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RELIEF AND ANNUITY BOARD 443
' The dedication was signalized by a very impressive program. Dr. Watts
presided; invocation was by Dr. Rufus W. Weaver, of Washington, D. C; song
service was conducted by Robert H. Coleman, of Dallas; Scripture reading by
State Secretary Charles A. Jones, of South Carolina, who is vice president of
the Southern Convention; prayer by Mrs. B. A. Copass, president of Texas
Baptist women's work; presentation of the building by Dr. Wallace Bassett,
pastor of Cliff Temple, Dallas; acceptance by Dr. E. D, Solomon, editor, Florida
Baptist Witness, also vice president of the Southern Convention; dedicatory address
by Dr. George W. Truett; and prayer of dedication by Dr. R. E. Humphreys,
state member from Kentucky. This was followed by a large banquet
tendered by Secretary Watts as host, at which brief talks were made by State
Secretary Andrew Potter, of Oklahoma; State Secretary James W. Merritt, of
Georgia; Editor R. E. Alley, of the Religious Herald, Richmond, Va.; Dr. J. E.
Dillard, Southern Baptist Director of promotion; and Lawson H. Cook, general
secretary of the Baptist Brotherhood of the South. The day was concluded
with a joyous 'open house.' "
Many letters and telegrams were received from leaders who could not be
present, and we regret that space forbids reproducing them, but for Southern
Baptists the dedication of the Baptist Building was an historic occasion. It
is now the purpose of the Relief and Annuity Board to add three more stories
to the present three-story building, and plans and specifications are already in.
the making for this extensive addition which the Board hopes to bring to completion
in the very near future. Of course, the reader will understand that
the Board does not spend money in these improvements, rather it invests it,
and from this investment will be derived a satisfactory income through long
years ahead.
On November 1, 1942, Dr. Walter R. Alexander became associate secretary
of the Board, he having come from a very important pastorate, the First Baptist
Church of Florence, South Carolina, which he had served for fourteen
consecutive years. Other pastorates were First Church, Rock Hill, South Carolina;
First Church, Winchester, Virginia; First Church, Stamford, Texas; and
a brief pastorate in Philadelphia. Dr. Alexander was for some years connected
with one of the largest banks in Philadelphia, this being prior to his entering
the ministry. He was educated at Temple University, Philadelphia, and
graduated from Crozer Theological Seminary, Chester, Pennsylvania. When
he came to this Board he was considered among the first leaders of South Carolina
Baptists and was president of the Federated Forces for Temperance and
Law Enforcement of that state, as well as pastor of the church at Florence.
Dr. Alexander has assisted the executive secretary in the work of administration
and of promotion on the field. To him was committed the administration
of the relief department and the work of publicity and promotion. He is
editor of the Board's quarterly paper, styled The Voice of Security, which paper
is widely disseminated throughout the Southern Baptist Convention through
the mails. Some fifteen thousand copies are mailed every quarter in the year.
His assistance to the general secretary in many other ways has been very valuable.
SILVER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED
On March 24, 1943, in connection with the annual meeting of the Relief and
Annuity Board in Dallas, there was a worthy observance of the silver anniversary
of its founding. The meeting was presided over by Dr. L. R. Scarborough,
president, and Mr. Carr P. Collins, vice president. Addresses were
made by Dr. _ George W. Truett, chairman of the executive committee of the
Board. Other addresses were made by Mr. Clarence K. Bowie, state member
from Maryland; Dr. Andrew Potter, president of the state secretaries' association
and secretary of the Oklahoma convention; Dr. Walter R. Alexander, associate
executive secretary of the Relief and Annuity Board; and Mr. George
A. Huggins, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, our actuary. Other addresses were
delivered by Dr. T. L. Holcomb, executive secretary of the Sunday School
Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee; and by Dr.
Charles W. Daniel, president of the executive committee of the Southern Bap*tist
Convention and pastor of the First Baptist Church of Eldorada, Arkansas.
The occasion was magnified by the local press in a remarkably fine way. The
following Morgan, Carolina. secretary telegram This telegram of was the received was Southern sent by at the Baptist a executive time Assembly when secretary congratulatory at Ridgecrest, from Mr. messages
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