Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-27
4 CARD.

that time there was no church and the
members had nowhere to meet for wor-
ship. They.were scattered about few in
number. The house had been destroyed
by q freshet under the administration or
pastorate of the Rev. S. NJ. Johnson.
How long it had been destroyed i do
not know. / am sure, however, it was
over two years.
l knew nothing about the locality,
and those who seemed to have some
knowledge of the fact, said TO me that
it was an unusual thing for such y thing rs
a freshet to occur. They had not seen
one before, there, and l was perfectly
safe in building in that place again.
l. however, made l strong foundation.
rs I supposed, which, would never be
carried away again. should ireshct
come. The cost of the house that !
built was two thousand five hundred
dollars (S2,500.) and it was used for
church for seven years, and in 1903, five
years ago, during the great frcshet OF
that year, it was totally destroyed, with
all the furniture. Soon after secured Il
new site and started to build again. /
got up the frame and visited my former
friends, who had assisted me with the
former church. and | met with very
little encouragement or assistance. They
blamed me greatly for building on the
same site, where my predecessor had
built, although | knew nothing about
the conditions that existed 1T the time l
built my church. | went to 4 business
man ut Fairfax Court House, Va, and
gave him 4 mortgage on my farm for
thirteen hundred dollars ,30O) and
finished my new church. Now, the church
is completed, but this Sl.3O0 against my
farm has never been cancelled as yet
Last spring in the Democratic and
Chronicle, OF Rochester, y. y, was pub
lished an article of siandcrous libel,
stating. with other untrue things. that !
was raising money To build church,
but was using this money TO buy Il farm.
which had not the slightest truth III il,
and | hope TO call the party or parties 10
account soon.
/ fail to understand what the person or
persons expected 10 accomplish by the
aforesaid publication. No man who has
known me Tor forty years would take
me for an idiot, or bordering on insan-
ity. The whole statement in that paper.
from the beginning to end, is nothing
but ..bosh." The matter may be viewed
in three ways: First, ignorance, mean
ness or prejudice.
My work in the way OF church-huiCt-
ing and passionate has been done right
here in these four counties: Alexandria
county and Culpcpcr county. ! do not
have to go 10 Rochester TO look up men
who are going up and down The street
looking for II skunk" by which to
make I living.
The first time ] was called upon To do
church work and act rs IN associate pas
tor, was the IlIculah Baptist Church of
Alexandria. Vi. | was called there in
1859 The church had purchased II lot
during the civil war, Of what was sup
posed To hav3 been conliscItcd property.
The property was bought by Il man by
the name of Mr.. Chittcndcn, of Scranton.
PA. That purchase was Il loss rs he WAS
not responsible. The trustees built on
this lot $1,000 meeting house. They
borrowed nj the same time, $1,000 from
twelve gentlemen in the city OF Boston.
Mass, whose names are rs follows:
Hon. J. Warren Merrill, Hon. John NJ.
S. Williams. Mr.. Moses w. Pond, Mr.,
Jesse A. Lock, Hon. r. O. Fuller and
others, also Mr.. Whittlesy. Of AlcXan-
dria, Va. When ] was called as asso-
ciatc pastor, this money had acculnula-
ted to 81 500. The church alsoOwcd 81 90
making total of 81 200. All ofthis money
was raised and paid to the parties named
by myself, and | brought home the note
to the trustees.
the lot, who had gone south during the
war. returned, and in 1871. they brought
a suit of cjcctment against the church
to recover $500, or 500, Tor the lot again,
This was done by Mr.. J. +. BecIiham
and others. This | WIS again called
upon TO raise. and did so. Thus. you see.
have cleared that church twice Of its
Indebtedness.
Soon after this had been accomplished
was called by the trustees OF the
National Theological Seminary, OF
Washington. d. c.. under DR.. T.. Turner.
rs 4 travelling agent, TO raise money for
them. This did until that school WAS
merged into the Wayland Seminary,
or Howard University, OF which I am
not positive. | then gave up the agency
for them.
My next church work was done in con
nection with Rev. l.. Ii. Bailey. Of Deco
guam, Prince William county. Va.
There | built Il neat and nice church.
raising the money from my friends
north, 1T least the grcrtcr part Of it.
My next church work in connection
with him, was at Brentsyillc. Prince
William county, Va. There ! built 4
nice church, also, and paid for it. My
next church work in connection with
him was at Burke'S station. Fairfax
;,
that money for that church. But. last
but not least. twelve years ago. as / have
previously stated. | was called 10 the
pastorate of the Baptist Church al Rapi-
dan, Culpeper county. Va. This church
have built in Il years pastorate, and
the second time, as | have aforeStatcd, |
mortgaged my farm fer $500 10 com
plete the work there, and this $1,000 is
still unpaid.
Further. since / have been the pastor
OF that church. have not asked for one
cent OF salary. and have not collected
one cent from them in any way of salary
or anything else. ] make my living by
being an agent for 4 business house of
the west, which had given me support
for quite 4 number of years, and am
still an agent.
j may also state here that | was the
pastor of Mount Xoah Baptist Church.
Jacksonville, Fairfax county, Va. for Il
years. At the time | was called there.
there were only 4 few of the older men
OF that community orchurch who owned
their own homes. Now | can point TO
not less than ten able young men who
have bought, or are buying themselves
homes, 1T the present time.
During my p1Storatc with them, ]
urged upon them, both III the pulpits
aud out of it, the necessity of making
useful men in the comnun.
ity, by becoming property owners and
tax payers.1
i'll merely make this statement for the
BENEFIT Of my friends and others who are
in it, and would like 10 know
Of my work, and correct q
Misrepresentation.
When / was called to the associate
passionate Of the Beulah Church of Alex
apdria, Va, I was teaching school in
county, Va, near North Gar
den. This was the first colored school
ever opened in that county for colored
people. That was taught by me- The
state had not as yet taken up the educa-
ton of the colored people. In connec.