Chatham County GaArchives History .....The 1st African Baptist Church, Chapter XV 1925 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 11, 2004, 10:30 pm CHAPTER XV. Rev. Edgar Garfield Thomas, the tenth and present pastor, was born in Calhoun County, Georgia, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Delilah Thomas, at that time humble tenant farmers on Jesse Merritt's plantation. At the age of six, his father bought a 50 acre tract of farm land in Randolph County, 8 miles south of Shellman, and moved the family to his own home. His father continued to add to his holdings until he became an independent and progressive farmer. The family grew until there were fifteen children of whom Edgar was fifth, all of whom were provided with considerable education. Of the eight now living, three are successful pastors, two girls are wives of prominent pastors, the other three are active church laymen. Edgar's advantages for an education were meager in early life; but he early manifested an insatiable desire for a liberal education. His early struggles to gratify this desire would make an interesting chapter, as may be gleaned from his biography in the "History of the American Negro," Georgia Edition, Vol. 1, but that is too elaborate for this sketch. He united with the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church at the age of fourteen, was a Sunday school teacher at 15, and superintendent of the Sunday school at 18 and developed the largest and most progressive school in Randolph County. As a delegate to the Benevolence Sunday School Convention at Americus, he was elected clerk of that body also at 18. He entered Atlanta Baptist Seminary, now Morehouse College, October 6, 1895, and practically worked his way through school, remaining there 12 years. He finished the Academic Course, May 14, 1902; the College Course, May 16, 1906; and the Theological Course, May 15,1907. At Rome in July, 1906, he was elected State B. Y. P. U. Organizer and Corresponding Secretary of the State Sunday School Convention, filling this position two years. In September of the same year, he was elected pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Monroe, and made a splendid record there for three years, giving half of his time to the pastorate and half to the field work. October 21, 1908, he was married to Miss Esther N. Brockenton, of Darlington, S. C., daughter of Dr. I. P. Brockenton, the late President of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention. Mrs. Thomas finished the College Course of Shaw University with the degree, B. S., May 10, 1900. She is a model wife and a very valuable pastoral assistant. Three children have come to bless this union, Esther B, 15; Edgar, G., Jr., 13; and Henry, 11. He accepted the pastorate of the Harmony Baptist Church, Augusta, in 1908, and served them two years, improving, the church and increasing its membership. At the same time he acted as Dean of Theology at Walker Baptist Institute. In the autumn of 1910 he was elected President of Twin City Seminary, McRae, Ga., and served them very acceptably for five terms, pastoring the First Baptist Church there most of the time. He was called to the Mt. Olive Church, Dodge County, in 1911, and served them one year while at McRae. Desiring to devote his whole time to the ministry, he accepted a call to the Mt. Vernon First Baptist Church, Newnan, Ga., June 1, 1915, and served with great success for four years; after which he was called to the First African Baptist Church, Bainbridge, where he did very notable work. He led the church in a $4,000 rally and burned a mortgage that had been hanging over the church for 14 years, built a $2,500 pastorium, installed steam heating plant, pool and choir stand, bought an expensive pulpit set, built concrete steps and concreted the sidewalk and vestibule floors, and did many other improvements about the church besides giving it a new rating in the state and nation, for its internal organization and operation were modernized and many members were added to the church. This church, as was the case of all the others he has served, was quite reluctant to dispense with his efficient services. During the World War, Rev. Thomas won quite a reputation in-Coweta County as Chairman of the Thrift Stamp and War Bonds Campaign. Some of his speeches were published and highly commended. He is in constant demand for special sermons and addresses. The year following Dr. Goodall’s resignation was one of severe trial for the church, for Dr. Goodall had some very devoted friends in the congregation that were not able to see that the church should not have conceded his requests. They did not cease to agitate and an effort was made to stage a come-back for the former shepherd. Knowing what it meant for them and the church, the officers, supported by the church, dealt with matters with a firm hand. There was much friction and much feeling. Finally, about twenty-five were excluded from the church, most of them were very active workers. Though out, they continued to give trouble, for they kept the actions of the officers and church under critical discussion, and through sympathizers in the church, kept things in an uproar. Just prior to the call, things began to simmer down and some of them returned, and others were on their way. Then too, the vacant pulpit was the object of considerable speculation. The usual stream of visitors and applicants flowed by, hundreds of them, some of them among the ablest pastors, most prominent evangelists, and gifted preachers in the country. Finally the Pulpit Committee invited the Rev. Thomas, then pastor of the First African Baptist Church, Bainbridge, Ga., to visit the church on the fourth Sunday