USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 69
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The next meeting of the Educational convention was held at Greenville, S. C., April 31, 1858. A plan of organization was adopted. In accordance with a charter, obtained from the South Carolina Legislature, the control of the seminary was
755
Removal.
vested in a Board of Trustees. This board met, for the first time, in May, 1859, and appointed a faculty, consisting of James P. Boyce, John A. Broadus, Basil Manley, Jr., and William Williams. Professor Boyce was elected chairman of the faculty, and has remained in that position to the present time (1885). The first session of the seminary was opened on the first Mon- day in October, 1859. Twenty-six students attended. Thirty- six attended the second session, but the breaking out of the Civil War diminished the number the third session, and the con- script act of Confederate Congress prevented any attendance the fourth session. The institution was, of necessity, suspended till after the close of the War, the disastrous results of which ren- dered its pledged endowment utterly worthless.
The seminary was reopened, with eight students, in Octo- ber, 1865, and the small available means left it from the ravages of the War, was speedily consumed by its current expenses. In May, 1866, it, for the first time, sought the fostering care of the Southern Baptist Convention, without which it could not have survived. This appeal was made to the convention, while it was in session at Russellville, Ky. No endowment was asked for, at that time ; only the means of present subsistence was sought. For this, an appeal was made through the Southern Baptist Convention. The Baptists of the South, and especially those of Kentucky, responded to the call so liberally, that the seminary was enabled to continue its sessions, from year to year, till 1871, when it became apparent that it must have an endowment, or cease to exist. This could not be procured while it remained in South Carolina. Perceiving this, the board, having secured the removal of such legal requirements as con- fined its location to that State, resolved, at a meeting in St. Louis, in May, 1871, that an endowment must be raised; and accompanied the resolution with an offer to receive bids for the location of the seminary at some new point.
During the session of the General Association of Kentucky Baptists, held at Georgetown, in May, 1871, it adopted a "re- port on schools and colleges," containing the following para- graph:
"Having ascertained that the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is subject to removal from Greenville, S. C., we rec- ommend that A. T. Spaulding, J. S. Coleman, S. L. Helm,
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
W. W. Gardner, W. H. Felix, N. M. Crawford, R. M. Dud- ley, H. McDonald, G. Varden, G. F. Bagby and J. M. Weaver be appointed a committee to call a meeting in Louisville, as soon as practicable, to bring the subject more definitely before the denomination, in order to ascertain the desirableness and feasibility of its removal to this State."
In accordance with its instruction, this committee called a meeting, which convened in the Walnut Street meeting house in Louisville, in July, 1871. The attendance was large, and much interest was manifested. A resolution was adopted, pledging the Baptists of Kentucky to contribute $3000.000, towards endowing the seminary with $5000,000, provided that the institution be located in Kentucky, and that the remaining $200,000, necessary to complete the endowment, be raised outside of this State.
This proposal was accepted by the Board of Trustees of the seminary, in August, 1872, and it was determined to locate the institution at Louisville. James P. Boyce was appointed Gen- eral Agent of the board, and, moving to Louisville, immedi- ately commenced the prosecution of his agency with great en- ergy and encouraging success. The board's acceptance of the proposal was reported to the General Association of Kentucky Baptists, at its meeting in Paducah, in May, 1873, and that body "recommended to the Baptists of the State to contribute liberally towards raising the sum of $300,000, the amount nec- essary to be raised " in the State, to secure the location of the seminary at Louisville. James P. Boyce was adopted as the Agent of General Association to collect the specified amount.
At the time Dr. Boyce commenced the prosecution of his agency for the endowment of the seminary, the financial condi- tion of the country was in a high degree prosperous. During the first year of his labors in Kentucky, he secured, principally in notes, bonds and real estate, the sum of $111,820. It then became necessary for him to turn aside from his agency, to col- lect means for the current expenses of the seminary. Mean- while the failure of Jay Cook & Co., of New York, in 1873, caused a financial panic all over the country, aud a financial pressure immediately followed. A great number of men, of whom many had possessed large fortunes, were bankrupted, and an almost unprecedented scarcity of money prevailed, for
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Endowment.
several years. The struggle to keep the seminary open, and prosecute the raising of its endowment was severe and pro- tracted. The work, however, was prosecuted with indomitable energy and perseverence. In May, 1877, Dr. Boyce reported that only $31, 194.84 was wanting to complete Kentucky's pro- portion of the endowment. Encouraged by this report, the General Association resolved:
" I. That the General Association believe that the $31, 000 not yet secured, can and ought to be secured at an early date.
