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The Journal of Florida Baptist Heritage Florida Baptist Historical Society Published by the FLORIDA BAPTIST HISTORICAL SOCIETY Dr. Jerry M. Windsor, Secretary-Treasurer 5400 College Drive Graceville, Florida 32440 Board of Directors y The State Board of Missions of the Florida t e i c Baptist Convention elects the Board of e o g Directors. S l a a t c i i Rev. Joe Butler r r o t Director of Missions, Black Creek Association e s Mrs. Elaine Coats i H H t Fernandina Beach t s i t Mrs. Clysta De Armas s p i a Port Charlotte t B p Mr. Don Graham a a d Graceville i r B o Dr. Thomas Kinchen l F President, The Baptist College of Florida a e d h t Mrs. Dori Nelson i f r Miami o o l l Dr. Paul Robinson a n F Pensacola r u Rev. Guy Sanders o J Pastor, First Baptist Church, New Port Richey Dr. John Sullivan Executive Director-Treasurer Florida Baptist Convention Cover: Dr. W. Wiley Richards has been preach- ing for 56 years, taught for 36 years and has What We Can Learn about Pastoral Preaching from served 48 interims. Dr. Jerry Oswalt......................................................116 Ed Scott Jerry Windsor-A Passion to Preach, a Burden to Teach Introduction ................................................................4 Preachers ................................................................127 Jerry M. Windsor Joel R. Breidenbaugh The 1885 Preaching of Nathan A. Williams ..............6 Dr. W. Wiley Richards: He Came Teaching...........139 Thomas Field Roger C. Richards A Historical Study of Evangelist Mordecai F. Ham’s 1905-1939 Florida Meetings....................................16 s Jerry Hopkins s t t n Charles Bray Williams n e e t Greek Scholar, Pastor, Preacher...............................28 t n Charlotte Williams Sprawls n o o C The Preaching of Charles Roy Angell C “A Master Collector and Teller of Stories”..............68 Jerry E. Oswalt “It Was Like Fire” The Preaching of Elam Jackson Daniels..................83 Jerry M. Windsor James L. Pleitz Pastor of First Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida, from 1959 to 1977....................94 Paul D. Robinson, Sr. Carlton Watson Todd and a Footnote.....................107 Jerry M. Windsor INTRODUCTION Introduction Jerry M. Windsor saved. However I never doubted my call to preach. It was a done Secretary-Treasurer deal. For better or worse I was going to be a Southern Baptist Florida Baptist Historical Society preacher and I never doubted it. Our authors introduce us to Florida preachers who were in the business for over fifty years. Some taught, some led, some pastored and all preached. In this issue we have a 125 year span of Florida Baptist preaching from the first known Florida manuscript (1885) to the sermons from last Sunday. Welcome to Issue Twelve of Meet these men and their calling. Listen to the writers and The Journal of Florida Baptist Heritage question their conclusions. Make your own list of Florida Baptist pastors who served 50 years and influenced you. Our feature in this issue is an emphasis upon Florida Baptist Just remember. It all started when Jesus came preaching, preachers who spent at least 50 years in preaching and or teach- teaching and healing. ing preaching and preachers. Jesus came preaching, teaching and healing (Matthew 4:23). Honoring those who honor Christ, There was a prophet, priest, king motif in the work of Jesus. In His first sermon Jesus chose Isaiah 61:1-2 as His text. Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day, read His text, closed the book, sat down and stated “Today hath this scripture been ful- filled in your ears.” It doesn't get any better than that. He preached words of grace but still they got angry and threw him out of the church and ran Him out of His hometown. So much for the popularity of preaching. It was June 28, 1956 when I was called to preach at Shocco Springs Baptist Assembly in Talladega, Alabama. At fifteen years of age I didn't know much but I wept as I made my decision pub- lic. I knew it was personal, real and final. While Dr. Perry Crouch was preaching I was called to preach. There have been times I doubted my salvation. (If I am saved why did I do that? If I am saved why did I say that or think that?) I was 23 years of age before I had full confidence that I was 4 The Journal of Florida Baptist Heritage, Volume 12, Fall 2010 The Journal of Florida Baptist Heritage, Volume 12, Fall 2010 5 THE 1885 PREACHING OF The 1885 Preaching of Nathan A. Williams NATHAN A. WILLIAMS The foolish virgins were at least practically pure, though THOMAS FIELD they evidently were not regenerate Christians. The foolish took