■ i / i i ♦♦•♦ *> >x* SUTTLE'S ROAD TO ar^-^Mi ~& Madison Sem Marshall DUKE UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL LIBRARY p.o^ksburg New Bethel % Lawndale Double Shoals Sandy Run Double Springs Beaver Dam Poplar Springs Zoar New Hope Bethlehem Elizabeth Patterson's Grove Waco El Bethel (( 4 \ * ( I i G- E •0 § CQ £ o Q How Dessert Was Found in South Shelby 81 thorough every-member canvass of the church in order that we may have something definite to base our plans on for the coming year. Third, assuring you of our love, sympathy, cooperation and prayers, that we appreciate your sane counsel and wise leadership more than we can express and trust that you will lead us in the greater fields of usefulness and service. We are:" — and this message was signed by W. M. Harrelson, S. L. Dellinger, John Wacaster, D. B. Stroup, J. F. Moss, P. J. Kendrick, and A. W. Black. He ended his ministry at Waco in 1938, but has been called back on many occasions to take part in special serv- ices, one of the most prominent being the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the church in 1942. A comparatively new church, Patterson Grove, called Brother John in 1931 and he remained with this church in the extreme northeast part of the county through the year 1944. Patterson was the community once called Sandy Plains due to the broad flat sandy fields in that community. The church had been organized in 1884 with 72 members, most of whom came from an older church at Bethlehem which John had pastored previously. Patterson Grove was just what Brother John was look- ing for. Again he went into a community that was iso- lated from its neighbors, with very poor roads, no tele- phones, but a willing people. He proved again that a plan and a pattern is all that is needed to transform a back- ward community into a prosperous, thriving, energetic, interesting group of workers. The church grew in all re- spects and by 1944, when he resigned, it was at the very top, compared with any other rural church in the Asso- ciation. Although this community had been isolated by lack of transportation and communication some of the county's hardiest pioneer settlers had made their homes there. Among these were the Pattersons, Falls, Grahams, Har- 82 Canaan in Carolina mons, Goforths, Seisms, Elams, Barbours, Randalls, and others. One of Brother Suttle's former friends and associates, the Reverend G. P. Hamrick, had been pastor at Patterson Grove for a long while and had told him some interesting stories about this place. At one of the usual summer baptizings some of the tall grass had been cut around the pool built in the little stream not far from the church. The grass had fallen onto the water and a young man who wished to go to the other side thought the grass was on the ground. He stepped on the grass and into the water he went, causing a big splash during the baptismal service. Brother Hamrick told another story about one of his members, John E. Hardin, who once spanked a little boy. It so happened that Mr. Hardin was plowing and a small Negro boy was cutting and burning sprouts. The boy decided to play a joke on Mr. Hardin. He put the mattock blade in the fire while Mr. Hardin was making a round. Just before Mr. Hardin got back to the place the boy was cutting sprouts, the boy pulled the mattock out of the fire and started digging. "I've been sproutin' these sprouts so fast dat dis mattic done got hot. Jest feel de blade," said the boy. Mr. Hardin felt the blade but when it burned his hand, he picked up a sprout and warmed the boy. In 1909 and 1910 and again in 1915, Brother John was pastor at Bethlehem in the vicinity of Kings Mountain. But at that time, before the advent of transportation by automobile, it was almost impossible to make all of the services, and he relinquished his work for churches closer by. He served Elizabeth in 1911 and 1912 and Poplar Springs for one year in 1909. He led the organization and was the first pastor at Shelby Eastside in 1921 and of Shelby Dover in 1924, but since these two churches were How Dessert Was Found in South Shelby 83 so close to Shelby he soon relinquished their leadership and got back to his first love, the country church. The first time John W. Suttle ever went into a pulpit was at Ross Grove at the age of sixteen where he supplied for Elder Tom Dixon. In his sermon he used the text, "The Wages of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ Our Lord." When he first spoke the occasion was the Wednesday evening service of a week- long annual revival. Sixty-five years later he spoke again on the same text at a Wednesday evening Prayer Service. A week before this service, he sent word to the congregation to "Come out and hear me and see if I have improved any on my sermon." It turned out that no one was present who was there for the original meeting. In fact, there was only one per- son living in the community old enough to have attended the service. This was Mr. Tom Dedmon and he said that he may have attended but if so, he did not remember it. VIII Why The Big Horse Was Called Fred "How Firm A Foundation." I have planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase. I Corinthians 3:6 John Suttle's experiences as pastor at New Bethel, Lawn- dale, and Double Shoals are grouped together because it is a part of the same story. These three communities are almost one community. Lawndale is a compact little vil- lage in the valley of the First Broad River, and its resi- dents for the past three-quarters of a century have been concerned with operating the textile enterprise of the Schenck family. New Bethel is the community just east of Lawndale on the east plateau of the river, and Double Shoals occupies a similar position on the west plateau. John was called to New Bethel and Lawndale in the fall of 1913, and in the fall of 1915, became pastor at Double Shoals. His grandfather, Elder Joseph Suttle, had been one of the founders of New Bethel in 1848 and was pastor of this church at the time of his untimely death in the spring of 1860. The church at Lawndale was a "Union" church. That 84 Why the Big Horse Was Called Fred 85 is, although organized as a Baptist Church in 1899, it had an indefinite denominational status. This was thought in the beginning to be necessary since a great number of the villagers who lived there and worked in the textile plants were members of other denominations. They wanted to go to church but they did not want to go to a "Baptist" church. Baptists did not want to go to a Methodist church and neither Methodists nor Baptists wanted a Presbyterian church. So the Lawndale Church was a compromise for many years. New Bethel was one of the most progressive of the rural churches in the Association at the turn of the century. It was the home church of the Beams, Dixons, Clines, Falls, Elams, Carpenters, Griggs, Hords, Lattimores, and other families who have been prominent in the religious, social, civic, and legal life of Cleveland County. This community was the home of Piedmont Academy, which was Cleveland's first effort at higher education and became the alma mater of a great number of professional leaders in the county today. The Reverend W. D. Burns, Principal, and other members of the faculty of that small academy left an unmistakable stamp of culture and re- finement upon that community. Although Piedmont had to close its doors with the advent of state-built, tax-paid high schools, and though the Baptists built their school at Boiling Springs, the influence of the little academy was to be felt for at least two generations after it closed in 1926. Brother John continued as pastor of this church for 36 years, ending his ministry there in the fall of 1948 when New Bethel celebrated its centennial anniversary. What Suttle did as pastor at New Bethel was the same 86 Canaan in Carolina he had been able to do at Waco, Double Springs, Beaver Dam, and all of the other churches where he stayed a while. He led in the erection of a new sanctuary and Sunday School plant in 1924. The members insisted that he be chairman of the building committee and build it "just as good as the one you have at Double Springs." He emphasized all of the organizations of the church, including missions, evangelism, enlistment, study and training. His methods paid off in growth, cooperation, and usefulness just as they did at other churches. New Bethel already had a good reputation for Biblical type stewardship when Suttle arrived. For many years the church's custom had been to give sixty per cent to Mis- sions and retain forty per cent for local expenses. Even though local expenses in all of the churches of the Asso- ciation showed a disproportionate rise when compared to benevolence, New Bethel has been able to maintain an approximately fifty to fifty relationship. One notable member of this old church left his entire estate, including a large farm, to be administered as a trust by New Bethel, known as the Matt London Fund. Over the years revenues from this trust have assisted young ministers to go on to college, supported missionaries in the field, and added to the endowment of Gardner-Webb Col- lege. At the centennial in 1948, the church was able to show hundreds of visitors a thoroughly reconditioned, re- modeled and enlarged sanctuary and educational plant which had been done according to suggestions by the architect division of the Sunday School Board. Pastor Suttle and his family were honored and showered with gifts upon his retirement. Several little things will always tie John's heart to New Why the Big Horse Was Called Fred 87 Bethel. Among them is a poem by J. D. S. Carpenter who was Sunday School Superintendent for nearly a quarter of a century. One Christmas he gave him a box which con- tained the following doggerel: TO MY BELOVED PASTOR Don't be misled by the name on the box. We know this is the season for "ties and sox", After all is done and said We also know the preacher must be fed, So this little box of small arms ammunitions We give for the preacher and all relations. We hope it don't upset your stomach or liver But that you may enjoy it as much as the giver. May the Yuletide days be filled with joy and peace And throughout the New Year days may it never cease. May there be no clouds to obscure the sun But may your path grow brighter and brighter, Till your race is run. Another poem which was later set to music and copy- righted by C. P. Gardner, an old-time music school teacher, was entitled "Shadows". It was published in 1936 by the Stamps-Baxter Music Company in a book called Glory Dawn. One of John's members at New Bethel was John Falls, quite rural in both actions and speech. One day Mr. Falls was walking down the street in Gastonia accompanied by his friend, C. P. Gardner. They passed a barber shop and spied a barber who had an abnormally large head that was also bald and egg shaped. Said Falls, "See that man yonder. He's got two yellars in his head." Diplomacy and persistence paid off in the case of John's service to the Lawndale Church. For many, many years after 1913, he preached in this little "Union" church only once a month. He preached the gospel and stuck closely to the Scriptures, being very careful not to offend the members of other denominations. From time to time, min- isters from other denominations were invited. Converts who wanted to be baptized the Baptist way were immersed. If they wanted to be baptized like Methodists, John let 88 Canaan in Carolina them go to nearby Methodist churches to be sprinkled. However, by the year 1952, there was such a predominance of Baptist inclined members in the Lawndale Church, it was decided to constitute it as a full-fledged Baptist Church. At the same time as the village grew, there had been an increasing number of Methodists in the membership. They, too, wanted a church of their own and under the leader- ship of Methodists at nearby Palmtree and financial assist- ance from the district, the Methodists provided a church building for their congregation and the Baptists a new building for theirs. Thus, without a fight or squabble and with a minimum of misunderstanding or dissension Lawn- dale got two strong Protestant churches. Mrs. Suttle has one recollection of Lawndale which she will never forget. It was the summer of 1916 when three weeks of floods had made a raging torrent of First Broad River. "We were living in Lawndale at the time in a nice home which had been provided by Major Schenck, and which was located on the east side of the river. John had to go across the river to catch a train to make a preaching ap- pointment. Everybody knew the river was high but did not dream what it would do. "I carried John to the railway station and on the way back home had to cross the river again. Just as I drove the horse off the east end of the bridge, there was a creak- ing and tearing. To my horror I looked around and saw the bridge pulling away from its mooring to go down the river. "Not only that bridge but practically all of the other bridges over Broad River between Casar and Shelby were washed away. John was marooned for several days and when he did get to come home, he had to cross over in a boat." Double Shoals is the locale of one of the most famous Why the Big Horse Was Called Fred 89 of the hundreds of John Suttle stories. It has been told over and over again using different people and different places, but it usually goes something like this: A little boy at Double Shoals swallowed a dime. "Call a doctor at once," someone advised. An interested friend interrupted with, "Oh, no. It won't be necessary to call a doctor. Call your pastor, Rev- erend John Suttle. He can get money out of the little fellow if anybody can." On another occasion early in 1916, Brother John was driving a big bay horse called Fred. In an informal gath- ering before the service one day, Suttle asked some of the deacons gathered in the church yard why they thought he called his horse Fred. Not a one of them knew. Finally one man asked him why. Said John, "I call him Fred be- cause that's his name." Double Shoals was in the circuit John made each week or twice a month, as the case demanded, in making trips to New Bethel and Lawndale. As in the case of Lawndale, members of his church were mainly farmers, but some earned a living working in a textile mill at Double Shoals. The church took its name from the fact that there were two shoals not far apart in Broad River over which the river could be forded except at flood stage. As he had led other churches to do, he led Double Shoals in erecting a building in 1924; in teaching, training, and organizing for more efficient and productive church work. Three young ministers answered the call during his period of leadership. They were J. W. Costner, Leland Royster, and L. B. Seism. Even though the community was rural and strictly iso- lated with poor roads and few telephones, Pastor Suttle stuck with them for 32 years and they with him in build- ing an almost ideal rural community. The Reverend C. O. Greene, who for a number of years has been pastor of the New Bethel, Lawndale, Double Shoals triangle says, "I thought I knew Brother Suttle 90 Canaan in Carolina pretty well, but I didn't know him at all until I had fol- lowed his footsteps in these three communities and found how wonderful it was to build on the foundations he laid." IX Double Standards Are Raised At Double Springs "Trust, Try and Prove Me." He leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2 It was Thanksgiving Day in 1918, and with the Great War over, the boys would come home. There was so much for which to be thankful. John was on his way to Double Springs, his newest pas- torate; also, it was the birthplace of the Kings Mountain Association and former church home of both his parents and grandparents. "The weather is a little bad," mused John as he rode along the muddy road which paralleled the Southern Rail- way. "Ought to be a big crowd, though," he thought, "since farmers can't work in the fields. I know the meet- ing was announced." About two miles from the church he passed the homes of four members whose names began with the initials "J. L.". They were J. L. (James Lewis) Hamrick; J. L. (John Leonard) McSwain; J. L. (Jimmy) Hawkins, and J. L. (Jimmy Lane) Greene. "I don't see a *J. L.' in sight," he observed. 91 92 Canaan in Carolina About a mile from the church he passed Washburn Switch, a little spur on the railroad. Several farmers were feeding the hogs or watering stock, but no one was on the road to church. "These folks are going to be late," he shrugged to himself. Finally he arrived at the church and no one was there. He rang the bell, but no one came. The hour was over and still no one had come. Heavy hearted, he drove the eight miles back to Shelby. For 37 years he never let the members at Double Springs forget missing that Thanksgiving service. He rubbed it in every Sunday for the next year; annually from then on. "You could tend the crops and animals the Lord gave you. Looks like you could come to Him one hour in a year to say 'Thank You','' he chided them. The story of Double Springs is the heart of this book. What John Suttle did there in 37 years as pastor and what the church did under his leadership is the crowning glory of his career as a rural pastor. Double Springs's record from 1918 to the present day is a saga seldom equalled in Southern Baptist annals so far as building a church is concerned, uniting a community's multiple interests in a church, teaching the Bible, training the young people, and making the church a community center. This little church did more than to be one of the first rural churches in the South to have a Standard Sunday School in the early 20's. It went on to win and maintain the Advanced Standard for Sunday Schools, which achieve- ment was thought to be impossible in a rural church at that time. However, nothing was impossible in a church where John Suttle was pastor, where J. N. Barnette was Sunday School Superintendent, and people were as intelligent and eager to learn as they were at Double Springs after World War I. This little church was not greatly different from other Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 93 churches in the Association at that time. It had taken its name from two springs located about fifty feet apart on the banks of a small stream, a tributary of Brushy Creek. Around these springs since the middle 40's of the previous century, a few settlers had gathered with their families, slaves and livestock to hold camp meetings. The slaves and livestock drank from the smaller spring while the white people drank from the larger one. When time for the service came, they gathered under a brush arbor near by and heard ministers like Elder Drury Dob- bins and Elder Lewis McCurry preach the Gospel from two to five hours at a time. When John Suttle accepted the call in the early fall of 1918, World War I was still under way. A number of young men from the community were away in Army camps or already overseas. No one knew when the fight- ing would stop. Then came November 11 and armistice. No one suspected that a world-wide epidemic of influ- enza would take a much greater toll in lives and suffering than did the Kaiser's imperial forces. Double Springs was hit hard by the "flu". The winter was cold, roads were quagmires, and the pinch of a war economy was felt keen- ly. Farmers could get no sugar or coffee except a crumbly type of brown sugar and a very cheap brand of coffee which was half chicory. However, farm prices were good and no one grumbled at the hardships. "What we do without, will go to the soldier boys," they said. Uncle Berry Hamrick had died the year before at the age of 97. For years Mr. Suttle had known this venerable old patriarch, best known leader of the Hamrick genera- tions in Cleveland and Rutherford counties, a direct de- scendant of the original George Hamrick who came from Germany in 1731. Uncle Berry had lived in the community before there was a church at Double Springs and before there was a Kings Mountain Association. John had known him inti- 94 Canaan in Carolina mately and had talked with him on many occasions about the old days; especially of remembrances of grandfather Joseph Suttle who once had been pastor at Double Springs. In his prime, Uncle Berry was the champion of every- thing. He lived the longest, told the best stories, had the most wives (three in number), and had the most descend- ants of any man in the community. However, his greatest claim to fame was his ability to pull fodder. His long arms and nimble fingers could race up and down a stalk of corn, shear off the blades of fodder, and pack them together in small bundles called "hands'*. He was so adept with this skill and had such strength and endurance that no one for miles around would try to beat him. On one occasion a young man who thought he was pretty good challenged Uncle Berry. "If I don't beat that old man to the end of this row, I'll leave the field," said the young braggart. When they finished the long row of pulling and tying the fodder, Uncle Berry was twenty steps ahead of his nearest oppo- nent. Whereupon the young man left the field shaking his head in wonder and amazement. "I don't see how a man that old can work so fast!" Another man in the community who first attracted Mr. Suttle's attention was J. B. Hawkins. This old gentleman was called upon time and time again for special prayers. If it was too hot he was called upon to pray for cooler weather; if too cold, to pray for warmer weather. If there was a drought, Uncle Jimmy was asked to pray for rain. He was also asked to pray for the sick or ask the Lord to stop the war. His prayers were very long, very beautiful, very earnest, and always effective. Mr. Hawkins' son, J. L., still lives in Shelby and is one of the few people in Cleveland County older than John Suttle. W. W. Washburn, known widely as "Uncle Wins", was superintendent of the Sunday School. He was also a dea- con and trustee of the Baptist High School at Boiling Springs. His hobby was beautifying the church grounds. Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 95 Year in and year out he would plant trees, various kinds of shrubbery, and would cultivate and water them from one season to another. George Hamrick was the church treasurer. He was known as one of the best farmers in the community as well as a very successful business man. He made a special effort to see that everybody paid a little and that every penny which came to the church treasury was spent or distributed properly. Preaching the Gospel in a simple rural community is not always without its dangers, and the spring of 1919 brought an incident which tested John's faith. The congregation was still occupying the old church building which had a raised platform at the north end with windows on either side. The spring morning was warm and languid, and someone had lifted the window back of him in order to get a little fresh air. Over the window sill just back of the parson, furtively yet noise- lessly, peered the head of a large blacksnake. Mr. Snake poked his head through the crack in the window, licked his tongue in and out, as blacksnakes usually do, using it as a type of snake radar to detect any unfavorable sights or sounds. What he heard was favorable and what he saw not too alarming, so he slithered right across the window sill into the pulpit behind Preaching John. "I have prided myself upon being afraid of neither man nor beast and having enough personal courage to fight the devil himself, but I was not made to stay in the pulpit with a blacksnake. So far as I know, that snake is the only thing that ever made me leave the pulpit," says John without apology. One of the deacons, J. C. Washburn, grabbed a piece of wood from the nearby stove and hastily killed the snake. The service proceeded, but not without a little fear and misgiving, and not until someone closed the pulpit win- dows. 96 Canaan in Carolina Members at Double Springs were probably no more or no less neighborly or quarrelsome than members of other churches in that day and time. If there was a matter of morals or a dispute over a property line, this matter was expected by all to come to the church for settlement. If any one of the principals involved did not agree, it became a matter of church discipline. Very soon after coming to Double Springs, there was a dispute over a property line between two neighbors, A. F. McSwain and Irvin Philbeck. The new preacher visited both neighbors, looked over the property, had each one state his problem, and promised to take it up with the church right away. In a week or two nothing had hap- pened so Mr. McSwain, being the younger, more vigorous, and of a fiery nature, thought he had to have a settlement right away. As a ruse to win his case, he offered to resign his church membership and requested his letter. Brother Suttle enter- tained a motion that it be granted and had someone primed to make and second the motion. The letter was granted summarily with no fuss whatever. This was exactly what the young man did not want as he later told the church. He asked forgiveness, was reinstated and there was no more fussing over property lines. Another case of discipline which came before the church before Suttle's time was the matter of the late D. A. F. Hamrick who was called in for reprimand for swearing. It seemed that he and one Martin Greene had been court- ing the daughters of John Bridges and had dared to stay as late as 9:00 P.M. Mr. Bridges came in, sent his daugh- ters to bed and told the boys to go home. This made Mr. Hamrick so mad that he ran out of the yard and began rolling over and over in Mr. Bridges' wheat field. "Dock, get up. You'll mash down the man's wheat," Martin told Hamrick. Whereupon Hamrick replied: "Damn the wheat and damn the man. I'll court somebody else's daughter." For this loss of temper he had to get up o 2 U to 0) C a CO o Q Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 97 in church and recant, saying he was sorry. Afterwards he became one of the best and most dependable members of the church. The best way to illustrate what was accomplished at Double Springs in 37 years, I think, is to contrast the church and community before 1918 and after 1954. Physically the community was not too different from any other rural community in Cleveland County at that time. It was about eight miles from the county seat, with the most thickly settled portion being along the Southern Railroad. Residents, who attended the church, farmers by occupation, lived within three to four miles. There were no radios, television sets, paved roads, or telephones and few automobiles. The pattern of life was almost as simple as it had been when the church was founded in 1844. Now, with the passing of two World Wars, two or three financial crises, and a great depression, and with the mod- ernization so characteristic of rural North Carolina, the community has everything available to residents of the county seat in Shelby. Every family in the church has one or more cars, a television set, telephone, radio, and all the modern conveniences found anywhere. Three major paved highways traverse the community. The local school has been consolidated at nearby Lattimore and children are transported in modern buses. No one walks to church any more. The Industrial Revolution in this community has re- versed the occupation ratios. Then, nine out of ten per- sons got all of their income from their labor on a farm; now, one or more members of nearly every family has an income from a non-farming source such as textiles, retail selling, teaching, or some other occupation. However, there are still some rural residents and a few are totally dependent upon farm income. Forty years ago horses and mules contributed all horse- power for farming and transportation. Now a great fleet 98 Canaan in Carolina of trucks and tractors have multiplied that horsepower hundreds of times. Per capita income at Double Springs then was prob- ably less than $100 per year. Now it is close to $1,500 per capita per year. Following is a more detailed contrast in outline. Meeting House: Then — small frame building approxi- mately 40' x 60' valued at $1,250. Now — Sanctuary, edu- cational addition, scout hut, sexton's home and parsonage all valued at $110,000, with a replacement value near $200,000. Meetings : Then — twice a month with one of the meet- ings being a Saturday Conference the day before preach- ing Sunday. Now — preaching twice each Sunday by a full time pastor with prayer service, teachers' meetings, and choir meetings weekly, with other meetings almost every night in the week. Equipment: Then — one foot pedal organ, fifty hard benches, a pulpit stand, and three typical country church chairs, plus a few curtains on wires for the four Sunday School classes, one wood burning stove with about thirty feet of pipe circling around to give more heat before leav- ing the flue and the tall ceiling. These items comprised the total equipment of the church, except two little out- buildings, one marked "Men" and the other "Women". Now — comfortable opera type seats for the sanctuary, all the recommended equipment for Standard Sunday Schools and Training Unions throughout all departments; electric church organ, pianos for every department, tape recorder, public address system, modern plumbing for in- door rest rooms, a well equipped church kitchen, large supply of tools for landscaping and church beautification, along with a great number of teaching and training aids such as maps, charts, and photographs. Library: Then — unheard of. Now — approximately 300 volumes. Recreation: Now — supervised with planned socials, tmnis, volleyball, and other equipment. Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 99 Training Union : Then — not yet introduced in North Carolina. Now — Story Hour, Junior, Intermediate, Senior and Adult Unions with a total of 91 members. Woman's Missionary Society: Then — not organized. Now — a membership of 93 in five circles. Brotherhood: Then — there were none anywhere. Now — twelve meetings a year of all the leading men in the church. Missions: Then — a small box was placed in the back of the church and the women and others who were inter- ested, put in small contributions once a month. The box was opened each fall to take money to the Association where the annual contribution was collected. This box sometimes yielded $12 to $15. Now — the church gives a total of $5,606.33 to Missions including contributions to the Cooperative Program, Baptist Hospital, Home for the Aging, the Orphanage, Gardner- Webb College, and other Mission enterprises. It supports a Missionary to Brazil, Mrs. Maxey Kirk. Per Capita Giving: Then — the per capita gifts to all causes amounted to approximately $9.77. Now — the per capita gift for Missions alone the year after Mr. Suttle left was approximately $16 per year, and the per capita contribution for all causes was a little over $72. This fig- ure is almost double the per capita giving of the Southern Baptist Convention. Church Music: Double Springs has always been a singing church and there was a good choir even in the old days, but it was limited by poor equipment and by un- trained leaders. Now — there are three choirs with qualified leaders and musicians to continue the training and nearly 100 persons are enrolled in the music program. Pastor's Salary: The church paid John Suttle $3 50 for services the first year and paid him $1800 for his last year's work. The full time pastor's annual salary now is $4,500 plus a nice home and a travel allowance. Hall of Fame: Photographs of most of the twenty pastors with biographical summary and their contribution 100 Canaan in Carolina to growth and development of the church prepared by J. C. Washburn. Membership: The resident membership was approxi- mately 310 persons. Now — a little more than 3 50 resident members with another 150 non-resident members. Sunday School: Then — there were only four classes; two for adults and two for children, meeting in the four corners of the church with a flimsy curtain strung on wires between them. Children included persons up to about fourteen years of age and adults were all persons older. Small colored cards and Sunday School leaflets aug- mented the Bible study of the lesson. The greatest contribution to the growth and develop- ment of the church at Double Springs was centered in the organizing and building of the Sunday School. Just as the secret of the Sunday School was the success of the church, so were John Suttle and Jasper Barnette with the leaders they trained, the key to the success of the Sunday School. Double Springs had had a Sunday School since shortly after the Civil War. Mr. Edmond Lovelace had become obsessed with the idea that even though the community could not afford public schools, a great deal of education could be given his people in Sunday sessions at the little church. So, not only was the Bible taught and explained, but children brought their slates and pencils to do sums and to learn grammar. Both young and old went through the old Blue Back Speller and learned to spell and at the same time, absorbed the homely philosophy and factual information from that book. During the early 70's by the time John Suttle was born, Mr. Lovelace had stimulated enough interest in Sunday School to have services every Sunday even though there was no preaching. He even kept it going through the winter in what he called, "an evergreen Sunday School". By present standards, however, the Sunday School of 1917 was little better than the Sunday School of the 70's. Then came Suttle and Barnette. John had first met Jasper Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 101 in Shelby when he helped to organize the Second Baptist Church and was its pastor. Then Jasper had moved into the country and was at Double Springs as a farmer when Mr. Suttle was called. Both men read all they could get their hands on about the new type Sunday School which was sweeping the Southern Baptist Convention. John attended all of the meetings of the Convention. He had met Arthur Flake, I. J. VanNess, Prince E. Burroughs, Dr. B. W. Spillman and other early pioneers of the better Sunday School movement. By the time Arthur Flake's outline for "Building a Standard Sunday School" had been printed and before it was in book form, Suttle and Barnette had some ideas of what they must do at Double Springs. "Let us build the finest sanctuary possible for a country church, and along with it, classrooms to provide for the most modern rural Sunday School in the South," they said. The war was over! The people still had a little war money in their pockets. The joy of victory and of the boys coming home gave them a lot of confidence in the future. In 1919-20 the plant was built. The total cost was between $25,000 and $30,000, not counting thousands of hours of volunteer labor. Joe Greene, C. A. Bridges, and Preston Hawkins became the steering committee for a larger building committee of 25 members. A few of the members thought it was foolishness to build such a large plant out in the country. "We won't fill this building in twenty years," said one. "Country people just won't be regimented and graded into classes like they are in the city," said another. Still others thought it was the thing to do. "My wife and I were planning to build a new house this fall, but if you think we ought to build the church now, our home can wait," one deacon told Brother John. One of John's first sermons was on "Stewardship" and most of the others he concentrated on that subject or upon Missions, Christian Education, giving to the local 102 Canaan in Carolina poor or giving to the building fund. "We will either give the money to the Lord's program or in some way the Lord will get it. Your house may burn down, you may lose your crop from drought, flood, or fire, but the Lord will get it," he said. Then lay people of the community gave sacrificially and bountifully and the church was almost paid for by the time it was completed. The Sunday School really did not get going until after the erection of the new church. Then with departments for all ages, proper classrooms, and teaching aids, more pupils showed up every Sunday. The church first took a census. Superintendent Barnette found that within a radius of four miles there were more than enough Baptists and Baptist inclined persons to fill the church. He led all the officers and teachers to study Arthur Flake's book which by 1922 had been put into print and had become the second Gospel for the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville. "The New Testament is our whole authority and contains full instructions on how to build a church, but 'Building a Standard Sunday School' is the next best thing in telling you how to build a great church," John told his members. Then came years of teaching and training and enlist- ment. Men in overalls and women in gingham aprons came to church, not only on Sunday but through the week, to take study courses to learn how to teach, how to study the Bible and how to enlist young people. They took course after course offered by the Sunday School Board; some took as many as eight study courses per year, many of them getting the Blue Seals and Gold Seals which rep- resented study of all of the books available to Sunday School teachers. John Suttle took every study course. Usually he would get someone else to teach the course, then set an example by taking all of the lectures and the final written examina- tion. He did not ask any Sunday School teacher or officer to do anything he himself did not do. Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 103 In addition to his work at Double Springs, John was pastor at Double Shoals, Lawndale, New Bethel, Waco, and Zoar. In these five other churches he was trying to do the same thing, and at the same time was preaching the Gospel, marrying the young people, visiting the sick, and burying the dead. Carefully and particularly he gave a tithe of every dollar of his income back into the church which had paid him. On all occasions he was optimistic and continuously gave encouragement to church leaders to whom the new meth- ods were quite confusing and sometimes meaningless. He mastered the Six Point record system of the Sunday School and later the Eight Point record system of the Training Union. Sometimes he preached whole sermons on each of the points of being present, on time, studying the lesson, bringing the Bible, giving an offering, staying for preaching. He lived and breathed and preached Sunday School. To him the Sunday School was the Teaching Service of the church. "All of this is church just as much as the Preach- ing Service," he would say to his members. After a few years of maintaining merely Standard Sun- day School and after half a dozen other churches in the Association had also become standard, Suttle and Barnette began to consider the impossible. "Brother John, do you think we could possibly reach the Advanced Standard in our Sunday School at Double Springs?" Jasper asked the pastor one day. "We don't know what we can do until we try," was his answer. This was the beginning of one of the most amazing accomplishments of any rural church in approximately 20,000 rural churches in the Southern Baptist Convention at that time. Advanced Standards were being formulated and outlined and planned for a great number of the more advanced city churches in Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas, Raleigh, and Richmond. No one up until that time 104 Canaan in Carolina had dreamed that an Advanced Standard Sunday School could be built in a rural community with only 300 mem- bers. Classes would have to be doubled in number, depart- ment organizations would have to be perfected, there would have to be unlimited equipment: tables, cabinets, teaching aids, maps, charts, and complicated record sys- tems. In a city church the task was almost insuperable. In a rural situation, it was well nigh impossible. Jasper Barnette created the organization on paper. He made suggestions to the deacons about dividing the church building into departments and classes. It was going to take a lot of time and money. Farmers worked all day in the fields, then came to the church and worked until bed time to make the necessary changes. An old garage became a workshop for building cabinets. Women varnished and painted dozens of items. Another census had to be taken, scores of workers were enlisted, and new study courses were taken every month. More men and women who had barely finished the sixth grade, were reading books and magazines and learning more about the theory and practice of Sunday School than the average pastor in North Carolina knew at that time. It finally happened. The reports were sent in to Nash- ville; names, records, inventories of equipment, grades of pupils, certified attendance at teacher's meetings, and sum- maries of statistical tables, all went to the Board. Officials at the Sunday School Board were amazed. They sent back for re-checking. Again the figures were given and the long sought, highly coveted banner for Advanced Standard Sunday Schools was first displayed in a rural church at Double Springs on a bright Sunday in February, 1922. J. N. Barnette was not in Double Springs that day to see the banner raised. Like Moses, he did not remain in the Promised Land to taste the fruits of victory. Unlike Moses, it was not for sins committed, but it was for excel- lence in leading and planning Sunday School work. He Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 105 was chosen as Sunday School field worker for all of North Carolina in the late fall of 1921. He moved to Dunn, North Carolina, and left at Double Springs his "Joshua" in the person of A. V. Washburn, Sr., who had assisted him for more than three years. A farmer and logging camp "sawyer", Washburn and his wife, Edith, soon mastered the details of this great experi- ment in Sunday School and kept it on the Advanced Standard until 1926 when A. V. was appointed a special worker for the Convention and moved to Sylva, North Carolina. The efficiency and excellence of the Sunday School pro- gram was then maintained for many years under the lead- ership of Fred E. Greene, a rural mail carrier. An amazing coincidence is that the Baptist Church at Dunn, North Carolina, reached the Advanced Standard only two weeks later. While Dunn was not strictly a rural church, it was a very small town in a rural area. A portion of Dunn's accomplishment can be traced back to John Suttle. John had recommended J. N. Bar- nette to the Baptist State Convention to be a field worker for the North Carolina Sunday School program. In his spare time at Dunn, Jasper had instructed and trained a young man named C. C. Warren who became enthused about the idea and led his church to build a Standard Sun- day School. "I think I got a great deal of inspiration and informa- tion from both Jasper Barnette and John Suttle, and I have loved and appreciated both of them through the years," says Dr. Warren who is now pastor of North Caro- lina's largest Baptist Church in Charlotte, and is past presi- dent of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Warren says he knows more about John Suttle than Mr. Suttle realizes. "I know Jasper Barnette was devoted to him, and it was John W. Suttle whose exemplary life and devotion to his Lord made a definite impact on the life of Jasper Barnette. "What can be said about his influence on Jasper can 106 Canaan in Carolina also be said to an appreciable degree upon A. V. Wash- burn, Jr. If Double Springs Church has accomplished no more than giving to Southern Baptists Jasper Barnette and A. V. Washburn, Jr., only eternity can reveal the power of a church that can provide an atmosphere in which these two men heard the call of God for their lives. Probably more than any other human being, John Suttle is the instrument God used to guide them in the paths of inestimable service which they have followed." How J. N. Barnette got his new job is interesting. John Suttle had been a member of the General Board of the Baptist State Convention for some time, and in one of the meetings, the late E. L. Middieton, Convention Secretary, made the statement that he was looking for a man who could do field work necessary for enlarging the Sunday School program. "I've got your man," said John. "What does he do and what sort of education does he have?" asked Mr. Middieton. "He is a farmer right now and is between the plow handles. He hasn't had very much formal education but he is the best man in North Carolina," added John. Mr. Middieton was a little dubious about taking an un- educated plow hand to lead Baptist Sunday School work for the entire State of North Carolina, but he agreed to meet Jasper at Hickory, North Carolina, the following Sunday. Jasper was to speak at a regional Sunday School conference on that day. After Mr. Middieton heard him speak the first time, he was convinced and agreed with John Suttle that they had found the right man. Barnette's work in North Carolina was outstanding. In fact, so impressive and so successful that in 1927, he was called to Nashville, Tennessee, to work for the Sunday School Board and the entire Southern Baptist Convention. The accomplishments at Double Springs meant much to many people. It meant most to members of the church, their families, and the community. As the news spread of Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 107 what could be done in an isolated rural area, other churches did the same thing. A few years later John Suttle was pastor of seven Bap- tist churches at the same time, all of which had Standard Sunday Schools. As moderator of the Association he saw to it that em- phasis was placed upon Sunday School work along Asso- ciational lines. Soon nearly every church in the bounds of the Association had a Standard Sunday School. In the ten year period from 1920 to 1930, Double Springs was one of the few churches in the Southern Bap- tist Convention to be considered a "laboratory", an ex- ample of what could be done in rural situations. Nearly every member of the staff of Sunday School personnel in Raleigh and Nashville came to visit this church. Depart- mental leaders would hold Associational and regional con- ferences at this little church, and then in the far flung rapidly expanding organization for Baptist work in all the other Southern states would say, "It has been done; it can be done in your church. Here is how it was done at Double Springs." Writers from the Editorial Department prepared nu- merous articles about the church and illustrated them with photographs of the buildings, church activities, and pic- tures of the pastor. One of the most extensive articles was by Dr. Hight C. Moore who contributed several pages and pictures to the Sunday School Builder. Following are a few quotations from his article: "Good leaven in the local community; positive influ- ence in the Association; known far and wide for her achievements. "More than a century the Civic, Cultural, Social, and Spiritual magnet in a neighborhood of sturdy folk with whom doing well demands well-being. "The premises harmoniously landscaped, beautifully laid out, grassed and terraced; set with suitable shrubs and trees. 108 Canaan in Carolina "A band of workers unashamed, studying to show them- selves approved unto God. "Mother of sons and daughters distinguished in wider fields of service; founder of several churches in its envir- ons; birthplace of a great district Association. "A commonwealth and kingdom dynamo of pure re- ligion, high morality, good citizenship, community uplift, world betterment. "Small of stature, but sinewy and strong with every brain cell and heart fiber functioning well, Pastor Suttle seems well qualified in every way. He has been a good minister of Jesus Christ — apt to teach, sound in doctrine, sober in judgment, safe in leadership, evangelical and evangelistic, tenderly sympathetic with all good, yet strict- ly uncompromising with any evil; ardent advocate of Christian education and zealous promoter of good citizen- ship, head of a happy home with a worthy wife and four children, all on their way to the home eternal in the heavens. "Efficiency at rural Double Springs is just as evident and effectual as it could be in metropolitan Dallas, At- lanta, or Baltimore: efficiency in the preaching service, in the teaching service, in the training service, in the Mis- sionary Society, in all benevolences for the support of the church at home and the spread of the Gospel abroad. "A country church can be competent! "A community predominantly Christian with neighbors neighborly and rich in the gold of the Golden Rule. "A church membership of diligent, devout, dependable, developing young people and adults. "A citizenry to count on throughout the region in good roads and residences; in schools and stores and shops, in manners and morals and money, in personality, politics, and public welfare; in loyalty to the country's call. "A contribution in brief to human welfare the world over and down the ages." John has long since forgiven the members for missing that first Thanksgiving service in his ministry at Double Double Standards Are Raised at Double Springs 109 Springs. However, perhaps his repeated censure, remon- strance, upbraiding, reproof and rebuke was just the stimu- lus to goad, lead and guide the church to win such a citation from Dr. Hight C. Moore. Who knows? "Shelby Daily Star" September 3, 1920 AUTOMOBILE DAY Clear the tracks for Automobile Day At Double Springs Baptist Sunday School Climb in and come along. We are rolling with a merry song, To the happy place we all belong, With the Double Springs Jolly Throng. A BIG PROGRAM AND A BIG TIME. Bring your Fathers and your Mothers, Bring your sisters and your brothers, Bring your Uncles and your Aunties, Bring your Grandmas and your Grand-daddies, Bring your Kiddies and your babies, Bring your friends and your neighbors, No matter what kind of weather, We will have a fine time together. And don't you fail to remember, It's the second Sunday in September. Remember we will be looking for you at 9:30 a.m., Sep- tember 12, 1920. Automobile Day. Train up an auto in the way it should go, and when it is old it will not depart from going to church. J. W. Suttle, Pastor J. N. Barnette, Superintendent RESOLUTIONS A Resolution Authorized by the Double Springs Baptist Church in Conference July 7, 1954. WHEREAS, The Reverend John W. Suttle, beloved pastor of the church for the past thirty-six years, has offered his resignation as pastor, effective September 26, 1954, and 110 Canaan in Carolina WHEREAS, The church deeply regrets the loss of so valuable a pastor as Brother Suttle has been, now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, That in the resignation of Brother Suttle from the Ministry in this church we have lost one of the greatest of the servants and ministers of God that ever filled a pulpit, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this church and community will never be able to properly evaluate the wonderful services he has performed for us and among us as he so faithfully preached the Gospel of his Lord and our Lord for these many years, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the membership of this church express its love and appreciation to Mrs. Suttle for being his loyal co-worker and helper during these many years of his ministry to us, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the church plant, the church organizations, the church gifts both for ourselves and others, and the reception of so many souls into the fellowship of this church, are all monuments to the love he had for us and the service he so faithfully performed for all who would come under his pro- gressive and courageous leadership, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this church recognizes and deeply appreciates the guiding hand that he has extended to so many young ministers from this and other churches as they endea- vored to prepare themselves to answer the call of their Lord, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the members of this church recall to memory and deeply appreciate his faithful attendance upon all the duties, services, and various meetings which were a part of the church work; that we now thank him that he never allowed the inclemency of the weather or the conditions of travel to keep him from the appointed task of serving his people and his God, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the services of leadership and love he has so faithfully performed for the three generations who have come under the influence of his ministry in this church, will never be forgotten, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Brother Suttle as he terminates his ministry among us, that a copy be placed by the church clerk in the permanent records of the church, and that a copy be sent to the Biblical Recorder for publication. This the 26th day of September, 1954. THE MEMBERS OF DOUBLE SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH F. E. Greene A. L. Calton J. S. Gillespie Committee on Resolutions X Adventures Of An Eight Year At Beaver Dam "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. John 3: 36 Under the giant pine the little boy fell to his knees, cushioning his little body on a springy bed of moss and pine needles, and looked upward. Upward was over a hundred feet to the top of this largest tree in a virgin stand of timber around old Beaver Dam Baptist Church. He bowed his head and prayed. It was a simple prayer in simple terms, telling the Lord of repentance for sins committed, asking for forgiveness, and expressing belief in Jesus. "I knew I was saved then and there," John Suttle has told friends over and over again. "A cousin, Jesse Wray, knelt with me that day, and my father and uncle stood by." John has been a member of Beaver Dam much of the time since 1880 and expects his final earthly rites to be said from that church. Beaver Dam has been one of the favorite churches 111 112 Canaan in Carolina among the 37 organizations he has pastored, and he vividly recalls many of the personal experiences in his early years there. "I have always been grateful that 'Uncle' Neely Green had courage enough to make a motion to accept me," says John in remembrance. "I can still hear him say, 'Are you sure you love the Lord?' and 'Are you sure you want to be baptized and join this church?' and 'Are you sure you will make us a good member?'. To all these questions I answered a firm 'Yes, Sir'." In the fall of the same year he joined, Brother John wanted to do something for his church, so he spent several days picking cotton. At the end of the week he had the sum of 25 cents which he wished to give. On preaching Sunday he went to church and tried to hand the quarter to the church treasurer. The treasurer, a big, gruff, un- thinking man said, "Put your money in your pocket, boy. We've got enough men in this congregation to pay all the bills." This almost broke little John's heart, and not knowing what else to do he went to "Uncle" Neely who had voted to let him come into the church. "I'll take this quarter and see that it gets to the right place," said the kindly old man. "I made a resolution then," John says, "that if ever I grew up and had anything to do with a church, I would encourage children to come and join; not only to join, but to give a portion of their money to the Lord." That he has always done in his churches, and their rec- ord of stewardship among young and old is evidence he was right. In 1950, upon the 15th anniversary at Beaver Dam as pastor, and 70 years after he joined, the pastor did an unusual thing. He had a florist send a basket of flowers to place on the table in front of the pulpit. "I wish to call your attention to these flowers and ask you to honor the memory of a man who was brave enough and who had Adventures of an Eight Year Old at Beaver Dam 113 faith enough to make a motion for a timid eight-year-old boy to join this church. His name, Neely Green." John was pastor at Beaver Dam for twenty years from 193 5 through 1954. At the end of the twenty years, the church held remarkable memorial services and presented him with a gold watch and a $100 check. Senator Robert Morgan, a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and an active lay-leader, had charge of the program and paid the retir- ing minister an eloquent tribute. In reviewing the growth of the church in twenty years, Senator Morgan pointed out that when John arrived the church had a budget of $1,200. During the last year of his ministry, the budget was $15,475. In 1935 the mem- bership was 3 53 and in 1954 it was 5 32. During that time 142 persons were baptized into fellowship of the church. During Mr. Suttle's period of leadership, Beaver Dam had three separate building campaigns, in which more than $100,000 was raised and spent on plant improvements which included a new Sunday School annex with eighteen new classrooms, a new heating plant, new furnishings and decorations for the sanctuary, and a $22,000 parsonage which was ready for the new pastor, the Reverend Oscar Funderburke who succeeded Mr. Suttle. Following his letter of resignation to Beaver Dam, the congregation voted to accept it only on the condition that John Suttle would accept the title, Pastor Emeritus, for the rest of his life. The end of his ministry there was no dwindling, tapering-off affair. He baptized nine candi- dates for membership on the Sunday morning he submit- ted his resignation. Mr. Suttle had no more trouble with finances at Beaver Dam than he did at any other church. He simply preached stewardship and the money always came in. During the war in 1943, Holt McPherson, editor of the Daily Star at Shelby, heard that Beaver Dam had bought a $1,000 sav- ings bond. To him this seemed an unusual thing for a rural church to do, so he called up the minister and ex- pressed his amazement that a church in the country would 114 Canaan in Carolina have money in the treasury, and further, that they would see fit to invest it in war bonds. Mr. Suttle replied: "It isn't unusual for Beaver Dam and neither did we spend all of our money for a war bond. I think I can predict that my five other country churches will have some cash surpluses in the treasury this fall and some of them also may invest in war bonds." These war bonds later were converted to cash to pay for the building program. Following his resignation at Beaver Dam, Brother Suttle got two letters which he prizes very highly. One was from the Reverend J. C. Gillespie of Reidsville, North Carolina, a life-long friend and retired Missionary which reads as follows: November 2, 1950 My dear Brother Suttle: Well, Sunday was one of the most enjoyable days in my experi- ence, I think. Socially it was so fine and surely the Lord was present, and the fellowship was so sweet. I do rejoice in the great work of Beaver Dam during the past century, and certainly the work as it has so encouragingly gone forward during the later years. Especially do we note great progress during the time of your pastorate. I know you are happy and we former pastors are happy with you. I thank you and the church so much for the invitation to be present with you on your centennial. And how much do I appreciate the check for $50.00 Brother Humphries handed me. This is much larger than I have ever re- ceived for a single service. Thank you and the church very much for this check. Rest assured I shall not forget you and the Beaver Dam people. May the Lord's great blessings continue with you in your great work for Him. Sincerely and cordially, Jas. C. Gillespie The other letter was written by the chairman of the Board of Deacons and the Church Clerk upon the au- thorization of the congregation as follows: September 10, 1954 TO OUR BELOVED PASTOR Dear Brother Suttle: The people of Beaver Dam Church will never be able to tell, or in any way express, their feelings of gratitude for such an inspir- Adventures of an Eight Year Old at Beaver Dam 115 ing pastor, leader, and guide as you have been to us here at Beaver Dam. Your grateful praise, in times of thanksgiving, your wit and humor as you visited among us, and your heart-felt sympathy in times of sorrow will always endear you to our hearts. Our hearts always swell with pride when we think of the many honors that have come to our pastor and just the mention of your name anywhere in our Association and state would always register recognition on their faces. Truly we can say, as all Southern Baptists, that you are the "Dean of Pastors" and we have been highly honored to have such a man lead our humble people. We will not think of you as leaving us because we will always want you in our presence. We pray God's blessings on you as you begin your well earned rest and we will always remember you in our prayers. With heart felt love and devotion. The members of Beaver Dam Baptist Church (s) Yates McGinnis Chairman Board Deacons (s) E. D. Humphries Church Clerk Beaver Dam, in many ways, may be considered the home church of the Hamrick generation in Cleveland County, and the Hamricks are the most numerous of any family group in Cleveland and Rutherford counties. All of the Hamricks in North Carolina originally descended from George Hamrick, or Homrick, who came from Germany in 1731 and settled for a time in Pennsylvania. A short time before the American Revolution one of his sons came to this section as a pioneer settler. Uncle Berry Hamrick, who was born in 1820 and died in 1917 at the age of 97, was a member at Beaver Dam for many years but later joined Double Springs. He had a good memory and was very fond of talking about the old days, and Mr. Suttle as a child often talked with him at both churches. One of the most colorful Hamricks of the Beaver Dam Community was "Tater" Jim Hamrick. He was called by this nickname because he liked potatoes so well; that is, sweet potatoes — the Southern yam. He ate them every 116 Canaan in Carolina day and studied methods of growing potatoes so well that he could grow more on the ground than any of his neigh- bors. In fact, he had to raise a lot of potatoes to feed his 22 children. He reared 21 sons and one daughter to manhood and womanhood, and when the occasion afforded, took them all to church. One afternoon a drummer for Stetson hats was trying to make a sale to one of the village merchants when in strolled "Tater Jim" with his 21 sons to buy hats. "Listen," gasped the Stetson salesman. "I'll give each son a high top beaver hat if they will put them all on at the same time and march around the court square bearing a placard stat- ing that Stetson presented the hats!" "Tater" gratefully accepted, but a second thought con- vinced him that Beaver hats were no good for farmer boys. He asked that the gift be changed to soft felt hats. It was changed, and "Tater Jim" led his 21 sons in a sen- sational march around the Shelby court square wearing the new hats Stetson had given them. Beaver Dam was a logical location for a church. The church is on a ridge between two small contributing ele- ments of Beaver Dam Creek. The creek got its name from the fact that in pioneer days considerable numbers of beavers worked in the head waters making their dams and rearing their young. It was located on the south side of the Shelby-Ruther- ford post road; the main east-west highway through the county, and was near a bold spring at which the early settlers could get water for themselves and their animals. Sometime prior to 1850, several ministers had been con- ducting services at a stand or brush arbor. There was so much interest in these services that they decided to organize a regular Baptist Church. On December 23, 18 50, a presbytery was convened and about thirty persons who had letters or who wanted to be baptized met and organized a Baptist Church. The exact records of this first meeting are not available but in April Adventures of an Eight Year Old at Beaver Dam 117 1881, a resolution stated: "Whereas the presbytery that organized the church failed to record their proceedings, or if they did, the clerk failed to transcribe them. We, therefore, for the satisfaction of the succeeding members of this church, certify that the presbytery was constituted from the deaconship and ministers of the following churches: Sandy Run, Boiling Springs, Mount Sinai and Zion, and that the presbytery met on December 23, 18 50." Most of the members were named McSwain, Jones, Hamrick, Harrill, Bostic, or Bowen. Several close acquaintances of the Suttle family were among the first pastors — the Reverends R. P. Logan, Rob- ert Poston, Lewis McSwain, Dove Pannel, Landrum Ezell, G. M. Webb, and J. M. Bridges who was pastor at the time John made his confession and became a member. The earliest ministers received from $7.00 to $15.00 per year for their services, but the year John joined the church, Pastor Bridges received $47.95. // XI The Association Will Come To Order" "Onward, Christian Soldiers" Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Psalm 133: 1 A wave of restlessness was beginning to go through the brethren of the Kings Mountain Association during the second day of its session in the year 1912 at Mt. Zion. The sun was sinking rapidly and the October days were short- ening. Many miles had to be traveled by some to get back to Shelby, Fallston, or even as far away as Lattimore or Casar. John Suttle had been nominated as moderator to suc- ceed the saintly A. C. Irvin, the white haired, blue eyed, lovable man who had been the moderator for ten years. Brother Abe was getting old. He knew it and the breth- ren knew it. He had been a fine moderator and a wonder- ful diplomat, but he had firmly refused re-election. There were a number of older ministers in the Associa- tion who could have succeeded him, but the delegates de- cided they wanted a younger man; a man with a future before him who could "get things done". They decided 118 "The Association Will Come to Order" 119 on John Suttle, and for the next 39 years, year in and year out, through thick and thin, through two world wars, in an era marked by surging growth, prosperity and ad- versity, John Suttle was re-elected moderator. He served continuously from the fall of 1912 and the Mt. Zion meet- ing, through the 1952 meeting which was held at Latti- more, Bethany, and Norman's Grove. His first session as the presiding officer was at Zion in 1913 when the Reverend L. W. Swope preached the intro- ductory sermon and J. J. Lattimore was clerk. In the intervening years he also had as his clerk G. G. Page, a newspaper editor; J. V. DeVenny, a retired minister; J. W. Costner, a layman