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TO HONOR THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE REVEREND JAMES FOSTER MARSHALL AND TO COMMEMORATE THE REVEREND JAMES FOSTER MARSHALL CELEBRATION AT BETHANY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH OF MCCORMICK.
Whereas, it is with great pleasure that the South Carolina House of Representatives honors those individuals who give tirelessly of themselves to nurture the souls of men; and
Whereas, the Reverend James Foster Marshall, a nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century pastor, educator, philosopher, and visionary, stands among their number as an outstanding minister of the Gospel, one much admired by contemporary and present clergymen, laymen, and the wider community alike; and
Whereas, born a slave in 1851, the young James came into this world in the Bordeaux section of McCormick County; and
Whereas, after the Civil War ended in 1865, James Foster Marshall chose to become a preacher to help lead the freed slaves; and
Whereas, during this time, he became a member of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in McCormick. From there, he helped organize Holy Spring Baptist Church in McCormick and served as one of its first pastors; and
Whereas, he next organized New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Plum Branch and served there as pastor for fifty-seven years; and
Whereas, he also organized the Bethany Missionary Baptist Church in McCormick and pastored there for fifty-four years. While at Bethany, he organized the Bethany Industrial Graded School, which became a boarding school; and
Whereas, in this period, Reverend Marshall was also pastor of Old Mount Zion Baptist Church in Epworth, where he served for forty-nine years. In this church, grew to manhood the noted Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, a Morehouse College president, advisor to Presidents, teacher to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., concerning nonviolence, and eulogist at Dr. King's funeral. Dr. Mays was a student at Bethany School for two years; and
Whereas, Reverend Marshall, who also helped to organize the Bethany Masonic Lodge in McCormick, was at the time of his death pastor of four churches: New Hope, Bethany, Old Mt. Zion, and Young Mount Zion Baptist Church in Chappells, where he served for eighteen years; and
Whereas, for more than sixty years, this former slave served as a minister and educator. Upon his death on February 8, 1936, he was buried in New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery; and
Whereas, remembering the significant contributions of this son of South Carolina, the House of Representatives takes great pleasure in recognizing the life and work of Reverend Marshall, as well as Bethany Missionary Baptist Church's Reverend James Foster Marshall Celebration. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, honor the life and work of the Reverend James Foster Marshall and commemorate the Reverend James Foster Marshall Celebration at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church of McCormick.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Bethany Missionary Baptist Church.
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