The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1922-09-16

tried to get here TO attend the funera
Of the late Elias Camp Morris, pres
ident of the National Baptist eonven'
ton. who died at the home of hi:
SON Fred Douglass Morris, Sixteenth
and Bishop Streets, Little Rock, Tues
day morning. September 5th, at GAS
There were some of his immediate
friends, wife, sons and daughters, DIR
Joseph A. Booker and wife. and Other
relatives. / was in the number.
One by one we are passing out o.
this world. The line is not drawn or
position, color, race or class. but
every human being who comes to ths
world, Is here for a short time so &c
speak and some day the end must
come. There are two important
things noted in the life of every one
He was born" He died" Now
then II there is anything else to come
TO YOU, it will depend then how you
liyed4 Some people only live and die,
and others live and live on, and in
that class of live and live on we will
find the late DR.. E. c. Morris, at
whose funeral thousands OF people
thTonged the streets OF Helena, un-
able to get even to the church
building. il was the. largest attended
funeral ever held in Helena, saying
nothing about race or color, and | am
here to tell you that he was the fore
most man in Helena. No man in the
city had such large acquaintance.
and no man lived more in the hearts
of the American people No man in
this city was better known by the Of
fcials OF the nation. from President
Warren G. Harding down TO the coun-
ty. and town officials.
He came into the world by the way
OF Georgia, and got his common
school education in the public schools
OF Alabama, where his early life was
spent. He was not a college grad
uate, but did take some special lee
lures or work at Roger Williams Uni
versity, but he was a student. He
spent his spare time in study of both
books and men, and because he was
a student, he became the ieader OF
men.
Twenty-nine years ago. DR.. Elias
c. Morris, was elected President OF
the National Baptist convention, and
held the position ever since, without
break. He was loved by all, and they
considered it an honor to elect him
year after year to lead the Baptists
of America. OF course there were
some who desired the job, and said
that he was holding on too long, and
pulled off a side show, elected E. P.
Jones, to preside over them for year
or two, and then other young men
would step in. They said it would
be an opportunity, but bless your soul
Jones is a sticker. and,a tricker, and
they have not been able to get him
out of the job. But I am not talking
about that now.
For thirty-hve years, this great
leader presided over the Arkansas
Baptist state convention. and was
president when the end came He
was aggressive, and / am proud to
tell you that he believed in doing
things. In the National Baptist con-
vention, under his administration, the
National Baptist Publishing Board
was brought into life. He put his
whole being into il, and to his sur
prise found that II was not the prop
erty OF the National Baptist conven-
ton. He was told by others that It
was not. but he believed in the leader.
and saidsit was mistake. and it took
the decision of the court &c convince
him that il was not the property OF
the convention and he then and there
declared that there should be a print
ing plant owned and operated by the
Baptisfs, hence the organization OF
the Sunday School Publishing Board
of the National Baptist convention,
.aad the secretary now is the Rev. Dr.
A M.@Townsend.
In this new plant. Dr. Morris had
placed his life, and he was delighted
10 be present when the contract was
let for the erection OF a plant costing
three hundred thousand dollars, and
they are working on this building each
day, pushing Il to completion. You
viii hear from it some day. Then
there is the Home Mission work, CO.
operating with the Southern Baptist
convention. the National Baptist The
illogical Seminary, TO which the
Southern Baptists have contributed
$4,000, brought into life under his
administration. So many other i'm
provements have been made during
his life, and they VIII be carried on
By his successor.
In arkansas. he was practically the
founder Of the Arkansas Baptist col
|lege. one Of the best institutions in
AmeFiea for thetfainipg of our youth,
and the Vanguard came into life nm