Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-05

| that two years ago at Grace-Street
| church. Both meetings were Of great in
| terest. 1t is expected that the at
tendance this year will be larger than
ever before. and the programme will be
an especially attractive one. Among
| those who have been invited to speak are
Hon. William L. Wilson, Or. Russell II
| Conwell, of Philadelphia, and President
! B. L. Whitman. Another interesting vis-
itor will be Rev. Calvin S. Blackwell,
the new secretary of the Baptist
Young Peoples Union, South. who en-
| tered upon his work September list. Be
| ing a native OF Virginia, and having
formerly lived in Norfolk, he will be
| thoroughly at home in the city by the
| sea.
THE NEW SECRETARY.
The Baptist Union prints this interest
ing sketch of the new secretary:
calvin S. Blackwell, the new secre-
| tary of the Baptist Young Peoples
| Union, South, who is just about TO en-
| ter upon his active work In that capa-
| city, is a native of Roanoke, Va, and
| Is now in his 49th year. He entered
| Lees army at IA, and served in the Sc
| cond and Thirty-sixth Virginia regi-
ments. When the war closed he was
| lad of &C. with neither money nor edu-
cation Upon the cessation OF hostili-
| ties he flung his &C. S. A" knapsack
across his back and struck out afoot
| for the West to find money and the
| opportunity for gaining an education.
He walked over 500 miles across the
| two Virginias and Ohio, and did not
| finally stay his steps until he reached
Lodoga, Ind. There he worked on a
farm, and studied at nights, until he
| secured enough money to enter the
academy under that great educator OF
Indiana, Hon. NJ. 3. Hopkins. Thence
he entered the State Normal College at
| Kokomo From there he went to Oska-
loosa College, and was graduated in
1875 Thus in nine years he completed
a commercial, normal, literary, and
| theological course, and mado every dol
| lar of his own money as he went. some
| of the papers have stated that he IS
| Ph. d. of q German university. This Is
| a mistake, as his only complimentary
| honors are from Drake University Ho
was In the American Medical College, OF
ST. Louis and took a full course in the
"art OF expression" under Harrison, Of
Brooklyn.
FIRST A DISCIPLES MINISTER.
Secretary Blackwell has been Super
intendent of the Public Schools OF Nor
folk. Va, and a teacher in the Webster
stitute. He has also written a bries
textbook on the Art Of Expression In
deed, as lecturer and orator, on special
occasions. he has always been very pOr il
lar. and his work in this field has evoked
the commendation of both press and pub
lie. In 1875 he entered the ministry OF
the Disciples His pastorates were at
Brooklyn, N Y; Norfolk, Va, where he
built their church; at st. Louis. Mo-; at
Chicago. where, under his influence, the
central Church of Christ was built, and
al Augusta, Ga
"six years ago he entered the Baptist
ministry at Norfolk, Va, and has since
then been pastor at Elizabeth City, ~ G.
There. and in the region round about,
seven hundred persons have been received
into the Baptist churches under his min
istrv. Since his election as secretary,
IN two weeks he has baptized forty per-
sons. Because the Lord has so signally
blessed his pastoral and evangelistic
labors, II becomes the harder for him to
give W the pastorate for other lines OF
work.
HIS LITERARY WORK
"He represents the Home Board Of the
Southern Baptist Convention in Nortn
Carolina. is State manager OF the baptist
Young Peoples Union of America, and
president of the Young Peoples State
Convention. He has also done good work
as an expositor and illustrator Of the
Sunday-school lessons in the Christian
Standard and other papers. He has con-
trlbuted more than two thousand articles
TO the press.
''Brother Blackwell has, moreover, been
a close student of the young peoples
movement from the very inception OF the
Christian Endeavor plan. He was the
first to utilize 1t among the Disciples,
among whom 1t is now such a power. lie
was the first to use the local Young Peo-
ple's Society as an effective evangelisuc
agency. and his articles on that phase OF
the work were widely read several years
ago He has been untiring IN his ffrorts
10 place the Baptist Young Peoples Union
on an effective and practical footing In
the Baptist churches OF the South. for
he believes the educational features of
the Baptist Young Peoples Union VIII
furnish strength at the weakest point in
the denomnational life. We have no
doubt OF his success On the new and most
congenial lire of work he has under
taken"
HAS A BROAD FIELD.
speaking OF Rev. Mr. Biackwelrs new
field OF labor, the Union says:
.The new secretary Will be called upon
70 furnish share Of material for the
columns Of the paper that shall make