The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-24
BIBLE INSTITUTE
IN MONTGOMERY
OBJECT OF ORGANIZATION is TO
AID IN ELEvATlNG THE NEGRO
MINISTRY IN THE WHOLE
SOUTH.

Montgomery, May 2S,-(speeial)- 1.-The
John C. Martin State Bible institute open
ed in the Dexter Avenue Baptist church
at 10 o'clock today. The meeting is COM
posed of negro ministers of Alabama of
all denominations. Several white ministers
OF the city, as we'll as several colored
ministers and teachers from Arkansas,
Georgia and Tennessee, are present.
The prime object of the John C. Martin
educational fund is to aid in elevating
the negro ministry, of all denominations,
in the south. The outlines of work are as
follows:
Organization of local Institutes in cities,
towns and country districts on the col
lege extension plan, uniting these local
Institutes into a state institute to meet
once a year for the purpose of directing
and stimulating the local institutes.
In these local Institutes. ministers of all
denominations are to associate themselves
as students of the Bible, learning and dis
cussing the moral and religious doctrines
so plainly set forth in the scriptures.
Following this institute plan comes the
divinity school to be established In each
well regulated college for negroes
lllIOuSllOul tlS 0ObNhis VI 0N ANNSN SAAN 49,
each southern state.
These divinity schools are to become re-
sponsible for the regular and correct In
struction of the Bible just as professors
are responsible for mathematics, science,
etc. This was very cleverly brought out
in his opening address today by the field
superintendent, Rev. M. M. Ponton, ID. ID.
The meeting opened promptly with the
following visiting ministers and teachers
present:
The Rev. George Sale, president Atlanta
Baptist college; the Rev. e. M. Jones,
field agent Sunday School union of the
Methodist Episcopal church, President Jo-
seph A. Booker of the Arkansas Baptlst
college, Little Rock; Profs. William j
Joe and d. w. Boatner of the John Z.
Martin Divinity schools, Little Rock Mrs
V. w. Broughton of the womans depart
ment, Nashville. Besides these a goodly
number of local ministers. white and
colored, were in the meeting, among whom
was the Rev w J. Elliott OF the Baptist
church in this city.
The opening exercises were conducted
by the Rev. n N. Nealy of this city Inc
Rev. E. NJ Jones led in the responsive
reading of the forty-eighth Psalms. The
Rev. George Sale led in the rehearsal OF
the ten commandments, and led In prayer
The welcome address was delivered by the
pastor, the REV. w, w. OOiiSS. iic SsoeSN
that he was glad to welcome them to the
city and to that church for the purpose
of Joining in work looking toward FUR
Their advancement of the negro ministry.
He admitted that although the race mad
been in this country many years, there
was still room for Improvement ana
that much of this Improvement must
come either directly or indirectly from the
their more fortunate friends In this coun
try.
Rev. M. NJ Ponton, the fielo superin-
tendent. made some Introductory remarks
explaining why Mr.. Martin was giving
this help how much IL was needed ana
WHY he himself was so willing to devote
his life in this direction. He said 1t was
a common thing to see lawyers, doctors
and teachers well prepared for their
work, that even the negro demanded
this. but that "any old thing" was ac-
ceptabe to the most of the negroes as
minister of the gospel. He believed that
this state of things ought to be changed;
that since the negro preacher was the
logical leader of the race, standing In IN
f1uence head and shoulders above all the
other classes of leaders, he should be
supremely in advance in intellectual ana
moral training. He stated further that
this is the sort of education the races
need worse than any other sort, in order
to dwell here together in peace.
The opening sermon was delivered by