116 Years Ago...The first classes of PBTS

What can you accomplish in 78 days?  That was the amount of time it took an eager 28 year old evangelist, husband, and father of two by the name of John A. Davis to start Practical Bible Training School (now Davis College). 
On April 10, 1900 while preaching in Elmira, NY he had received a one dollar bill from a poor wash woman that had confirmed his calling to start a Bible school similar to Moody's in Chicago.  There was no permanent structure for the new school so John rented a room above Lestershire Home Furnishing on the corner of Main and Arch Streets in Lestershire (now Johnson City), NY. 
The school opened on Tuesday, June 27 and held evening classes on Monday, Thursday, and Friday nights until the closing on Friday, August 17.  John A. Davis taught 105 students from six different denominations of churches during those classes.  His subjects were: How to Use the Bible, Bible Book Summary, Personal [evangelistic] Work, and Introductory Studies in Bible Doctrine.  
The closing service was held on August 20 at the Lestershire Methodist Episcopal Church (now Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial
United Methodist Church).  During the ceremony lead by Rev. Edward Taylor pledges were raised for a permanent building for the school.  They were able to raise $1,279 toward the building that would cost $8,000. 
Due to the success of the first classes that summer a second series of evening classes were held from November 19-30 at both the Lestershire Methodist Episcopal Church and the Lestershire Baptist Church.  The lecture for these students, which totaled 160, was none other than the Rev. R. A. Torrey who was the dean of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. 
Much can happen in 78 days, but for John A. Davis he used his talents and gifts and began a school that has trained thousands of men and women to preach, teach, and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the community of Johnson City, NY and to the ends of the earth. 

80th anniversary of Charles J. Davis' death

Today marks 80 years since John and Etta Carr's youngest son Charles Davis died. To read an article from a few years ago about the circumstances surrounding his death click here.

Part 1--100 years on Riverside: Harrison and the White City

47 Harrison Street Johnson City

47 Harrison Street Johnson City

The entrance to the White City Park

The fountain and Roller Coaster in the center of the White City

One hundred years ago when the midnight arrived on Sunday, January 1, 1911 the Practical Bible Training School was preparing for a move and transition. The transition had already begun the previous summer in 1910 when the White City had gone bankrupt. From the 1934 Theologue the events happened like this:

This brewery-backed resort was a separate organization for the purpose of selling liquors. As such, it had the backing of the brewery and liquor interests, and any effort to obtain the grounds for other purposes would naturally meet with the determined resistance of those financially interested.This resistance was felt keenly. There was many a struggle and many a prayer. For two years John A. Davis waited for the manifestation of the hand of God. It appears that some of the stockholders, desiring to obtain an advantage, started a fight within the amusement organization which resulted in finally throwing the “White City” corporation into the hands of a receiver. At this time Evangelist Davis was holding a campaign in one of the larger cities of central Pennsylvania.

Between 1907 and 1908 John A. Davis began to pray for the grounds of the White City as the next location for PBTS. The 47 Harrison Street location had been outgrowing its location since soon after moving into the grounds in 1901 (only a decade earlier). In the summer of 1908 John A. Davis went onto the ground of the White City. The 1934 Theologue records it like this:

Mr. Davis, always keenly alive to the needs of the School and realizing the possibilities of this place, if it could be secured, one day paid the admission fee through the gates and visited the grounds. He saw the beautiful oak trees, the elms and other trees, among them evergreens, and visualized the possibilities of the place as a permanent home for the Practical Bible Training School. As he walked about the grounds he happened to glance into the bar-room and saw the men and women lined up three-deep around the bar, some of them in an advanced state of intoxication. As he turned to leave, he vowed to himself, “With the help of God I’ll smash this place, “ and with that resolve in his mind, as he was outside of the gate, he knelt beside the high wire fence and prayed to God to give him this place for His work.

God answered John's prayer two years later with the park going bankrupt. As mentioned earlier he was at a campaign in Pennsylvania when the sale occurred. It was bought by "a Binghamton business man [From what I can tell this Binghamton business man was Mr. Kilmer (though it is unclear which Kilmer it was)] interested in the School, though not aware of Mr. Davis’ hopes regarding the park, secured a short term option on the property and wired Mr. Davis rushed back, and within three hours had called his board together and exercised their option, which gave them title to the property with all the buildings on it, one of the which was a large and roomy hotel" (1934 Theologue).

