HISTORY
OF THE
WOMAN'S BAPTIST
STATE EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION
FOR THE
FIRST ]STINE YEARS
By Mrs. LIZZIE W. TYRRELL,
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.
LYNCHBURG, VA.:
J. P. BELL COMPANY, PRINTERS AND BINDERS,
1905.
HISTORY
OF ME
Woman's Baptist State Educational Convention.
In this record of events I have undertaken to set forth in order
facts of those things which some of my hearers both know and
have taken prominent part in establishing.
I cannot therefore make an error in my narration without the
detection of your retentive memories and your keen judgments.
I reserve to myself the right to disclaim infallibility, and also to
accept counsel and correction from those whose connection with
this organization is a vouchsafe of accuracy of statements of facts.
Though the writer has been associated with this Convention
from its incipiency until now, yet has she not found it an easy task
to collect the data and record the facts in order of their happen¬
ings even of so brief a period of history as has been ours for the
past nine years.
Scarce a decade ago the zeal of the aggressive women of the
State found expression in the more private discussions as to the
wisdom and necessity of the women coming together and banding
themselves for the purpose of furthering the work of education
and missions. They favored the doctrine of the brethren ; they
deplored their tardy methods of advancing it. And so, after
brethren became so involved in discussions about the work and
all seemed insolvent, what with the more than burdensome debt
of Virginia Seminary, and while every move tended to discour¬
agement, a call was sent forth to the women by Mrs. Lucy B.
Lewis, of Richmond, asking them to assemble round about the
school of their thought and prayers and labors.
There upon Seminary Hill, lying south and hard by Lynchburg,
centered and storm-swept by winds trading between the famous
Blue Ridge and the meandering Candler's Range of local fame,
4
thirty-six of Virginia's most earnest-hearted women met in the
unfinished building popularly known as Virginia Seminary, on
the 27th day of September, 1895. How befitting a place for the
first meeting with such a purpose and such an object in view.
How complete the analogy.
In that building, incomplete of dome, but lifting its bluntness
toward the azure depths, unequaled for beauty of grandeur in
autumn, destined to be the storm center, nestling mid boughs of
dropping foliage, a wreath to nature of varied hue, and enfolding
their natal functions, symbols of a school higher in its ideal than
ridges, and with a foundation more profound than bed-rocks of
pyramids, with a gaze eastward and more fixed than that of
Egyptian sphinxes; with a campus merging from its equinoctial
bath, with walks and driveways fanned and swept by gust and
gale, with its halls swept and garnished and its doors ajar to wel¬
come the young and anxious seekers after knowledge, while its
walls within, without, high and situate upon nature's pedestal,
looked down on the generations six thousand years in the past and
upon generations of countless myriads of years ahead, there all
but at the first of the scholastic year, we sat patrons of learning
at the feet of Time, awed and inspired within sight and hearing
of so loud a call, and determined then and there that we women
would solve the problem of Gordian knot by starting out to pay
the debt of the Seminary, nor would we let alone until it was
paid, and whether we have done it or no in so many dollars from
our pockets, we have at least spurred the brethren to duty, nor
yet have we withheld our prayers, our faith with our works, nor
our money. So the women have done more than talked.
1895-
At the first meeting in September, 3 895, Mrs. L. H. Bowling,
in whose city and church we are now met in the tenth session,
was unanimously elected President. She showed great executive
ability, as well as commanding presence of person and mind, and
especially at crucial moments, which every great organization at
its beginning always has.
5
As the beginning is so significant in the growth and outcome of
a great undertaking, it will doubtless prove of interest to know
the names of all the officers of the first session of the Convention.
The President's name has been mentioned. The Vice-Presidents
were: First, Mrs. Eliza P. Fox ; Second, Mrs. Elizabeth Camp¬
bell, Salem ; Third, Mrs. Mary "W. Spencer, Lynchburg ; Fourth,
Miss Mary Minor, Buckingham County; Fifth, Miss Nannie
Osborne, Richmond. Corresponding Secretary, Miss Ida W.
