Richmond planet., 1904-04-16

Rev. O. 1. Withrow. A NJ, d. D., the
subject of this sketch, was born lust
after a. COG. 900 of the sable sons of Ham
had been ushered into the golden sun
shine Of liberty, when the thought was
prevalent that the Negro would ever be
huer Of wood and a drawer of water.
From his youth he has always shown
himself beyond the ordinary, and at an
early age was the leading factor in his
country. Honor after honor was Justly
bestowed upon him. He held charge
after charge, teaching at the same time
with great success.
DR.. Withrow was sent to his present
charge in the spring of 1900 He at once
started revival in the church among
the members. The church has undergone
some improvements AMI under his lea.
dership has been freed from long
standing debt and is now standing out
like the peaks OF the mighty Alps, w, tn
her steepies towering high, kissed by
the golden sunshine of freedom. The
church has increased in membership and
every department has taken on new life
and Is now in q prosperous condition.
They rally to his support and are march
ing to success
Dr.iWithrow is scholar of rare ability
and rs always in demand by those who
have had the privilege of hearing him
once. He has had the honor of speaking
before some of the most noted gatherings
IN this country. In 1898 he spoke In
Winston. N. O.. in the chapel of the
school building and was seated on the
rostrum among some of the greatest
doctors, lawyers, educators and minis
ters OF this country. The procession was
said By the white papers to be two miles
long.
In 1884 he spoke in Court Houses of
Rutherford, and Shelton, N. O. In
Reidsville the same year on Emancipa-
tion Day and the hall IN which he spoke
was crowded beyond standing room. In
1897 he spoke in the great High Street
Baptist Church. Roanoke, Va, before q
great gathering and was invited to make
another speech the next year for the
same people but had to refuse to accept
an invitation from the people of Pulaski,
Va. In December 1897, he delivered an
address before the st. Marks Lyceum
OF New York City ON the subject;
Equipped in a Lion g Skin He Obtained
immortality. In 1897 he spoke before
the Grand Sitting of the True Re-
formers in Richmond, Va. The late
Rev. w. w. Brown was so impressed
with bis ability as a scholar and speaker
that he had published at his own ex-
pense one of DIR. Withrow's sermons in
pamphlet form, getting ont $500
copies.
DIR. Withrow has recently had pub
hshed an Eulogy of Bishop Hearst
which kas had the highest praise of DIR.
Thlrk1eld, OF Cincinnati. O., Bishop No
Cabe, DR.. Hayes and others, and was re-
quested by the Librarian of Drew Theo-
logical Seminary and granted a place in
the library OF the fire-proof building Of
Madison, N. j. He has received an in
yltatlon TO represent fraternity ia
Hayti this year. DR.. Withrow is des-
tined to be and Is really one of the
greatest scholars of his race. He is
young, vigorous. gifted with a brilliant
intellect, eloquent, clean christian
gentleman, cultured and refined, and is
admired, respected and honored within
MS denomination and by the entire out
side world.
DE has served this present charge
successfully for four years and was sent
back by the recent Conference in Balti
more, Md, making his fifth year in this
city. He is the only minister that has
held charge here for five years in the
history of the Augusta Street M. E.
Church.
The Old Dominion Sun, the only white
Republican paper in the city recently
contained the following:
!" Rev. Chauncey I. Withrow, Pastor
OF the Augusta st. NJ. E. Church, of
this city, was recently offered two fine
positions -one in Greensboro, N. O.,
and the other in Baltimore, Md. He
declined them to remain pastor of the
Augusta st. M. Z. Church, of which he
has been pastor for several years. He
10 held in high esteem by the people of