who became minister while he was clerk; and the Reverend Lawrence Roberts, a minister and the present clerk. As the presiding officer of a great Association, John fol- lowed in the footsteps of a number of illustrious ministers and laymen. Tom Dixon, Dove Pannel, G. W. Rollins, and L. M. Berry presided in the sessions before the Civil War. R. P. Logan, J. H. Yarborough, A. L. Stough, J. Y. Hamrick, H. F. Schenck, and E. Y. Webb had brought the Association into the 20th Century. Major Schenck had had the longest tenure of any moderator, having served thirteen years while Tom Dixon had served ten years, but not in succession. In 1912, the Association had 3 8 churches, only three of which had full time pastors. They reported 7,626 mem- bers with 300 baptisms for the year. There were approxi- mately 4,000 persons in Sunday School with 327 women enrolled in Mission Societies. Total gifts for the year were $25,777.66 of which $2,642.39 went to Missions and Benevolences. This was an annual per capita gift for all causes of the magnificent sum of $3.73. For the next forty years under Suttle's leadership, the Association was to advance in all directions. The number of churches grew to 62, of which thirty had full time pas- 120 Canaan in Carolina tors. Membership in 1954 was over 20,000 and nearly a thousand new members were being baptized each year. Sunday Schools had enrolled 18,421 and Training Unions had 4,345. Women's Missionary Societies were found in nearly every church with a total of 3,941 members. There were 839 men who had joined Brotherhoods. Total gifts for local objects amounted to $643,921.27 with an additional $133,774.84 going to Missions and Benevolences. This was a per capita gift to all causes of $3 3.22, more than a ten-fold increase. Being moderator of a growing, expanding Association was not easy. However, John Suttle almost made a liar out of the copy book whose dictum says, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool other people part of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." He didn't have to fool the people. They knew him well and liked him well enough to re-elect him each time for forty years. In the first place, he was pastor of from five to seven churches most of that forty years, and with a nucleus of delegates from seven churches who liked their minister and wanted to see him continue leadership, it was not so strange that he continued to be re-elected. Again, the dispatch and diplomacy with which he pre- sided at an Associational meeting was something out of this world. He began on time and closed on time. He kept everybody happy, laughing part of the time and often shedding a few tears. "Brother Huggins, you have five minutes to speak to this Association," he would tell M. A. Huggins, General Secretary of the Baptist State Convention. Brother Hug- gins knew he had five minutes and only five minutes. If he went over his allotted time the gavel would sound and Brother John would ask the Association if it wished to vote more time for the speaker. Over the years speakers came to know that as a presiding officer, Brother Suttle did give them all the time allotted but not a minute more. The Association liked it. A great deal more business mat- "The Association Will Come to Order" 121 ters were transacted. Long-winded speeches, sermons, or harangues never were permitted. "I consider the business matters of this Association just as important as any service in the Church," John would tell the delegates. "You people have your own churches and your own business to attend to at home. We will come here and tend to the Lord's business and then go home and tend to ours," he would say. During one of the last sessions of the Association he told the body, "It has been a real joy to have the oppor- tunity to serve this Association for forty years. I deeply appreciate this check for $201 you have given me as an expression of your love." The Reverend C. O. Greene, one of Suttle's preacher boys and one on whom he had laid his hands when he was ordained as a minister and as a deacon, had presented the check from the Association. The previous year Greene had presented Moderator Suttle with a gavel made from a piece of wood taken from one of the old logs in the home place of Elder Joseph Suttle, John's grandfather. Tearfully but joyfully, he had accepted the gift and later when the Reverend C. C. Crowe was elected to succeed him, passed the historic wood in- strument on to Brother Crowe. Many people have wondered how one man among so many able, intelligent, natural born leaders in a great As- sociation could continue to be elected moderator. One of his friends gave this explanation. "He had an ease of man- ner with which he could hold an audience and get things done. He could see all the problems ahead. He had a sense of humor. His personality sparkled. He won the office time after time by sheer force of personality and by con- tinuing to demonstrate his ability." For many years the only formal meeting the Associa- tion held was in the fall. For the past twenty years or more, however, there have been meetings both spring and fall to take care of the Association's business. Since 1933, 122 Canaan in Carolina the Association has had a General Board with representa- tives from all of the churches meeting once a month to take care of interim problems and to keep up the larger program of the present 64 churches. John usually attends all of these meetings and keeps fully informed about the work being carried on. In a recent meeting of this general board at the First Baptist Church in Shelby he was asked to speak on the subject, "Advice to Young Preachers". His outline fol- lows: 1. Younger preachers do not face the hardships the older preachers faced. 2. The younger preachers have better facilities for spreading the gospel and attending to local field ministerial duties than did their predecessors. 3. The younger preachers are prepared better theo- logically than were the older preachers. 4. The younger preachers will be expected to render a greater service both locally and in a more diver- sified manner than were the older preachers. 5 . The younger preacher must continue to propound the doctrine of total Christian stewardship and to expand upon it whenever and wherever pos- sible. 6. The younger preachers will be rewarded accord- ing to their service to God. This entire dissertation was spiced with witty jokes, proverbial sayings, colloquial phrases, and the entire group laughed and grew serious alternately as they listened in- tently while this grand old man of God drew upon his many years of knowledge and experience. a CO i-H CD t- o as in CO I o co CO o as i-H CM 00 in 9 fc- co C— CM CO as IT- CD CO © CD o as cd in 00 co c— CO co C- co CD co in O CD «* CM CO ** CO CO CM CO co t4 O o in CM o o i-i as 00 00 CM CM o 00 o CM iH i-H CM iH i— i i—l rH rH rH rH r-4 rH *e- 1 OS T— 1 as CM "tf CD o © tr- T* CM © CO as OO O t- as CM CO O CM o CM co CD CM in CD o CO O 00 m CM i-l in in i-H O; co m CM 00 o o as 00 c o « cm t4 CO ITS CD in ■* O CO >* CO iri «o in £ r-i CO t^ CD o as CM 00 rJH «* CM OS i-H Ir- i-H ■<* o ! as i-i i-H CM o O ■* m ■>* m CM t— as i— i •^ -O CO as m CM «* CO CD o m c- o CD 00 o c- tr- i-H ■<* !cm CO oo CM i— i >* s cm' CM in m in CO' c-~ o as rf o' cm" t- CD CO co -in CM t- o CM CM CD cm" CM co CM rH CO CM co CM rH CM CM co CM CM CM 1 CD as t- co co Tf as rjf t- as CD 1—1 CO co o O CM co CO CO o *# 00 >* CD "5* CD tr- CM CM o 00 CM 00 co 00 CM m o 00 rH m i— 1 CD o C^ t— as "m w Ir4 as CO tH CM *# lr4 tH CO W cd 00 CO CM in o ^ - as as as iri 00 iri as Si t~ ^f 1 CO c- 'cm O CD tr- cm as i-H CD iH 00 oo co CM as in t- co rH t— CD 35 r- i— i cd ;co cm CM CD_ co CO ,co rf tH i—l CM o CM as 00 CM 00 t- CM m t- m co tH |0 CD O t— ' i-H in CO o © t- m as co oo" m as o CM i-H CO «* CM CO CM CM i—l CM CM *# ^* CD co CM m CD t- CD i-H co CD o rH i— i H as 00 CO rH «* I a-u % | SL o-g o O o O |« S I t^ CM 1—1 co co o CM o CO co i—l T— I CM as c— CO s| CM o as as !5 m m o o t— in O ^ •<* . -Q CO CO © I- oo co co rH CD m *- E co co cq CO 00 o °\. t— CM * c— ■rti ir- co 'co ! as CM iH m t— i co o as i— i ico 'as as i-i n< O CO CO in as o O tH i-l © i,in OOCDCOiC— ,-^COCM-^OS CM ->* 6||^ t- 00 00 oo 00 00 CO 00 00 00 tH~ 00 00 OS as as o o i—i rH 1-t o y-i rH rH T-i rH i— i rH £ <=> m Tj< t- 00 co CM as CM ir- CM o 1-1 as i-i CD m CM CM in 00 CO CM | o 00 o ** as m CO as O as t- oo in CO CD tr- oo ■* CM 00 i-H CO as a co co * TJI in in ■* t- t^ m o 0) oo as as CM CM i—l i-H tr- 00 as as CD o o CM CM i-H o T-i rH CM CM H CD U CO CO co «* -5? ^ ~1< co CO CO co •* Tf »* ■^ rf ^ ^P Tf Tf •* rt< CM co «* m co t— 00 as o rH > OT CM co ■>tf m CD c— 00 as O rH aj > w I) >- iH i— i i—i i—i i—i i— 1 i-H i—i CM CM CD CM CM CM CM CM CM CM CM co CO H to & ^ ■S-S a +j c -*j cd 3 01 ^ H Ul H rJl ro , „ I O I o a. 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CO OS rf 00 CM - CO ©_ CO ©I ■"* t-_ 00^ t- (fi kf lft ~ ©" ©" th~ cm" co" co" Iff co" CO 1 co" t- 00 rS'Hi I© lift 00 t- I© !t- © '© !co 'CM if-O COCMrHt-rH©rHCOOrt* © cm" cm" co" co" I co" l co" rt<" ift" 10" 1 ift" ru- es lft lft CO O lft u CM CO CD |Tjt 1© lft 00 t— t— CO CO , ift^ ©^ ©_ t- t-" e«r : 00" 00" ©" CO 00 © E ! rH lft CD rH CO 00 I CM CM 00 IrH ,0 lft CD t- lft i lft 00 lft o CD 8 rt< t- © as 00 00 © © CM O 3EI! ■*= = ^ 00 as co co © as ^rH rCl © 0) S Eh U3 CO *# © I© Jt& XII is ine way we ii Our Churches' "Give of Your Best to the Master' Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only. James 1:22 John Suttle has been a builder both of churches and communities. He has built churches mainly through building good Sunday Schools and at the same time strengthening all other auxiliary organizations of the church; he has built communities by building a better church and by training and using the talent in native, natural born leaders. In all the 37 churches John has served, he has tried to take the church beyond the point of work and efficiency and spiritual development that it had when he arrived. In churches which needed new buildings, he was able to lead the membership in a building program, if he stayed as long as three or four years. Of the seventeen churches in the Shelby area and units of the Kings Mountain and Sandy Run Associations, at least fourteen congregations erected new houses of worship and Sunday School plants during his pastorate, or he had 125 126 Canaan in Carolina led the congregation to approve plans that produced a new building soon after he resigned. Several of the churches, especially those at which he held long pastorates, built not once but two or even three times to care for growth and expansion. During the 29 year period of his ministry from 1916 to 1945 inclusive, he was pastor of from five to seven churches, usually averaging six churches. During this pe- riod he preached three times every Sunday and had an appointment for each week night. These meetings would consist of prayer meetings, teachers' meetings, deacons' meetings, Woman's Missionary Society meetings, church suppers and various kinds of commemorative meetings such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. During those 29 years he had no vacation and only in the past five or six years has he given himself the luxury of a vacation. Funerals, weddings, family reunions and personal affairs had to be worked into this "impossible" schedule. During that period, Brother John baptized approxi- mately 5,000 people, registered around 24,000 miles per year on his automobile, made the necessary visits to the hospital and to the sick and shut-ins in the various com- munities. Ten churches were involved in this particular period of his ministry, being New Bethel, Lawndale, Double Shoals, Double Springs, Sandy Run, Waco, Pat- terson Grove, Beaver Dam, New Hope, and Zoar. With one exception, all of these churches built new sanctuaries and educational plants and all of them had Standard Sun- day Schools. They unquestionably took the lead in the Association in adding Training Unions, Missionary So- cieties, organized choirs and Brotherhoods to their list of activites. Tabulation of statistics for Suttle churches in almost any period since 1916 will show that they have led the Association in tithing, baptisms, daily Vacation Bible Schools, growth in number of members, and in overall evangelism and stewardship. <§ N 8 0> > *: O O) a c a - m © £ o i-< o£oj; I I I ? fc H S i U o en ^ z < to b> +J M o 4) _} g J t, I o 3 S o "S3 ^43° - 0) co a) CO o s CO o 01 ft43 w t/) o (h o 0) (1) CO 42 3 43 o PH to cu -■-> s. 1 § s | o M 2oS ^xfjw g g co ca oo o OJ 01 PH P Ng9 »-i 0) 01 x! > O CO CO 01 0) to hi o -fj co o « CO f ^Eh P cj J 01 a £co OJ CJ EfiE o 9 o <=>£?. o CO 0) co o O +» CJ en ■*-> m r- £ & PS o ^ 01 CO C8 01 01 bfl 0) m O 01 01 COS'S o oi ■ PB oi +* ft X! - ft 1 ^ i3 co © oi b © 52 ** > aco S > CO CO CJ 01 01 o> SEh P bo £•£ co a O .c CO CO 01 0) fflh • C 01 -• . > -^ O 01 Si 03 ! CD ft XI -.„ ^3 to o oi m H d E co H co o a P £ 0) a s a ft 01 o o CO o m o T3 CN fe CO u ? 01 rrt ^ hJ E CO o 0) 8 ftX! ro <~) tH 01 0) CO Xf 3 43 CJ en O m PB E£|£^ ft q2 d S o *-< oi o S - oi x - o c~ > o co o co co £ 01 01 4 1 cj PQ EH P M cu i PE. oi . a C-to a in O u o 71 E S9 Js co co oi f, co of; 3 J3 co ON 3 ^Q o O a, CO O ' ^Eh " fs & |-to ° oi 53 00 > o t> cfl « SB CJ rf" 4 1 a fj*to 2 " CQ ° r-H ° " ^ ^ CO 42 CO C ^ 5 P CO p ^? 13 u }% oi co S •xi oi r 5 a oi w lj co .-*> ir ™ rn ** 4-i i 1 ' «J1 Iff y r- *, Mrs. Suttle and 2,000 Pitchers "My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 241 Sunday School movement than any other man in North Carolina. Then from 1921-1927 he was Associate in the Sunday School Department of the Baptist State Conven- tion of North Carolina. From 1927-193 5 he was Asso- ciate in the Sunday School Administration Department at Nashville where he served under the Sunday School Board's renowned Arthur Flake. From 1935-1943 he was Secre- tary of Field Promotion of the Sunday School Board and since 1944 has been its general Secretary of the Sunday School Department. In addition, he is editor of the Sunday School Builder, the department magazine, and also is author of several books in his field. He has written numbers of articles and pamphlets about teaching and training, organizing, and building a Sunday School. Says Barnette of Brother John. "He is dedicated to his task, intelligent, eager, plans well, and works very hard. The whole record of his life has been that of unselfish Christian service. Through the years he has cultivated a pleasing manner, a delightful personality, a regard and interest for others. He has a good word for everyone. He is free from ill speaking. His modesty is worthy of wide imitation. He has tried earnestly and has succeeded glori- ously in making many friends. He is full of generous sym- pathies." D. P. Brooks, now of Raleigh, and a native of Double Springs, used to be the champion slingshot shooter of his community. He was short, small, freckle faced, wiry, and about the size of the pastor who baptized him. He is Associate Secretary of the Sunday School Depart- ment of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention and has held pastorates in the Chowan Association where he was also Missionary. "Brother Suttle has meant a great deal to me and has been a constant source of wonderment. To try to write it in words is much harder than talking about it," he says. "One of the things which has impressed me deeply about 242 Canaan in Carolina Brother Suttle is his ability to laugh at himself. He never takes himself too seriously. When one is as small as he is physically, he is usually sensitive about it. I know! "I have never seen him embarrassed by his size. He jokes about it and seems almost to make an asset of it. He takes the same objective attitude toward other things. If he is criticized, he does not seem to be troubled in the least. He can joke and laugh about it without getting steamed up. I remember his preaching once about the matter of criticizing people. He confessed that people sometimes criticized him. With all mock solemnity he said that he was just sorry for such people who had the nerve to 'criti- cize me'. "Another thing which has amazed me all my life is his self-control and freedom from worry. When I asked him how in the world he could serve seven churches he joked, 'It is because I am so big and robust.' Then seriously he attributed it to the fact that as a young man he discovered that his rather delicate health would not permit him to worry. If he was to do his work, it would be necessary for him to learn how to do it with a minimum of strain and without worry. He succeeded in achieving this rare state. "Nothing ever seemed to worry him day or night. He said that when he laid off his clothes at night, he laid off every worry and was asleep in a few minutes after retiring. "It is not accidental that a number of boys from his churches have entered the ministry. He expected they would and prayed for it and invited them to consider it. My grandmother said that on the night I was baptized at the age of ten, Brother John prayed that the Lord would call a preacher from among the newly baptized boys. When one of us did decide to enter the ministry he offered every possible encouragement and support. "He has always given us opportunity to preach in his pulpits and then made it a point to put some money in our hands. He gave an encouraging handshake! "Not the least important factor in his success was the "My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 243 fact that he never preached more than thirty minutes, usually about twenty." Brooks tells this story about John Suttle but does not identify himself with it. On one occasion a college student stopped in to see the pastor before taking the train to school. When he was leaving, Brother Suttle said, "Where is your top coat?" The boy said that he never wore a top coat mainly because he did not have one to wear. In a moment the pastor put his own top coat on the boy and he went out into the January weather fortified against the snow and cold. Not only was he willing to give his coat but his cloak also; to walk not only the first mile but to add the second mile. Brooks and Suttle are about the same size. Mrs. John Wacaster of Waco, North Carolina, is a field worker for this state in the Woman's Missionary Union. She has been under the influence of John Suttle almost all her life. When she was a very young woman she knew that she must serve the Lord in some special way. She had only a high school education, but like some of the other mem- bers in Suttle's churches, taught herself under his direction. At Waco she was under his leadership for 2 1 years. "He created in me a desire to do, to serve, to give, and to go. He lifted new horizons for me and through his vision I was able to see the world and its needs. He showed me how I could have a part in God's world plan. "Whatever small thing I have been able to accomplish I would give the credit to my pastor who molded me, guided and directed me for twenty years." Mrs. Wacaster was president of the Associational Woman's Missionary Union, then became a regional leader and finally was called to lead the work over the entire state, which position she has held for many years. Also, she was a member of the Board of Trustees of Gardner- Webb Col- lege for fifteen years. The score of the baseball game in a cow pasture not far 244 Canaan in Carolina from Beaver Dam Church was going against the home team. "Let Nolan pitch," said one of the boys. So Nolan Patrick Howington took the ball, shifted the chew of to- bacco from his left to the right cheek, clamped down on it, took a squint at the plate and delivered the pitch. In a few moments there were great cheers. He had struck out the batter, then another and another and won the game. Whether in baseball or in the pulpit, Dr. Howing- ton has been striking out batters ever since. Dr. Howington is a former pastor of the First Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas, and now Professor of Preaching at Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He was born in Georgia but when the boll weevil forced immigration from Georgia to Carolina shortly before World War I, his parents moved to Cleveland County where Nolan attended Boiling Springs and Lattimore High schools, Gardner-Webb Junior College and Wake Forest College. He then did graduate work at Wake Forest and later took his degree at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Nolan felt the call to the ministry at the age of six and since that time has been preaching. He went to Little Rock from the South Knoxville Baptist Church after a number of pastorates in North Carolina. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Arkansas Baptist State Con- vention, a Trustee of Southern Seminary, a Trustee of the East Tennessee Hospital, and a Mason. "From the practical point of view, John W. Suttle was my 'Father in the Ministry' to whom I owe a debt too great to discharge. For me he was and is an ideal and model and one of the best informed teachers I ever knew. My gratitude for his influence, kindness, fatherly helpfulness, and counsel cannot be expressed in words. I pray God I may perform half as worthily as he did in the active min- istry. Though short of stature, he will always cast a long shadow over my life." About his tobacco chewing baseball manners, Nolan "My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 245 said, "I didn't feel too bad about chewing tobacco because I knew my pastor took a chew occasionally and I got from Brother Suttle some mighty good ideas about fair play and about playing the game hard whether I won or lost." Nolan began looking for lost people when he was very young. One of his twin brothers — Hugh, of the twin com- bination Hugh and Hoyt — became lost late one afternoon and was not found until the next day. This was quite an experience for young Nolan who was around eleven years of age at that time. He walked up and down the fields, looked in the honeysuckle vines, tore his clothes on brambles and briars as they searched all night for the miss- ing twin. More than a hundred neighbors and friends joined in and finally found the little four-year-old shortly after daylight the next morning. Only a year or two after this experience Nolan respond- ed to the call to preach and even though only in his early teens, often went to the big woods below his home and practiced preaching to the residents of the woods. He gained quite a reputation as a "boy preacher" and was especially honest, sincere, forthright, and convincing in his manner of preaching. While overseas as a chaplain in the Army, Howington wrote his former pastor, "Every day that I live I am in- debted to you, my Father in the Christian Ministry. When- ever I preach, your long shadow falls across my pulpit to bless it and make it more holy. You can never know how much you mean to me nor how much your life and reflec- tions have contributed to my ministry. As Paul once said of his choice Christian friends, *I thank my God upon every remembrance of you'." Nolan wrote his pastor again in August of 1954 when Brother John was expecting to end the 65 th year of his ministry. He had just helped him in two meetings at Double Springs and Beaver Dam. "You were certainly kind to let me come back and preach in those beloved churches. My preaching was poor enough but I certainly enjoyed the fellowship with you and the people. I wish 246 Canaan in Carolina I could tell you in words how much you mean to me per- sonally and how much your Christian spirit and your kind heart have blessed and guided me across the years. "I know these closing weeks of your ministry are not easy. Please do not feel that your work will terminate September 30, 1954, for your influence will live on in the lives of many young preachers and in the lives of those to whom you have ministered across the years. You will continue to be a source of strength and a power for Christ, for you are one of those individuals whom God uses all the days of his life." While Pastor Suttle and his friends were building the new church at Double Springs in 1920, a little eight-year- old boy was running around from one place to another taking a great deal of interest in all that was going on. He was curious and mischievous and was quite interested in the deep trenches where the foundations were poured, and later investigated the huge furnaces which were being installed to heat the building. The workmen had left some protruding pieces of metal sticking up out of the floor. A. V. Washburn, Jr., was in a hurry. He decided to jump over the objects. Instead, he was impaled upon the metal with pieces of it sticking in his legs. Both legs were dangerously cut. He not only received those scars at Double Springs but he received a number of other very permanent, important, lasting, and valuable impressions about what a country church could be and do; what a rural pastor and superin- tendent of a Sunday School could be and do, with nothing but people with which to begin. These impressions he has carried along with leg scars to the length and breadth of the Southern Baptist Convention. A. V. Washburn, Jr., at the present time, is Secretary of the Sunday School De- partment of the Sunday School Board. In this capacity he has gone into thousands of churches and communities in the South stressing better methods of teaching and "My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 247 training not only in rural churches but in the largest churches in the land. At the age of nine he was converted and was baptized by Brother John at Double Springs. Later he attended Gardner-Webb Junior College, Wake Forest College, and has done postgraduate work at Southern Seminary, Pea- body College, and Southwestern Seminary. For a time he was Associate Secretary in the Young People's Depart- ment. Then from 1943 to 1945 he served with the United States Navy. After returning to Nashville, he became Secretary of Teaching and Training, which position he held until his recent promotion. In college he was a campus leader, a member of the College Honor Society, and was graduated magna cum laude. He is author of numerous magazine articles and more recently of one of the Board's study course books entitled, Young People in the Sunday School. A. V.'s interest and ability in Sunday School work was due in no little part to the general climate at Double Springs because there not only Brother Suttle and Jasper Barnette had laid the ground work for good rural Sunday Schools, but his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. V. Washburn, Sr., had been interested in good Sunday Schools. His father had followed Barnette as superintendent in 1922 and had led the unit on to the Advanced Standard and maintained it for five years. Mr. Washburn, Sr., then became a Sunday School Mis- sionary in the Haywood Association with Sylva, North Carolina, as headquarters. He later moved to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he and his wife were active in Goldsboro Baptist Church and where Mrs. Washburn be- came an approved southwide worker for Sunday School and Extension Work. Both have now retired and live in a new home in their old community. From the vantage point of a high hill in Palestine, Emmett Willard Hamrick surveyed the scene. Below him to the right and to the left, in front and behind, were 248 Canaan in Carolina nearly all the scenes which were familiar to Jesus as He walked over those dusty roads nearly 2,000 years ago. Hamrick was there as a member of the research team of the American School of Oriental Research doing some post-doctoral study and investigation. He not only looked over the city of Jerusalem which had evoked the tears of Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane, the Sea of Galilee, the little village of Bethany, and the imminence of Calvary; but he also looked over the years back across the Mediterranean and the broad Atlantic, the expanse of the Carolina and back to his little home in Cleveland County where he was born. He looked back to the experiences he had had in the Beaver Dam Community where he had come under the influence of John W. Suttle. "I could not begin to describe the extent of Mr. Suttle's influence on my life," said Dr. Hamrick. His education began in the church where Suttle was pastor, although his formal training began in a little three teacher school building, later the Lattimore High School. He was a mem- ber of Phi Beta Kappa at the University of North Caro- lina and later took his doctor's degree from Duke Uni- versity. Following his formal education he had three years with the United States Army and since that time has been Asso- ciate Professor of Religion at Wake Forest College. He is a member of the National Association of Biblical Instruc- tors, a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, as well as a member of the American School of Oriental Research. In 1943 he was married to Miss Shirley Philbeck, beau- tiful and talented musician who first learned to play the piano in a Suttle Sunday School. Joseph Wheeler Costner, a farmer of the Double Shoals Community in Cleveland County, was tired. The day was hot, humidity was high and his pair of mules had been unusually ornery that morning. At forty years of age he did not have the willingness and the strength he had pos- "My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 249 sessed when he was younger to wrestle with ornery mules. "Wrestling with mules was the least of my problems that morning. I was wrestling with the Lord," Wheeler told his friends later. "I just didn't see how I could answer the call to preach. I had no education, my family was growing, and I just didn't much believe a church would call me even if I told them the Lord had called me. "I came in, sat down and turned through the Bible to read a little. I don't know why but my eye fell on the passage in Judges which described how Gideon had put out a fleece to test the Lord. I had read the passage many times and was familiar with the story, but that day I read it over and over again and decided that I, too, would put out a fleece. "The next day I went to Shelby. I had challenged the Lord that I would accept the call to the ministry if any- one spoke to me about becoming a preacher on that little trip to the county seat. I had no idea it would be men- tioned. However, I went into the office of the Shelby Daily Star and was talking to the reporter about a news item for the Kings Mountain Association. "We talked a little about routine matters and then the reporter happened to mention the untimely passing of the Reverend J. M. DeVenny and the stroke of paralysis suf- fered by the Reverend D. G. Washburn. Then he looked me square in the face and said, 'Someone will have to take their place. Had it ever occurred to you, Wheeler, that you ought to be preaching the Gospel?' That was enough 'fleece' for me. I went on back to Double Shoals and the following Sunday asked the congregation to license me." The congregation issued the license and within seven days Wheeler Costner got a call to preach at a small coun- try church called Pisgah at the foot of the Casar Moun- tains. Costner had been a business man, a teacher, a deacon and Sunday School worker as well as a farmer. He became Associational Sunday School Superintendent under the tutelage of John Suttle. His interest was heightened in Religious Education after a visit to the Kings Mountain 250 Canaan in Carolina Association by Mr. Gainer Bryan of the Sunday School Department of Georgia. His record as superintendent of the Kings Mountain Associational Sunday School was enviable. This Associa- tion became one of the leading Associations of the entire South in the number of study awards and Standard Sun- day Schools. Costner had had little formal education except high school and business college training, but every chance he had he took ministerial refresher courses at Gardner-Webb, Mars Hill, and Duke University preacher schools. Most of his education, however, came by self-teaching and mas- tery of the complete set of study course books offered by the Sunday School Board. He has been a member of the General Board of the Baptist State Convention. In 1920 he was married to Miss Cora Lee Canley, and they have four children. A hobby for spare time is the study of photography, for which he has a state license. Of John Suttle he says, "In him I discovered a pastor who not only was interested in the salvation of lost souls but was interested in his members yielding their lives to complete service for God regardless of the vocation they had chosen. "His preaching is always expository and extemporane- ous, arrayed with the most beautiful and challenging homiletics. He teaches by example; he is courageous in his convictions, gentle in his discipline, and always weeps with those who weep and rejoices with those who rejoice." When Mr. Costner broke the news of his decision to enter the ministry to his pastor, Brother John said, "Wheeler, I have been waiting for more than two years for you to tell me. I have no questions to ask." George Leland Royster had left the church at Double Shoals as soon as the service was over. He had a long way to go and a three mile walk on a sand clay road would require over an hour for his bare feet to convey him home. He did not mean to be a hitchhiker