in May, 1923, to preach both regular services and ordain four candidates for the deaconate: Brother J. H. Davis, Brothers H. J. Freeman, C. B. Burson, and Dr. F. S. Belcher. Rev. Thomas came and delivered a sermon at the morning service from the text: "What is man?" Psalm 8:4, subject: "Man." The sermon gripped the congregation, making an impression that despite many others coming before and after, was so profound that continued to deepen until it was soon practically conceded that he would be the next pastor of the church. The sermon on the subject: "Deacons and Their Relations to the Pastor and Church," that night was also happily received, and the manner of officiating during the ordination exercises increased the favorable impression. On the fourth Sunday in July he was invited to preach the 97th anniversary of the organization of this, the first Sunday school organized in a Negro church of North America. From this time forth, Rev. Thomas' name was a familiar one among the members of the First Church. Then on October 21, while at his regular evening services in Bainbridge, he received the following telegram: Savannah, Ga. 5:47 p. m., October 21,1923, Rev. E. G. Thomas, 616 Clay Street, Bainbridge, Ga.: "We wish to convey to you the intelligence of your election as pastor of the First African Baptist Church at Savannah, Ga.; action of the church in a special conference, Sunday, October 21, at 5:00 p. m. Letter will follow. "Board of Deacons, W. G. Williams, Church Clerk, 624 W. Walburg St." Rev. Thomas, accepted the call and took charge December 1, 1923, and was installed during the anniversary exercises in January, 1924. Coming to the church, the pastor found things still far from ideal. The troubles in the church assumed a new angle with the advent of a new pastor to take charge. Rev. Thomas' first constructive work was to distribute the responsibilities, activities, and opportunities into a much wider range of workers. This he, with the aid of the church, did so wisely and charitably, that the very narrow circle of workers he found doing everything could find no opportunity for disturbance; and the new enlistments are happy in the service of helping to maintain and advance the church. The working force is now triple the size he found it. The next great task the pastor undertook was to review the facts underlying the perpetual controversy with the First Bryan Baptist Church as to priority. Finding that all that the First African Baptist Church claimed as to its being the original First African Baptist Church was eminently true, and that a great mass of its most striking evidence had never been brought properly to light and that much that the other generation accepted as authentic had been forgotten by the present, and knowing that the entire country would welcome a recast and restatement of the merits of this aggravating case, and feeling further that God must have brought him to the church for this very purpose, Rev. Thomas resolved to accept the challenge and plunged immediately into the stupendous task of gathering and systematizing material, and this little volume is the result. In the meantime, seeing the old bell tower built during Dr. Love's administration was still down, and the 1047 lb. bronze bell bought for it was still silent in the basement, he instituted a "Bell Ringing" drive and led the church in reconstructing a tower, this time of reinforced concrete at a cost of $3,175 and installed the bell in a gala "Bell Ringing Exercise," May 17, 1925. The following is a Dedication Poem, composed and read by the pastor on that occasion: DEDICATION POEM. First African Baptist Church Bell. And now ring out, First African Baptist bell, In this resplendent tower thy lofty station take; Once more thy gospel message to the -nations tell, And bid the sleeping thousands of Savannah wake. For thirty years thy tongue has held its peace; While we in silent sadness yearned to bid thee rise; But now in joyful notes thy silence cease, And shout thy joyous anthem to the listening skies. Ring out, First African Baptist bell. Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring out! Ring out! First African Baptist bell; For there awaits thee still a serious, solemn task— Vice, crime and superstition to dispel, Atheistic creeds to blight and heresies to unmask. Vile forms and follies flaunt their tempting snares, And dig decoying pitfalls for unguarded youth; While many a heedless wanderer, unawares, Treads error's dismal ways, and spurns eternal truth. Ring out, First African Baptist bell. Ring! Ring! Ring! And still ring out, First African Baptist bell; Another generation bids thee rise and ring; That host which viewed thy former citadel Has here but few and faint thy former praise to sing. Ring till the hosts of earth assemble near; Ring till the multitudes of heaven draw nearer still; Ring till all tribes and tongues, in reverent fear, Extol Christ King, and seek to do His holy will. Ring out, First African Baptist bell. Ring! Ring! Ring! E. G. THOMAS. Savannah, Ga., May 17,1925. Rev. Thomas is one of Georgia's most upright, highly educated, and conscientious preachers. He is exceedingly popular in Savannah. Under his leadership, the church is destined to heights in some lines not hitherto attained. The congregations are growing and Mother Zion is moving merrily onward. Additional Comments: From: THE FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA BY REV. EDGAR GARFIELD THOMAS, A. B., B. D. SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Copyright, 1925 By E. G. Thomas, Author. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/chatham/history/other/gms386the1staf.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 11.9 Kb