[Elam Franklin Dempsey]

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Jeiques Upshaw
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rAM FRANKLIN DIQIPSEIr
I was born this is Elsa Franklin Dempsey as Benjamin Franklin,
that great old sage of America. As for the Dempsey part, I always say that
it is the sane as Jack Dempsey, spelled the same may, so there is no further
difficulty there. Elam Franklin Dempsey. I was born duly 6, 1878, in Atlanta,
Georgia, Tattnall Street, the Peachtree of that day, in my grandfather's houss.
my grandfather's name was John Durant Smith. My parents lived in Dodge County,
and for a season my father lived in a place bearing his own name, Dempsey,
Georgia. He was engaged in the erosatie trade, manufacturing and selling them,
and therefore he traveled good bit, living between Georgia and Florida. We
lived here and there between north Florida and Georgia. ftis health breaking
down around 1880, he was forced to give up his occupation, and had to move to
Jackson, Georgia, near Indian Springs, the water of which is a specific, as
you may know, for malarial diseases. He lived there thirty-seven years, raising
four children4
limy oldest sister was named Irene, the second, Ernestine, Who is now teaching
English at Girls' High School, here in Atlanta. MY brother, Thomas Jackson
Dempsey, Junior, is in the education department of Georgia, a weIlwknown supervisor
inspector of schools under Dr. Collins. He is next to Dr. 'Collins in rank. I'd
be glad if you'd interview him sometime. He's a MAU Ala, though well-known in
some circles, is not as much recognized an his ability and accomplishments
warrant. Of course, he's younger than I am, and hasn't had as much time to make
himself known. He lives at Watkins, Georgia, but works and has his office in
the State Oap$M014
*I just happened to think of it, if you will look at the Memoirs of Georgia
you will see a sketch of my father.
"Both my parents were natives of Cobb County. My father was Thomas Jackson
Dempsey, son of Reverend A. G. Dempsey Reverend Alvin Green Dempsey. I've

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often wandered how the Alvin and the Oriels came into the Dempsey family, but
I haven't done the necessary research yet to find out. My mother was Narcissa
America Smith -isNarcissa. It'sapeculiar olds-fathioned name, and my
mother never liked it. But we all loved its old•fashioned sound.
"Now, going back. We were at Butts County, where we lived many years. my
father bad a large mercantile business there, and other businesses, and was also
a lawyer. Later he went to Florida, and at the age of seventy•five was elected
Judge of the Supreme Court there, and won flattering praise for his excellent
handling of the somewhat involved Florida law. He was never reversed on a single
judgment, and only one was ever questioned, and everybody said that he was right
on that.
"MY father was a very aggressive MA36 VII not very meth like him in that
unless you put me under pressure. My grandmother used to say of him, 'He's like
7obla- war horse. He sniffs a battle from afar, and rushes into battle.'
"At Jackson I had the usual experience of going through grammar school and
then through high school. I had fine teachers, and I do appreciate good teachers
and good preachers' My pastors were very lovely to ma, also. One of them.I
would like to mention in particular. Reverend Sohn L. Bowden. I remember him
reverently. I remember him, giving me counsel many times. Once he said, 'My
boy, a man ought not to preach to study in the pulpit, but should preach from
the standpoint of study.' By that he meant that one shouldn't use the pulpit
for experimenting, but mould study diligently before preaching. I loved and
honored him, and when he died I had the honor to write the memoirs of his life.
I'd love to name all the pastors, but of course, that vould take too long*
"Well, to get back to school. We didn't have, in those days, a formal
kindergarten. But we were fortunate in having a lady --Miss Eve, Sassnitt,
daughter of William Sasanitt, with us. She was an intellectual and devout
WOMAII, and had that enthusiasm of a teacher (which is the most valuable attribute