but Pastor John "My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 251 Suttle picked him up anyway. "I'm going right by your house and riding in a buggy is easier than walking." Leland looks back upon that three mile buggy ride as the highlight of his Christian experience. As a child he longed for the opportunity to be around John Suttle. "To me he was the greatest person I ever knew. I looked at him and found him to be so much like the person I knew as Jesus. I thought how fine it was to be a preacher and wondered if some day I might not also preach. His talk that day started me to thinking what I ought to do with my life. "While I was studying for the ministry I was called upon on one occasion to meet all of Brother Suttle's ap- pointments at New Bethel, Double Shoals and Lawndale. I had to preach five times in one week. Since then I have been convinced that any young minister would appreciate him more if he could make rounds with him or follow in his footsteps." Royster went on to become a very successful minister in preaching, teaching, Religious Education and music. He is now Minister of Music and Education at the High- land Baptist Church in Hickory, North Carolina. He has been a member of the General Board of the Baptist State Convention, a Lion, and an active leader in other com- munity interests. It was midnight at the Suttle home in Shelby. The door- bell rang and waked John. He lay still a minute thinking that he had only dreamed the bell rang. The second and third time it rang he got up and went to the door. "Brother Suttle, I hope you will forgive me for coming to your home at such an hour denying you of the sleep and rest you have earned, but I have a problem on my mind and felt I must talk to you about it." "Come in and sit down, Olin," said Brother John. And in the early hours of the morning he listened to Charles Olin Greene tell him how he had been impressed to enter the ministry but that he had fought the call and tried to 252 Canaan in Carolina persuade himself that it was a passing fancy; that even though he had already finished high school he did not have the money to go to college, especially with a wife and child to support. "If the Lord wants you to preach, he will find a way to take care of you and your family until you can get an education," John told Olin. So another one of his preacher boys went to Wake Forest and since then has been one of the most successful ministers in rural work in North Caro- lina. C. O. Greene has been marked as a leader since that midnight visit with Brother Suttle. At Pineville he was statistician for the Mecklenburg Association and president of the Ministerial Conference. In Raleigh he was moder- ator of the Raleigh Association and President of the Region IV Baptist Training Union Conference. In the Kings Mountain Association he has been both vice-moderator and moderator of the Association and president of the Pastor's Conference. He is a member of the General Board and Executive Committee of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention and is chairman of the State Missions Committee. He is chairman of the Fruitland Institute Advisory Committee and a member of other important committees for convention activities. "When I had this great decision to make for my life, I went to John Suttle because I knew he was a great man. He is great because of his humble faith in God, his belief in the Gospel of Christ as the hope of a lost world, his simple preaching of the Word, his love for people, his un- common sense, his keen sense of humor, and his spirit of helpfulness. It was his messages that had challenged me and brought inspiration. It was he who married us, who rejoiced with us when our babies came, who sorrowed with us when we walked through the shadows, who ordained me as a deacon, who counselled and prayed with me that stormy night. He has been my friend, supporter, guide, confidant, as well as my Father in the Ministry. "Of all the many things I can say about Brother John, I believe the thing that stands out about him and his work u My Sons in the Ministry Honor Me" 253 is an uncanny ability to see through most problems which arise in a church. Then, to decide what ought to be done and to see it is done in such a way as to further the work of the Kingdom and leave the people happy in doing it. "And usually he was right!" The old saying that "A prophet is not without honor save in his own country" is not true in the case of John Jacob Thornburg who is pastor of his native Patterson Grove Baptist Church. He is one of John Suttle's "Sons of the Ministry" who made such a splendid record in high school and college and was so well liked that his home people called him back to be their pastor. John got a definite call at the age of 22 to do special Christian work then left his job as a shipping clerk in Burlington Mills, got his college degree and has attended several special ministerial schools at Gardner-Webb Col- lege since that time. He is continuing Suttle's pattern of building the community around the church. William Fletcher McGinnis is another Beaver Dam son. He answered the call to the ministry at the age of sixteen and his pastor led the ordination service and later helped him at a revival meeting at High Shoals in Rutherford County where McGinnis has been pastor for a number of years. He is clerk of the Sandy Run Association. If one examines the rolls of all the churches where John Suttle has been a pastor for as long as five years, there is hardly a church which has not produced ministers, teach- ers, full time Christian workers and other leaders of un- usual caliber. Probably there are hundreds of persons who got their impressions of dedication from him which John will never know about. Being the leading minister of the Association for forty years put Brother John in the position of being called upon often to associate in the ordination of many young ministers. W. F. Monroe of Grover, North Carolina, re- 254 Canaan in Carolina calls an incident of interest which happened when he was being questioned before his ordination. In the presbytery along with Brother Suttle was Dr. W. A. Ayers of Forest City, a very erudite and highly educated minister who was in charge of the questions. He used a wide choice of big words and involved phrases. In one of the questions his manner was so ponderous that young Monroe was confused. "I don't understand, Dr. Ayers," the neophyte timidly stated. Dr. Ayers turned to Brother Suttle and asked him to explain the query to the young minister. Suttle answered, "I don't know what you are talking about either." Of course, all the preachers present had a good laugh and the tension was broken for the embarrassed young minister. He went ahead and answered not only that ques- tion, but all the others and passed the examination. XXIII A Picture Of A Pitcher-Collecting Partner "Sweetest Story Ever Told" Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God. Ruth 1:16 "Leila, why do you suppose Mollie won't drink?" called John to his wife from the horse trough beside the well at the parsonage at Smithfield one late afternoon in 1907. "I don't know, John. Maybe she is not thirsty," the young minister's attractive wife called back, afraid for the moment to tell him the real reason. "I know she is thirsty. We have driven over half of Johnston County since morning and she has not had a drop to drink. And it's hot!" he added. "It may be," ventured the young wife who decided she had better tell all she knew about the water, "that I put too much salt in the well. Or too much kerosene. I found some wiggletails in it this morning and the neighbors said they always put a little salt in theirs." "How much did you put?" asked the interested hus- band. 255 256 Canaan in Carolina "I put all of that 100 pound sack, except I left a little for our table," she said. "And the kerosene?" queried John. "About a gallon, I suppose." "Well, no wonder Mollie wouldn't drink. I wouldn't drink either," said John. No one drank from that well for a long time. The church soon found out the predicament and bored another well on the parsonage lot. Wiggletails in the water and real malaria mosquito bites were only a part of the troubles and problems of being "a pastor's wife" for 66 years. Leila Pierson Suttle is a many-sided woman as her collection of pitchers, her paint- ings, her clippings, her needlework, and her cooking will attest; but first of all, she is a homemaker. Her home has been the center of her life whether in a pioneering role in Stanly and Johnston counties or in Shelby, the home town of her husband. She was quite young to be married at the age of sixteen and young indeed to be left at home for long periods of time with the growing family. Young John tried to get home every night, but in those days of poor transporta- tion, bad roads, and bad weather, this was not possible every time. "Many times I have rocked the children to sleep and then cried myself to sleep waiting in the dark- ness for John to come home; and I can tell you, I was really scared," she recalls. In her early years in Atlanta, she never learned not to be afraid of the dark and did not know how to interpret the sounds of the night which hold no fear for the average person in the country. Almost suddenly as it were, she found herself the wife of a country preacher living on the fringe of a great Caro- lina wilderness among strange people, using strange cus- toms, and nearly six hundred miles from the warmth of her Georgia family connections. Bertie Lee was born in Shelby while John was pastor at Blacksburg. Charles Batie was born in Albemarle shortly (ttnatja nf Arms g>Uttl? itrrwu A Picture of a Pitcher-Collecting Partner 257 after the Suttles took that field, and Esther Barbara and Mary Elizabeth were born in Smithfield. All of her babies were born in the home since there were no hospitals avail- able, and while the doctors were excellent in that day and time, they could do little more than a midwife in prac- ticing obstetrics in the home. However, the babies flour- ished and grew strong and had no serious illnesses except for the usual colds, croup, or sore throat. Mrs. Suttle be- came quite familiar with all the home remedies of her day and time but she was not as quick to use turpentine, kero- sene, or pine tar, as some of her neighbors. Mrs. Suttle has always been the preacher's helper in the home but not in his rural churches. This is not to say she did not go to church or help with church work. It would have been next to impossible for her to wash and dress the children and carry them with John through a long and busy day when he would preach as many as five times. Instead, she remained at home and was very active in her home church. "All of my life I have attended Sunday School and preaching service regularly. I can remember when we shined and polished the little shoes on Saturday night and set them aside for Sunday morning. My mother used to send me to her Sunday School (Methodist) in the morning and then to a nearby Presbyterian Sunday School in the afternoon. "I have been fortunate enough to attend most of the Associational meetings, State Conventions, occasionally the Southern Baptist Convention, and one Baptist World Alli- ance. "I have been president of the Woman's Missionary So- ciety of the First Baptist Church of Shelby and was the first president of this organization at Albemarle." A group known as "Wives of Ministers" was organized in the Suttle home a number of years ago through the efforts of both Mr. Suttle and Mrs. Suttle. On various occasions she has taught Sunday School and sung in the choir. In South Shelby she assisted members in planning 258 Canaan in Carolina the weddings and arranging decorations for all church affairs, especially floral designs. One of Mrs. Suttle's greatest interests has been scrap- books. Except for her scrapbooks this book could not have been written. She has taken a great delight in putting every item about the preacher, the people he associates with and the churches he served, into the scrapbook. In addition she made notations about incidents they both wish to remember. Some of these incidents were recorded in outline and others in detail. For fifty years, Mrs. Suttle's hobby has been collecting pitchers. She now has more than 2,000 pitchers of every conceivable shape and size with an endless but interesting variety. For many years she said she did not realize she was a collector until one day while cleaning out a cabinet she was surprised to find she had nearly one hundred pitch- ers she had saved. She then began to think pitchers day and night, for weeks and months and years, and now has perhaps the larg- est and most valuable private collection of pitchers in the South. Some of these pitchers she has bought but many of them have been given to her by friends who know of her interest in them. "I certainly could not buy many pieces of china or glass on John's salary in the early days." Not only is she a collector, but she is an authority on pitchers. She has read and studied all the available books on pitchers, especially those edited by Mrs. Ninnie Watson Karnm who was particularly interested in pitchers in pat- terned glass. Kamm's book tells when most of the leading patterns and styles of glass pitchers were made and usually lists the artist who made them popular. Some of the earlier ones which are authentic representations of glass work in the 1870's are Minerva, Fish Scale, and the One Hundred and One. Jacob's Ladder was made in 1885 and a three- mold pitcher with a prism ball and butler was made just before the turn of the century. Mrs. Suttle says that her most valuable pitcher is prob- A Picture of a Pitcher-Collecting Partner 259 ably the Twelve Apostles, made in Stafordshire, England, from what is known as salt glaze ware. It was made in the last quarter of the eighteenth century at Castleford, Eng- land. Figures of all of the Twelve Apostles are found on the pitcher. Among the most prized of her collection are fourteen copper lustre pitchers all of which are quite old. Mrs. Suttle also has some silver lustre but this, she says, is not so old or so valuable as the copper. Among the collec- tion one can find the names of almost all the countries of the world; every conceivable shape, form and size pitcher, antiques, orientals, weird faces, animals, flowers; some from milk glass, clear glass, amber glass, or earthenware. Pitchers bearing the likenesses of the presidents of the United States have always been popular. Mrs. Suttle has Theodore Roosevelt, John Garfield, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Martin Van Buren, William McKinley, Benjamin Franklin, James K. Polk, William Howard Taft, and George Washington, in the pitcher collection. One of her most interesting pitchers is an old earthen- ware cereal pitcher found in Jugtown. It has two mouths and two handles. Mrs. Suttle inquired the reason for these features and the old man who made it told her, "Well, the cream pitcher sat in the middle of the table and the old man and the old woman sat across from each other. By having a mouth on each side, the old man could tilt the pitcher and pour the cream in his coffee and his wife could do the same without moving the pitcher." Mrs. Suttle has several unusual pitchers including one memorializing the coronation of Edward VII. There is another made from a Japanese shell brought to her during World War II by Bobby Arey. She has pitchers made of wood, of plastic, of lead, and of pewter. One was cro- cheted from cotton thread. She has a dozen or so pitchers known as Tobys. These were made by a potter named Toby Philpot of Bennington, Vermont. One highly impressive work of art is a quart size Chinese pitcher which is ornately decorated with 260 Canaan in Carolina oriental birds and flowers that are painted to harmonize with odd emblems and decorations formed by unusual china patterns. Not all of the Suttle pitchers are pretty. There is one portraying the ugliest man I have ever seen with a huge head, misshapen face, unsightly teeth, and huge staring eyes. "It isn't very old and I don't know why it was made or why I bought it. I got it at Lake Lure, North Carolina, and I guess the fact that it is so ugly helps me appreciate the other pitchers." Mrs. Suttle has a Churchill, a Pickwick, a Confucius, the Tavern Keeper, and Village School Master, and Satan himself. One pitcher resembles the pirate Captain Kidd, and a friend from Long Island, New York, sent her a pitcher showing an old woman who looked enough like the old pirate to be his wife. They stand side by side. The smallest pitcher is known as a flea pitcher and came from Peoria, Illinois. It is so small that Mrs. Suttle keeps a rib- bon tied to it to keep from losing it. In addition to pitchers, Mrs. Suttle from time to time has collected dolls and animals. She has a fine Donald Duck, Ferdinand the Bull, and any number of cows, dogs and horses. One of her most famous Bennington pitchers has a pair of greyhound dogs for handles. She explained that the pitcher was more valuable according to the position of the hounds' head. If the head is stretched far over into the pitcher this Bennington number is sought after by collectors far and wide. Mrs. Suttle is a family woman. She came from a large family, being the oldest child among the ten children of Andrew Fremont Pierson and Ella Barbara Stringer Pier- son. Her brothers and sisters were Fred, Frank, Pauline, Charlie, Horace, Maude, Clifford, Albert, and Beatrice. All except the last child were reared to manhood and womanhood; the boys became successful business and pro- fessional men mostly in the South, and the girls married A Picture of a Pitcher -Collecting Partner 261 well and reared large families. All of her brothers and sisters are now dead except Mrs. C. P. Talbot of Atlanta, Georgia, and Mr. H. H. Pierson of Jacksonville, Florida. Mrs. Suttle's father was of English descent and was born in Dahlonega, Georgia, and later moved to Brunswick and Atlanta. He was a huge man, weighing around 240 pounds. He died in 1934. Mrs. Suttle was born while the family lived at Gainesville, Georgia. She remembers her father saying that Grandfather Pierson originally came to Amer- ica from Liverpool, England, and came on a ship called "Welcome". One branch of the Pierson family was Quakers and once lived in Chester, Pennsylvania. All of them are re- lated to Abraham Pierson who was one of the founders of Yale University and whose tombstone has always been one of the points of interest on the Yale Campus. A few years ago a group of prankish boys from Harvard stole the tombstone of Old Man Abraham thinking that to be a good way to even the score with Yale. Since that time a very large and heavy statue has been placed on the Yale Campus which is much too big to be carted away. Mrs. Suttle says in a humorous way that the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought by a Pierson in Yad- kin County, North Carolina, and points for her authority to a clipping which describes a fight between some man named Pierson and a Tory of Yadkin County several years before organized fighting of the Revolution began. Pierson came out victorious. Mrs. Suttle knows more about her family from her mother's side. Her Grandfather Stringer was a very wealthy man who dealt in slaves. The Morrows in her family are related to the John C. Calhoun family of South Carolina and also to the renowned Civil War General D. C. Buell. One of the first grandmothers she knows anything about was Lavenia Layton McVernon who was born in Belfast, Ireland, and died in this country in 1879. Mrs. Suttle has a picture of her great-great-grandmother as well as photo- 262 Canaan in Carolina graphs of a half dozen other grandmothers. Lavenia mar- ried James Morrow who came to America to spend a year with his cousin, John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. He bought a large tract of land and went back to Ireland for his bride. They were lost on the high seas for several weeks and finally landed in Quebec, Canada, where their first child, Emily, was born. Later they came to Georgia where Emily married Daniel M. Stringer of Gainesville. Great-great-grandmother Lavenia Morrow was a deeply religious woman and had some of the qualities often found in her Irish ancestors which led people to believe she was able to see into the future and foretell events to come. As she gradually succumbed to the infirmities of old age, she showed remarkable calmness and peace. "I am in good hands. I have had a good life and I ask only that the will of God be done." Sometime before she died, she reported that she could see angels hovering above her and she spoke about these beings to members of her family. "I see angels and my dear Redeemer." At the time of her death she was the oldest member of the Gainesville Church. Even in the selection of her domestic help, Mrs. Suttle still likes to keep things in the family. For the past twenty years her loyal and devoted serving maid has been Quincy Webber. Quincy 's husband is Jesse Webber, a grandson of Phil Wilson who in turn married a girl who once was a slave of elder Joseph Suttle. Quincy is cheerful, alert, a good cook, and a delightful companion for both Mr. and Mrs. Suttle. She and her husband are both leaders in their own community church and she takes a great deal of pride in knowing that if she needs advice about church affairs, her employer is well qualified to give it. In the beginning Mrs. Suttle had no particular philoso- phy about how to be a preacher's wife, but after sixty-six years it can almost be summed up in a manner similar to that described by Miss Grace Erwin, a novelist who has written several books about preachers and their wives. "A minister's wife should be attractive but not too attractive. A Picture of a Pitcher-Collecting Partner 263 She must be adaptable to changing situations in a changing world. "The function of a minister's wife is first of all, to be his wife and in this capacity to complement her husband. She must not try to lead him but must stay in the back- ground enough to push him forward and hold him up for appreciation by his congregation. "A minister's wife and family can never come first. The minister comes first; he is God's man and under God's authority, not his wife's. "A good wife may many times do her best work by giving a sympathetic ear to the preacher's troubles, being a sounding board for some of his ideas, and when things go wrong to be the escape valve for excess steam, and after he has been deflated, inflate him and help him to rise again." A great number of rural churches which now call a minister, take it for granted that his wife will enter into church activity with him, will lead the choir, head one of the departments of the Sunday School, become president of the Woman's Missionary Society, assist in organizing all church suppers and the all-day dinners, and when the occa- sion demands, teach a study course or substitute for the minister at the midweek prayer service. This was one thing Mrs. Suttle chose not to do. She felt that rearing a family and providing a home for John was the more important of the two choices. In addition to joining churches, Mrs. Suttle has always taken great delight in joining other organizations which emphasize family, culture, and art. She has at various times been listed in the Social Register published by the Kingsport Press of Kingsport, Tennessee. She is a member of the Daughters of American Revolution, the Daughters of Patriots and Founders of America, the UDC and Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century. She is also a member of the Archives Collector's Association of the Carolinas. 264 Canaan in Carolina If any man ever was in love with a woman, John has been in love with Leila. "A woman who has the patience to live sixty-six years with a man like me ought to have more reward than she can get on this earth. Except for my wife I could never have done even the things I have done and they couldn't have been done as well." John is sincere and honest in his belief that Mrs. Suttle comes as near as it is humanly possible in achieving the ideal for a woman extolled in Proverbs 31: Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field and buyeth it. With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good. Her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reach- eth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry. Her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eat- eth not the bread of idleness. Suitle Ancestral Home Suttle Home in Shelby, N. C. Esther and Elizabeth Bertie Lee and C. 8. A Picture of a Pitcher- Collecting Partner 265 Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Brother John's Kith And Kin "Blest Be The Tie." I will be the God of all the families — and they shall he my people. Jeremiah 31:1 "Send for the doctor, Bate. My time is about up." Thus spoke gentle Esther Jane Wray Suttle to her hus- band, Charles Batie Suttle, on a Sunday morning April 7, 1872, a little while before her second son, John William, was born. This important event in the life of Brother John and his parents took place in a house now owned and lived in by Tom Mclntyre of the Union Baptist Church Community, Cleveland County, North Carolina. Spring rains had fallen and corn planted late in March was already bursting through the rich soil. Nearby was the old drill grounds of Camp Call where soldier boys from both Cleveland and Rutherford counties had drilled in preparation for going away to the great war — the Civil War — the War Between the States. John's father had been one of those boys. In the past 8 5 years Brother John has had ample time to learn that he was born into a great family with wide con- 266 Brother John's Kith and Kin 267 nections in both counties, that he is akin to almost every- body who is anybody and "to a lot of other people", he adds with a grin. The Suttle family originally came from England and took its name from the lands of Suthill in Yorkshire, Eng- land. This was a corruption of the word Southill. The Coat of Arms was officially approved in the visitation of Not- tinghamshire in 1614 as having been used by Sir Henry Suthill in the reign of Henry VI. The same visitation shows a branch of the family residing at Erringham in Yorkshire represented by John Suthill, a grandson of Sir Henry Suthill. The first American representative of this family was Isaac Suttle. He came to this country by way of Scotland and was the great-great-great-grandfather of the Rever- end John W. Suttle. He was a Revolutionary War patriot from Virginia, who later settled near Rutherfordton in a community near Broad River. Isaac's son, George, was born at Floyd's Creek in an old brick house built by his father in 1798 to 1800. George Suttle was one of the leading citizens of Ruther- ford County at the beginning of the 19th century and for many years took a leading part in the religious, social, and economic life of that county. He built a house in Sulfur Springs Township which was considered one of the most magnificent structures in the county. It is now one of the oldest houses standing in the county. George died in 1816. His son, Benjamin, married Nancy Baxter and they were the parents of Joseph Suttle, along with fourteen other children. Joseph was the grandfather of the hero of this story, John Suttle. Nancy Baxter's marriage into the Suttle family tied together two of the most productive families of Western North Carolina. The descendants of William Baxter, who came from Ireland to America in 1783, have multiplied into the thousands and have given Piedmont North Caro- lina many of its leading citizens and public servants. His 268 Canaan in Carolina descendants now have spread to almost every state in the Union, but a little study of genealogy shows them to con- tinue to be leaders in all phases of life. William Baxter landed in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1783 and soon afterwards gravitated to Rutherford County where he married Miss Sarah Berryhill of Meck- lenburg County. They built a log cabin not far distant from the rushing waters of Broad River High Shoals and settled down to the honorable job of tilling the soil and rearing a large family. In 1812, Sarah died, and he was married a second time to Miss Katherine Lee of the old Virginia stock of which a great southerner, Robert E. Lee, was a branch. From this marriage came a large part of his family and the intelligence for which the Baxter fam- ily became famous. William was the father of twenty children, and became the owner of many thousands of acres of land in the south- ern part of Rutherford County including the tracts upon which the towns of Henrietta and Caroleen now stand. He died on October 12, 1853, at the age of 93. In addition to Baxters, many families including his lineage, are the Durhams, Suttles, Harrills, Carpenters, Griffins, Blantons, Haynes, and many others. Some of them have become famous as lawyers, doctors, ministers, judges, and governors. Elisha Baxter was twice governor of Arkansas; first, nominated and elected by the Republicans and second, nominated and elected by the Democrats. His explanation was, "I did not please my first constituents because I would not help loot the state treasury. I got the second nomina- tion and election because I agreed to continue this policy." He said his campaign slogan was, lt I believe a man ought to be reasonably honest." Esther McDowell Baxter, daughter of William, married Micajah Durham, a pioneer Rutherford County educator and soldier. Micajah Durham was a man much ahead of his times. He was a great believer in travel as a means of broadening one's education. He rode a horse to New York Brother John's Kith and Kin 269 City on one occasion to hear Jenny Lind, the Swedish nightingale, sing. He also traveled on horseback to the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, to Florida, and other dis- tant points of the country. He represented Rutherford County in the State Convention of 1861. It is said that he made the first secession speech on the steps of the Capitol of the State of North Carolina. He was a volunteer in the War Between the States and lost his life in the Battle of the Wilderness May 6, 1864. He was a cousin of Jefferson Davis, to whom it is said he bore a striking resemblance. Among the best known children of Micajah Durham is the late Plato Durham who practiced law in Shelby and was a captain in the Civil War. He and his men were credited with firing the last shots at Appomatox. He represented Cleveland County in the legislature of 1866 and also in 1868, and was a leading figure in the Constitu- tional Convention of 1868 and 1875. Captain Durham was editor of the Shelby Banner and was always an ardent worker for any cause or movement which was beneficial to North Carolina and his native people. He was instru- mental in gaining many pardons for members of the Ku Klux Klan. He died November 9, 1875. His brother, Columbus Durham, prior to his death a few years ago, was one of the state's most prominent Baptist ministers. George Suttle, John's great-great-grandfather, purchased three tracts of land in Rutherford County totaling ap- proximately 614 acres. Much of this was in cultivation and while in his possession, he cleared more of it and planted it. At one time he owned approximately 50 slaves which necessitated a large area of land in cultivation to maintain them. The fine house he built is now known as the Carpenter house, having been inherited by one of his daughters who married Tennessee Carpenter. His will, found in the ap- 270 Canaan in Carolina pendix of this book, gives an interesting insight into the life and times of early colonial days. George was survived by the following children: William B. Suttle, Joseph Suttle, Benjamin F. Suttle, Elizabeth Suttle, George W. Suttle, John B. Suttle, Sarah Suttle, Susan Suttle, and Nancy Suttle. Elizabeth, the oldest daughter, married William Lewis Griffin in 1820. He was Register of Deeds for eighteen years and was taken from office by the Reconstruction Acts of 1868. Other daughters and granddaughters mar- ried Camps, Kelleys, Baxters, Harrills, Blands, Bostics, Fortunes, and Carpenters. Elder Joseph Suttle was born in 1827 and died in 1861. His home place was about four and one-half miles south- west of Shelby. He was pastor of the Double Springs Bap- tist Church of which Brother John was later to serve as pastor for 37 years. He was present at this church when the Kings Mountain Association was organized in 18 51 and was pastor of the New Bethel Church from 1857 to 18 59, for which he was paid the munificent sum of $49.21 for his services. Elder Suttle was pastor of many other churches in this section and was one of the leading proponents of the idea so common to Missionary Baptists. He believed in Missions as opposed to the Anti-mission ideas of the so-called Hard- shell or Primitive Baptists. In 185 5, he delivered a "classic" Missionary sermon to the Association, which was the an- nual letter. (See Appendix.) He was married in 1846 to Miss Elvira Blanton who had been born in 1828 and died in 1911. She was a daughter of Charles Blanton, the first sheriff of Cleveland County, and a sister of Burwell Blanton who became the father of "Uncle" Charlie Blanton and George Blanton, prominent Shelby bankers. To this union was born Charles Batie Suttle, Sara Suttle, Esther Suttle, and A. B. Suttle. Sara married George Washington Wray; Esther married Dr. Victor McBrayer. A. B. Suttle married Miss Lou Miller. Brother John's Kith and Kin 271 Charles Bade Suttle was born in 1846 and died in 1927. He was married on August 8, 1869 to Esther Jane Wray, who was born in 1851 and died in 1932. An interesting story in connection with the ownership of slaves by Elder Joseph Suttle was that on his farm he had a free born Negro named Andy Johnson. Andy fell in love with a slave girl belonging to J. A. L. Wray and wanted to marry her. Mr. Wray refused. Finally Andy persuaded Elder Joseph Suttle to buy her. Mr. Suttle agreed to do so if Andy would repay him by working for him seven years. The minister paid the sum of $1,100 for the slave girl. As the Civil War broke out, Elder Joseph became very ill. He called Andy to his bedside and asked him to prom- ise that no matter what course events took at the close of the war, he would fulfill the terms of their contract. Andy promised to do so. Although the minister died in the spring of 1861, Andy Johnson remained faithful to his mistress for several years following the war and the Emancipation Proclamation. Andy Johnson was a preacher like his benefactor. He studied the Bible diligently and was able to preach power- ful sermons, swinging his long arms and impressing the congregation with his tall, gaunt six-foot-four frame. Several of his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons became ministers and at least four or five of these very tall Johnson boys are well known itinerant colored preachers in Cleve- land County. The will of Elder Joseph Suttle is interesting and is re- corded in the appendix of this book. A. B. Suttle, known as Ab Suttle, was the only brother of Charles Batie, being Brother John's only uncle on his father's side. He was sheriff of Cleveland County for two terms. Physically he was more like the Blantons, large of stature, with a dominant type of personality, and a very good sheriff. He was sheriff at the time Shelby's chief of police, Ed Hamrick, was killed by a Negro. He was shot at during the fracas. 