Thus began the change from The White City Amusement Park to Bible School Park, NY

To be continued in part 2 (100 years years on Riverside: The transformation and move)

Pray for Davis College Day (Saturday, August 7, 2010) Prayer Requests

Tomorrow (Saturday, August 7, 2010) will be the 139th anniversary of our founder's birth

The Hope Tent at Spiedie Fest

Tomorrow (Saturday, August 7, 2010) will be the third annual "Pray for Davis College Day." Started in 2008, the prayer day is a chance to lift up the college for the coming school year. The date (August 7) was chosen due to it being a couple of weeks before the school year begins, but also because it is the birthday of our founder, John A. Davis. Here in this post are some prayer requests for the college. Whether you join us at the Hope Tent tomorrow (from 11-Noon) or just pray at your home or work, please keep the college and its mission in your prayers.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Administration:

President Dino Pedrone: Pray that God continues to lead and guide him as he leads the college. Pray that he will be able to share his vision of the college and that it will be God lead. Pray for him as he travels to different churches encouraging them in the Word of God and telling them about the college. Protect him from the evil one.

Chief Operating Officer Rick Cramer: Pray that God will use him as he works with the students and the daily operations of the college. Pray that God will give him discernment and wisdom in the choices that are made for the college.

Chief Academic Officer Gilbert Parker: Pray that God will guide him in the class choices and the final schedule planning for the following semester and school year. Pray that he will mentor and lead the faculty.

Chief Financial Officer Shelly Wilcox: Pray that God will give wisdom, discernment, and prudence when dealing with the finances of the college. Give her godly council when dealing with investments.

Administrative Assistants: Pray for the Assistants of these Administrators: Jenny Green, Jerri Parisi, and Naomi Saravanapavan. Pray that they have godly attitudes and show Christ in all that they do and glory Him.

Faculty:

• Stan Baker
• Sheila Flipse
• Scott Ladd
• Roseann Melious
• Bonnie Novak
• Christopher Seavey
• George Snyder
• Debbie Bates
• William Berkheiser
• Rachel Bourizk
• JoAnne Casterlin
• Larry Hendrickson
• Walt Schlundt
• Todd Luce
• Harold Lewis
• Peter Mason
• Marieta McMillen
• Brent Young

Pray that God uses these individuals (as they are the ones who interact with the students on a daily basis) to help train the next generation of men and women for ministry. Pray that God will equip them for the challenges of today. Help them be relevant to the students in the changing world, with the unchanging Word of God.

Staff:

Admissions:

• Caralee Godfroy
• Will Reichel
• Sue VanDeventer
• Larry Ellis

Pray that as they travel to schools and events that the light of Christ would shine through them. Give them wisdom and discernment with those who are applying to the college. Pray that the LORD would bring those students who need the training at Davis to spread His message. Pray for guidance as they help with the government financial aid forms.

Other Departments:

Church and Alumni Relations--Dan Rathmell: Pray that God would use Dan as he speaks to churches and interacts with Pastors throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and wherever the LORD leads.

Athletics and Fitness--Tom O'Connor and the other coaches: Pray that God would use the coaches at Davis to train men and women in sportsmanship and give a godly testimony when on the field or court.

Business Office--Sharon Payne and Laura Churchward: Pray that God will lead and direct with other financial choices at the college. Help them find errors when they occur in the books and help them correct them without problems. Give them discernment in their choices that it might glorify God.

Health Services--Joanna Johnson: Pray that God will help her with student's health issues. Pray that she will have wisdom in diagnosing student's ailments.

Library--Jeremy McGinniss: Pray that God will help Jeremy to find the books most useful for the college and that will be most helpful for the students.

Maintenance--John Groover and his team: Pray that God will keep safe John and his maintenance crew as they fix up the campus and in the winter as they plow and shovel.