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of a teacher). She was my fttst teacher, and was more or less in charge of
schools there. Then a schoolhouse was built at Jackson, where t first wen*
to school,. We were fortunate in being one of the earlier of the counties to
have a good school.
"Professor Blasingame, I remember, Professor Z. G. Blasingame, and
Professor Troy Kelley, constituted the faculty that early gave shape to the
school.
A typical day in school: First, in the large auditoria:,
in the morning we had chapel for Bible -reading and exercises. There would
be oomment, sometimes by the visitors, if any were present, on the Bible reading
of the day, then there would be singing fro* a well -chosen -hymn book. Professor
Biasing:me, who was always enthusiastic about music, would load the singing.
"It was the privilege of Jackson High School to have a series of talks
each year by visitors men, whose talks would inepire us and
counsel UB to make something of ourselves. For instance, Doctor quigg, a
Scotch divine, lectured on his experiences oarOuba, and his lecture was one
of the most impressive of the series. Another man I remember was Marcus W.
Beck, native of Jackson. He gave many talks, and sedulously prepared for
these addresses. He came to us with inspiring remarks, and filled UA with
aspiration for great things. It was natural that a man of such wonderful
gifts and ability should advance rapidly, and I was not surprised when he
booms a :notice of the Superior Court.
I remember one day seeing him walking under the large oak trees along
the walk on the sunlit sand, It was one of these beautiful Georgia mornings
that we have, and the sunlight was coming down through the loaves of the
trees, making a pattern of checkered light and shade 4 beautiful sight.
He was absorbed in his meditations, and wasn't aware that anyone was watching.

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I saw him, thought gesturing vigorously, and walking soberly along. It was
inspiring to me. I knew thet he was preparing another one of his fine talks.
I said to myself, 'Here is a man who expects to be somebody. He is willing to
pay the price, and works hard.' I'll never forget the picture of him striding
down the walk of white sand, overshadowed by tremendous oak trees, through
which the sunlight filtered down.
"We had some remarkable people in Jackson. Old Dr. Anderson, for instance,
Nobody knew anything about him, or where he came from. He just appeared out
of nowhere, before the railroad cams, even. He was a man who had had consider.
able tragedy in his life, and he took refuge in his books. He was a vary
eccentric man, a very smart MAR. He was the one my father studied law under.
The people of the famous Will N. Harbin were also there in Jackson.
 "But you want a typical day in school, and I got off on this
side track After shapel we went to recitations again, then we had
mid -morning recess, playing games, and so forth. Let's see if I remember
any of those games. Of course, there was the craze over marbles that was
current then, and top -spinning knulling tops, it was called and races,
We waxed quite ambitious in our athletic program. SWIM of the boys got two
ropes and tied them to high limbs, and they would swing way out with them.
Sometimes they would put a little fellow on it and swing him way around,
until finally he had to let go and do a belly -buster. I always hated to
see them 4 that. Sometimes the little boys would get on the swings themselves,
and fall off. They shouldn't have done it. But a young boy is ambitious, you
know, and they didn't think about the consequences.
I used to get after the big boys for picking on the little ones, and one
time I had a fight about it. One of the big boys was teasing and bullying
fk little boy. He wasn't really mean, but just the bullying kind. I said to

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5.
him that I'd give him a licking if he did anything to the little fellow again,
and of course, that was the invitation he was waiting for. The bully got behind
me and put his hands on my shoulders and said, Mom will take care of him;
yea old Muni take *are of him.' When he jumped on the boy again I hit him.
I had a negro friend who had told me something about fightihg sad he had said
to kick his thins. I didn't realize as fully as I should have that he could
kick my shins, too. It was a game two could play, and his shoes were heavier
than mine. For days after that my shins were sore. I made up my mind that
the shoe business wouldet work, and I took *are to use another method next time.
I wasn't really a belligerent boy, but I didn't like to see anybody picked on.
All this fighting took place at the morning recess,
"At noon most of us went home for dinner, for most of us lived there in
town. We came back and had recitations again, and the afternoons did seem long*
We stayed till four o'clock, usually. Then there would be those, sometimes, who
were kept in. That was bad on the teachers and the pupils, too. There was
recognition of fidelity in marts, sometimes based on a hundred, sometimes on ten.
We had a debating society, which would rise, flourish, and fail. Then we'd
have declamation time, being very ambitious and anxious to be Daniel Webster. and
Thomas Paine.. We wad get together in groups in the fields, far enough fInsi
one another so that we wouldn't disturb each other, and practice. We didn't
know anything about platform posture, gesturing, and so forth, though, mad it
was mainly main strength and awkwardness. We could holler loud, though, and
we did. When anybody had advanced to the point where he could be heard clear
across the village he was thought to be very good.
Sometimes in vitiation time we put on exercises, and had debates. And it
did us good, too. That old time custom contributed to civic thinking, and taugjsk

