The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-10-03


G. Douglass and Norvel Robertson
Douglass, of Lincoln. His most dis
tinguished son, Rev. E. P. Douglass,
who had followed his father in the
gospel ministry, departed this life
when just past its prime, something
more than a year before his fathers
death, lamented by all who knew him.
On July 81, 1878, the mother of these
children, died; and on Feb 3, 1879, Bro
Douglass married Mrs. Adaline L.
Conn (nee Collins.) The result of this
union was one daughter and one son,
now grown, who areleft to mourn their
fathers death. Beside the children
mentioned, there survive 80 grand
children and % great-grand-c children.
When he himself was child, his ed
ucation was retarded by i'll health and
poor opportunities. He spent three
short terms at school at long intervals
apart, learned to read and write and
began the study of arithmetic. This,
was the beginning and the end of his
scholastic training. Having, however,
acquired taste for reading he desir-
ed an education above all earthly
things; but struggling with disease
and poverty, ignorance and lack of fa-
cilities, he had Herculean task be-
| fnra hi if hn yuanll riC oh0ua hic
fellows. 1t is to his credit that, under
the most adverse circumstances, he
succeeded in collecting library, the
value of which he estimated at $780,
His first church service was as clerk
of the New Providence Church, Marion
county, in which capacity he served
for 16 years. Meantime, the Church
licensed him to preach the Gospel and
he began conducting public religious
exercises with great embarrassment to
himself. The church soon called him
to ordination and, though protesting
his unworthiness, he finally submitted
to their judgment in the matter, and
soon after was calle to the pastorate
of Little Bahala church, and began his
first term of service with fasting and
prayer" This was in 1858. In
1853 he moved from Copiah to
Lawrence, locating in the terri
tory of Pearl River Assoc iation, and
was called to the pastorate of Shiloh
church, which he served 16 years.
Friendship, Shiloh Ia second time)
Galilee, of Strong River Association,
Bethel, of Pearl River Association,
Pleasant Hill, Simpson county, Crook
ed Creek, Mount Pisgah, NOW Oak
Grove Rehoboth, Fair River and I'm
ion Church all have sat at the feet of
this wise and good man to learn the ways
of the Lord and to receive his godly
counsel and to follow where he led.
He also went into the byways and
hedges to proclaim the unsearchable
riches to dying souls; and many an old
school house and forest tree still
stands, and will echo and reverberate
the tones of his earnest voice over
hill and dale, until all other in
fuences cease on earth, and are gath
cred together against that day" when
the righteous shall have their reward.
Noble lives have a farreaching in
fiuence. He was one of the first to
propose the formation of the Fair
River Association, and assisted in its
organization at Shiloh Church in 1872
At the advanced age of So, Bro.
Douglass seemed remarkably hale and
hearty; his mind, perfectly clear and
bright. Through the long years of his
mortal life he had acquired a remark
able fund of information and was de-
lightful and interesting companion.
Beyond this, he was a wise man. In
tellectually, Nature was lavish in en-
dowing him with rare gifts, and a
young man of his talents today, with
all the advantages and opportunities
the present affords, would tower like
Saul, above his fellows, in all that is
good and great and that makes for the
Kingdom.
Bro. Douglass was ever true and
loyal friend to the writer, who valued
such friend. At the advanced age
of some, 80 years we listened to an able
sermon from his lips; and once, when
disaster had befallen us and the shad-
ows left in the wake of the devouring
| flames that destroyed our office, had
settled darkly down, this old man, poor
in this worlds goods, a superannuate,
with hardly more than a place to lay
his head, offered US with open palm
and generous, kindly heart a contribu-
tion from his scanty purse. With our
refusal of his sacrificial gift, so elo-
quent with commiseration and self-ab-
negation, there came an inspiration
| that animates us to day like 'the shad-