It was while he was superintendent of the Sunday School that Mr. Ross felt called to the gospel ministry, in order to a better preparation for which he entered (1883) the Alabama Baptist Normal and Theological School (now Selma University), where he spent a number of years.
Having received a call to the pastorate of the Hamburg Baptist Church, near Marion, Mr. Ross was accordingly ordained March 31, 1889. Ordaining council: Revs. Charles L. Purce, president Selma University; R. T. Pollard, Sunday School Missionary; William Madison, J. H. Hunter and L. J. Green. Dr. C. O. Boothe and Rev. Charles L. Fisher were also present and participated.
Rev. Ross was married to Miss Emily C. Boyd, of Selma, August 7, 1889. October 1, of the same year he resigned the Hamburg Church, the Forkland School, which he had taught for a number of years, to accept the principalship of the Eutaw public schools, Eutaw; Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Boligee, and Liberty Baptist Church, Blocton.
Owing to her thorough training and long experience as instructress in the city schools of Selma, Mrs. Ross has contributed much to the success of her husband.
Against the wishes of friends, patrons and churches he resigned his school of 350 pupils and the two churches named, to accept the position as treasurer and instructor in the State Colored Normal School, Normal, Ala.
July 1, 1893, he severed his connection with that school and became pastor of the Steele Street Baptist Church, Huntsville.
October 1 of the same year he resigned the pastorate of the Steele Street Church to take charge of the Sunday School Missionary work in the State under the American Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia, Pa., which position he now holds.
Savage, Rev. Daniel, of Mumford, pastor of several large churches, deserves to be mentioned among the praiseworthy, busy men of the Rushing Springs Association. He is held in high esteem for his self-reliance, stainless reputation, agreeable manners, public spirit and earnest Christian labors. He preaches for Shady Grove Church, Jenifer, and Sycamore Church, Talladega. The writer has seen him during the past fifteen years—in many meetings where there were hot words and hotter feelings and yet with him there was the same quiet spirit, the same smiling face. “He that ruleth his own spirit is better than he that taketh a city.”
Sampson, Mr. James William, son of Rev. Green Sampson, of Wetumpka, is a young man of high rank in the order of the Knights of Pythias, but is no less a solid efficient member of the Shiloh Baptist Church, of Birmingham. He deserves consideration as a man of discernment and enterprise concerning racial questions and denominational interests.
Scott, Rev. John, late of Demopolis, led to the erection of the edifice in which the First Colored Baptist Church of Demopolis now worships. After the Rev. James Caldwell, Rev. Scott was the chief leader of the people in his section. He died five or six years ago at about 50 years of age, and his pastorate is now filled by the Rev. Mr. Wallace.