The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-30


great, and that is to ask the question:
Does his influence live after his death
If so, he belongs to the immortals.
If his influence died with him, no mat
ter how much power he exerted while
in the flesh, he cannot be truly called
great man. BY that test l write
down Rev. Johnson Olive as truly
great man. for the churches he estap-
lished and the good influences he set IN
motion are more potent today than
when he was alive In 1910 Rev.
johnson Olive conducted revival of
far-reaching influence at Shady Grove.
To that meeting went many from TINS
section some of whom were converted
i'm that meeting. On his way home
from Shady Grove with Rev. Jesse
Howell Mr.. Willis Raglan and Kader
Olive. this church was born in their
minds This section was then sparse
ly settled and there were few persons
of any means in it. Mr.. Raglan and
Mr. Kader Olive headed the building
fund with. $50 each. and Rev. john
son Olive, Rev. John Wilson and Rev.
Jesse Howell offered their services to
preach the first year without COM
pensation But it is no disparage
ment to the other Jealous men who
preached and helped here to say that
Rev. Johnson Olive was the founder
of the church. as he was the foremost
evangelist of his day in other sections
of Wake county. 1t is largely due
to him that the Baptist denomination
leads in Wake county particularly in
Southern and Western Wake, where
most of the people belong to that
church. The church here is built
near the home of Johnson Olive and
a few miles from the place where
John Olive, the first Olive who came
to America. made his home. about
the year 1856. The Olive branch has
fiourished since then, for it has never
been afflicted with the modern city
germ called race suicide. and it is a
large family, noted for patriotism, in
dustry and piety. There is a well
authenticated tradition that when
Johnson Olive first came into this
community there was a race track
right I'm the place where the elegant
new church now stands. The race
track gave place to the church, the
distilleries have given place to schools,
and the impulse toward the better
things can be traced back to the
fo
of Johnson Olive. whose name and
fame and righteous life are sacredly
cherished in this community and in
other parts of Wake county. Not
many years ago the late Senator H. c.
Olive, who was a. son of the great
preacher who founded this church,
wrote a life of his father that with
filial love told the story of the simple
life, strong faith, and notable re-
vivals of Johnson Olive. 1t is a book
that every citizen of Wake county
ought to read. for the life of that
man profoundly affected the destiny
of large portion of its people and
still influences generations that never
saw him to right living.
That good man saw. after the estab
lishment of the church. that educa-
ton was the handmade of religion,
and in 1850, hard by the church, he
established a school which, except for
an interruption caused by war. has
been in successful operation ever
since. 1t now has three teachers, is
well attended and is instructing a gen
Grafton of boys and girls who will be
credit to this country. The people
believe in education of the right sort
and they employ it in the right way.
There were last session twenty pupils
from this school in the colleges and
universities of the State and two
medical students at Baltimore. Many
strong and useful men have gone out
from this model religious neighbor-
hood to bless other communities and
many equally as talented remain here
on their ancestral farms. 1t is no
uncommon thing to see college
graduate here following the pillow or
curing tobacco. Industry and honesty
and the people believe that education
was intended to train mind and hand
to work-not to shun honest toll.
The Sunday school in this rural
neighborhood is a model for those in
towns and cities. Out of a church
membership of $50, there are over
200 children in the Sunday school
connected with the church. 1t has an
infant class of over sixty, not a few
of whom come three and four miles
regularly The Sunday school has
an interesting history. 1t was estab-
lished before the war by Mr.. Henry
Cotton, of Cottons Cross Roads, a de-
vout Methodist The founder was the
father of Dr. A. T. Cotton, of Raleigh.
1t has been conducted since without
interruption with ever increasing use
fulness The teachers take great in
terest in their work and devote much
time to study and preparation. Mr..
A. r. Olive is teacher of the male
class and Mr. c. F. Williams teacher