Evening star., 1925-06-20
PASTOR OBSERVES
18TH ANNIVERSARY
Rev. DR.. John E. Briggs of
Fifth Baptist Church Has
~. Baptized 1000.

The sixteenth anniversary of Rev.
DR.. John E. Briggs as pastor OF Fifth
Baptist Church and his twenty-fifth
anniversary in the active ministry.
will be celebrated tomorrow. During
these years about 1000 persons have
been baptized into the fellowship of
the churches which DR.. Briggs
has served. Another thousand have
Joined by letter. About 100000 has
been raised for all purposes by these
churches.
DIR. Briggs is a native Of North
Carolina, but attended Mercer Uni.
versity, the Baptist college OF
Georgia After taking his A. B. de-
gree there in 1898, he attended the
Southern Baptist Theological Semi
nary at Louisville, KY, from which
he graduated in May, 1901. Upon
graduation he accepted the call of the
Baptist Church at Greensboro, Ga.
After three years he became pastor
of the Capitol Avenue Baptist Church.
Atlanta, Ga. The Sunday school and
church doubled in membership and
two other churches We're organized
in adjacent territory. Remaining SIX
years in Atlanta, he became pastor
OF the Fifth Baptist Church of this
city 16 years ago. Something more
than 1000 persons have Joined the
church during the present pastorate,
1870 of whom were baptized by DIR.
Briggs.
Building New Addition.
Just three weeks ago ground was
broken for The Darlington Memo
rial" which is an addition to the
is expected this new addition will be
completed in the early Fall. 1t will
represent an expenditure of $4,000.
Much of the time of DR.. Briggs
is given to evangelistlcal and local
missionary work. The Fifth Baptist
Chapel on Four and One-Half street
southwest has been maintained
primarily through his untiring efforts.
During the past few years successful
meetings have been held in Virginia
Georgia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima Maryland and the District OF
Columbia. Recently part of his time
has been given to the organization
of Baptist churches at Mount Rainier
and to Wilson Avenue, Md. Wiscon-
sin Avenue, Kensington. Mclean and
Bon Air churches have been greatly
strengthened through his efforts.
The following persons have entered
the ministry or missionary work
under the pastorate of DR.. Briggs:
DIR. and Mrs. ]. McF. CASTOR,
Laichowfu, China; DR.. H. L. Grice,
Naehville. Tenn; Miss Ada Bell,
Ridgecrest, n. c.; Rev. William Bar
low, New York; Rev. NJ. r. Japhet.
Eaton, Jacksonville. Fla; Miss Maude
Garner, Atlanta, Ga; Rev. Thurman
Mccoy, Philadelphia, Pa, and Rev.
A. T. Derry, Watertown, Mass.
To Give Booklet.
In connection with the Sunday
morning service, 12-page booklet
on Church Membership" will be
given to the 65 new members who
have been baptized into the fellow
ship of the church since January /.
They contain a picture of the church
and pastor, church covenant, certlh-
cate of baptism, statement of doc
trine, hints Of new converts, etc.
DR.. Briggs will preach his an
niversary sermon tomorrow morn
ing, taking for his subject Lights
and Shadows of a Minister'S Life" }"
At'7:45 pm. Gratz E. Dunkum, mod
orator of the Columbia Baptist Asso-
ciation, will preside. Addresses will
be made by Dean w. A. Wilbur, Rev.
DIR. H. w. o. Millington, r. A. Ford
and c. I. Gessford.
A celebration will also be held We'd
nesday at 8 pm, when short ad-
dresses will be made by w. E.
Mooney, chairman of the board OF
directors; Rev. Henry Tolson, pastor
of Westminster Presbyterian Church;
Rev. E. E. Richardson, pastor of the
Congress Heights Baptist Church;
Rev. E. Hez Sven, pastor of the
Centennial Baptist Church; Rev. F.
w. Johnson. pastor of Grace Baptist
Church; Rev. DR.. ]. j. Muir. chap
lain of the United States Senate, and
Rev. DIR. Samuel Judson Porter, pas
tor of the First Baptist Church.
There will be an informal reception
and refreshments