Elam Franklin Dempsey de
and
us to think on our feet and get up before the public/put our thoughts into
words. I've noticed that those who excelled at those things have done well
in life since then,
"There was a lady who taught music at the school mandolin, guitar,
and violin. We had a vary musioal group in Jackson, Georgia. Professor
Blasingnme took a large part in the musical activities.
"The young MAU and women who went away from Jackson represented us well.
Major Woodward, of G. K. A.; Professor Henry F. Fletcher; Douglas Watson,
of Gordon Institute; and 0. L.Theaton, of G. S. C. W., are some of tha men
who have gone out into the world from Jackson and made good.
"In September, after my sixteenth birthday, I entered Junior College and
went two years. My schooling was interrupted by ill health, and I ',topped out
and stayed one year on the farm* I have always been glad that I did, for it
'improved my health and helped me to be strong. In June, 1899, I graduated,
having had the pleasure of being three years under Bishop Candler. I graduated,
though, under Dr. C. E. Doman. At college, in spite of ill health, I was champion
debater, and was editor of the Phoenix. I entered every debate they had. At
that time Mrs. Corm White Harris was my Sunday School teacher. You know Mrs.
Harris, the fanous Georgia author. She was at that time wife of the Greek professor
at Emory, Professor L. H. Harris, and as always, her mind scintillited with iit
and shrewd understanding. I spent many an evening with her and others* enjoying
their conversation and learning. I never enjoyed anything more than those
informal gatherings where we discussed all the things I had been interested in
for so long. I simply ate it up*
"During my college life I tried to take part in all the various activities
the religious, sooial, athletic, and all of them. I was especially interested
in debating*

Elam Franklin Dempsey 7.
"I thought that a person in college should get a well-counded education
and culture, and I set out to do this. I didn't lay particular stress on the
social activities, though I was a member of the A.T.O. Fraternity.
"The incentive I had at Emory was not personal ambition, but to please my
father and mother. I was so sickly that the work was very taxing on me, but
I knew that for me to do well would give them joy, and that was the happiest
part of it for me.
"There at college all the books I had longed to have the opportunity to
read were at hand, and I read them incessantly. I read everything Balms°,
even. Ought not to have read BOMA I did, perhaps, but I didn't know, and I
gloried in the opportunity of having so many books at hand. In this atmosphere
of books and learning at Emory I was in paradise. I was a very ardent fiction
reader, but I had read that one must not be desultory in his reading, and I
decided to limit myself to only one book of fiction at a time, and finally
cut them out altogether.
"I can tell you, though, I stuck my teeth into one thing.that was hard
to handle. Mrs. Harris had recommended to me the Journal of Lintel, Journal
Intime translated by Ws. Humphrey Ward. It is a book of philosophical thoughts
that Amiel jotted down deep meditations on many subjeots Talk about
Attic Salt, talk about Ambrosial Nights, we had them in Oxford, Georgia, there
at little Emoryl
nay college friendships have been very precious tome. My roommate was
G. M. Fakes. He was like a brother tome. We were inaeparables, and deskmates
back in Jackson before going to college. He was my good guide and counselor
and helped me on many an occasion. He loved me truly, and I him. Be meant
much to me.