Johnson, Norfolk ; Field Secretary, Mrs. L. B. Lewis, Richmond ;
Recording Secretary, Miss Lucy E. L. Coles, Danville; Treasurer,
Mrs. R. G. L. Paige, Berkley.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
Miss Lucy B. Stephens, Chairman, Lynchburg; Miss Mattie
Banks, Hampton ; Mrs. M. J. Moore, Norfolk ; Miss P. M. Barks-
dale, Danville; Mrs. C. C. Ellis, Lynchburg; Mrs. S. L. Jones,
Pocahontas; Mrs. J. W. Crawford, Lynchburg. Mrs. Bettie
Dismoud, Mrs. Josephine Anderson and Miss C. E. Allen were
added to the Board, and Mrs. L. W. Tyrrell was made Chairman,
which position she has held for eight years in succession.
THE OBJECT OF THE CONVENTION.
The object of the Convention was clearly defined and set forth
by Article II of the Constitution, as follows : " The object of this
Convention shall be the promotion of the interests especially of
Virginia Seminary and such other educational work in the State
of Virginia as shall be decided upon in open convention or by the
Executive Board from time to time." It was much contended
that the Constitution as related to its work for the different schools
was not liberal enough; that the field of operation should com¬
prehend a broader sphere of activity than the Virginia Seminary.
No one who was present can fail to recall the earnest and winsome
pleas of Miss L. A. L. Halfkenny in behalf of the Hartshorn
Memorial College, and of still others who were the chief patrons
of their respective schools. The history of the Convention could
not be complete without a record of the fact that from its very
6
beginning the sisters were greatly encouraged by the presence and
help of certain brethren by way of suggestions in effecting the
organization and in the transactions of business.
Prominent among these brethren were the following : Revs. B.
F. Fox, W. M. Moss, R. Spiller, R. H. Boiling, N. W. Wyatt,
J. C. Palmer, B. Tyrrell, J. L. Barksdale; Drs. Corey, H. H.
Mitchell and Teft; Profs. G. W. Hayes and R. P. Armistead.
Of these brethren, Dr. Fox alone has met the Convention every
time except once, and Rev. Tyrrell every time except twice.
1896.
During the first year the Field Secretary, Mrs. L. B. Lewis,
resigned. This greatly embarrassed the work in its beginning, and
the drawback was very apparent when at the expiration of nine
months the convention met in June the second time at Virginia
Seminary without a report from the Field Secretary. The severed
links were quickly caught up and welded in the nick of time by
the prompt appointment of Mrs. S. L. Jones to fill this vacancy,
and she filled the position wel^ to the credit of herself and the
Convention. As the Convention was reassembling for the second
time there were reasons for rejoicing, but our cup of joy was not
without its minglings of sorrow. There was joy, because the sec¬
ond session gave every evidence that the Convention would be a
fixity in the educational and mission work of the State, and no
longer an experiment. The glowing report of the Corresponding
Secretary, Miss I. W. Johnson, so indicative of hard, earnest work
to further the intentions of the organization and thereby broaden
the sphere and plans of operations, and yet it was full of informa¬
tion of the disposition of many brethren to withhold encouragement
and help. But for all this the paper pointed to the fixity and
growth of the Convention. The members were no less inspired
by the able and timely annual address of the President, Mrs.
Bowling. It bristled with most practical suggestions. These all
were echoes from the field that set every face to go forward.
Miss P. M. Barksdale was elected Treasurer.
It was noteworthy that the sisters knew so much better how to
take hold than they did the previous year, for now they had some-
7
thing to take hold of with added zeal. But sorrow mingled with
the joy of success, because of the sad intelligence of the serious
illness, and later of the death, of one of the founders of the Con¬
vention in the person of Miss Lucy A. Johnson, of Salem, and
still later of the death of another one of the founders in the per¬
son of Miss L. A. L. Halfkenny, of Richmond. Two most
valuable workers in the first session passed to the great beyond so
soon. The session of 1896, darkened by sorrows and burdens,
but lightened by the encouraging features of the work, closed with
an attendance of forty-five delegates and members.
Mrs. L. W. Tyrrell was elected Chairman of the Executive
Board, which position she has held for eight years in succession.
Miss C. E. Allen was also added to the Board.
1897.
