Rev. C. C. Willis, t Harmony church, Muscogee county, in August, 1847, in the fourteenth year of her age. Though so young, her friends had great confidence in her piety. From the time she embraced the Saviour as her hope and salvation, she felt a strong desire to evote her life to the missionary work, and to the day of her marriage with Mr. Dennard, she devoted herself to the prepa- ation of her mind and heart for this glorious undertaking. Vith the chosen companion of her toils and sufferings, she leeps in peace beyond the ocean. Having aided in lighting he torch that is to shine brighter and brighter upon benighted frica, they rest from their labors in obedience to the command f Him who sent them forth, and who will, in due time, supply heir places with others.
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JAMES PERRYMAN.
The subject of this brief sketch was born in Columbia county, Georgia, January 28th, 1795, and was the son of Rev. Elisha Perryman. He was baptized by Rev. William Henderson, at Talbotton, in 1829. From his first entrance upon his christian course, he felt that " the fire of the Lord was in his bones," and that " he was weary with forbearing, and could not stay." His education being quite limited, he applied himself diligently and perseveringly to its improvement, and soon acquired a fair knowledge of the English language, and made some progress in the Latin and Greek. He was passionately fond of history, ' especially of ecclesiastical history, and few men of his day accu- mulated a larger fund of historical information, or knew better how to use it, than himself. His familiarity with the Old and New Testaments, even before he commenced preaching, was re- markable. Thus equipepd, he began his useful career.
In 1834, he was ordained at Talbotton by John Ross, Joseph Hand, Hiram Powell and Robert Fleming, and was soon en- gaged actively and usefully in serving the churches, in which glorious revivals were experienced, and many were added unto the Lord.
Soon after his ordination, a general separation took place throughout the State between the missionary and anti-mission- ary parties of the Baptist denomination. It was like tearing asunder soul and body for him to part with his brethren ; but, in a matter like this, he could not long hesitate, and so he fell on. the missionary side, though, personally, he was strongly at- tached to many who were anti-missionaries. In those times, great difference of opinion and much excitement prevailed on the temperance cause. Mr. Perryman went strongly for the re- formation, and, as he was no half-way man in anything, he made enemies for himself of those who were of the contrary sentiment and practice, especially of liquor dealers. He was also a very decided Baptist, and was by no means chary in ex- pressing his views as such. The consequence was, that he fre- quently gave offense to his pædo-Baptist brethren, with whom, as a general thing, he was rather unpopular. Yet, such was his intelligence, honesty and probity of character, that he com-
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manded the respect of all men, even though they disagreed in sentiment with him.
He was for many years moderator of the Columbus Associa- tion, (one of the most intelligent and influential religious bodies in the State,) and then of the Friendship, with which he was connected the latter part of his life. For several years preced- ing his death, the state of his health would allow of his preach- ing but seldom. The Master whom he served finally released him from labor, and he departed in peace March 12th, 1864, in the seventieth year of his age.
JAMES O. SCREVEN.
This excellent man was born in Savannah, Georgia, Febru- ary 4th, 1804. He was the oldest son of Rev. Charles O. Scre- ven, D. D., and a half brother of Rev. Charles B. Jones, of Florida. He was brought up mostly in Sunbury, Liberty county, where he was baptized by his father, in the spring of 1828, the year after he graduated at Franklin College, now the State University. While in college, and for a few months after his return home, he was quite wild, and his condition was a source of unspeakable distress to his devoutly pious father, and other pious relatives. Their prayers prevailed, and he was soon found at the feet of his Redeemer, "clothed and in his right mind." The precise date of his licensure and ordination has not been ascertained, but it was not long after his baptism .. He was married in 1832, on Hilton Head Island, South Caro- lina, to Miss Eleanor S. Talbird, daughter of Captain Henry Talbird. During the next ensuing seven years, he resided on his patrimonial estate, known as "the Retreat," Bryan county, and employed his time preaching to the negroes on St. Catha- rine's and Ossabaw Islands, and also to the destitute in the upper part of Bryan. In 1844 he was employed by the Baptist church in Savannah to preach to the colored people on the plantations contiguous to the city, and during 1845 he labored as co-pastor of Rev. R. Fuller, D. D., at Beaufort, South Caro- lina, preaching to the branches, or out-stations, of the Beaufort church. As several young men of that church were just en- tering upon the work of the ministry, Mr. Screven felt at lib-
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erty to retire from that field, the more especially, as he, about that time, received a call from the Baptist church at Waynes- ville, Georgia, newly constituted, in a section of the State where great destitution existed. He devoted four years to this inviting and fruitful field, where his labors were abundant, and where his name is still held in sweet remembrance, and was only compelled to retire from it by the failure of his health.
In the year 1850, he removed to LaGrange, Troup county. After his health had become somewhat restored, he labored as an agent for the Domestic Mission Board, Marion, Alabama, several years. During a portion of the late war, he was sus- tained by the same board as a missionary to the soldiers in and around that place. For such a work, especially among the sick and wounded in the hospitals, few men were as well quali- fied as Mr. Screven. Like Huckins, of Charleston, South Caro- lina, he became a martyr to his zeal and self-sacrificing devo- tion. He taxed his constitution, which was naturally feeble, beyond its capacity for endurance. His health gradually failed, and, on the 15th of May, 1864, the Master, whom he had served so long and so faithfully, called him to his reward in heaven. Says the partner of his joys and sorrows: "During his last sickness, he was uniformly cheerful, and greatly enjoyed the visits of his friends, whom he conversed with so pleasantly that they could not realize that he was so near his end. There was no gloom around his deathbed. He frequently spoke of the joys of heaven, and expressed a longing desire to be with his Saviour. On Saturday, previous to his death, he said : 'How delightful would it be if I could be to-morrow in heaven !'" He left a wife, one son and three daughters.