no oil with them - oil representing the regenerating influence of Research Writer the Holy Spirit. Remember that all this time they remain vir- gins, but failed to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Yet they evidently represented a part of the true church on earth at that time and at this. Who will gain say? Virginity could not be a type of the world with all the varied shades of extreme wicked- The Ten Virgins ness, though this is taught by some divines. Alas, how wide of the mark they step. Alas, how many are misled by teachers who “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten vir- are endeavoring to implant in the minds of others the errors of gins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the an early education. bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five were foolish. We do not say that these foolish virgins were not good prac- They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with tical Christians; but we do say that there is not the least bearing them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”- in the parable that teaches that they had ever passed through the Matt. 25: 1-13. regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit. And in this instead of We have thought it strange that there were so many good men proving apostasy, it very plainly disproves it. Now we may give writing for the Baptist Witness and so few giving pithy commen- these foolish virgins under praise. They were hand in hand with taries upon mooted questions. This is our first for publication the wise. They helped pay the pastor. They with the wise, built upon a religious subject. Therefore bear with us a little if we churches. They doubtless loved God's people. They worshipped make some small mistakes. Nevertheless our expressed convic- in public. They condemned wickedness and withstood it with a tions for the religious press are open for criticism, and we invite strong arm. They were of course, a figure of the true church, and it believing as we do that Christian criticism upon a brother's pro- how could their actions be inconsistent with the true Christian's ductions works for good and not for evil. walk? Marriage festivals in Eastern lands are sometimes occasions Some in their criticisms will doubtless undertake to prove of a wonderful display and varied scenes of public excitement. that they were the hypocrites in the church. That will not do. The Modern travelers have witnessed just such festivals as the para- idea will not associate itself with virginity. They were, if you will ble describes. The parable teaches one of the most important allow the expression; honestly deceived. They were earnest in the lessons involved in the Christian’s life. Remember that the belief of their Christian loyalty. The parable clearly indicates this. kingdom of heaven here is likened to something pure, viz: a fig- Our Savior uses firm, but kind words to these virgins in the very ure of the church. And again, virginity comports with the idea last that the Scripture gives an account of. Which read, verse 12: of purity. “But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you 6 The Journal of Florida Baptist Heritage, Volume 12, Fall 2010 The Journal of Florida Baptist Heritage, Volume 12, Fall 2010 7 Thomas Field The 1885 Preaching of Nathan A. Williams not.” The wise also spoke kind words to them, but unmistakably churches that could not afford a pastor. Williams died at his home plain. There is a very strong inference from the reading of the in Dade City in the spring of 1899. parable that the wise really thought that these foolish virgins were as good as themselves. Will some of the brethren give us their Choice of Williams ideas on this wonderful parable? I chose to research Nathan A. Williams for two reasons. First, N. A. Williams he has the oldest published sermons in our state Baptist paper Macon, Fla. (1885). Second, as a lay-preacher he represents the very soul of Florida Baptist preaching from 1854-1925. I am not saying they Records available indicate that Dr. Nathan A. Williams all preached the same but they all were primarily bi-vocational (1843-1899) came to Florida in 1884. He was probably born in preachers with very little ministerial training. The Florida Baptist Mississippi and moved to Florida in 1883.1 It is a fact that Dr. Convention was begun in 1854 but it was not until about 1925 Williams started corresponding with the Florida Baptist Witness that we had as many preachers as we did churches. Joshua as early as 1885, when he published a sermon "The Ten Virgins" Mercer (1788-1869) the brother of Jesse Mercer was one of our in the March 19, 1885, (p.