The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-09-12
DROWNING, HE
YELLEDFORCO
And That's How Bcrea Farm
Boy Came To Be a Big
Preacher

The Rev. .. {. Davis, pastor
of the First Baptist Church of
Albemarle, \. G., who with his
distinguished brother Judge J.
Warren Davis Of the u. s. Cir
cult court OF Appeals, OF Tren-
ton, n. J.. is conducting a re-
viyal in their old home church
at Berea. near Elizabeth City,
this week is a man OF many in
tcrcsting parts.
How the Rev. q. e. Davis br-
came u minister Is an Interesting
story, known tO hut few Of his old
boyhOOd friends in this county. DR..
Davis wanted To he n surgeon aud
might have been just plain farmer
the rest of his days, but for the fact
that he went swimming one Sun.
dny morning. Ii was second Sun
day morning In June 1887. "A COM
panion with whom he was swimming
became exhausted and cried for help
Mr.. Davis went To his rescue; the
drowning man threw both arms
around his neck and both went
down.
"Thc dead weight of the other
man WAS roo much for me-" says DR..
Davis" and when I realized that
we were both about to drown my
whole life flashed before me. |
thought of the old church hack at
Bcrrn and recalled that it was then
about the hour Of service In the old
church: I thought how much better
everything would have been hnd ]
been nt church that morning instead
of in swimming. And then | cried
ont to God to help me; instantly
the man who was dragging me down
released me and both OF us were
saved.
"Now when you're In tight place
like that and cnll on God to help
you and help comes that instantly,
You can't help hitcbing UP the
thing with God. It. guvc me some
thing TO think about and | thought
seriously about God for the first
time in my life; ] thought 1t was up
to me to do something for God"
DR.. Davis tells how he began TO
organize prayer meetings and other
religious services In he ncighbOr-
hood and of his beginning to win
souls 10 Christ. Then he found
way. altho married and the father
Of three small children, to go To
Crpzcr Theological Seminary ut
Chester. Pa. where he was educated
for the ministry.
DR.. Davis has seven children now.
all grown and all successful men
and women. How he educated these
seven children on the small salary
of Baptist minister without ever
going In debt more than two or
three hundred dollars mt any time,
would make n story in itself. Here
are how his seven children have
punncd out =
The first. Rev. Floyd =. Davis IL
pastor of u Baptist Church at chcs-
terrified e. III. Va. The second. ..
e. Davis. Jr., Is n member of the
Norfolk County (Vn.) bar and has
served his county four terms In the
Virginia General Assembly. The
third son. DIR. VIM. Henry Davis
IL Professor of Greek In the South
ern Theological Seminary mt Louis
Vile, KY. and the author Of the.
OlOgical text books In Use Oh two
continents. The fourth son. j. YER
non Davis. Of Washington, ID. g.. is
Vice President and General Man.
n.cr Of the Washington 4 Old
Dominion Railway and probably the
youngest vice president Of IL stand
ard ruil road in America.
There are three daughters. Miss
Rose May Davis Ii graduate
of the University Of Virginia and
in class of 130 applicants for
license tO practice law In Virginia
two years ago, was the only one to
make 100 points on the examination.
She Is now Professor of Science In
the Baptist College Mt Gnffney. =. &.
A second daughter, Miss Emma Eliz-
abeth Davis graduated with hOnors
at Trinity College. y. C.. but put
aside her ambition for profcS.
Sional carer by marrying DIR. X.
m JtnI,Inn pf nurhon The ypiIur-