Student Development--Nikki Post, RDs and RAs: Pray that God would work through Nikki as she prepares events for the students. Pray for the RDs and RAs as they have a lot that they do wiht the students in the dorm. Pray that the RAs will be able to balance ministering to the dorm and doing school work.

Bookstore--Craig Hall: Pray that the bookstore would continue to be a light to the Christian community in Binghamton. Pray that Craig will find books and items that will benefit the college bookstore.

Food Services--Keli Perry and team: Pray that God would help Keli and her team find the food for the Cafeteria and the Cafe that will be enjoyed by many. Pray that the Cafe would continue to be testimony in the community.

Academic Records--Spencer Key: Pray that God will help Spencer have clarity of mind when working with the records. Help him spot and correct mistakes in records to keep them accurate.

Marketing and Development--Sharon O'Connor: Pray that God will help Sharon with all that she does with the website and preparing for upcoming events. Give her the help she needs to finish the planning for events. Give her wisdom for the events and help her get connects that will benefit the school.

Students:

Pray for the incoming students of Davis both the Freshman and Transfers. Pray that they will adjust the changes and that they will feel at home. Pray that the Freshman learn to balance fun and school work and that they will not procrastinate. Pray that they will focus on Christ and grow closer to Him through their first year and that they will have a positive godly affect on the campus.

Pray for the returning students that they will continue to strive for God. Help them stay focused on the Word of God and that it will not become a textbook. Pray that they will be a positive and godly influence on the younger students. Pray that God gives direction to their life and that they will follow Him wherever He leads.

Overall:

Pray that through this school year that God would be glorified. "Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12.1b-2a). Pray that Davis would be a lighthouse in the Binghamton area and that men and women would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the testimony of those who go to the college and work at the college. Let Jesus Christ be praised.

110 years ago....The First Classes of PBTS

The location of the first classes of PBTS

A picture of one of the first classes of PBTS (most likely not on Main and Arch)

It was 110 years ago that the first classes of Practical Bible Training School were held. Only months after receiving the dollar bill from Mrs. L.A. Crossan, John A. Davis held the first classes of PBTS over a store on the corner of Main Street and Arch Street in the city of Lestershire (Johnson City), NY. One of the first students was Harvey H. Wagner. Attending the first PBTS class sessions that summer, he studied in the classes of 1901 and 1902 and graduated with a perfect score [100 in all of his tests] in 1903.

From the 1934 Theologue about first classes of PBTS:

Between eighty and ninety people came to this first class. They all were believers, more or less interested in learning how better to study the Bible. The class was called together by Mr. Davis. After brief introductory remarks, he gave the first lecture. The succeeding sessions were carried on in much the same general way. Mr. Davis was the only teacher for the term. The attendance grew, until there were about one hundred and twenty students in the class.

The subjects taught were those in which Mr. Davis was a master, namely, “How to use the Bible”; “Personal Work”; and some introductory studies in Doctrine.

That summer some evenings were cool and pleasant while others were hot and sultry. However, the attendance never dropped nor did the interest flag throughout the whole period. God had need for a school and He inspired Mr. Davis to make this start; and He took care of the interest and the attendance and gave Mr. Davis students to work with from the very beginning. Mr. Davis’ teaching was so inspirational, so absorbing in every detail, that it mattered not whether the evening was sultry or pleasant; the students were attentive to the utmost degree, intensely interested in catching the words of life and power, coming from God’s servant.

During the closing weeks of that first term the class permanently organized and the feeling became general that the work must not be allowed to drop, but that a permanent school building should be obtained and a Bible school established which would give instruction for both day and evening students throughout the year.

It was from these first classes that the school grew to what it is today.

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110 years ago today....(Part 2 of 2): The Confirmation

Only five days had passed since God had laid on John A. Davis' heart the need for a Bible School on the East Coast. John had left Hazleton, Pennsylvania and after a brief stop in Binghamton had traveled onto Elmira, NY to continue to preach the word. Now it was Tuesday, April 10, 1900 and John would be preaching in the Elmira Tabernacle out of Matthew 7:24-27, it was the sermon that he had entitled The Two Foundations. John had preached this sermon on a few other occasions over the years as many traveling preachers and evangelists would do. Tonight however the fountains of the school would be laid.

