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R.ev. M. C. B. Mason, D.D. R.ev. Charles C. Jacobs
Cincinnati, Ohio Susnter, s. c.
Rev. M. C. B. Mason, D.D. Rev. C. C. Jacobs
DR. JACOBS i field secretary of the Sunday-schools of the
Methodist Episcopal Church for colored conferences. He has
served in that position since 1901.
He was born November 16, 1861, at Camden, S. C., and received
his early education at the Jackson
Normal School. At the age of
eventeen he was teacher of a public
school of the county, and three years
later he began preparation for the
ministry. He entered the South Carolina
Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in 1884 and was
first appointed to a church near
Orangeburg, S. C., the site of Claflin
University.
Dr. Jacobs was at this time the sole
supporter of four orphan brothers and
sister. 'With two sisters and a brother
he entered Claflin University. The other brother worked his
way through Howard University, 'Washington, and Long
Island Medical College, Brooklyn, N. Y. Dr. Jacobs graduated
from the classical course of the university in 1890 as
valedictorian of his class. In 1895 he w.as called from the
pastorate of one of the churches of South Carolina to be state
Sunday-school worker under the direction of Rev. Dr. Jesse L.
Hurlbut, then corresponding secretary of the Sunday-School
Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The work was
enlarged so that his jurisdiction covered several other states.
While in thi work he was appointed presiding elder of the
leadinO' di trict of his conference. He accepted the position,
although greatly surprised at the appointment. He remained
in charge of this district for five years, when he was called to
Sunday-school leadership of what is known as Washington
Section of the Colored Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, comprising ten annual conferences and fifteen tates.
He was elected to two general conferences of the church, and
at the General Conference of 1904, at Los Angeles, Cal., was
selected as associate editor of the Daily Christian Advocate,
published during the Conference. Dr. Jacobs was an inter-
•
ested and influential member of the Clifton Conference.
DR. MASON is corre 'ponding secretary of the Freedmen's Airl
Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
He was born on a su<Yar farm in Louisiana. He entered
chool when he was twelve years of age, learning his alphabet
the first day. The following Sunday
he entered Sunday-school for the first
time in hi life. That morning, as
Dr. Ma on tells the story, the school
wa. singing, "Shall we gather at the
n.ver.,,,,, I eouId not," says he,
" for the life of me find out what it all
meant, but as a last resort made up
my mind if there was going to be any
swimming there I could do my share."
Subsequently he entered a school of
higher grade, and after years of struggling,
working sometimes by day and
night to remain in school, he graduated
from New Orleans University in 1888 and Gammon Theological
Seminary in 1891. The fir t eight years of his ministry
were spent in New Orleans and Atlanta. During his pastorate
in Atlanta he increa ed the member hip from 360 to 1,000 and
paid off an indebtedness of $11,000. .
Dr. Mason was elected field secretary of the Freedmen's Aid
Societ), in 1891, a 'sistant corre ponding secretary in 1895, and
in 1896, at the General Conference, was elected corresponding
secretary, being the fir t man of hi race to hold uch a position
in the M .thodi t Epi copal hurch. He was reelected in
1900, 1904, and 1908. Dr. Mason is one of the most popular
orator of hi race.
Dr. Mason at once, after hi first election undertook to develop
the spirit of . elf-help among the colored people in the South,
and in three ycat·s, in addition to the re""ular offerings for the
educational work, he raised $2·kOOO on the debt of the Society
from the colol'cd people alone. Under hi leadership the spirit
of self-help and self-reliance has been greally developed among
the colored people. as will be secn from the fact that nine years
ago the aggregate amount contributed by them for the Freedmen's
Aid Society was $8,000. In 1908 they contributed
$~'l.'l50, being an increase of $23,350.
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