The third session was held in 1897 at the High Street Baptist
Church, Roanoke, Rev. TT. W. Brown, pastor. On account of
difference of opinion held as to the scope of the work compre¬
hended by the Constitution of the Convention the attendance was
threatened, but the zeal was unabated. Curious brethren who had
advised a little too far as to how to run the Convention and to get
the work well in hand had injected much of the high spirit of
convention into the souls of some of the sisters, hence there was
very warm discussion on modifying that part of the Constitution
which affected the limitation of the work of the Convention. So
high was the spirit in the discussions that much of the actual
intended good work was hindered. Talk of disbanding could be
heard in the air. False prophets arose. The much-needed State
body was referred to as a Virginia Seminary Circle, instead of a
State Convention. The Field Secretary's report was a brilliant
one. Disadvantages and hardships had been encountered and en¬
dured. A tabulated report of places visited, addresses delivered,
moneys collected, circles organized, were encouraging proofs of the
progress of the project of the Convention. Realizing the press¬
ing demands for an industrial department at Virginia Seminary,
the Convention appropriated $132 to establish a laundry at the
Seminary, which was kept running for a period. Before the close
8
of this session the Convention, after a lengthy discussion, reluc¬
tantly accepted the resignations of Mrs. L. H. Bowling and Miss
Ida W. Johnson as President and Corresponding Secretary, re¬
spectively. Mrs. E. P. Pox was elected President and Miss M.
E. Gilbert Corresponding Secretary. Mrs. Julia Watts, Mrs.
M. P. Waller, Mrs. L. E. Arrington and Miss Martha Tafton
were added to the Executive Board. At this critical crisis, when
the Convention had no invitation to hold its next session, Rev. B.
Tyrrell, not waiting to consult his church, invited the Convention
to hold its next session at the Diamond Hill Baptist Church, Lynch¬
burg. The Convention closed its third session with forty-eight
delegates and members, and with a most excellent reception.
1898.
In response to the personal invitation from Pastor Tyrrell in
Roanoke the Convention assembled in its fourth annual session at
the Diamond Hill Baptist Church on the 23d of June, 1898, with
the President, Mrs. E. P. Fox, in the Chair, whose annual address
was most highly appreciated on account of its wealth of practical
suggestions and real profit.
Though some were absent whose presence and service had been
very conspicuous, this proved to be a most harmonious and profit¬
able session. The conventional year had been marked on account
of the many changes, some of which were brought about by
changes of officers. Besides those already mentioned, Mrs. S. L.
Jones resigned as Field Secretary, which greatly embarrassed the
work for the time being. Miss C. E. Allen was elected in her
stead, and she has ever since held the position with becoming
ability and tact. Year after year she has reported her work of
forming new circles and strengthening old ones, visiting and ad¬
dressing the different churches, associations and conventions in
such a manner as to insure the growth of the Convention as de¬
pendent upon the work of her own department.
A single sentence from the President's address became the
watchword of the entire Convention. It was : " That we allow
no outward influence to creep into our ranks that would tend to
divide us or impede the progress of the work for which we were
9
organized." Mrs. Lillie Keen, Mrs. Lizzie C. Hall, Mrs. Beftie
Tinsley, and Martha A. Stewart were added to the Executive
Board.
While we were about to adjourn Mrs. Bettie Tinsley kindly ex¬
tended the Convention an invitation to meet in her church, the Fifth
Street Baptist, of Richmond, in the next annual sitting, this offer
to be subject to the approval of the church, to be ascertained
within thirty days. A favorable notice was given through the
newspapers. Thus with its fifty delegates and members this
session passed into history with a banquet served by the Diamond
Hill B. Y. P. U.
1899.
The fifth session of the Convention was held in Fifth Street
Baptist Church, Richmond, Rev. W. F. Graham, D. D., pastor.
A matter worthy of historic note and coincident with the pro¬
ceedings of this session is to the effect that while this body was in
session many brethren visited and encouraged us by speeches,
whose presence in Richmond proved their intention to form a new
State body, later known as the General Association. History this!
Richmond must again answer to the roll-call of being the liotbed
of secession, with the preponderance of contention on the one side.
The following resolutions were adopted as significantly setting
forth the distinctive views of the Convention :
AVhereas, The Virginia Baptist State Convention in its session
at Lexington voted to take Virginia Seminary out of the compact
of co-operation ; therefore, be it—
Resolved (1) That we endorse the action of said Convention.
