Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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 UR. BASIL MANLY. S«.

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©r. 'll?. Q0. 3° n60n ILLIAM BULLEIN JOHNSON was a good and great man. He was preeminent as a master of assemblies. IN succeeded I)r. Furman as President of the State Convention and continued to fill the position till 1850. when his age made it desirable to retire, lie was president of the Triennial Convention one or more times, and when the Southern Baptist Convention was formed. Dr. Johnson was selected to preside over the body. His vocation was teaching in female colleges, but he was also pastor of churches and a ready, forceful preacher. Dr. Johnson was a discreet friend of the school begun at Edgefield, and removed to the high hills of Santee, thence to Winnsboro. where it remained until it became Furman 1’niversitv. In all the disasters that befell the nascent institution Dr. Johnson always made a clear, frank, manly, sincere and comprehensive report to the people. He wrote an autobiography, but in it made no reference to the honors he had enjoyed or the offices he had filled or the laborious or unrequited work he had done for education. At his death, in 1862. bis pastor, Richard Furman, declared that he had done more to bring Furman University into existence than any other living man. is

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©r. Q mf QYlanfp, |hr. ASIL MAX1.Y, SR., was connected with the management of the Furman Institution about ton years. Me graduated at the State College in December, 1821. and had as hearers of his graduating speech the delegates who had arrived to form the Baptist State Convention. ()ne of the delegates invited him to preach at his church in Kdgefield District, whither he went and labored with remarkable success, lie had been commended by Richard Furman as his own successor in Charleston, and it was from this important pastorate that Dr. Manlv's influence was exerted. At a casual reading of the minutes one would say that Dr. Manly did not figure much in the councils of the denomination; but a closer study discloses the fact that the modest, thoughtful, methodic, amiable brother was in reality the power behind the throne. He was most nearly Richard Furman’s successor in spirit, and his best efforts were given for the school’s advancement. It was to his experience in 1828-1838 that made him the chief factor, next to I)r. Boyce, if not equal to him, in founding the Southern Baptist Seminary, lie had urged economy in the management of the Furman Institution and the keeping of the capital intact: but in spite of all that could lie done, failure in j art was inevitable. He therefore advocated a Southern Seminary under the patronage and guidance of several States. Twenty-four years were to elapse before his ideal was reached and given a concrete existence. He was an apostolic man. an honor to his denomination and an ornament to the country that gave him birth! 17