The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-16

listed in the Confederate ranks, there
was little evidence but that he would
remain comparatively unknown. He
had not been in the army long, how
ever, before he was marked as boy of
fine mind, thorough piety and I'M
doubted bravery. The boy that he
was he frequently conducted army
prayer meetings. When the war ended
he returned home, bearing the honors
of four wounds and an unblemished
record. He entered Wake Forest Col
lege, by aid of the Baptist Board of
Education, in 1867, and graduated
four years later in probably the first
senior class after the war, his class
mates being the distinguished DR.. A.
c. Dixon, of Brooklyn, and DIR. II. A.
Brown, the honored Baptist pastor at
Winston, n. &. In the fall of 1871 he
entered on a passionate at Goldsboro,
which was one Of the most successful
in the history of that church; and
when in 1876 he decided to accept a
call to Durham, the membership had
increased two fold, an old debt had
been paid and a parsonage had been
built. At Durham he served with ever
increasing zeal and usefulness
twelve years, during which a new
house of worship and parsonage was
built, and the foundation of the pres
ent Baptist holdings in Durham were
laid. AS a pastor DR.. Durham worked
with the same vim and faith which has
characterized his larger work as Mis-
sion Secretary of the Baptist State
Convention. His people were devoted
to him, and long years after he left
them they delighted to manifest their
appreciation of his work.
But the man had a mission. He had
accomplished much as apastor; but
there was need for a larger work to be
done in the localities of the State in
which the gospel was not preached by
the Baptists; and he was the man
chosen 'proyidentiaIly," said promi-
nent Baptist man yesterday, when j
see what he has done"
For seven years DR.. Durham has been
Corresponding Secretary of the State
Board of Missions and Sunday Schools
of the Baptists. In that time churches
have ben organized in every direction
and many handsome houses for wor-
ship have been buiIt. The Board has
grown to be a great agency, distribut-
ing $4,000 annually and employing
about one hundred missionaries.
The Secretary became acquainted with,
every Baptist of any prominence in the
State, he travelled ceaselessly four
months every year, often making six
speeches a week and preaching on
Sunday. He said not long ago that he
had never experienced the sensation
of WEAKNESS but twice in his life.
"Such an indomitable will, such a
magnificent physique, such Astounding
faithl Surely God made the man for
a mission, and took him when it was
filled; took him when he had risen to
lead the denomination, when he had
reached the highest places of trust and
usefulness, in its gift" was the eX-
preston of one of his warmest friends.
His magnificent response to the de-
mands made upon him when Pace and
Heck and Bailey were gone will linger
long in the minds of those who knew
him. AS president of the Board of
Trustees of Wake Forest College he
not only threw himself into the breach
in its behalf, but he instituted poll
cy which made itself felt in the facul-
tY and the students and the denomina-
ton at large.
DIR. Durham was of the Martin
Luther type of man. He would burn
at the stake of public opinion rather
than yield ground which he was con-
WINGED was worth holding, and yet he
was not the austere and uncompromis-
ing man he seemed to be. The world
knew him as the fearless Baptist, the
aggressive and impulsive worker. His
brethren knew him as the comrade,