Resolved (2) That we endorse all educational work which stands
out as distinctive Negro enterprise.
Having heard from Mr. A. Humbles as to the amount of money
due him, the convention decided that after expenses were met all
moneys should be paid to him directly and expressly on the inter¬
est of the mortgage debt. This session had forty in attendance.
A fine banquet was given the Convention.
10
igoo.
The next, and the sixth, session was held in the historic High
Street Baptist Church, of Danville, Rev. W. T. Hall, pastor.
So very satisfactory and effectual had been the work of the ever-
zealous President, Mrs. E. P. Fox, that upon hearing her able
and timely-considered annual address the Convention re-elected
her by acclamation, which event again and again repeats itself.
The backsets, the scourge of internal relations on the one hand,
the encouraging signs of bygone sessions on the other, were notable
at this session and withal the harmony that has attended the pre¬
vious sessions. As an evidence of the advance in handling the
finance it was voted that all moneys, after expenses, should be
paid Mr. A. Humbles on the bonded debt of the Seminary through
Dr. B. F. Fox, the Treasurer of the Mortgage Fund.
For the first time in the history of the Convention the place of
the next meeting was left in the hands of the Executive Board, i
At this session Mrs. P. M. Hodge resigned as treasurer, t/
which position Mrs. Lizzie C. Hall was unanimously elected, and
which she has creditably filled ever since. Through the interces ¬
sion of Mrs. Georgia "VVoodson, a member of the Board, Court
Street Baptist Church, Lynchburg, threw open her door to enter¬
tain the seventh session of the Convention. Mrs. Julia Woods,
Mrs. M. J. Walker and Mrs. M. J. Watkins were added to the
Executive Board. A bountiful reception was tendered the Con¬
vention by the church.
1901.
The Convention having been invited met at the Court Street
Baptist Church, Lynchburg, in June, 1901, in its seventh annual
session, and, though the church was without a pastor, the Conven¬
tion was most hospitably entertained by the two Circles of this
mother of churches and preachers. As an earnest of their inten¬
tion not to accept the resignation tendered by the President, Mrs.
E. P. Fox, after her most acceptable annual address, with the one
exception, the Convention without delay re-elected her by acclama¬
tion again. Though this was the fourth sitting in the Hill City
within the first six years, yet the work had not been at a stand-
11
still, but, as the President had truly said in her address, and as it
was confirmed unpurposely by the reports of the several Secre¬
taries, "We have made history which shows that we have gone
far in the prosecution of the work for which we were organized."
Miss Violet Tyrrell was added to the Executive Board, and Miss
L. V. Gibson was elected as Recording Secretary, Mrs Annie
H. Ellis having sent in her resignation from Richmond. Again
we had all the good things of the season served.
1902—Eighth Session.
One of the most interesting and profitable sessions of all was
the one held with the Circle of the First Baptist Church, of Har¬
risonburg, Rev. T. H. "White, pastor.
During the year the Convention had lost a most valuable mem¬
ber in the person of the lamented Mrs. Bettie Tinsley, of Rich¬
mond, and a most devoted friend and advocate in the person of
Lawyer R. P. Armistead, of Lynchburg, and still others whose
names appear in the minutes of 1902.
It was the universal verdict that the Convention held in this
s^tion of the State did more to bestir the latent forces of woman¬
hood in the neighborhood than any other event had ever sufficed
to do. Many good men and useful women attended the sessions
and encouraged the proceedings, and thereby the work took to
itself fresh courage and new phases of development, in evidence
of which the Convention voted to do foreign mission work through
the Virginia Baptist State Convention. At this sitting Mrs. M. P.
Waller was elected Recording Secretary, Miss L. V. Gibson being
unable to attend the Convention this year. Mrs. M. R. Hayes,
Mrs. Harriet Johnson, Mrs. Lucy Brown and Miss E. J. Keys
were elected to the Executive Board. The Convention closed
with an outing and reception by the church.
1903—Ninth Session.
In keeping with the invitation to convene in Suffolk the Con¬
vention opened its ninth session in the Pine Street Baptist Church,
with the large-hearted Rev. M. B. Hucles as pastor, in June, 1903.
