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The Progress of the Races
where he built another church and baptized many candidates. Feeling that h? needed more education to carry on his great work, he requested that the two churches send him to school. They agreed and sent him to Leland University at New Orleans, where he took up a course of theology and prepared himself for the great work that lay before him. This was along in the Seventies. About 1910 or later, Dr. R. W. Perkins, the president of Leland University, conferred the degree of D.D. upon him.
He pastored at Bay Saint Louis, Pass Christian, and Handsboro, and built churches in each place and increased the membership by baptism. He built up the Baptists 011 the coast of Mississippi. Before he came there the Roman Catholic religion prevailed among the colored people. He was the founder of the Gulf Coast Missionary Baptist Association, which embraced the three coast counties in Mississippi, Mobile county in Alabama, and Saint Tammany Parish in Louisiana. He was also one of the founders of the National Baptist Convention. After pastoring about 27 years 011 the coast of Mississippi, of his own accord, he resigned his pas.orship at Gainesville, Pearlington, and Handsboro. And in 1899 accepted a call to a Baptist church at Lake Charles, La., where he baptized many candidates. His church constructed of lumber was blown down by a storm. In rebuilding he erected a brick structure that would stand the storms of that windy city.
During his Christian ministry of nearly three score years in the States of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, he baptized approximately 2,000 candidates. Like Dr. Booker T. Washington, he was always interested in the educational, industrial and economic uplift of his people. He was a progressive pastor, and wherever he pastored he left an impression that was inspiring and uplifting to the church and community.
When the Reverend Brother Fryerson grew feeble from age and bad health so that he could 110 longer officiate in his church, he retired, and his church pensioned him. Superannuated is the word generally used in his case, but I don’t like that word. Doubtless he had passed his four-score years when he went to Heaven, February 2, 1929.
Servant of God, well done.
Rest from thy loved employ ;
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master’s joy.
1 he First Baptist Church at Pearlington has had nine pastors up to date, viz., the Rev. Charles Chase, who organized the church, pastored a short while and left the State; the Rev. Samuel Walker, who pastored a few years, slightly increased the membership, resigned, and accepted a call to a Baptist church in New Orleans; the Rev. Taylor Fryerson, who built a new church, and built up the denomination, after serving about twenty-seven years, resigned of his own accord, and accepted a call to a Baptist church at Lake Charles, La.; Dr. Sol T. Clanton, who only pastored two months, from December, 1899, to January, 1900, inclusive. He was elected by more than two-thirds majority of the church, and apparently his pastorship seemed to be all right, but the minority was influenced against him and they made it so unpleasant for him that he resigned and went back to New Orleans. After tendering his resignation 011 Sunday night, he preached from this text found in Hebrews l.'i:l, “Let brotherly love continue.’’ The church was filled to
The Progress of the Races
35
overflowing, and if there was anyone present on that Sunday night whose heart was like adamant it would have softened; if it was like ice, it would have melted; if he felt no impression from the parting words that fell from his lips, Dr. Clayton was indeed a noble man, and a preacher of no mean ability.
The Rev. Samuel E. Piercy pastored twice, serving alternately. He was first called in the spring of 1900 and served until 1904, inclusive, and of his own accord he resigned and accepted a call to a Baptist church in Los Angeles, Calif. During this four years’ stay at Pearlington he enlarged the church, increased the membership, and established a mission school. He also served as moderator of the Gulf Coast Missionary Baptist Association one or two terms, and helped to build a school at Gulfport, Miss., which was supported by the association. In his second call about 1911, he revived the church and paid off a debt that was made by a former pastor. During the interval from his first call to the second the church had two pastors, the Rev. M. L. Pierce and the Rev. E. B.Young.
The Rev. M. L. Pierce served from 1905 to 1906, and resigned. During his administration he baptized one candidate, received a few backsliders, and officiated at one marriage. On June 25, 1906, the church steeple was struck by lightning. The church being insured, the damage was repaired immediately. Under the Rev. Taylor Fryerson the church had lightning rods. When they rusted out he said, if the Lord wanted to tear down His church, let Him do it. So he would not replace them. The result was that the lightning tore down the steeple.
The Rev. Edmund B. Young began his pastorship about 1907, and served until 1911, and resigned. He baptized quite a number of candidates and took in a lot of backsliders. In the meantime he was pastor of a Baptist church at Biloxi, Miss., his home town, and ran a Baptist newspaper there also. He was an able minister of the Gospel, fully able to defend the doctrine of tht Baptist church anywhere. In my opinion he could excel any colored preacher preaching a funeral sermon I ever heard. He was moderator of the Gulf Coast Missionary Baptist Association for several years.
The Rev. William Carter, the son of the Rev. Tyler Carter, pastored twice, serving alternately, beginning his first administration about 1913, following immediately after the Rev. S. E. Piercy’s second term. He became pastor at a time when business was dull and a greater portion of the members moving away. He has baptized many candidates, took in a lot of backsliders, and made some good repairs on the church. Under the circumstances, he has done well. He was followed by the Rev. H. H. Lowe, in 1918, who pastored until 1919 or 1920, and resigned owing to the depression of business and the small membership. Meanwhile, he was pastoring the First Baptist Church at Bay Saint Louis, Miss., where he lived. In giving up the church at Pearlington, he accepted a call to a Baptist church at Pass Christian, Miss. While at Pearlington he baptized a few candidates and took in a few backsliders. Dr. Lowe was a splendid man, and a good preacher.
The Rev. William Carter began his second work in the First Baptist Church at Pearlington, about 1919 or 1920, and is still pastor. In 1928, the church celebrated its sixtieth anniversary and raised enough money to pay off her debts. In the meantime, the Rev. Brother Carter pastored a Baptist