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school for orphans of Baptist parentage. And what
he has done is but the "first fruits" of what he yet in-
tends to do. D. M. Parry, also of the First church,
is a liberal giver as well as prosperous manufacturer.
J. T. Polk, a manufacturer of Greenwood, enjoys giv-
ing money for good objects as well as he does the
accumulation; he has no thought of "living unto him-
self," and is particularly interested in the welfare of
working men. Graf ton Johnson of Greenwood,
though yet a young man, has shown unusual power as
a manager of business, and his disposition to give has
ample evidence in what he has already done for his
Alma Mater, Franklin College, as well as other worthy
causes. He recognizes that all who love our Lord
are only stewards of what He has entrusted to us.
Deacon Joshua VanDeman of the South Street
church was one of God's noblemen, large of heart and
true to his mission as a christian man. While he was
not blessed with large means, he was yet a compara-
tively liberal giver to missions and education; and in
his last illness expressed the wish that $16,000 from
his estate might be added to what he had already
given to the Missionary Union.
Among the ministers who have belonged to the
Association, and who were trusted and loved, might
be mentioned the Rev. J. F. Beaman, for eight years
pastor of the Lebanon church. He was an industrious
and successful soul winner. After a long session of
impaired health he was called to his heavenly home
in 1903.
The Rev. 0. T. Conger, D. D., was born in Indiana,
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but found his mission in serving churches in Illinois,
Iowa and Nebraska, as well as Indiana. He was for
several years Corresponding Secretary of the Indiana
Baptist Convention; he died in 1903.
In the minutes of 1890 is found an obituary report
respecting another minister who was loved not only
by his brethren of the Association but also by the
Baptists of the whole State. He was the Rev. G. H.
Elgin, D. D., and this is the tribute found in that
report:
"It was fitting that we pause to give more than a
passing notice to our dear brother Elgin, who was
taken from us in the midst of his years and of his
labors. Brother Elgin was so large and full and round
and complete a man that he grew upon us insensibly,
and we presume that few of us realized how much he
was to us till after he was taken from us. How much
his presence has been missed in this gathering--and
we presume in all the Associations of the State! He
had already reached a high position of honor and
influence in the denomination in his own State and
was one of the rising young men of the nation. He
had genuine sympathy and a large measure of chris-
tian courtesy in all his intercourse with his fellow men.
. . . . He was a clear and strong and forcible
speaker and writer. He was a born leader in the
realm of thought and action. But more than all this
he was deeply religious; he was a man of fervent
piety. . . . ."
The Rev. T. J. Connor was born in 1821, was for
some years pastor of the River Avenue church; Indian-