" 2. That the removal of the Seminary to Louisville the coming autumn would, in the judgment oi the Association, fa- cilitate the completion of the endowment.
" 3. That the Association, therefore, cordially invite the trustees of the Seminary to open its next session in the city of Louisville, unless in their opinion it be against the interests of the institution."
Accordingly the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was opened at Louisville, on the first of September, 1877, with a faculty of four professors, viz. : James P. Boyce, John A. Broadus, C. H. Toy and Wm. H. Whitsitt. Ninety students were in attendance during the session. Meanwhile, according to the report of the agent, Dr. Boyce, in May, 1878, only $15.500 was wanting to complete Kentucky's part of the endowment. This was encourging to the Baptists of the State, as well as to all the friends of the Seminary. The institution opened in September, 1878, with a larger number of students than ever before. Ninety- six were in attendance during the session. But now came a per- iod of darkness. Of this time of trial, Dr. Boyce, who had de- voted 20 years of his life to building up the institution, says :
" The struggles of the Seminary, even for existence, can- not be told. The work of securing its endowment has been se- vere and often discouraging ; but oftenamid the darkest hours light from some unexpected quarter has suddenly broken in, and has dispelled all the shadows of the night. Thus was it during the session of 1879-80. The delay in the endowment, and the lack of general support threatened the temporary sus- pension of the Seminary. It was believed by those best informed that after the close of the current session it would be impossible to continue its teachings, except after the lapse of years. Ap- peal after appcal had been made to those who in their poverty
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
had so long sustained it. Finally the only hope left seemed to be in prayer to God. Suddenly, without previous anticipation of such a gift, the hearts of all its friends were cheered by the endowment of a professorship by Gov. Joseph E. Brown of Georgia by the donation of fifty thousand dollars."
This donation placed the Seminary beyond present peril, and gave assurance that its endowment would be completed. But the Baptists of Kentucky met with a serious disappoint- ment. When the General Association met at Owensboro, in May, 1880, it was reported to that body, by a special commit- tee appointed at the previous meeting, that all pledges, notes, bonds, subscription in lands, etc., to the Kentucky endowment of the Seminary, amounted to $304, 204. This was $4, 204 more than was due from Kentucky. But, on investigation, it had been ascertained that over estimates of the values of lands and stocks, . the forfeiture of conditional subscriptions, and the withdrawal of pledges not legally binding, had reduced the value of Kentucky's contributions to $237,292.38, leaving the sum of $66,911.62 still to be provided for. The report was adopted, and Dr. Boyce was solicited to continue his agency till the amount should be secured. No exact reports are at hand, but it is believed that the full amount has been secured, or, at most, only a trifle re- mains unprovided for.
Since its removal to Louisville, the Seminary has held its session in the Public Library buildings. Recently the Board has secured handsome lots on Broadway and Fifth streets, and pur- poses to commence the erection of suitable buildings, at an early period. The number of students attending the Seminary has regularly increased. During the session of 1882-83, 120 were in attendance. The only change that has been made in the faculty was the substitution of Basil Manly, Jr., for C. H. Toy, who resigned in 1879.
JAMES PETIGRU BOYCE has been prominently connected with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary during its en- tire history, and to him, more than to any other man, it owes its existence and present prosperity. He descended from a dis- tinguished family, and was born of Scotch Irish parents, at Char- leston, S.C., January II, 1827. After spending two years in Charleston College, he entered Brown University, R.I., where he graduated, in 1847. In 1846, he professed faith in Christ, and
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Dr. J. P. Boyce.
