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HISTORY, OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN GEORGIA WITH BIOGRAPHIG~L COMPENDIUM ,

300 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

to preaching the Gospel; and sets his people a good example of industry by working on his O\\ln farm. Often he has been sent by his Nation to Vlashington City, as a delegate to treat with the government on tribal matters; and during the war he served as a colonel in the Confederate army. In appearance he is a splendid specimen of physical manhood, being six feet four inches in height, with a large, well built, symmetrical figure, and weighing two hundred and fonv 'pounds. He has a real Indian complexion, with coal black- hair and eyes, and white teeth, but no beard. He is not only intellectual, but very witty, and often makes this gift tell for good.

He is a diligent student with the few means at his command, and has managed to learn much from observation and conversation, and from his association with the whites. In his sermons he is very instructive, logical and forcible, and often says publicly and very solemnly, in the pulpit, that he would give all his property and honors if he could read and understand the English Bible, or if he had one single copy of the whole Bible in his own language. As yet a small part only of the New Testament has been translated into the Creek or Seminole language.

John Jumper is a strong Baptist, and has been a tower of strength to our de-nomination in the \Yest, and through his influence nearly all the Seminoles who are Christians at all, are Baptists. To his heavenly Master he has been a faith-ful servant, preaching always from a sense of duty and without regard to pay. He has baptized a large number, has trained his family and his churches in the fear of God, and is without a stain from the world. Among the Indians he is a representative man, and as long as there lives a Seminole Indian, his life and character will be held in r~verence.

ADONIRAM JUDSON KELLY.

Rev. ADONIRAM JUDSON KELLY was born in Macon county, North Carolina, October, ~) 1831; professed faith in Christ and joined the Baptist church at Franklin, October, 1848, and wa" licensed to preach ill August, J 854. Having received but a common school edu-cation, he determined at the time of his licensure to seek more thorough culture as a qualification for the work of the ministry. With this view, he converted his little prop-erty into money, and, October, 1854, entered Sand Hill Academy, a high school taught by a Presbyter~an minister in Buncombe county, North Carolina, about eighty miles distant from his mother's residence. Here his pro-gress was most gratifying to his friends. At the close of the first vear he determined to make an effort to graduate at Wake Forest College. But in two years at the College his

health so failed that he was compelled . to abandon the fur~her prosecution of his studies.

In the latter part of 1857, he returned to his mother's and engaged in mission work under the auspices of the "Testern Convention of North Carolina, and was ordained to the full work>f the ministry, March, 1858, Revs. J. Amons, M. Rickmon and R. H . Moody constituting the presbytery.

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OF PROMINENT BAPTISTS. 30r

also as necessity required. Having been chosen pastor of the Academy church, in Jackson county, in 1860, and of Cabin Creek church, in 1861, he moved to Jefferson, January, 1862, married Mrs. Burns, of that place, the 9th of February following, and soon after settled on a farm in its vicinity. "

He has labored under serious disadvantages, during the greater part of his ministry. Almost a constant ~ fferer from chronic sore throat, he sometimes despairs of ever preaching again' ; at other times, his throat being better than usual, he makes ,sacrifices that he .may give himself wholly to the ministry of the word.

Thoroughly established in the great doctrines of salvation by grace, his best pulpit efforts are on themes of this kind, teaching the people that their only hope is in the crucified One. He has b'Cen successful in building up churches, penna-nently, though sometimes slowly, Discarding the sensational, he relies entirely on-the Spirit of God under the use of divin ely authorized means for the salva-tion of souls, and confidently affirms that permanent prosperity among the churches can be attained only in this way. In his judgment, if churches are built up by sensational means they are built up only to fall down, and their last state is worse than the first.

He has been prominent in bringing up the union meetings of the Jackson district of the Sarepta Association to a high degree of efliciency. No one takes a deeper interest in the discussion of the subjects presented, or in the prosperity of the churches,than he. '

He is a goocl writer; and though he has extensively contributed to the secular and religious press, yet he scarcely ever vv"rites an article which pleases ,himself. To his own eye imperfections appear everywhere. Articles,well calculated to ac-complish the objects for which they were intended, and reflect credit on the author, have been consigned to oblivion as entirely unworthy the public eye.

A warm friend of missions both at home and abroad, of temperance, Sunday-schools and strict discipline among the churches, he labors and prays for their universal prevalence. He also believes that all Christian work is church work, and therefore disapproves of efforts for the salvation of souls which are unau-thorized by the churches of the Lord Jesus, and prosecuted apart from them.

WILLIAM WILLIS KELLY.

Rev. WILLIAM WILLIS KELLY, son of Andrew W. and Elizabeth J. Kelly, was born January 14, 1847, 'in Coweta county, Georgia. Hired to an uncle at the age of nine, he lived with his parents only at short intervals of a month or two in the summer of each year; and during these months only he attended schoo!. The rest ~ the year he worked on the farm for wages, to assist

hIS father, who, with a family of ten children, had lost all his property. In 1871, however, he entered the school of Rev. T. N. Rhodes, under whose tuition he remained two. years, supporting himself, the first, by farm labor du rmg vacation, and the second, by assisting his teacher a portion of the orne ~ ~ry day. In .1873, he attended the Southern Baptist h~ ca Seminary,

.,.:lmg but a bnef course for want of funds, and supported In part by benevo-lent contributions made to that" school of the prophets." But the interruption of attendance on scholastic institutions implies, in his case, no suspension of s~u r As. a b.o'y, he w.as acc~st e to carry a book in his pocket, and apply hImself to It diltgently In all hIS leisure moments, whenever he could do so with-?U,t neglect of business, making that use of his time his recreation, Now, that It IS largely his bus ~ess he will not prove untrue to its claims on him.

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