Having given this brief outline of his life and labors, the writer confesses his entire incompetency for the correct delineation of the character of Mr. Screven. Who can describe goodness, meekness, holiness ? Who can, to his own satisfaction, or to that of others, delineate a character in which all the christian graces were concentered and shone so conspicuously ? From a re- port, recorded in the minutes of the LaGrange church, of which he had been a member about fourteen years, the following sen- tences are extracted: "His marked religious characteristics were, unusual love for the word of God and prayer, and un-
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wavering confidence in the promise of God to make suitable temporal and spiritual provision for all his children, and a hu- mility and sweetness of christian temper, preserved through all vicissitudes, which subdued into reverence and love all with whom he came in contact. The most indifferent and irreligious took knowledge of him that he had been with Jesus, and im- bibed largely of his meek and lowly and laborious spirit. He. lived and labored in an atmosphere of prayer, and died in holy triumph. The church take a mournful pleasure in cherishing his memory."
Verily, was James O. Screven a good man.
JARVIS G. JOHNSON.
This estimable young man was born in Harris county, Geor- gia, October 17th, 1832. His parents were members of the Baptist church. Of choice' he labored most of his youth on his father's farm, and enjoyed but slender opportunities of education, until he had attained to manhood. In early life he gave his heart to the Saviour, and was baptized by Rev. Early Greathouse, into Bethlehem church, in the eastern part of said county, in 1852. Being impressed with the duty of preaching the gospel, he took a regular course in Mercer University, and graduated with distinction in the summer of 1859. It would seem that he had been licensed to preach before entering upon h his collegiate course. A month or so after his graduation, he was unanimously called to the pastorship of the church at Ie Hamilton, was ordained the 11th day of December, following' by Rev. W. D. Atkinson and Rev. C. C. Willis, and continued pastor of said church until death terminated his earthly career. His relations as a pastor were borne by him with uncommon 13, modesty, disinterestedness and fidelity. He maintained with meekness, yet with great firmness, the strictest discipline, while he warmly commended to his charge the approved religious enterprises of the day. Though superior to most of his minis- ch ering brethren, with whom he was associated, in natural and acquired endowments, he ever manifested towards them the itmost respect and deference.
His personal piety was of a high order. For his devoted-
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ness to prayer and the study of the scriptures, for his tender and persevering attention to the poor and dependent, for his courageous vindication of the claims of the gospel and of the right of all men to enjoy unrestricted access to it, the name of Jarvis Johnson will be ever held in sweet remembrance, His labors were abundant, and were abundantly blessed even in his own brief day. But, now that he is gone, his ministering brethren testify that the fruits of his labors are even more abundant than in his lifetime.
The disease of which he died was contracted from preach- ing in Johnston's army, while that army was in winter quarters around Dalton, in March, 1864. He made out to reach his home in Harris county, where he suffered greatly from inflam- mation of the stomach and bowels, for weeks before death came to his relief. His last illness was characterized by much prayer, by unwavering faith, and by the most entire submission to the will of God. With him, "the ruling passion strong in death " was an earnest desire for the salvation of sinners. He had a word for every one who approached him; nor did he cease to plead for Christ until he ceased to breathe, which was on the 24th day of April, 1864.
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CHARLES D. MALLARY, D. D.
CHARLES DUTTON MALLARY was born of worthy and respect- able parents, in West Poultney, Rutland county, Vermont, on the 23d of January, 1801. One of his brothers, Rollin C. Mal- lary, became an eminent lawyer, and represented his native State for many years in the United States Congress, where he occupied a commanding position as a debater, and exerted, as chairman of the committee on manufactures, a powerful influ- ence in directing the legislation of the country. After com- pleting the usual preparatory studies, the subject of this sketch entered Middlebury College, in August, 1817. He was a col- · lege-mate, if not class-mate, of that distinguished Methodist di- vine, Rev. Stephen Olin, and also of Rev. Dr. Howe, of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Columbia, South Caro- lina. He graduated in August, 1821, with the first honor-a
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fact sufficiently indicative of his superior talents and his dili- gent application as a student.
From his earliest years he had been the subject of deep reli- gious impressions, which he was accustomed to ascribe in large measure to the instructions and prayers of his pious parents, . especially of his devout and honored mother. In the sixteenth year of his age, during the prevalence of a revival, he experi- enced that great moral change which renewed his heart and gave him a trembling hope of salvation. Shortly after this oc- currence he entered college, and then, owing to various circum- stances, a long season of doubt and declension ensued in his spiritual history, which gradually darkened into dejection and despair. The distress of his mind was similar to that of Bun- yan, and the poet, Cowper, in their awful days of desertion. Indeed, his companions trembled for the stability of his reason, and he himself was conscious of treading on the brink of in- sanity. At length, through infinite mercy, the cloud broke and rolled away ; his feet were taken out of the horrible pit, and he stood on the rock of ages, with a new song in his mouth. After canvassing the comparative claims of the various denomina- tions, (his inclinations rather leaning to the Congregational- ists,) the path of duty became plain, and he was baptized into the fellowship of the Baptist church in his native town, in June, 1822, by the pastor, Rev. Clark Kendrick.
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