12
As a new feature, very encouraging reports were made by vol¬
untary missionaries, whose zeal for the work was deepened by a
good word from the missionary brethren present, who had been
appointed by the State Mission Board of Virginia Baptist State
Convention. The reports of the Secretary were no less encourag¬
ing. That the work was broadening and deepening with the ad¬
vance of years of experience was proven by the great hold it was
taking in the mind of the people, in response to which many pri¬
vate donations, as well as public collections from many churches,
were sent up to the Convention in Suffolk by pastors and laymen
as indexes of how they then felt toward the work, as an ac¬
knowledgment of their obligation to support a worthy organiza¬
tion such as this has proved to be for the past nine years. A
larger number of annual members were enrolled, an awakening
interest in some who had fallen away, greetings from unexpected
sources—all this is evidence of a loudness of no uncertain sound
as to the increasing progress of the history of the Conventior^
The history of the work bids us take note of the brethren whlv*-
have been tried friends and who are loyal, take note of the nev
friends with awakening interest, hear the determination expressed
to stand by us, note the difference in the character of the confi¬
dence expressed in the work since we have come thus far with
success and hope for greater success still.
The Convention adjourned last June with the following list of
life members (being only five at first): Mrs. Lallie H. Bowling,
Norfolk; Mrs. M. A. Fultz, Norfolk; Mrs. E. P. Fox, Salem;
Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell, Salem ; Mrs. Eliza Bethel, Salem ; Mrs.
L. A. Burnett, Salem; Mrs. L. C. Hall, Danville; Mrs. J. D.
Moss, Norfolk; Mrs. Julia Moses, Staunton; Mrs. Ida Johnson
Bagnal, Norfolk; Mrs. M. F. Pleasants, Philadelphia, Pa.; Mrs.
Emma Bruce, Philadelphia, Pa.; Miss Julia E. L. Coles, Dan¬
ville; Miss E. J. Keys, Harrisonburg; Miss Jenelette White,
Harrisonburg; Miss L. J. White, Philadelphia, Pa.; Miss C. E.
Allen, Salem ; Miss P. H. Smith; Mrs. Josephine Anderson,
Lynchburg ; Mrs. L. W. Tyrrell, Lynchburg; Mrs. M. P. Waller,
Lynchburg; Mrs. Maria Pannell, Staunton ; Mrs. Lizzie Bryant,
13
Norfolk; Mrs. Mary Scott, Staunton ; Mrs. S. E. ITucles, Suffolk ;
Miss Ethel Moses, Staunton.
The following is a list of the deceased members for the nine years:
Miss Lucy A. Johnson, Salem; Mrs. Bettie Tinsley, Mrs. Rosa
Allen, Mrs. Ellen Brown, Mrs. C. A. Richardson, Mrs. Lucy
Scott, Mrs. Fannie Williams, Mrs. Susan Wynn, Mrs. Clarisa
Jones, Mrs. Mary Dole, Mrs. Ovey Barlow, Mrs. E. C. Powell,
Mrs. Dennis, Mrs. Martha Booze, Mrs. Emerlme Lewis.
The following is a tabulated list of money raised :
Sept. 1S95 $ 3-5 00
June 1S96 130 41
June 1897 163 61
June 1898 144 05
June 1899 224 14
June 1900 576 95
June 1901 555 44
June 1902 722 47
June 1903 730 41
Total for the nine years $3,302 41
Of this amount the Convention paid on the indebtedness of
Virginia Seminary, $1,578.84. It is interesting to know that
e paid the firsf dollar ou the mortgage after the Seminary was
taken out of the compact.
And so year after year the Convention, by its works, has passed
into a history that is not to be obliterated by time.
The beginnings were written in the hieroglyphics of a wild
fancy that has been interpreted and realized by the unfolding of
the annals of time; our deeds have been spread upon the pages of
the chronicle whose bulletins know no erasure, no effacing; our
cause is divine, our purpose is history, and the wisdom of that
purpose for organization has been read as the pages of the history
of the Virginia Seminary debt have been unfolded to view from
right to left, and just so may the purpose now be as clearly read
iu the glimmering light of hope for further educational and mis¬
sion work, home and foreign.
Lizzie W. Tyrrell.
Lynchburg, Va., June 1904.