The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-02-17
IS NO MORE.
The Famous Black Ecclesiastical
Ruler Has Passed Away.
PRAYED AND FLOGGED.
rbo Head of the Largest COlOred
Church Association in the South.
A Man of Rare Power.
PRAYED AND FLOGGED.
A Man of Rare Power.

Fanny Willis, the noted cOIOred
,,eacber who was known and re-
Pected throughout this section, is
u'' The story of the life OF Rev. Willis
Warren, who was born in 1924, is
nnioue He has lived in this imme.
date section of southwest Georgia
since his early manhood, and his life
has been truly remarkable one.
The power he welded among his
npople was something wonderful, and
his death may very we'll be regarded
in the light Of a calamity.
For many years Pappy Willis
was the name by which he was known
i to blacks and whites alike. Born in
/ the DAYS when his people were slaves,
he Grew up with all the superstiticns
Of Ills race, but managed by dint of
hard work to acquire a knowledge OF
tie rudimentary Eprinclples of an
English education, with which he
laid the first stepping stones to his
future powerful influence.
PREACHED AND FLOGGED.
When emancipation came Willis
Warren belonged to Colonel L. A.
Jordan, then of Lee county but now
resident OF Macon. During
the days OF slavery bis master recog-
nized bis intelligence and appreciated
the extent of his pow4r so thorough
" that he aided Willis as much as
possible in establishing himself as a
leader. Even before freedom came
Willis often chastised his master )
slaves when they grew unruly, and
on many occasions his services were
sought and received by other large
slave owners. He grew to be looked
upon with deep respect and awe by
his people, and when he entered the
Baptist ministry his power was never
allowed to wane.
When emancipation made the me-
groes free Willis was not visibly
Effected by the change f affairs. He
continued to preach the gospel and
build up his church
He fogged erring brethren with
be same yigor and good effect
that had charteriZed him in the past,
and no one ever thought of daring
10 resist. HIS DEGREES went unchal-
lcnged, and year by year his power
grew greater; He founded other
churches, himself ordained ministers
TO preside over them and exercised
over them a tatherly care.
RULING HIS PEOPLE.
Every member of each of his
churches was required to pay so much
money to him each year, and woe to
nm Or her who was delinquent. And
when sickness or distress came to
one of his flock he was sure to know
y and make his goodness of heart
Brown. He prescribed and furnish.
eG medicine to those Of his members
VINO were unable to procure it for
themselves, and supplies other neces.
sites to those who were needy. He
was gentle as woman when minis
teerng to the sick or destitute, but
lrn and terrible when dealing with
thOSe OF his peOple whom he found
4 gong aStray. Often he has been
4 known TT meet one of his subjects
81 VINO had committed wrong, per.
laPS IN the big road, land there alight
Iron his buggy and fairly fragile a
uggy whip on him, while the guilty
pne ,groyeled in the dirt and cried
~ Justify while the blows fell thick
Four of the largest negro church.
~ ~ enlS part Of the state-Jordan's
49, Tr9, "nepherd, Friendship and
100 n ,S g membership of between
sations, !" the tour organ
TFa d2PEiyE Willis was the tounde,
mo US' opesa i Baptist Association, a
III st b counties, and was moderator to Of
oy Ot % ~ tor a score years, retir -
'u I'd t Ine years ago on account g q
bnfned % Wv &c age. He had been
IN 5o zoe n last on account Of sickness [n' O'
Sr II On tuesday of last week i he was