Elan Franklin Dempsey
8.
"When I was in the Freehman class in college an incident occurred which
was rather amusing, which involved likes. Be was persuaded by the rest of the
boys to ow -operate with them in scaring ma. We didn't have any regular basing
then, but usually a new boy would be initiated in some manner by the older
students. Well, they had decided to play the "dumbull" on me, which is tying
a string on a nail stuck under the clapboard of a house and then rosining
it and stroking it. It produces a weird sound, sometimes high and screeching,
and sometimes low and ominous. Well, likes, being my roommate, was appointed
to talk to me that night and get me properly in the mood to be soared. Be
began telling me all kinds of weird things about the effect of such a sound.
I wasn't much impressed, however, and said that it was just 4iUy. Well, we
went to bed, and presently the noise began. We awoke, and Bakes asked me if
I heard it. 'Yes,' I said, 'it sounds rather silly, doesn't it?' Then I
turned over and tent back to sleep and didn'tehte un anymore that night.
But Bakes told me later that he was kept awake half the night by the dumbull
that was supposed to frighten me. He told the other boys about it the next
morning, and one of them said, 'Well. I told them all the time that you
couldn't do anything with that ugly old gangling, old long•legged devill,
I was long and awkward and thin them.
"Later in life, when I was started on my may upward he befriended me
time and again, and took me about with him to various churches and let me
help him in evangelical waft:. I surely went through agonies to get up
sermons and arguments for those services. I was just out of college, and it
is not easy to get on to making a good sermon. A preacher has got to not
only lay down a proposition, but he must argue it, apply it, persuade and
admonish, and close with a definite and earnest proposition.

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"I could tell you many episodes of that part of my experiences. After
we closed the meetings we would all go off somewhere and have a houseparty
and relax before going into the next series of evangelloal services. My
good friend, Reverend G. M. Bakes, who was my roommate at Oxford, entertained
a number of pastors once, and during my stay there I had a great deal of
pleasure in going through his large library. I remember one volume particularly,
a volume of James Whitcomb Riley, in which was a poen called TRW PIPES 0' PAW 07
MEMORY, and I read and reread it many times, I booms so infatuated with it.
I didn't try to memorize it, but I found the other day that I remembered it
A
word for word. I amazed myself by quoting it line for line1 all the nine
stenzas:
(Quotes poem)
"Well I've been blessed with a good memory, but I was much surprised
at myself. The memory, I think has been depreciated lately too much
probably because in former years it was rated too high. Not enough attention
is given to cultivating it. The memory is handmaiden to all our faculties.
What could you do if you lost your memory? Why, if you couldn't remember, you
would lose even your personal identity. When I was a young boy I used ta
memorize just for the ,pleasure of it all the examples of correct English given
in Hart's Readers. My mother, seeing me interested in cultivating my memory,
suggested that I learn some hymns. I took her suggestion, and have always
been grateful for it, for I still remember them. And I have been able to
remember many Bible verses because of a good memory.
"And speaking of the Bible, do you know that there is not a book in the
Bible that is not built on some other book? That shows that there was one
supervisory intelligence for the whole work. Most people think that the Pentateuch
is difficult to account for on the score of literary sources.
But this need not

Elsa Franklin Dempsey
perplex if one will notice such a passage as the second half of =adult,
Seventeen, and such like scriptures. It is *widget from these that writing
and keeping records was a matter entirely familiar to the Hebrews in charge
of the migration of the Jews in the Wilderness.
"I graduated, and then joined the conference in Lagrange, Georgia,
following the life of an itinerant minister. Later, I graduated from
Vanderbilt, in 1906, and it was my privtlege to deliver on that oceasion the
address representing the department. Bishop Hendricks was on the platform.
In november, 1909, it was Bishop Hendricks who presided over conference,
and he gave me an appointment to Trinity Church, here in Allenta. Later, he
was helpful to ins in writing the life of Bishop Haygood.
"When I entered the ministry I felt very strongly that I had to be mentally
honest, and wanted to go into the Biblical problems deeply. Not all men feel
that way, and I pass no judgment or criticism on those. I want to make that
plain. But for myself, I knew that I had to study a great deal before I could
satisfy myself on the various Biblical questions.
"I wanted to get more education to broaden my knowledge, and I requested
Bishop Hendricks to appoint ma a student to Vanderbilt University. I always
believed, like Dr. Lovick Pierce, father of Bishop Pierce, said, that a call
to preach is a *all to get ready to preach. After graduating from Vanderbilt
I returned to Georgia, and married Georgia Roger Hunnicutt, the daughter of
James B. Hunnicutt. We have not been blessed with children, but my wife still
lives, and blesses my lift*
"My first charge in the preaching line was in the city mission in Atlanta.
Then I served circuits and stations in North Georgia Conference and was appointed
to Trinity Church in 1910. I was Doan of the Theology Department at Emory from

