NAME: Johnson, J. S.

DATA: Photograph

SOURCE: Shiloh Baptist Church, Shiloh, N, C. 250th anniversary celebration (NCCF: Chowan BfA)

"

NAME: Johnson, J. Samuel

DATA: photo

SOURCE: Centennial celebration of Great Marsh B/c NCCF: Robeson BIA

I' II ill

BAPTIST CHURCH

other minister living Baptist Church Com­

-ed by the News and

n ·De::ember 24, 1927, as pastor longer than

: around St. Pauls and Dn by the old Brown's 1899: He served 20

)rates were with Hope rears. The entire com­er Appreciation Day" ber 30, 1949. He mar­in St. Pauls area that

~ as pastor on August

)ecember 28, 1952. He 56. He' remained until eling of the sanctuary

October 5, 1958, and d time on September iuate of Wake Forest and a Th.M. degree

las served pastorates tarried to the former ~sent position is Pro­ty College, Southern

~er 10, 1961, while a d on April 26, 1964. 1965, and reSigned in attended high school College and attended in the Army, he re­

15, 1971 and is the :h School and a 1959 e of Pfeiffer College. ~ological Seminary in . care at North Caro­n 1961 he served as epartment of Student I. He has served sev­Ie former Mary Caro­ghter, Deborah Lynn. aSH caU of God to enter t.

A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GREAT MARSH BAPTIST CHURCH 35

On Septemb~r 8, 1883, the' conference appointed a committee to examine Bro. W. R. Johnson for ordination. The committee cqnsisted of Elder E. D. Johnson and Elder J. D. Clark. They examined and ordained him and at the same conference appointed him as a delegate to the asso­ciation and refel"" to him as Elder W. R. Johnson.

On August 26, 1905, the church gave a license to Bro. George H. Johnson to preach the gospel. He was a grandson of Elder E. D. Johnson. On May 14, 1910, a committee consisting of Brethren Gi M. D. Howard, E. G. Johnson, and J. B. Underwood was appointed to arrange for the ordination of Bro. Johnson on the 5th Sunday in May. Revs. Durham and Dunnaway were invited to assist the pastor, R. E. Sentelle, in the ordina­tion. On May 29, 1910, the presbytery met at Great Marsh and ordained Bro. G. H. Johnson to the full work of the Gospel ministry. The presby­tery was composed of I. P. Hedgpeth, J. D, Clark, C. R. Hester, E. O. Johnson, J .W. Cobb, Jr., and W. O. Johnson. The ordination sermon was preached by Bro. I. P. Hedgpeth from II Cor. 12:14, "I seek not yours but you."

On August 25, 1906, the church voted to license Bro. W. O. Johnson to preach. Then on August 22, 1908,· the church called for a presbytery for the purpose of ordaining Bro. Johnson for the full work of the ~ys­tryon the fifth Sunday in August. He was a grandson of Elder Ehas fD. Johnson. On August 30, 1908, a presbytery composed of Revs. T. J. Baker. E. J. Harrell and J. W. Cobb ordained him and set him apart for the full work of the ministry. Rev. William Otis Johnson was a graduate of Wake Forest College and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was a teacher and principal in the public schools from 1907 to 1921 and served as a pastor of churches in the same period. He retired from the pastorate in 1935 because of failing health. He was a registered surveyor; served .as clerk of Robeson Association, 1944-48, and as a supply pastor for a num­ber of years. He was married to the former !lattie Cornelia Poole. Rev. W. Otis Johnson endeared himself to the people of the community during the years of his retirement. Some of the things which he did included surveying the cemetery and laying off the lots in the new section, plant­ing of cedars in the cemetery, seeking donations of 'bricks from the church members and then doing the work of underpinning the church, painting the oil painting hanging in the: baptistry in the· church, and or­ganizing the first Vacation Bible School held in the church. His wife, Hattie, was a loyal, sincere, and active leader in the church. She was active in the W.M.U. and taught an adult ladies' class for years. She was a dedicated Christian mother, wife, and worker in the church and her influence was felt by many who knew her. On the second Sunday in May of 1956 an honorary service was held to honor Mr. Johnson for his work and accomplishments to and for the Great Marsh Church. Since he had served as the pastor of the Wingate Baptist Church and was associated with Wingate College the President of Wingate College, the College Chorus, and other guests were present for the program. -.../.:- The church gave a license to preach the gospel to Bro. J. Samuel .rbhnson on September 19, 1914. Minutes for May 18, 1918, mentlons th" ordination service for Mr. Johnson. His ordination was to be held at the

--.._- ... --.-'-_. ,--_._---.. -..._-_. ' , ­

, "

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36 A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GREAT MARSH BAPTIST CHURCH

next regular service. On June 15, 1918, the minutes show that s:.Jfficient help for the ordination service had not been secured and it was decided to hold the service during the coming .revival. No further mention was made, but it can be assumed ' that the ordination was held. A letter was granted for him to unite with the Pilot Baptist Church on March 15, 1919. Mr. Johnson graduated from Wake Forest College. He continued to fur­ther his education and later received his doctorate degree. While serving as pastor of the Shiloh Church at S~lo? , he resigned to accept a position as professor of philosophy and social science at Shorter College, Rome, Georgia. Dr. Johnson is a grandson of Elder Elias D. Johnson.

