[Granville-Hough] 28 Mar 2009 - Wilson West

[Trustees and Executors for Granville W. Hough]

	Here is the eulogy for my great uncle Wilson West, who probably
baptised more Sullivan descendants than anyone.  He married firstly Mary 
Jane Hough, daughter of my great-grandfather Zeno Hough, and secondly, 
Charlotte Hough, a younger daughter of Zeno.  It was he who braved
the cold waters of Cohay Creek on 12 January 1862 to baptize my
grandmother Nora (Miller) Keyes and her black maidservant, Matilda
Keyes.  Afterwards, Elder West preached and brought the two into full
fellowship of the Zion Hill Baptist Church.  I believe sister of color
Matilda Keyes became the ancestress of the black Sullivans.  I will
mention Uncle Wilson West in several other stories.  This eulogy came to
me from my cousin Gerry Gieger, who actually descends from the Wests as
well as the Houghs and Giegers. Please note that Cousin W. Z. (Zeno)
West was also a minister, but his ministry was in Clarke and Wayne
Counties. Grandpa Granville.


>From: EAshelby at aol.com
>To: giegerg at hotmail.com
>Subject: Wilson West
>Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 20:37:27 EDT

>The Obit is a xerox but it looks like is has been copied from copies several 
>times
>and is faint and almost unreadable.  I don't think I would get anything If 
>I
>try to copy it again.   I did transcribe it and I am sending it so you can 
>at
>least see what it said.
>
>From "The Baptist"
>Later "The Baptist Record"
>Jackson, Miss. April 1900
>	Elder Wilson West
>
>	This venerable servant of Christ died at Heidelberg, Mississippi 
>on Friday, April 6th and was buried yesterday, Sunday at Clear Creek 
>Baptist
>Church, six miles south of Shubuta, the writer preaching the funeral sermon
>from the text: "They that be wise shall shine as the brightest of the
>firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars, forever 
>and
>ever."  Dan. 12:3.
>	He was born near Williamsburg, Covington county, Mississippi,
>December 25, 1826, and ordained a Baptist minister in 1856.
>	Considering the fact that he was about 30 years old when he entered
>the ministry, that he already had the responsibility of a family, and but
>little or no education to begin with,--the work that he was enabled to do 
>is
>simply phenomenal.  The writer has heard him say that he went to school 
>with
>his own children after he began to preach. He often deplored his lack of
>early educational advantages. He was a warm friend of Ministerial Education
>and frequently urged young ministers of his acquaintance to avail 
>themselves
>of every opportunity to improve their education.  After entering the 
>ministry
>he made good use of the few opportunities that he had.  He purchased and 
>read
>with avidity a few choice Theological books but above all other books, he
>studied the Word of God which he recognized as "the sword of the spirit,
>quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
>dividing asunder of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and a discerner of
>thoughts and intents of the heart."
>	Fewer, if any, have preached the old-time Gospel with greater force
>and power than did Elder Wilson West in the prime days of his ministry.  He
>was a venerable messenger -- a son of thunder, when dealing with the
>impertinent in revival meetings.  Many "who came to mock, remained to 
>pray."
>with a mighty hand and "many were the slain of the Lord".
>	His son, Elder W.Z. West, informs me that his father kept a record of
>the names of all whom he baptized and that there are something over 1600
>names in the book.  But as some of the leaves of the book are lost, it is
>safe to say that he baptized, perhaps 1800 believers and in addition, he
>aided in the ordination of 19 ministers and 71 deacons and in the
>constitution of 16 New Testament Churches in East Mississippi.  He also
>united in marriage 111 couples.  Many were converted under his ministry, 
>who were baptized by other pastors whom he aided in meetings.
>	He was, indeed, instrumental in "turning many to righteousness." and,
>although he passed through many and great tribulations, we have the 
>assurance
>that he "shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars,
>forever and ever."

>"Servant of God, well done:                   --------------
>	Rest from thy loved employ.
>The battle fought, the victory won:           J.M. Phillips
>	Enter thy Master's joy."       Shubuta, Miss. April 9, 1900


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P. S. 4.  "Eight-five million Americans have experimented with illegal
drugs.  Since the object of criminal law is to detect and punish the
wrongdoer, should we reason that 85 million of us should have spent time
in Jail?"  (So asks William F. Buckley, Jr, Founder, National Review.