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1914 to 1916; pastor at Athens, First Methodist Church; Rome, First Church;
and was Secretary -treasurer of the OkSistlan Education Movement to 1924, and
was presiding elder of the Oxford district fran 1924 to 1930. From 1932 40
1934 I was pastor at Madison, and from 1934 to 1936 at the First Methodist
Church in Toccoa, Georgia.
*At present I have been given a sabbatical year to complete and publiok
the life of Bishop Haygood, which his family requested me to write some time
ago.
comnent on my record of varied service is that no one is more surprised
at its character than I. My expectations when I left Garage and I fully
expected that and nothing more was to be pastor of a *Inkwell. It owe as a
great surprise and almost alarm to me/when I saw I was being called in
phases of service somewhat different from that detached work. But it was the
call of Providence and the voice of the Church* and it would have been pre«
sumptuous of me to refuse. I have tried as best I could to serve in these
various fields.
"Among other things I have been trustee of various institutions
Holmes Institute, Emory College, Emory University. I was;trustes at Emory
for ten years. I have also served in that capacity for Reinhardt 001102e,
Lagrange College for Women. Others have invited me to serve, but those are
the ones I served.
"I was secretary of the Christian Education Movement during many periods*
and one year I raised 4100,000. I'll tell you how that happened. I was within
fifteen hundred dollars of that goal when conference met. I looked about and
found that Mr. Samuel Candler Dobbs was in the city. Knowing his love for this
clause, I Galled to see him and stated the case to him. In a very kind manner
he said, 'Is that all you need!' I replied* 'Yes, sir, that will bring me to
my desired goal.' Without further ado he wrote me a check for fifteen hundred

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dollars. You can imagine with what eagerness I returned to conference, and
after getting the Bishop's reoognitions stated that here in, my hand
holding it aloft was the last fifteen -hundred dollars on a total of one
hundred thousand dollars for the Christian Education Movement. I was vary
happy, and the whole audience cheered and applauded loudly.
"I taught in the college at Oxford for several years and enjoyed my
life and associations there greatly. It was very pleasant to be with the
young men and help them as much as I could to understand some fundamentals
of Biblical study. One of the things I think important is the ability to
speak and enunciate clearly. I don't know whether my enunciation is clear,
but I've been told it was. At Oxford, in one of my Bible courses I referred
in a lecture to Aaron's budded rod you remember the story of his rod
bursting into bloom'. When examination time came one of the boys used is 44
answer to 4 question a reference to Aaron's butted rodt I don't know whether
he was being facetious, or whether he understood it that way.
"I never had any trouble keeping discipline Darcy classes, and I didn't
have to scare the boys into behaving, either. I tried to be more subtli.
One afternoon, I remember, a boy was sitting with his feet propped up on the
seat of the desk in front of him. It was a very hot, long summer afternoons
and the students were naturally restless, but of course I couldn't allow that.
There was a professor at Emory once who used to show the soles of his feet
while he lectured, but I don't approve of that kind of conduct. I wanted to
call the boy's attention to his position, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings,
so I looked straight ahead, at the mall in the beck of the room, so that really
I wasn't looking at anyone in particular, and yet it seamed that I might he looking
towar4 any student in the room.