272 Canaan in Carolina After Elder Joseph Suttle died, his widow, Elvira Blan- ton Suttle, moved to Shelby and occupied a house built by George Wray. She was known as one of Shelby's saintliest and most highly esteemed ladies. The house she lived in was one of Shelby's finest residences at that time. It had double front doors, artistic banisters, gracious porches on a street lined with massive oaks, linden trees with their heart shaped leaves, and flanked on either side by stately elms. Mrs. Suttle spent her declining years with her young- est daughter, Esther, who was the wife of Dr. Victor Mc- Brayer. They were the parents of Mrs. Paul Webb, Mrs. Otis Mull, Mrs. Penry Owens, and Willie McBrayer. Brother John's parents, Charles and Esther Jane, were married at Double Springs where Grandfather Suttle had been pastor. They rode from Shelby to Double Springs on horseback, got married, and then went to church serv- ice. "Going back home was their honeymoon," says John. On their 50th wedding anniversary their son, John, took them back to Double Springs as a part of the celebration of that occasion. Bate Suttle was known for many years as Shelby's "model man". Born December 22, 1846, he became a member of Captain Jim Wells' volunteers for late service in the Civil War. He saw action and several skirmishes with the Yankees in Eastern North Carolina. When the Civil War closed he was in the Greensboro area and was informed by Captain Wells of the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox. The boys were given the privilege of throwing down their arms and getting home the best way they could or of waiting to be paroled. Bate threw down his arms and walked the 180 miles from Greensboro to Shelby, most of the time barefooted and with his clothes in tatters. All the members of his family were eager to greet him, but he motioned them to wait until after he had had a bath at the spring house and put on a new suit of clothes that his mother had made for him. His future wife, Esther Brother John's Kith and Kin 273 Jane Wray, was the first to see him arrive at his own home. She threw her arms around him and gave him a soldier's welcome. Bate was a tall, thin, ascetic looking man, but no weak- ling. He took personal family pride in the fact that he never used tobacco in any form, never took a drink of alcohol, did not even taste Coca-Cola, or cold drinks and was never known to take an oath or use a swear word. In his youth his hair was red but it turned from gray to white as he approached fourscore years. Death came one day in the barber shop where he was about to have some tonsorial work done, although appar- ently he had been enjoying good health. He was reputed to be one of the hardest working men in Shelby, getting up around four o'clock in the morning and working until bedtime. His idea of rest was a change of occupation. If the boys about him got tired from plow- ing or hoeing he would say, "Well, while we rest let's shuck corn for awhile." He joined the church at Double Springs at the age of nine and was baptized by his father, Elder Joseph Suttle. He was a faithful member there but because of his retir- ing ways was not an active leader in church affairs. How- ever, after moving to Shelby he became a deacon in the First Baptist Church where he was a member for 44 years. Bate was a farmer until the year 1884, after which he moved to Shelby and went into the livery stable business with G. W. Wray. They bought and sold mules and horses, rented animals and vehicles for hire. Later he had a gro- cery and meat business with Marion Putnam and from that went into the operation of the first ice plant in the city of Shelby. Numerous glowing tributes were paid to his life and character by ministers, fellow townsmen, and newspapers. The way Bate Suttle and Esther Jane Wray met, court- ed, and married each other was no accident. It might have been a sort of planned accident. Elder Joe Suttle and J. A. L. Wray lived on adjoining 274 Canaan in Carolina farms. Each one owned about 500 acres of rich land on the west side of Broad River. On Sunday afternoons Batie would take his sister, Sara Suttle, for a horseback ride. At the same time, George Wray would take his sister, Esther Jane, for a buggy ride. They would meet "accidentally" at the place planned by the boys beforehand and swap sisters. Things began to happen and they went around together a little more and a little more. Finally Bate mar- ried Esther and George married Sara and both reared large families. Mrs. Suttle, mother of John, was a small boned, slender, good looking brunette with brown eyes, dark hair, and a lovely complexion. She was the daughter of James Alex- ander Linton Wray, the second daughter and third child. An older sister, Priscilla Wray, married James Toms of Rutherford County, who in turn had a daughter who later married the late John R. Dover of Shelby, mother of Charles and Jack, the textile industrialists, and other Dovers. In early life, Mrs. Suttle learned to spin and weave cloth and run the reel for winding the thread. One of her spe- cial jobs was to prepare tallow and later tallow and bees- wax and mold them into eight inch candles. She had a mold with which she could prepare six to eight candles at a time. She was energetic and full of life, had a keen sense of humor, and was an almost untiring worker. She had two other sisters and six brothers. After her marriage to Bate Suttle they bought a farm and moved about ten miles northwest of Shelby into the Union Community. There was no church building there then, but people would come from the surrounding com- munity and spend the week camping. Once in 1871, Esther and Batie kept 26 people overnight. Their house was small and they cooked on the open fireplace and slept on pallets, but since they had plenty of quilts it was no problem to make a nice bed on the floor and the young folks did not mind it at all. In fact, they had a grand time with the boys in one room and the girls in another. Brother John's Kith and Kin 275 The following morning all of the guests would arise early and help the young couple to prepare breakfast, fold up their beds and be off to the Camp Ground in time for a few visits with other friends before the preaching hour. They would have their dinner on long tables constructed around the "church" arbor. In 1873, Bate and Esther moved back to the Sharon Community where he bought a farm near his mother's home place. He built a one room schoolhouse on the place and employed a governess for his family and the children of a few neighbors. John attended Sharon Public School and two sessions at the Blanton school. These schools were taught by the late R. L. Ryburn, well known Shelby attorney. Bate and Esther became the parents of seven children: Joe L. Suttle, Secretary-Treasurer of the Cleveland Build- ing and Loan Association; the Reverend John W. Suttle; Julius A. Suttle, druggist; Mrs. S. A. McMurry, wife of Mayor Sim McMurry; Mrs. Lander F. McBrayer; Mrs. L. P. Holland; and Mrs. Lewis Baley, all of Shelby. Upon her death at the age of 81, Esther Jane was lauded as the model wife of the model man and fit person to be the mother of seven very fine children. She was widely loved by family and friends. Even after the snows of many winters whitened her hair, she enjoyed the companionship of young people and delighted in the gathering of her children and grandchildren. Mrs. Suttle's father, J. A. L. Wray, was the son of Wil- liam Wray. William was a native of Georgia who was born January 7, 1805. He had another son, David W. Wray, born July 5, 1826, who was one of the first pastors of Double Springs. A large family connection still exists in the Carolinas and Georgia. After Bate moved to Sharon he built a house which is now known as the Wesson house. While building the house, he lived at the home of his father, Elder Joe Suttle, which is the original Suttle homestead in Cleveland 276 Canaan in Carolina County. This grand old colonial mansion is now owned by J. L. Suttle, Jr., of Shelby. Little John got to live in a number of houses while he was very young. In 1884, the family moved to Shelby on West Marion Street and occupied a house known as the Elvira Blanton Suttle building which had been built by George Wray. Sometime later the Bate Suttles bought and moved to the Arthur Wray house. After this they went to the grandfather Wray home, known in Shelby as the S. A. McMurry home on West Marion Street, in order to take care of Mrs. Suttle's mother and father in their old age. Here the Suttles lived until John was old enough to go away to school. After marriage, Brother John also lived in other places in Shelby. When he came to be pastor of the Second Bap- tist Church he lived in a house on South LaFayette Street not very far from the church, across the railroad. A little later they moved to a small house closer to town on La- Fayette Street, the lot now being occupied by a gasoline company. In Lawndale, he lived in the old Major Schenck house for eighteen months. From Lawndale he moved back to Shelby and occupied the Wilkins home on West Marion and a little later moved to a home on Grover Street in a house which stands on the present location of the Shelby Hospital. Most of his Shelby years have been spent in a home on North Washington Street at the intersection of North Washington and Sumter. It was at this location that he developed the hobby of raising chickens and keeping the fowls at the back of the house in a lot and hen houses constructed for that purpose. A few years ago he sold this property and moved to 708 West Marion, which home he still occupies and says that this is definitely his last move until he goes on to Glory. Brother John's brothers and sisters married well and all have been influential people in the life of Shelby. His older brother, Joe L. Suttle, married Miss Mae Walker, a city music teacher in 1903, who at the same time was organist Brother John's Kith and Kin 277 at the First Baptist Church. Mrs. Suttle died in 1916. Joe died in 1943 after a long career as a busy financier, churchman, and real estate investor. He was vice-presi- dent of the Union Trust Company for many years and at the same time was Secretary-Treasurer and Director of the Cleveland Building and Loan Association. He had several terms on the city council and finally became mayor of Shelby. Mary Irene Suttle married S. A. McMurry who later became mayor of the city. Louise Wray Suttle married Lewis Baley, a business man. Julius Albert Suttle married Ethel Lineberger. Julius was a pharmacist and established one of the leading drug stores in Shelby. Dovie Elizabeth Suttle married Lander McBrayer, a business man; and Ola Suttle married L. P. Holland, also a Shelby business man. On March 29, 1893, John William Suttle was married to Miss Leila Bertie Lee Pierson, daughter of Andrew Fre- mont Pierson and Ella Barbara Pierson of Atlanta, Georgia. The Piersons at that time were living at Blacksburg, South Carolina, where Mr. Pierson was conductor on the South- ern Railroad. To this union was born Bertie Lee, Charles Batie, Esther Barbara, and Mary Elizabeth Suttle. Bertie Lee was born December 31, 1893 in Shelby while John was still pastor at Blacksburg. Mrs. Suttle came home to be with the elder Suttles for the new arrival. Bertie Lee graduated from the Presbyterian grammar school at Marshall, North Carolina, where she also won a recitation medal. Upon moving to Shelby she was elected president of the Shelby High School graduating class. She attended Oxford College and also the New York School of Music and Arts. She later studied at the Julliard School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. She taught the first grade in the South Shelby School for a number of years and for many years was organist at South Shelby and was organist and choir director at the First Baptist Church. Bertie Lee became the first president of the Ishpening 278 Canaan in Carolina Literary Club of Shelby and was the first secretary of the Shelby Music Club. She was married on June 28, 1919 to Joe Turner Cabi- ness, M.D., in Charlotte, North Carolina. The wedding was performed by one of her father's closest frinds, Dr. L. R. Pruitt. They moved shortly thereafter to Hartford, Connecticut, where Dr. Cabiness was connected with a large insurance company. For many years in Hartford, Bertie Lee has had a lead- ing role in music, Sunday School, church organizations, study clubs, Daughters of the American Revolution, Gar- den Club, League of Women Voters, and other organiza- tions. A student of fine arts, she has developed considerable talent as a portrait artist and has done portraits for her father and mother and a number of the leading residents of Hartford. Her hobby is the collection of old silver. Bertie Lee went with her parents on their odyssey to Stanly and Johnston counties and often went to some of the smaller rural churches for the services. She has never been able to understand how the senior deacon who reported her not bowing her head during the prayer could see her head if his own head was bowed. Her husband, Joseph Turner Cabiness, was born in Shelby on November 12, 1889. He attended the Shelby graded school and later went to Wake Forest College where he received the B.A., M.A., and B.S. degrees and was grad- uated cum laude. He later graduated from Physicians and Surgeons college in New York and interned at the Orange Memorial Hospital. He served as a doctor overseas in World War I. After his marriage to Bertie Lee in 1919, they moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where he became Assistant Medical Director of Travelers Insurance Com- pany. In Hartford, he has been a member of the Asylum Avenue Baptist Church, the Hartford Medical Society, Rotary Club of which he was president in 1942-43 and attended all the meetings of that club for a period of 25 years without missing a single session. He is also a mem- Brother John's Kith and Kin 279 ber of the Windsor Men's Club, the Farmington Country Club, and the University Club. His hobbies are social service, collecting copper lustre and remodeling old colo- nial houses. In semi-retirement he and his wife spend part of their time in Shelby and part of their time in New England. Dr. and Mrs. Cabiness have one son, Joseph Turner Cabiness, Jr., born October 19, 1925 at Hartford, Con- necticut. Another son died in infancy. Joe is a business man in Hartford, Connecticut, having finished Wilbraham Academy and Wake Forest College. He is also a veteran of World War II. In October 1938, Mrs. Cabiness was cited by the Wind- sor Herald for her efforts in seeking to restore the town of Windsor to its original beauty after severe destruction by a hurricane a few days earlier. Mrs. Cabiness' sugges- tion was the widespread planting of evergreen vines to take the place of the glorious elms and maples which had been flattened by the hurricane. A Christmas experience will linger long in the mind of Bertie Lee. When she was a little girl, she was impressed by the fact that her parents on Christmas Eve had brought in some straw and feed and placed it near their stockings and told them on Christmas morning, "Santa Claus stayed here long enough last night to feed his reindeer. See the feed and straw." After she had married and moved away, she and her husband repeated the same incident for her child and some of the neighbors' children and got the same results: a glorious renewal of faith in Santa Claus and the wonderful mystery of Christmas. While visiting his grandfather a few years ago, Joe Jr. and his cousin Bill Erwin put on a benefit circus and cos- tume ball and gave the proceeds, 14 cents in all, to one of his mother's favorite charities. Charles Batie Suttle, John's second child and only son, was born July 25, 1895, while the family was in Albe- marle. He grew up in Shelby and attended school there. 280 Canaan in Carolina He entered service for World War I on August 4, 1918, and was honorably discharged on December 24, 1918, for disability. He was private first class of a medical detach- ment at the base hospital at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina. On his return to Shelby from service, he married Miss Mildred Hamrick but this couple was separated a few years later with no children. On November 9, 1940, he married Miss Ruby DeYoung at Greenville, South Caro- lina. His present residence is Spartanburg, South Caro- lina, where he has been a member of the Baptist Church, President of the Young Men's Bible Class and a member of the American Legion Post. His wife, Ruby, is very prominent in church work. They have two children: a daughter, Diane, born August 8, 1943; and a son, Michael Batie, born September 14, 1945. Unfortunately for a number of years he was estranged from his father and this fact deeply grieved his parents. The separation was about a matter which neither father nor son discussed even among members of the family. However, this breach apparently has been healed and C. B. now visits often in the home and quite often may be seen driving his parents out to one of the rural churches for a visit. He squires them both courteously and carefully and shows a personality which is definitely "Suttle and Pierson all the way". Esther Barbara Suttle, John's third child and second daughter, was born June 10, 1898, at Smithfield, North Carolina. She was graduated from the Shelby High School in 1919 and attended Coker College during 1920-21 where she specialized in Home Economics. On returning home, she became a member of the Shelby Book Club, United Daughters of Confederacy and the Daughters of the American Revolution and did extensive Red Cross work during World War I. She also continued Red Cross work during World War II. She has been a director of Gray Lodge in Hartford, Connecticut. She is a member of the Baptist Church. DlANNE AND MlCHAEL W. J. Erwin, Jr. Joe T. Cabaniss, Jr. Mother and Daughters When Dresses Were Longer (Left to right) Mrs. D. R. Sibley, Mrs. Suttle, Mrs. W. J. Erwin, Sr., and Mrs. J. T. Cabaniss. C. B. Suttle When Collars Were Higher Father Charles Batie Suttle Mother Esther Jane Wray Suttle Brother John's Kith and Kin 281 On November 1, 1922, Esther Barbara married Dudley Richardson Sibley of Hartford, Connecticut, at a wedding in her parents' home in Shelby. They have no children. D. R. Sibley was born December 18, 1894, in Provi- dence, Rhode Island. He was educated in schools there and later attended the Wilbraham Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and then graduated from Brown Univer- sity at Providence, Rhode Island. He is a veteran of World War I, having joined the Army in 1918 as a buck private. Later he was stationed at Fort Slocum, New York; Camp Hancock, Georgia; Camp Dix, New Jersey; and was hon- orably discharged in May, 1919. He has had a brilliant and outstanding career in the insurance business. He became marine underwriter with the Automobile Insurance Company in 1920, and in 1923, was manager of the Inland Marine Department. Since that time he has worked his way upward in the insurance business and is at the present time head of the Automobile Insurance Company and the Standard Fire Insurance Com- pany of Hartford, Connecticut. He is a member of sev- eral clubs in Hartford and has been an active member of the Baptist Church in that city. He is a deacon. His hobby is collecting valuable glass. D. R. has been quite active in local Republican politics in Hartford since 1936. Mary Elizabeth, youngest of the Suttle daughters, was born February 6, 1902, at Smithfield, North Carolina. She was graduated from the Shelby High School as poet of the class and later attended Coker College at Hartsville, South Carolina. During World War I she did Red Cross work and later was head of the blood plasma unit at Ware Shoals, South Carolina. She has been quite active in the Baptist Church. On January 18, 1930, she was married to William James Erwin of Pineville, North Carolina. The wedding was performed by her father, assisted by Dr. Zeno Wall. Mary Elizabeth is also a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Colonial Dames of XVII Century, 282 Canaan in Carolina Daughters of Patriots and Founders of America, Daugh- ters of the American Revolution, and her specialty with the arts is the church organ. She is a charter member of the Contemporary Book Club of Shelby, of which she was the first vice-president. Mary Elizabeth takes an active part in Red Cross work in Danville. In 1932, twin sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Erwin, who had moved to Great Falls, South Carolina. Only one of the sons survived and he was named William James Erwin, Jr. At the age of five, Junior wrote Santa Claus a letter which Grandmother Suttle keeps and treasures very highly. The letter follows: Dear Santa: I want a carpet sweeper, mop, and broom, a side car, a chest of tools, a tricycle and trailer, a large dump truck. A bear on rollers, car with lights and breaks, and I want it to be streamlined. A baby carriage and a large doll, and a bed for the doll. A large elephant, a large dog, a monkey, stove, electric iron. A bear with red legs with a black body and a brown head. Love, Billy Joe P.S. You will find me in Shelby and you might bring me a saxophone and airplane. From composing letters to Santa Claus, Billy Joe has graduated to composing music, at which he is quite an expert. He also studies voice, sings well, collects stamps, and is an artist with a brush and easel. He became an Eagle Scout before going to McCallie School for Boys, where he was graduated. He has just completed a career in the armed forces in Korea. His hobby is music and journalism. Billy Joe is now in school at Chapel Hill, N. C. William James Erwin, husband of Mary Elizabeth, was born on November 18, 1900, in Pineville, North Carolina. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Erwin. His father was a merchant who died when William was only two years old. The family then moved to Fort Mill, South Carolina, when he was four. There he attended grammar Brother John's Kith and Kin 283 school and high school, and was graduated in 1916 at the age of fifteen years. He was graduated from Clemson Col- lege in 1921 with a B.S. degree in textiles. He went to work immediately for Consolidated Textile Corporation in Lynchburg, Virginia, and was made assistant superin- tendent in 1923. He was transferred to Shelby in 1927 as manager of the Ella Division of Consolidated. It was at this time he met Elizabeth Suttle and married her in 1930. In 1929, he became president of Republic Cotton Mills then moved up in important textile circles to be a high official with the J. P. Stevens Company, then with Reigel Textile Corporation, and at the present time is President and Treasurer of the Dan River Mills, Inc., of Danville, Virginia. This mill is known as the largest cotton mill in the world. He is a member and elder of the Presbyterian Church and always takes time to teach a Bible class and be active in Boy Scout work. He is a lieutenant in the Reserve Corps of the Army and also a Rotarian. His hobby is music. These, then, are the immediate forebears and descend- ants of John and Leila Suttle. Members of the Suttle family have always been close to each other and they pride themselves on being what Edgar Guest called a "stick to- gether family". At Christmas, Easter, vacation time or other holiday seasons, all the members of the family like to get together, so they have organized a Suttle Clan to meet once a year. XXV "This I Believe" "All Hail The Power" His eyes were on heaven; The book was in his hand; His back was to the world; His feet were on the ground; Truth was always on his lips. — John Bunyan After preaching approximately 32,000 sermons in three- score and five years, Brother John thinks he knows the ingredients of a good sermon and how long it should take to preach it. Several trunks full of sermon outlines with notes, sug- gestions, illustrations, stories, and other sermon helps, are stacked away in the library, a number of closets, and the attic of the Suttle home. "My sermons have always been expository instead of topical" said Brother John. "I have tried to keep up with current events of the day and keep in touch with all of the happenings to my members, but when it came to preaching I tried to stick close to the Bible and especially close to explaining and expounding the two great general topics of Evangelism and Stewardship. I guess of all of the sermons I have preached, more than half of them have been on these two general subjects. 284 "This I Believe" 285 "I suppose I have preached sermons from every book in the Bible, every chapter in each book, and almost all of the verses. I find it is no trouble to get a sermon from anything, if it is in God's Word." John's theology comes directly from the Bible itself and he makes no apology for his belief of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, from cover to cover. His ability to preach, his choice of subject matter, and how to preach, probably were influenced more by the late Dr. John A. Broadus of Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, than by any other one man. Two incidents which occurred while he was a student in Louisville have impressed John throughout the years. As one of the requirements at the Seminary, all of the students had to preach a fifteen minute sermon to the rest of the class, with Dr. Broadus listening. Brother John chose for his sermon a passage from the fifth chapter of Mark about the man who had been possessed of demons. He related how Jesus had cured the man, cast the demons out, and how the man was made well. He went on with the story, finally finished his sermon, and sat down. "Brother Suttle," said Dr. Broadus. "One thing about that sermon is that you left the poor demon in hell. You did not preach a sermon that led him to Christ. Always lead a man to Jesus who is his Saviour." Another student was preaching his fifteen minute ser- mon to the class and Dr. Broadus, and had for his subject the case of a woman who had lost her family. Being a rich society woman, she had purchased a poodle dog which she took with her to all the parties or wherever she went in the search of happiness. She had abandoned the idea of helping children or of donating to orphanages, but clung to the idea of taking care of the dog. When he got through, he looked at Dr. Broadus for approval. Dr. Broadus merely shrugged his shoulders and as he walked out of the room said, "My boy, you will never make a preacher of the gospel if you preach more poodle dog than you do Jesus." 286 Canaan in Carolina On another occasion while Suttle was a very young preacher, one of the old country preachers from the foot- hills was in a meeting and had asked John to say a few words. John was timid and young and a little reluctant to say anything. The old timer patted him on the back and said, "If you don't know what to say, just brag on Jesus for about fifteen minutes. That'll be sermon enough for my people." John has not made it a habit to preach the same sermon over and over again and of the many thousand appear- ances he has made, he has tried to have a "new" topic and sermon for his people. However, there is one sermon topic taken from John 3:36 which he has preached more times than any other. This verse of Scripture is, "He that be- lieveth on the Son hath eternal life," with the emphasis on "hath". "The Book did not say ivas or can or will or maybe, but states definitely and positively that for him who believes he hath eternal life already. The Christian religion is a present tense religion. This quality makes it very valuable in home life, church life, and in so doing, very clearly outlines the whole duty of the Christian." One of the other great texts which Mr. Suttle has re- peated from time to time, especially in revival services, comes from Deuteronomy 33:27 and says, "The Eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms." "There is so much sin, sorrow, unhappiness, degra- dation, squalor and remorse in the world that someone must tell people that God is love, that He understands, that He sent a Son, and that He is always present; that His arms are underneath to bear up and to keep us, and that they are everlasting arms," he says. "The Wisdom of Winners" is the sermon topic he used twice at Double Springs, having preached it first when he came to the church in 1918 and the second time when he resigned his pastorate in 1954. This text is from Pro- verbs 11:30. "This I Believe" 287 As a rule, John does not use catch phrases to entice his people or to make them think they are going to get some- thing unusual. However, a few titles he has used sound a little catchy such as, "How to be a Grasshopper" from Numbers 13:33. Also, a favorite of the older days was "Gospel Bells" in which he rang a bell and made the music resound over the congregation. Still another was, "Sugar Sticks" and another "I Saw an Angel in the Sun". One of his very best sermons was from a title suggested by the Reverend J. L. Jenkins, called "A Dead-Broke Preacher". On several occasions he ser- monized on "We would see Jesus" which was made famous all over the world by Dr. George W. Truett in 1910. Dr. Phil Elliott, President of Gardner-Webb College, said he was impressed by the fact that Suttle's sermons were always on great themes of faith, love, social responsi- bility, being my brother's keeper, and great stories like the parables. "His philosophy was that we fight evil by pro- claiming righteousness, both in words and in personal life. He made the impression upon me that he would rather feed eagles than to kill snakes." He admits that some of his friends, and other people who are not his friends, think he is extreme in his preach- ing and teaching of stewardship. He has been known for many years as the "Money raisingest Preacher" in the en- tire Association. He likes to tell the story about himself when a few years ago he was in a church talking about stewardship and kept hammering on the idea of people giving more. Finally, one of the deacons approached him and said, "Brother John, you talk so much about money a few of our people don't like you." Brother Suttle replied, "Well, let me tell you right here and now. I have been at this church only three months and find so many of our members so cold and uncoopera- tive, unresponsive, unchristian, and unwilling to give of their time and money to the Lord's work that to be honest 288 Canaan in Carolina with you, I don't like you and I don't believe the Lord does either." The deacon turned away without another word but Mr. Suttle said that he noted with a great deal of interest that this particular deacon began to give $10 more each month than he had ever given before. Abraham has a strong appeal for Mr. Suttle. For the main reasons, that he was a man of faith and followed God's call even when he did not know where he was going. David is another of his favorites, and the Psalms are his favorite sources of reading and taking verses for texts. He thinks it is a good thing for a Christian both to confess his sins and praise the Lord. These are the two features in David's life which made him "a man after God's own heart". In the New Testament the Beatitudes have been the source of many of his favorite texts, along with the Ser- mon on the Mount. Aside from Jesus in the New Testa- ment, Peter is his favorite character. Perhaps John, the beloved disciple, is next and the Apostle Paul third. He is definitely certain that the center of all creation, of all time, of all things, of all men, has been Jesus Christ of Nazareth. His favorite parables are of the Good Samaritan, the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep, and the Lost Prodigal Son. His text for the first sermon he preached over 65 years ago was from Romans, "For the Wages of Sin is Death". His favorite miracle is the restoration of sight to the blind by Jesus, followed closely by the story of the ten lepers of which only one came back to say, "Thank you," and Jesus asked the question, "Where are the nine?" The two favorite books of the New Testament are Matthew and John, although he has taken many texts from Acts. "I have been a man of action. I like action among church members, and naturally one would think I would be interested in the actions of the first Christians. I like Birthday, age 82, at Double Springs. Suttles with two daugh- ters, Elizabeth and Bertie Lee, and Dr. J. T, Cabaniss in back row. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Erwin of Danville, Va. Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Sibley of Hartford, Conn. "This I Believe" 289 champions. I like men who fight for what is right. I like to see a man accept a job and put it over. I even like to tune in on the Lone Ranger because he always fights for the right, always gets his job done, and always wins for the side of Law and Order." John is a strong believer in the local church. He be- lieves that the local church is the final authority so far as churches go in this earth. He does not believe that a hierarchy has a right to rule over Christians in a manner not acceptable to them. He does not believe that the judg- ment of any man alive is infallible be he a preacher, dea- con, bishop, cardinal, or pope. He has always been in favor of the distinctive Baptist doctrines but has never been disagreeable in disagreeing with other denominational views. "I expect to see millions of Methodists, Presbyterians, and other Christians when I get to Heaven." He thinks membership in the average church this day and time is too easy. The lax way in which many churches are organized and run speaks of weakness and if the test of faith came, many churches and church members would not be prepared. The average church member does not realize his church responsibility. "I think about one mem- ber in ten does all he can; fifty per cent do nothing at all and the rest are in the shadowy land in between. They work for a while and then fade out; become enthused and then grow lukewarm or cold," he says. One of the weaknesses of the present church is the lack of visiting. He cited the example of Jesus visiting person- ally; also, of sending out the twelve and later seventy disciples to visit, and mentioned that they went from house to house and person to person telling the Good News. He is impressed with the conception of James about practical religion, but then declares that if we accept James we must accept the Revelation and along with it a great many things through faith. Some of the books that have helped him most to understand the Bible were by Dr. John A. Broadus, Dr. John R. Sampey, Spurgeon's Commen- 290 Canaan in Carolina taries, The American Encyclopedia, all of the study course books published by the Baptist Sunday School Board, and the Bible itself. Mr. Suttle has fourteen Bibles which he has used throughout the years. These Bibles include a preaching Bible presented to him when he was ordained at the age of eighteen. It was too large for him to carry around in his pocket so Mrs. Suttle preserved it. A grandson, Joe Cabiness, Jr., will get it sometime. A student Bible printed in Nebraska in 1907 is very profuse with marginal notes. A New Testament Bible printed in 1912 shows the Acts and the Epistles and Revelation arranged all in parallel form. A self-pronouncing Bible printed in Chicago in 1926 has been used frequently. A King James Version printed in 1901 by the Thomas Nelson Company is sometimes used. A looseleaf Testament printed in Chicago in 1910 was so arranged that Suttle could insert any number of sermons between the leaves of the Bible. He has a red letter Testament printed in 1913. Also, the latest edition of the Oxford Testament is in his library. A large coarse print Bible was presented to him in 1944 by Mrs. Forrest Crowder of Lattimore. A Revised Stand- ard Version, 1952 edition, was presented by his grandson, Joe Cabiness, Jr. Four tiny vest pocket Testaments com- plete his armamentarium. A lady said recently, "You certainly have seen enough and heard enough to satisfy you in your 85 years." John replied, "No, I want to keep on seeing, hearing and feeling and preaching as long as the Lord lets me live." In a speech to the Shelby Kiwanis Club he said recently,* "It is true that we in the ministry witness more than any other group. Tragedy, heartbreak, hilarious incidents, joy, beauty, the gamut of human emotions and experience; and a very interesting race is run before our eyes. Yet, the hardest spots of our lives are often the most interesting." Choice of a sermon has never been too much of a prob- "This I Believe" 291 lem for Brother Suttle because he always kept his ear to the ground so closely that he knew what was going on in the minds of most of his people. He knew what they needed, what they wanted, and what the Lord wanted him to do. However, he said that it's not easy for some of the younger preachers. Sometimes they are so upset about the attitude of their members that he is reminded of a church in which the people had worked themselves into an unde- sirable state of mind. "The members of this church thought they did not want to hear sermons about Missions. They didn't want to listen to a man who preached on giv- ing. They didn't like evangelism, and they did not like current events. Finally, the young minister in that church asked one of his friends what he could preach about to such a people and the good brother replied, 'Preach on the Jews. There's not a Jew in over 200 miles'." The Reverend Oliver C. Price, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Glen Alpine, North Carolina, recalls the fol- lowing Suttle slant on women: "While I was a student at Wake Forest and while he was president of the State Convention, in a message at the Wake Forest Baptist Church he said, 'All some preachers can talk about is lipstick, hairdos, paint, and beauty treat- ments used by women in the churches.' His solution: 'Most of them I've seen need it. Let 'em use it. Let 'em use it! In theology proper, John is as orthodox as the original John the Baptist and is as fundamental as the most ardent fundamentalist who can quote the New Testament ver- batim. He is also modern enough to see eye to eye with the needs of a changing world. He has changed with the times but strove to keep his people grounded in the New Testament. He believes like other Baptists that the basis for all authority to establish a Baptist Church or any church is the New Testament. He believes that the New Testament along with the rest of the Bible is the inspired Word of God. The New Testament is the first authority 292 Canaan in Carolina for faith. Every person is himself competent to approach God directly. For John, a church is "a body of baptized believers who have repented of their sins and have willingly joined the fellowship of other believers in a congregation which is self governed, is democratic and has equal rights for all and special privileges to none, including the minister." He is not confused like some about what Jesus meant in Matthew 16:18 when He said, "Upon this rock I will build my church." He believes the reference is made to the principles outlined in Peter's confession and not to a mortal man around whom an invincible organization would be gathered. "The New Testament is replete with references to the church and to the churches. Some of these bodies of be- lievers were in Jerusalem, some away from Jerusalem. Some had been visited by Peter, some had not. They had one common characteristic. All had believed, and all had been baptized. In addition, they had banded themselves to- gether in a Christian and democratic fellowship sharing and working together. "They had two kinds of officers, pastors and deacons. The pastor or preacher was called of God, was God in- spired, God led, and God directed. He preached and taught the Word and cared for the spiritual needs of the little band of followers. "The deacons cared for the physical needs of the mem- bers by name and nature. They were the pastor's helpers." "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the head of the church," says John. As other Baptists believe, he too, feels that the New Testament is the only necessary creed; that it con- tains all the rules for faith, practice, repentance, salvation, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the way to eternal life. He does not particularly oppose the Apostles' Creed which is quoted so often by members of other denominations, but he is positive that its quotation has nothing to do with salvation or the doing of good works. He does believe in God; not only God the Father, but "This I Believe" 293 God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He believes that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived in this world as a man, was crucified on the cross, later died, and after three days rose again and that he ascended to Heaven to come back at a later date. Like other Baptists he does balk at the use of the term, "Holy Catholic Church" because he believes that a church is any body of baptized believers and in a more inclusive term, all bodies of all baptized believers become the church in a general sense. He believes the church has two ordinances and that they are both ordered, described and outlined in the New Testa- ment. These are Baptism which is total immersion and is restricted to persons who are old enough to believe and profess belief. Another is the Lord's Supper which to Baptists is simply a memorial meal in the memory of Jesus. Both Baptism and the Lord's Supper are local church ordinances. "We must never mistake that these ordinances are anything except local; that local members prepare, unite in, and partake of these ordinances," he says. In inviting Christians to come to the Lord's Supper, Brother John was criticized for many years by a few non- Baptists for practicing what they called "closed com- munion," since usually at the invitation Pastor Suttle would ask that all who came and partook be of the "same faith and order". His explanation, perhaps over-simplified, is that when Baptists hold the Lord's Supper, they do not exclude Meth- odists or Presbyterians, or other Protestants; neither did he necessarily include them. This particular supper is for this particular faith and order in memory of Jesus just as a certain family may hold a memorial service such as a birthday dinner or wedding anniversary celebration for a particular member of the family. Like other Baptists, John also believes that salvation comes first, by God's grace and second, by personal faith in Jesus. He believes in a literal Heaven, a literal Hell, and a real but timeless eternity. However, he quotes many 294 Canaan in Carolina Scriptures to support his belief that many things will be changed. He accepts the physical resurrection of the body, the second coming of Christ, and the last judgment. John Suttle's program of faith and its practical appli- cation in country churches have been so closely tied to the New Testament, that actually he has had little time for many of the theological and theoretical discussions used by many modern ministers. He says the New Testa- ment has stood the test of time and will continue to stand. Brother John is not greatly concerned with Catholic dogma. For him the claim that the pope can make no error, ex cathedra or otherwise, simply is not true. For him it is not true if the Catholics claim that Mary never died but went to Heaven without death. "If these claims were in the Bible and especially in the New Testament, I would believe them," says he. He believes that the pope is a great man. He must be a good man to be able to so successfully control an organi- zation like the Catholic Church, but he believes that "no man, be he priest, prelate, or pope can be infallible." Nor is it necessary for an individual to ask a priest, prelate, or pope to intercede for him to God. A man can go to God in prayer in the pulpit, on the prairie, in the forest or in a far-away land. The prayer of Jesus is a model prayer, but anyone can pray. Prayer books are not necessary; special words are not necessary. One can pray with no spoken words at all. Beads not only are not necessary, but become confusing and becloud the real purpose of prayer. The historical facts and implications of Christ have not been lost upon John. In fact, he studied all these things thoroughly and has dozens of books upon the subjects. He is aware that for many years all Christendom was divided as to whether Christ the Son was the same sub- stance or similar substance as God the Father. He knows that the question was settled, theologically at least, by a council of Christian bishops at Nicea in 325 A.D. He is aware that from the time of Jesus until 325 A.D. Chris- tians in general became Christians by belief and baptism. "This I Believe" 295 From 325 A.D. on for more than one thousand years Christians were in the main only believers in Christ be- cause their rulers, emperors or war lords believed in Christ. Only until after Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany, was the indi- vidual again called upon to examine his conscience to see if he could believe or not believe in a personal Saviour and personal salvation. John has studied all the proposals of the major theo- logians of Christian history, but they have done little to affect him except to inspire him to do his best. He has been as outspoken for his belief as was John Hus or Dominicus Savanarola. But in this day and time martyrs are burned in a different manner. "In the dark ages, Christ's enemies used fire and now our people use indiffer- ence," he says. So far as I know John Suttle never used the word "eschatology" in the pulpit but he knew what it meant and no one has a better conviction than he about what final things will be such as death, resurrection, and eternal life. He very seldom uses the words modernism, or dogma, or teleology, but he knows what those words mean and talks to his people in simple terms and especially in terms used in the New Testament his hearers have read. John has believed faithfully in the doctrine of the sep- aration of church and state outlined by the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and he has continually believed it is much better for Christians to build their own colleges, their own churches, their own charitable institutions, care for their own families and chil- dren with their own earnings without aid from a benevo- lent government. However, he has felt it very foolish for us to allow the whims and notions of a few to completely divorce the teachings of the Bible, the Christian religion, and morals from our education system, especially in our public schools. Along this line he is a great admirer of Benjamin Frank- 296 Canaan in Carolina lin who, though no outstanding church man or evangelist, was enough of a Christian to say in effect to the framers of the constitution in Philadelphia that "if God knows and cares enough about the affairs of men to know when a sparrow falls, it is inconceivable that an empire can be built without Him." John does not believe the time should ever come that the wall of separation between church and state must become so high or so dense that a Christian on one side cannot look through the wall and see on the coin of the realm the inscription, "In God We Trust". He never quoted a prayer prayed by anyone else except Jesus, although he was certainly an admirer of all the ele- ments mentioned in great prayers such as the prayer at- tributed to St. Francis of Assisi. He prayed for peace, for pardon; he asked for light, joy, and hope; he asked that the bereaved be consoled, that material goods be given, that sins be pardoned and that all of us have eternal life, but he put it in his own words in clear, firm, unmistakable sentences that gave his listeners the impression he was talking directly to God and not merely quoting some beautiful phrase from a good man who lived in the forgotten long ago. He is very certain that present day missionary Baptists are the true branch of the Baptist Church, and the logical defenders and extenders of the Christian religion. He says great evidence for this belief is the fact that Southern Baptists have grown so rapidly the past two or three gen- erations. The split came among Baptists about 150 years ago when the Primitive Baptists and the so-called Hardshells and other strictly orthodox Baptists gave Missionary Baptists the opportunity for expansion. This allowed unprogressive and non-Missionary elements to "dry up on the vine" so- to-speak. In his own native county of Cleveland, many years ago Presbyterians were most numerous. They were then super- seded by the Methodists who flourished by numbers. In "This I Believe" 297 the past fifty years Baptists have grown so rapidly they now outnumber all other denominations put together in Cleveland County. Many of his sermons and much of his theology is sum- marized by an unknown author. I asked for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak that I might learn to obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I received nothing I had asked for — all I had hoped for. My prayers were answered. XXVI Brother John's Journey, A Canaan In Carolina "Now the Day is Over." I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the jaith. II Timothy 4:7 Intimations of immortality creep closer each year. The limitations of mortality are thrusting their shadows across his path. John has retired but has not laid down his burden. He was visiting in Boiling Springs upon the dedication of a new parsonage. The Reverend J. L. Jenkins had just retired after 25 years in the ministry and the church had called the Reverend John Farrar. At the dedication serv- ice Brother John said, "You have just let one mighty good preacher go and have got another good young fellow to take his place. You folks are so nice to your preachers here in letting your old preacher stay in the old parsonage and building your new preacher a new house. "Now after John Farrar has worn himself out serving you for fifty years, I want you to call me!" How then shall we measure a man like Brother John? Is his often repeated phrase, "I Am Bound for the Promised 298 Brother John's Journey, a Canaan in Carolina 299 Land" enough? Can one measure a deer on the run, a bird in flight, or a pilgrim on a journey? Has his work been temporary or permanent, or are his inscriptions wide enough and deep enough to remain in the hearts of his people a generation, a century, or a millennium? Who can tell? He has not been strictly a Moses; he has had no Pha- roah's princess to claim him; he killed no Egyptians; he got no Commandments from Sinai; nor did he perform any miracles by throwing his staff on the ground. Like Moses he has been successful at times and a failure at times. Again like Moses he has made mistakes, bitter errors in judgment, steeped in the elements of human frailty. "A few times I struck the rock instead of speaking softly as God commanded," John admits. "Sometimes the water was bitter," he adds. In it all he has been a leader of people through an era of change, through a "wilderness", as it were, of doubt and indecision, of hunger for righteousness and thirst for salvation. As a youth he went to Little Egypt for corn; he was educated in a great seminary, the center of theological learning in the South at the time; he was tested in the desert of struggling churches in isolated rural, malarious Carolina at the turn of the century; if bootleggers could be called Philistines, or if indifference of man to the needs of his brother could be likened to the Midianites, or the vagaries of the weather to the giants of Anak, then Brother John has fought most of the preliminary battles for the Promised Land. Through these battles he led his churches to higher ground in Bible teaching, in stewardship, in evangelism, and in the unfolding and development of Christian per- sonality in the countless thousands who followed him. He has seen the population of his state and county mul- tiplied 1 5 times over, and in his churches he strove to match religious and spiritual growth against secular and 300 Canaan in Carolina political and economic advances in a burgeoning common- wealth. What then are the factors in his life and personality which have made him great, brought him success, the accolades of the multitude, the laurel wreath of the win- ner, the praise of his fellow pastors and the love of all who know him? Wherein has he failed to be a man? What have been his human weaknesses? Has he been patient? Has he been fair? Does he have enemies? If so, does he forgive them? What of the unsaved with whom he pleaded seven times, and seventy times, but perhaps not seventy times seven? Did he always go the second mile and always give the cloak as well as the coat? Answers to all these questions Brother John does not attempt to give. Judgment is referred to a greater Judge and a higher court. He has tried to obey God's laws and commandments and follow the Golden Rule. His Bible does not say what the father must do while waiting for a son to come home. Some who read this book will remain to praise and others will review the story of his life with doubt or even scorn, and say like the old mountaineer who went to the circus and saw for the first time a giraffe, only to blurt out, "There ain't no such animal." Others will say that he is a great man, but that he could not possibly have done what he did, say what he said, or be what he is reported to be. Even the simple statistics of his life are staggering. He is almost 86 years of age, has actively pastored 37 churches, several of them nearly forty years at a time; has been mod- erator of a great Association forty years; president of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention, twice a vice- president; has preached over 30,000 sermons, baptized nearly 10,000 converts into the Kingdom, married 2,000 couples; raised over $1,000,000 in revenue for the King- Brother John's Journey, a Canaan in Carolina 301 dom of God. He collected a salary of $109,352.29 for a lifetime of ministry and service in the two Carolinas. He has sent from his churches approximately forty ordained ministers and hundreds of special workers into full time Christian service. Total membership of his churches at any one time has never exceeded 1,753 (in 1938) but aggregate total memberships of all his churches during the 65 years of his ministry will run into multiple thousands of persons. He did not try to become great. He did not want to be famous. He has done more. He has become a legend. What Daniel Boone is to hunters, what Davy Crockett is to small fry, and what Abe Lincoln is to story-tellers, John Suttle is to Baptists in North Carolina, especially in the counties and churches where he has lived and served. A legend in the land of the living! He is a legend in church building, money raising, common preaching, home- ly philosophy and in the simple religion of country people. Never a strong man physically, the tasks he has accom- plished have been stupendous. Weighing only 95 to 100 pounds and appearing to be frail and ascetic, sometimes sallow and gray, his sinews are of steel, his nerves of plati- num, his will of pig iron, and his heart of pure gold. The hard tasks he did at once; the impossible took a little longer. Perhaps it was inheritance, the characteristics of his Irish, English, and German ancestry, the intelligence and will- fulness of his forefathers, the ideas and idealism of his grandfather, and the dreams of his mother before he was born or while he was in the cradle. He came from a family of stalwart pioneers, rugged individualists who carved a civilization out of the wilderness of Western North Caro- lina. He is akin to the leading families of Cleveland and Rutherford Counties. His relatives sit in the high places and make the laws, hold the reins of government, turn the wheels of industry and commerce. Others follow the 302 Canaan in Carolina plow, work in the home and do the menial tasks of the common man. He may be great because of the heritage in the section where he was born. The settlers came to enjoy religious freedom. They loved and feared God. They built their homes of stout logs with the sweat of their brow and de- fended them with their lives. They chopped out the high- ways, built the schools and churches, raised large families and worshipped their God. They were not ashamed to acknowledge Him or to fall upon their knees and pray to Him in their churches, around their tables, or at the hour of sleep. Frugality, hard work, temperance, and discipline were the rule and not the exception. There were, literally and figuratively, giants in those days. He had the heritage of constitution f ramers, Indian fighters, nation builders, soldiers, and pioneer ministers handed down to him. The life of his forebears had not been easy and he did not expect life to be easy. From the family lines of Suttle, Baxter, Blanton, Ham- rick, Wray, Linton, and Harrill which produced Brother John, also came a corps of political leaders, statesmen, law- yers, physicians, ministers, and public servants scarcely equalled by any other family connection in North Caro- lina. This family sent Elisha Baxter to be governor of Arkansas, two governors to Raleigh, the Bostic family to China for almost 200 years of mission service, two judges to the Federal and Superior Court bench, several congress- men to Washington, and sprinkled Western North Caro- lina with scores of public servants. Intermingled with this family are the Durhams, Dixons, Webbs, Carpenters, Griffins, and Flacks of both Cleveland and Rutherford Counties. "One reason John Suttle has done well is that he is akin to everybody," said one of his friends. No doubt, his environment had a great deal to do with the making of this man. He had a Christian home. He was reared with six brothers and sisters and learned to give and take in the battles of life. He learned that to get a Brother John's Journey, a Canaan in Carolina 303 dollar one should give a dollar's worth of labor. His par- ents and grandparents were gentle folks, educated, cul- tured, refined; yet, hard working, neighborly, Bible read- ing, frontier Christians. By their birth and their family connections, they were able to take him into the best homes and often took him to different churches. Early they created in him a desire to want the best of everything and to be the best of everything. They pro- vided for him the best education of the day, and in addi- tion to that, good books and magazines, and invited into their home learned men and women who could stimulate their children to want to know more. His formal training was average and his family training above the average. He went to the usual grammar school and a military academy but then skipped a college educa- tion and went directly to the Seminary where he studied homiletics, Bible, history, Greek, English, and other related subjects. He did not stay in school long enough to get a doctor's degree; neither did he stop studying after he left school. Personality traits may be one of the big contributing factors to the success of Brother John. "He was as mean as the dickens," said one of his friends who knew him as a boy. That doesn't mean there was any- thing really wrong with him. It was just his way. As a little boy he was full of mischief and curiosity, and would rather play tricks upon somebody than to eat when he was hungry. From these childhood traits he grew to be known as a diplomat, philosopher, optimist, story teller, full of humor, and one who could bring either tears or laughter with his stories. He was practical, very human, progres- sive, interesting, and a natural born leader with genuine character. He was educated in spiritual desire and devel- oped a dedicated sense of mission. Brother John liked the out-of-doors, worked and played with horses and dogs, enjoyed a good hunt, and had a wide interest in everything, but most of all he knew people by their first names and loved them and let them know it. 304 Canaan in Carolina He has the happy faculty of being at home with both high and low, the rich and poor, the educated and unedu- cated; he is a leader without being pompous, wise in the ways of men, but humble as a child. Who can say his genius at organization was not as great as that of Governor O. Max Gardner, though on a smaller scale? O. Max loved him and praised him and envied him, often sought his advice. Also, can one not say that his total contributions compare favorably with those of Gov- ernor Clyde R. Hoey, Author Thomas Dixon, Jr., either of the two Judge Webbs or any of the accepted "great" of Cleveland County, numbered among the living or dead? The impact and impression on many lives testify and say Yes to the question. John correctly interpreted the age in which he lived. He has been able to understand the past, the present, and the future and has tied the three together. When the final story is written, no doubt the judges will say that churches like New Bethel, Double Shoals, Double Springs, and Beaver Dam, and all of the others, had much to do with the molding and making of the final product of Brother John. The elders, deacons, and mem- bers were of the same stock and had the same purpose for their lives. They were faithful, able, and earnest. They bore him up, pushed him to the front and followed his leadership. Like a great army they executed the plans of their general. Without his churches, John Suttle would have been simply another good man. His preaching is simple and his manner direct. By the usual rules of preaching, his grade would be high. He gets perfect audience attention. He is neither prosaic nor dull. He has lifted a vast concourse of preachers, deacons, and visitors literally out of their seats and vaulted them to profound spiritual heights. He can do this with ready wit, sound approach, sound philosophy, convincing logic, siiiiaailililisif i|ii*6iiiSii| 883* ;««©*- Brother John's Journey, a Canaan in Carolina 305 poignant truths, and apt illustrations from his broad expe- rience and practical application. He grew up in the day of the old-time preachers who led their audience to tears by shouting with quavering voices in a sing-song rhythm as they chanted the Scrip- tures, or exhorted to repentance and salvation, or described the heavenly glories of Christian experience. From among those giants of oratory Brother John emerged with a shrill, high-toned voice which was yet un- mistakably clear and plain. For his preaching he received reward often, praise upon praise, the best of which was described by an eight year old boy, "I understand all he said." Unspoiled by praise, he took the honors piled upon him in simple grace. Upon his 60th Anniversary in the min- istry, more than 3,000 friends gathered in the Shelby ball park to pay him honor and to give him a new automobile. Again upon the completion of 65 years in the ministry, 10,000 people crowded into the grandstand of the Cleve- land County Fair to shower him with praise and gifts to be added to the Suttle Memorial Endowment at Gardner- Webb College. These acts of love belie the old saying "A prophet is not without honor save in his own country." Through it all his attitude was: "This is all entirely un- necessary. I enjoy it, of course, but what I have done, I have done simply for my Lord and Master, Jesus." Love for his wife and family have contributed their share to the making of this unique human. There is one incident in his family life he is sure to remember. It was the time they lived in Smithfield and he had to leave for Raleigh. He was in such a hurry after sleeping late that he barely had time to put on a few clothes and catch the train. He left the house with collar and tie in hand and did not take time to say good-bye. In a matter of hours the train wrecked. While it hurtled down the embankment with some passengers being killed 306 Canaan in Carolina and others injured, Brother John said, in that moment when he was flying through the air and the car turned over and over, that he made up his mind in a twinkling: "If I ever get through this horrible nightmare I will never leave home again without telling my wife and children good-bye. "I thought if I had only taken time to say good-bye I would have missed the train and the wreck. If I had been killed it would have been a terrible thing to report to Saint Peter that my wife and children were down at Smithfield, but that I had not had time to say good-bye," he said. First things first has been his passion. Like the old Puritan preacher of John Bunyan's pen, he has his eye upon heaven. His Bible is always in his hand, the world is at his back, the earth is at his feet, and truth is always upon his lips. With this faith he has been able to lengthen the shadows of the great ministers of the past who have gone before him and to extend their shadows in his sons of the ministry who are to take his mantle whenever it falls. Other ingredients which must be mentioned are his good health habits and temperance in all things; punctuality, regularity, methodical and systematic ways. These have required will power and won't power, to coin a phrase. And last, but not least, is a circular letter to a district Association, written by a relative over a century ago, out- lining the simple principles of a New Testament church and demonstrating what a called and dedicated minister must do to lead such a church. (See Appendix.) He is popular but he does not fear unpopularity. He tells people what the Lord wants them to know and what he thinks they ought to do. On one occasion at a small rural church which had promised him $200 for the year's work, he came to the end of twelve months and the sum had not been paid. "I needed the money. I had to buy groceries just like everybody else. I preached about money that day and asked for an explanation, saying that there had been such Brother John's Journey, a Canaan in Carolina 307 an agreement, and lo and behold!, the members of the church came up and put the money on the table. There was not only the $200 that I had been promised but an extra hundred dollars. They had the money in their pock- ets all the time!" John has more time for thinking, now that eight and a half decades of the journey are over. Sometimes in order to do his thinking more clearly, he rides out to one of the rural churches where he and his grandfather used to preach. From a promontory overlooking a small stream he can look in all directions, forward and backward, both in space and time, almost to eternity. Across this pleasant little stream is a green meadow, just beyond some cultivated fields, and farther in the dis- tance a group of purple hills gently lifting themselves to meet the blue sky. This panorama seems to beckon to him with a message, "Brother John, your journey is almost over. Here is your Jordan. Before you is your Promised Land. Cross over and take possession." Wistfully, and with a wishful eye, he surveys the scene and leans forward in expectation, almost takes a step downward to the water's edge. But no! The time is not yet. While waiting for the Lord to name the day and the hour, John can look back- ward over the years and think of the concourse of events and happenings which brought him to his Jordan and his Canaan. Some of his thoughts he puts into words while others flit through his consciousness and conscience in the nature of a prayer, or of a wish, or of desires filled, or of longings still empty and unsatisfied. Were he inclined, he might soliloquize: "I wouldn't change a thing. I am perfectly satisfied with the way God has protected and cared for me and with the marvelous way Jesus has loved me, blessed me, and saved me. The only thing I would change is people, includ- 308 Canaan in Carolina ing myself. I'd try to be a little more understanding, a little more forgiving, a little more like Jesus. "How I wish I could have done more. The time seems so short, my efforts so feeble, my talents so few. "If my life can be likened to a journey to a promised land, and I think it can, then I am so grateful for my Guide and Leader. If I have been a guide and leader, I thank God for my followers, especially for my sons in the ministry and for the few Joshuas, the Calebs, the Gideons and the Deborahs who helped me. "Thank God for the churches. For all the churches I have worked in, and for all the churches everywhere, at home and overseas. I love the churches and their fellow- ship and hope they will grow and expand and multiply until every person in the wide world can hear and bow to the name of Jesus. "I am also thankful to God for my troubles. Everybody has trouble. Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly up- ward. Like the Apostle Paul I have had a deep sorrow, a personal burden in my life. It has bothered me, perplexed me and sorely tried me. It has also strengthened me and increased my faith. I have tried to be a good minister, a good neighbor, a good father, and a good husband. "Of all my trouble, and of all your troubles, too, I can only say that these things we do not understand. We see through a glass darkly, but one day we will see clearly and will understand. We will see as we are seen. We will see all and know all, and will be happy in Jesus. "When I have crossed my Jordan I know I shall see all the saints who have gone before me. My parents and grandparents will be there; my friends will be there; the ones I leave behind will join me in that happy land. All who name the name of Jesus will be reunited there. And I shall know them and greet them. This fact I now know better than anything else in this world." Then lifting his eyes to the far horizon, and with an ear turned slightly to catch the first strains of victorious Brother John's Journey, a Canaan in Carolina 309 celestial music, the man we have known in this story as "Brother John" says with fervor: "Finally, and most of all, thank God for the JOURNEY and for CANAAN." "FOR HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH ETERNAL LIFE." "THE ETERNAL GOD IS MY REFUGE AND UN- DERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS." Appendix 1. Will of George Suttle. 2. Will of Joseph Suttle. 3. Eulogy to Joseph Suttle. 4. Early Baptist Pioneers. 5. Circular letter to Kings Mountain Association, 185 5. WILL OF GEORGE SUTTLE "In the Name of God, Amen! "I, George Suttle, of the county of Rutherford, being at present very sick and weak of body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks to Almighty God, calling to mind the mortality of my body, knowing that it is appointed for all men to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, revoking all others heretofore made by me. "First, principally, I resign my soul to God who gave it, trusting in His eternal goodness. My body I commit to the earth to be buried decently at the discretion of my executors, and as to the worldly goods that it has pleased God to bless me with in this life I give and dispose of in the following manner: "First, my will is that all of my just debts be paid. "Secondly, I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife, Nancy Suttle, Dassa, a negro woman, Frank and Matilda her two children; also Ned, a negro boy, to be by her held, and enjoyed in her own right during his natural life, and after her decease the said Negroes with their increase, if any, to be equally divided among my children. My will further is that all my livestock of every description that I shall die possessed, shall be and remain in the possession of my wife to be used toward the support of my family during their minority and for the benefit of the whole during their continuance together, unless in the opinion of my wife and my executors there is or should be more than necessary for their support, then and in that case I would advise or rather my will is that the surplus be disposed of to the best advantage and equally divided among my children. Further, as respecting my household furniture and implements of husbandry and working tools of every description, including the whole of my personal estate (not other- wise disposed of) my will is that it be and remain in the possession of my wife to be used for the support and maintenance of my chil- dren during their minority or continuance together. And further, 310 Appendix 311 my will is if any of my sons or daughters, after arriving at full age, should marry or separate themselves from the family that then and in that case that each of my children shall receive a bed and furniture of value or any other article that in the opinion of my said wife and executors can be spared out of the common stock and they dispose of to be accounted for in their distributive share. "Further, my will is that the residue of my Negroes, vis: Winny, Violet, Ben, Lewis, Jacob, Jack, Jerry, Jenny, Harry, Harriett, Suckey, Celia, Davie, Lucy, and their increase, if any, shall at the expiration of three years and six months from date, which shall be the first day of August 1819, be valued by five judicious men of good repute, who is to be nominated by the county court of Rutherford at the July term immediately preceding the aforesaid day of August, and providing the whole of them does not attend on the day of days set apart for the purpose that those who of that number do attend shall supply the number absent by the men of their own choice, having respect to their character as aforesaid — that the real value they ascertained of my said Negroes shall be divided into lot agreeable to the number of my children, to wit: William Byars Suttle, Sarah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Benjamin, Nancy, George, Susannah and John Suttle — that in apportioning the said lots care shall be taken to make each lot as equal as possible, con- sistent with justice and humanity, which said lottery shall be con- ducted in an open and fair manner in the presence of said com- missioners and my executors — that immediately on the aforesaid division taking place, those of my children who are of full age will be entitled to their distribution share of said Negroes agreeable to said agreement, liable to the demand of the legaties if there should be any excess in those to be divided, and to be accounted for in the manner that my executors shall deem most advisable, and for these my will is that until the expiration of the term aforesaid my Negroes shall be continued in the possession of my wife and employed for the benefit of the whole in providing what is neces- sary for their subsistence. "And further, my will is that my said wife remain in possession of the whole of my buildings, orchard, land, instruments and im- provements that I died possessed of to be used and cultivated dur- ing her natural life for the support of herself and such of my children as shall continue to live with her and under her care and as respects that portion of my estate that shall fall to the lot of my children who are under age, particularly three Negroes. I leave it with my dear wife and my executors to manage according to their discretion in hiring or employing it on the premises toward the maintenance of the family, and further and finally my will is that after the death of my said wife that the whole of my lands 312 Canaan in Carolina with all the appurtainences thereto with every other species of my property of whatsoever description not otherwise disposed of shall be sold in an open and fair manner, and equally divided among my children, so as to make the whole of their distribution shares equal, and in order that this my last will, be duly executed I nomi- nate and appoint my loving and dutiful son William B. Suttle, and my trusty friends William McKinney and George McKinney to be sole executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this first day of February, 1816. George Suttle Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of us the sub- scribing witnesses. Johanathan Hampton A. Miller WILL OF JOSEPH SUTTLE RECORD OF WILLS JUNE, SEPIONS 1861 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CLEVELAND COUNTY Know all men by these present that I, Joseph Suttle, of the aforesaid county and state being in sound state of mind, but labor- ing under the afflicting hand of Almighty God and feeling that my time may be short on this earth, I therefore make this my last will and testament. Art. 1st — I give my body to its kindred dust and my soul to God who gave it. Art. 2nd — I order that my funeral expenses and all my honest debts be paid. Art. 3rd — I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Elizabeth Elvira Suttle all my personal and real estate to hold and keep during her natural life or widowhood but should she marry, I then order that two thirds of all my property above mentioned be sold and equally distributed among my children at each coming to the age of 21 years, and that the remaining third be given to my wife to keep and hold forever. Art. 4th — I order and will all the moneys due me be collected and appropriated to the payment of my debts, if they should fall short of paying these debts I order the Appendix 313 remainder of a tract of land in Rutherford County known as the Mill Tract to be sold and used to pay the remainder of my debts. Should there be money left on hand after all my debts be paid, I order that it be given to my wife for her own benefit and the benefit of my children. Art. 5th — I order and appoint my wife, Elizabeth E. Suttle, Executrix and John Blanton Executor to this my last will and testament whereunto I have set my hand and seal in the presence of Elijah Eskridge J. A. L. Wray This 24th day of May, 1861 Joseph Suttle (SEAL) EULOGY TO JOSEPH SUTTLE Messrs. Editors: — How brief and uncertain is life? Truly it is a vapor that appeareth for a little while and then vanishes away! To the brevity and uncertainy of life all are to the record. Hence in the mysterious dispensation of God's providence it becomes my sad duty to notice the death of our much esteemed and beloved brother, Elder Joseph Suttle: he departed this life on the 26th day of May, 1861. In his death the community has lost one of its brightest orna- ments and noblest characters. It is indeed with grief that we have to record the loss which the Baptist church has sustained in the early departure of this good and noble man. No one did more for the promotion of Christ's Kingdom, none would have done more for its success. It lay near his devoted heart while he was among us, and is perhaps an object of deep interest and solicitude to him in the mansions of eternal bliss. Brother Suttle was born in Rutherford County on the 25th of April 1827 and was baptized into the fellowship of the Baptist Church at Concord in 1845. Feeling himself called of God to the great and responsible work of this gospel ministry, he was ordained to preach in 1849 in which capacity he labored most efficiently up to the time of his death for it was in the strength of years and in the midst of his great usefulness that it was said, "The Master calleth for thee." That summons he, like the great apostle of the Gentiles, obeyed; not with grief but with joy feeling that for him to live was Christ but to die was gain. He, like a soldier, fell at his post with sword in hand. He has been the pastor at Double Springs for twelve years (with the 314 Canaan in Carolina exception of one year) and we feel assured that his labors at that place have been abundantly blessed; and the church, in his death, has sustained a loss not easily repaired. Although he had but little education, he displayed talents of the highest order and preached the Gospel of Christ with an ability rarely equalled. His holy life well illustrated the doctrine of regeneration which was his zeal for the cause of Christ and knowledge of the Bible that those who engaged with him on religious topics always re- ceived appropriate religious instruction. But why speak more of the virtues of this great and noble man? For it is difficult to convey a correct idea of his worth and merit to strangers! We presume it is already known and appreciated by all who wish to do him justice. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Brother Suttle has left a truly devoted and affectionate wife, four lovely and interesting children and a large circle of friends to mourn his irreparable death. But they sorrow not without hope, for their mourning is rendered joyful by the bright anticipation of meeting him where parting is unknown. A day or two before his death, he called his devoted wife and children to his bedside and imparted to them that counsel and instruction which a pious Christian husband and father is capable of giving. May the consolation of the ever blessed gospel calm all the troubles of our bereaved sister and teach her sweetly to submit to her Heavenly Father who doeth all things well and does not will- ingly afflict those who love him; and may the dear children of our deceased brother imitate the example of their loving father and become flowers of the blessed Redeemer that they may be prepared to meet Him in that happy land where no parting tears are ever shed. And now my dear sister, be assured that you have the sympathy of many warm hearts and permit me to say that I have no doubt but lost loved one is reaping his reward in heaven; and that the God of Elijah will assist you in raising your fatherless children. May the Lord bless you and yours. — J. H. Yarboro EARLY BAPTIST PIONEERS Elder Drury Dobbins was born April 7, 1776, in York County, South Carolina. Mr. Dobbins did not have any formal education except for the old field school curriculum. He was for a time an active deacon in the church at State Line. Mr. Dobbins entered Appendix 315 the ministry at the age of twenty. Along with being so young, he was handicapped by not having a real knowledge of the English grammar. This did not block the way for him because with the help of the Holy Spirit, he realized he was not defeated. Elder Dobbins was very firm and frank in all his beliefs. His theology was based on the New Testament from which he proved many arguments and debates among his members. Mr. Dobbins had been accused of opposing missions and education, but this was not a true statement. However, he did say that he did not agree with the idea of educating a young man with the hopes of making a minister out of him. "Ministers are called of God and not made by men," he said. Elder Dobbins was about 5'10" tall, weighed 200 pounds, had black hair and eyes. He died May 19, 1847. Elder Josiah Durham was born April 6, 1801, in Rutherford County, North Carolina. At the age of 28 he joined the Sandy Run Baptist Church under the pastoral care of Elder Drury Dobbins. In 1835, Josiah was licensed by this church to go out and preach, and in 1839, he was ordained into the full work of a minister. Mr. Durham died August 2, 1840. Although his time on this earth was short, he was considered a very acceptable minister of the Gospel. Elder Columbus Durham was born April 28, 1844, in Rutherford County, North Carolina. He became a member of the High Shoals Church in the Kings Mountain Association. Soon afterward he had to serve his country in the Confederate States Army but his Christian character even found its place there. Columbus was blessed countless times by conducting prayer meetings among the servicemen. After his discharge from the army, Mr. Durham en- rolled at Wake Forest College and was graduated in 1871. Elder John Swilliving Ezell was born January 29, 1825, in Spar- tanburg County, South Carolina. He was licensed to preach in 1841 by the Buck Creek Baptist Church. Later Elder John moved into the Broad River Association of North Carolina and was chosen to be Moderator in 1873-74. Education for this man was not a reality as far as a formal edu- cation was concerned. He made the statement, "In my school days I never saw an English grammar. When I married I could not read a chapter in the New Testament correctly; my wife aided me greatly in learning to read." Elder Landrum Cicero Ezell was born May 16, 1843, in Spar- tanburg County, South Carolina. He was baptized by his father, 316 Canaan in Carolina Elder John S. Ezell, and licensed to preach by the Macedonia Church. Unlike his father, Elder L. C. was a scholar in English and engaged himself in teaching school. At the time of his ordination, Brother Ezell belonged to a church in Shelby but later went back to the Spartanburg body and became Moderator of the Association. Elder Pleasant Daniel Gold was born March 25, 1833, in Cleve- land County, North Carolina. At twenty years of age he joined Double Springs Baptist Church and was baptized by Elder Joseph Suttle. Mr. Gold was married to Miss Julia Pipkins of Goldsboro, North Carolina, by Elder N. B. Cobb. Elder Gold states, "that a few years after this I was very much exercised about my own condition and afterward became convinced that salvation is of the Lord Jesus who is the righteousness of His people. I also was for years much exercised concerning the doctrine and practices of the Missionary Baptists and becoming convinced that they did not hold the doc- trine of God our Savior, and had also departed from the ancient landmarks in accepting so many institutions of men, my mind was irresistibly led to the Primitive Baptists. "I united with them and was baptized by Elder C. B. Hassell at Kehukee Church, Halifax County, North Carolina, on the second Sunday in March, 1870, since which time I have been with them, and having obtained mercy of the Lord, I continue to this present." Elder George Pinckney Hamrick was born August 23, 1849, in Cleveland County, North Carolina. He joined the Boiling Springs Baptist Church in August 1863, and was licensed to preach in 1874 after which he entered college at Wake Forest. He was a good pastor, very acceptable preacher, a good worker and endeavored to carry out Missions, Sunday School work and all phases of the Church program. This statement has been made of Elder Hamrick: "His style of preaching is argumentative and persuasive, mixed with much ten- derness and melting pathos." Elder Berryman Hicks was born July 1, 1778, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Mr. Hicks was generally attractive in appearance, being above the ordinary height and weighing from. 250 to 300 pounds. His hair was dark and his eyes hazel. In 1800 he became a member of the State Line Church and attended ses- sions of the Broad River Association in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Elder Hicks was ordained to preach in 1808 and went Appendix 317 about preaching the Gospel everywhere. He and Elder Drury Dobbins worked much together. "Elder Hicks was a great revivalist, and by his persuasive, tender and pathetic manner, he, through divine grace, accomplished much apparent good in building up a religious interest which at that time was in a drooping and depressed condition." Along with being a great preacher, Mr. Hicks exercised his abili- ties in science and literature. He was a good orator and wrote some poetry. Elder Wade Hill was born July 21, 1813, in Rutherford County, North Carolina. He was a self-educated man and became a preach- er with few equals. As Brother Suttle, Mr. Hill's heart was strongly enlisted in all the benevolent works of our Convention and Asso- ciation. After his death in 1878, these resolutions were made by the Green River Association: Resolved — 1. That we deeply sympathize with the bereaved family who have sustained the loss of such a husband and father. 2. That we sympathize with our sister, the Green River Association in the loss of such an excellent minister. 3. That we pray God may, in the abundance of His good- ness and plentitude of His mercies, grant that these sad afflictions may work out for us a far more exceed- ing and eternal weight of glory. Elder Hill was six feet tall, weighed 200 pounds, and had dark hair and eyes. He was one of the most dignified looking men around. Everyone, stranger or not, paid attention to him whenever he spoke. Elder Jacob Asbury Hoyle was born March 21, 1850, in Burke County, North Carolina. His parents moved to Cleveland County when young Hoyle was only two years old. His father was a school teacher and Jacob took advantage of going to school. When he was 19, Jacob married Miss Ellen Crowder and later moved to Gaston County where he lived near Cherryville. He was converted under Rev. A. C. Irvin and was licensed to preach in March 1881. He did Missionary work in the Kings Mountain Asso- ciation. Elder James Milton Webb was born October 7, 1802, in Ruther- ford County, North Carolina. He was licensed to preach in 1834 318 Canaan in Carolina by High Shoals Church and later became clerk of the Broad River Association. He was appointed to preach the introductory sermon in 1837. After the Broad River Association split to form a second Association, Mr. Webb became Moderator of the New Green River Association. Before he entered the ministry, Mr. Webb served several times in the legislature of the state. He also was elected clerk of the Superior Court which office he held for sixteen years. Being married twice, Mr. Webb had sixteen children of which only one became a minister. All of them professed religion. Elder Webb died April 24, 1854. CIRCULAR LETTER, 185 5 The King's Mountain Baptist Association, to the Churches in Union — Greeting: Dear Brethren: — According to an appointment of last Associa- tion, we address you upon the subject of Missions. In entering upon the discussion of the subject, we would implore the assistance and direction of that Spirit which guides in the way of all truth. The subject of Missions is one of vast importance and vital interest. It would fill an angel's hand or a Savior's heart. This subject ought to interest every Christian, for by this means, the nations of the earth are to be given to the Son as an inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession. Therefore let us love and esteem it, and especially because our suffering Savior was himself a missionary, and says, "this is the way, walk ye in it." Christ was the embodiment and living illustration of divine goodness. The whole history of His earthly career may be compre- hended in a single sentence. "He went about doing good." For this, He came into the world. For this, He lived, suffered and at last died on the cross. He brought all the resources of His God- head and the office of His Sonship to carry on the great work of doing good. He became poor that we, through His poverty, might become rich. He took of the things of the Father and showed them unto us. He cared not for comfort, human rank nor honor. He strove not for a crown nor a kingdom of this world. His ambition (if we may so speak) was only to do good. To accomplish His mission He took a place among the most humble, and carefully ministered to the wants of all. Every line is an emblem of benevolence. Go with us to the garden, dear brethren, Appendix 319 behold the Savior in the stillness of the night giving vent to the agonizing emotions of His soul! He is bowed to the ground, and as the load of excruciating agony weighs upon Him, O! what grief and sorrow! See the bloody sweat falling to the ground. Why all this? For the good of man. Behold Him in the judgment hall, suffering abuse and in Calvary. He is there nailed to the wood. Thus He bleeds and dies! Why all this intense suffering? To do good unto men. Yes, says the opposer of missions, that is the kind of missionary we want, that will do all the good he can and have nothing for it. But this character should remember that, although the Savior was able to multiply the few loaves and fishes to feed a host in the wilderness, and could fast forty days and forty nights, yet He made it the duty of the people to minister unto Him, and they did so. "And Joana and Susanna and many others ministered unto Him of their substance" (Luke vii:3). Just so He would have His people act toward His ministers, in this and every other age of the world. Although He could feed them, as they did Elijah, yet He says His ministers shall not go at warfare at his own expense but they that preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel. Notwithstanding the Savior was a great blessing to the world, while He was upon earth, yet He says, it is needful for the world "that I go away." So in the absence of the Savior, the great work of diffusing abroad the light of eternal truth, was committed to the church. This church is that kingdom, that shall break in pieces all other kingdoms of the earth, and shall stand forever as a monu- ment to the glory of its author. This glorious kingdom is the light of the world; it is the instrumentality, by means of which, the world is to be regenerated and saved. This heavenly kingdom of holiness and love, is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. To this church has been committed a sacred treasure. It is the truth as it is in Jesus. This truth has been com- mitted to the church, and it is able to save the soul, being the eternal truth of God, and it is the duty of the church to sustain, preserve and promulgate it in the world. How energetic then ought the church to be in the cause of missions! Founded herself, on the rock of eternal ages, she is destined to be the means of upholding the truth in the world. She has received, that she may impart it to others. Her mission is a mission of mercy to the lost sons and daughters of men. But, we regret to say, that she does not exert that influence and power to save a sinking world, that she ought. There are several things that clog the wheels of Zion, and weaken her power which tend to retard her progress in the conversion of the world, one of 320 Canaan in Carolina which we shall notice: Division of Sentiment. This is one great obstacle to the onward march of Zion, especially in regard to the nature of her mission. While some are trying to push on the car of salvation they meet with a great deal of opposition, even from their brethren, by reason of conflicting views; owing to this cause she has lost that simplicity, peace and unity which her dying Savior prayed might be hers forever; and while the world He came to save is going down to death, she is wasting her time and strength in mutual broils and controversies about the nature of her mission, which she ought long ago to have known. And what is the cause of all this division of sentiment with its ruinous train of conse- quences? The history of the past eighteen hundred years attests the truth that it is, in consequence of partiality, prejudice, educa- tion or tradition; for the first breathings of a newly-converted soul is, that God's kingdom might come, and over all prevail, which would continue to be the case, if the judgment was not warped by some of the things above mentioned. Oh! would she but emerge from under the clouds of ignorance in which she is involved, and shake herself from every clog, and execute her mission more fully! How mighty would be her energies in the subjugation of the world, and how like the voice of God would her voice be sounded through the abodes of unbelief and sin! But instead of these, many, it seems, would lock the wheels of salvation, and impede the progress of the angel that flies in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto men; and instead of converting the world to God, we fear they have become themselves partially converted to the world. O! would the church but arise above the dim and murky atmosphere of earth and lay hold with a deathless grasp upon the immutable promises of God! what a revolution would be wrought in her feelings and views! and how bright would be that light which she would scatter throughout the world! for the church is destined to be the great fountain of light to a guilty world — the reservoir from which is to flow forth the streams of salvation to a perishing world! Her mission will not be accomplished until every nation on earth shall acknowledge the Lord and be made the recipients of that truth which she was commissioned to preach, — not until the heathen shall be given to the Son as an inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession. The church is said to look forth as the morning sun that illumi- nates the earth, rises higher and higher, scattering the shades of night and lighting up this dark earth until every valley and remote candle of the church was lit up more than eighteen hundred years ago, and has been looking forth, from that time down to the pres- Appendix 321 ent. Though for eighteen centuries she has been buffeted by the waves of persecution and by false brethren, and though the light- nings have played around her, and clouds and darkness have involved her, yet her course is onward — still she glides along, spreading wider and wider the light of eternal Truth — being guided by the light of the past and the infallible Word of God; but let us look down through the vista of the future, that we may learn the future triumphs of the church: here a glorious prospect lies before us. The effects she has already wrought are but the presage of her future triumphs; yet she can not triumph without a conflict. Then let every Christian pray, let the conflict come — we will not remain idle spectators of the scene; we will enter the field of battle under the blood-stained banner of the cross; we will raise the Son of righteousness higher and higher until every valley and dark corner of the earth is lit up by His rays, and His glory shall cover the earth as the waters cover the basin of the great deep. Then, dear brethren, we should look abroad and see that dark- ness yet covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. Look over the briny deep, and there behold mothers sacrificing their children to appease the wrath of their deities, made with their own hands! and where is the Christian that is not willing to lend a helping hand to rescue innocent babes from being crushed before the wheels of the great car of juggernaut? That