Mrs. L.A. Crossan

As John A. Davis was arriving in Elmira to prepare for the revival meeting, God had already set into motion events that would confirm the creation of the Bible School. Days earlier, as God was laying the Bible school on John's heart, a poor wash-woman by the name of Mrs. L.A. Crossan was given a dollar bill. She thanked God for it upon receiving it and she prayed that she could use it to the glory of God. Soon the LORD was going to give her an opportunity to use it in a mighty way.

1899 Silver Certificate (most likely the kind given to Mrs. Crossan)

Now it was the late afternoon of Tuesday, April 10, 1900 and Mrs. L.A. Crossan went to hear the 28 year old evangelist John A. Davis at the Elmira Tabernacle. She was ready to soak in the word with many others that attended. John A. Davis stood up and in his rich powerful voice resonated throughout the church as his enthusiasm for the Word of God vibrated the windows of the church and the souls of the people. He began by reading from Matthew 7:24-27.

Matthew 7:24-27~

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

The beginning of that sermon from A God Enthused Man:

This parable is recorded by only two of the writers of the gospels, Matthew and Luke, and are words from the Savior's own lips in that memorable sermon on the mount. The truth is here put in a nutshell; simple, practical, and easy to be understood, and ought to have a greater power over each one of us, and I sincerely hope that the Holy Spirit will carry home to each heart the truth that God would have them to learn. May I say at the very beginning that I believe that the message was given to me from the Lord and I hope that our hearts may be in a receptive condition, and that God will help us to profit by the words of the message, for this work of building (character building) is something we all are or at least ought to be interested in.

Later on in the sermon...

We must Build on Something. That is common sense. We cannot build on air; we all know that we must build on some foundation. It is true that at times all build what they call “air castles,” but they do not amount to anything. So then, if all are building and must build on some foundation how very important it is to know what we are building.

As Mrs. Crossan listened to the sermon she was moved by God to give Mr. Davis the dollar bill. She wrote out a quick note and slipped it into an envelope with the dollar bill and continued to listen to the powerful message beginning delivered by this young man.

Where are you building? Where art thou? Is the question God asked Adam. Do you hear God's voice asking you the same question? You know where you are. Perhaps you are hiding away behind some excuse that was manufactured long years ago in hell and furnished yon by Satan. Are you trying to cover your nakedness from God's eye with that fig leaf apron of your own works? Rom. 3 :10, 23, says: "There is none righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Oh, then, begin to build on Christ.

He continued on bringing the word of the LORD to the people. Many turning over their lives to Him or dedicating their lives to Him. John A. Davis finished by praying Psalm 23.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Amen.

John A. Davis finished the prayer and several people came up to the front of the church and began to shake hands with him and talk with him. Mrs. Crossan worked her way up to him and handed him the envelope. He thanked her as he put it into the pocket of his suit coat. John continued to shake hands and pray with others for another hour after the meeting, before heading out.

He walked back to where he was staying and removed his suit coat when the envelope fell from his pocket to the floor. It had been a busy yet wonderful evening preaching the word that he had completely forgotten about it. He opened it and out fell a one dollar bill. Inside the envelope was also a note. He opened the note and read the following words:

I am a poor washer-woman but God has laid it on my heart to give you this dollar to help you carry out the plan He has revealed to you.

John read the note then looked back at the dollar bill and then back to the note. God had confirmed in this small way that He wanted John to start a Bible School on the East coast. That dollar bill had become his Gideon Fleece. No more confirmation was needed though. He soon was preparing for the first classes of the Practical Bible Training School.

110 years ago today....(Part 1 of 2): The Vision

It was 110 years ago today that something wonderful happened. Alone in a room in Hazleton, Pennsylvania the 28 year old John A. Davis sat studying the Word of God. He had been conducting a revival meeting in Hazleton and now was preparing to head back to Binghamton, New York to his wife Etta and two young sons, Gordon and Charles. Soon after returning to Binghamton he would head west to Elmira, NY for another revival meeting. As he sat reading the words of life that had forever transformed his life, the LORD laid on his heart the need of a Bible school in the northeast. Davis had attended the Chicago Evangelist Society/Chicago Bible Institute (now known as the Moody Bible Institute) in 1893 where he had been trained and his gift for evangelism had been nourished and put into practice. He wanted to bring the kind of education and training he had in Chicago to the east coast. "He was wonderfully moved in which the message from God, which seemed to set forth the Lord’s plan for his life. But he was just “the Boy evangelist” and he could not understand how God could use him to establish a school. He prayed much about it but little did he know how the answer was to come"(1931 Theologue: What a Dollar Bill did). Only days later God was going to give conformation for the creation of the Bible School.