Elaa Franklin Dempsey 13.
"I said, 'I have been reading in a magazine recently an article entitled
The Onward Tendency of the American loot.' quick as a nada the boy took his feet
down, and it was all I could do not to burst out laughing, but naturally I couldn't
afford to smile even.
"Another way I had of keeping them in hand was, if I saw a young fellow slick
up in his work, to ask him to come by the desk when class was adjourned. For
instance, one of the boys might have been making poor grades in one of the subjects,
when I knew that he could do better.
"At the adjournment of slams," I would say, 'I would like for Mr. Brown to
stop by my desk. Class is adjourned.' I would wait untfl all the others were
gone, then I would turn to the boy and say to him, 'Mr. Brown, do you think you
are doing your duty fully by this subject?' He wouldn't know what to say,
usually, but would hem and haw and shift from one foot to the other. 'That's
enough, sir,' I would tell him, 'I'm our's!, it will not be necessary to again
call your attention to this matter.'
"I didn't believe in embarrassing pupils, as some teachers do. I contend
that a pupil usually wants to do well in his studies and maintain good conduct if
he gets the proper appreciation from his teachers.
"One of the tenderest little episodes I remember happened at big Emory
while I was teaching there. I think the subject of the class in which this
occurred was Church History, or some such study. It was not a major, and many
laymen elected the course maybe because they thought it was 4 "crip" course,
I don't know. Well, anyway, one day I was a few minutes late to class, but
not more than five at the most. When I got to the classroom, however, the
door seemed to be looked. I pushed upon it and found that a chair had been
propped against it from the inside, anchored under the doorknob you know

Elea Franklin Dempsey 14.
how it's done. Well, I just pushed the door on open as if nothing had happened,
and quietly set the chair aside. I made no reference to the incident, but went
on with the class as usual. Years after that I received a letter from a men
in Texas, well -established in business, and he said that he was the one nao had
propped the chair against the door. It was purely in a spirit of fun, he said,
but it had been on his conscience ever since, and he was much struck with the
smooth and genteel way in which I treated the incident. I appreciated that,
and thought it was a beautiful episode in my life.
*A minister meets a variety of people and personalities in his work. There
was Mt. Dodd, who was a member of the congregation of my Tirat alum*. His
daughter, Nellie Dodd, had died a little while before, while still very young
and beautiful, and he donated money to the church to build a chapel to her
memory. He was a business magnate of the city, and an influential citizen,
and I celled on him one day to ask his advice about making the year's church
work successful. Mt. Dodd Mt. Green T. Dodd was a bluff, hearty man,
and he said, 'Why just go out there and start throwing rocks and killing
snakesil Of course, he was using snakes as a symbol of sin. Somebody once
said, 'Don't dig up more snakes than you can and that's pretty geod
advice, too. Mt. Dodd was a judgmatical ma, and he proved a wise man and
counselor for me all during my stay at that church.
"In the membership of *hat has grown to be Oakland City Baptist Church
there was a delightful Irish family. Their home was a delightful place for
the young minister. They had a picturesque way of swing, 'Our name is
Shannon, and we are as Irish as the Shannon River.'
"There was quite a little romance to the family, as I learned after
knowing them a while. When Mt. and Mrs. Shannon were young they lived in
Ireland and were childhood sweethearts, but their parents opposed their

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marriage. Mk. Shannon soon came to Amerioa, and married a lady over hero.
The girl married someone else and lived in India several years. It happened
that both Mt. Shannon's wife and the girl's husband died at nearly the same
time, and they both want baok to Ireland for a visit, of course quite without
knowing anything of the other. They met again in Ireland and fell in love
all over, married, and came back to America. They are a lovely family, and
have some fine children. I have spent many pleasant hours with them.
"One of the most amusing little episodes occurred at Jefferson during
a testimonial meeting in church. The meeting was well in progress, and
several people had gotten up and made statements to the congregation. We had
a lady musician who played the organ for us, and this lady had a peculiar
habit of sitting up very rigid and straight while she was playing. She would
not sway her body or turn her head, but would turn the whole body at once
on the organ stool. During a lull in the service she whirled about very
suddenly on the stool, looking like a marionette in a puppet show. 'Brothers
and Sisters,' she said, 'I just feel like I*** Bettis on the stool of
do-nothin". It was very funny, the way it all happened, and many people
had a job of it to keep from laughing*
"Very beautiful incidents occurred too. One time we were holding
revival services in an old empty store which we rented for a song and used
for a chapel. Right next door was a boarding house, and staying there were
some very elegant people, but they had met sad financial reverses. They had
been a prominent family, but now he avoided his friends bemuse he was poor,
and they hesitated to look him up for fear of embarrassing him. Finally, at
the end of a year, during the time we were holding revival services next doors
he received an offer from a liquor company, which sought to capitalize on his
name and good social connections. They offered him a handsome salary of