was baptized by the distinguished Richard Fuller, late of Balti- more, Md., for the Ist Baptist church in Charleston. By this church he was licensed to preach, November 14, 1847, and sub- sequently became editor of the Southern Baptist at Charleston. In 1849, he entered Princeton Theological Seminary, a Presby- terian, institution in New Jersey, where he remained two ses- sions, but did not graduate. In October, 1851, he commenced preaching to the church in Columbia, S.C., and was ordained to , its pastoral charge, in December of the same year. This charge he resigned, in August, 1855, to accept a professorship of the- ology in Furman University, the Baptist college of South Caro- lina, upon the duties of which he entered, in September follow- ing. He delivered his inaugural address, on the 31st of July, 1856, his subject being : "Three Changes in Theological Edu- cation. " The address was published, and is supposed to have aided in concentrating the purposes of the friends of theological education among the Southern Baptists, and to have convinced many of the propriety of such education, who had hitherto op- posed it. The views set forth in this address led to the pecul- iarities of arrangement, which characterize the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Of the last named institution, Mr. (now Dr.) Boyce was elected professor, with the privilege of selecting his chair, in April, 1858, and again, in 1859. He was also appointed Chair- man of the Faculty and General agent and Treasurer of the Seminary, and has continued to discharge the duties of all these offices, to the present time (1885).
During the suspension of the Seminary, Dr. Boyce was elected to the South Carolina Legislature, in 1862, and re-elected in 1864. He took a prominent part in the business of the body, and was the especial advocate of the States endorsing a definite amount of Confederate bonds. Two of his speeches on this ques- tion, and a pamphlet written by him, on the subject, were pub- lished.
In 1872, he moved from South Carolina to Louisville, Ken- tucky, where he has discharged the duties of his several offices with tireless energy and surprising success. His life has been far too busy a one to allow of his writing much for the press. But the few small works he has published, have won for him the reputation of a profound thinker.
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
JOHN ALBERT BROADUS is descended from a family dis- tinguished for its valuable contributions to the Baptist pulpit. The family is of Welsh origin, and formerly spelt the name Broadhurst. Andrew Broadus was the most eloquent and dis- tinguished of the Virginia Baptist ministers of his generation. Dr. Wm. F. and the younger Andrew Broadus of Virginia, were well known, not only in their native State, but throughout the South and West, as able ministers of the gospel ; and George W. Broadus was a useful preacher among the Baptists of Ken- tucky.
John A. Broadus, whose father was a brother of Dr. Wm. F. and the younger Andrew Broadus, and, for a number of years, a prominent member of the Virginia legislature, was born in Culpeper Co. Va., Jan. 24, 1827. He was educated at the University of Virginia, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1850. From 1851 to 1853, he was assistant professor of Latin and Greek in that University, and pastor of the Baptist church at Charlottsville, Va. He continued in this pastoral charge, till 1855, when he was chosen Chaplain of the Univer- sity, a position which he occupied two years, and then resumed his former pastoral charge. At the opening of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in 1859, he accepted the chair of Homiletics and New Testament Interpretation in that institu- tion, a position he has continued to occupy to the present time (1885.)
While the Seminary was suspended, during the War, he preached as missionary in the Army of Gen. Robt. E. Lee, in Virginia, several months of the year 1863. From that date to 1865, he was Corresponding Secretary of the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, at Greenville, S. C. During this period, he published various small works, which were circulated in the States then accessible. At the close of the War, he resumed the duties of his professorship in the Seminary.
In 1870, he published his famous work on the "Preparation and Delivery of Sermons," which has been republished in Eng- land, and used extensively as a text-book in various theological seminaries of different denominations, in Europe and America. Besides review articles, sermons, and almost innumerable other newspaper articles, he published, in the Religious Herald of
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Dr. Basil Manly, Jr.
Richmond, Va., in 1867-9, a series of papers, criticising the Re- vised version of the New Testament of the American Bible Union, and, in 1872-73, another series, entilled " Recollections of Travel," giving an account of a tour through Europe, Egypt and Palestine, made in 1870-71. In 1876, he published " Lec- tures on the History of Preaching."
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In 1877, Dr. Broadus moved, with the Seminary, to Louis- ville, Ky,, where, in addition to discharging the duties of his professorship, he has acted as pastor, for a time, of one or two country churches, preached extensively in both the Northern and Southern States, and rendered Dr. Boyce most valuable aid in securing the endowment of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. It is hardly necessary to say, that he is regarded one of the first lecturers, preachers and writers of his generation.
