The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1921-07-30

Willie Brooks was born on a little
back woods farm down in Alabama.
His parents were the poorest of
the poor. and without education, hav-
ing been reared in slavery. ~.
1t was a large family, as is COM
mon among the colored people in the
South.
Willie always liked to go to Sun
day school, and so, each Saturday
night, his mother would wash, dry
and iron his only shirt and only
trousers so that he could go to Sun
day school with clean clothes on the
next day. ~tr@~- !
In Willie's neighborhood they had
day school for secular studies some
two or three months in the year,
thus providing the minimum time for
learning and the maximum time for
forgetting, and thus no doubt giving
rise to the saying that memory is the
thing we forget WITH 49, -. ...
When Willie was 10 years old they
had young colored woman from
one Of the missionary training schools
to teach their two or three months
of school, and it was Willie's job to
take care of the school house.
Willie had always wanted to be-
come a preacher, and on one occasion
| mentioned the fact to his teacher.
Their conversation brought out the
fact that he knew nothing of the
| preparation for the ministry further
| than the supposition that a young
| man was to begin and do the best
| he could. 49,.
His teacher explained to him that
| there were schools where young
man could go and really prepare for
the ministry, and Willie at once de-
termined that he was going to seek
| such preparation. ~-~
| He realized that he must have a
little money and some better cloth
ing, and so got job, such as it was,
and during the next two years earn
ed and saved $40, and got together
some better clothing.
| And so at the end of two years
when he was now 81 years old, he
started off afoot, with his $40 and
his clothing, more than a hundred
miles to the missionary training
school,. ~ ~. ~ s..
| The way opened for him to work
for his board and work during vaca
tions and he: went to school seven
years and did we'll and graduated and
entered the ministry. ~.
His first pastorate was the old St.
James African Methodist church. then
at 1l2 End St. S. E., in Minneapolis,
| Mimi, where he put forth his early
ministerial efforts back in the early
eighties
| On one occasion a friend visited
him and found him struggling with
his next Sundays sermon without be-
| ing able to make satisfactory prog
ress on it. They put their heads TO-
gether in the struggle, and the next
Sunday he preached very commend
able sermon. -.
Rev. Brooks was married soon after
beginning his ministry, and found in
his wife the sympathetic companion
ship and encouragement that went
so far towards making him a great
man. =. ..
On one occasion later it was his
privilege to visit Sweden and to be
received with splendid courtesy by
the king.
On another occasion it was his
privilege to visit the Holy Land and
the scenes there which are so dear
to the heart of every Christian.
Each change of pastorate was in
the way of promotion.
Thus Rev. Brooks grew in grace
and wisdom and recently was elected
to the bishopric in Liberia.
He writes to his friends that he is
getting along nicely in his work.
Thus Rev. William Samson Brooks,
D. D., is now bishop Of Liberia in
West Africa, and thus endeth the
first chapter of Life Among the
Lowly' in this connection.
~ IS "A dvar Mt