Elam Franklin Dempsey
16
two4aundred dollars a month to use his position to sell liquor to people of the
upper classes Justices of the Supreme Court, and such figures as that. Be
was a conscientious man, and he came next door to the chapel and asked my advice.
'Brother Dempsey,' he said, 'I just don't know what to do. My wife and children
are on the verge of starvation, and I need a job badly.'
"'Brother,' I said to him, 'God has called you to: be alahteoueOlind Be will
see you through this crisis. The devil has got you at the lowest ebb, and
offers to buy you for twentystour hundred dollars. Don't let him do it,'
"I had ten dollars in my pocket and gave it to his, telling him to stick
it out, and that thing* would be better soon if he would have faith. About
two years later I was back in the city, and was attending a service there they
were taking up a collection for the superannuated preachers. 31 wanted the worst
kind to give something, but I was very low financially that night, and didn't
even have a dollar in my pocket. Presently someone touched ma on the sleeve
and said that a gentleman wanted to see me outside. I left the service and
went out. There I saw a well -dressed man, well -poised, and with the very
aspect of financial independence and self respect.
"Brother Dempsey," he greeted me, and I recognized him as the man of twe
years before, "I want to give you book the ten dollars you let me have when I
needed it so badly. DUe to your advice I did not take the liquor company's
offer, and soon I had a good job as a manger for a respectable firm."
"I told him to keep the ten dollars and give it to someone else who might
need it, but he said, no, that I would see more people than he would, and for
me to take it back. I took it, and since my heart was very full at this
touching incident, I carried it right up to the front of the church and added
it to the collection for the superannuated preachers. That Man is a well-known
citizen of this community today, and his children hold positions of respect.

Flan Franklin Dempsey 17.
*During my days an junior pastor I got one of the keenest rebukes I
have ever received, and I believe that from it I learned a valuable lesson.
Reverend Henry R. Davies was my senior preacher at that tine. He was then
about sixty years of age, and broken in health and realty. After having
conducted several sermons for his, and finding the attendance discouragingly
amall, I talked with him about it, trying to find out the reason for the
poor showing. I was pretty discouraged, but I said to him:
"Well, at least I can console myself with one things I have done my
best." I didn't realize then how Pharisaie it sounded. Wise man that he was,
Reverend Davies let a pause ensue, a silence that could be felt, and then,
A
catching my eye, he said, 'my boy, could you say that on your knees?,
"And of course I at once saw that the position would make a big difference.
You know, there are few times when a man can say without qualification that he
has done his best.
"During my second year as junior pastor under Reverend Davies I realised
that he was going to have to take the superannuate at the next conferencs.
He had no home, no house, and no family to go to, and I wondered what would
become of him. Deeply concerned, having come to love him dearly, I was walking
through the village one day and suddenly the thought darted through my mind, why
should not I make the effort to provide that home? I remember there was a little
bridge across the stream beside the road, and my eye was arrested by a crevice
in it. I just stood and regarded this spot and thought the problem through.
'ity Lord,' I said, 'with Your hal:WU do itS 1 I walked on, determined to do
what I could. I went about among the people who knew Brother Davies, both
Methodists and other denominations, for he had many friends in all the ohurdhese
and they all gave freely to the cause. The idea caught like fire, for the all
loved him. /Yes,' they all said, 'we know Brother Davies, and we'll be glad
to help.' The Mesons were very generous in their contributions. With the money

