Henry Keeling Ellyson became possessed with a vision. It is the mark of any effective leader that a vision is forthcoming and that it is articulated. Ellyson was the executive leader of Virginia Baptists. His actual title was corresponding secretary. It was an humble title which really did not consider the magnitude of the responsibilities. If he were serving today, he would be known as the executive director, the CEO of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
Ellyson was only a month shy of his 25th birthday when he was elected to the position in 1848. He was granted a salary but never claimed it. In the nearly 45 years that Henry Keeling Ellyson served Virginia Baptists, he never received any financial compensation. But his circumstances never required it. He earned his livelihood as editor of the Richmond Dispatch, a newspaper which he developed into a statewide respected source of news and opinion. He was engaged in numerous business pursuits.
Fred Anderson
Ellyson was generous almost to a fault. He published at his own expense the journals of the Foreign Mission Board. He never disclosed his personal contributions; but after his death, someone familiar with his giving let it be known that during his leadership he gave the General Association and its board some $65,000. It is difficult to translate those dollars into today's value but maybe it was in the millions. But even one generous and well-to-do man could not — and should not — fund the state missions program of Virginia Baptists. All of the member churches must share in the enterprise.
Ellyson had been in the leadership post of Virginia Baptists for over 25 years when he began to articulate a new vision. He needed others to catch his vision and so he began to present it over and over again. In short, his vision was that the Baptists should climb aboard the Iron Horse and develop new churches at every railroad depot. He realized that the railroads were taming the vast western landscape of Virginia and he envisioned a continuous string of Baptist churches from Winchester to Bristol.
In 1875 the Mission Board and the General Association promoted a motto: “Virginia for Jesus — in every neighborhood a Baptist church.” Ellyson reminded the messengers to an annual meeting of the BGAV that “verily the Lord is with us, and bids us go up and possess the land in his name.”
In 1879, he appealed: “There are at the present time most potent reasons why the Valley and Appalachian divisions should receive a large share of our labors. Great lines of railway already in operation and others soon to be built, open to it the markets of the world, and furnish an easy highway for the incoming thousands to enter.”
In 1881, he stated: “In a few months 500 miles will be added to our railroads; factories, farmhouses, villages and towns will follow. Missionaries of Christ should go close after the track-layers to plant mission stations for the thousands who will come into our midst upon these highways of trade. If Baptists would keep pace with the growth of Virginia, they must give this Board ample means to occupy every position opened to Christian laborers.”
VBHS
Henry Ellyson
But how could the Mission Board and the General Association “possess the land” with little money to fund a bold vision? The State Mission Board was operating with declining receipts. Ellyson maintained: “This reduction in our income is not due to any lack of effort on our part to keep the churches advised of the needs of this work. The Board has had direct communication with nearly every pastor— through their clerks, deacons and thousands of their members; so that they cannot plead want of information for their waning interest in State Missions. We do not complain that too much was given to other Boards, but too little to this.”
“If it would impracticable to increase their annual gifts to the churches, which we are far from believing, it may be well to consider whether you are not seriously weakening the right arm of your strength by withdrawing so large a part of your offerings from State Missions.
“You have stationed us as sentinels on the watch towers of our Virginia Zion, and we would be faithless if we did not warn you of the threatened dangers.”
Only a few churches were carrying the financial load for the many. In an age before the development of the Cooperative Program and the expectation of systematic giving, the major portion of income had to come from dramatic appeals which were made over and over again. Year after year, after Ellyson delivered the annual report on state missions at a BGAV meeting, someone would move that subscriptions, pledges and offerings be taken to pay the salaries of the state missionaries. A better way had to be developed.
By 1882 there were 2,398 miles of railroads and more to be constructed. New villages and towns were being created. With adequate financial assistance, the General Association could plant new churches and/or construct new church buildings. Ellyson kept sharing his vision to plant a new Baptist church wherever there was a railroad depot.
At the October meeting of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, John Upton, today's executive director of the BGAV and the Mission Board, referred to his long-ago predecessor's vision. Also at the meeting was Doug Murren, a respected church planting consultant, who was sharing concepts on starting new churches. Upton asked Murren where are the railroad depots of today and Murren, in a word, replied: “McDonald's.” He was identifying where people can be found. “Virginia for Jesus” in today's world may start over a Big Mac and fries!
Fred Anderson may be contacted at [email protected] or at P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173.