M. T. Martin, son of Elder John P. Martin, was born August 6, 1842. His education was received at Mississippi College. He served his country in the Civil War, and was soon after elected to the chair of mathematics in Mississippi College, which position he filled with ability and success for nine years. Previous to his resignation he had felt a call to preach, and was accordingly licensed in 1877. He also served as financial agent

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of the College, relieving the institution of a heavy indebtedness and adding largely to its endowment. In 1877 he became the business manager of the Mississippi Baptist Record, the new paper inaugurated by the Baptist State Convention. In 1881 he located in Meridian, Miss., being associated with Elder C. M. Gordon in the management of the Meridian Female College.

      Mr. Martin next moved to Texas on account of his wife's failing health, where he spent ten years in evangelistic labors. During these ten years he held a great many special services, and reported some four thousand professions of faith under his ministry. From Texas he removed to Atlanta, Ga., about 1891. In 1892 he returned to Mississippi and was pastor at Gloster for some years.

      In "Mississippi Baptist Preachers," published in 1895, the author says of Mr. Martin: "He is a man of fine mental endowments. His mind is active, vigorous and alert. He is a man of considerable culture and mental attainments. He has a wonderfully logical turn of mind, and, when once his premises are admitted, one is led on step by step almost irresistibly to his conclusions."

      Concerning Mr. Martin's sudden death, his son, the widely-known and popular evangelist, T. T. Martin, furnishes the following account: "He had been for some months troubled with heart disease, but went to Cripple Creek, Colorado, to aid me in a meeting while I was pastor. The altitude was too high for him and he went to Kirksville, Mo., to be treated by the osteopath. I received a telegram to come to him. When I arrived I saw he was in a critical condition, and wired to St. Louis for two noted heart specialists to meet me at the depot in St. Louis that night. Thirty miles out of St. Louis father started to move in the car and sank down on the floor and died in my arms. I took the body to Gloster, Miss., and buried it. His friends erected a monument over the grave, with an open Bible surmounting it, and the simple record of his name, birth and death; and then the simple motto: 'A BOND SLAVE FOR CHRIST.'"

      Mr. Martin was a man of brilliant intellect, good attainments and courageous convictions.

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He published many editorials including: The Drift of the Times, Loyalty to Christ and Ministerial Slavery.

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[Editorials in the Gospel Standard and Standard Expositor, printed about 1892. Document provided by Cecil Fayard, Elliot, MS. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]

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