Next Part Two: The Confirmation

The 76th anniversary of John A. Davis' homegoing

Today (Wednesday, March 17, 2010) marks 76 years since Dr. John A. Davis entered glory.

John R. Clement put the death of John A. Davis in this way:

They tolled the bell when he slipped away;
The bell that had called to school each day;
They tolled the bell and the campus knew
That the Leader with all earth's tasks was through;
For him no more the heavy load
He had borne adown a stony road;
No more the worry, the fret, the care;
All these are unknown in "the Over There."
For him the day of a deathless song,
And the streets of gold, and the ransomed throng;
For him the joys of a ceaseless day,
Where the ills of life have all passed away;
For him the clasp of the Nail-pierced Hand;
And the untold bliss of Immanuel's Land.

John A. Davis who less than 34 years earlier had been lead by God to start a Bible Training School had entered into glory. The founder had went from the pain and stress in this life to the eternal kingdom of God.

78th anniversary of Charles J. Davis' death

Today marks 78 years since John A. Davis' youngest son Charles, died. Sunday, November 22, 1931 was the date when Charles went down to make a cup of tea in his house and died of Asphyxiation from the gas of the stove. A few years ago on the 75th anniversary of his death I looked into what happened. To read that post click here. Some believe that it was just an accident as he might have been suffering from insomnia and others believe it might have been suicide. Either way it was one of the factors that lead to his father's death a little over 2 years later.

What does Columbus have to do with Davis College?

Chicago presented the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893

In honor of Columbus Day today I thought I would do a post on Columbus and Davis College. So what does Columbus have to do with Davis College? The answer is: Not very much directly. Apart from the obvious answer that his "discovery" brought many European Settlers one of which would have been the ancestor of John A. Davis. The real reason for this post is a tribute that was paid to him in 1892-1893 in Chicago. The dedication of the fair was on October 21, 1892 in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the New World. The fair didn't officially open until May 1, 1893 and continued until October 30, 1893.

It was during this time that John A. Davis at the age of 22 was at the Chicago Evangelism Society or the Chicago Bible Institute, better known today as the Moody Bible Institute. During his time there his gift of evangelism was trained and used in the grounds of the fair.

So the Fair that honored Columbus and his voyage was the training grounds for John A. Davis the founder of Davis College.

To read more about this time in John A. Davis' life click here for the 3rd part of the Life of John A. Davis from the 1934 Theologue.

112th birthday of Charles Justus Davis

On September 19, 1897, Charles Justus Davis was born to John Adelbert Davis and Etta Carr Davis. He was the second child of John and Etta and the only sibling of Gordon Carr Davis. Today (Saturday, September 19, 2009) would mark his 112 birthday if he was still alive. Sadly his life was cut short when he died on the morning of Sunday, November 22, 1931 at the age of 34. To read more about that event read the article on this blog: How did Charles Davis really die?

Happy 138th Birthday Dr. John A. Davis

Dr. John A. Davis in the late 1920s

On Monday, August 7, 1871 John Adelbert Davis entered the world. Today, Friday, August 7, 2009 marks 138 years since he entered this world. He was born in very humble surrounding in the area around Afton, NY on Melondy Hill. Today is also a day we set aside to lift up the needs to of college which he founded in 1900. Look at the previous post for certain things you can lift up in prayer to the throne of God.