BASIL MANLY, JR., a son of the famed and beloved Dr. Basil Manly, Sr., was born in Edgefield District, S. C., Dec. 19, 1825. His father was of Irish extraction, and his grand father, Basil Manly, commanded a company of volunteers in the Rev- olutionary War. Charles Manly, Governor of North Carolina, and Matthias E. Manly, Judge of the Supreme Court of the same State, were his uncles. His father was a native of North Carolina, was several years pastor of the Ist Baptist church in Charleston S. C., and, subsequently, from 1837 to 1855, Presi- dent of the State University of Alabama. Rev. Charles Manly, who was for some years President of Union University at Mur- freesboro, Tenn., is a brother of Prof. Manly. The family is remarkable for its longevity, most of his ancestors having reached the age of ninety years. His mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Rudolph, was of German extraction.
Basil Manly Jr. began his education in the school of the German Friendly Society at Charleston, S. C., and graduated with the degree of A. B., in 1843, at the State University of Alabama. He afterwards attended the Theological Seminary at Newton, Mass., and subsequently graduated at Princeton (Pres- byterian) Theological Seminary in New Jersey. In 1844, he was licensed to preach, at Tuscaloosa, Ala., and was ordained at the same place, four years later. In 1850, he took pastoral charge of the First Baptist Church in Richmond, Va. After occupying this position about four years, he was elected Princi- pal of Richmond Female Institute.
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
At the opening of the Southern Baptist Theological Semi- nary at Greenville, S. C., in 1859, he was elected Professor of Old Testament Interpretation in that institution, and continued to occupy the chair, till 1871, when he accepted the Presidency of Georgetown College, in Kentucky. During the suspension of the Seminary exercises, on account of the War, he served as pastor of several country churches in the neighborhood of Green- ville. When the Seminary was reopened, he assumed the task of collecting means for the support of students in the institution, who were unable to meet their own expenses, and, in addition to discharging the duties of his professorship, secured funds by which nearly 100 young preachers were enabled to attend the Seminary.
Dr. Manly continued to occupy the Presidency of George- town College, till 1879, when, on the resignation of Prof. Toy, he was recalled to the chair he had formerly occupied in the Seminary, which position he has continued to fill to the present time (1885). He has the reputation of being very thoroughly educated, and, like his venerated father, possesses those rare qualities which readily win the affections of all who come in contact with him.
WILLIAM HETH WHITSITT was born near Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 25, 1841. In September, 1857, he entered Union Uni- versity at Murfreesboro, Tenn, where he graduated in 1861. He entered the Confederate Army, as a private soldier, and served as chaplain in the 4th Tennessee Cavalry, from May, 1862, to May, 1865. Twice during the War he was captured, and was confined in different military prisons, about twelve months. After the return of peace, he entered the University of Vir- ginia, in October 1866, and, in September of the next year, matriculated in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he remained two sessions. He studied at the Universi- ties of Leipsic and Berlin in Germany, from August 1869 to December 1871. Returning to America, he became pastor of the Baptist church at Albany, Ga., in February, 1872, but re- signed in July of the same year, to accept a professorship in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, to which he had been elected the previous May. The latter position he has con- tinued to occupy to the present time. Among the published works of Dr. Whitsitt are an inaugural address, titled the
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The Sunday School Work.
" Relation of Baptists to Culture," the history of the "Rise of Infant Baptism," and the history of "Communion Among Baptists."
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL work has been greatly advanced since 1870, notwithstanding it had been much forwarded during the latter half of the previous decade. In May, 1871, the Gen- eral Association created " a separate Board to control the Sun- day-school interests" of that body. This Board consisted of nine members, and was located at Georgetown. J. J. Rucker was elected Chairman, J. N. Bradley, Clerk, and D. Thomas, Treasurer. L. B. Fish was appointed State Superintendent of the Sunday-school work. The plan of operations adopted was to hold meetings of two or three days' continuance, under the name of Sunday-school Institutes, in various localities, to or- ganize a Sunday-school convention in each district association in the State, and to visit and encourage individual schools, when practicable. In 1872, the State Superintendent reported that there were not more than 125 schools kept open all the year, in the State, and not more than one third of the churches had then, or ever had had, Sunday-schools; that he had organized con- ventions in nine associations, and had instituted 19 new schools.
