Mississippi College - Tribesman Yearbook (Clinton, MS)

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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

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Murray Latimer, B. S., B. A., M. A. Professor of Greek F all the characteristics of human nature there is none finer than determination. It is the very lifeblood of success. It is the golden key of the universe, unlocking all difficulties; and before true determination, properly directed, obstacles and hindrances fade, and to its possessor there comes the reward of intelligence, and art, and culture, and virtue, and noble impulse. Determination, buttressed by ambition and unremitting industry, has been the mark of Murray Latimer from his early childhood to the present, and to him in large measure have come and are still coming its rich rewards. To know something of the details of his history and then to know him now is all-sufficient. He was born May 8, 1872, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Latimer, in Copiah County, Miss., ten miles west of Crystal Springs. At the age of four he began his education at the public school about a mile from his home. The first schoolhouse in his experience was a pine pole cabin, about sixteen feet square, with a stick and dirt chimney, weather-boarded, and in the cracks on the inside the fifty or more pupils placed their few and ragged books. When he was fourteen years old the schoolhouse was burned, and he thereafter walked four miles to the nearest school every day of the four months’ winter term. To this splendid exercise may be attributed his robust health and fine constitution. His work in the public schools was principally reviews, going over and over the same ground, so that when he came to Mississippi College at the age of twenty he was only prepared to enter the Senior Preparatory Department. This he did in the fall of ’92, coming to Clinton with $50.00, and spending less than $50.00 more during the session. 1 he second session cost him $92.00, and the third $76.34, inc luding all expenses from the day he left home until his return. During his first two vacations he taught a five-weeks school near his home, and put in the remainder of the time in hard day-labor. His third and fourth vacations were spent in teaching in Lincoln County, for which work he received $30.00 a month, and paid $5.00 board. Vorking his way in this manner he was graduated in the class of ’96, taking the B. S. and B. A. e grees and carrying off first honors. While in college, he was a member of the Invincibles, ani a so the Philomathean Society, being Fall Orator in ’94, and Anniversarian in his Senior ea !. summer following his graduation he taught the first summer school ever taught at Mississippi College, and the next fall he began work in his alma mater as Fellow in the scientific Department. The same session he obtained his M. A. degree, taking chemistry as a major, and physics and geology as minors. The three vacations following his graduation were spent in postgraduate work at the University of Chicago. The next year some of the Greek classes were added to his Scientific work and two vears later he was elected head of the Department of Greek. PiJdai wd b o ' ?Swtr; p l C ; d Mi ” My, e WebK ,h ' - • of «- Prof. Latimer has been one of the active factors in the development of the town of Clinton, and is now serving his second term as Mayor. As a teacher of Greek he is almost without an equal, and embodies the spirit of the work ■n all its fineness and interest. He 1S in every capacity a splendid example of that high type ot manhood which forces its way over difficulties and obstacles to the goal of success. 29