To learn more about the life of John A. Davis read the series of posts from the 1934 Theologue listed on the side bar beginning with the post:

1934 Theologue: The story of John A. Davis Part 1: "In the Beginning"

Pray for Davis College Day--This Friday

This Friday (August 7, 2009) marks the 138th anniversary of the birth of John A. Davis, the founder of Davis College. This day is also the 2nd annual Pray for Davis College Day. I decided last summer that August 7th would be a great day for anyone with any connection to the college to take some time to pray for the needs of the college. It is our founder's birthday and it is a couple of weeks away from the start of a new school year. Wherever you are this Friday, August 7 take a few moments to lift up Davis College and everyone at the college and involved with the college.

Some things to pray for:

Pray for the Administration

President of the college- Dr. Dino Pedrone, as he travels between New York and Florida. Also for wisdom as he leads

Chief Operating Officer- Rick Cramer, as he manages many of the day to day operations at the school and teaching classes.

Chief Academic Officer- Gilbert Parker, as he manages academic schedules an teaches.

Chief Financial Officer- Shelly Wilcox, as she manages the fiances of the college.

Pray for the Faculty

Pray that each of the professors would have wisdom in their classes. Pray that in each of the classes they teach the students would learn from what they teach. Not just to pass the classes, but that they would become more like Jesus Christ.

Pray for the Staff

In each of the departments pray that they would use godly judgment for each thing they do. Whether it is in finances, computers, admissions, food services. Let each thing be for the glory of God.

Pray for the Returning Students

Pray that they will be ready for the new classes they embark on this school year. For those who will be graduating this year, pray that they will make godly choices for their future. Pray that in each class they take that they can give their best to it to bring honor to God and apply it to their lives to become more like Jesus.

Pray for New or Transfer Students

Pray as many are coming from around the country and around the world that they would have peace. Pray for the ones that are from nearby that they would be able to still continue to grow. Pray that the LORD will work in each of their lives and that even if it is for one year, two, three, four, or more years that each moment at the college would help them grow in their faith.


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These are just somethings I am praying for as the college enters the new school year. I am sure there are more, but lift up each person on the campus. If you know the name of faculty, staff, or student, lift them up. There are still projects that are being finished before the students arrive. Pray for labors from churches and community to help with the tasks.

Pray for the College anytime the LORD lays the campus on your heart, whether it is August 7 or December 7. Keep it before the throne of God. The school wants to do the will of God, keep it and all its members in your prayers to do what God want us to do.

115th Anniversary of John and Etta Davis' wedding

On June 19, 1894, John Adelbert Davis and Etta Carr were married. Today it would be 115 years since that day. John had just started the pastorate at Hallstead, Pennsylvania earlier in that month. John had met Etta while both were in Afton. She had been teaching at the Public School. Ten days after their second anniversary Gordon Carr Davis was born and a little over year later Charles Justus Davis was born on September 19, 1897.

Today Marks 109 years since PBTS was laid on our founders heart

It was a 109 years ago. Thursday, April 5, 1900 was the place and Hazelton, Pennsylvania was the place. A 28 year old John Adelbert Davis had been conducting campaigns in the city when God laid on his heart a Bible School similar to that of Moody's Bible Institute that he had attended in 1893. Shortly later he went up to another campaign in Elmira, NY where he was given the one dollar from Mrs. Crossan that confirmed the vision was from the LORD. That summer the first classes of PBTS were begun over a store on the corner of Main Street and Arch in Johnson City (then Lestershire), NY.

John A. Davis grave on the Knoll

A photosynth of the Knoll with John A. Davis' grave on it. I had wanted to post it for the 75th anniversary of his death, but was unable to get the pictures to photosynth until now.

75th anniversary of John A. Davis' homegoing

This evening marked 75 years since John A. Davis the founder of Davis College went home to be in Glory. Saturday, March 17, 1934 at 7:45 PM.

