The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-03-10
A NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT

dorsement is from the Word and Way,
an ably edited Baptist paper. Its
view of the work that has been and IS
being done by DR.. and Mrs. Milford
Riggs, not only for the church, but al
so for humanity, is calculated to
place this resourceful and worthy cou-
pie high in the opinion of their host
Of friends and churchmen: -
We refer to the founding and build
ing of our Home for Aged Baptists at
Ironton, Mo. If any one had predicted
that, within the few years this Home
has been in existence, there could have
been accomplished what is now a
reality, our wisest brethren would
have said, "Impossible-simply I'M
possible!" But the thing is done and
is still doing. The Rev. Milford Riggs,
d. D., and his energetic spouse have
done it and are doing it. DR.. Riggs
saws that few years ago our Savior
! laid it on his heart to build home for
aged. wornsont Baptists. he went to
| Ironton, a. little city nesting IN a
beautiful valley on the top Oh the
| Ozark range of mountains, In South
| east Missouri. A doctor had a sani-
tarium to sell. Mr.. Riggs appealed to
the denomination and bought it. On
this property there is owing only $SGo'
and the property is easily worth Slo,-
| 900. Then, it seems that in the prov
idence of God, a rich man was sent
down from St. Louis to improve .
wonderful farm, in this fine valley, OF
nearly 200 acres. He spent $4,000 in
improvements that are mostly there
vet and in reasonably good repair
This wonderful place was secured Tor
the unreasonably small sum Of $l5,-
600, and now this property, worth, you
would say, at least $4,000, is pur-
chased and paid for. But this is not
all. One of the most superb buildings,
of any sort, owned by Missouri. Bap-
lists, is being pushed to completion on
this beautiful, great farm. The build
ing is of brick, and mainly OF the
beautiful Missouri Red Granite. This
new building almost ready for the
roof, is, we believe, to have the equAl
of five stories. The material and Ia,
bor on the building, so far, is all Paio
for-$40, 900 having been expended IN
this item. The work will go on, and
it looks as though it will all be paid
for when completed. We have beer
thinking about the expansion OF TINS
wonderful plant into something stu
larger, that is, including, perhaps, the
kind of home that will attract all
classes of aged ministers, where they
will spend their declining years IN tnt
comfort they have earned. The whole
project is to us marvellous accomp'
. lishment. -,
You ask: elbow has it been done?'
Well, we confess we do not know how
it has all been done. One thing We
can think of is publicity" The
Home has had a little newspaper al
its own. This little paper has co
operated with the state denomination
al paper. The Home is keeping 1t
, self before the Baptists Of the stat'
| through its own, and the denomllna
: tional paper by paid advertising. The
Home has no doubt been open to some
; criticisms, but even these have adver
. tised it. Then, when wise commit
tee of lawyers suggested articles o.
incorporation which would relate al
our Baptist schools and philanthropi'
! institutions to our General Associatlol
so as to secure their property to th'
/ Baptists, the Home was the very mrs
/ to conform it's charter to these recon-
mendations. These are some thmg
we think about, but they seem to u!
, only small and inadequate explana
ton. God is in it.