The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-09-23
l.. X. WILLIAMS MAY TAKE PLACE
OF DIR. NORRIS.
(Ry A. N. P.D

HELENA, ARK, Sept 21.-EdwarC
9. Norris. the beloved leader OF nearly
final rest In a Beautifully shaded
spot amid flowers and the singing
OF birds In quiet cemetery in the
Colored section of this city. A week
ago the. city was crowded with thous-
ands or people who had come here
from many parts of the country e
do his memory honor. Today all Is
! quiet Outwardly. Helena has RESUME
ed its normal temper. Inwardly, He
lena grieyes Her heart is sore and
beneath the out ward calm there Is
much Of sorrow and the hurt Of a
deep and abiding grief
At the funeraI ceremonies the bur-
dening weight of great loss gave
pect of the occasion 'tThe great lead
er Is dead But no long live the
wake of the first realization of what
the silent figure around which the
great concourse of people walked
slowly with bowed heads and tear
hurdened eyes eyes Il was not until the
last spadeful of the Earth which
Edward c. Morris had returned had
| been thrown on his sacred remains
that any thought began to crystalize
IN the minds OF many present as to
the man to whom they should turn to
take up the mantle he had so worthily
worn through long period of years.
Then II was that the drought of
who is there to take his place" be-
gan to take shape and there began
a quiet survey Of the figures among
first effort to determine who was
worthy to fill his place.
1t was then that interest began to
center around the modest though dig
nlfied, personality of Lacey X. viii
liams the successful pastor of the
noted oliyet Baptist Church of Chi
cago, Quite true, 1t is that when
some one quietly mentioned to him
something of the likelihood that he
might be chosen to succeed the late
its official head. DIR. Williams for
chilly entered a firm disclaimer that
he had any ambitions in that direc-
ton. But the impression that he is
among the more avalible for the
place continues to gain ground in
this section of the country. The
thought of the leadership falling
upon his person had sBained consider
able Roadway before all of the great
coneourse of folks attending the fun
barture for their respective homes.
Helena is still talking about It,
This interesting situation has in
spired some inquiries concerning the
personality and the work accomplish
ed by Dr. Williams during the years
affecting his career as minister of
the Baptist faith. The inquiries re-
veal that his ministerial history Is
rich in Christian achievement and |
iighly productive in those aspects
which provide for the material well |
fers of the church and its people. He |
had been eminently successful. de
has been persistently progressive. He
has been unwaveringly Christian. And |
in that portion of his ministerial life
that marks his presence in the great |
of aNh1aVannarfc
touch at all points the realms of the
truly marvellous.
DR.. Lacey X. Williams has been the
pastor of the Chicago Olivet Baptist
an organization the roster of
which contained names something q
round the 5000 mark. It now numbers
10.112 names. This means that this |
Negro Baptist organization is the lar
gest Protestant church organization
in the city of Chicago. II not in the |
entire nation.
In addition to the big religious pro-
gram planned and carried out through |
the supervision of DR.. Williams there
gram maintained by the Olivet or
This feature includes a
Nursery in which the |
babies of working mothers. without
regard to race or color, are cared for
when the women are at their daily |
cal department in which more than
capable singing association is main
tanned; Boys Scouts auxiliary that |
ranks among the best in the Windy |
CITY," a young mems Social Unit; a |
ladies' club; a temperance and |
4 charity department.; free employ
ment bureau; health bureau through |
which the health of the poor and
needy are amply provided for. and
other activities which the limitations
IF space prevent the special mention
about. During the slightly more than
six years of work in his present
field, DR.. Williams has received and
more than $3S5,281.
While 1t Is a matter of fact that
Helena can have no more than a
sst to this section of the country,
which was the scene of DR.. Edward
:. Norris great religious and material
riumphs, to be more than casually i'm
crested in the men who may be