The 1934 Theologue records his passing in these words:

His passing from this earth was tranquil. Surrounding his bed were the
members of the family, a sister of Mrs. Davis, Mr. M. C. Patterson, three nurses
who had ministered to him during the entire five weeks of his illness, and a young
man, one of the student body, who was there to aid in the caring of him.
He went out without a struggle. About one-half hour before his passing,
his breathing grew more irregular. Twice they thought he was gone but his
tremendous energy which had characterized his whole life, seemed reluctant to
subside. One minute was here with us and then quickly as a flash, he was in
another world with the One, Whom he had served so faithfully these many years.
His loyal wife, stood by his side until he had breathed his last. Then with
tears streaming down her face she bent over and tenderly kissed the furrowed
brow, whispering as she did so, “It’s all right, John dear, we’ve been together
these thirty-nine years and it’s all right.” And looking around at each one of their
little group and calling each one by their individual names, she said, “You
wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for him. The only thing I can think of is the
song, ‘When the Saints Come Marching In.’”
Gordon, his faithful son, who stood at the other side of the bed, bent
emotionally over his father, saying, “Yes, it’s all right father, the Gates of Glory
are opening now and you’re going on to your reward.”

He went onto glory to meet the Lord and Savior he had served for much of his life. Closed his eyes to this realm and opened them in the Heavenly Realms face to face with Jesus.

75 years ago...the last days on earth of Dr. John A. Davis

Friendship Cottage "on the banks of the Susquehanna"

The backside of Friendship Cottage

Looking from the porch onto the Susquehanna

Sunset Knoll site of John A. Davis' grave along with his wife's

John A. Davis' gravestone

This March marks 75 years since Dr. John A. Davis passed away. He passed away on Saturday, March 17, 1934. His health 75 years ago today (February 28, 1934) was fading. He had had a stroke in late January and had never recovered from it. He spent his time in Friendship Cottage overlooking the River as his wife Etta took care of him. Students would come and sing to him one of who was Pastor Carl Wheeler's wife to be, Florence.

Monday marks 119 years since John A. Davis and his parents were Baptized .

First Baptist of Afton, NY as it looks today

On Sunday, January 26, 1890 at the First Baptist church in Afton, NY an 18 year old John Adelbert Davis was baptized. The previous month in December of 1889 an evangelist campaigned had been held in the village and John went forward and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. The Reverend B. Stone, a former pastor of Afton, came and baptized John A. Davis and his parents Charles and Hulda(h) Davis (who had never been baptized) along with ten others.

It amazes me how God used John in the creation of a Bible school only 10 years later in the summer of 1900 at the age of 28.

I'm searching for any living relatives of: Rev. Charles H. Harrington and Alonzo F. Davis

The only picture I have of Rev. Charles H. Harrington (around 1907)

Tonight I am coming to you (the readers of this blog and web). Many have emailed me about relatives that attended Davis when it was Practical Bible Training School. Keep those emails coming I really enjoying helping to piece the puzzle for you and your families. It gives me more pieces of history. Tonight I am trying to find information on two people connected to the History of college. I know that both have passed away sometime ago, but I am trying to find information about relatives of them. The two people are the Rev. Charles H. Harrington and Alonzo F. Davis.

Reverend Charles H. Harrington:

I know very little about him, but if I could find a relative who might have notebooks of him the information might be very interesting. A bit of background that I do know: Rev. Harrington helped John A. Davis in the early years of some of his campaigns. The photo that is above is a photo in the book Rev. Harrington wrote about John A. Davis in 1908 and republished in 1909, A God Enthused Man. I am not sure where he was a pastor at, but I think from what I can tell he was born around 1850 or so maybe as early as 1830. From reading the book A God Enthused Man, Rev. Harrington did interviews with John A. Davis' parents and former school mates in the early 20th century, unfortunately he did not include all his research only brief bits in the book and I would like to get the rest for research. I am guessing that Rev. Harrington passed away between 1910-1920, but I am not sure.

Alonzo F. Davis:

Alonzo F. Davis is the younger (and only sibling) of John A. Davis. He was the second child of Charles and Hulda (Huldah) Davis. From what I can tell from Census records Alonzo was born between 4-5 years after John in around 1876 or 1877. This is only concrete information I have until John A. Davis' passing. Alonzo may have married between 1900 and 1910 to a Catherine, but this I am not sure. When his brother John A. Davis passed away in 1934 he was living in Preston, Maryland. It doesn't appear that he came to the funeral, but I am not sure. In the Obituary it simply says "He is survived by...A.F. Davis of Preston, Md." I am not sure if the person I have is the same Alonzo Davis that is married to a Catherine and if they had any children.

Any information about either of the gentlemen or where there families are today I would love to hear from you.