A license to preach the gospel was granted to David Moody on July 2, 1939. A committee was appointed on April 2, 1944, to write a recom­mendation to the Seminary for him. He was ordained in 1951 at the Five Points Missionary Baptist Church in Wi'son, N. C. Mr. Moody is the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Moody and he was reared in the Great Marsh Bap­tist Church Community.

EARLY DEACONS

It would be impossible to name all of the deacons who have served in the church for the minute records do not list them all. Sometimes the minutes would just mention that deacons had ·been elected. When a mem­; ber came into the church by letter and had been ordained as a deacon, then he was received as a deacon. When a man was elected as a deacon in the church, he remained a deacon for life or until he was excluded for some offense, or he removed from the community, or he asked to be released from the deaconship. On October 25, 1953, the church voted to accept the new rotating system for deacons. Among the deacons serving ~ the early days of the church were G. M . .D. Howard and Archie Odum who were elected on July 10, 1886. On JUly 14, 1917, C. L. Johnson, Opie Odum, J. B. Underwood, E. A. Howard and Joseph Allen were elected as deacons. Following the reorganization, the church elected on Septem­ber 25, 1921, W. J. Barker, Opie Odum, and C. L. Johnson as deacons. J. H. Fisher was elected as a deacon on September 15, 1928. On Septem­ber 1, 1940, Frank Moody and Franklin Foley were elected as deacons. On July 18, 1948, Rudolph White, Eugene Sauchak, Marvin Kinlaw and Lonnie Taylor w~re elected as deacons and they were ordained on August 1, 1948. On October 25, 1953, Erwin Odom was elected a deacon. Hubert Allen was ordained a deacon on October 20, 1957.

The office of deacon was taken seriously by Great Marsh Church. lVIen elected to this position were continually being given something to do for the Lord. Deacons were asked to serve on building committees, cemetery committees, delegates to associational meetings, community mis­!;ion committees. On June 19, 1915, Brethren E. G: Johnson and Joseph Allen were appointed to help the deacons look after the poor and needy of the church. When someone in need called for ass.stance from the church, then the deacons made a check of the situation and if there was l!! true need for assistance, the church readily responded. The deacons

A HISTO

deacons, bro kind, neigh resigned to t and fidelity t our privilege

The nam through the p shall mention tended to all church prope the cornrnunit

On Janua Watson. The (\ Archie Odum, to replace Ar G. F. Humphr son and J. B. following the and W. T. FiS Johnson was

One of thl the office of c the church, rei respondence ir faithfully serv lost through t

J. M. Joru ence of 1882. September 22, Records are if as clerk in 19 served until 1 1907, and sen 1910, anI serv 1913, and sen pointed W. B.

I

CLIPPING SERVICE • 1115 HILLSBORO'

RALEIGH. NC 27603~ TEL. (919) 833·2079

DAILY ADVANCE ELIZABETH CITY, N. C.

0-12,000

JOHNSON

J. SAMUEL JOHNSON Dr. J. Samuel Johnson, 86,

longtime Baptist minister and college professor, died Tuesday in a hospital near his home in Marietta,

AY

Ga. A funeral was held today in re

Marsh Baptist Church in St. Pauls, founded by Johnson's grandfather, today at 11 a.m. with burial in the churchyard.

He was born in Lumberton an reared in Robeson County near St Pauls. He was graduated from Wak Forest College in lift and from Southwestern Baptist Theological · Seminary with a Master of Theology degree in 1922, and in 1929 he was awarded the Ph.D. in biblical theology by the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

He taught in Baptist colleges in North Carolina and Kentucky in the 19208. From 1929 to 1959 he was in the parish ministry, serving churches in Camden County (the Shiloh Baptist Church, oldest Baptist church in North Carolina 1929-1933 and 1952­1959); Norfolk, Va. (Ocean View Baptist Church, 1933-1943); Durham (Edgemont Baptist Church, 1943­1949); and Apex (Green Level Baptist Church,l949-1952).

From 1959 until his retirement in 1972 he was a professor of sociology

" and rReligion at Shorter College in Rome, Ga.

Johnson is survived by his wife, the former Rebecca Saunders, of the . home; two sisters, Mrs. Annie Lou Pearce of Winston-Salem and Mrs. Helen Johnson Howard of Raleigh; two so¥, Dr. Allen S. Johnson of Rocky Mount and J. Sam Johnson Jr. of Greensboro; a daughter, ~~~.\ Jeane Johnson Peed of Marie~ Ga.; and six grandchildren. /I

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