Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1921-04-14
Fifty Years in the Ministry
No. XII.

Several times in life 1 have been
honored with great introductions to
congregations of other denominations
which proved to be very embarrassing.
Let me cite two examples. Some five
years ago l was attending the South
ern Baptist Convention at Memphis
The convention accepted the courtesy
extended by other denominations in
the city to occupy their pulpits Sun
day. Accordingly, / was chosen to
preach at the first Christian" church.
Quite fine audience, including thirty
or forty ministers, attended the con-
vention. At that time / lived at Hen
derson's Cross Roads, Tenn. The fact
that / had to tell everybody / was a
crossroads preacher was always a
little embarrassing. The reader will
bear in mind my home was at Hen
derson's Cross Roads at the time |
was visiting Memphis and as a Bap-
list divine of some note was about
to be introduced to a city congrega-
ton of another denomination. The
pastor in charge rose with much Dig
nifty and said: Beloved, we are de-
lighted to have in our city Just at this
time a great body of Baptists and
doublg so since the convention has
honored US by sending to us the Rev.
Doctor John T. Oakley of-of-. He
then turned and whispered, ''What
city do you live in?" l said, ''Leb-
anon, Tenn" Yes, let me repeat with
emphasis that we have with US Rev.
Doctor John t. Oakley of Lebanon,
Tenn. The site of Cumberland Uni
versity, that well-knOwn institution
which has sent it's lawyers and min
listers to every section of the union,
who will now eloquently discourse to
you on subject of his own choosing"
He sat down. was standing by his
side all the time and / came near sit
ting down, too. What about it? Why
1T turned out this way. The swinging
from Henderson's Cross Roads in the /
sticks to university city was so sud I
den that the. last state of Rev. Doctor
John /. Oakley was worse than the
4 went to my room that night
Sat down and looked around at a
= mirror and saw a red faced
tleman looking right at me.
made bow and smiled at him and he
bowed and smiled at me. 1t was Doc
tor Oakley after taking. / didn't know
myself. went home and soon moved
away from Henderson's Cross Roads.
The other introduction happened at
Alexandria, Tenn. The New Salem
Association was in session. The negro
MethodistS sent a request to the ASSOC
citation for a preacher Friday night
was appointed by the moderator to
accommodate them. The announce
ment was made and at the appointed
hour l was on the hin at their church.
One side of the church was filled with
white people DIR. Haggard, then Pre-
siding Elder, with the Bro. Johnson,
the Methodist pastor, along with Rob
Roy, editor Alexandria Times, and
others. For half an hour not negro
came on the hill. The white folks guy
ed me no little about being up there
mixing with the colored folks. To
tell you the truth / was cowed 1t was
extremely warm. 1t was hot Final
~ the other side of the house filled
with colored folks. Looked like a
black cloud. The pastor rose and gave
me the following introduction, Bred
erin and sisterin, / am sure glad we
have with us on this angus occasion
Rev. Elder John T. Oakley, the great
Baptist giant of Tennessee, who will
now disclose, not on the abstruce Christ
but on the general techincalities of
our blessed Laud." That was the big
gest introduction / ever heard of and
being already cOwed l wilted and rose
aimed to say that / never felt as little
like giant in my life but said: my
friends, never smelt as little like a
giant in all my life" An old negro
woman threw her head back and said:
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