Mississippi College - Tribesman Yearbook (Clinton, MS)

Page 31 text:

Henry Franklin Sproles, D. D Professor of Bible and Instructor in Psychology and Ethics N a modest farmhouse situated on a beautiful elevation gently rising upward from the delightful little valley whence come bubbling and sparkling the waters of the famous Castalian Spring, was born, sixty-three years ago, the subject of this sketch. Had there been present one gifted with prophetic eye, he would have seen in the face of that man child the miniature of the soldier, the preacher, the teacher, the man. Owing to youth and physical weakness, in 1862 he was counted unfit for army duty, but by sufferance he was allowed to go with the forces, and was given the privilege of using one of the guns in Wofford’s battery. He was not in the war, and yet he was not out, until, at Blakely, April 5, 1865, he was “shot out.” However, he stood faithfully behind his gun, and in every action proved himself as brave a gunner as ever touched spark to fuse. His gallant conduct and accurate aim always elicited from his superiors encomiums the most extravagant. Though men are apt to recognize true merit, God infinitely more. So with young Sproles. While still battling in behalf of his native Southland he was impressed by the Holy Spirit that there was needed another recruiting officer in the great army of King Immanuel. It sometimes seems that “Providence has a wild, rough, incalculable road to its end,’’ for soon after Mr. Sproles had decided to enter the ministry, he was severely wounded in the mouth, resulting in the entire loss of the lower jaw, together with part of the tongue. How- ever, Mr. Sproles never once relinquished his purpose to preach the Gospel. But could a man maimed as he was speak in public ? The call was God’s, it was his to obey. With this thought he began his preparation with unwavering faith in divine guidance and that “a man accus- tomed to work was equal to any achievement.” After spending three sessions in the Seminary, during which he supplemented his incomplete academic course by private study, in 1870 he returned, bearing his diploma, to enter upon pastoral duties at Carrollton, where he labored so diligently for nine years that one would think that he was trying to prove that, “ In all human action those faculties will be strong which are used.” In all his previous life he labored in the belief that “he who has acquired the ability, may wait securely the occasion of making it felt and appreciated.” His call to the Jackson church, in 1880, was such an occasion, and, during his stay here of about a score of years, he never lost sight of the fact that work is victory, and few ministers have held a warmer place in the affections of his immediate congregation, or claimed a higher esteem of his community at large- From Jackson he moved to Vicksburg, and soon won to himself the hearts of all with whom he came in contact. In 1905 he came to the College, where he is greatly esteemed and sincerely beloved, because of his conscientious care, accuracy, scholarship and sympathy . He has been for more than twenty years on the Seminary board of trustees; was as many years on the College board; for many years has been president of the Convention board, and was for three years president of the State Baptist convention. 27