The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1956-04-21
DIR. w. F. BALL AS
KNOW HIM
BY REV. w. A. JENNINGS, sE
ST. James AME Church, Eustle'

To the bishons. general Off
GERS, college presidents, deans,
chaplains, delegates end friends
who will attend the General Con-
ference in Miami, Fla, May, 1856.
Greetings:
GAS We would that men should
do unto you, do We also unto
them."-St. Luke 6:13.
1t was March is, 1922, that /
came to the State of Florida by
special invitation of the a I e
Bishop John Hurst, who was hold
ing the East Florida Annual in
Grant Memorial Church jack
Sonville.
On Sunday the 10th, receiv-
ed an appointment to Mt. Zion
AME Church, Green Cove Springs
with 80 members. Following the
close of the conference and m
visitation, returned to my work
in Atlanta, Ca, June of that year,
graduated from Cannon Theo-
logical Seminary, after which /
came back to my work in Green
Cove Springs.
In September of the same year
was appointed Professor of Old
Testament Theology and Hebrew
History in the B. F. Lee Theolog-
ical Seminary, Jacksonville. AS
pastor of the church and teacher
IN the school, 1 was given an OPP
portunity to meet quite few of
the young men and women at
tending Edward Waters College
and the seminary.
Among the many young people
with whom l came in contact, /
recall one young man who inn
pressed me as one who possessed
re possibilities of becoming q
wonderful leader in the field of
Christian religion. He was a smart
student; a fine young preacher,
and a great class orator, and a
leader within his group of friends.
Step by step, month after
month, year after year, from 1924
until this year, 1856, h a v e
watched with great delight the
progressive movements and sue
cessful achievements of this
young man who is the subject OF
the article.
With a wife and their first
child living in a rented room, I
saw him climb from a mission of
four members to become one Of
the popular pastors of some of
the great churches in the con-
nection.
From the missions his first ma
ior church was the church in
which he had served as class
leader and steward. Grant Me-
mortal in Jacksonville, where he
served as pastor for eight years.
He served some of the leading
churches in Kentucky and Ten
neSSee and cn return to his home
here in Florida, he easily be-
came one of the great leaders in
aligion, education and civic af-
fairs.
He served as pastor of the
Greater Bethel AME Church in
Miami, from which church his
Members and friends gave him a
trip to the old country where he
made special studies better pre-
airing himself for the office of
bishop. Thus one can see that
this young man is now the well
grown, we'll seasoned, we'll train
cd, we'll beloved and well accept
ed candidate for the office OF
bishop CT our church. The DR..
w. F. Ball, now outstanding and
popular Presiding Elder of the
North Miami District of the South
Florida Conference.
What is Florida going to do
about electing DR.. Ball as one of
the Bishops? This question has
come to me from many of our,
friends across the connection. I
shall attempt TO answer this
question from the follow .ng
analysis:
- A>4sCN4AiS C4OILO3 IS 90,
and having had the Sleasure of
helping TO elect the late Bishe ps:
R. A. Grant, H. Y. Toekes, and
our present great le.der, Bishop
c. A. Gibbs, have found from
personal contact the 80 percent
of all the delegates in Florida will
cas- taei- votes fcc DR.. w. F.
Ban.