Mr. Fish labored in this position about two and a half years, and greatly enlarged the Sunday-school interest in the State. After his resignation, the Board employed other super- intendents, one after another. But the great financial pres- sure rendered it difficult to support them. However, the work continued to make some progress. The churches and district associations took hold of it, and pressed it independently of the State Board. The local organizations, especially the conven- tions, of which 20 had been organized, became more and more efficient, from year to year. By means of them, statistic ; be- gan to be collected, methods of teaching were discussed and much knowledge was diffused. In 1877, the Sunday-school Board was abolished, and the work devolved on the Executive Board of the General Association. The effort to endow the Theological Seminary, the support of the Orphans Home, and the Centennial movement, in addition to sustaining the several missions, heretofore fostered by the General Association, be- came a discouraging burden to the churches, and the State Sunday-school work flagged, for two or three years. In 1880,
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History of Kentucky Baptists.
a State Sunday-school Convention was organized, and took charge of the Sunday-school work. A General Superintend- ent was employed, and some good work was preformed; but it was soon felt that a separate organization was "a needless mul- tiplication of machinery ;" and, after two annual meetings, the convention was dissolved. The Sunday School work was again , committed to the General Association, in 1882, and that body appointed a Sunday School and Colportage Board, consisting of twelve members, and to be located in Lexington. The Board organized on the fifteenth of June, by the election of J. 1 J. Rucker Chairman, and Lansing Burrows, Clerk.
The organization of this new Board, with experienced Sunday School workers at its head, infused new life into the enterprise. In January 1883, W. P. Harvey was appointed General Superintendent of the work. The reports on Sunday- Schools, in May, 1884, show a great advance in the Sunday- school enterprise. The Board had in its employ during the year, 27 colporteur and Sunday-school missionaries, who per- formed' I, 914 days' labor, organized 320 schools, preached 1,017 sermons, witnessed 458 additions to churches, made 3,728 visits to families, and distributed books to the value of $1,070,91. The reports show that there were in the State 667 Sunday Schools, with 1,373 officers and teachers and 15,770 pupils, of which 326 had professed religion during the year. The Board was out of debt, and had a considerable balance in the treasuary. At no time in the history of the Baptists in the State has their Sunday School work been nearly so pros- perous as at the present time.
The subject of making provision for the support of aged ministers, engaged the attention of the denomination in the State, during the last decade. It was introduced in the Gen- eral Association at Covington, by Gen. Green Clay Smith, in 1865 ; but did not elicit much discussion, till 1870. At that date, it was determined to organize a Ministers' Aid Society. The attempt was made, but it proved impracticable, and the matter was dropped. It was taken up again, in 1882. A com- mittee of seven was appointed to investigate the matter. It re- ported to the body, in 1883, recommending a plan for carrying out the design ; but nothing further seems to have been accom- plished.
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Centennial Celebration.
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION of Baptist operations in Ken- tucky, in May, 1876, was an affair of pleasing and grateful in- terest. The subject was brought before the General Associa- tion, in 1873, and a committee was appointed to report on the: matter the following year. The report was made, in 1874, merely recommending the appointment of another committee to consider the subject, and report to the body at its next meet- ing. The committee was accordingly appointed, and, in 1875, reported a plan of procedure, the details of which would now be tedious and uninteresting. It was determined to ask the Bap- tists in the State to express their gratitude to God for his mer- cies and blessings, extended to them and their ancestors during the one hundred years which had elapsed since their fathers. first began to preach the glorious gospel in the then wilderness of Kentucky, by contributing a "memorial fund," to be applied to the furtherance of such benevolent objects as the contributors should elect. During the succeeding year, meetings were held in most of the churches, at which the various featuresand objects of. the approaching centennial celebration were discussed, often with tears and rejoicings. Mass meetings were held in connection with the meetings of district associations, and on various other occasions, at which historical and other addresses were delivered, and not only the Baptists, but the people generally were much enlighted in regard to the history, doctrine, polity, and pur- poses of the Baptist denomination.
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