REV. JOHN CALVIN COLLEY.

EV. JOHN CALVIN COLLEY was born in Tallapoosa county, Alabama, June 12, 1881, and died at Elon College, North Carolina, September 10, 1905, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. His corpse was taken to his home church, Beulah, at Truett, Alabama, from which his funeral services were conducted. He was the third son of J. Z. D. and Fannie Colley, pious members of the Missionary Baptist church. Their son joined the Christian church at Beulah, August 5, 1900. At once he became an active worker in the Sunday school and prayer meeting.

      At the Alabama Christian Conference held at Rock Springs church in Randolph county, in 1901, the followIng were appointed the Executive committee: Revs. C. M. Dollar, G. D. Hunt, and J. W. Elder. By this committee Rev. J. C. Colley was licensed July 5, 1902, to preach, and preached his first sermon at Antioch church in Chambers county, Alabama. He attended as a delegate from Beulah church the Conference held at Macedonia church in Clay county, in 1902, and served [381] on the committee on the standing of the churches. The Educational committee of this Conference arranged for him to attend school at Truett, Alabama, and to enter Elon College in 1903, which he did. During the year he was employed, in part, as a home missionary in the Conference. He preached sixty-two sermons, and was actively and earnestly engaged in the work of the Master. In 1904, he was a delegate from the Alabama Conference to the Southern Christian Convention held at Berea church in Nansemond county, Virginia. During the summer of this year he did home missionary work within the bounds of his conference and was returned to Elon College by the conference. The Conference adopted the report of the committee on Education expressive of their appreciation of the work done by Rev. Mr. Colley in Elon College. While in college he served as supply at Durham, O'Kelly's chapel, Youngsville, Beulah, and Oak Level, in North Carolina, and Ingram and Hebron, in Virginia. His ministerial report shows forty-two sermons preached and ten prayer meetings held. After the close of college in June, 1905, he returned to his home conference, and engaged actively in preaching. He labored earnestly and had somewhat exhausted his strength by his incessant and strenuous efforts. He had accomplished a good work.

      Mr. Colley having closed his work for the summer, left his home September 4, 1905, for Elon College, to begin his third year Is course. He was sick when he started and continued to grow worse, and on arriving at the college, a physician was called in and later two others, with a trained nurse, and these, together with a number of friends, gave him every attention that skill, tenderness and love could bestow; but, in spite of all that could be done, he continued to grow worse and worse until the end came. He was one of the best and most promising young men that had ever attended the [382] college; and in his premature death, Elon College and his conference sustained a great loss.

      All who heard him speak in public were, as a rule, thrilled and electrified by the heart and soul that came with his words, and felt that back of what was said there was the embodiment of truth and earnestness and goodness.

[LCM 381-383]