The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-30
DR.. J. P. BoYCE.
Notable Incidents in the Life of q Dis
tingushed Baptist, Who Has just
PaNsed Away.

Notable Incidents in the Life of q Dis
tingushed Baptist, Who Has Just
Passed Away.
James Petigru Boyce is q native Of Charles
ton, South Carolina. He was born on the 1lth
of January, 1877. His father, Hon. ker Boyce,
Carolina. In 1877 he moved to Charleston,
where he was known, until his death, as
successful cotton factor and a wealthy ban k
er. He was twice elected to the State Senate
The mother OF the subject OF this sketch was
u sister of Hon. Job Johnston, Chancellor OF
the Court Of Equity of South Carolina. Both
the paternal and maternal grandparents OF
james 2. Boyce were of Scotch.!rish descent
He was named for James l.. Petigru, ESQ.,,
distinguished lawyer of Charleston, and par
ticular friend OF his fathers.
Mr.. Ker Boyce greatly desired that his son
should study law, but the Lord determined
otherwise, and in the choice OF a profession by
The son the father gladly acquiesced. He en-
tered Charleston College In the spring OF 1913,
Island, where he was graduated in 1917. Dur
ing vacation In 1916, he visited his home,
where DR.. Fuller, then OF Beaufort, South
Carolina, was preaching with great power
Mr.. Boyce was converted, and baptized by
DR.. Fuller. The next year he was licensed to
preach by the First Baptist Church OF Charles
ton. III 1913. circumstances having barred his
entrance into Madison University, New York,
he went to Princeton, New Jersey, and enter.
ed the Theological Seminary at that place,
where ne continued an appreciative and la
borious student until 1851. Returning to
south Carolina, he was ordained for the Cos
pei ministry in December Of that year, having
accepted the pastoral care of the Baptist
Church Of Columbia, South Carolina. When
asked by the chairman of the presbytery, DIR.
William Curtis, ST., whether he proposed to
devote his whole life to preaching, Mr. Boyce
replied: provided don't become i professor
of theology This reply made the distin-
guished divine hesitate as to the propriety of
the ordination OF the youthful asplrant for
| thpn1npicOl hOnOrS Al
clearly indicated the bent OF his mind For
six months prior to May. lSi9, and before his
studies at Princeton, he was the editor of the
Southern Baptist, published in Charleston.
south Carolina.
In 1854 Mr. Boyce's father passed away,
leaving his son with Judge Bolton O'Neal. of
South Carolina, Arthur 6. Rose, ESQ, now Of
England, and James \. Whitesldes, OF Ten
nessee, the executors Of his large estate. This
trust might have seemed enough for his tai
ents ana energies, but they were not abated in
the least from his ministerial labors. and his
incessant planning in reference to q Thcolo-
gcal Seminary for the South.
In 1851. at the Georgia Baptist Convention,
which met in Washington, Georgia, Mr..
discussion with regard to the formation of u
theological school for the South. In 1879 he
resigned his charge of Columbia to accept the
profesSorship Of theology in Furman Univer-
sity. This position he held until he was elect
ed in February of 1855, professor of the South.
ern Baptist Theological Seminary, then locat-
ed in Greenvllle, South Carolina, and entered
upon the duties of his office in October, 1850
In July, 1856, when Professor in Furman Uni.
versity, he delivered an address entitled,
"Three Changes in Theological Education"
This foreshadowed the peculiar feature Of the
course OF study in our Seminary. The address
received the highest commendation of DIR.
| Francis Wayland, Of Brown University The
| following Is taken from published sketch of
Mr.. Boyce, by pen unknown TO the present
| writer:
after serving chaplain in the army for
six months, during practical suspension OF
the Seminary, Mr.. Boyce was elected to the
South Carolina State Legislature In 1862 and
reelected in 1854, serving to the end of the
war 1t may be stated that. in 1862 he was
appointed by the Confederate government
special commissioner to secure the adoption,
by the States, ofa plan for the relief of the Con-
fcdcratc debt, which he had himself brought
forward in the South Caroline Legislature in
1862. Since the war he has eschewed politics
entirely, and has devoted himself to resuscit-
ating and establishing the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary. 1t may safely be
averred that to him the southern Baptists are
indebted for the foundation and preservation.
under the most adverse circumstances, of
their Theological Seminary. Forit lie has la.
bored unrcmittingly and most selfsacrifc-
;ngly for years repeatedly refusing tempting
offers of great cmolument, that he might sc.
cure TO the BaptiStS this school OF the prOph-
cts; and, gladly be it said, with almost GER
tain hopes of success
lie was elected President Of the Southern
Baptist Convention in 1872, and held that po-
sition until lisa, when he declined re-elcc.
ton. In lSSS he was again elected president
! of the Con vcntion, and had he lived would
4 doubtless have been reelected unanimously
every year, so long as he could have been In
duced TO accept the position.
! His health falling, he went to Europe with
his wife and three daughters for two years
trip. While sojourning In Pau, France, 1t
pleased God to promote him to place Of His
own glorious abode, on the 18th day Of Decem-
Der, 1888,