Chambers Co. AL       (REV.) DR. LEUEL ORAH DAWSON, BAPTIST PROFESSOR

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     THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DR. LEMUEL ORAH DAWSON, BY
     ROBISON BROWN, APPEARED IN HISTORY OF THE TUSCALOOSA COUNTY BAPTIST
     ASSOCIATION 1834-1934 BY HENRY B. FOSTER, 1934.

     "THIS WONDERFULLY TALENTED MAN TO WHOM GOD GAVE SO MUCH GIVES BACK
     HIS ALL TO GOD AND HIS PEOPLE. BORN IN CHAMBERS COUNTY, [AL] APRIL
     24, 1865, NO ONE EVER LOVED ALABAMA MORE. A MOST GENEROUS AND
     DEVOTED SOUL, HE RADIATES TO OTHERS THE INNATE HAPPINESS THAT FILLS
     HIS OWN HEART. A BORN OPTIMIST, HE CHEERS AND INSPIRES ALL IN HIS
     RICH AND GLORIOUS UNDERTAKINGS. IN THE DARK AND GLOOMY DAYS THIS
     BRIGHT SOUL IS EVER THE INSPIRING LEADER, DISPELLING GLOOM AND
     CONVINCING THE DESPAIRING. OF REFINED SENSIBILITIES, NATURALLY
     STUDIOUS, AN OMNIVEROUS READER OF THE BEST LITERATURE, HOLDING MANY
     EARNED AND HONORARY DEGREES AND SPENDING MUCH TIME IN STUDY AND
     TRAVEL IN EUROPE, HIS STORE OF INFORMATION SEEMS WELL NIGH
     UNLIMITED, AND AT ALL TIMES HIS SCHOLARLY MIND SEEKS TO ENNOBLE AND
     EDIFY. AS ANOTHER HAS WRITTEN BEAUTIFULLY OF DR. DAWSON, 'HIS HEART
     IS ONE THAT OVERFLOWS WITH LOVE FOR MANKIND AND HE IS THEREFORE AN
     IDEAL PASTOR. HE KNOWS HOW TO GO INTO THE HOMES OF THE RICH AND
     ASSOCIATE WITH THE GREAT OF THE EARTH, AND IS EQUALLY AT EASE WITH
     THE LOWLY AND DOWNTRODDEN. HE LOVES HIS PEOPLE AND IS A SHEPHERD TO
     THE FLOCK. HI DEVOTION TO THEM AND THEIR INTERETS MAKES HIM MORE
     THAN PREACHER AND SPIRITUAL ADVISER. HE IS THEIR FRIEND, TO WHOM
     THEY GO FOR COUNSEL AND ADVICE ABOUT EVERTHING THAT TOUCHES THEIR
     LIVES, WHETHER IT BE IN REALMS SPIRITUAL OR SECULAR.'

     "DR. DAWSON HAS RENDERED GREAT SERVICE TO THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION
     IN ALABAMA AND THE SOUTH. PROMINENT AS A FOUNDER, FOR TEN YEARS HE
     WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BAPTIST YOUNG PEOPLE'S UNION OF THE SOUTH. HE
     HAS SERVED ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HOWARD COLLEGE [NOW SAMFORD
     UNIVERSITY IN BIRMINGHAM, AL] AND THE SEMINARY AT LOUISVILLE
     [SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN LOUISVILLE, KY], FOR
     THREE YEARS AS PRESIDENT OF THE ALABAMA STATE CONVENTION AND FOR
     THE LAST NINE YEARS AS TEACHER OF THE BIBLE AT HOWARD COLLEGE [NOW
     SAMFORD UNIVERSITY IN BIRMINGHAM, AL]. WHILE TEACHING AT HOWARD
     COLLEGE HE ORGANIZED THE EDGEWOOD [BAPTIST] CHURCH WITH THIRTY-TWO
     MEMBERS, AND, CONTINUING TO SERVE AS PASTOR HE HAS SEEN ITS
     MEMERSHIP INCREASE TEN FOLD" (p. 291).

     THIS SKETCH IS CONTINUED ON p. 292 WHICH SUBMITTER DOES NOT HAVE IN
     HAND. SUBMITTER WELCOMES OTHERS TO MAKE CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS.