Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-21
| ]. W|LL|NGHAM
|D|ES OF APOPLEXY
cretary of Baptist Mission
Board Stricken on Way
to Sunday School.
asses AWAY AT JEFFERSON
ad Been Leader in Missionary
Work for Twenty-One
Years.

Rev. Robert J. Willingham. d. D.,
neral secretary of the Foreign Mis-
IN Board OF the Southern Baptist
Invention and recognized as one OF
greatest missionary secretaries in
country. was stricken with apo
,xy while on his way to Sunday
hool In the Second Baptist Church
sterday morning, and died in the
rerson Hotel at 1I:i5 o'clock as he
d wished that he should pass away
ith those he held dearest In the
1rld about his bedside.
DR.. WillIngham had reached the JEFF
rson Hotel on his way TO the church
the opposite corner. when he sud
%3y became i'll. He was accompanied
Enis youngest son. Edward, and the
20 went at once into the hotel to
elk assistance. DR. Winingham him
II realized that ne was seriously III.
I'd DIR. J. McCaw Tompkins. Of llG
asst Franklin street. was called in TO
teEd him. Messages were also sent
William Eliyson. James ID. Crump
I'd H"v. J. +. Love. u D.. lifelong
icnds 90 the great missionary.
ASSES AWAY IN ROOM
AT JEFFERSON HOTEL
! DR.. Willingham was removed TO
'om in the hotel. and heroic measures
ere resortcd TO that relief might be
{vcn him. But the famous divine
:ened TO know that his end was near.
ld his wife and others OF his children
fving in Richmond were summoned.
is mind was clear nearly 10 the end.
e rallied few minutes before death
1,mc. and. after giving n few parting
Iistructions TO his loved ones. said
Iat he was glad to have with him at
| ie end those whom he held most dear.
was an affecting scene. but for the
axe %: the passing man grief was
ontrollcd 80 far as II could be. so that
he man who had spent his life In do
|lg good might pass away In peace.
he end was calm and untroublrd
In the death Of DR.. Willingham the
outhern Baptist Convention loses one
Il It's greatest men. one who was be-
|1ved by thousands. one who was In
|trumental in converting other thou
ands TO the faith OF Jesus Christ and
ne who held steadfast TO the single
urposc OF carrying the Gospel into far
|inds.
The funeral Will take place from the
econd Baptist Church tomorrow af-
ernoon at 2:30 o'clock.
IS FOREIGN MISSION WORK
FOR TwENTY-oNE YEARS
He was known az well by men OF
!thcr creeds as By those OF his own.
fwenty-onc years ago ne came 10
aichmond. and entered upon the work
ic had set himself and was made gem
raj secretary OF the Foreign Mission
3oard He devoted himself with such
.nergy To his task that the funds of
he board were rapidly Increased. and
tndcr his tutelagc thousands In for
ign lands were led from strange gods
o the Christian faith. His was an
'uch mind as carried him through
many difficulties and brought him sue
'ess in teaching the divine truth. In
90I DR.. Wiillngham made a tour OF
he world. visiting China, Japan and
nc Holy Land. and IT was while he
vas crossing the Pacific Ocean that
re met eXPresident Taft who was
hem as Secretary of war. on his way
O make an official visit to the Philip
,ine Islands. The two secretaries, each
great in his own field became fast
ricnds.
HAD BEEN IN ILL HEALTH
For PAST YEAR
Or. Willngham had been in i'll health
since October. 1918: but he had shown
signs OF improvement lately, and il
vas believed that he would finally re-
over. But there was recurrence Of
his ailment. death finally being due TO
,eart failure. After his first Illness,
)r. Willlnghams work was divided
among himself and three others, he re-
naming general secretary. His assist
,nts were Rev. William II. Smith, D.
D., corresponding secretary: Rev j.
=. Love. ID. D.. home secretary, and
Rev. 7. B. Ray. ID. D.. foreign secre-
AIRY.
DR.. willinghiam was the son of Ben
amin L.. and Elizabeth Baynard Will
insham. He was born In Beaufort
district. S. c.. May Is, 1854. AT the age
II nineteen he was graduated Master
# Arts from the University of Geor-
sia. For four years he engaged i'm
eaching and mercantile business.
meanwhile also studying law. AT this
ime there came a great crisis in his
ife One who knew him we'll wrote
'ome years ago concerning this crisis.
ON one side lay wide open before him
With his charming young wife the road
o wealth On the other gentle call
o IL higher and holier work. The
struggle was long and hard, but con-
'ictions of duty prevailed: he turned
rom his hattering worldly prospects.
vent to the Southern Baptist Thcologi-
al Seminary to prepare himself for
he ministry, and became pastor of the
BAPTIST Church at Talbotton, Ga, in
$40"
lad SEVERAL PASTORATES
IN SOUTHERN CITIES
From 1852 to 1887 he was pastor ut
GAINESVILLE. Ga; 1SS7-91, First Baptist
Chattanooga. Tenn. and from
SCI to 1893 he was pastor In Memphis,
fenn. In September. 1893, he became
the corresponding secretary Of the
'orcign Mission Board. He took charge
}. the work at time when the treasury
vas not only empty. but burdened with
| heavy debt. The finances OF the whole
country were out of Joint, and four
months Of the convention year had
hassed. So bravely did the new secre-
ary work for the remaining eight
i.onths that the contributions to the
work. that year were Increased, over
hose Of the previous year. DR.. VIII
ingham soon became recognized as one
If the greatest missionary secretaries
n the whole country. He saw the work
IF the Foreign Mission Board make
i.arvclous advance during the twenty
me years while he was secretary The
contributions to the work grew from
II 06,332 in 1898 to s5S7.45S in 1914 The
lumber Of missionaries in the foreign
'elds were ninety-four when he be-