Elaarranklin Dempsey 18.
I collected I was able to buy a lot with a house on it, right in the center of
(an)
town, in the ideal location for the old mem, for it was near the post office,
the school, and the railroad station. It was perhaps the first superannuate
home ever bought for a retiring preacher. I did read, laterothat such a project
had been suggested before in Alabama, but I don't think it was successful. Now,
of course, there is a regular fund for that purpose, but at that time there
was none. He was certainly a fine man, and I know that if anybody in Heaven
is permitted to intercede for another, he does for me.
"When I was just beginning my career as itinerant minister, I WAS sent to
When I arrived in town I learned te a family of eight
boys. I coaled upon them, and mot their mother. 'Sister Martin,' I said to her,
'I understand that you are the mother of eight boys.' 'Yes,' she replied,
'and proud of it.' 'And you should be, I answered. 'I've come here to see
you to ask you to take care of no too."Why, Brother Dempsey, I don't see how we
can do it.' 'Yea you eau,' I said, 'for if you have raised eight fine sons
you know all there is to know about taking care of boys.'
"I Was a young man just out of college, and I wanted to be connected with
some family. The boys of that family were fine young fellows, good sportsmen
and masters of woodcraft. It was a great advantage to me to be allowed to stay
with them, for they took me into the woods with them, and the exercise and open
air did me good, for I was still frail and sickly.
"One of the boys of that family responded to the call to preach, and years
later he told me that the association with me was the inspiration he got to
serve the church.
"During my stay there in Lumpkin County (1') I traveled from church to
church, spending a week in each church community holding "cottage communions."

Elam Franklin Dempsey 19e
I would go from house to house, spreading news that tonight at six -thirty,
say, at one of the nearby house' there would be a prayer meeting held. All
the neighbors who could would come, and sometimes we would have fifty present,
sometimes only five or six. Usually the meetings were held in houses about
five miles apart, so that in that way the whole community could be covered.
I remember one house was way 4a back in the forest, at the turn of a small
winding road. Way in there was the family of Mr. ware. It was a beautiful
rural scene there. The surroundings and manner of life were very much like
the old southern home. The house was a one-story frame structure, with the
guest rooms on either side in front, having a veranda across the front of the
house between. In the back was a shed containing the kitchen and dining roam,
and of course a smokehouse also. In the front yard were shrubs such as the
old southern farm homes had boxwood, cape jessamine, and such 4.- and across
the road from the house was a beautiful pasture in which sheep, horses, cows,
and goats grazed. A very pretty rural sight, indeed. They had everything
they needed there at home sorghum syrup in barrels, sausage, lard, meal,
beans, and other staples in abundance. There was little money, but they needed
little.
"The life of the itinerant minister had its compensations, all right.
I usually traveled by horseback and buggy, often finding it convenient to
ride horseback because of the narrow bridlepathe through the forests. When
I went in the buggy I would often read and study on the way, for my horse
was well broken, and would respond instantly to only a word. There was an
oilcloth for the buggy which kept out the rain, and in real cold weather
I would set a lantern inside to keep me warm. On the bright sunny days I
preferred to ride horseback, or even in summer reins.

Elam Franklin Dempsey ao.
"I had a wonderful horse, that had a spirited gait, and I'll tell you it was
thrilling pleasure to gallop through those forests for mile on mile through the
sunlit trees. And then in the summer -rains the horse would patch the spirit of
the ride, and seemed to enjoy feeling the rain slant down in gusts upon his
shining side, tossing his head and running like a free spirit over the trail.
The horse would feel the thrill of the rider's body, and of course I would get
the thrill of his body, and we would have many an exciting morning. I'll tell
you, I asked nothing of any man:
"And then sometimes there would be amusing things happen on the road.
I remeMber an experience I had while still in college. -I ,was going from Conyers
to
driving a low -swung buggy of my mother's. I was alone*
and as I topped a long, gentle incline such as are found in south Georgia*
I saw a man walking on the left hand side of the road far ahead. then I caveat
up with him I pulled rein and asked him to get in and ride. He got in* not
saying a ward. After we had ridden for a mile or so he asked* 'Which one of
your churdhes are you going to?'
*Why, how did you know that I was a preacher?' I asked.
"Oh, I knew that as soon as I saw your buggy top the hill."
"I had always prided myself on not showing my profession* for I preferred
to be merely a men among men, teaching the Word* and not be known only as a
preacher. This shattered that illusion* however. And many incidents have
happened like that since then. Just the other day I was standing on the corner
waiting for the street oar, and an old darky came up to ma and said* 'Pardon as,
boss, but you's a preacher, ain't you?'
"Yes,' I replied* 'I don't seem to be able to conceal my profession.'
"YassUh,e he laugbeell."it marks a man, don't it?"