Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-03-09

Montgomery, Ala.-In a two weeks
celebration recently held in this city
the colored people signaliy honored the
Rev. DIR. A. j. Stokes, the veteran pas
tor of the First Baptist church. The
event marked the twentieth anniver-
sary of DR.. Stokes pastorate in Mont
gomery and was participated in by the
pastors and members of the various
churches without regard to denomina-
ton.
The anniversary sermon was preach
ed by the Rev. NJ w. Gilbert, d. D..
president of Selma university, who was
a classmate of DR.. Stokes at Benedict
college, Columbia. S. G. Dr. Stokes
has the distinction of being the pastor
of a church with the largest member
ship of any church among our people
in the country, having an enrolment of
more than 5000. with over 1000 active
willing workers. He is in many re
spects a remarkable man. is of com
manding influence in the state of Ala
bama and as far as his congregation is
concerned is loved and revered.
DIR. Stokes was born a slave in 1859.
His father had purchased his own
freedom and had paid for the freedom
of his wife. with the exception of $14,
when emancipation came. Consequent
ly the earlier children were slave prop
erty at their birth Through his IA
ther's help he received his education at
Benedict college, finishing the course in
1884. Dr. Stokes went early into the
ministry and has been one of the most
successful church builders within his
denomina ton. He has built eighteen
churches in South Carolina. one being
a $1,000 structure at Orangeburg, his
home town; one in Clarksville, Tenn;
repaired Il church and erected par
sonage in Fernandina, Fla
After taking the pastorate of the
First Baptist church in this city DR..
Stokes completed the church, including
all the interior work, and built its
membership up until it has overtopped
the 5000 mark. He has had an event
full career in Montgomery. BY his IN
usually manly stand upon political mat
ters, announced in an emancipation ad
dress in 1897, he brought down storm
Of denunciation upon his head through
the agency of the white press; but, sin
gularly enough, his congregation and
other friends have always stood by him
in whatever advanced step he has TAX
en- or advocated with reference to his
people.
He is pronounced in favor of a sys-
TEN of education which teaches chill
dren to be proud of their race and to
that end began a school in Montgom-
cry, known as the Montgomery acad-
emy, which is supported entirely by
the membership of the First Baptist
church The school has been in eX
istence about fourteen years and is
attended annually by about 200 stu
dents. While the church is large as to
membership and is what might be con-
sidered unwieldy. remarkably well
systematized management does away
with any laxity in church manage
ment.
The forty-two deacons have each d
district under their immediate care
and watchful supervision. so that the
needs of any individual are speedily
looked into and adjusted. Each deacon
report of conditions, and, to accommo-
date the pastor in his arduous work Of
calling upon his members, he has been
provided with handsome automobile.
The church does a large amount OF
benevolent work among the poor peo
pie of the city and tenderly looks after
any Of its own members who are in
any way unfortunate.
Just now a handsome brick edifice
Is going up, at a cost Of $4,000 and
when the building is ready for oc
cupancy in october every cent nee
essary to pay for its construction will
have been paid The building was de
signed by w. T. Bailey. the architect
at Tuskegee institute, and is being
erected by two colored contractors of
Montgomery. The erection of this
building is fitting climax to the
twenty years service Of telling and
helpful nature that Dr. Stokes has
given to Montgomery. He is held in
high esteem by the people Of this city
and state, and ever since he has been
in Alabama he has been moderator OF
the Spring Hill District association.
He is also treasurer Of the National
Baptist convention.
Dr. Stokes is counted well Off in this
worlds goods and has invested his
salary for the most part in well pay
ing farm land in and around Mont
gomery. He has a goodly amount of
city property. 720 acre farm near
wetumpka and thirty acres in rich
of Montgomery.
Du Bois Has Not Changed His Views.