Christian ought not to be found on the face of the earth. We remember once asking an anti-missionary if one of his chil- dren was carried to a heathen land and left in that dark and benighted country, if he would be willing that some missionary should be sent to preach the Gospel to that child, and the only answer he gave us was, "that alters the case." Now, we awfully fear this is the case with too many. Because the heathen are not their children, according to the flesh, they are concerned but little about them. How much more praiseworthy and Christian-like the conduct of a noble-hearted lady in one of the great cities of the Union, when she discovered a frightened horse running away with a vehicle, and a little child therein, she became so distressed as to immediately run out into the street and cry aloud for some efforts to be made to save the child! her daughter at the same time rebuk- ing her and telling her that "it was not her child!" "I know it" she replied, "but it is someone's child." Let us rather act the part of this good, tender-hearted lady, and let us also act the Good Samaritan — not pass by our fellow -creatures in distress or in a perishing condition and have no compassion on them. Let us also act the part of the little maid that was taken captive by the Assyrians out of the land of Israel, who waited on Naaman's wife, 322 Canaan in Carolina who said: "Would to God that my Master was with the prophet in Samaria, for he would recover him of his leprosy." We should not only be missionaries in word, but in deed and in truth, for when it was necessary that the house of the Lord should be built at Jerusalem, (Ezra 1:5) "there rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites, with all them whose spirit God has raised to go up to build the house of the Lord; and all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, and with goods, with beasts, and with many precious things." Shall we be less char- itable and willing to strengthen the hands of the men of God, who are going to and fro in the earth, to establish the house of the Lord in all the world, by giving our substance to send the Bible, and the man of God to the heathens, who have never heard of God, that they might call on Him and be saved? Another example, when the demoniac of Gadara was brought to his right mind, (Mark v. 19, 2) Jesus said unto him, "Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord has done for thee," and he departed and began to publish in Decapolis, how great things Jesus had done for him and all men did marvel." Ought not we as Christians to do the same, and if some of us can- not publish the truth abroad we can support those that can, and we must do it if we do our duty. Another example, (Luke 11:17) When the angels of the Lord had informed the shepherds that a Savior was born in Bethlehem, the shepherds immediately made known abroad the sayings that was told them concerning the Child. And cannot we, dear breth- ren, make known abroad, that Jesus is not only born into the world, but that He has suffered, died, and rose again for the justification of all that believe on Him. This we can do by loosing the hands of our ministers, while we say with the poet: "Go messengers of peace and love, To sinners plunged in shades of night, Like Gabriel sent from fields above, Be yours to shed celestial light." And let it be in deed, as well as word, for there are many that say and do not. Another example, and this ought to shame many called Chris- tians, who have rendered so little to the Lord for all his benefits. (Luke xvii. 15-18) "When Jesus had healed ten lepers, and one of them when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God, and Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed, and where are the nine?" Is it possible that nine Christians out of ten just sit down and never glorify God Appendix 323 in carrying out that great commission, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature?" "Go ye therefore and teach all nations." But perhaps the nine says, this command is only to the tenth to-wit: the minister, and we are exempt. Let them take notice when the Savior ascended on high as the captain of our salvation, He gave gifts unto men, and doubtless some of these gifts were the ministry of the cross, and they are servants of the church, and are to obey her Gospel calls and orders. They are represented as the servants of the church, serving the church as an ox serves his owner. Suppose A was to bid your servant to come and labor in his farm, and at the same time had no power or authority to say to you to send him, what would it avail? Then, you see, dear brethren, that the command is to both, it is to the minister to go, and to the church at the same time to send him. And if the minister refuses to go, he should remember that "woe is me if I preach not the Gospel"; and if the church refuse to send and enable him to go, she should remember that it is written "woe unto them that are at ease in Zion." We should be willing at least to devote some of our substance and time to the Lord, but this is very hard for some to do, and they will contend that it is not their duty. But what says the law and the testimony? (I Chron. xxix. 4-6) In the building of the temple David shows his liberality and says that he had given even three thousand talents of silver, and then says, who then is willing to consecrate his services this day to the Lord? Then, dear breth- ren, the church of Christ is to be built up in all the world; and if it required gold and silver in the days of David, to carry on the work of the Lord, why not now? Do we suppose the Lord has lowered His demands in consequence of the covetousness of His people? Not in the least; but to the contrary He has raised them, for where much is given much is required. As our property in- creases; for we are sure our obligation to throw into the treasury of the Lord increases; for we are commanded to give according to what we have. Then how hardly shall the rich enter into the King- dom of Heaven, whom God has blessed with a great deal of the goods of the world? And yet they will shut up their bowels of compassion toward the brethren that are perishing for the bread of life. And "The poor, the object of God's love, Who want and famine dread." (Eccl. xx. 1) Solomon, in giving directions for charity, says "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days." "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, for thou knowest not that scatter eth yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more 324 Canaan in Carolina than is meet, and tendeth to poverty." "The liberal soul shall be made fat." The Savior was careful in His day to notice the liberal soul — so much so that He stood over against the Treasury, and He saw the rich man casting in much, and also the poor widow cast in her two mites, and He said that she had cast in more than they all. And the Savior commands His people to sell what they have and give. This was His advice to that young man that wished to know what good thing he must do, yet he refused to do it. Just so it is with many called Christians in this our day and time; if the ministers of Christ tell them that they ought to give to the missionary cause, they go away offended, like that young man; but, my dear brethren, it is our duty to send the Word of God far and wide. How few Christians in this day and time are willing to act the part of the primitive Christians, who sold their possessions and goods and parted them as every man had need. "Neither was there any that lacked; for as many as were possessors of houses or lands, sold them and distribution was made unto every man according as they had need." Some churches will say they are willing to pay for their own preaching, but they are unwilling to support a minister to go and preach to others; but the Apostle says to the Corinthians that he robbed other churches to do them service; i.e., other churches sup- ported him when he was preaching to them, when they ought to have done it — and the reason was the Corinthians had not yet learned their duty. We that know our duty should be willing to send them ministers, that they may learn their duty. "But," some will say, "charity should commence at home." Well then, be sure that you do not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out your corn. We are sorry to say that there are churches that do not do their duty in this respect; such churches ought to be afraid that the cries of the children of those ministers who have went a war- faring at their own expense and fed the flock and did not eat of the milk thereof, and stood at the altar and labored day and night, and was not made partakers of the things of the altar, will rise up against them and condemn them, when they are waiting to hear that welcome applause. "Well done, good and faithful servant." There is one thought that should stimulate every Baptist to action; that is — God has kept us, as a people, distinct from all other societies in the world. What society but this could have subsisted amidst the mutations of a hating world? Where are now the mighty empires of antiquity? They are but an empty name — live only in history, crushed by bloody wars. But the church of Christ, though she has undergone many revolutions, remains and will remain Appendix 325 when the consumption determined by the Lord of hosts shall come upon all the earth. Therefore, dear brethren, we ought to look around us and say not, "There are four months and then cometh harvest; for behold the fields are white already to harvest." We should remember that thousands of the human family are perishing for want of the bread of life, every day that we live in the world; therefore let us up and be doing while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work. Let us look through the telescope of love, over all the earth where the Gospel has not been preached, and see the ignorance, darkness, superstition, idolatry, cruelty, and perishing condition of man! and will not that zeal for salvation of a sinking world become like fire shut up in the bones? And may the cry be extorted from the bosom of every Christian, "Oh! that my head were waters and my eyes were a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night" for the perishing condition of man! And may Zion awake and arise, and shake herself from every clog, and travel in her strength until many sons and daughters shall be born of God on the heathen shores! It seems unnecessary to prove that the heathen cannot be saved without the Gospel; for it is so plain it needs no proof. Yet we will cite your attention to a few Scripture texts: The Apostle says "that it has pleased the Lord, through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." And again, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." And again, "He that comes to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Again, "How can they believe on Him of whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without a preacher?" The Eunuch, with the Scriptures in his hand, says: "How can I understand them, except some man guide me?" How, then, can the heathen believe, without the assist- ance of the Bible and teachers? It is perfect nonsense to talk of belief in a thing never heard of. Then if the heathen are saved it must be upon some unknown plan different from that of the Gospel, yet we read of but one cistern being hewn out, and but one system being set up by our Savior to save sinners. But some will say like Peter, the heathen are unclean, and, therefore, not worthy of the Gospel and God does not intend they shall hear it. The answer to this is, "The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men every where to repent." And he moreover says, "He is no respector of person." It was predicted by the prophet, that the once hostile nations around about Jerusalem "should pay them annual visits and join in their festivals." Yea, saith the prophet Isaiah, "From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, shall all flesh come to worship before the Lord of hosts." Now it is evident that these 326 Canaan in Carolina high predictions were never accomplished in the earthly Zion, and Jerusalem, yea, it is impossible they could be in their literal sense, the nature of things forbids it. But to the spiritual Zion and hea- venly Jerusalem they have been fulfilled, and shall be more and more accomplished. For this holy hill must be established in all the world, and we can come to the city of the living God without a pilgrimage. "Then the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid, and the young lion and fatling together, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain." When shall these high predictions be fully accomplished? Not until God's kingdom will come and over all prevail. Then the nations shall learn war no more. But some will admit that the Gospel is to be preached to all nations, which will be at God's own good time. Now let us inquire when that "good time" is? To-morrow? No. For God says "boast not thyself of to-morrow," for thou knowest not what a day will bring about. Then now is the time, says God, we ha^e no promise of to-morrow, now is the time for us to lay our shoulder to the Gospel wheel, and roll it on to earth's remotest bounds. Or will you be at ease in Zion, and slumber while the Savior pleads for a sinking world? Universal nature, as well as the Word of God, has pronounced a woe upon them that are at ease in Zion. If then brethren, you would fill the design of your holy mission, O! if you would share in the bliss and triumph of the Redeemed in Heaven, whose em- ployments and exercises are full of action, you must throw your whole energy into the mighty work before you. Let one simul- taneous onset be made upon the territory of sin, renewing the attack day by day, and press on with unfaltering ranks until the bread of life, the Bible faithfully translated; is carried to the mil- lions of earth, and the blessed Gospel is extended through the borders of our own land, and to the uttermost limits of the habitable globe. Behold these two gigantic enterprises of the church! The Bible and the Missionary Cause! Going forth in their peerless majesty, linked hand in hand, to regenerate and exalt to God a ruined race, now in their struggle at the threshold of infidelity! They turn to you for sympathy and help. Shall they look in vain and be disap- pointed? Let the universal response be, No— no. Can you say in the magnanimity of your souls, God being our helper, we are able for the task of doing our share of spreading the Gospel to the ends of the world! If so, shrink not dear brethren, beneath this stupendous atlas. God is your strength, therefore, with a faith and heroism that knows no surrender, nerve your mind for the giant Appendix 327 effort. And let the magnificent glory that shall crown your victory, give immortal strength to your broad shoulders to sustain the mighty load. Already the sound of victory is coming in loud swelling notes over the din of the battle field. The shouts of your brethren in foreign lands are heard rolling across the mighty waters. Will you then, not help to push on the triumphs until our united hosts shall be seen coming up from the wilderness, shining as the morning, "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" Then the redeemed millions of justified spirits and angelic armies will rejoice to behold those triumphs in a glorious eternity; then the throng of the redeemed and shining legions of angels will join the shoutings of universal triumph, — saying: bless- ing and honor, and power and glory, unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. Amen! Joseph Suttle October 29th, 1855 Index A Baptist Asbury, 162 Adams, Rev. M. A., 47 Albemarle, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 59, 198, 256, 257, 279 Allen, W. Lawson, 152 Anderson's Grove, 43, 52 Andrews, Dr. W. P., 199 Arey, Bobby, 259 Asheville, N. C, 237 Atlanta, Georgia, 38, 103, 108, 189, 256, 261 Austell, Sam H., 77, 144, 145 Ayers, Dr. W. A., 139, 254 Badin Community, 52 Baley, Lewis, 277 Baley, Mrs. Lewis, 275, 277 Balls Creek, 174 Baltimore, Maryland, 108 Bannister, Rev. M. L., 155 Barbour, Mrs. Robert, 16 Barnes, Dr. W. W., 16 Barnett, Canady, 230, 231 Barnett, T. K., 32 Barnette, J. N., 32, 92, 100-106, 238- 241, 247 Barron, Marie, 170 Baxter, Elisha, 268, 302 Baxter, Esther McDowell, 268 Baxter, Nancy, 267 Baxter, William, 267-68 Beam, Stough, 229 Bearden, William C, 150 Beaty, J. M., 59 Beaver Dam Baptist Church, 17, 18, 32, 86, 111-116, 126, 134, 150, 212, 226, 232, 244, 245, 253, 304 Bell, Captain W. T. R., 21, 30 Benson, N. C, 235 Benson Church, 60 Benton, Dr. Bruce, 51 Berry, L. M., 119 Berryhill, Sarah, 268 Bethany, 119 Bethel, 220 Bethesda, 58, 60, 69 Bethlehem, 81, 82, 187 Bird, E. C, 49 Birmingham, Alabama, 103 Black, A. W., 81 Black, Dr. C. J., 232 Blackmon's Grove, 60 Blacksburg, South Carolina, 33, 37- 42, 46, 205, 256, 277 Blalock, John, 42 Blanton, Burwell, 270 Blanton, Charles, 270 Blanton, "Uncle" Charlie, 270 Blanton, Elvira, 270, 272 Blanton, George, 36, 270 Blanton, John, 28, 313 Boiling Springs, N. C, 29, 32, 85, 94, 136, 137, 138, 139, 151, 210, 228 Boiling Springs Baptist Church, 117, 138 Bradshaw, W. R., 179, 180 Bridges, Rev. B. M., 187, 229 Bridges, C. A., 101 Bridges, Gus, 39 Bridges, Rev. J. M., 17, 32, 229 Bridges, John, 96 Broad River, 24, 33, 40, 88, 89 Broadus, Dr. John A., 31, 285, 289 Brooks, Rev. D. P., 241-43 Brooks, Rev. J. Boyce, 16, 49 Brooks, Robert, 151 Broughton, Needham B., 158 Brown, Aunt Nancy, 59, 62 Brunswick, Georgia, 261 Bryan, Gainer, 250 Buck Creek Baptist Church, 315 Buell, Gen. D. C, 261 Buies Creek, N. C, 202 Burnett, Dr. George J., 145 Burns, Rev. W. D., 84 Burroughs, Prince E., 101 Bussey, Dr. B. W., 229 Cabiness, Bertie Lee Suttle, 176, 210, 256, 277, 278-79 Cabiness, Joe, Jr., 26, 279. 290 Cabiness. Dr. Joe T., 201, 210, 278-79 Cade, Elder Baylus, 227 Calton, A. L., 110 Calhoun, John C, 261, 262 Camp, Mrs. W. G, 187 Camp, Rev. W. G, 209 Campbell, Alexander, 13 Campbell, Dr. R. C, 9, 16, 156 Cane Ridge Camp Ground, 174 Canley, Cora Lee, 250 Cantrell, Rev. J. R., 145 Capernaum, 77 Carlisle, Hubert, 16 329 330 Index Carlisle, J. B., 159 Carpenter, J. D. S., 87 Carpenter, Tennessee, 269 Cartee, Fred, 183, 184 Carter's Chapel, 60 Casar, N. C, 22, 88, 118 Charleston, S. C, 20, 38, 268 Charlotte, N. C, 38, 64, 105, 139, 155, 210, 278 Chester, Pennsylvania, 261 Clayton, N. C, 58, 66, 70, 159 Clemson College, 49 Cleveland, Col. Benjamin, 35 Cliffside, N. C, 29, 141 Cline, Raymond, 190 Cobb, Elder N. B., 316 Coggins, Z. D., 49 Concord, N. C, 178 Cooper, Frank, 44 Costner, J. W., 89, 119, 145, 248-50 Creech, J. Bryan, 16 Creech, Jim, 67 Creech, Laura (Granny), 66-67 Crocker, Aunt Susan, 62 Crowder, Ellen, 317 Crowe, Rev. C. C, 121 Dahlonega, Georgia, 261 Dallas, Texas, 103, 108, 237 Daniels, Josephus, 161 Danville, Virginia, 210, 282 Davis, Dr. J. Blaine, 138 Davis, Jefferson, 269 Davis, "Wild Bill", 42 DeVenny, Rev. J. V., 119, 249 De Young, Ruby, 280 Deane, Charles B., 155 Dedmon, Tom, 83 Dellinger, S. L., 81 Digh, Rev. D. W., 220 Dixon, Addie, 224 Dixon, Rev. Amzi Clarence, 221, 224 Dixon, Delia, 224 Dixon, Frank, 224 Dixon, Tom, 30, 32, 78, 83, 119, 217, 221, 222, 223, 224 Dixon, Tom Jr., 223, 224, 304 Dobbins, Drury, 78, 93, 314-15, 317 Double Shoals Baptist Church, 80, 84, 88, 89, 103, 126, 150, 168, 175, 248, 249, 250, 251, 304 Double Springs Baptist Church, 32, 86, 91-94, 96, 97, 98-101, 103-10, 115, 126, 134, 137, 143, 145, 150, 167, 190, 201, 219, 238, 241, 245, 246, 247, 270, 272, 273, 275, 304, 305 Dover, Charles, 134, 274 Dover, Jack, 134, 274 Dover, John R., 134, 274 Dowd, W. C, 159 Dunn, N. C, 105 Durham, N. C, 58 Durham, Dr. Columbus, 159, 269, 315 Durham, Josiah, 315 Durham, Dr. L. N., 30, 200 Durham, Micajah, 268-69 Durham, Plato, 269 Earl, North Carolina, 77 Earl, Billy, 77 Earp, Dr. R. E., 70 Easom, Horace, 146, 155, 236, 237 Ebenezer, 52 Eddins, Prof. E. F., 49, 164, 165 Edwards, Morgan, 12 E'fird, Hugh, 49 El Bethel, 33, 40, 41, 207 Elam, Carme, 168 Elam, Rev. Phillip Ramsour, 226, 227 Elam, Rev. W. A., 231 Elizabeth, 20, 82 Elliott, Dr. P. L., 147, 287 Erwin, Billy Joe, 25, 279, 282 Erwin, Clyde A., 142 Erwin, Mary Elizabeth Suttle, 210, 257, 277, 281-82, 283 Erwin, W. James, 210, 281 Eskridge, Charles L., 189 Ezell, J. S., 78, 315, 316 Ezell, Rev. Landrum Cicero, 117, 315 Falls, B. T., 142, 143 Falls, John, 87 Fallston, N. C, 118 Farrar, Rev. John S., 298 Fayetteville, N. C, 158 Feezor, Dr. Forrest C, 159 Flake, Arthur, 101, 102, 241 Forest City, N. C, 28, 139, 254 Fours Oaks, 60, 67, 68, 70 Frederick, Maryland, 235 Frost, Dr. J. M., 160 Funderburke, Rev. Oscar, 113 Furman, Richard, 12 Gaffney, S. C, 40 Gainesville, Georgia, 261, 262 Gardner-Webb Junior College, 9, 86, 99, 128, 134, 136, 138, 146, 147, 149, 150, 151, 152, 188, 191, 243, 244, 305 Index 331 Gardner, Bess, 28 Gardner, C. P., 87 Gardner, Faye Webb, 73, 146 Gardner, Governor O. Max, 28, 36, 73, 74, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 155, 168, 191, 217, 304 Gardner, Dr. O. P., 36, 199 Gaston County, N. C., 33 Gastonia, N. C, 87 Gibbs, Dr. E. W., 177 Gibbs, Robert, 177 Gilbert, George B., 131 Gillespie, Rev. J. C, 114 Gillespie, J. S., 110 Gilliat, Sir William, 194 Glen Alpine, N. C, 291 Gold, Pleasant Daniel, 316 Goldsboro, N. C, 247, 316 Gower, Rev. R. H., 70 Graves, J. R., 13 Green, Fred E., 105, 110, 239 Green, Joe, 101 Green, Martin, 96 Green, Neely, 17, 112, 113 Green, J. L., 91 Greene, Rev. C. O., 16, 89, 121, 251-52 Greene, M. M., 55 Greene, Suttle, 55 Greer, Dr. I. G., 159 Greensboro, N. C, 29 Greenville, S. C, 224 Griffin, Clarence, 16 Griffin, William Lewis, 270 Griffith, D. W., 217 Grover, N. C, 33, 39, 46, 253 Hall, Jane, 162 Halltown Baptist Church, 179-80 Hampton, Johanathan, 312 Hamrick, Berry, 93, 94, 115 Hamrick, C. J., 29 Hamrick, D. A. F., 96 Hamrick, Dorothy W., 16 Hamrick, E. B., 143 Hamrick, Ed, 271 Hamrick, Emmett W., 247-48 Hamrick, Rev. G. P., 82 Hamrick, George, 93, 95, 316 Hamrick, James Lewis, 81 Hamrick, J. Y., 32, 119 Hamrick, Jim, 115, 116 Hamrick, Mr. and Mrs. Lester O., 150 Hamrick, Mildred, 280 Hamrick, Price, 168 Harbison, Dr. J. W., 200 Hardin, John E., 82 Harrelson, W. M., 81 Harrill, Ab, 30 Harrill, Rev. I. D., 232 Harrill, Los, 30 Harrill, Z. D., 78 Hartford, Connecticut, 90, 210, 277, 278, 281 Hassell, Elder C. B., 316 Hawkins, Edna, 238 Hawkins, G. V., 142, 145 Hawkins, J. B., 94 Hawkins, J. L., 91 Hawkins, Preston, 101 Haymore, Dr. C. C, 183 Haynes, R. R., 29 Herring, Dr. Ralph A., 153, 159 Hendricks, Stough, 229 Hickory, N. C, 106, 178 Hickory, First Baptist Church, 180 Hicks, Elder Berryman, 316-17 Hicks, Walter L., 139, 144 High Shoals Baptist Church, 166, 315, 318 Highland Church, 178 Highsmith, Dr. J. Henry, 136, 137, 142, 143, 151 Hill, Elder Wade, 317 Hillman, James E., 142 Hillsboro, N. C, 58 Hodge, Charlie, 57 Hoey, Hon. Clyde R., 36, 304 Holcomb, Dr. T. L., 160 Holland, L. P., 277 Holland, Mrs. L. P., 275, 277 Hood's Grove, 60 Hopkins, Rev. Julian S., 153 Hopper, L. M., 77 Hord, Tim, 16 Howington, Hoyt, 245 Howington, Hugh, 245 Howington, Rev. Nolan P., 244, 245 Hoyle, Elder Jacob Asbury, 317 Hoyle, Mr. and Mrs. William, 194 Hufham, Rev. J. D., 227-228 Huggins, Mrs. J. D., 188 Huggins, M. A., 120, 157 Humphries, E. D., 115 Hunnicutt, Rev. J. A., 141, 142 Irvin, A. C, 78, 118, 187, 228, 317 Irvin, Jim, 228 Irvin, John, 228 Irvin, Ollie, 228 Irvin, Pink, 228 332 Index Jacksonville, Florida, 261 Jenkins, Rev. J. L., 138, 142, 143, 145, 151, 175, 287, 298 Jent, J. W., 131 Jessup, Rev. L. L., 76 Johnson, Andy, 271 Johnson, Walt N., 159 Johnston County, 43, 58, 59, 60, 63, 66, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 132, 159, 169, 170, 178, 197, 198, 208, 209, 235, 256 Johnston, Archibald, 159 Johnston, Livingston, 70, 159 Jones, Rev. Sam, 230 Jones, W. N., 159 Jowett, John Henry, 236 Kamm, Mrs. Ninnie Watson, 258 Kendall's Church, 42, 50, 51 Kendrick, P. J., 81 Kerfoot, Dr. F. H., 31 Kester, J. M., 203 King, Prof. P. J., 30 Kinston, N. C, 159 Kirk, Mrs. Maxey, 99 McAfee, Amanda Elizabeth, 222 McBrayer, Dr. Evans, 22 McBrayer, Lander, 277 McBrayer, Mrs. Lander, 275, 277 McBrayer, Attorney Pat, 22 McBrayer, Col. Reuben, 230 McBrayer, S., 131 McBrayer, Mrs. Victor, 270, 272 McBrayer, Dr. Victor, 270 McBrayer, Willie, 272 McCubbins, Dr. G. H., 39 McCurry, Lewis, 93 McDaniel, J. T., 187 McGinnis, Rev. W. F., 183, 253 McGinnis, Yates, 115 Mclntyre, Tom, 266 McKinney, George, 312 McKinney, William, 312 McMurry, A. W., 146, 149 McMurry, Jess, 36 McMurry, Mrs. S. A., 275 McMurry, Mayor Sim, 275, 277 McPherson, Holt, 113 McSwain, A. F., 96 McSwain, J. L., 91 McSwain, Rev. Lewis, 117 McVernon, Lavenia Layton, 261-262 Lassiter, T. J., 70 Lattimore, N. C, 119, 190 Lattimore, Dr. Everette B., 16, 36, 192, 193, 194, 199 Lattimore, J. J., 119 Lattimore, Judge, 36 Lattimore, Stough, 229 Lawndale, N. C, 80, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, 103, 126, 150, 168, 251, 276 Laws, Rev. Gilbury, 236 Lee, Katherine, 268 Lee, Dr. L. V., 190 Lee, Robert E., 268 Lexington, N. C, 159 Limerick, Rev. R. L., 32, 230 Lind, Jenny, 269 Lineberger, Ethel, 277 Logan, John R., 16, 131, 226, 229 Logan, Rev. R. P., 117, 119 London, England, 224 London, Matt, 150 Long Creek Baptist Church, 33, 225 Louisburg, N. C, 156 Louisville, Kentucky, 31 Lovelace, A. C, 142, 145 Lovelace, Edmond, 100, 230 Lowe, W. E., 232 Lowery, Nina, 214 Lynchburg, Virginia, 283 Madison County, N. C, 73, 74, 132 Madison Seminary, 73 Maddry, Dr. Charles E., 159 Manly, Dr. Basil, 31 Marsh, Dr. R. H., 159 Marshall, N. C, 73, 75, 168, 169, 171, 177, 185, 186, 210, 277 Massey, Carver, 62 Mayo, Rev. Larry, 16 Meacham, Mr. and Mrs. Earl, 28 Mercer, I. M., 159 Meredith, Thomas, 12 Middleton, E. L., 106, 239 Miller, A., 312 Miller, John, 51 Miller, Lou, 270 Mills, Dr. J. H., 159 Missionary Baptists, Growth of, 14 Mixon, Dr. F. O., 153, 155, 157, 159 Monroe, W. F., 253-54 Moody, Dwight L., 180 Moore, Bob, 190 Moore, Dr. Hight C, 107, 109 Mooresboro, N. C, 42, 78, 190 Morgan, Senator Robert, 113, 151 Morganton, N. C, 20 Morrison, Cameron, 148 Morrison, Dr. R. H., 200 Morrow, Emily, 262 Index 333 Morrow, James, 262 Moss, J. F., 81 Mount Airy, N. C, 183 Mount Moriah Baptist Church, 58 Mount Sinai, 117 Mull, Mrs. Otis, 272 Mullins, Dr. E. Y., 236 Munn, Rev. L. D., 16 Nashville, Tennessee, 13, 102, 106, 107, 132, 151, 189, 238, 247 Nelson, Dr. W. A., 230 Neuse River, 57, 60 New Bern, N. C, 58 New Bethel, 80, 84, 85, 86, 87, 89, 103, 126, 150, 168, 251, 304 New Hope, 77, 80, 126 New London, 52 New Prospect, 176, 193, 221, 222 Norman's Grove, 119 Oates, John A., 158 Olive, Eli, 171 Owens, Mrs. Penry, 272 Padgett, Rev. Rush, 143, 232 Page, G. G., 119 Palmerville Church, 42, 49, 50, 164, 165 Palmtree Church, 88 Pangle, Mr. and Mrs. M. G., 141 Pannell, Rev. Dove, 117, 119, 225, 226 Pannell, Martin, 226 Parks, B. P., 232 Parker, Cicero, 47 Parker, Daniel, 13 Paschal, Dr. G. W., 16 Patterson Grove, 81, 82, 126, 150, 253 Philbeck, Irvin, 96 Philbeck, Shirley, 248 Philpot, Toby, 259 Pickler, Little Bessie, 53 Pickler, Joe, 52, 53 Piedmont Academy, 85 Piercy, Fred Graham, 144 Pierson, Abraham, 261 Pierson, Albert, 260 Pierson, Andrew Fremont, 260, 277 Pierson, Beatrice, 260 Pierson, Charlie, 260 Pierson, Clifford, 260 Pierson, Ella Barbara Stringer, 260, 277 Pierson, Frank, 260 Pierson, Fred, 260 Pierson, Horace, 260, 261 Pierson, Maude, 260 Pierson, Pauline, 260 Pineville, N. C, 281 Pipkins, Julia, 316 Pisgah, 60, 68, 70, 249 Pleasant Grove Church, 178 Pleasant Ridge Church, 229 Plybon, C. T., 142 Poplar Springs Church, 82 Poplin's Grove, 52 Poston, Rev. Robert, 117 Poston, Rev. Robin, 167 Poteat, Dr. W. L, 159 Princeton, N. C, 60, 177 Princeton Baptist Church, 70 Price, Rev. Oliver C, 291 Pritchard, T. H., 12 Pruitt, Dr. L. R., 47, 64, 210, 278 Purefoy, Dr. George, 178, 229 Putnam, Rev. Frank, 174, 232 Putnam, Marion, 273 Quinn, J. H., 143 Raleigh, N. C, 58, 103, 107, 132, 158, 169, 208, 224, 241, 305 Reap, Charles A., 51 Redmon, Herman, 179 Reed, Rev. W. C, 155 Reidsville, N. C, 114 Rice, Luther, 12 Richmond, Virginia, 103 Ridgecrest, N. C, 156 Ridgeway, S. C, 29, 200 Ritch, Mrs. Lillian, 144 Roanoke, Virginia, 156 Roberts, J. A., 131 Roberts, John, (see cover) Roberts, Rev. Lawrence, 119 Robeson County, N. C, 159 Rock Springs, N. C, 174 Rollins, G. W., Jr., 30, 220 Rollins, Rev. G. W., 78, 119, 220 Rollins, J. U., 142, 145 Roosevelt, Pres. F. D., 145 Ross Grove, 83 Roxboro, N. C, 174 Royal, William C, 235, 236 Royster, Leland, 89, 175, 250-51 Rudisall, Audie, 224 Rutherford County, N. C, 18, 93, 115, 135, 146, 220, 224, 253, 266, 268, 269, 274, 310, 311, 313, 315 Rutherfordton, N. C, 20, 28, 199, 267 Ryburn, R. L., 275 334 Index Salisbury, N. C, 46, 57, 178 Sampey, Dr. John R., 31, 289 Sandy Plains, 81 Sandy Run Church, 42, 77, 78, 79, 117, 126, 178, 187, 190, 315 Sardis, 52, 60, 70 Schenck, Major, H. F., 88, 119 Seism, Rev. L. B., 89 Selma, N. C, 57, 59 Sharon Community, 22 Shaver, Mrs. Lula, 16, 44 Shelby, Dover Church, 82 Shelby, Eastside, 82 Shelby, First Baptist, 75, 76, 122, 138, 142, 146, 227, 229, 230, 237, 257, 273 Shelby, Col. Isaac, 35 Shelby, Second Church, 75, 76, J 82, 238, 276 Shipp, Cameron, 233 Sibley, D. R., 210, 281 Sibley, Esther Barbara Suttle, 210, 257, 277, 280, 281 Sikes, Claude, 49 Sikes, E. W., 47 Silver Springs, 43, 51, 52 Sims, Hon. R. N., 159, 169 Smithfield, N. C, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 70, 159, 169, 170, 186, 236, 255, 257, 280, 281, 305, 306 South Mountains, 22 Spartanburg, S. C, 280 Splllman, Dr. B. W., 101, 132, 159 Sproles, Rev. J. A., 32, 39 Stanly County, N. C, 45, 49, 51, 52, 54, 132, 178, 256 Stough, A. L., 119, 226, 229 Stringer, Daniel M., 262 Stringfield, O. L., 159 Stroup, D. B., 81 Stroup, Mrs. Rush, 142, 146 Suthill, Sir Henry, 267 Suttle, A. B., 270, 271 Suttle, Benjamin F., 267, 270, 311 Suttle, C. B., 45, 46, 176, 256 Suttle, Charles Batie, 35, 266, 270, 271, 272-73, 274-75 Suttle, Diane, 280 Suttle, Dock, 36 Suttle, Elizabeth, 270, 311, 312, 313 Suttle, Esther Jane Wray, 266, 272, 274-75 Suttle, George, 267, 269, 310, 311 Suttle, Irene, 39 Suttle, Isaac, 267 Suttle, J. L., Jr., 219, 276 Suttle, Joe L., 29, 198, 229, 275, 277 Suttle, John B., 270, 311 Suttle, Joseph, 34, 78, 84, 94, 121, 166, 167, 219, 221, 267, 270, 271, 272, 273, 275, 310, 312, 313, 327 Suttle, Julius Albert, 275 Suttle, Leila Pierson, 33, 37, 38, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46, 74, 88, 110, 144, 176, 186, 208, 209, 255-264, 277, 283 Suttle, M. A., 28 Suttle, Michael Batie, 280 Suttle, Nancy, 270, 310, 311 Suttle, Sarah, 270, 311 Suttle, Susan, 270, 311 Suttle, William B., 270, 311, 312 Swope, Rev. L. W., 119 Sylva, N. C, 105, 247 Talbot, Mrs. C. P., 261 Taylor, John, 13 Thanksgiving Church, 70 The Cleveland Oligarchy, 161 The Parson's Schedule, 127 Thompson, Dr. H. C, 201 Thomburg, John Jacob, 253 Tichenor, Dr. Isaac T., 12, 13 Toms, James, 274 Toms, Tommy, 206 Traywick, Othello C, 16 Treadway, Rev. R. E., 176 Troy, N. C, 52 Truett, George W., 236, 287 Turner, J. Clyde, 159 Tucker, W. Ashley, 49 Union County, N. C, 49 Union Grove, 42, 52 Van Ness, I. J., 101, 160 Vipperman, Dr. J. L., 33 Wacaster, John, 81 Wacaster, Mrs. John, 145, 243 Wacaster, Ruth, 206 Waco, N. C, 80, 81, 86, 103, 126, 145, 199, 243 Wait, Samuel, 12 Walker, Mae, 276 Wall, Dr. Zeno, 76, 138, 145, 146, 232, 237, 281 Ware, Dr. Bob, 200 Warren, Dr. C. C, 105, 155, 158, 159 Washburn, A. V., Jr., 106, 189, 246-47 Washburn, A. V., St., 105, 145, 239, 247 Washburn, Mrs. D. G., 229 Washburn, Rev. D. G., 179, 232, 249 Washburn, Mrs. Edith, 105, 247 Index 335 Washburn, Emily D., 16 Washburn, Estilla McSwain, 5 Washburn, J. C, 5, 95, 100, 145 Washburn, Ruby F., 16 Washburn, W. W., 94 Watson, T. Max, 191 Weathers, Hon. Lee B., 16, 232 Webb, Charles, 225 Webb, E. Y., 119, 137, 143, 146, 225, 304 Webb, Rev. G. M., 32, 117, 224, 225 Webb, George, 225 Webb, Hatcher N., 22 Webb, James L., 146, 225, 304 Webb, James Milton, 317 Webb, Mrs. Paul, 272 Webb, Miss Sallie, 22 Webb, Sara Newton, 16 Webb, Miss Selma, 22 Webber, Jesse, 262 Webber, Quincy, 262 Wells, Captain Jim, 25, 272 White, J. L., 236 White, Dr. John E., 159 Whitsitt, Dr. W. H., 31 Williams, Roger, 13 Wilmington, N. C, 58, 237 Wilson, N. C, 70 Wilson's Mill Church, 60 Wilson, Phil, 262 Wilson, "Uncle" Willie, 36 Wingate, W. M., 12 Winston-Salem, N. C, 237 Wiseman, Mrs. Maggie, 29 Wood, Dr. John, 228 Woodall, Festus L., 66 Woodhall, Dr. Barnes, 200, 201 Wray, Arthur, 276 Wray, Charles, 29 Wray, David W., 275 Wray, Esther Jane, 271 Wray. George W., 25, 28, 270, 272, 273, 274, 276 Wray, J. A. L., 271, 273, 274, 275 Wray, James, 29 Wray, Jesse, 111 Wray, Maggie, 39 Wray, Priscilla, 274 Wray, Sara Suttle, 270, 274 Wray, Sarah, 35 Wray, Stough, 229 Wray, William, 275 Wright, Rev. David, 52 Wright, Lawson, 179 Yarborough, J. H., 78, 119, 219, 314 York, S. C, 20 Young, Carlos, 214 Young, Fields, 214 Yoimg, Lamar, 214 Young, Aunt "Sooky", 28 Zion Church, 77, 117, 119, 167 Zoar Church, 77, 80, 102, 126, 168 r. I i\ if if is ti s s >> JJ-, /5 SUTTLE'S ROAD TO / / trATJPAT* rjf 'Jr. '^v^rAFjr^T^ '* Madison Seminary Marshall s-A I . w f r i \ i ? 4 New Bethel "% Lawndale Double Shoals Sandy Run Double Springs Beaver Dam Poplar Springs Zoar New Hope Bethlehem Elizabeth Patterson's Grove Waco El Bethel r i\ * i t f f \ sauBjqn Aj!SJ8A|un aynQ